EASY SUGAR-FREE & GLUTEN-FREE TART AND COCONUT TREATS

                                                      For the Holidays and All Year Long!

Holidays can be rough when you are on a sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free diet. I am presently on the Gaps Diet, which means in addition to nixing  sugar and gluten, I also avoid all starchy foods, including grains. 

 In the past, I would feel like I was really missing out on all the holiday goodies. Sure, I could cheat and have a few cookies or a small helping of some irresistible decadent dessert, but my negative connection with sugar was too overpowering. I associated eating sugar, candy and desserts with relapsing Lyme symptoms. As a result, I could not and would not let myself  partake of any  traditional holiday treats. Instead, I ended up  feeling sorry for myself and envying others who piled their plates with Christmas cookies, traditional desserts and candies. 

But, I’m happy to say that those days are over. Thanks to Mental Field Therapy, an effective self-help therapy taught to me by Dr. Goodsoul, I was able to change my perspective on how I viewed desserts (especially during holiday times) and now I have a healthier and more positive attitude toward food in general. I now choose foods, including healthy desserts, that serve me and make me happy, too!

Here are two delicious, easy  recipes that are sugar-free, gluten-free and starch free.  I recently  introduced butter in my diet and have it every now and then. So I chose to make the tart with butter. (When it comes to baking – you can’t beat that melt in your mouth taste of butter!)  The coconut treats are an easier, no-bake, less restricted version of a Gaps recipe.

APPLE & PEAR TART

PASTRY

 1 cup of almond flour

½ stick of butter, cold, cut up in small pieces (preferably organic) Coconut butter can also be used.

1 egg

Pinch of salt

FILLING

2 apples – peeled and thinly sliced

1 pear – peeled and thinly sliced (I used Comice pear)

2 Tbsp butter

GLAZE

 3 Tbsp of All-fruit Apricot jam for glaze

Preheat oven to 400º F. In a bowl or processor, combine the almond flour, salt and butter.  Mix until it looks like cornmeal.  Add I beaten egg and mix until it forms a ball. If it’s too sticky, add more flour until it is doughy. Break into 3 pieces and mush into a buttered pie or tart pan. Prick bottom and bake for a few minutes. This makes the crust extra crunchy.

When cooled, arrange sliced apples slightly overlapping each other around the plate. Arrange the pear in the center. Dot with butter and bake for 45 minutes. For extra browning, put in broiler for a minute after baking.

Heat the apricot jam in a saucepan and brush over the tart. Makes 6-8 servings.

COCONUT TREATS

1½ cups flaked unsweetened coconut

9  dried apricots - soaked in water for 6-8 hours or overnight

½ cup ground almonds or coarsely ground almond flour ( I used Shiloh Farms brand)

In a blender or processor, add flaked coconut ½ cup at a time and grind to a finer texture. Cut up 3 apricots and add to the ½ cup grounded coconut. Puree together. Form balls and coat with ground almonds or almond flour. Makes about 18 balls.

ENJOY!!!

THANKSGIVING & GIVING THANKS

Thanksgiving is the time for the  traditional turkey feast, pumpkin pie (my favorite!), family get togethers,  the Macy’s Day Parade, football games, kids coming home from college, donating to the needy, and the beginning of  holiday shopping (aka the day before Black Friday!) But most of all, it is a time to give thanks for what you already have.

I'm thankful for my family!  Sharing a holiday meal in 1996.

When we are feeling thankful, we are physically, emotionally and spiritually, in a positive state. Being thankful improves your overall health. Being thankful enhances your immune system. So, starting today, why not make the spirit of Thanksgiving and the feeling of thankfulness as a part of your every day life, all year round?

So what are you thankful for?

In the book, 101 Exercises for the Soul, Dr. Bernie Siegel suggests writing a Gratitude List to change your thoughts and health into a more positive direction:

 “Gratitude is one of the best ways to improve your attitude and feel better. You can’t be troubled and grateful at the same time…Start by making a list of at least twenty things you are grateful for in your life. You might start with the basic necessities, like having a roof over your head, a chair to sit on, food to eat, a warm bed at night, and so on. Then continue with the more meaningful and personal areas of your life, such as your friends, family, work, pets and health. When you finish, display the list where you will see it often, especially when troubling thoughts start surfacing. Keep adding to you list over the next several weeks, and take the time to read it every day to remind yourself all the things in your life that you are grateful for.”

Drawing a Gratitude Mandala is another way of expressing thanks. This is a personal Gratitude Mandala by Donna Gentile –  artist, singer/songwriter and founder of the Community Mandala Project. I love this mandala and what it represents. I completely resonate with Donna’s uplifting and powerful words.

My personal  mandala would  be very similar to Donna’s, but  I would also like to add one more very important thing that I am grateful for.

I am grateful for having chronic Lyme disease ( Multi-Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome) and being chronically sick for almost 13 years. I am grateful for this life experience!  Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? I mean who in their right mind would be thankful for being sick?

Now that I am healed, I can see that this was a life lesson. My sickness was a lesson! A lesson in compassion, spiritual growth,  facing and dissolving fears, listening to my intuition, loving myself more, forgiving myself and others, spreading hope and awareness, and most of all, a lesson in being grateful every day!

