And there they are....

Hello....

Just a short check-in. I went in to see my naturopath the other day for a functional blood analysis (my fourth in the past year). My blood cells look healthier these days, so much better than when we started. For awhile the borders were kind of "puckery" looking (is that a word?), and now most of them are beautifully round, although a few still shaped like balloons. And lots of inflammation still showing (it looks like cottage cheese splattered all over a field of red); however, it seems to be somewhat less.

Whenever she does this test, she also lets some of the blood incubate for a period of time and then scans for the Borrelia bacteria, which is the primary critter causing Lyme disease. To date, she has never found Borrelia... until now. After two days of incubation the spirochetes were visible under the microscope.

So even though I've tested positive for Lyme through the Western blot, it's strangely validating to also finally be able to "see" the bacteria, as it's so notorious for hiding throughout the body. Some people never receive a visual confirmation of Borrelia, even though they've tested positive for Lyme and have all the symptoms. These bacteria are very smart and they tend to stay in hiding except during certain phases of their life cycle when they are proliferating. So it's an interesting little game to try and catch them under the microscope.

I still have hives, although I think I am finally feeling slightly better today; I think the worst of it may be over (knock on wood!!). I drank only water for two days and took Quercitin, as recommended by Dr. R. I had a couple of handfulls of spinach along the way, that's it. Hives can last for a day, or they can last for weeks and even months. So I am truly hoping these wretched little itchy welts are on the way out....

That's it for now. Going to go enjoy the beautiful sunshine,

Sukie

Disney or "real life"?

Greetings ~

Just woke up and watched the "movie" outside my bedroom window for a little while... deer grazing, bunnies hopping about, birds of all shapes and sizes twittering in the trees, squirrels and chipmunks scampering around. I live in a Disney movie!!! How awesome is that?? There is also a handsome prince involved, and wonderful adventures. I guess that makes me the princess..... and in Disney movies the princess always has some type of issue. Wonder if they'll ever make a movie where the princess has lyme disease?? Mmmmm, probably not. The good news is that the princesses usually eventually get blessed with what they want; they just have to pass some personal challenges and hang in there. Yes, this is sounding familiar!

Anyway, this past few days I have been experiencing a fair amount of fatigue. The aches and pains have been very manageable, but I've been pretty tired and drowsy and taking naps. I love to take naps, so that's not a problem. What I'm noticing though is that I'm not waking up feeling refreshed, which is another characteristic of lyme. That's one of the questions the doctors always ask: is your sleep refreshing? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. All my life I've been a morning person and bounced out of bed bright and early with the energy of a hurricane. I'm still a morning person, but usually now I wake up slowly, stretch out my sore muscles (especially my knees and hips), sometimes doze off again a time or two, and then coax myself into verticality (I realize that's not a word, but you know what I mean). My brain starts to kick in a little and we eventually shift into drive.

So that's what I am realizing right now.... with my body feeling better I'm starting to notice more about the underlying fatigue. It comes and goes. Some days I have my old energy and I zip around like a tornado. When I was working full-time I was one of the craziest multi-taskers you've ever seen. I made a conscious decision a couple of years ago to break myself of that, and I've done fairly well. I still always have my proverbial list of things to do - I am a listmaker and planner, for sure - but I pace myself and don't expect to accomplish all those things in one day. I try to make time to just "be", and to meditate, sleep in the sun, read or do art.

Bottom line: Life's grand and I am joyful. I'm blessed with a life of meaning and magic. As much as we'd all like that Disney fairy-tale ending, life is a journey, and that's the beauty of it. Nothing is always "perfect." But it is beautiful in its imperfection and diversity. I am so grateful for the amazement of life, and as frustrating and maddening as this chaotic world can be, I'm happy to be along for the ride.

Today's mantra comes from Dr. Emoto, who has done all those amazing studies with water. This is for the waters affected by the oil spill, which affects all of life:

"To the oceans, waterways, and all sea animals and sea life. I love you, I'm sorry, please forgive me." We are all in this together, and to transform our planet we must take responsibility, collectively, for our actions, so that we can transform ourselves. By setting our intentions this way, we truly love ourselves and all of the life that we are a part of.

Much love & many blessings to you,

Sukie

Back on track

Greetings ~

After lazily re-integrating into everyday life the past couple of days, I'm finally back on the ol' blog. Erick and I spent an amazing week in Arizona. Highlights were Sedona (of course!)and the Grand Canyon (both of which Erick had never seen before). I also visited my old childhood digs and the town where I grew up - wow, so much has changed. I guess that's the story for anyone going back in time...

I managed to feel pretty well most of the time on our travels, even though I wasn't fully on my best eating plan, nor was I taking all of my supplements. I did find the most incredible restaurant in Sedona called the Chocolate Tree, which served ONLY things that are gluten-free, dairy-free and processed sugar-free. It was so very COOL to be able to order anything I wanted off the menu and not have to think about whether I could eat it! I had a killer veggie sandwich, an awesome chocolate smoothie, a piece of pumpkin cream pie, and a few chocolates (to go...). And they were all delicious! I would be forever indebted to anyone who would open a restaurant like this on Whidbey Island!!! I wish I had the willpower to do it, but restauranteering is not my calling in life. But I'm extremely good at restaurant-visiting!

I must admit we also had Mexican food three times - so yummy! Of course for me that is something with vegetarian beans and corn tortillas, guacamole and some salsa. I even had a glass of sangria one night - woo hoo! Little of what I ate was organic; I was so happy to pick up our bag of groceries when we returned home from the Raven and Spade!

While in AZ we hiked, swam in the river, and logged quite a few miles. My favorite playing and healing spots are all still there, still heart-opening, still awesome. Favorite spot hands-down: Red Rock Crossing in Sedona, where one can swim and frolic in the river underneath the Cathedral Rock formation. Having grown up in the AZ sun I rather enjoyed the heat for a few days, but honestly, I was also supremely happy to return home to our sweet island life. Vacations are always so uplifting, and yet it is always good to return come back home. It was also so sweet to spend time with daughter Ari, who house-sat for us. She is the sweet, precious peach of my life.

So after some transition, I'm back on track with my clean/organic eating plan, and taking all my supplements. My blood pressure has gone up and down a bit between 114/70 to 138/84, and everything in between. Lately it's been pretty stable. While I was going absolute full-throttle on the Salt/C protocol there for a few weeks, I had to lighten up just a bit and drop from 12 doses of Salt and C each day, to 8 each day. My body is happier that way, and we seem to be settling back into a good equilibrium. I haven't had a severe herx in a few weeks now. I'm enjoying that while it lasts! Although it may be because I lowered my dose and am just not hitting the bacteria hard enough..... time will tell.

I recently started reading an excellent book called Cure Unknown: Inside the Lyme Epidemic, by Pamela Weintraub. Ms. Weintraub is an investigative scientific journalist, currently senior editor at Discover magazine, who has covered science and biomedicine for national media for more than 25 years in New York. She also has lyme disease, as does her husband and their two sons. She is uniquely qualified to investigate and report-out on all the controversy surrounding Lyme, and she does so professionally, and with remarkable determination. I'll share more about it as I go, and I also suggest that for anyone remotely interested in Lyme and what it's all about... please check it out of the library and read it yourself. She is able to make some sense of the controversy that is Lyme disease, including the power struggles that exist within mainstream medicine to "control" who has the final say regarding what lyme is and how to treat it (many leading scientists and physicians have ties to for-profit interests, such as potential lyme vaccines).

