Hey there y'all....

Haven't had much time to write these past couple of days; been very busy. I will say this: I pushed the envelope a bit much yesterday by taking salt 4 times, and I had a monumental herx reaction last night. Shoulders felt shredded, could barely walk. Pulled out all the stops on de-toxing and feeling better this morning. About to go hop in the sauna, and that will help, too.

I'll back off the salt a little today... got to be more patient and work up more slowly. But again, it "herx so good", as I know that kind of pain means the Salt/C is making serious progress against the bacteria. YESSSSSSS!!!!

Back soon to share more about the role that Vitamin C plays in this,

Sukie

Catching up with the Zzzzzzzs....

Wow, I just awoke from a four-hour nap.... that felt GOOOOOOOOD!

My doctor always asks me how I sleep at night, and I generally say "great", which is amazing because many lyme sufferers don't sleep well at all. I am often sore and toss and turn a bit, and usually have to get up to use the bathroom at least once (Water in, water out.... now repeat....!). But surprisingly I generally go right back to sleep. Body-clock-wise, it's so important to get to sleep by 11pm, to get one's optimal, most productive sleep, and I have good intentions about that. Usually it's closer to 11:30 (and I am known for falling asleep in the midst of a good movie and having to hear the ending from Erick).

Lately Erick has been having late rehearsals for the play he's going to be in starting April 9th (The Kentucky Cycle), and he's been getting home very late, which means I either stay awake til he comes in, or wake up when he comes home and hang out with him awhile until he's ready to zonk (he is a night creature). So recently I've put in longer hours than I prefer to keep, and today my body just said "Enough!" and out I went...... They used to say you can't really "catch up" on sleep, but now, it seems "they" have reversed their opinion about that. All I know is, I feel caught up, and that's wonderful....

There isn't much else to report on today. Have been taking the Salt and C every few hours. Feeling sore but not as much as the last couple of days, so I must be adjusting. This means it is probably time to kick it up a notch (a baby notch). Tomorrow....

I ordered a product today called Nanotek Chitosan which is supposed to help the body detox. If it helps the body detox, it will help make the herxes easier.

Wishing you beautiful dreams....

Sukie

Hurts So Good...

Hello to all on this vibrant day ~

The herx thing is definately happening. I have been experiencing more pain than usual, lasting for a few hours after taking the Salt/C combo. My neck, shoulders, collarbone, inner elbows, hips, "sit bones", inner knees..... yikes! My vision has been blurry. And yet... I am HAPPY about it, for it's a part of my healing and transformation.

I actually feel very blessed, as my journey with lyme has been easier than most, from what I've heard. There may be other reasons as well, but I feel much of that is because I work every day with reiki and various healing frequencies, I regularly have acupuncture, am learning Qigong, and I am just an extremely positive person, which is the most important thing. That being said, it's hard to feel upbeat when you are in deep pain, and so I really feel for folks that are flat on their backs in agony that makes their very bones ache. I've experienced some of that and it's just horrible. Things really shifted for me, pain-wise, when I allowed myself to accept what was truly happening to my body, and take my healing into my own hands. It was very empowering. I own my own healing decisions and learnings, and am blessed to have the support of many folks along the way who can help. I am also very happy and pleased to be of support and help to others.

One decision I made along the way was not to take pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics and pain meds. I do take aspirin most days, once and sometimes twice, to help take the edge off. That's my own personal choice. For some, more serious pain meds may be the way to go to get through it. We do what we need to do.

Once I got over the initial shock last spring of being so sore I could hardly move, I experienced several months of serious agony, interlaced with some anger and depression. Let's be honest, it was really about fear. It was scary to feel like my body had suddenly rebelled against me. When I was younger I learned to process through anger issues I had (generally people/relationship issues, or political frustration), but the ones I've experienced this past year have been related to being extremely sore and not being able to control it (many four-letter words escaped my lips during this interesting time). This is how it felt until I did my reading and research and figured out what I needed to do to get well. And in my moments when the pain eased off and I could relax and think a bit, I would tune into a higher consciousness that helped me understand there is a reason for everything, and that this experience and this learning are a part of my growth and unfolding as a spiritual being in a human body. I embrace a deeper understanding that uplifts me, and a knowing that all is unfolding as it should. My job is to let it unfold and be open to processing what comes up, inquiring within about what is needed for my healing and transformation, and surrendering to the process with love rather than fear. That doesn't mean I won't ever again get really pissed about it along the way, or feel a sadness about it in my heart.... that's part of the human experience.

And so it is, aho...... beautiful blessings to all... more tomorrow,

Sukie

Coasting...

