For the new members - Please introduce yourselves so we can get to know you. :)

[Mo]

Hello Egypt,

It's been great to meet you too. I can tell you will be a great contributor to our forum. The focus here is whole body health and you fit very well into that mindset. I have spent the last few years turning further away from concentrating on my thyroid tests and more on whole body health. For a while, I was educating myself on diet more than anything (as pertains to the thyroid) and now I'm focusing on emotional health which really has come together as one of the most important parts of my journey!

For some reason I have always felt that each one of us is on a "journey" with this disease and there are many "roads" that meet here on the forum. Putting all the approaches together gives us a chance to hear what has helped and what has not in the lives of others with this disease. I have found so much wisdom as I've listened to all the different experiences and seen others helped by new ideas.

My newest road is "energy therapy" which is so much more powerful than I would have ever expected. It is something that can be done yourself or you can hire a coach or buy instructionals for it. I am mostly talking about EFT and NAET but there is also a very encouraging gentle approach called BSFF. I have found a lot of help from them and I am slowly breaking down some patterns of thoughts that have been engrained into my responses towards life and situations for many years which, in the past, I couldn't control. Now I can.

I'm glad the medication you are on is helping you to some extent. It is true that it will take more than a pill to help the overall health. This is a journey, but has many exciting revelations along the way. Sometimes it's challenging to "enjoy" the journey, but I find that I always find something to encourage me as soon as I'm feeling helpless for answers.

Keep up the good work. A good attitude helps this disease and also those on this forum!

Mo

[stitch]

This thread will be for the new members, the ones who have recently registered. Please tell us:

1. How long have you had Hashimotos? Since 2003

2. What are you doing for treatment? My right thyroid was removed due to a lump...they thought I had lymphoma. It turned out to be hasi.   I am now taking the generic synthroid drug & alternate weekly between .15 mg & .125 mg.

3. Are you satisfied with the progress or do you feel you need to find a better combination of treatment? So far, but I worry about the future & wonder about totally killing the thyroid with a radiation pill.  My insurance company has dropped me due to I had admitted to having Hashi, but did not say I had cancer.  The thyroid that was removed had one cancer cell in it. 

4. Have you tried any successful diets (whether for losing weight or controlling symptoms) I enjoy walking for exercise & had belonged to weight watchers.

5. Tell us anything else about yourself - age, location, etc. that you would like to share. I'm 52, living in the midwest.  My mother had hashi.  One sister is on synthroid for her thyroid.  I have another sister who said she has graves disease.  The youngest sister has not had any thyroid disease.

Thank you for registering. We are looking forward to your input and hope we can support you.

Mo

P.S. Please note that this is not a forum dedicated to the "technical" side of this disease. It is focused on natural healing and emotional support. It is likely we will discuss test results at times but our focus is mostly how to move towards healing and reverse the damaging course of this disease. Together we will move towards this goal!

[Mo]

Welcome to the forum Stitch,

What kind of doctor is currently monitoring you? You mentioned your insurance dropped you - are you currently transitioning to a different doctor? I would strongly recommend consulting with more than one natural doctor.

When did you take the radiation pill or are you just worried it might come to that?

This is no doubt a difficult condition but I still believe there are natural answers if we seek them.

What is your diet like at the moment? I'm talking about what type of foods do you avoid, if any? Have you already cut out preservatives, and other unnatural "foods"? If not, this would be a great start.

If possible, make your way around this forum as there are good articles posted for becoming more natural in our eating so we put less stress on our body.

How much of your thyroid has been removed? Do you still have most of it?

What is your "first thing in the morning" body temperature? Have you ever checked it? This helps you know how well your system is functioning. (or should I say, it is an indicator of how well your system is functioning)

Hang in there. We are all on a journey and can really support each other as we go.

Hope to keep hearing from you.