One thing's for sure, there is never a dull moment when Lyme disease is the topic! I feel very, very blessed to be having a healing response through my use of the Salt/C protocol. I feel like one of the "lucky ones" who received a diagnosis fairly early in the game (even though I'd had increasingly present lyme symptoms for several years already, but hadn't begun seeking medical attention until just over a year ago), who has been fortunate to find a fairly inexpensive protocol (after $10K in medical fees) that seems to be working. Color me GRATEFUL! I don't take my recovery for granted, and I know I am still far from the finish line (if there even is such a thing). Whether or not I achieve a full remission of my symptoms (and for how long) still remains to be seen, although I fully envision myself in vibrant energy and health. Stay tuned folks....

Sukie

Deceptively sweet....

Greetings everyone ~

Ahhhh, life is grand. After those several really "herxy" days, I have been back to "normal" for a couple of days now. Meaning my energy is back and I haven't been hurting much. I had to listen to my body and do a lot of sleeping and resting for a couple of days. I was truly wiped out. But we're back in the saddle again.... I must confess that yesterday I did some spring cleaning and today I'm a bit sore, but it felt so good to do it! I also took a couple of naps in my cozy chair on the deck...

I have an appointment with Dr. Rabinovich on Thursday and will ask her to check my blood pressure, and also ask about the little teeny red dots. I'll report back here about those soon.

Today Dr. Mercola has an excellent article on his website that I thought I would post here. I know I've mentioned his website before: www.mercola.com. It is a truly valuable site with many useful articles, as well as products (Himalayan sea salt, coconut oil, ubiquinol, cocoa casava bars, water filters, etc.). A dear friend of mine, Mary Saint-Marie, who is a powerful teacher and brilliant artist and always on the cutting edge of everything, met Dr. Mercola recently and was truly impressed with him and his integrity. So I hope you'll enjoy the article below - I think it probably applies to pretty much every human, at least in the western world....

Back soon,

Sue

DR. MERCOLA'S ARTICLE ON FRUCTOSE

If you have been reading my recent articles about fructose you will probably recognize Dr. Richard Johnson.

Dr. Johnson is one of the physicians on the cutting edge of sugar metabolism research today, his focus being on how the overabundance of sugar in the American diet -- particularly fructose -- is causing obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and a number of other health problems in staggering numbers.

In this lecture, Dr. Johnson takes a more historical approach to obesity and cardiovascular disease, reviewing the important uric acid connection and some interesting evolutionary findings related to the way humans metabolize sugar.

Cardiology is a Relatively NEW Field
Obesity rates have paralleled sugar consumption trends in Western civilization. Although the obesity epidemic is relatively recent, obesity is not a new phenomenon.

In 1860, the prevalence of a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or higher (which defines obesity) was 1.6 percent among 50 year-old men. By 1900, it had tripled, and it has sharply increased over the past century.

Like obesity, hypertension was also rare prior to the twentieth century:

•In 1900, only 5 percent of the population had a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher.
•By 1939, 10 percent of adults had blood pressures above 140/90.
•Today, 31 percent of adults are hypertensive.
Prior to 1940, there was no such thing as a cardiologist because there was no need for them. That was only 70 years ago!

The first reported angina was in 1929. In 1950, there were 500 cardiologists in the United States. Now there are 35,000 -- and they perform more than one million heart surgeries annually.

What is driving this eruption of cardiovascular disease?

One key factor: the explosion of sugar in the Western diet.

Sugar used to be quite expensive. It was a nonessential food item reserved mostly for the wealthy. Prior to 1800, Americans were consuming only about 4 pounds of sugar per person, per year. By 1800, that number had increased to 18 pounds as sugar plantations began to emerge. And by 1900, it was 90 pounds.

And sugar consumption has literally exploded since then -- our entire society is dependent on a substance that offers no nutritional value at all.

Diabetes Was Linked to Sugar Back in the 1800s
Diabetes has shown similar historical trends.

In 1892, there were just two cases of diabetes per 100,000 people, according to a famous medical textbook by Sir William Osler, The Principles and Practice of Medicine. Today, the rate is 9 percent across all age groups, and sadly one of every three children is diabetic.

When you look at the numbers of adults aged 20 and over, the incidence rate is almost 11 percent. And when you look at seniors aged 60 and up, the prevalence is over 23 percent!

The statistics are even more grim when it comes to the prevalence of pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glucose).

Almost 26 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 20 are pre-diabetics, and more than 35 percent of seniors, 60 and older.

All in all, the reality is that one in every four Americans is now either diabetic or pre-diabetic. Even in the 1800s, it was recognized that diabetes was related to sugar consumption.

Dr. Haden Emerson, one of the first epidemiologists and a public health commissioner of New York, wrote a brilliant paper about the rise in diabetes in New York City. In it, he commented that people who got diabetes were wealthy, sedentary, white, and he posed that sugar was driving it, according to the information presented by Dr. Johnson.

Today, the average American is consuming 56 gallons of soda and 152 pounds of sugar-based sweeteners annually. Soda consumption has risen by 70 percent since 1977. Ten to 20 percent of children’s calories come from sugar -- and the top 20 percent of sugar-addicted children are getting 40 percent of their calories from sugar every single day.

It is no accident that childhood obesity is at a record high and life expectancy for the youngest generation is, for the first time, lower than that of their parents.

The worst type of sugar you can ingest is fructose, which may surprise you because it is derived from fruit.

Fructose Turns You Into a Uric Acid Factory
It’s been known for ages that meats and purine-rich foods can raise uric acid, but it turns out that one of the most profound ways to raise uric acid is by consuming the simple sugar fructose.

The chemical name for regular table sugar is sucrose, which is made up of two simple sugars, fructose and glucose, that are linked together.

Glucose and fructose are different types of simple sugars. After they are separated apart and broken down in your body they are metabolized using completely separate pathways. Glucose is utilized by every cell in your body -- in fact, your body was designed to use it for energy.

But fructose breaks down into a variety of waste products that are bad for your body, one of which is uric acid. As it turns out, uric acid drives up your blood pressure.

How does it do this?

Uric acid inhibits the nitric oxide in your blood vessels, and nitric oxide helps your vessels maintain their elasticity. Nitric oxide suppression leads to increases in blood pressure.

In fact, 17 out of 17 studies demonstrate that elevated uric acid levels lead to hypertension.

Thanks to Dr. Johnson’s research, we now know that fructose generates uric acid within minutes of ingestion. High levels of uric acid are normally associated with gout, but it has been long known that people with high blood pressure and kidney disease, and people who are overweight, often have elevated uric acid levels.

It was thought this increased uric acid resulted from the disease, but it appears now that it may have been CAUSING it!

Not surprisingly, uric acid levels have been increasing for the past hundred years.

When your uric acid level exceeds about 5.5 mg per dl, you have an increased risk for a host of diseases, including:

•Hypertension
•Kidney disease
•Insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes
•Fatty liver
•Elevated triglycerides, elevated LDL, and cardiovascular disease
•For pregnant women, even preeclampsia
This is exactly why I am so passionate about educating you about the dangers of fructose! I am thoroughly convinced it’s one of the leading causes of a great deal of needless suffering from poor health and premature death.

One of the other professionals who truly opened my eyes and educated me on this issue is Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at University of California in San Francisco.

If you still haven’t watched his very popular and excellent lecture on the dangers of fructose and other sugars, I strongly recommend you take the time to do it. (I’ve published it in two parts. Click here for part 1, and here for part 2.)

Glucose Makes Fructose Even More Potent!
Fructose consumption clearly causes insulin resistance, whereas straight glucose does not. Insulin resistance can eventually lead to full blown diabetes.

Interestingly, glucose actually accelerates fructose absorption. So when you mix glucose and fructose together, you absorb more fructose than if you consumed fructose alone. This is an important piece of information if you are struggling to control your weight.

Remember, sucrose, or table sugar, is exactly this blend -- fructose plus glucose.

