*Update* My health memoirs, please help edit for happy ending:

[chlobo]

Ok. So here's my story and I would love it if people could give me some help/input on what to do, where to go next. I basically began this leg of my journey when DD was born (now 5). She had lots of digestive issues/rashes, etc. At the time I didn't know enough so she still has digestive issues. She also has midline issues.

DS also has issues. Not many rashes but definite GI distress. He's a slow grower and a terrible sleeper. Doesn't eat a lot of solids. Has midline issues (tongue tie, high palate, probably others). We had his tongue clipped at 8 months, followed by CST. Then a break. We are now doing CST again & also homeopathy. He's now 18 months & about 22 lbs.

My main symptoms are: irregular bowels, fagitue (especially around 3-6pm), waking at night & not being able to fall back to sleep, achy joints, pain in my lower right back. I also go through periods of "whoa is me, why me, etc." I had a labial frenulum cut when I was a child and I think I have a ridge in my mouth. Not sure about other midline issues. Looking at one of the articles posted I would say I fall more to the undermethylating side of things.

I was dx via saliva test in Nov 07 as having Adrenal Fatigue. The highlights of that test has my

AM Cortisol 4.4 (RR: 7-10)
Epinephrine AM 5.9 (RR 8-13)
Dopamine AM 180 (RR 110-175)
Seratonin AM 116.5 (RR 150-200)
Glutamate AM 43 (RR 10-35)
Histamine AM 24.8 (RR 10-20)

An informal thyroid (patch test) showed my thyroid low. A blood test in May showed low TT3 but normal T4 & TSH. My vitamin D was very low (15) after several months of supplementation. I've ordered a retest on the thyroid & vit D. I also know that I have unbalanced gut bacteria. A recent DDI hair element test revealed:

Aluminum 95th (all yellow)
Beryllium 93rd (almost all yellow)
Lead over 95th (into the pink)
Calcium 464 (RR 300-1200)
Magnesium 41 (RR 35-120)
Sodium 5 (RR 20-250)
Copper 150 (RR 11-37)
Zinc 210 (RR 140-220)
Manganese .95 (RR .08-.60)
Chromium .34 (.40-.65)
Boron .13 (rr .25-1.5)
Lithium .006 (rr .007-.020)

My ratios all looked ok.

Adam's DDI hair element test shows:

Aluminum 13 (rr <8)
Antimony .22 (rr <.066)
Arenic .088 (rr <.080)
Lead 2.2 (rr < 1.0)
Tin .68 (rr <.30)
Magnesium 6 (rr 12-30)
Sodium 10 (rr 20-200)
Zinc 62 (rr 100-190)
Molybdenum .042 (rr .050-13)
Lithium .004 (.007-020)
Strontium .06 (.16-1.0)

My current regime is to take in the AM: Gammadyn zinc, liquid vit d, Adrenal supplement, SP Greens supplement, biotin & quercitin. I am also drinking water kefir and eating fermented veggies with every meal. Working on taking a probiotic & fish oil in the evening. I also have bone broth every day. Also just started a magnesium supplement at night (natural calm). And I started putting vit C in my water.

Adam is eating fermented veggies. He also gets vit c & glutamine in his water.

We are both gluten & dairy free. I have been avoiding red meat & eat mostly chicken, fish & turkey.

[WuWei]

Which are the foods that you avoid? IgE or IgG?

Pat

[chlobo]

No IgE allergies.

The only foods we're really avoiding are gluten & dairy. After an extensive TED I couldn't figure out what he was reacting to so I gave up. Am considering IgG testing.

[WuWei]

I'd look about including some nuts, if you can. Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds each have specific nutrients and micronutrients, and healthy fats. If you could soak them overnight, they have much more nutrient value. We make 'nut cheeze'. It is delicious and easy. Basically, soaked nuts, a bit of garlic and lemon juice and some olive oil or water kefir for creaminess.

Are you making your own bone broths? How long are they simmering? And do you add ACV to the cold water and let it sit for an hour, before heating? This increases the calcium which leaches from the bones. Could you get 100% grass-fed beef bones to do the same? Simmer for at least 48 hours.

I would add some chicken liver or beef liver, if I did only one thing. That would be my priority. One ounce, three times a week. It is about 1/4 cup measure, probably. You could throw it in the blender with the bone broth.

What about coconut oil??

Also, consider adding 1-3 bottles of mineral water, each week. Or use that as the base for the bone broth.

Have you tried green juices? Just any juice or fruit plus some baby greens. One cup, twice a day. Toss in a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice also.