Mo

[stitch]

Welcome to the forum Stitch,

What kind of doctor is currently monitoring you? You mentioned your insurance dropped you - are you currently transitioning to a different doctor? I would strongly recommend consulting with more than one natural doctor.
 Mo--I am going to a local otolaryngologist.  She does a lot of work with the thyroid.  She referred me to a specialist endo(?) & I met with him once.  He seemed more concerned with my family history & we talked about relatives coming from the slavic countries.   She keeps telling me that I need to switch off seeing him one year, & her another year.
We are self employed, paying for insurance when I was first diagnosed & the right half was removed & I started on synthroid.  They said I had one cancer cell in the side that was removed.  Once a year, to renew my prescription, I would go in for my blood test, the past 2 years they would also do an ultrasound.  We changed insurance companies one year ago, because the premiums kept going up to where we couldn't afford them.  I was just dropped as they stated I did not answer on the questionaire that I had cancer, but I did say I had Hashimotos.  They also made a big deal about my goiter.  My doctor said I had one and to let her know if it bothers me, which it hasn't. 
When did you take the radiation pill or are you just worried it might come to that? 
I haven't, but a couple friends have taken a radiation pill to kill their thyroid totally.  I'm wondering if that might be the best? They said that they would have to be on synthroid anyway.

This is no doubt a difficult condition but I still believe there are natural answers if we seek them. 
When you are diagnosed with Lymphoma, & end up with Hashimotos, I thought that was the better part of the deal.

What is your diet like at the moment? I'm talking about what type of foods do you avoid, if any? Have you already cut out preservatives, and other unnatural "foods"? If not, this would be a great start.
I've learned to limit my intake.  I don't need to go for seconds, etc.  I try to do more chef salads, but limit the salad dressing.  I would eat a lot of brocolli or califlower for a vegetable, but am now wondering about that.  I do love corn.  I'm not much into potatos, but enjoyed rice, & love warm bread.  I like fish, eat a lot of chicken, and a bit of beef.
If possible, make your way around this forum as there are good articles posted for becoming more natural in our eating so we put less stress on our body. 
I used to walk every morning for 30-45 minutes.  I would take the dog, to wear him out. I got more into shape.  As I walked I would think about the stress of yesterday, how I should have handled it, would it have worked & who really cared. By the time I got done walking I was pretty mellow.  I got out of the habit, & am trying to get back into it.

How much of your thyroid has been removed? Do you still have most of it?
I have about half of it.  The insurance company in the cancellation letter stated that my other side has a rough texture, but the doctor said that is what Hashi does. 

What is your "first thing in the morning" body temperature? Have you ever checked it? This helps you know how well your system is functioning. (or should I say, it is an indicator of how well your system is functioning)
Hm...never thought about that.  What would the temperature tell me?

Hang in there. We are all on a journey and can really support each other as we go.

Hope to keep hearing from you.

Mo
Thanks for hearing me out.  Hope my answers might help someone else.    Stitch

[LeeSutton]

My name is Lee I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism three years ago. I think I had spent 2 years prior cycling through the disease but it wasn't until after the birth of my daughter that my thyroid stopped functioning. I assumed at first it was depression because my mother died around the same time I gave birth. I blamed the weight gain, lack of energy, severe depression all on my circumstances. After years of just not getting over it I started seeing a psychologist who also believed it was depression. She wanted to put me on antidepressants - but I refused. I had spent a decade watching all my friends go over to Prozac nation and I didn't like the side effects. Finally it was getting so bad that I would all asleep at the wheel of my car driving in midday traffic while my daughter was in the back seat. I went to my primary care doctor. That was the first time I had heard of Hashimoto. Finally, I was ecstatic something to explain my symptoms. And What I believed would be a cure for my aches and pains.
She started me on Levoxyl. We started low and I finally worked my way up to 175 Mcs. (That's a lot.) I was feeling better I had more energy, I was going to the gym - although I still wasn't losing weight, I still felt a lot better. I started looking at having another child I felt the time was right I was healthier and ready.I actually went to a lower dosage of meds. My husband and I conceived my first born after two months of trying I didn't expect to have any trouble. It took two years to have our next pregnancy. I felt so happy and blessed. After three months I miscarried. I was very upset about it and started to look online to find answers to why we had so much trouble conceiving and when we finally did, it terminated itself. That is when I found the answer was in my disease.
Hashimoto had already taken a toll on my mental state, my once slim figure, and now it was taking my future. I went to a endocrinologist who confirmed that it may have been the thyroidism that caused the miscarriage. When the embryo and eventual fetus is developing it depends on the mothers thyroid for growth. I went back on my full dose of meds and hoped to conceive again. After 6 months I finally did. I was monitored every couple of weeks and constantly upping the levoxyl to keep the pregnancy going. I was successful and I had my son in January.
I decided to try and take this disease again in my own hands. I changed my diet to a almost vegan one. I gave up coffee. I did great. I lost all my pregnancy weight plus 10 pounds. I didn't realize I was just going through a good cycle. After three months my energy started failing again, I was gaining weight, (even though I was still being vegan), and finally and worst of all I felt the black blanket of depression. I am know going through it all over again. I feel helpless and so overwhelmed of living this way my whole life that I just want to give up and sleep forever. Not suicide - but just giving up. I look at my children and feel pangs of joy - and I know I have to fight this for them if not for myself. I am seeing a new doctor tomorrow and hope to find some sort of relief. I am here to get suggestions and find solace from others who suffer from this.

