Thursday, March 19, 2009
Let's Try Juicing
Today's juice is:
4 Organic Carrots
1 Organic Cucumber
1/2 Organic Golden Beet with 1/2 of the greens
1 Organic Orange
It tasted pretty good too! This combo w/o the orange was labeled a body purifier. Here's hoping.
To your health!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Eye Appointment Improvements
I found a doctor and scheduled an appointment. He did the exam and then asked me if I knew what my previous prescription had been. I told him that the left eye was -.75 and the right eye was -1.25. He smiled and said well your eyes have improved. They are both -.50 so you are over correcting. YEAH!!! I thought my eyes were getting worse but they weren't. It was the contacts being the wrong prescription that made things worse.
Once I was home I began to contemplate what I had changed since my last appointment. There were two things. Well actually three.
- I had removed my amalgam fills and chelated the mercury out.
- I had increased my Iodoral from 50 mgs to 125 mgs
- I had begun to take 25,000 iU Vit A (Kroeger Sunny A)
Knowing that Vit A was important to the eyes I began to wonder about the iodine. Well guess what? Iodine is concentrated in the ciliary body of the eye.
So I looked for what the ciliary body did:
One function of the ciliary body is the production of aqueous humor, the clear fluid that fills the front of the eye. It also controls accommodation by changing the shape of the crystalline lens. When the ciliary body contracts, the zonules relax. This allows the lens to thicken, increasing the eye's ability to focus up close. When looking at a distant object, the ciliary body relaxes, causing the zonules to contract. The lens becomes thinner, adjusting the eye's focus for distance vision.
It appears that not only is Iodoral saving my life from thyroid cancer but it is also improving my eyesight. I love this stuff!!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Weight Loss / Colon Cleansing and Feeling Great!
My favorite doctor - Dr. David Brownstein - and friend spoke as well. He discussed the iodine & thyroid connection. He just released a new edition to his Iodine book where he discusses Iodine and children. My son's story is part of this topic as a case study. Lynne Farrow of Breast Cancer Choices gave a wonderful presentation on the history of Iodine uses in clinical practice and how it effects breast disease.
Now for me. I am doing very well. As I finished 2008 I began to reflect on the progress I have made again this year in restoring my own as well as my family's health. I have so much vitality and have been so healthy this year. I cannot think of a time that I was sick for the last 2 years. I have my bouts of headaches and feeling a bit fatigued but then I just take it easy and I am back up and running. I think it is detoxing related. This year I lost over 30 lbs bringing from almost 170 lbs to the 130's. I have not been this thin since the 8th grade. It feels so good. I get workouts done 3x / week at the YMCA too.
In November we took the kids gluten free. We have had to continually increase their thyroid medication and I was getting concerned about their behavior. When my son's teacher approached me about his ADD like issues I called my doctor and asked him his thoughts. Could it really be gluten? He told me if it where his child that he would try it. So I cleared the house of all gluten so there was no whining that they wanted something they could not have and took them both gluten free. I didn't think my daughter had much of an issue with gluten but it was easier to do both than one. My son had been having issues with GERD, Stomach aches and Constipation. My daughter was just very emotional.
One week into the gluten free diet my son's issues melted away. I asked him if he felt better and he said "My tummy doesn't hurt anymore". He has been very good about making sure his food is safe. It is now 2 months later and he is finally starting to eat more food. My ND says that it takes 6 weeks to heal 50% of the gut and then another year to heal the remaining 50%. My daughter's behavior got better too. The house became a calmer place and they became more attentive. I highly recommend reading Dangerous Grains - an eye opening book on why gluten is so dangerous. Also there is a great website for gluten issues info for kids from a Dr in New Zeeland that calls himself "Dr Gluten".
My daughter had an exposure to gluten 6 weeks after getting taken off of it. She was at her class Christmas party and she ate 2 Dixie cups full of pretzels. I picked her up from school not knowing this had happened. She was screaming in the car and hitting her brother. When we got home every little thing set her off and she would run out of the room crying. I wondered what was wrong with her. Then at lunch we were discussing her party and I asked what they had to eat (the teacher and I had gone over the "menu" to make sure she was safe but they changed the food grrrrrrr.....). She told me she had eaten pretzels. I said "OH that's gluten". She burst into tears and said she didn't know. Well that explained the behavior. But then 2 days later when she was taking a shower I went to dry her off with a towel and she had a rash all over her torso, buttocks and legs. The poor child was peppered with it. This can happen when there is a gluten exposure and you are sensitive. It was so itchy and she was clawing at it. There are still a few on her bottom - almost 4 weeks later. It takes so long to get this junk out of her. It has taken some time to detox her and get her attitude more level. So gluten is out of our home for good - see my Gluten Free Naturally blog for some great kid friendly recipes.