Is Fruit Bad?
If you are craving something sweet, your best bet is to reach for an apple or a pear. And if you give yourself a sugar holiday for even a couple of weeks, you will be amazed at how much those cravings will decrease. But be sure and count the grams of fructose and keep your total fructose from fruit below 15 grams per day as you are sure to consume plenty of "hidden" fructose in the other foods you will be eating.

You can use the table below to help you count your fructose grams.

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose
Limes 1 medium 0
Lemons 1 medium 0.6
Cranberries 1 cup 0.7
Passion fruit 1 medium 0.9
Prune 1 medium 1.2
Apricot 1 medium 1.3
Guava 2 medium 2.2
Date
(Deglet Noor style) 1 medium 2.6
Cantaloupe 1/8 of med. melon 2.8
Raspberries 1 cup 3.0
Clementine 1 medium 3.4
Kiwifruit 1 medium 3.4
Blackberries 1 cup 3.5
Star fruit 1 medium 3.6
Cherries, sweet 10 3.8
Strawberries 1 cup 3.8
Cherries, sour 1 cup 4.0
Pineapple 1 slice
(3.5" x .75") 4.0
Grapefruit, pink or red 1/2 medium 4.3
Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose
Boysenberries 1 cup 4.6
Tangerine/mandarin
orange 1 medium 4.8
Nectarine 1 medium 5.4
Peach 1 medium 5.9
Orange (navel) 1 medium 6.1
Papaya 1/2 medium 6.3
Honeydew 1/8 of med. melon 6.7
Banana 1 medium 7.1
Blueberries 1 cup 7.4
Date (Medjool) 1 medium 7.7
Apple (composite) 1 medium 9.5
Persimmon 1 medium 10.6
Watermelon 1/16 med. melon 11.3
Pear 1 medium 11.8
Raisins 1/4 cup 12.3
Grapes, seedless (green or red) 1 cup 12.4
Mango 1/2 medium 16.2
Apricots, dried 1 cup 16.4
Figs, dried 1 cup 23.0


My Recommended Fructose Allowance
As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise keeping your TOTAL fructose consumption below 25 grams per day.

However, for most people it would actually be wise to limit your fruit fructose to 15 grams or less, as it is virtually guaranteed you will consume “hidden” sources of fructose from most beverages and just about any processed food.

Fifteen grams of fructose is not much -- it represents two bananas, one-third cup of raisins, or just two Medjool dates!

Since the average 12-ounce can of soda contains 40 grams of sugar, at least half of which is fructose, this can of soda ALONE would exceed your daily allotment of 15 grams -- plus it offers you absolutely nothing nutritive, only empty calories.

Reducing sugar in your diet can be tough. After all, sugar is just as addictive as cocaine!

In his book, The Sugar Fix, Dr. Johnson includes detailed tables showing the content of fructose in different foods -- an information base that isn’t readily available when you’re trying to find out exactly how much fructose is in various foods. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this excellent resource.

If you feel you must have a sweetener, here are a few guidelines to follow:

•Avoid ALL artificial sweeteners.
•Avoid all conventional agave and high fructose corn syrup
•If you have favorite products that you use PLEASE write the company and tell them to remove the fructose or you will not purchase them in the future. We have been VERY effective as many major companies have already shifted their practice of using HFCS.
•Limit sugar of all types as much as possible. You can buy pure glucose (dextrose) as a sweetener for about $1 per pound, which has none of the adverse effects of fructose if used moderately. It is only 70 percent as sweet as sucrose, so you’ll end up using a bit more of it for the same amount of sweetness, making it slightly more expensive than sucrose -- but still well worth it for your health.

•Use high quality agave that has fructose in it's conjugated from. You can also use raw honey in moderation or avoid it completely as it is 70 percent fructose which is higher than HFCS. However the fructose is not in its free from so that moderates the damage. But each teaspoon of honey has nearly four grams of fructose so you will want to carefully add the total grams of fructose (including fruits) and keep them under 15 grams per day.

•Use regular stevia in moderation, but avoid stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia and PureVia because they have undergone more processing. My favorites are the liquid stevias that are flavored with English Toffee or French Vanilla. Remember, in the US it is illegal to advertise stevia as a sweetener so you will need to look for it in the supplement section where it is legal to sell.

•Lo Han is another excellent natural herbal sweetener.

•Exercise can be a very powerful tool to help control fructose in a number of ways. If you are going to consume fructose it is BEST to do so immediately before, during or after INTENSE exercise as your body will tend to use it directly as fuel and not convert it to fat Additionally exercise will increase your insulin receptor sensitivity and help modulate the negative effects of fructose.

Lastly exercise will also help to blunt your appetite and control your sweet tooth.

If you have fasting insulin levels, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you’re overweight, I suggest you avoid all sweeteners, including stevia, since any sweetener can decrease your insulin sensitivity.

Checking in....

Hello everyone ~

Just a quick note today. Things are going well with the protocol. I was feeling really great until last Sunday when I decided to push the envelope on exercising more than I should have. I did some stretches that included hanging from a bar to fully lengthen and stretch my arms, and also squatting as much as possible (while hanging onto something). It felt good at the time, but for the next three days my knees were SUPER sore, along with my shoulders and collarbone area (doesn't help that I have a rotator cuff prob with my right arm). In our Chronic Wellness group today we talked a bit about this and I heard from everyone (both fibromyalgia and lyme sufferers) that overdoing the exercise, or in some cases just any exercise period, can be too much and throw the body into severe pain mode. So it's not just my imagination. Exercise really HURTS sometimes! What's hardest is realizing that I need to start waaaaaay smaller than I would like to. Like maybe working from gentle stretches with no repetitions, to stretches with one or two reps, and slowly upward until I'm doing - gasp - six of them. It is just amazing to think that a year ago all of this stuff felt GOOD to do and my body still liked it. It is said that patience is a virtue - I'm still trying to fully appreciate that one.

I want to clarify something I said recently on my blog about not living in fear. Fear can be a healthy thing in certain situations. Obviously, if a snarling dog is running at you, you should be scared and take cover. If you are feeling incredible pain or find yourself in an unfamiliar, unwelcoming situation, it is also natural and normal to feel afraid. What I was referring to earlier was that sometimes it's easy to fall into living in fear all the time because of the stuff the media throws at us constantly. It can be really liberating and health-inducing to stop watching the news and reading the papers. I'm not suggesting we become total hermits to the point that we are completely uninformed, but I do believe that 90% of the "news" out there is intended to play upon our fears, for whatever reason (maybe so their ratings will go up, or you'll buy their expensive medication with the bazillions of side effects, or so you'll be afraid of a certain cultural or ethnic group, or so you'll go out and buy a Hummer, or... whatever...?). Healthy, rational fear is a necessary part of our lives, and may in fact save our lives. Irrational fears can be destructive and paralyze us from living our lives to the fullest.

Just thought I'd throw that in there...

Anyhoo, I'm about to jump in the car and go pick up our weekly bag of healthy organic produce from the Raven and Spade. I SO appreciate them and what they provide for the community! Then back home to watch the rain and wait for the heavy winds that are supposed to hit tonight. Could get interesting....

More soon,

Sukie

Interesting times...

There is nothing like a beautiful, sunny day to put a smile on your face. We're having a gorgeous week and I hope you are, too. I've gotta squeeze in some serious deck-time today in my lounger.... as well as a walk along the waterfront.