I am grateful for my life! I am grateful that I chose the holistic path!  I am grateful that I am aware of my thoughts!  I am grateful for - just about everything!  And I thank God every day for my new found awareness. I have learned to make thankfulness a permanent trait.  And the best part is – if I can do this – anyone can!

So what are you thankful for? Have you ever stopped to think about it?

If you haven’t, start now! Keep the glorious spirit of Thanksgiving alive all year long! Let gratitude become a part of your life each and every day. Thank every one and every thing as much as you can. The more you give thanks, the more you will feel blessed. The more you feel blessed, the happier you will be.  And a life filled with happiness is what it's all about. Isn't this what you are striving for?

Well, isn’t it?

Or did you forget?

Well... I’m here to remind you.

You’re welcome….J

                                                         BE THANKFUL    

                                   
                   Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward too?

Be thankful when you don’t know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will give you strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you are tired and weary

Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.

~Author Unknown~

  

REDEFINING CHRONIC LYME

“Chronic Lyme disease needs to be redefined. The patients that come to me, they just don’t have Lyme disease. They have a multi-systemic illness…they have multiple tick born co-infections. They have parasites…You can get one tick bite and get multiple organisms into your body and it overwhelms the immune system…” Dr. Richard Horowitz on the Katie Couric Show.

Dr. Richard Horowitz , a member of ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) and one of the most sought after integrative Lyme doctors,  has a new definition for chronic Lyme. In his recently released book, “WHY CAN’T I GET BETTER? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease”,  he defines chronic Lyme as a MSIDS – Multi-Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome.

My first reaction upon hearing this was, “Thank You!!  Dr. Horowitz!”  Chronic Lyme IS a Multi-Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome.  (See My Healing Story for the grocery list of multiple infections that were happily partying inside my body!) As in my case, the Lyme bacteria was just part of the gang! But what intrigues me most about his new concept is that the word “Lyme” is missing! And that deserves another applause

The term “chronic Lyme” has become a pariah in our conventional medical society.  Does that surprise you? Most doctors don’t understand chronic systemic illness and don’t have their practices set up to be medical sleuths. The brutal, cold hard fact is that diagnosing and treating multi-systemic chronic illness  is not part of the medical school curriculum. (I bet you didn’t know that!)

In the documentary, “Smart Meters and EMR: Health Crisis of Our Time, Dr.  Dietrich Klinghardt, who specializes in chronic illness, states that “ chronic illness is not a static thing, the foundations and causes of illness are now quite different from what they were 30-35 years ago…the teaching in our medical schools, to a  large degree, are lagging behind the evolution of illness.” Dr. Klinghardt  admits that while attending medical school, there was not one single lecture on chronic fatigue or on chronic pain. “And unfortunately, that hasn’t changed very much since then.” (He graduated medical school in 1975.) 

Healing chronic sickness is complicated. But it can be done. I am living proof. But I had to seek out alternative therapies and doctors to get to where I am today.

In the informative book,  Beyond Lyme Disease: Healing the Underlying Causes of Chronic Illness in People with Borreliosis and  Co-Infections, author and  medical researcher, Connie Strasheim, examines and brings to light other problems that can lead to chronic illness. “Environmental toxins, mold exposure, heavy metal toxicity,  adrenal fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, parasites, gastrointestinal dysfunction, dental problems, Electromagnetic radiation (EMR),  emotional trauma, and other factors cause severe chronic illness in people with tick-borne infections.”

Dr. Gurevich knows and understands these underlying factors. He addressed all of the problems that Connie mentioned and then some! Do you think Dr. Gurevich learned any of this in medical school? Dr. Gurevich began his practice as a conventional doctor. When he saw that his patients weren’t improving with traditional treatment, he decided to change the direction of his practice to “the road less traveled.” He actually risked his livelihood for the sake of his new found beliefs. As a holistic doctor, he began to see many of his patients getting well and having productive lives. 

More and more doctors and health practitioners, like Dr. Gurevich and Dr. Rasa  are choosing the alternative path to help their patients recover from chronic conditions.

If you believe that you might have MSIDS  as the cause of your chronic symptoms ( See Lyme Research Alliance for symptom list) this may be the time for you to reevaluate your treatment plan. Does your doctor know what to test you for and which labs are the most reliable? Does your doctor know anything about addressing multi-systemic infections or the other underlying causes? Does your doctor know about detoxifying the body?  Does your doctor know anything about nutrition – such as avoiding anti-inflammatory foods or going on an anti-inflammatory diet? Or is your doctor prescribing pharmaceutical drugs for your symptoms but not getting to the root cause?             

                                                  Could this be your doctor?

This cartoon gets lots of laughs but unfortunately it is based on fact. If your doctor is NOT a medical detective, chances are he or she will not be able to get you on the healing track.

Chronic illness is increasing at an alarming rate. Coincidentally, there is a growing community of alternative doctors and health care practitioners who recognize and treat multi-systemic illness. It’s up to you to find the doctor and treatment plan that’s right for you.

You and you alone have the power to heal. You and you alone have the power to find a doctor who believes that chronic disease can be reversed. You and you alone have the power to find a doctor that believes that YOU can achieve physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance. And last but not least, you must truly believe, think and feel deep down to your soul, that you have the power to get well and deserve optimal health, happiness and fulfillment.

