I just got blood work back, and It looks like I've got MTHFR issues. I'm heterozygous for both 677C>T and 1298A>C. The lab comments and internet say this is the higher risk category, but the Dr's comments say it's normal...
It's common advice with MTHFR variations to take a baby aspirin every day. Aspirin=salicylates, which I'm as sure as I can be that I'm sensitive to without having actually tested them yet. So in other words, for me, eating sals could be protecting me from clotting disorders??
But I've also been reading about how salicylates stimulate your adrenals and basically cause adrenal fatigue. I've had symptoms of adrenal issues my whole life, and they're totally responding to vitamin supplements.
And to confuse the picture even more, my homocysteine levels are normal - both before and a month after removing sals... Isn't that the major variable in question with MTHFR mutations?
Originally Posted by WuWei
From what I've read and learned and observed, the hormones are interconnected to nutrition. I don't have specific alternatives to recommend for folks with significant adrenal issues, other than holistic, nutritive alternatives, homeopathy, and stress reduction. All of which I believe are safer and effective.
When I read about the neurophysiological impact of the adrenal support, it makes me uncomfortable. But, plenty of folks take pharmacological synthetic alternatives all the time also. There is a whole continuum of comfort regarding bio-chemical interventions. I can see that a "natural" alternative seems preferable, also. My intention is to facilitate awareness about the risks/benefits, in light of what we are seeing is a complex system which is not well understood by the medical model. Each person must weigh those variables individually.
Pat
Okay, that's what I thought too. My intention is not to be on these forever. They're a stepping stone to help me to get where I need to go. I don't entirely understand what I need to do yet from a nutritional standpoint, which is what I'm learning, and I'm *hoping* that these will give me the extra little boost I need to be able to figure it out, given my rather stressful life (and the fact that the stressors aren't really things I can just "get rid of"... I mean... I could run away to India and become a monk, I guess, but...
).
What I *can* do!! Is I can start my morning meditation again, along with my morning Sun Salutation... but that requires getting up earlier, which requires me getting to bed earlier... which I can't do because I can't get to sleep before 2 or 3am usually because my adrenals are stressed...
Yeah. Totally rambling. Going to go figure out what I need to get done today (which doesn't include long-winded explanations with useless information).
I'm in a good mood.
Originally Posted by chlobo
This course is taught by a woman who used traditional foods (gf/cf) to restore her health. Maybe its Pat in disguise. Remind me to tell you how it went. I can only rub about 2 brains cells together.
Originally Posted by menomena
hadn't thought of that. but now i want to try.
the universe provides: i just got a new bag of BW flour today and here was your idea.
heck. now i want to try with millet and rice flours, too. i got my first box of sweet/"glutinous" rice flour today. thinking....
It's very strange... It's "doughy" and sticky when it's cooked. It's best mixed with another flour for the purposes of retaining moisture... At least, that's been my experience with it. EXCEPT! I love it for thickening gravies! The texture is more like wheat flour than anything else I've used for that.
ETA: Oops. There I go contributing to off-topic stuff again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TanyaLopez
Speaking of gfcf bread-like stuff, I am going to try making idlis this week.
Injera (traditional ethiopian flat bread from teff) is fermented, too. And yummy!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chlobo
And this weekend I'm taking a course on making GF/CF traditional sourdough bread.
Woo, sounds great. I can't wait to hear about it.
__________________
Okay, so I thought I read in my anatomy and physiology book that dopamine inhibited ACTH. ACTH is the hormones that stimulates cortisol production. Looking at the book now, it appears that dopamine inhibits MSH, a different hormone released by the same cells in the anterior pituitary as ACTH. Quickly searching pubmed, dopamine agonists are looking like a promising way of treating Cushing's disease, in which someone produces way too much cortisol.
And dopamine is one that is likely to be off - either high or low with MTHFR polymorphisms.
What are good adrenal supports while pregnant? I'm finding that I'm tired, not sleeping right, always in a bad mood, and I'm thinking my adrenals are part of the problem. But I'm too tired to go through a lot of reading and too burnt to eat right. I'm also slightly anemic according to the midwife, and I failed the 1 hr gtt. Sigh.
Personally, I'd take an adrenal supp, I'm using Allergy Research Group's adrenal support, we've also got a Priority One supp. I'd take them if I were pregnant.
Nettle infusions are also helpful, I've read some folks have done the good lifestyle stuff, daily liver and nettles and gotten fairly good results. I feel like I need more now, but I'm also a liver-wimp.
Consider salt, I mix 1/2 tsp in water and do that 2-3x/day, the amount is pretty variable, but it makes me feel better and I think it's because it's just getting enough sodium in my body to do all the cellular work that needs to be done (minerals in/out of cells).
Do you have a really good multi? I used a crappy multi with my first child, wish I'd gotten something better. I settled on Rainbow Light 2nd time around, I bet there are good recs in Traditional Foods, maybe in one of the pregnancy boards too?
If you failed the GTT, I'd really try to make dietary changes if you can. Are you avoiding anything? (gluten/dairy, LC, anything?) Dietary changes really reduced stressed on my adrenals, for me gluten and dairy, ymmv.
Wait a sec, Pat! I thought you weren't going to be on the computer except to check e-mail on Sundays. Are you telling me I was whining about it for nothing?
Dr. Ben Lynch has started an MTHFR site and will be adding a forum. He is open to questions. http://mthfr.net/
Pat
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