[Mo]

Hello Lee and welcome to the board!

One thing I can tell you is that those here can certainly relate to your story. Sometimes just knowing you're not alone is a GREAT lift. I congratulate you on your second successful pregnancy - you put a lot of work into it and that is a wonderful testimony to the possibilities of controlling this disease.

Some insights -

*You mentioned the death of your mother before diagnoses. Many Hashi people have similiar life changing events before diagnoses. I believe this emotional aspect needs further research - there could be "keys" to health hidden in this one fact!

*You have rightly identified the "cyclic" nature of this disease. This is another clue for us to tackle.

These clues are more important than they appear I believe.

If you haven't tried EFT for your emotional challenges, give it a shot... it's free and there are tons of helpful walk-through videos on Youtube for free! Just type in "EFT tutorial" on Youtube for some great resources. This alone has really helped me cope with emotional set backs.

I apologize - I was supposed to put up a poll so we can all help each other analyze common denominators in this disease. I am making this a project on my to-do list so I can have this up by the fall. I will e-mail everyone on the list once I have it up. I think it may lead to significant insight and ways we might back track to help heal or at least minimize the effects of Hashis.

Thank you for introducing yourself. I hope to "see" you regularly on the board. Mo

[Njay]

Hi My name is Nelsa, I am 42yrs old and was diagnosed with Hashimotos 3years ago, previously I had had 15 years with Chronic stress with a disabled child and my body was shutting down and I collapsed with stress and slept for the next four months, hardly getting out of bed, I also developed Vitiligo which has attacked a couple of areas on my body but mainly my hands, I also have VitD deficiency.

My Dr prescribed me with Oroxine and during the next three years I put on 30kilos, I felt worse than ever and had no energy, foggy brain, my hearing was affected and I got boils and ulcers in my mouth and nose. I also had very bad anxiety.

Four months ago I decided to chuck away my Oroxine and have been working with my Natrapath and I am now starting to feel great, I have more energy ( probably was down to 25% and now up to 80%) and am starting to be excited about my future. I am very clear headed now and am even starting to think I might like to try to start some exercise (a miracle). I actually don't know what herbal mixture my Natrapath has put me on but she firmly believes that the thyroid can be kickstarted again, she is also a registered nurse.I will be asking her in the near future was is in the mix, she told me at the time but I had a lot going on. When learning Natrapathy they were taught that the thyroid is ruled by your emotions and that is why severe stress overwhelms the thyroid. I am really thankful that I chucked away the Oroxine and went natural.

At the moment I am looking further into my diet and seeing what is working and what isn't. I am thinking that sugar has been affecting me a lot, and am just about to cut nearly all of that out and as I am feeling better I have decided to cut my food portions in half as well. I am also going to start lifting weights every 3 days to build muscle and hoping that these things combined will shock my metabolism into working again.

[Mo]

Hi Nelsa,

What a wonderful story - well, I mean not what you've been through but your determination to heal! That is what this board is all about. I love hearing of how others have chosen the natural route and how often it is more successful than the traditional! I am sure we would love to hear what was in that herb mix and also how you work with your emotions. I am presently using energy therapies to wipe my body's "hard drive" of bad emotions that have created reactions in my body over the years. It's kind of like a "defragmenter" on your computer's hard drive. I used to be offended when people suggested my emotions could be mostly to blame. Now I realize that "yesterday's emotions" or emotions from childhood or serious events in our lives could set our bodies in disarray. These emotions can/are connected to energy meridians in the body responsible for certain body functions. I have seen first hand the significance of working on clearing these emotions through things like NAET, EFT and BSFF. I am currently attempting to clear my childhood asthma which recently came back through cat allergies when we unexpectedly aquired the best feline companions I could ever imagine. I have never been able to be in the house with a cat for around 40 years without serious asthma. We believe my emotions have a lot to do with us and have seen amazing results over the last 3-4 months working on my emotions. I am living with the cats, although not done with asthma completely, have seen remarkable results so far. I hope to give everyone a victory post sometime in the future. I believe these same emotions can be contributing to my Hashimotos so I am actually thrilled my body is giving us "clues" as the asthma subsides since antibodies are slower to respond and take more time to track.