Howdy ~

Not much to report today. I was still sore when I woke up, so I didn't take any salt/Vit. C until 3:30 today. During the morning and early afternoon I felt really excellent, once I got up and got moving, so at least the herx was pretty much over. After taking the dose at 3:30 I started to get a little sore, but not too bad. Will take another dose tonight around 9:30, and we'll see how that goes. I remain really thrilled that I had a herx following my second dose yesterday - that means the salt/C is working. I just need to spread the doses out a bit further apart until my body gets more used to it. So it's all good. I'll keep you posted....

Sukie

Climbing the Mountain....

Hello All ~

Thanks to those of you who have told me you enjoy the blog. :-)

Today has been BIG. I took a second dose of Salt/Vitamin C at a 4.5 hour interval today (intervals yesterday were closer to 8 hours apart), and my body went into a pretty strong herx reaction. Painful, yes..... but actually really welcome today in the sense that my body is showing me that the salt/C protocol is going to work on killing the cooties. So that is the GOOD news. As I am testing the waters and working my way up slowly, I will now back off and take the next dose 6 or 7 hours away from the last one and see if I can have a smaller herx reaction that isn't as painful.

This is the journey up the mountain. It will take a year or two, maybe more, to reach the summit, but once I do, I will start down the other side. In other words, it takes a long time to herx the majority of the bacteria out of one's system, but once we reach critical mass, then the reactions will become less intense and I should hopefully start feeling so much better. This means the immune system will become more and more strong, and the bacteria will clear out of all those deep places they've been hiding, and eventually we reach some kind of harmony between the bacteria that remain, and the immune system being able to stay on top of it. As I mentioned before, the goal isn't necessarily to wipe out every last bit of bacteria. Our bodies normally have all kinds of bacteria within, both "good" and "bad". It's unrealistic to try to annihilate the "bad" ones.... we just want them to resume a harmonious relationship with the rest of the system.....

That's all for today... just did a wonderful sauna followed by a long nap, and now off to a healthy supper and to watch a couple of DVDs with Erick.

Have a lovely Easter! What a wonderful time of year to celebrate the return of color, light and precious life!

Sukie

Sugar..... Oh Honey Honey!

Greetings ~

Today is day 2 of the Salt/C protocol. I actually woke up feeling pretty cruddy this morning... headachey... very sore in my limbs. I suppose it could be mild herxing, but I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I ingested a wee bit of sugar last night, which is enough to set me off. My women's group had a little gathering where we all brought munchies, and I nibbled on a couple of things that I knew would probably cause me some grief. Thankfully, it cleared up pretty quickly, and now I feel much better.

I've noticed lately that my pain episodes don't last as long as they used to. That says to me that my immune system is starting to recover. YESS!

For many years I've been sensitive, maybe even allergic to, refined sugar. Whenever I eat anything sweet my skin itches, I get bloated, my heart pounds, and my eyesight gets more blurry (lyme bacteria LOVE sugar!). While sometimes these can be symptoms of diabetes, I tested negative for it three times over the years. It was no surprise to me when cane sugar came up in the high zone on my food sensitivities test.... I'd figured that one out a long time ago.

We all know how hard it is to avoid sugar. I've learned to do it, and my cravings have gone way down, although I still get them occasionally, which is when I turn to the fruit bowl and eat the sweetest, ripest fruit I can find (watermelon, cherries, grapes) to get me through that craving (it's still a sugar rush for the body, but not quite as bad as the refined-sugar-rush). I know, it's not quite the same as chocolate cake with white frosting (my personal favorite), or a good chocolate chip cookie (my second favorite), but you know what.... ever since the lyme ramped up last year, it has become increasingly easier for me to "just say no" to sugar. For if I DO eat it nowadays, I end up in major pain, usually for hours. It's not worth trading about 60 seconds of pleasure for 10 hours of agony. So now it's fruit... and maybe twice a month I have a spoonful of honey on/in something to appease the craving gods....

Refined sugar is well known to trigger muscle tightness and spasms. It is also known to suppress the immune system. Have you ever noticed that colds and flus seem to be so much more prevalent in the fall and winter months? Think about it.... most people start eating candy on Halloween, and continue to indulge in sugary desserts and snacks throughout the holidays, probably through Valentine's Day. When you ingest sugar, your immune system flatlines for a few hours. Our culture is wild about sugar, but not everyone realizes how much it is hidden in practically every type of food and drink on the planet. If you read the labels of essentially ANYTHING in the grocery store that has a label, you will find some form of sugar there, whether it's dextrose, fructose, sucrose, brown rice syrup, maltodextrin, the infamous high fructose corn syrup, and my personal favorite "evaporated cane juice." It sounds so harmless, doesn't it? All those "little bits of sugar" in things add up to a whole lot of sugar in everybody's systems, all the time. Do your own research if you don't believe me....

And let's face it, artificial sweeteners are equally as bad, maybe even worse for humans. I am so grateful that I gave up soda drinking many many moons ago. I've even had to give up most juices, at least for the time being, as the sugar concentration is so high in them. I react to them, big-time.

