I, O, U Healing Week One

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

I began my quest with a list of things to remember: keep it simple (less is

more), take the time needed (make changes gradually and be patient for results),

listen to my body and what it wants, listen to my heart and what it wants,

listen to my mind and what it wants and listen to my spirit and what it wants

(integration and balance of all aspects of self).

I decided my world was already turned upsidedown so what were a few changes

going to do...make me freak? I was game for something new and something that

made sense. I shall write in the format of what worked for me. I am in no way

advising anyone to do anything. Always check with your docs before beginning

any new health program.

Week One: My agenda for myself

a.. Take picture of myself

b.. Purchase water filters for kitchen and bath/shower and use them (have

filtered water tested for purity)

c.. drink at least ten glasses of filtered/bottled water daily

d.. eat yogurt daily (one carton a day or a few tablespoons with each meal)

e.. eat two papya slices or chew one papya tablet with each meal.

f.. purchase a few items:

1.. pure essential oils of lavender and tea tree (aura cacia)

2.. aloe plant

3.. glycerin tinctures of goldenseal, eyebright, gotu kola, comfrey, grapeseed

extract

4.. shaving brush

5.. eye wash cup (glass)

6.. organic plain yogurt

7.. organic almond oil

8.. organic lemon

9.. Dr Mindell's Vitamin Bible

Water filters were the first thing i purchased and began using the same day. I

bought PUR filters and had to purchase the shower filters from Harmony HOuse but

now i am finding shower head filters in the home improvement stores like Lowes.

Chlorine kills bacteria...even good intestinal bacteria. Intestinal bacteria

aid in the breakdown and assimilation of foodstuffs and also produce

B-vitamins. When the bacterial flora are reduced in numbers they can no longer

keep the candida flora in check and thus the environment is ripe for yeast

overgrowth. Yeast overgrowth is indicative of poor digestive health. This can

create a condition known as leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut is when the

intestinal walls/membranes become inflammed, swollen and permeable to larger

molecules such as yeast/fungi, bacteria, parasites, undigested proteins, fat and

waste products (substances healthy guts prevent from crossing the intestinal

wall/membrane). These large molecules are foreign to the blood stream and can

overload the immune system. Leaky gut indicates a state of potential

malnourishment. Leaky gut can lead to allergies which are indicative of a

poorly functioning immune system. Flouride has been linked to breakdown of

connective tissues so i continued using flouride toothpaste but filtered it out

of drinking and shower water. Drinking water helps keep the body hydrated, aids

cooling and elimination of toxins. The kidneys require blood circulating to do

their job of filtration so it is important to keep the circulating volume

adequate. I stopped using antiperspirant and switched to Avalon mint thyme and

lemon verbena deodorant. Antiperspirants prevent the underarms from releasing

heat and toxins through sweat. An added benefit i found was that my breasts no

longer became tender and i stopped having symptoms of fibrocystic dis-ease. I

ate organic yogurt. I even started making my very own yogurt. Yogurt provides

intestinal bacteria, lactic acid to kill unfriendly flora, lactose to feed

intestinal bacteria which make B-vitamins. Papaya provides papain, a digestive

enzyme needed for digestion.

This concludes my activities for week one. My thinking was that if i made the

changes slowly and understood the reasoning i could successfully create new

habits to replace the habits i was letting go.

copyright 2001 Master Herbalist Thesis