I am so encouraged that you posted and you are doing so much better. Please start new topics when you have time and give us some details as to what you feel really turned you around, point by point. We can learn so much from your journey.

I am sorry you've been through so much. As soon as I read your first couple sentences, I knew emotions were a big part of contributing to your symptoms but the body running down with the responsibilities of a disabled child is also a ton for a person to go through.

Thank you again for your encouraging post. We all need the encouragment.

Keep us posted and keep up the determination!

Mo

[jennys]

G'day all (well I'm an Aussie so I had to say that....)

1. How long have you had Hashimotos? 18 months

2. What are you doing for treatment? 100mg Oroxine

3. Are you satisfied with the progress or do you feel you need to find a better combination of treatment?
No, not at all happy with the progress.  Any improvements in my well being seem to be short lived and my
oroxine upped upon testing

4. Have you tried any successful diets (whether for losing weight or controlling symptoms)
Haven't really tackled the diet thing as such.  I must say though, that I went on a very well known "Detox Diet"
(a citrus one) a 6 weeks back.  I can honestly say that I lost 3 kg and have kept it off, but I know that it adversely
effected my hashi/thyroid.  Not sure why, although upon speaking to a friend on the weekend, she pointed out to me
that the 1 litre of salt water taken in the mornings (part of the detox flush - which sends you to the toilet) could have
effected my throid (ie/ sodium - iodine)  I would strongly warn people off this kind of diet and I have not been the same
since

5. Tell us anything else about yourself - age, location, etc. that you would like to share.
I am 39 years old, I live in Australia and live a good lifestyle.  My symptoms are - extreme fatigue (sleeping 10 hours which
is not enough), constipation, hair breakage/hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, HEAVY periods, IBS, weight gain, and extremely
flat moods, brain fog.

I went to my doctor a week or so ago and he has just upped my dose of oroxine.  I did ask him about the Armour Thyroid
which he was surprised I knew about (if only he knew... I'm almost an expert), although told me he couldn't prescribe it.

I'm quite an anxious person by nature, and yes I think that stress perhaps contributed to my hashi.  I have had a life long history
of respiratory infections ie/ tonsilitis, bronchitis etc.  My sinus infections have got worse with each passing year.  I find I
am extremely bad in SPRING (now in Australia) so I am at an all time low.

I'm going to book in to see an allergy specialist and might even see if there is a NAET specialist around here somewhere.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Can you tell me the reason why sugar or wheat might adversely affect a hashi sufferer?  I don't understand that.

Cheers for now

Jen

[Mo]

Hello Jen,

Welcome to the forum! You are very well informed already about this disease and have made a great start in learning how to minimize the symptoms. Good job! As far as your symptoms go - you are right, it is possible you would do better with a supplement that offered the T3 and other T's that the thyroid needs to function properly. It is sad that it cannot be ordered by your doctor. Does he refuse to prescribe it or is it illegal where you are?

On the wheat/sugar front, I am not a doctor so I answer very abstractly - from a sufferers point of view. Most of us believe that most disease begin in the gut - therefore an allergy or sensitivity to wheat or sugar is negatively effecting our immune system, thereby causing the whole body to respond to the allergen. This is where I believe NAET comes in. I cannot assess whether the experiment with NAET has been successful yet for me but I am hopeful that neutralizing my allergies will begin to allow my body to heal and function normally over time. I am keeping a journal for this purpose in case this approach becomes successful. You will know because the whole forum would get word by e-mail as it would be such a victory, I wouldn't be able to contain myself! I've been diagnosed for at least 14 years so it would be quite a reversal if that happened. As of yet, there is not indication of this antibody reversal, however food allergies are greatly diminished - so much so that I am still in shock. I've been eating to avoid food (in any situatuation preservatives should be avoided - but I have been avoiding food allergies/sensitivities) for many years and now I don't need to! So, that is a huge success already! I can only imagine that over time, by body can rebuild.