This week I am doing a 3 day fasting colon cleanse. My stools have been "off" lately and I am so constipated. I think this is due to the level of bromide I dumped when I was dieting. I did an Iodine loading test during this time and my bromide went to a 62 Ug/L when it had been 28 Ug/L when not dieting.
I will have my follow up appointment with Dr. B on Wednesday. He called me with my lab results last night and I am happy to report that my cancer markers were 13 - last one was 11.9 - so we are still hanging on with great markers. It's hard to believe that 3 years ago when I went to see him for the first time I was dying. They wanted to do external beam radiation for a recurrence of the cancer. My thyroglobulin markers were up to 24. I have gotten them down naturally. Praise God. I am glad I followed His leading in taking the road less travelled. Our bodies are amazing and can heal if given what they need and by caring for them as God intended.
So that's my update. Live well!
Stephanie
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Detoxing, Detoxing........
I do have an interesting observation to share. A week ago I was drying off after my shower and went to put my bra on. I noticed that there were gray circles in the middle of the cups where my nipples would rest. How weird I thought. So I got out another clean bra from my drawer that was also white. What do you know? It had the same gray circles in it. I must be detoxing something from my breasts. I have not had this before. I do have a grayish paste that I can scrape off my chest on my breast bone - is this bromide? I have no idea. I am thankful whatever it is, is coming out.
I will schedule my thermography in the next week or so and am eager to see if there have been any changes. I have lost 2 of the 3 fibrous masses in my breast through iodine supplementation. Let's hope that the 3rd is gone. It was smaller last year.
I don't think we quite understand the level of exposure to toxins we are receiving on a daily basis. I know I had no idea that I was this bad and I work hard to stay clean. I cannot imagine how bad someone would be who does not concern themselves detoxing. It seems they are a ticking time bomb of ill health. We are in for a health care crisis in the future I believe. It makes me sad becuase it does not have to happen.
So that's my update. I will continue on 125 mgs and then retest with a loading / bromide level test the end of October.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Day 6 on 125 mgs Iodoral
Many websites will tell you that what I am experiencing is Iodism or an allergy to iodine however, this is obviously not the case since I have been taking iodine without issues for literally years. If you google bromide toxicity symptoms you will find that they mirror what is considered iodine toxicity. For me, I am lucky to have a doctor that tests my bromide levels when we check my iodine saturation level and I am still pumping out large amounts of bromide. It really gives me a window into one of the reasons why I probably got thyroid cancer. Between the bromide, mercury and low nutrient levels in my diet and stress of my job I was destined for it.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Increasing Iodoral Dosage Again to 125 mgs
Here are my Iodine Loading Test results:
July 2008
Iodine Excreted 53%
Bromide Excreted 28.6 mgs/24 hr
Dosage history:
50 mgs March 06 - Sept '06
75 mgs Oct 06 - Nov 06
50 mgs Dec 06 - Mid Oct 07
100 mgs Mid Oct 07 - Mid Feb 08
Took a break from iodine from mid March 08 - end of April 08 for a detox protocol (off all supplements)
100 mgs April 08 - July 08
Currently on 100 mgs
Here are my past results:
November 2007
Iodine Excreted 66%
Bromide Excreted 34 mgs/24 hrs
Dosage history:
50 mgs March 06 - Sept '06
75 mgs Oct 06 - Nov 06
50 mgs Dec 06 - Mid Oct 07
100 mgs Mid Oct 07 - Mid Nov '07
August 2006
Iodine Excreted 60%
No Bromide done
Dosage History: I took 50 mgs Iodoral from March '06 to the time I took the test.
I am feeling great. My husband and I just returned from a 9 day trip to Alaska. It is wonderful to have a life again.
Here we are.