One of the books I appreciate the most is Insights Into Lyme Disease Treatment: 13 Lyme-Literate Health Care Practitioners Share Their Healing Strategies (it may get the prize for world's longest book title). All of the MDs, naturopaths, chiropractors and others in the book are very clear on one thing. If you have lyme disease, you must absolutely steer clear of sugar, as it feeds the bacteria. And we DO NOT want to do that! As you also may have heard, that same warning applies to those with cancer. Cancer cells thrive on sugar.

One thing that has gotten me through the past few years has been to increasingly eat more as nature intended. Veggies and fruits were put here for a reason. Ice cream and macaroni and cheese were not. Don't get me wrong, I do LOVE them. But I've learned they are not my friends. The longer I stick with a veggie-based diet, the better I feel, and the easier it is to just say NO to stuff that will promote disease and mess around with my life force. I do realize that some people live well into their 90's and beyond while eating and drinking all sorts of garbage, but honestly, have you really looked at them? They generally don't feel very well and look like heck. I personally choose to feel well, in all ways possible. It takes some effort, but it does get easier...

I'm actually thankful in many ways for this little lyme adventure, for it has been a wake-up call in certain areas of my life, especially eating. I have been a vegetarian for many years now, but I was still eating too many processed foods and sweets. Now my food is "clean" - I buy everything organic that I possibly can. Yes, it's a bit more expensive, but I think of it as preventive maintenance and money I won't have to spend down the road getting well again. The more of us who get into clean eating, the more the costs on quality food will come down. I greatly appreciate living here on Whidbey Island - we have several places to get organic food, and folks around here feel pretty strongly about it.

I so appreciate my doctor..... I just have to say it here.... right now!!! Thank you Jennifer Rabinovich, ND! It is very gratifying to have a healthcare professional truly in your corner, who will help educate you and knows ways to get you better, while at the same time respecting your own instincts and wisdom. I'm always emailing her articles to read and discuss. Some doctors would not appreciate that, but I think she's glad that I take that kind of interest in my own healing. I hope if any of you out there incur any type of major illness or disease, that you find practitioners who are open-minded and willing to see the big picture. I have found that holistic health practitioners tend to be more open-minded, generally, than traditionally trained western MDs, although I think many western doctors are realizing that they have a lot to learn and are opening up to that. People are starting to demand it. My mother's generation seemed to believe that doctors were gods not to be questioned.... my generation is a bit more demanding and we baby boomers really don't like being told what to do, which is probably why the range of alternative healing arts continues to expand all the time. We love having options!From my experience, it takes a blend of healing modalities to help one reap the benefits of optimal health. As a Reiki Master, I feel that energy work/vibrational healing is critical to health, and so are acupuncture, yoga, massage, flower essences, homeopathy, chiropractic, and other healing modalities. I always encourage people to follow their own intuition about what they need in any given moment to experience wellness and wholeness.

OK, time to pop some more Himalayan salt (in capsules) and Vitamin C. Gotta keep the little bacterials on the run.... more soon. Blessings to all,

Sukie

Would you like some salt with that?

Good morning.... Today the odyssey begins.... I took my first dose of Salt/Vitamin C together awhile ago.... so far so good. I'll take more later today. The first few days are really about testing the waters to see how much the body can handle without going into huge herx reactions. Although you do want to have small herx reactions (if you recall from earlier posts, herx reactions come from the bacteria - they emit toxins when they expire. When enough of them die at the same time, that creates heavy pain for the person taking the salt/C.... or using a Rife machine.... or antibiotics.... or...., as the body works to cleanse the toxins out of the system). In essence, herx reactions are a good thing, for you know you are affecting the bacteria.... but they are not a good thing when you go overboard and try to do too much too soon. That can cause incredible suffering.

Herx reactions are described as "die-off syndrome", "detox reaction", and "healing crisis." They go hand-in-hand with healing from lyme (and from some other types of infections, too). Herxes can include sweats/fevers, joint/muscle pain, nausea/flu-like symptoms, headaches, chills/cold sweats, general malaise, and temporary severity of existing symptoms. They can be a real joy-ride....... not! They can be at least partially alleviated with LOTS of water, minerals, sea salt or Epsom baths, saunas, colonics, certain herbs and, I've heard Benadryl.

Some salt info: In the body, when the outside environment around a cell is very salty, the concentration of water in the solution is less than inside the cell, and water tends to leave the cell. This causes the cell to dehydrate, which ultimately kills the microbial cell. By subjecting unfriendly bacteria to a salty or saline environment, it prevents them from growing and/or outright kills them through what is called osmotic dehydration. Remember that we are talking about pure, unadulterated sea salt, not table salt. This effect covers an extremely wide range of microbial micro-organisms of bacterial, protozoan, and parasitic origins. HOWEVER, salt does not adversely affect good or "friendly" bacteria, such as flora found in the intestinal tract. The salt and the vitamin C taken together have a synergistic normalizing, healing effect on the immune system.