As far as NAET goes, you need to be in it for the long haul. Some people can do the basic 15-30 allergens (this meaning the ones they are tested allergic to - sometimes it's 5 and sometimes it's 30!) but after that there is a thyroid protocol that is recommended to those suffering with thyroid problems. I went through that and it was quite lengthy so you need to be prepared for a long journey. I was because I have waited too long to find a treatment that actually eliminates allergies. I was so allergic to cats, I would be in the hospital within a few days of trying to have a cat in the house. I am now living with two adorable kitties and I am finishing up my allergy treatments for cats now. I only have a bit of a wheeze at times now and we are working on the remaining symptoms. It is a very persistent protocol and some (like me) are a bit more involved. You may not be, depending on the severity of your symptoms. I also struggled many years with brochitis, pnemonia, and all kinds of respiratory symptoms every year but I haven't had brochitis for 7 years now after having it practically every year for years before that! That change was due to diet changes alone so I know it can be done. I eliminated all preservatives, milk, greatly minimized milk products and any food I knew to contribute to congestion. That was the beginning of my determination to heal my Hashimoto's Disease. Of course, healing Hashi's is much more complicated than avoiding my bronchitis symptoms, etc. but I was encouraged when I saw such dramatic changes in my health from the diet change.

Keep up the detective work.... it's worth it!

Keep us posted on your progress. If you can't get the Armour, you might want to try some good, virgin coconut oil and add that to your daily supplements. It is amazingly good for energy boosting. Here's a link that explains why:

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//thyroid_health.htm

Maybe that could help a bit.

Hang in there! Mo

[vanessa]

Hello!

I am doing my formal introduction to the group...

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's one year ago, but I believe that I have had it for at least four years, maybe more.

I am not on ANY medication, natural or synthetic.  I am completely focusing on diet, health, research and natural remedies.  I also go to acupuncture once or twice a month.

I am satisfied with my progress and my findings during this last year, but I now feel ready to learn more about what I can do.  I also would like to meet other people who are struggling with this disease.

As for diets, I noticed that when I went on a diet that took out coffee, wheat and processed sugars, I felt a lot better.  The only problem is that I am a coffee and chocalate lover, so I find it hard to stay away from these things!

I am a musician and artist living in Austin, TX.  I am 28 years old.  I have been married for almost 8 years, with no children.

I think that just about covers it!

So here is my first question to the group:

What sort of foods seem to be HELPFUL to the thyroid gland?  I deal with a lot of swelling on and off, and really would like to understand the triggers a little bit better, but would also really like to know what foods might be calming to the thyroid...

Thanks!

Vanessa

[Mo]

Hello Vanessa and welcome to the board!

You are at a great place right now. A place where you are free to make natural choices and walk a road that I wished I could have walked about 15 years ago! I was (as you have probably read) unaware of natural treatments so I was immediately swept into a road of Synthroid, with no other apparent choices to improve this disease. I have since learned that this is not true. That doesn't mean that sometimes medications are going to be necessary, but my point is that I wasn't aware of the choices - and neither was the HMO I was going to (and they still aren't)!

It sounds like you are in tune with many natural choices. One I have to bring up front and center, before anything else, is one I have neglected for a few years thinking it was quite "intangible" and "out of touch" and that is the field of emotions. There are many roads to this juncture, but they all lead to our "thoughts" and our "emotions". If you haven't looked into this area, I would highly recommend it especially since you have a wonderful opportunity to see the results without medications in the way!

Your acupuncturist likely knows about an allergy elimination technique called NAET. You can find the introduction to this process through the main website at www.naet.com for starters. In addition and maybe even more interesting and empowering is the booming world of self help energy therapy which allows you to identify and neutrualize negative thoughts that could be a culprit to the root problem of allergy and/or disease. For this I would recommend the free manual and education given on the www.emofree.com website as developed by Gary Craig called EFT. There is also a very impressive emotional freedom techique which is similiar called BSFF (Be Set Free Fast) by Larry Nims and probably the most intriguing but hardest to comprehend energy therapies I've explored. You can find this website at http://www.besetfreefast.com/

The progress of these therapies is undeniable once you put them into practice. A friend of mine had such a fear of fireworks that she would most times hide in a closed room with her hands over her ears if they were anywhere in the vicinity. This year, after some 20 minutes using EFT in advance of the 4th of July (I worked with her), she not only watched the fireworks but stood just feet away from the place they were being released. The loud "booms" and the suspense of their timing was always a serious problem and kept her from enjoying fireworks ever since she was a child. She enjoyed the fireworks immensely for the first time in her life! I bring this up to give an example of the effectiveness of this treatment but what I am using it for myself is what I believe to be a root problem in my life - the possibility that long term negative emotions have caused an interference in my body's energy system. They are now linking this to allergies which I believe is connected to autoimmune diseases since our body is mistakenly attacking it's own tissues. This is an immune problem and one that is malfunctioning. Since I'm not a doctor, I cannot claim to know this to be scientific fact but as a patient, it certainly is beginning to make a lot of sense. I have seen dozens of my allergies cleared (I am going to start my blog back up before the end of the year to discuss what has been happening in my journey this year), some that caused very significant reactions to foods. I am yet to find out if the glands are responding as it could take a while for tests to show the improvement. I should know this in the next few months.