Add some honey throughout the day. Helps bifidum bacteria to grow. Helps with blood sugar regulation. Add it to the green juice.

Are you soaking your grains and rice and lentils overnight? It is really quite easy to do as the last thing before bed. Or, really, anytime during the day. There is no 'timing' to it. The longer the better, basically. Toss in a splash of water kefir. And the grains are predigested by the probiotics.

Lentils are a biggie to include.

I also toss in some kelp to my bone broths. Dh doesn't like to *see* the kelp added, "too weird". But, when he hasn't known that I'd added it, he raves about the flavor.

Epsom salt baths? or a pinch added to water.


But, liver would be my priority. It took me 6 months to work up to *try* liver. Now, I really crave it.


Pat

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by chlobo

Am considering IgG testing.

You might have the testing done on you, imo.


Pat

[WuWei]

What about eggs? Have you tried 2 weeks without the top 10 allergens? WHILE doing the other gut healing?

But, egg yolks have some specific nutrients that are beneficial to the detox pathways.

Pat

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by WuWei

I'd look about including some nuts, if you can. Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds each have specific nutrients and micronutrients, and healthy fats. If you could soak them overnight, they have much more nutrient value. We make 'nut cheeze'. It is delicious and easy. Basically, soaked nuts, a bit of garlic and lemon juice and some olive oil or water kefir for creaminess.

I am eating nuts. Soaked & dehydrated. Mostly pumpkin & walnut. However, I just added Brazil nuts, but only 2/day. How do you "cream" the nut cheeze?

Are you making your own bone broths? How long are they simmering? And do you add ACV to the cold water and let it sit for an hour, before heating? This increases the calcium which leaches from the bones. Could you get 100% grass-fed beef bones to do the same? Simmer for at least 48 hours.

At the moment I'm only doing chicken broth. I simmer for at least 24 hrs. Haven't been using ACV but it still gels up nicely. All our beef is grass fed from a local farm. haven't done beef broth yet but I do mine the marrow whenever we make steak

I would add some chicken liver or beef liver, if I did only one thing. That would be my priority. One ounce, three times a week. It is about 1/4 cup measure, probably. You could throw it in the blender with the bone broth.

I eat chicken liver whenever I cook a chicken, which is 2-3/week. I've been toying with doing it more but need a good recipe, like liver pate or liverwurst

What about coconut oil??

I just started (about 2 weeks ago) adding a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil to my tea when I drink it. I also use coconut oil in cooking and coconut flour, at time.

Also, consider adding 1-3 bottles of mineral water, each week. Or use that as the base for the bone broth.

do you mean like perier? Or something else?

Have you tried green juices? Just any juice or fruit plus some baby greens. One cup, twice a day. Toss in a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice also.

This idea is still percolating in my head. I'm kind of hung up on which juicer to get. I know I shouldn't let that stand in my way but I'm like that. The idea needs to ferment before I implement it.

Add some honey throughout the day. Helps bifidum bacteria to grow. Helps with blood sugar regulation. Add it to the green juice.

I put honey into my tea but that probably defeats the purpose. I also put on toast.

Are you soaking your grains and rice and lentils overnight? It is really quite easy to do as the last thing before bed. Or, really, anytime during the day. There is no 'timing' to it. The longer the better, basically. Toss in a splash of water kefir. And the grains are predigested by the probiotics.

I am working on this. That is one reason I took the sourdough bread making class. I know I need to do it but haven't quite gotten there yet.

Lentils are a biggie to include.

I have some in bag on the counter right now. lol.

I also toss in some kelp to my bone broths. Dh doesn't like to *see* the kelp added, "too weird". But, when he hasn't known that I'd added it, he raves about the flavor.

I have kelp. Just need to deploy.

Epsom salt baths? or a pinch added to water.


But, liver would be my priority. It took me 6 months to work up to *try* liver. Now, I really crave it.

Got any good recipes?

Pat

Aren't you proud of me Pat? i have been listening and am working on putting your suggestions into practice. I think I'm doing pretty well for only knuckling down for a couple of week. Now that I know I can use kefir to soak my grains & beans it will be that much easier.

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by WuWei

What about eggs? Have you tried 2 weeks without the top 10 allergens? WHILE doing the other gut healing?

But, egg yolks have some specific nutrients that are beneficial to the detox pathways.

Pat

Oh, we have been avoiding eggs. Forgot about that. Would love to have them again. Now that I can make something like an English muffin I can make an egg sandwich.

