Suzanne Somers

I said the other day that I’ve lost my ability to pray.  That I’m angry.  And that’s true. But then God goes and sends me little reminders he is still here just patiently waiting for me.  Yesterday he sent me yet another reminder.  Actually a huge, smack me upside the head kind of reminder.  You all know how I follow Danielle Walker and her journey. Well, yesterday she announced she would have a live conversation with Dr. Amy Myers to discuss her books The Autoimmune Solution and The Thyroid Connection.  http://www.amymyersmd.com/ Dr. Myers is an MD who practices Functional Medicine and also suffers from an autoimmune disease.  The connection to God smacking me upside the head?  I have family members dealing with what may be Thyroid disorders – something we just found out this week.  What a coincidence that this was who Danielle was talking with this week.  Or maybe it was Divine Intervention. I don’t know. So I listened to the interview on my way home.  Dr. Myers not only talked about the thyroid connection but autoimmune disease in general.  Lots of things shared were things I already knew but in some ways also validated what I’m going through and still learning.  She touched on the importance of not only what we put in our bodies but on our bodies as well.  She talked about how conventional medicine TREATS the disease by throwing medications at it but never gets to the underlying cause.  The “why.”  And I said to myself THAT’S IT!!  That’s it exactly.  For years, doctors threw everything but the kitchen sink at me to get me well.  But they never touched on why I kept having relapses and why each relapse was worse than the last.  Round and round I went on this merry go round of Hell.  It wasn’t until I started seeing my Integrative Specialist (I lovingly call her my witch doctor) that somebody finally looked into the why.  We talked about things like Leaky Gut Syndrome and candida overgrowth and inflammation and why those things can have such a negative impact on one’s health. I had no idea.  And thus began my journey into all things holistic.

I was once asked what was in my gigantic pill box.  My snarky reply was, “It’s my breakfast” followed by a remark that I want to be just like Suzanne Somers.  I mean, have you seen the number of supplements she takes each day.  I saw her on Oprah once and thought she was bat shit crazy.  Little did I know…

Here’s the list of the supplements I choke down daily – sometimes twice daily (remember I’m not a physician and what I take is under the watchful care of my physician. Do not begin any type of supplement regimen without first speaking with your doctor):

For joint pain/inflammation:

Curcumin

Wobenzym

Ginger 500

Borage oil

Collagen

Boswellia

Cod liver oil (was told to put in my smoothies.  Um, nope!!  NOTHING hides the taste)

Low dose naltrexone (this is NOT a supplement but something I take when I’m really in a lot of pain as it allows me to get comfortable enough to sleep.  Haven’t had to take in about two months.)

For Immune Health:

Nutritional yeast

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp 2-3 times/day.

GI Revive

Vit D

Vit C

Soothing Calm Magnesium

Probiotics

Adrenal Support

Ashwagandha

End Fatigue Revitalizing Sleep Formula

I also drink a lot of herbal tea, especially licorice tea when I’m feeling either my RA or fungal infection symptoms creeping up on me.  I use Astragalus Root in tea and soups to give my immune system a boost.  I put chia seeds in everything and drink kombucha, and  take gelatin. And I swear by Magic Mineral Broth created by Rebeca Katz http://www.rebeccakatz.com/magic-mineral-broth   I was given this recipe when I was at my sickest.  I was dehydrated and my oral and esophageal thrush was so bad I couldn’t eat or drink anything, it hurt so bad. I was ready to request to be hospitalized and anyone who knows me knows this is the last thing I would request. This broth is a miracle and I still drink and use it regularly and it is the base for all my soups.  And, it tastes really good. I make a HUGE batch of it every couple of weeks and then keep some in my fridge and freeze the rest.

A tip about supplements. READ THE LABELS!!  So many contain soy, corn, wheat…  The very things I cannot tolerate.  Read labels. On everything.  For me, I like the Pure brand.

My disclaimer… I’m just sharing what works for me.  Please don’t go out and buy a ton of supplements because this is what I take.  I just want people to know there are other solutions.  That traditional and nontraditional medicine CAN work together.  That you can take control of your health.  My RA is currently in control for the first time in a while and I feel great!  My immune system is actually trying to function.  I almost feel “normal,” whatever the heck that means.  If you are interested in making a change, look into Functional or Integrative medicine.  Some doctors will support this and give you a referral, some won’t.  Keep searching until you find one who will.  Had I not made the change, I may not be here today.