  

HOW I BEAT MY CRAVING FOR JUNK FOOD

I find that when we really love and accept and APPROVE OF OURSELVES EXACTLY AS WE ARE, then everything in life works…Our health improves, we attract more money, our relationships become much more fulfilling, and we begin to express ourselves in creatively fulfilling ways. All this seems to happen without our ever trying. – Louise. L. Hay

My ultimate weakness, POTATO CHIPS, in my piggy party bowl that squeals, "OINK! OINK!", when anyone dares to take a chip!

A few years ago, Dr. Gurevich recommended that I go on an anti-inflammatory diet known as The Gaps Diet. “So I bought the book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Natasha Campbell-McBride, read THE INTRODUCTION DIET on line, said to myself – FUHGETTABOUTIT!!!”( quoting myself  here, lol! - See WHY I AM ON THE GAPS DIET for the background story.)

I closed the book and didn’t open it until two years later. At that time, I wasn’t mentally, emotionally and physically ready to change my life.

The Gaps Diet – which is considered one of the ultimate healing diets, would be the next step in strengthening my immune system since overcoming chronic Lyme and co.
But first, I had to conquer a huge problem that has been a thorn in my side since I was a teenager – my insatiable craving for sweet and starchy junk food.

And let me tell you, I was a teenage junk food freak! I could go through a box of  Cheese Tid-Bit crackers and wash them down with a can or two of diet soda and call it lunch. I drank regular soda or Hawaiian Punch  with dinner.  I ate Tollhouse cookie dough till I got nauseous!   Sugary sweet cereals, like Alpha-Bits or Frosted Flakes, were not only for breakfast, but were the perfect pick-me- up after school snack. Like the old Lays commercial, I could not eat just one potato chip, I vacuumed up the whole bag.  While in high school,   I developed the bad habit of talking on the phone and eating cookies, ice cream, or whatever junk food was in the house!  I was out of control! But maybe, my guts were trying to tell me something!*

After being diagnosed with Lyme in 1996, I eliminated sugar from my diet.  Sugar made my symptoms worse so taking that out of my diet was absolutely a must. I still continued to crave sweets. So sugar-free soda, candy and cookies were my new feel good fix. Big mistake! Sugar free substitutes,  like Sucralose, have been found to spike your blood sugar level  and cause side effects. As a result, these substitutes can also feed the  pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, candida and parasites and damage the gut wall even further. “Aspartame…has been found to be carcinogenic and neurotoxic and most definitely should be avoided by GAPS children and adults.”  - Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. So, after learning this, I slowly weened myself off of all sugar-free food and to this day, only keep natural sugar substitutes, like stevia and honey, in my pantry.

Gluten, on the other hand, was a tougher challenge. Bread and pasta were my staples growing up.I was led to believe that whole grain wheat was healthy food and was good for you. Well, it wasn’t good for me!  It took me years to be completely gluten-free.       And since I couldn’t eat wheat, I switched to gluten- free foods. When I took gluten out of my diet, my cravings changed to what I believed was the perfect gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy- free snack food.

POTATO CHIPS!!!

Potato chips, sweet potato chips and corn chips became my new snack obsession.              I especially loved kettle potato chips! I craved the earthy, fried aroma and the salty, slighty oily but o’ soooo good  lip-smackin’ crunch of heaven. Just cradling the bag and dreaming about biting into that first burst of irresistible salty crispness made my mouth water in anticipation…. OK! OK!  I was addicted!  But don’t you see! I had to have my chips!

I needed to have my crunchy craving every single day! After all, I was already on a  sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free diet. I needed some kind of tasty treat that I could look forward to. And best of all, eating potato chips was FUN! Eating sweet potato chips was FUN! Eating corn chips (especially with salsa or guacamole) was FUN! Going on a diet that would eliminate the foods I craved would not be fun.  Going on a diet that would eliminate the snack foods I craved would be a  sacrifice. A sacrifice! It would be unfair.

I needed my FUN potato chips! I needed my REWARD! 

Or so I thought….

True.  I needed both an emotional and physical reward. But junk food wasn’t the answer.  My cravings were actually trying to tell me that something was wrong! My cravings were trying to tell me that my gut was loaded with pathogens that needed to feed.  By giving in to starchy foods, I was feeding the opportunistic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites within me.

But there was another side to my insatiable cravings. The emotional side. I had to have an emotional fix of junk food every day. My teenage years were loaded with insecurity and angst.  Stuffing my face with feel good junk,  filled a starving void deep inside of me.  I associated junk food with happy times, parties, FUN,  and laughter. My emotional eating became an unhealthy and unfulfilling habit.

A bad habit,  that I had to break.

So, how did I beat the cravings?

Very simply.

I had to change.

And I did.

First of all, I was on the Allergie-Immun Therapy. As the holistic therapy corrected energetic disorders, my immune system began to function more effectively. As the pathogenic load decreased, so did my cravings. I was also taking supplements to help me to move and eliminate toxins from my body.