Just for grins I decided to get out a copy of the picture from our last cruise almost 10 years ago to the month. I was amazed at how much I have changed since then. I had not been diagnosed with cancer yet nor had I had my first child. My life was to change a whole lot after this. But you can see signs of the issues already in this photo.
I will try to keep up with my blog as I continue with the increased dose of Iodoral and retest my iodine and bromide levels.
Until next time....................
To your continued improvement in your health!
Stephanie
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Update on me - Progress August 2008
My health continues to improve and it amazes me that I can feel any better. But I do and it is a wonderful feeling to live an abundant life. Recently I lost 30 lbs and went from a size 12 to a 6. I have not been this small in as long as I can remember. I suspect that my thyroid was an issue for many years before thyroid cancer was diagnosed. I always had issues with weight and ate less and less as time went on and worked out harder and harder but nothing fixed it. I joined weight watchers 3 times only to gain all that I lost and then some back again. Eventually you just resolve to being overweight.
One thing that I have discovered that was effecting my weight is Gluten. Gluten sensitives are very common in people with thyroid issues. Especially hashimotos folks need to watch their consumption as it has been show to increase antibody levels. So I have for the most part given up gluten. Wheat is a big issue - after consuming it within a half hour I become very sleepy and feel horrible. It just isn't worth it. So I have gone back to my gluten free ways (was GF for over 1 year). I am getting very good at baking things that taste like gluten products. It just makes it very difficult to travel.
Speaking of travel, we recently took the kids to California and spent two days in Disneyland and one day at Legoland. There was a point in my life where I would have NEVER attempted this. Both for my own issues but with two hypo kids, it would have been a nightmare. We all did great and enjoyed our time - kids first flight as well.
In 4 weeks my husband and I will leave for a 7 day Alaskan Cruise and in November I will attend the National Weston Price conference. It feels so good to have a life full of adventure again and not sleep.
I have also had requests for what I currently take in the way of supplements so I will give an updated list. Keep in mind that these have been designed for my specific needs based on lab testing so please don't think that this is the answer to all your issues. It is a constant fine tuning process. We run labs about every 3 mos on my levels. Which I am happy to report - my cancer markers (Tg) were down again for my July visit with my doctor. I am so thankful!
DHEA 5 mgs (doctors brand)
Pregnenolone 25 mgs 1/day (Research Nutrition)
C-500 4/day (Optimox)
Iodoral 50 mgs 2/day (Optimox)
Multi Mins 2/day (Biotics Research)
BioMulti Plus 2/day (Biotics Research)
Cu-Zyme 1/day (Biotics Research)
MSM Forte 2/ day (doctors brand - 1,000 mgs MSM / tab)
B6 Complex 1/day (Pure Encapsulations)
Sunny A 1/day (Kroeger Herb Products)
Conjugated Linoleic Acid 1/day (Vitamin Research Products - 1 gr / tab)
BioPro 1/day (Vitamin Research Products)
DMG Complete 4/day (doctors brand contains Folinic Acid 400 mcg, B-12 Methycobalamin, DMG Dimethylglycine 150 mg, Choline 50 mg, Riboflavin 50 mg)
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
UltraClear Plus pH 1 scoop / day as needed (Metagenics)
Methycobalamin injections 1,000 mg 2x / week
Armour Thyroid 4 grains (240 mgs)
The DMG is for a recent discovery that I have a gene defect in the MTHFR pathway. I am only just beginning to understand what this means. You can google Amy Yasko for more info. Basically that is all I know now too. My Dr is finding that many of his thyroid patients have this defect. It is genetic and common in Western European descent people.
So that's the update on me. Living life to the fullest. So much for my endo telling me that if I took Armour my cancer would return and I would probably die. It is now 2 1/2 years later and I am doing better than ever.
To your health!
Stephanie
My Final Post ..... The Ending of a Journey
It is a very strange feeling to be writing this post. It will be the last update that I post to this blog. The blog itself will remain up ...
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It is a very strange feeling to be writing this post. It will be the last update that I post to this blog. The blog itself will remain up ...
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You would think that the milestone of 10 years would send me into celebration of the life I have been able to lead since my diagnosis of thy...
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Thank you to all my friends who were concerned about my last post. It was very therapeutic for me to post my feelings about my journey but ...