Nopalea, Detox Diet, Medical Testing, and Cabbage - Oh My!

    Hello everyone! My oh my, do I have a lot to catch you up on! I have had many medical tests done, tried some new therapies, and of course have my opinions of them all! :)

    First off, I am officially off of the Nopalea challenge. I didn't feel a significant benefit from the juice drink. Physically, I felt about the same. Actually, about a week after I started the regimen I became severely nauseated. It was to the point where I almost couldn't stomach to eat dinner each night. I kept telling myself that it was probably just from my pain, but after I had taken the Nopalea for a month, I realized that I shouldn't be having pain. I went off of the Nopalea, and my nausea magically disappeared. I believe that I was sick from the Splenda sweetener used by the manufacturer. Evidently many people cannot handle artificial sweeteners other than sugar, especially if you have an Eastern European background. My father and I cannot eat it, so I guess it's all in the genetics for us.     Nopalea was quite a money strain, so it is kind of nice to be off of it. Four bottles were $140, and that lasted about a month, so it really broke the bank. My suggestion to anyone out there who wants to give it a try is to do it if you wish, but start with just one month. It might work for you, but it surely didn't work for me, and even added extra burden to me physically.

    I was on my detox diet for about three months. I was very run down from it. My body had no energy without having the carbs I was used to having. I had to eat a lot of rice, such as rice flour and rice milk, to substitute for the items taken out of my diet. Part of the detox diet was gluten free, but majority of the gluten free options could not work for me because I still couldn't have sugar, dairy, or soy products. Most of the gluten free products out there are made with potato starch and soy, and since I couldn't have either of those in my diet my gluten free foods variety was extremely limited. I like to call the detox diet a Paleolithic-like diet. Paleolithic diets are all about eating things as close to the earth as possible, so nothing processed. It is supposed to mimic the diet that those of our fore- fathers in the Paleo era would eat - so veggies, meat, and roots.

    Though the detox diet was extremely difficult with all of the limitations I had, it was also a very positive experience for me. The diet really helped me to start over and add foods back to see what made me sick. I found that spicy foods, peppers, and caffeine were all negative foods for me. They each triggered me to feel sick. With my nerve problem, it is very good not to drink caffeine because it can cause painful and abnormal nerve firing. I am proud to say, since I first started the detox diet, I have had no caffeine to drink. I was addicted to Coke while in nursing school, so this is a MAJOR deal for me. I actually feel better by making healthy drink choices. The diet also helped me to make healthier food choices too. Really thinking about what you put in your body as fuel is important, and this diet helped me to evaluate and change all that I was doing wrong.

 

    I also had a ton of medical testing done on me. My tests showed that my immune system is very low and I am more susceptible to illness at the time. In fact, one of my tests showed that I have an extreme amount of Candida (yeast) in my body. I also have Streptococcus in my system as well - yes, the same stuff as strep throat! It is really scary to think about how sick I have been, but it's scarier to know that the reason I have been is because my body is not performing the way it should. Right now I am really trying to fix my body's deficiencies and boost my immune system.
    I went to the dentist and my doctor was completely alarmed by my x-rays. My always perfect teeth had about 10 washed away spots where the enamel has been impaired. I was beyond distressed. My dentist told me that when you go on as many medications as I have and have such a drastic change in health as I have encountered that all of the chemicals in the body change, even down to the saliva in your mouth, and that’s what caused this. I have some of the best oral hygiene habits out of everyone that I know, but not even flossing every night made a difference, and that just scares me. I am now on prescription toothpaste and have even more intense oral hygiene routines. I literally take 20 minutes to clean my teeth every night. It just really drives home the point we always learn in nursing school: oral hygiene in our patients is super important. Now I really see just how severely illness can affect overall oral health, even in those who have good habits.
    It is an eye opener for me to see so many physical aspects of my life change since my illness, but I am glad that they can be addressed and rectified, and they were found before they had gotten any worse.

   So there is the 411 on my life up until this point. You might be interested to know about the cabbage therapy I had mentioned at the end of my last post, and I am so excited to tell you all about it! I have yet to try it myself, but I hope I will be able to do it soon and share it my next upcoming entry!
    I had first heard about cabbage therapy from the custodians at my father’s work. What you are supposed to do is find the really dark green leaves of the cabbage, use a rolling pin to roll over the leaves until a sort of liquid seems to release from the veins, and then apply the leaves to the pained and swollen body part. You leave it on for a few hours or overnight and then you should feel the relief! It sounds silly, doesn’t it? Well, believe it or not, I have actually done some research on it and it might be more helpful than one might first assume. It not only helps with aching muscles and pains, but lactating mothers with tender, swollen breasts have been known to use the therapy as well. The benefits of cabbage can even be traced back to the Egyptians! The reason it has been so difficult for me to complete this therapy is because I am having an extremely hard time finding the really dark green leaves of the cabbage. By the time the cabbages get to the stores here, they are delivered with the outer green leaves trimmed away. So at the moment I’m on the hunt for a produce store that might be able to help me!
    Thank you for those that read this extremely long entry. I’m sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything, but now we are all caught up and we can continue on this health-filled journey ahead of us! J And as always, I would love to hear from you! If you have anything to add or have any questions for me, or even have a therapy you would like to talk about, comment away!
Until Next Time,

                  Chelsea <3

*Today's Happy Thought: LOCKS OF LOVE (I just recently donated 18" of my hair to this organization. This was my third time donating and I am sure it will not be my last! I'm just so excited to help a child in need.) <3


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