It was also at this time that Dr. Gurevich had been working with me to unblock past emotional traumas. (See The Holistic Dr.Goodsoul for his therapies.) Mental Field Therapy was part of my treatment. This was the time I was recognizing and releasing many past psychological fears. (See I Must Not Fear…Fear is the Mind-Killer ) I had continued to perform Mental Field Therapy at home in front of my bathroom mirror. Through tapping on my acupuncture points (MFT), I was able to dissolve fears, anger and resentment and recite positive affirmations of love, forgiveness and thanks. I was finally forgiving myself for all the years of self-criticism. And, most important, I was finally able to forgive others by  replacing years of criticism and disapproval, with love.

And guess what? I lost my craving for junk food. And the funny thing is I never once tapped and recited anything about fixing my addiction. It just happened. And my body found its way down to a 4 Petite – without feeling deprived and without trying. I was still eating starchy vegetables, beans and gluten-free grains.  I just stopped my insatiable appetite for unhealthy chips! Just like that!

So for the next year, I slowly started eliminating starch from my diet. This past January, I began The Introductory part of the Gaps diet.  I’m presently on the Full Gaps Diet ** and feeling better than ever.

I don’t mind setting aside the time to prepare freshly made food. I actually look forward to it. It is not a sacrifice. It is not a burden. And it is not a lot of work. You could say it's a celebration of love.

A celebration to my new life of good health.

And that is the BEST  reward. J 

*I was on months and months of antibiotics for acne as a teenager. No doubt this contributed to an overgrowth of abnormal gut flora.

**The Gaps Diet consists of eliminating starchy foods that stay in the gut, damage the gut wall and feed on bacteria, viruses, candida and fungi. This would include all grains, all starchy vegetables, sugar and anything made with it, starchy beans and peas, and lactose. Soy is highly allergenic so it is also avoided.  The diet centers around making homemade meat stocks, soups, stews out of (preferably organic, antibiotic and hormone-free) whole chicken, duck  and other fowl, meat (with bones and marrow),  and/or fish. Non-starchy vegetables are added to the stock to make soups or stews. Fresh  fruit, fresh non-starchy vegetables, freshly pressed juices, eggs, fresh nuts, nut flours and seeds, homemade ghee (clarified butter), homemade yoghurt, cold-pressed oils,  and honey are also included. (Certain  cheeses are permitted as long as they are tolerated.)

HYPOTHYROIDISM, DEPRESSION & CHRONIC LYME: HIDDEN EPIDEMICS

Every patient that walks into Dr. Gurevichs’s office gets tested for Lyme disease, heavy metals, and thyroid dysfunction. 

“Hypothyroidism is another hidden epidemic, besides Lyme disease. And blood work is not always accurate.”

I nodded in total agreement. From my past experience, I knew that Dr. Gurevich's astute observation was absolutely true. During my conventional treatment days, I was given mostly blood tests to measure my progress. Besides testing for pathogens, Doc Brown also ran blood tests for heavy metals, thyroid dysfunction, adrenal insufficiency, food intolerances and nutrient deficiencies. My blood work for heavy metals, thyroid and adrenal dysfunction always came back negative.

Dr. Gurevich suspected that I had hypothyroidism. Common symptoms for hypothyroidism are depression, difficulty in losing weight, dry skin, headaches, lethargy or fatigue, menstrual problems, recurrent infections and sensitivity to cold. I had five out of the eight symptoms – depression, dry skin, fatigue, recurrent infections and sensitivity to cold. He also noticed that the corners of my eyebrows were thin and I brought to his attention that my hair was thinning. So he ordered a CBC and a complete thyroid panel.* I was also instructed to measure my basal body temperature and take my pulse.  

At my next visit, we went over the test results.  My thyroid blood work hadn’t changed since my Doc Brown days. My results came back negative.  And my basal body temperature ran between 97.5 and 98 degrees F. By these results, a typical conventional doctor would have assumed that I had a properly functioning thyroid. But Dr Gurevich is not one of those doctors. Being a holistic doctor, Dr. Gurevich knew there were other tests that would show energetic imbalances in my organs. So he muscle tested my thyroid and sure enough, it was blocked. Through muscle testing, my thyroid also showed to be positive for mercury. He also gave me one more test – the Achilles reflex test.

The Achilles reflex test is a test to diagnose hypothyroidism. Using a reflex hammer, Dr. Gurevich tapped on my Achilles tendon and observed the rate of relaxation of my calf muscle. My relaxation was sluggish.

As a result of the muscle testing and Achilles reflex test, Dr. Gurevich was convinced I had hypothyroidism that needed to be treated. So he performed Neural Therapy on my thyroid to unblock my qi. 

(See Transformational Healing)   Muscle testing also indicated that I would benefit by hormonal support and supplemental iodine.  He prescribed  ¼ grain of Nature-Throid, a natural hormone and Tri-Quench, a liquid iodine supplement (I have since switched to Atomidine – an energetic iodine that also tests well.)

It has been three years since I was tested for hypothyroidism. I no longer have depression, dry skin, fatigue, recurrent infections and I have a much higher tolerance to colder temperatures.

My hair isn’t thinning and my eyebrows have grown back. I’m still taking ¼ grain Nature-Throid  tablet and Atomidine every morning to support and protect my thyroid. Recent check-ups have shown that my thyroid is functioning normally and I am symptom free.