So... those couple of days after Mother's Day were rough, but by Wednesday I had bounced back to "normal" - whatever that really means right now. I was back to a "3" on the pain scale as opposed to a "9". What I'm really noticing is how much more resilient my body seems since I started the Salt/C protocol. I'm on my 7th week now, and I feel better overall, and when I do have a rough spot, I bounce back much more quickly. I'm been at my max dosage for a couple of weeks now - taking 10-12 salt capsules and C capsules each day (three each, four times per day). People ask me all the time if I feel bloated from the salt. The answer is NO. Using sea salt in its un-iodized, natural form doesn't seem to cause water retention for most folks. I do feel a little water-logged sometimes because when taking that much salt you do need to drink a lot of water. I drink about 16 ounces of water with each dose, and then 20-30 minutes later I drink another glass or two. And I drink water in between times, too. So right after taking the salt/C I feel full, which is a different feeling from being bloated. I still have the tiny little red dots appearing in various spots on my body, which I haven't figured out yet. They don't hurt or bother me in any way; I'll ask my doctor about them when I see her on the 27th.

I've been engaging in conversations lately with a wide variety of folks about the illnesses going on all around us. It seems like we all know several people with cancer, arthritis, or some type of immune-related disorder like fibromyalgia, lupus, lyme, MS, chronic fatigue, Epstein-Barre, etc. What I'm hearing is that most people think, as I do, that we have been way over-exposed to toxic chemicals, heavy metals, electromagnetic fields, pollution of all types, etc. for so many years now that it's becoming glaringly obvious that something is really wrong. I think most of us have known that in our hearts for a long time. It's not normal for so many people to be "sick". And we're talking about folks in their 30's, 40's and 50's, not just seniors.

A doctor I know who has cancer was recently sharing with me that when he was a youth he lived on an apple farm. When DDT came out, they started spraying their orchards with it. "We didn't know of the dangers then," he said, "We didn't wear masks or gloves or anything. Just sprayed in on the trees. Imagine how much of that stuff I breathed in and absorbed through my skin."

Last night I was speaking with a wise young man who said, "We are at the end of a 50-year experiment. It's been about 50 years since all the chemicals and pollutants came into play in a big way." His reasoning is that all we need to do is "turn the clock back" to the way things were 50 years ago. He spoke of the renaissance in consciousness that is happening on the planet; the awareness levels of people rising to meet the challenges and looking for healthier ways of life, creating win-win situations for all and respecting all of life.

I loved hearing him speak about this, for it is what I also feel. It's clear there are solutions out there. And while there are other types of things that can also be factored in to illness and disease, I think it's very clear that we have created a toxic world. Erick was talking about the recent BP oil spill possibly being the worst toxic disaster in history, to date. Things seem to really be coming to a head.... we're at a "make it or break it" point. We are either going to have a shift in consciousness that will allow us to clean up our act, or we will continue to suffer the consequences. That shift isn't coming easily.... mainly due, I believe, to our greed-and-power economy. Our large corporations won't go down without a fight, and they sure don't want their vast income streams to dry up. I could go on and on about this, but I'll stop here. I think the imbalances on the planet can tip us in either direction. I do believe we have the capability to stop it, but it will take a pretty radical change in thinking and action for those who are a part of the greed mentality. I actually find it rather fascinating to watch from a distance... whoever said "May you live in interesting times" must have been giving us a heads-up..... it doesn't get much more "interesting" than this.

If you haven't already, I hope you look into the whole issue of EMFs - electromagnetic fields. When I was first experiencing the seriousness of the lyme symptoms, I was very weak and worn-out. I was VERY sensitive to EMFs as well as all kinds of chemicals (car exhaust, household cleaners, etc.). I still am, although they don't bother me nearly as much (and of course I stay away from them). Many people are sensitive to EMFs and don't realize what the problem is. There is a lot of well-documented info out there about the dangers of cell phones, as well the EMFs in our houses and work environments. Many people don't want to hear about this, because they don't want to make changes in their lifestyles. I nearly drove Ariana crazy for a few years with all the info I gave her about cell phones. Her generation lives to talk on the phone and text message. She finally did get a phone with a headset. I'm not sure if it's the kind of headset that is safe or not, but I'm happy that she now recognizes the problem and is striving to create a safer environment for herself.

There are devices out there that measure the EMFs in homes and workspaces. I was shocked to find out that when I was Director of a local non-profit a year ago, my office was absolutely over-the-top in EMFs. We took some steps to help resolve it, but it could still use some work to bring it into true compliance (I am now a Board member with the same organization - and I no longer have to sit in that office!). :-)

There are certain rooms in our home that are higher in EMFs than others. We purchased a few Stetzerizers, which are gadgets that plug into outlets in houses and help balance and re-distribute the EMFs. I learned the importance, especially, of having these in the bedroom. Both my doctor and acupuncturist echoed the literature on this.... when we are sleeping our bodies are at their most vulnerable, energetically. We want our sleeping space to be as EMF-free as possible.

The other change we have made is to build an office behind our house for our computer, printer, fax, etc. I want the EMF-soup out of the house altogether, or at least as much as possible. We can't live without electricity very well in this day and age, but there are safe levels and un-safe levels, and I feel much better in a space that has low EMFs.

Just thought I would share in case it's something that resonates with you. I don't live in fear and I don't wish to instill fear-thinking in anyone. It's not about being afraid, it's about being informed and then taking whatever actions are needed to create a healthy environment for ourselves. Everyone is different and has their own needs.

I wish you wonderful health and unbridled joy on your journey. Thanks for checking in and following the blog.

Sukie

Over-brunching, little red bumps, and paying it forward...

Hello All~

I have a few things to share about today.... In regards to my Salt/C protocol and Lyme journey, I had a little set-back with Mother's Day, in the form of Mother's Day brunch! We took my mom to a lovely restaurant up in Bellingham, and I made a conscious decision to eat a couple of things I normally wouldn't eat, including a piece of french toast (wheat/gluten), and a salad that seemed innocent enough, made of black beans and corn, but that had some type of light dressing mixed into it. I also had a mimosa (champagne & orange juice), knowing that the concentrated sugars would probably not make my body too happy. But sometimes you just make the choice knowing you will deal with the consequences...

So by Sunday evening I was feeling the familiar "lyme flare" sensation, where it feels like a weird energy is underneath the skin and vibrating in certain places which is, as I understand it, the bacteria going a little wild ("Hey look, here is some sugar to devour - Yeee Haaa!!). Of course I tried to counter it a bit with large doses of Salt and C, but these things take time, and so Sunday night and all day yesterday I was feeling pretty sore and moving slower than usual. I can always tell when I've overdone it, when it hurts to climb stairs. That all being said, we had a beautiful mother's day (it was a little hard since it was the first one without Ariana here, but she called twice and that was sweet), and I am feeling much better today (Tuesday), so life moves forward. Was it worth it? Sure. Am I going to do that again any time soon? NO!

Still pretty much doing 12 doses each day of both Salt and Vitamin C. That should be enough to drive any non-friendly bacteria crazy. And now I am noticing (actually for the past 10 days or so), that I have these little red bumps, very teeny, on my skin in certain places. They range from the size of a pin prick to the size of a pin head. They itch slightly but not too much. They seem to congregate at/near my joints (especially inside my elbows and near my wrists and around my shoulders), and also on my tummy. I am trying to decide if this is a reaction to something I'm taking (definately could be), or if this could be the bacteria looking for "ways out". I've read quite a few stories of people saying that the bacteria literally find ways to exit their bodies. So I'll ask Dr. R. about it and will also email the folks who developed the protocol, to see if I can get a sense of what these red dots are about. I really noticed them last night in the sauna, and wow, I had a seriously deep sweat (probably purging the Mother's Day indulgences...).

So now I want to move to a concept that I'm sure many of you are familiar with: Paying It Forward. A dear friend asked me if I'd find a way to weave this into the blog, and so this is my attempt to do that. She and I were on the phone last night and she was so excited about help her family had received from a very kind and generous stranger, after their boat broke down. She spoke of how grateful she felt, and how much it motivated and reminded her of the importance of helping others, without necessarily feeling one has to receive something in return. I shared with her that I really relate to that, and that one of the concepts I like to share (as well as practice) when working with others, especially children and teens, is the concept of "Pay It Forward."