I have *not* tried 2 weeks without the top 10. I should do that. Let me ferment that idea with some water kefir and get back to you. I am sort of stuck on the diet thing for the moment. Burnt out from doing the TED for so long with no results yet unable to allow myself to eat everything freely. So let me mull it. Naked under a harvest moon.

[Theloose]

I don't know anything about hair tests, so I'm ignoring that information.

Originally Posted by chlobo

My main symptoms are: irregular bowels, fagitue (especially around 3-6pm), waking at night & not being able to fall back to sleep, achy joints, pain in my lower right back. I also go through periods of "whoa is me, why me, etc."

This can be explained by the adrenal fatigue

I had a labial frenulum cut when I was a child and I think I have a ridge in my mouth. Not sure about other midline issues. Looking at one of the articles posted I would say I fall more to the undermethylating side of things.

your high dopamine and high histamine agree. folate and B12 will probably be helpful

I was dx via saliva test in Nov 07 as having Adrenal Fatigue. The highlights of that test has my

AM Cortisol 4.4 (RR: 7-10)
Epinephrine AM 5.9 (RR 8-13)
**using the 'backdoor' in the methyl cycle stimulates the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. That's betaine and phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine**
Dopamine AM 180 (RR 110-175)
Seratonin AM 116.5 (RR 150-200)
Glutamate AM 43 (RR 10-35)
**I'm researching high glutamate right now. Some things that are supposed to help if GABA is also low are magnesium and zinc and limiting glutamate precursors.**
Histamine AM 24.8 (RR 10-20)

An informal thyroid (patch test) showed my thyroid low. A blood test in May showed low TT3 but normal T4 & TSH. My vitamin D was very low (15) after several months of supplementation. I've ordered a retest on the thyroid & vit D. I also know that I have unbalanced gut bacteria.

how's your cholesterol? coA (pantothenic acid, my personal crack) is important for the adrenals and energy generation and cholesterol. That and honey before bed help me a LOT with the 'I can't go back to sleep' issues. Take pantothenic acid apart from biotin and riboflavin, and do make sure you're getting plenty of biotin at the same time.

[tanyalynn]

I don't suppose you have hard copies of the hair tests, and could cover your personal info and post a pic someplace like flickr?

I need to get the kids to nap, so I will be back, but lead that high I think is a huge issue.

[chlobo]

I can try. Might be tonight.

[WuWei]

I make the nut cheese in the food processor. Grate the nuts and garlic in it, and then add some liquid until creamier.

Try the ACV in the broth, soak 1 hour before heating. Simmer 48 hours.

Liver three times a week is plenty. I wouldn't do more, actually. I just saute in bacon fat. :

The coconut oil can cause die-off and miserable feeling tired, btw.

Yes, Perrier, bottled mineral water, most are from Europe.

Just throw the greens in the blender.

Honey in tea is fine. Many beneficial properties are still there.

The Sue Gregg method is easy too for pancakes. But, I'm going to try that Injera bread, like a pita/tortilla. http://www.suegregg.com/recipes/brea...erwafflesA.htm

I need to take my own advice about eating lentils.

What about Epsom salts?

Wow! You are doing a LOT!!

Since you are doing bone broths, CO, liver, and whole food probiotics, I'd look at trying the two weeks without the top 10 allergens. Magnesium, zinc, vit C, EFA/CLO are the only other things that pop out to me.

I find Magnesium is magical for balancing my moods. And taking a walk helps.


Pat

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by WuWei

I make the nut cheese in the food processor. Grate the nuts and garlic in it, and then add some liquid until creamier.

Does it make the food processor hard to clean? I hate nut residue.

The Sue Gregg method is easy too for pancakes. But, I'm going to try that Injera bread, like a pita/tortilla. http://www.suegregg.com/recipes/brea...erwafflesA.htm

I tried these and they were awful. Smelled like cheesy feet. I used coconut milk yogurt. I am going to try again using rice milk.

What about Epsom salts?

I hate baths. Our tub is gross. But maybe a foot bath

e

Since you are doing bone broths, CO, liver, and whole food probiotics, I'd look at trying the two weeks without the top 10 allergens. Magnesium, zinc, vit C, EFA/CLO are the only other things that pop out to me.

I'm doing natural calm at bedtime for mag. I take Gammadyne Zinc in the AM. I put vit C in my drinking water. I need to work on the CLO.

Pat

Thanks for the tips. I'll try the nut butter. I wonder if coconut milk would make it creamy or if that would just be gross.

BTw, have you ever made a savory dip from coconut milk yogurt? Any recipes?