Hypothyroidism was just one part of my chronic Lyme symptoms.  Every physical symptom is the result of an imbalance – an imbalance of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual state. The question I ask myself is where did the energetic blockages of my thyroid come from?  How did my thyroid become imbalanced?

In the book, Heal Your Body, by Louise L. Hay, she lists the metaphysical causes behind physical problems and the new thought patterns to replace negative  patterns that lead to disease.  For hypothyroidism, the cause is:  “Giving up. Feeling hopelessly stifled.”

 The new healthy thought pattern to change this problem is: “I create a new life, with new rules that support me.”

For depression, the cause is: “Anger you feel you do not have a right to have. Hopelessness.”

The new healthy thought pattern to change this is:“I now go beyond other people’s fears and limitations. I create my life.”

  

When I switched to the holistic philosophy, my thoughts switched, too. Slowly, my old  thought pattern of hopelessness and anger changed to the new thoughts of hope, gratitude, forgiveness and love. Mental Field Therapy has made it possible for me to believe in my new thought patterns. Through Mental Field Therapy, I continue to dissolve the damaging thoughts of anger, fear, resentment, guilt and criticism.  

Changing my diet to an anti-inflammatory diet, exercising and immune support are also crucial in helping me to keep healthy, balanced and vibrant.

And last but not least, the Allergie-Immun Therapy, a holistic energetic therapy from Germany, corrected energetic disorders so that my immune system could function effectively, harmoniously and in a balanced state. As a result, my chronic symptoms (including Lyme, depression and hypothyroidism) have DISAPPEARED!!

  

*Complete thyroid panel includes  T4  Free, T3 Uptake, T3 Reverse LC/MS/MS,  Thyroid Peroxidase AB,  and Thyroglobulin AB.

DEPRESSION & CHRONIC DISEASE - A DOUBLE DILEMMA

After being bitten by a tick in 1996, I developed chronic Lyme disease.  My symptoms included fatigue, muscle aches and pains, brain fog, dizziness, Bell’s Palsy that would come and go, memory problems, digestive issues, Meniere’s disease, chronic sore throats, chronic sinus infections, chemical sensitivities, and food and environmental allergies.

My former LLMD, Doc Brown, found that I was also positive for the co-infections,  ehrlichiosis, bartonella and babesia,  candida, mycoplasma pneumonia,  Epstein-Barr virus, and other opportunistic bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi.

I remember that fateful day, sitting in Doc Brown’s office when he gave me the bad news:

“Chronic Lyme can never be completely cured. You will always have it.”

I blinked in disbelief and immediately started sobbing hysterically.

And this is when it all began. The hopelessness. The helplessness. The depressing thought and fear of never getting well.  And the loneliness of chronic disease. 

I was in shock.  Well…who wouldn’t be?  I was just diagnosed with a chronic illness. A complicated and controversial chronic illness. And to make matters worse, I knew no one else who was diagnosed with chronic Lyme. NO ONE!  I had no one to talk to. I had no one to confide in. Doc Brown was my only hope! Doc Brown was going to help me! Doc Brown understood what I was going through! Or did he?

“I can’t believe this is all from a tick bite!” I cried. 

Doc Brown kept on assuring me that I was being treated and I will be OK. But I was far from OK.   I was just told that I had a chronic disease. A chronic disease that can’t be cured!  My thoughts suddenly switched to my father and grandmother.  I grew up with a father, who suffered from chronic heart disease and a grandmother (my mother’s mother) who suffered from complications from rheumatic heart disease. They were going to top notch Western doctors who treated them with pharmaceutical drugs and diet restrictions.  But that wasn’t enough. They were never healed. They were chronically sick. Were they also depressed?

Unfortunately, they are not with us, so I will never know for sure. But if my hunch serves me correctly, I believe that, like me, they also suffered from depression.

It is a fact that chronic disease and depression go hand and hand. And it’s no wonder. The definition of chronic disease is a “disease that is long lasting, recurrent and is rarely cured.”

To many, this is a… death sentence. A slow, drawn out death sentence.  Where is the ray of hope? The glimmer of healing? The return to well being? How can you have hope when you were just given a “death sentence”? How can you have hope when the word “healing” is not part of your doctor’s vocabulary? How can you possibly…heal?

YOU CAN’T!!!!

You can’t heal when your doctor doesn't believe you can heal!  The Western medical establishment, in general, doesn’t believe that you can heal from ANY chronic disease. No wonder so many people are depressed! My depression was directly linked to Lyme disease. I could not separate the two. So I was never clinically diagnosed as depressed. And I never thought of depression as one of my symptoms.

Until now.

Now, that I am symptom-free, I can look back and see that I was depressed throughout my conventional Lyme treatment.   I also realized that pharmaceutical drugs would not have worked for me. I was chronically sick, not only physically, but emotionally, mentally and spiritually, as well. Lyme disease affected my soul. I could feel it. And it would take more than anti-depressants to remedy this.

My health finally returned when I broke away from conventional treatment and thinking and discovered the holistic path of healing body, mind and soul.

The Allergie-Immun Therapy, a holistic energetic therapy from Germany, corrected energetic disorders so that my immune system could function effectively, harmoniously and in a balanced state. As a result, my chronic symptoms (including Lyme and depression) have DISAPPEARED!