I'm sure some of you have seen the movie "Pay It Forward" starring Helen Hunt, Kevin Spacey and that cute "I-see-dead-people" kid whose name I think may be Haley Joel Osment...? It's a true tear-jerker yet feel-good drama that highlights the beauty of doing for others, and how "big" the results can be when we intentionally "pay it forward", rather than asking for or expecting payment in return. The idea is to let them know that we hope they, also, will pay it forward when they can and help somebody else.

To me, this concept fits in perfectly with any discussion of healing, on whatever level(s). As I mentioned before, I feel that we create our own reality in a variety of ways and on different levels (mostly unconscious). We can also create our lives very consciously. I have been working with paying it forward for many years now, and I feel it has really opened me and helped me grow as a person. In my heart, I am always guided to share Reiki, or group work, or other services I may provide, with others, regardless of their ability to pay. Once I moved to Whidbey Island I really put the word out there that Reiki and other services are available to all. Of course, I deeply appreciate it when those who can afford to can pay cash, as I need to eat and pay the bills. I am also always amazed and delighted, too, with the variety of ways that people propose to make trades and barter arrangements. We (Erick and I) have received delicious fruit and veggies, gardening and landscaping services, incredible artwork, body care products, and more by being willing to accept whatever another person wants to share. I also do trades with many other bodycare workers - other Reiki practitioners, massage therapists, cranial sacral therapists and more....

And always, with those who don't have money or anything to trade, or with whom I sense that it would just be a nice thing to do right now, there is the option of paying it forward. Providing goods or services because it feels neighborly, friendly, good, "right". Sometimes I do that without saying anything more about it, viewing it more as a gift I wish to give while wishing that person well. Sometimes I consciously pay it forward by suggesting to people that they can help someone else when they have a chance, especially when they have asked me "How can I repay you?" Often, especially with young people who are learning about how to navigate life, I will suggest they pay it forward: help someone else sometime who needs it, when they are in a position to do so. It might be tomorrow, next week, next month or next decade.

I don't mean to make it sound like I'm the only one who operates this way - I know many folks who do. It's not that it's a revolutionary concept: it's just a simple one, and I am all about simplicity! I do think it tends to fly in the face of our "typical American" way of doing business, which is make as much as you can in any way that you can, and the one who dies with the most toys/money "wins".... That kind of thinking/practice are what has created the econonomic mess we're in now....

As with anything else in life, it's all about intention. The whole "pay it forward" philosophy works when we are willing to trust in the abundance of the universe, and that we will be taken care of. When we truly know this, then we can practice this type of generosity without fear. If we do it because we think we "should", then it may not work as well for us, as there isn't a pure energy flow that accompanies it. I truly believe and know, after so many years of working intimately with energy, that everything is about energy and going with the flow, as well as about intention driven by integrity. At least that's how it looks for me - that's how I "frame" it. When energy is restricted it can't flow, and fear (i.e. greed, hatred, jealousy, judgement, etc.) is the one thing that will really gum up the works....

Stated in a different way.... what goes around comes around.... sooner or later. It just does. If the intentions we put out are honorable, they will return to us in honorable and beautiful ways at times when we need that the most. And the more we are "doers of good deeds" the more that comes back to us. You can also call that the upside of karma, as well as the Golden Rule: Treat others as you yourself would like to be treated. I have always heard that espoused as a core religious value, yet I don't see so many people - especially those in positions of "power and authority" - embracing it. To me it just makes sense and is the only way we can ever hope to have any type of balance and harmony on good ol' planet Earth. Practice the Golden Rule, love your neighbor as yourself, do good deeds, pay it forward, go with the flow, all you need is love......simple concepts, yet deep.

So any time in life we're dealing with something "heavy" - be it death and loss, chronic illness, life-threatening conditions, financial disaster, or some other happening we might think of as "bad" or a "disaster" - I believe the more we can face it with a hopeful, honorable outlook, the farther along we'll be. That's not to say we will never get angry, discouraged, depressed, frustrated, or feel other emotions we might label as "negative." When we suppress these they just find other ways to show themselves. I fully believe in allowing ourselves to feel our feelings, whatever they may be, and express them in ways that don't hurt self or others, and then move forward as soon as we can with hope, faith, trust, love. Sometimes I literally give myself permission for a day or two to really feel pissy or angry or "down" about something. After I've wallowed in that for awhile I can work through it and be ready to let it go. It's much easier to rebound and move back into a positive slant on things. It also helps to surround ourselves with positive and supportive people, and that's what can be hardest, I think, for those in chronic pain or with health crises that last a very long time..... sometimes others don't understand.

I recently began facilitating a support group for women experiencing chronic pain. It's called "Chronic Wellness" (thanks again Rikki for that catchy title!), because even though we want a place to process through negative feelings and experiences, we don't want to forget that wellness and quality of life are our ultimate goals or at least hopes. I am so blessed that I'm feeling better all the time, because it enables me to have the energy to facilitate groups like this, as well as my women's spirituality group, and to do Reiki work to help others with healing and transformation. As I help others, I help myself.

I'm always tremendously inspired by other people's stories about how they have overcome difficulties in life to be stronger spiritually and emotionally, as well as physically. As a social worker in child welfare for over 20 years, I saw it all - every difficult, painful situation you can imagine - and yet I also saw so much resilience, so much healing, and so many people who made huge leaps in awareness about their lives and situations, so that they could lead happier and more productive lives. I could (and maybe someday will) write a book about the wonderments that I have experienced in child welfare, school-based social work and teaching, and also the five years I spent working with refugees from countries around the world. Talk about loss! Try losing many - maybe even all - of your loved ones (usually to cruel deaths), your home, even your country. If anyone has a reason to be depressed, it is someone in that type of situation, war-torn and battered. And yet the majority of these folks go on to live healthy, happy, productive lives, often because they are able to allow themselves to receive help and support for awhile until they can re-invent themselves and their lives. Their memories of those awful times where they have witnessed unconscionable things will never go away, yet the human spirit is just remarkably strong and resilient. Some will not make it and the sorrow and depression will overshadow their lives (in most cases understandably so, it has been just too much to bear), but many will go on to keep putting one foot in front of the other until things are better, and until they can find a reason to wake up with a smile on their face, at least half of the time.

That's what inspires me. And what makes life worth living - all of us in this together, helping one another, and allowing ourselves to be helped when we need it. It's very easy in this crazy and chaotic world to get caught up in the fear and the mania and the "spin" that is put on it by the media (one reason why Erick and I don't watch TV or read much of the news.... too much negativity). The more we can live with open minds and open hearts, the more we will thrive, I believe, in spite of what may be going on all around us that is challenging.

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. Lauryn, thanks for the inspiration! Wishing you a beautiful and meaningful day,

Sukie

Supplementally speaking...

Greetings to all ~

I have been feeling really well overall and out enjoying the gorgeous weather a lot, so it has been a few days since I've written anything. I continue to feel better, both physically and energetically. Of course, these are very much "baby steps" so far.... I do have my herxes and just plain crappy moments, too....

I wanted to mention a few of the supplements that I'm using along with the Salt/C protocol. Obviously, everyone has their own healing path and we all have different things that we need. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. I just want to mention a few things that I have found to be useful.

The first one is systemic enzyme supplementation. This is a different protocol than taking digestive enzymes with food. These are taken away from food and allowed to flood the system. They clean the blood and the cells of the body. There are many toxins that systemic enzymes are able to break down and eliminate. One of these is the Lyme disease neurotoxin. Reducing the quantity of circulating neurotoxins can have significant healing and symptom-reducing value. Persons using blood thinners shouldn't take systemic enzymes, since they are so effective in cleansing the blood that the blood can become dangerously thin.