Also, if I wanted to make coconut milk kefir would I use water or milk grains?

Trying to wrap my head around the 2 week elim.

[chlobo]

Ok. I uploaded to flickr. How do I link it here?

[tanyalynn]

So, to summarize (point out what I miss or I'm wrong on): mom is at least somewhat hypothyroid (I had a hard time distinguishing my hypo symptoms from my AF symptoms, and bloodwork can be very slow to reflect how bad you feel--it definitely was for me!), adrenal fatigue, digestive issues (we're working on my husband's adrenals first, before his digestive stuff, I really need to learn why but I think it has to do with the chemicals that are out of balance due to the adrenals preventing good healthy gut stuff). Both kids have digestive troubles and the littler one has sleep issues. Which is killer on mom (btdt, like so many of us). And like most of us, the midline issues point to long-standing nutritional deficits.

I'll say up-front that since I had a lot of similar stuff (minus the digestive issues), I have a bias in what approach I prefer. I think since mom is already gfcf and probably eats a lot better than most people out there, if she feels this bad, a lot more support is needed--the problem is more significant than just food can address (like I said, I have a bias).

First--when did you do the hair test for you and your son? How old was he, were the tests at the same time? Were the tests the Hair Elements tests, or the Toxic Hair Profile, or one of each (re-reading, it looks like the Hair Elements, right?)? Your lead is really high, and 2.2 seems like it could be pretty darn high for your son as well (easier to see with a pic). But it's multiple toxic metals into the red for both of you. Sonnambula would be really good about linking an underlying reason (beyond exposure, though I think everyone gets poisoned by lead if there's enough around, so I think that's different than the amalgam situation) to it, but for me, addressing the metals was important. I want to look at the essential elements and see how they look--my daughter's failed Andy's counting rules nicely, which was a nice clue that there were other metals (maybe just mercury if I'm lucky) that weren't showing up yet, but were still an issue.

Small things that helped me: melatonin to fall asleep, high-protein snack (something substantial, not as big as dinner though) right before bed (to prevent blood sugar issues in the middle of the night), mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks containing protein.

This may sound strange, but I think you should jump to head of the line, priority-wise. I had to prioritize us, I couldn't work on everyone at once, my brain couldn't handle it, and I decided I had to be first. I think you may be in a similar situation. You heard back from your homeopath, I'd try the lower dose, more frequently approach with your son, but I'd make an appointment for you next. I've seen real improvements in the kids since I started feeling better. A friend just recently pointed out that my son was friendlier and more comfortable with her than ever before, and I realized that there were other situations (not just her) where that was the case. I just missed it, but it's changed since my outlook has improved and my stress level has gone down.

[chlobo]

The hair tests were done in December. Both at the same time. My son was about 15 months. Hair elements. It's on flickr now. Just don't know how to link to it.

I'll add a few more of my symptoms:

hair getting progressively drier
corners of fingers cracking
bad dandruff on the back of my head
itchy butt

[tanyalynn]

I want to look and see if mercury is also an issue, or if it's just the metals you've already identified and maybe (probably) minerals really skewed. I hear lead is nasty stuff, but it hasn't been our thing, so I've only done peripheral reading on it. But Cutler says that while a metal or two in the yellow is statistically normal and probably not an issue, lead in the yellow zone probably should be addressed, so lead in the red? That's something very concrete to work on.

[chlobo]

Here are links. Let me know if they work:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...bo/momhair.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...bo/sonhair.jpg

Can we try to channel Elisabeth to this thread to weigh in about the metals?
::

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by chlobo

Here are links. Let me know if they work:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...bo/momhair.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...bo/sonhair.jpg

Can we try to channel Elisabeth to this thread to weigh in about the metals?
::

I went for the more direct approach (chat thread)--though I will focus on manifesting her as well.

[tanyalynn]

Quick thoughts...

Neither test meets counting rules for mercury, so yay! Your son's is close to the 4 essential elements in the red zone rule, but it doesn't quite meet it, and yours doesn't, so I need to look up what lead can do and see how well it fits with your situation.

I need more time after dinner to look through things on a more item-by-item basis, but most of the minerals should be helpful (vs if you failed the counting rules, then mostly they're not very helpful).

But I think your aluminum, beryllium (where does this come from? I need to read the book), and lead are probably accurate and look darn high, mostly the lead.

Your son's got a lot of tin and silver, and those are components of amalgams. This is where I would hope sonnambula could share some insight--his test is close for mercury, and tin and silver I think can be elevated if the source is amalgams, I think I need to re-read the book.