Dr. Gurevich found that I had an abnormally high level of mercury in my brain, thyroid, liver, sinuses, intestinal tract and kidneys. (Most of his patients who are positive for Lyme, depression, anxiety, bi-polar and mental disorders, are also positive for mercury in the brain.) He put me on the heavy metal detox ,IMP,  that slowly and safely removed the toxic metals from my system.

With the holistic and emotional healing treatments of Dr. Rasa and Dr. Gurevich, I discovered that in order to be healthy, I had to be balanced physically, emotionally and spiritually. Unblocking and dissolving past emotional trauma and changing negative thought patterns to be more positive and loving was a big part of my recovery.  Through Mental Field Therapy, (a self-healing therapy), I continue to resolve past emotional issues, dissolve negative patterns and stay healthy and well.

To Be Continued....

DR. BEN'S, THE MEADOW and A PRAYER

I was in a dilemma! 

Right before me was a beautiful, country meadow, sprinkled with wild flowers, butterflies, and oh yeah, 3 foot high, overgrown grass!*  But where was the trail? I saw the 3 white blazes on the tree by the road and a slit of an opening through the field. But, wait a minute!

HOLY MAMA! THAT WAS THE TRAIL!!!

HIKING TRAIL at the base of SCHUNEMUNK MT., NY

My heart raced as my past fears of bug bites, Lyme disease, chronic sickness, endless doctor’s appointments, tests, and the financial burden of it all, flooded my consciousness. What choice did I have? My husband was half way through the meadow already!

Well,  I could swelter in the parked car all day. Or, maybe, try to find another way around the field. But I didn’t know the area and my husband had the trail map.

Then it came to me. I have NOTHING  to worry about!  I’m not the same person that I was before. I am stronger, healthier and yes,… a bit wiser. All of those past fears that just popped up into my head are just that – in my past. I didn’t need to be afraid anymore. I have finally found protection on all fronts.

So, as I stood before this bucolic natural park, I felt a shift. A shift from fear and worry to  peace and calm.

This was a test.

Yes, I told myself that this... was simply….a test.

After all, I was protected. And I felt it.

I made sure that I liberally sprayed Dr. Ben’s Cedar Oil Repellent ** from my head to my hiking shoes. And before I stepped into the field, I paused for just a second, closed my eyes and said a little prayer:

“I’m protected by God’s light. I’m protected by God’s love and light.”

I opened my eyes as I heard my husband’s impatient voice in the distance calling, “What are you waiting for?”

What was I waiting for?

 I WAS PROTECTED!

 I HAD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT!

I believed that this was a test. And I was determined to pass with flying colors. So, as I briskly trekked through the tall grass, wild flowers and butterflies, I continued to say my little prayer.

And when I successfully navigated through the second field (yes, there was another field just like the first!) and carefully inspected myself afterwards, I was one happy and relieved trekker!

I WAS OK!

  

I WAS ABSOLUTELY FINE!

I did not attract one single biting bug that day. Not one bug bite. Not one tick. 

I was protected…  and I knew it.

I felt it.

And that calls for a big  AMEN and a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Ben's!



* This is not a typical trail. If it was, I wouldn't be hiking!

**I have no financial interest in Dr. Ben's Insect Repellents

HIKING IN NY and NJ

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside,  somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God…I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”  ― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

View from Sam's Point Preserve, N.Y.

Thanks to my husband, I have become an avid hiker and now we are on the trails of N.J. or N.Y. every weekend rain or shine all year round.  Thanks to Dr. Ben’s Personal Insect Repellent, I can honestly say that I feel protected from the pesky biting bugs, especially ticks. Thanks to an amazing self-help therapy, shown to me by Dr. Goodsoul  (See I Think I'm Getting the Fear),  my fear of bites leading to sickness,  is finally fading away.  And last but not least... I’m especially thankful  for discovering   the joy,  wonder and challenges of exploring Mother  Nature’s playground… and being a kid all over again.

Little Long Pond and Lake Kanawauke at Harriman State Park, NY.

Verkeerder Kill Falls,  Sam's Point N.Y.

Ice Caves at Sam's Point Preserve, NY

Lake Skenonto at Harriman State Park, NY

My furry Jersey friend

My  little orange friend along a wet trail in Jersey

TOP 10 INFLUENCES WHICH BOOST IMMUNITY (+ 4)

The book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride,  lists ten influences that boost your immune system:

1.  Cold pressed oils: Olive oil. Fish oils, nut and seed oils.
2.  Fresh eggs, particularly raw egg yolk.
3.  Onions and garlic
4.  Freshly pressed vegetable and fruit juices.
5.  Regular consumption of greens: parsley, dill, coriander, spring onion, and garlic,      etc.
6.  Probiotic supplementation and fermented foods.
7.  Contact with animals: horses, dogs, etc. Having a pet  can do a lot  for children’s immune status.     
8.  Physical activity in the fresh air.
9.  Swimming in unpolluted natural waters: lakes, rivers and sea.
10.  Exposure to sunlight and sensible bathing.