For those of you with fibromyalgia, one of my favorite books, The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments by Bryan Rosner, has much info that may also be applicable to fibromyalgia. For more info about how systemic enzymes may possibly help fibromyalgia, take a look at this book, page 240.

Magnesium is another important nutrient to consider supplementing with if you have lyme disease. There is evidence that "in certain diseases, magnesium deficiency can cause a decrease in immune response..." and this includes lyme (see page 287 of the afore-mentioned book). There are many forms of magnesium, including MSM and Epsom salts. My favorite is a powder called "Calm" from a company called Natural Vitality. It comes in several flavors (sweetened with stevia), and the lemon raspberry one also has added calcium. It is so important to balance calcium and magnesium levels as the two effect one another in the system.

These are a couple of supplements that seem to be important for many lyme sufferers and, possibly, those with other immune disorders. I take other supplements, too, many of which I have already blogged about. I think the key to all of this is finding a naturopath or allopathic doctor or health practitioner that you really trust that is willing to listen and take your own intentions and intuitions about your health into consideration, and make recommendations accordingly. As I've mentioned previously, my healing journey took a brighter turn when I finally realized I needed to take responsibility for my own health and began to study up on everything I could find.

I'm SO not out of the woods, yet, and I may find that the Salt/C protocol - or other protocols - may not be the ultimate answer for me. I am feeling truly blessed right now to be feeling as well as I am, and I am envisioning an uphill trend, even though I know that every few weeks I can expect some massive herxes. Time will truly tell whether or not the lyme bacteria are really reduced, and my immune system strengthened, to the point that a balance is gained and my symptoms go into remission. We are far from that point yet..... my knees still don't want to bend, my shoulders are out of whack, and my sit bones really hurt much of the time. My vision goes from blurry to blurrier and back again. And sometimes I just hurt all over, and haven't much energy to do much more than sleep. And yet something just feels different........ something very intangible.

Thanks for joining me on this adventure of discovery. And have a beautiful weekend including a fantastic Mom's Day! All of you moms out there ROCK!

Sukie

Cautiously Optimistic

Greetings~

Yes, I am feeling cautiously optimistic. I'm not sure I've ever used that phrase before, but I've heard it all my life. Today it fits. I have really realized the past few days that it feels like progress is being made with the Salt/C protocol against the bacterial overload presented by lyme disease.

It is true that herx-times, lyme-flares and healing times will ebb and flow, and so even though a person feels well today, they may not feel so well tomorrow (and in fact, might feel horrible). Yet despite this, something has shifted a bit; something is changing. I notice that my body is bouncing back quicker from herx reactions and lyme-flares, and that things that normally would throw me into an extreme state of pain are not having such a heavy effect as they were.

For example, Erick and I took a little trip over the weekend. I indulged in a delicious, spicy Indian meal, and walked all over town which included quite a few hills. I did all this knowing that I would probably pay for it the next day with some serious agony. Yet when Sunday morning came along, I was feeling fairly well, and it lasted all day, and has continued throughout today, also. In fact, I was feeling so good yesterday that I treated myself to a bit of "Coconut Bliss".... a non-dairy frozen dessert that is much like ice cream. Now mind you, I haven't had ice cream or anything like it in over a year, but I found this yesterday at the natural foods market on Bainbridge Island, and decided to give it a try after reading the label. It contains no dairy, gluten, and best of all, no refined cane sugar! It is sweetened with organic agave syrup.

It is a well-named product, for I truly WAS in bliss. I ate about 1/3 of a pint which really was dicey, since sugar in most any form will activate the lyme bacteria. And it did after awhile, but not very much. Next time I'll stick to just a few bites. But let me tell you, it was really quite exciting to have a yummy dessert after such a very long time AND not to experience a severe reaction, to boot.

So after savoring my Coconut Bliss, I was thinking I'd have to come back to Whidbey Island and beg our grocer to carry this product. However, when I stopped in today, there it was in the freezer case; I'd just never seen it before. So if you enjoy coconut and would appreciate a dessert with a low glycemic load that is also gluten free, dairy free, and refined-cane-sugar-free, now you know what to look for.... Luna & Larry's Organic COCONUT BLISS!

Let's suffice it to say that I am really enjoying this past few days of feeling pretty great, despite having not adhered as strictly to my eating plan, and having engaged in more strenuous activities than usual. My pain is at about a "2.5" on the 0-10 pain scale right now. More herxes will definately come, and more times when I will be wiped-out and flat on my back, but for now I am feeling truly grateful that I can actually feel progress happening. I can even tell that some of those little clusters of bacteria under the skin of my forearms are getting smaller. To me this says that the Salt/C protocol is starting to have a significant effect. I'm taking pretty much the max recommended dosage, and will be following this for quite some time into the future. We'll see what the long-term results are..... For now, I can report that there is definately HOPE.

I came across a couple of wonderful cookbooks over the weekend that piqued my interest. Now I have never been much of a cook, much less a "cookbook person." But as I refine my eating habits, I become more and more interested in ways to make fresh veggies and grains as interesting and flavorful as possible. One of these beautiful books is called Clean Food, by Terry Walters. It has wonderful recipes that are mostly very simple to make. That scores huge points with me! The other one is The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, by Donna Klein, which I had a quick look at and ordered, so I can't tell you much about it yet, except that at first glance it was very appealing. I can tell you that Erick and I are both very much in love with Mediterranean food, so this book promises to be a hit at our house.

OK, we are having high winds here on Whidbey Island right now and I am in danger of losing this post (the lights are flickering), so I'll sign off for now. Bon Appetit, or as my friend Shirley would say, "Zen Appetit!"

Sukie

Drifty sleepy....

Hi there....

Just a short post today as I'm in a drifty-sleepy-dreamy sort of place right now. I realized that this is the fourth week of my Salt/C protocol, and every four weeks is generally when a major herx period will set in, which explains some of the stuff going on this past few days. I feel pretty "herxy" a lot of the time, but I also realize I'm learning ways to help clear it more quickly from my system. The biggest thing is drinking a ton of water, and then taking things that help detox like lemon, Chitosan, chlorella, and hot baths & saunas. I also re-read one of my books on lyme and was reminded that the special enzymes I take each day on an empty stomach are really helpful in helping to work through a herx more quickly. The brand most referred to in the literature is Wobenzym, although my naturopath, Dr. Rabinovich, has her own formulary for them.

Anyhoo, I sailed through a couple of meetings today, plus some time on the deck enjoying the sun, and now I'm getting this very clear message: NAP! So that is what I'm about to go and do now, until Erick comes home and then on to a healthy dinner.

I wish you an enjoyable evening!

Sukie

The "C" Word

Hellooooo...........

Just thought I'd take a few moments to check in and say hi. It's a very lazy day of rest that I am really seriously needing! Erick has been in a play the past three weeks, and in two months of intensive rehearsals before that, which has kept me up really late many nights, as we love to de-brief and share the events of the day with each other, no matter how late it is. I think my body is very ready to get back to bedtime by 11 pm. I read something recently that said that when one is working to strengthen one's immune system, the body is in need of 9 1/2 hours of sleep, in total darkness, per night. Well I've been falling WAY short of that lately, and I can really feel it. Slept for several hours last night, though, following the close of the AWESOME play, and have had a couple of lovely naps today, including one out on the deck.

So this is the deal.... as I enter week four, I can literally "feel" that the Salt/C protocol is starting to have some effects. It's hard to describe what that feels like exactly, except to say I can feel it in my bones and my bloodstream, amongst other places. In addition to the type of herx reactions that I'm used to, I have also been having chills for a couple of days, which is another sign of herxing. My vision has been blurrier than usual, which means that the bacteria in my eye area is gettings its feathers ruffled. That's ultimately a very good thing.