On the food front - you didn't mention if your tests revealed a hyper or hypo condition. There would be some different recommendations based on that information. I won't confuse you by listing ideas until I know which side of the thyroid you are on - the hyper or hypo. Also, what was your antibody count? It would be good to know about where you are on the spectrum. We kind of have to be "our own" detectives since most mainstream doctors don't believe this disease can be dealt with naturally.

What is your accupuncturist attempting to do?

As far as the swelling in the thyroid area, I would be thinking "anti-inflammatory" foods. This means right off the bat, low to no sugar which is a very difficult task especially this time of year. However, I've done a lot of the diets that call for drastic measures and I must say, I am sticking with the energy therapies right now for a reason. I believe there are bigger links to our digestive system than just food alone.

I hope this helped for now. Once you get back with your test results, maybe we can all suggest some diet choices that could help your current condition.

Take care and hang in there! Oh, if possible, start a new topic when you post your next question. It will help us keep subjects together. Thank you!

Mo

[demitri0831]

Hello -

I am doing my first introduction to the group.
I am 22 years old. I live  in Detroit Metro. I was just diagnosed with Hashimotos last week, however I have 5 other family members currently struggling with thyroid issues, thus why I got checked out in the first place.  Currently I am on no treatment. That is mostly why I went searching for a site such as this, to find out how others are coping. My doctor doesn't feel that my levels are "bad" enough yet to start treatment, so I am left with the constant exhaustion and fatigue.  Thank you all for sharing your stories/diets/journey. It really helps knowing that I will not always feel like this.

Tiffany

[Mo]

Hi Tiffany,

Welcome to the board. I encourage you to find a doctor who treats you according to how you feel and focuses less on the test results. They are good for a guide, but they should be looked at in combination with your symptoms. What are your numbers (if you know them)?

Definitely look around and follow links on my main page for ways to use diet to help too. Also, my article on eHow is a good starting place to troubleshoot ways to take more control over this disease:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2080117_live-better-hashimotos-thyroiditis.html

Looking forward to hearing more from you. Don't give up.


Mo

[erb]

Hi. I am 51 yrs old and learned last week that I have HT (with normal thyroid levels) from my last blood test. I have always been pretty healthy so the findings of HT along with high cholesterol are something I am trying to figure out how to deal with.

I want ANSWERS - someone who can tell me what I can do about this! and my weight gain, i admit, is the most frightening for me, because i have no idea what to do about it. so, i don't know if this is really the place for it, but i want to tell my 'story' and see if anyone can help guide me - give me good advice! I am going to make an appointment with an endo and with a naturopath/md and possibly my gyn who is tuned to nutrition and hormonal issues, but I want help NOW - before the scale shoots up any more! I can barely fit into my clothing!

I have always battled with my weight - but in the last few years with constant attention I have kept below 140 (I am a vegetrian, I take supplements and no drugs. I eat very little fat - just a little flax oil and whatever is in the few prepared foods I eat). In the last 2 months my weight has shot up over 144 and my diet has not changed, really. If anything, I have been more attentive to watching what I eat. I have been on weight watchers and I am ALWAYS within my points. and I am exercising more than before (though I admit, not as much as I should). Probably the biggest change that I wonder if it could have made a difference, was going off a long term colon cleanse combined with get regular tea (a nightly routine for 2 years) back in December and shifting to a probiotic and fiber approach which started to work only about 2 weeks ago. That is the only real change I made to my diet....

There is so much information on-line and in books - but what really applies to me and why did this all happen so suddenly?

other things about me: I did NAET about 15 years ago. I see an accupuncturist somewhat regularly. I have several jobs including running a small non-profit organization that has me going to Africa 1-2 times a year (proximity to parasites) and I am an artist (painter) and I do a lot of work on the computer - many hours a day!


thanks for any advice or words of wisdom.

erb