Let me share why table salt is bad for us: In 1923, processors began kiln-drying salt at 400+ degree temps, which changed the chemical structure of the salt. During the refining process, the 82 out of 84 essential mineral elements found in salt are removed, leaving only inorganic sodium chloride. About 7% of this refined salt ends up on your table, with the extracts being sold for industrial use. It is used in the silver mining process. Boron is extracted for gasoline additives and chemical fertilizers. Magnesium is sold to makers of metal alloys and for explosives. Other chemicals removed from salt go into making plastics. Once all these natural minerals are removed from the salt, chemicals are added to bleach it whiter, prevent water absorption while salt is in the box, and to keep it from caking, so it will shake out easier. Things like aluminum hydroxide, silica aluminate, sodium ferrocyanide, tri-calcium phosphate, stearic acid and others are added to salt. The aluminum additives leave a bitter taste, so manufacturers then add dextrose (refined sugar). This is what most people use on their food at home, most restaurants use in cooking, and most processed food manufacturers use in abundance.

This substance is actually toxic to our bodies and causes us to hold water, leading to bloating, edema, and cellulite. It deposits into the joints of our bones and causes arthritis. It can be deposited in the walls of arteries and veins, the lymph system, sexual organs, urinary tract, and glandular system. It is energetically dead. This type of energetically dead sodium is found in abundance around cancer cells. Shortly after salt started being refined, mental illness increased dramatically (this info all according to Lyme Strategies: Practical Research on Lyme Infection, www.lymephotos.com.).

HEALTHY: Rock salt, sea salt and Himalayan salt are loaded with minerals. Historically, various cultures have taken salt medicinally to stay well. This is the salt Erick and I use at home, and I have started to carry with me for those occasions when I need it on the road. Even some sea salt is iodized - make sure to get the un-iodized kind!

So there's a summary for you about salt. Now you understand why the medical establishment has labeled salt as "bad", since the majority of people use the type that is stripped of its nutrients and has all kinds of added chemicals. In the world of holistic health, you can find all kinds of info supporting natural, pure salt as a needed support to human well-being.

This day and the protocol are off to a good start. Last night, went with friends to an amazing, beautiful, uplifting sacred chant concert with Snatam Kaur. I love her music and had seen her in concert before, so was really looking forward to it. The energy in the packed room rocked the house, and we all came home feeling very open-hearted and blessed. A good way to move into a fresh commitment and adventure.... peaceful, grounded and happy.

Doctors and other healthcare practitioners who work with lyme disease all echo the same thing: The person who truly heals and moves forward in vibrant health is the person who makes their healing a priority. This generally means not working for awhile, or only as much as one can handle; letting go of the "fast lane" lifestyle and surrounding oneself with nature, quietude, and harmony; following a super clean, healthy eating plan; taking whatever vitamins and supplements one may need to bring the immune system into balance; and cultivating peace of mind.

For me this last part has always been primary in my world. Meditation and prayer are a part of my daily life. I believe we change the world by changing ourselves. I strive for an attitude of gratitude, and appreciate the flow of joy that surges through me from choosing to look at life as an amazing adventure. I do often feel the world's pain, and I feel tremendous love and compassion for all of life. I reach out and help wherever, whenever I can. Mostly I strive for balance, for if I am in balance, I can set that example for peace.

I feel that the microcosm and the macrocosm effect one another..... The Earth is in a period of purification, renewal, and rebirth. This has to happen. We all are a part of that process. It reflects differently in peoples' lives. But I believe all are affected. We just need to look around at what's happening in the world and especially within our own society, to know that something major is happening in our lifetime. For me right now, my body is literally reflecting that same purification, renewal, and rebirth. I have always been extremely sensitive to energy, and several people including teachers and doctors, have remarked to me that I am like the canary in the coal mine right now. We live in a "toxic soup" on planet Earth (of our own creation), and it affects us all. We have been exposed to things we don't even think about, because we are so used to just accepting and acquiescing to what our government and "leaders" decide is best for us. This is a huge generalization, of course, as we have much power that we can take into our own hands, and sometimes we do. But let's face it, all of our systems are loaded with heavy metals, toxic levels of fluoride, pesticides, artificial hormones, antibiotics, and the list goes on from there. We can assimilate it to a point, and then the body will say "enough!" I feel truly blessed to have received the heads-up..... to stay the course I need to purify myself and be open to the "new" coming through..... I pray that we all have the courage to listen to our bodies, to follow our own intuition, and to choose love over fear.

So there is my philsophizing for the day. Many blessings, and I'll keep you posted.
Sukie