For me, then, the "C" word is "Vitamin C." I love and appreciate what it's doing for me, together with the sea salt. I can feel that we are making some progress here, even though sometimes the progress feels like one or two steps back. If I didn't have the stories of other folks who've been through this to reference, I would probably have stopped the protocol by now, but I know that I must hang tough with it, as eventually it will rev up the immune and also make it impossible for undesirable bacteria to thrive in my body any longer. And of course I have to do my part, which is not only the Salt/C, but the healthy eating, the sauna, the resting, the sleeping (the latter two I have slacked off on a bit the past couple of weeks, but I am re-grouping...).

The other "C" word I want to mention is cancer, simply because in all the research I have done on how to heal the immune system, there are many articles and protocols that speak to healing from cancer. I don't know about you, but I've had several people in my life who have had it who did not survive (some have been friends and family, some have been colleagues and clients), and as I write this, a dear friend in California, and a powerful healer in her own right, is working hard to clear cancer from her system. I am also working weekly with a very dear gentleman who is undergoing chemo for the second time. It totally depletes his energy. He comes in for Reiki, and afterwards he is feeling revived and re-vitalized, ready to move forward again for a few days until he has to back in for his next chemo treatment. I have found that Reiki has eased the pain of many with cancer, some of whom have lived to thrive, and some who have passed over into the next world. Even for those who don't make it, the energy work not only eases the pain, but also promotes their ability to accept what is happening and make peace with it.

In case you may not have noticed, I have a bit of a bias about working with more natural and eastern healing modalities (and healers), as opposed to western medicine. So that is the type of information I share most here in the blog.

I do believe western medicine has a definite place and that there are times when surgeries are needed, and possibly even interventions like chemo and radiation. When I was younger and had a couple of ectopic pregnancies, I probably wouldn't have survived without surgery. And when my daughter was breech, the C-section seemed like the way to go at the time (although if I'd had a midwife I might have tried other options first). And yet, when doctors were adamant about wanting to remove my gallbladder, I chose to make a lifestyle change... and my gallbladder has never bothered me again. Surgery was definately not necessary that time.

Whatever works best for a person in any given situation and helps them to feel like they are receiving the support they need is, I feel, for the best. I respect those brave souls who choose to sometimes go against conventional "wisdom" and follow a course that they feel will best support them holistically.

At any rate, I want to share a link here that has a really interesting (and rather lengthy) article about alternative ways to heal from cancer. I found it fascinating, and most of what they recommend makes good sense to me. So I share it here in case any of you may be interested, or may perhaps have loved ones who may benefit from the information. Obviously, I'm not in a position to give medical advice - I'm just sharing info that will possibly be of use to those who are walking such a difficult journey as cancer. The website is: www.cancerfightingstrategies.com.

It is interesting the journeys we choose for ourselves, on some level. While I would never have consciously chosen lyme disease, I also am able to see how I am learning and growing from this experience, and how it mirrors what is happening in the world today as she re-births herself, creating lots of energetic shifts that some may perceive as negative but, as I choose to look at it, need to happen for the planet to be purified and able to evolve. Whenever I do healing work with someone, I always ask that the outcome be for that person's highest good, regardless of what that may look like. It may not always be what I would personally want to choose for that person, but it may ultimately be for their soul's growth, and I have learned to accept that. I believe we are so much more than our egos and our earthly forms. And I believe that there is a higher purpose for everything. I love the words from The Desiderata: "Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should." That doesn't mean I always like the way it unfolds, but I do have a sense in my heart of hearts that there is a reason behind it all.

What matters to me is this very moment, right now. I don't dwell on the past, and I try not to over-plan the future (although it's always good to have some things to look forward to - like our Sedona trip in June! :-). I think if we can strive to live a balanced, respectful, and centered life - as well as a grateful life - with intentions driven by integrity, that is the very best thing we can do for ourselves, our communities, and our planet. That's how we heal the world and evolve ourselves and life. Of course that includes reaching out with a helping hand where needed. We all need each other, and what a beautiful blessing to have loved ones to help us when we need it, and vice versa. The bottom line is: life will always go on, regardless of the forms it takes, and that is quite the magical mystery tour!

In peace,

Sukie

Just "normal" aging??

Greetings~

I always find it interesting when folks between the ages of 35 and 65 make comments like, "Yeah, my joints hurt", or "My bones hurt", or "I guess I'm getting arthritis", or "I'm getting rheumatism", etc. While that may be true, I believe that much of the time what people - people who are too young to feel this way - are suffering from are the effects of the western diet, combined with the toxins we have been ever-increasingly exposed to over our lifetimes. I'm talking mainly about baby boomers and younger, here. While the industrial and agricultural ages have brought about many wonders for society, many of the practices that have become standard are quite frankly toxic and unhealthy for the human body (not to mention the mind and the spirit!).

Honestly, I do believe that we create our own reality, on many levels, from the unconscious to the conscious. I believe we do so individually and collectively. Which means that ultimately we as individuals and as humans must take responsibility for what we create, and also healing that which needs to be healed and transformed. While it's true that so much, if not all, is about what we truly believe in our heart of hearts, there are certain practices and concepts we have bought into (as a species)to the extent that we have made them extremely real for everyone. And let's face it, our over-arching western culture is driven by money (and power), plain and simple. Profits. Often at the expense of our health and well-being. That isn't to say that there aren't many awesome people out there creating healthy, life-affirming programs that support vitality. There are (thank goodness), and hopefully one day the organizations that control through power for profits (think: FDA)will be replaced by programs that are truly for-the-people.

I'm not going to jump into a huge political discussion about this here, but I just want to say that I do not for one minute believe that it's just "normal" that young and middle-aged people are hurting so badly they can hardly move. That is not normal. All of my grandparents eventually got to the point where they had some arthritis - in their 70's and 80's. My parents started to get a few aches and pains in their 70's. So why is it that so many of my friends,(I'm 53), clients and colleagues (some as young as 35) have such serious pain that sometimes they can hardly move? Why are they getting labels like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia? Why is Lyme Disease on the verge of becoming an epidemic? Why are cancers on the rise? Does anyone really believe this is normal? And what if we can "blame it all on DNA"? How did that DNA get damaged in the first place? How far away have we gotten from eating and living in ways that support our vitality, while always seeking to make things quicker, easier, etc. And how much "stuff" have we been sold, not because it's really good for us, but because somebody can make a tidy profit from it?

There are many theories out there on specifically why certain diseases are becoming a problem, and you can always find research and articles to support any position you want to take. Unfortunately, many of those research projects are funded by organizations that have a lot to lose if the results don't come out in their favor.

At any rate, I don't believe in being a victim of anything. I believe in taking charge of my own health, while at the same time allowing help from other people and therapies, as needed. Today I may need reiki; tomorrow it may be a massage; the next day it could be acupuncture; the day after that, I may need to sleep. Or all of the above in one day..... It's all therapeutic and contributes toward my well-being. And of course, having a system full of the bacteria that create lyme disease means I also have to be engaged in some type of strong healing protocol such as the one I have been describing here for a few weeks now. (I'm not routinely taking 10-12 servings of salt and vitamin C each day).

One facet of the healing approach that I embrace is to strive to keep a healthy pH in my body. It is common knowledge these days that the body needs to stay in an alkaline state to thrive; yet our western diet steers us toward an acidic body-state with all of the processed foods we eat. I am pasting-in some info below that gives more details about the alkaline/acid eating plan, along with charts that explain which foods contribute to both conditions, in order to help with healthier choices.

Since our body’s pH level is slightly alkaline (with a normal range of 7.36 to 7.44) the body should also be slightly alkaline. Therefore, when the body absorbs or takes in many acidic foods like fish, meat, distilled water, coffee, and grains, the balance of alkaline is disrupted. This imbalance could lead to a depletion of bodily minerals like magnesium and calcium, and can eventually lead to degenerative or chronic diseases.