      

I have changed my life in order to boost my immune system and I am following Dr. Campbell-McBride’s wholesome recommendations. I’m on the GAPS Diet to heal my gut. I’m juicing fresh pressed vegetables and fruit as often as I can. I take probiotics and eat fermented foods and greens everyday. I cook with cold pressed oils.  

And, last but not least, I hike in nature.   

Wanaque Reservoir from Carris Hill,  Passaic County, NJ

I believe Dr. Campbell- McBride’s guide is a step toward improving everyone’s quality of life.  I also believe that this list is incomplete.  Improving our immune systems involve not only our physical self, but our emotional and spiritual components as well.  Research has shown that being in a positive emotional state enhances the immune system. Based on that fact, I would like to add a few more personal guidelines to the list:

11. Being grateful as a permanent trait. (My health started to improve by leaps and bounds after this life changing healing session with Dr. Gurevich.)   The Holistic Dr. Gurevich.

12. Practicing forgiveness. (I am living proof of the powerful positive effects of forgiveness with the help of  Dr. Rasa.)  Healing Through Forgiveness.

13.  Connecting to your spiritual self.  We are all connected to a higher power. (This belief helped me to dissolve my fears and change my thoughts into a more positive direction.)  "I Must Not Fear...Fear Is The Mind-Killer..."

14. Empower yourself with love and positive thinking. I found a passion in sharing, giving and spreading hope. I found a new voice and a new healing direction in The Mini Miracle.

WHY I AM ON THE GAPS DIET

I am a part of the generation of modern women that Dr. Campbell McBride talks about.

I was not breastfed as an infant. As a child, I developed food allergies that progressed to environmental and mold allergies.  As a teenager, I was on and off antibiotics for months, if not years, for acne, as well as other infections. In my late twenties, my gynecologist prescribed birth control pills to regulate my period. I was on birth control pills for three years until I became pregnant with my first child. Through these years, I developed eczema, chronic constipation and PMS. And all through this time, I never took probiotics. (I think they were unheard of back then!)

In my late thirties, I was sickened with Chronic Lyme Disease. I was on long term antibiotic therapy for about 10 years. By this time, I was taking probiotics – but the damage was already done.  Tests showed that I had an abnormally high range of candida , not only in my digestive tract, but in my BLOOD! I also tested positive for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hypochlorhydria, (low stomach acid), and Leaky Gut Syndrome. I was prescribed Nystatin to reduce the candida overgrowth. It took 3 years for my test results to come back in the normal range.

But my guts felt far from normal. Even though, I had been faithfully taking good quality probiotics for years and had been off antibiotics, my digestive tract was still a mess. I was recommended to go on the GAPS DIET  by Dr. Gurevich a few years ago. So I bought the book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, read the first chapter and said to myself – FUHGETTABOUTIT!

In my mind, there was no way I could emotionally commit to the diet at that time. Even though I stayed away from sugar, gluten, and dairy, I still saw starchy snack food (and there is no starch in this diet!), as a reward. And my numero uno worst culprit was potato chips! Sweet potato chips would also rank up there as a close second and, of course, who could live without corn chips?

I had to have chips every day.  But with each day, my guts weren’t getting better. So after two years had gone by, I picked up the book again, read the Introductory Diet and  realized – I can do this! I can heal my damaged gut. I can return the beneficial flora back to a healthy state. I can do this – on my own! I can heal… with the help of THE GAPS DIET.

So what is the GAPS DIET?  First of all, it’s the elimination of foods that are known to stay in the gut, damage the gut wall, and feed on pathogenic bacteria, viruses, candida, and fungi. This would mean all grains, all starchy vegetables, sugar and anything made with it, starchy beans and peas, and lactose. Soy is to be avoided also.

The GAPS DIET is also made up of Three Stages:

1. The Introduction to the Gaps Diet
2. The Full Gaps Diet
3. Coming Off the GAPS DIET

Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends starting with the Introduction Diet first.

Presently, I’m on Stage 5 of the Introduction Diet. This consists of making homemade stocks, soups and stews out of (preferably organic, antibiotic and hormone free) whole chickens, duck and other fowl, meat (with bones and marrow), and /or fish. Non-starchy vegetables are added to the stock to make soups and stews. Probiotic and fermented foods and drinks are gradually added and eaten with the soups. Ginger tea with some honey is for in-between meals. Adding raw organic egg yolks and fresh garlic to the soup promotes healing.

Scrambled eggs with cooked onion, “GAP pancakes and bread”, freshly pressed juices, roasted meats, are introduced in Stage 3 and 4. Stewed apples and select raw vegetables are introduced in Stage 5, if all the previous foods are well-tolerated.

Foods that are permitted are gradually added to the diet. For the complete diet and outline of the program go to  The Complete Guide to the Gaps Diet

I will keep everyone updated on my healing progress on the GAPS Diet in future posts.

THE GAPS DIET & GUT FLORA

All diseases begin in the gut – Hippocrates, 460-370 BC

I have read that approximately 85% of our immune systems are in our digestive tracts. 

Did you know that a healthy adult carries about 4.4 lbs. or 2 kg of bacteria in the gut? “There are more cells in that microbial mass than there are cells in an entire human body. It is a highly organized micro-world, where certain species of bacteria have to predominate to keep us healthy physically and mentally. Their role in our health is so monumental that we simply can’t afford to ignore them.”

But in our modern world, many of us have been exposed to different influences that ultimately damage the gut and cause an imbalance in our gut flora. “An immune system in a body with abnormal bacterial flora is exposed to a whole host of extremely toxic substances, many of which have a direct damaging effect on immunity. These toxins come from all the opportunistic microbes, which happily overgrow in the gut and elsewhere in the body of a person with GAP Syndrome (Gut and Psychology Syndrome), thanks to the absence of beneficial flora’s control.”

“Gut flora’s influence on the immune system reaches far beyond the gut itself. Research shows that when the gut flora is damaged, not only the levels of IgA, lymphocytes, macrophages, interferons, cytokines, etc., in the digestive system drop, but the whole immune system in the body gets out of balance. This process makes the person immune-compromised.”

“When the digestive wall is overrun by abnormal gut flora, it becomes damaged and leaky. A constant stream of invaders and undigested food comes through the damaged epithelial barriers in the gut. The immune system has to deal with all that, while being malnourished, deficient, compromised, unbalanced and intoxicated.”

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, author of the book, “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” and creator of the GAPS Diet, has linked the connection between an unhealthy, damaged gut  to learning disabilities such as  ADD, ADHD, autism, depression, schizophrenia, allergies, eczema and the list goes on. Common symptoms of abnormal gut flora are Irritable Bowel Syndrome (abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and /or diarrhea, and flatulence), malnutrition, acid reflux and heartburn.

But most important, her research and studies have shown the connection between abnormal gut flora and a compromised immune system.

And a compromised immune system can lead to chronic sickness and disease. So how do you restore healthy gut flora and heal your gut and your immune system? According to Dr. Campbell-McBride – go on a healing diet (GAPS), take probiotics, detox, and avoid influences that can damage immunity:

The Top 10 Influences Which Damage Immunity

1. Sugar and everything containing it: sweets, soft drinks, candy, ice cream, etc.
2. Processed carbohydrates: cakes, bisquits, chips, snacks, breakfast cereals, white bread, pasta.
3. Chemically altered and artificial fats: margarines, butter replacements, cooking and vegetable oils, processed foods prepared with these fats.
4. Lack of high quality protein in the diet from meats and fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts and seeds.
5. Exposure to man-made chemicals: cleaning and washing chemicals, personal care products, paints, fire retardants, petrochemicals, pesticides, etc.
6. Exposure to man-made radiation: electronic screens (TV, computers, play stations,etc.), mobile phones, high-power electricity lines, nuclear stations, nuclear wastes.
7. Drugs: antibiotics, steroids, antidepressants, painkillers, anticancer medication, anti-viral drugs, etc.
8. Lack of fresh air and physical activity
9. Lack of exposure to sunlight.
10. Lack of exposure to common microbes in the environment. Living in a too sterilized environment is strongly associated with compromised immunity. The immune system needs constant stimulation from the microbes in the environment.

Excerpt from “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

After reading, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, I knew that I was the perfect candidate for the GAPS Diet. I had a history of gut problems (since I was a teenager) that I wanted to resolve once and for all. And I was ready for the emotional commitment, time, food preparation and restrictions that were necessary in following this healing protocol.

THE GAPS DIET to be cont:

All quotes from, “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MMedSci(neurology),  MMedSci(nutrition)

WINTER HIKING IN NORTHERN NJ

" The earth has music for those who listen."  George Santayana - philosopher

Van Campens Glen - Delaware River Gap National Recreation Area

                                           
It is said that being in nature is therapeutic for you heart, mind, body and soul. I was told by many holistic practitioners that being in nature promotes  healing, strengthens your inner core, keeps you grounded, and above all,  connects you to the divine consciousness within you. And now is a great time to start your connection to Mother Nature. Remember to dress in layers, wear waterproof hiking boots, gloves and a knit hat, use Dr. Ben's Personal Insect Repellent     ( when the temps are above freezing) and you're good to go! (Dogs on leashes are allowed on many trails. Just spray them with Dr. Ben's Paws and Claws Flea, Tick and Mite Formula and they are protected - just like you!)

Here are a few scenic shots taken from trails that we hiked on this past winter in Northern NJ:

Greenwood Lake- Abram Hewitt State Forest - Passaic County, NJ

Lake Rutherford - High Point State Park  - Sussex County, NJ

                          

Van Campens Glen- Delaware River Gap National Recreation Area

Wide trail - South Mountain Reservation- Essex County- NJ

Hemlock Falls - South Mountain Reservation - Essex County, NJ

Trail information can be found at the NYNJ Trail Conference website for the New York/New Jersey area. The popular and easy trails are perfect for family treks and are always wide and well-maintained.  Picking trails with established parking lots also guarantees maintained primary trails. It's always good to carry a small backpack for water, tissues, cell phone, maps, snacks, and a camera. 

"Being in nature" is now part of my healing therapy. It is a mini-vacation from the chores and responsibilities of every day life. It is time-out for my heart and soul. And it is there for everyone to enjoy.

Happy Hiking!

"I thank God for most this amazing day; for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural, which is infinite."

E.E. Cummings 1894 - 1962

I have no financial interest in Dr. Ben's or receive any commission from any sales.