There are symptoms of excess acidity that one should be wary of: low energy and chronic fatigue, formation of cysts, headaches, neuritis, hives, leg cramps, spasms, and gastritis. When one experiences some or all of these symptoms, an alkaline diet is sure to be recommended.

Alkaline forming foods that restore health include coconuts, raisins, lemons, maple syrups, dates, most vegetables, herbs, and some fruits (except bananas which are acidic).

In general, alkaline foods are mostly those that are produced naturally, while most acidic foods are either machine-produced or those that imitate naturally-produced foods. Using an alkaline-acid chart will greatly help you identify what to eat and at what proportions.

Most experts will suggest that to stay in an alkaline state, one's diet should be approximately 70% alkaline.

By using an alkaline-acid chart and by eating a predominantly alkaline diet, you lower the risks of many life-debilitating illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, immune-related deficiencies, brittle bones, chronic fatigue, and effects of premature aging.

Thanks for taking the time to read all this. I hope it is helpful in some way. The food charts I mentioned are listed below. I'll be back in touch soon!

Sukie

The following alkaline/acid food charts are from www.essence-of-life.com.

ALKALINE

ALKALIZING VEGETABLES
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Beets
Beet Greens
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard Greens
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelions
Dulce
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fermented Veggies
Garlic
Green Beans
Green Peas
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Nightshade Veggies
Onions
Parsnips
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spinach, green
Spirulina
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Watercress
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens

ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Maitake
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Shitake
Kombu
Reishi
Nori
Umeboshi
Wakame

ALKALIZING FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Grapes
Grapefruit*
Honeydew Melon
Lemon*
Lime*
Muskmelons
Nectarine*
Orange*
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine*
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon

ALKALIZING PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Millet
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Whey Protein Powder

ALKALIZING SWEETENERS
Stevia

ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Mustard
Chili Pepper
Sea Salt
Miso
Tamari
All Herbs

ALKALIZING OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Lecithin Granules
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures
Soured Dairy Products
Green Juices
Veggie Juices
Fresh Fruit Juice
Mineral Water
Alkaline Antioxidant Water

ALKALIZING MINERALS
Cesium: pH 14
Potassium: pH 14
Sodium: pH 14
Calcium: pH 12
Magnesium: pH 9

ACIDIC

ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES
Corn
Lentils
Olives
Winter Squash

ACIDIFYING FRUITS
Blueberries
Canned or Glazed Fruits
Cranberries
Currants
Plums
Prunes

ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS
Amaranth
Barley
Bran, wheat
Bran, oat
Corn
Cornstarch
Hemp Seed Flour
Kamut
Oats (rolled)
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Rice
Rice Cakes
Rye
Spelt
Wheat
Wheat Germ
Noodles
Macaroni
Spaghetti
Bread
Crackers, soda
Flour

ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans
Rice Milk
Almond Milk

ACIDIFYING DAIRY
Butter
Cheese
Cheese, Processed
Ice Cream
Ice Milk

ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Legumes
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts

ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN
Bacon
Beef
Carp
Clams
Cod
Corned Beef
Fish
Haddock
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Organ Meats
Oyster
Pike
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Sardines
Sausage
Scallops
Shrimp
Scallops
Shellfish
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Venison

ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS
Avacado Oil
Butter
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Flax Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil

ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS
Carob
Sugar
Corn Syrup

ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL
Beer
Spirits
Hard Liquor
Wine

ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS
Catsup
Cocoa
Coffee
Vinegar
Mustard
Pepper
Soft Drinks

ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Aspirin
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Pesticides
Herbicides
Tobacco

ACIDIFYING
JUNK FOOD
Coca-Cola: pH 2
Beer: pH 2.5
Coffee: pH 4

There are several versions of Acid/ Alkaline food charts to be found, both online and in nutrition books. The following foods are sometimes attributed to the Acidic side of the chart and sometimes to the Alkaline side. Remember, you don't need to adhere strictly to the Alkaline side of the chart, just make sure a good percentage of the foods you eat come from that side.

Asparagus
Brazil Nuts
Brussel Sprouts
Buckwheat
Chicken
Corn
Cottage Cheese
Eggs
Flax Seeds
Green Tea
Herbal Tea
Honey
Kombucha
Lima Beans
Maple Syrup
Milk
Nuts
Organic Milk (unpasturized)
Potatoes, white
Pumpkin Seeds
Sauerkraut
Soy Products
Sprouted Seeds
Squashes
Sunflower Seeds
Yogurt

RANKED FOOD CHART : ALKALINE TO ACIDIC
EXTREMELY ALKALINE
________________________________________
Lemons, Watermelon
ALKALINE FORMING
________________________________________
Cantaloupe, Cayenne Celery, Dates, Figs, Kelp, Limes, Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley, Seaweeds, Seedless Grapes, Watercress
________________________________________
Asparagus, Fruit Juices, Grapes, Kiwifruit, Passionfruit, Pears, Pineapple, Raisins, Umeboshi Plums, Vegetable Juices

MODERATELY ALKALINE
________________________________________
Apples, Alfalfa Sprouts, Apricots, Avocados, Bananas, Currants, Dates, Figs, Garlic, Grapefruit, Grapes (less sweet), Guavas, Herbs, Lettuce, Nectarine, Peaches, Pears (less sweet), Peas, Pumpkin , Sea Salt
________________________________________
Apples (sour), Green Beans, Beets, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carob, Cauliflower, Ginger, Grapes (sour), Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes (with skin), Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberries, Strawberries, Squash, Sweet Corn, Turnip, Apple Cider Vinegar

SLIGHLTY ALKALINE
________________________________________
Almonds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Brussel Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Eggplant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives (ripe), Onions, Pickles (homemade), Radishes, Sea Salt, Spices, Tomatoes, Brown Rice Vinegar
________________________________________
Chestnuts (dry, roasted), Egg Yolks, Essene Bread, Goat's Milk and Whey (raw), Mayonnaise (homemade), Olive Oil, Sesame Seeds (whole), Soy Beans (dry), Soy Cheese, Soy Milk, Sprouted Grains, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Nutritional Yeast
NEUTRAL
________________________________________
Butter (fresh, unsalted), Cream (fresh, raw), Cow's Milk and Whey (raw), Margine, Oils (except olive), Yogurt (plain)
MODERATELY ACIDIC
________________________________________
Bananas (green), Barley (rye), Blueberries, Bran, Butter, Cereals (unrefined), Cheeses, Crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), Cranberries, Dried Beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), Dry Coconut, Egg Whites, Eggs Whole (cooked hard), Fructose, Goat's Milk (homogenized), Honey (pasteurized), Ketchup, Maple Syrup (unprocessed), Milk (homogenized), Molasses (unsulferd and organic), Most Nuts, Mustard, Oats (rye, organic), Olives (pickled), Pasta (whole grain), Pastry (whole grain and honey), Plums, Popcorn (with salt and/or butter), Potatoes, Prunes, Rice (basmati and brown), Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), Soy Sauce, Wheat Bread (sprouted organic)

EXTREMELY ACIDIC
________________________________________
Artificial Sweeteners, Beef, Beer, Breads, Brown Sugar, Carbonated Soft Drinks, Cereals (refined), Chocolate, Cigarettes and Tobacco, Coffee, Cream of Wheat (unrefined), Custard (with white sugar), Deer, Drugs, Fish, Flour (white wheat), Fruit Juices with Sugar, Jams, Jellies, Lamb, Liquor, Maple Syrup (processed), Molasses (sulphured), Pasta (white), Pastries and Cakes from White Flour, Pickles (commercial), Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Sugar (white), Table Salt (refined and iodized), Tea (black), White Bread, White Vinegar (processed), Whole Wheat Foods, Wine, Yogurt (sweetened)