The Quack

                 OKAY So I saw the holistic, naturopathic, eastern medicine doctor (or what my father refers to as "The Quack") and let me tell you, it was weird BUT awesome. Okay so first, I walked in and I asked if he would want to look over my extensive packet of blood work, and of course he didn’t.  These type of doctors don’t work off blood work they literally work off your energy. He was so down to earth and normal (as I was sort of honestly expecting some kind of weirdo that believed in like eating really weird shit and spoke in riddles about things I couldn’t mentally grasp).  He laid me down as a regular doctor would and more or less just touched my arms for I believe pressure points (honestly who the fk knows) and had these labeled viles to determine what is going on internally with me. I am not sure what they are filled with but there is definitely some sort of liquid and they rise when whatever is labeled is too high within you.  Now mind you this is my layman explanation of this, I am sure there’s an extensive way to explain what it was and what he did – but that’s more or less the gist of it - I hope you are with me so far.

                During my vile test he showed me one vile that the liquid was clearly raised and it was labeled NIGHTSHADES. Now, if you have been down the inflammation road, you’ll know there are many recommended diets for inflammation and nightshades is the top of the list of foods you should avoid. The most popular nightshades are Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants.  So I knew that was the first food category he was cutting out of my life. He also had me fill out paper work and asked about my spouse's health which I said "healthy but has psoriasis". He told me he should stop eating nightshades too. No more potato and eggs for you Tubsy!! Next was gluten.  Mind you, I had a feeling gluten was going to be one so I went out with a bang and ate my last bagel with cream cheese literally on the way there. RIP bagels and shmears.😢 He said my dairy level wasn’t bad but to start to limit it. I was given 3 different bottles of vitamins: Cardio Support, Aminos & Enzymes, and Zinc Synergy and then he stuck me with a bunch of acupuncture needles and I took a 20 minute rest to clear the mind. 

                It’s been three weeks, I am to see him every week or two for check ups and remain on this diet plan. To be honest, I haven’t felt great. Honestly, I have felt no different.  The mornings are so hard sometimes it’s as if I am getting worse as the days pass. He told me it should take about 6 weeks to really feel the change of going gluten free and I am jonesing for that feeling.  Just something to say “Yeah Jacki this is working keep it up!” I saw him for my follow up visit last weekend and he said that my numbers are getting a bit better so that’s good. But I know I have to really trust my body before I trust his viles. If I feel good, its working. I was honest and told him I hadn’t really cut dairy completely yet. I have turned over the organic milk in our home to coconut and the dairy ice cream should I need a fix to coconut milk ice cream (which by the way is DELICIOUS). Butter is now officially olive oil. It’s the cheese my friends. The fkning cheese. To be honest my best friend suffers from celiac, she’s also dairy free. She's been a huge help and she swears by the vegan cheese. “It’s not mozzarella but it’s close”. I think it’s called Daiya or something.  I will try that next.  If it really isn’t so bad then I can kick dairy for good.

                I went gluten free for a short time a few years ago, and I didn’t find it extremely hard but let me tell you now a days, it is way easier. I went away with my two best friends on a quick trip to Lake George and this was in the first week or so I was gluten free.  I came packed with snacks (as did my celiac bestie) thinking we might be screwed over there for food and I was truly amazed by the extensive menu choices of gluten free items at the hotel.  It may not be in every restaurant you dine at but there are ways around eating gluten and still feeling happy with your dinner in a restaurant.  However I will say this - while yes some restaurants get it if you are a celiac its still quite difficult. I see it first hand with my girlfriend having to request pans to be cleaned and more or less becoming inspector gadget with how the chef prepares meals in the kitchen. Any hint of cross contamination will get her full blown sick and she’s out for the count for next day sometimes.  I am actually on a flight as I type going to Las Vegas for work and I am eager to see what the menus offer in the City of Lights. Tonight’s restaurant is steak and fish and while I am trying to avoid steak sometimes it’s the only safe thing to eat but tonight I know I am going for a steamed lobster. YUM. I suppose I will let the butter slide for this one. Come-To-Mama!

                I want to lightly touch on something I read recently about a woman who was having bowel troubles and had tested for every test under the sun like Chrons and Celiac and it all came back negative. She went to a holistic doctor who decided to give her several allergy tests for food and it came back that she was highly sensitive but not allergic to Gluten, Soy, and Dairy.  She was diagnosed with a leaky gut and completely changed her diet ever since omitting all the foods she had sensitivity with. Since then she feels completely better and although she will get very sick when she has a bit of gluten – all in all going gluten, dairy, and soy free has been worth it for her. This article really set a light off for me because back in 2010 when I was my first rheumatologist on my paper work it was written that I had a leaky gut. It wasn’t even discussed but I remember the term because I mean, it said my gut was leaking and I was like literally like WTF. I remember googling it back then and it more or less said that there was some food that got passed the walls of my intestines. None of my doctors recommended to change my diet and here I am 7 years later still with issues. So now, many doctors later, years older and wiser with my various diseases, I start to look into “leaky gut” and what can it damage it can cause. From the articles I have read is says a leaky gut is when the “lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, causing undigested food particles, toxic waste products and bacteria to 'leak' through the intestines and flood the blood stream".  This can cause anything from allergies, to migraines, to chronic fatigue, to rheumatoid arthritis, and a hell of a lot more. And what causes a leaky gut?? In many cases, food you eat everyday like gluten and dairy and also medications like steroids and over the counter pain relievers. Well what do ya know? So I got sick with the pancreatitis maybe because I had a leaky gut or MAYBE I got the leaky gut after they put me on TWO 3 month rounds of high dosage steroids which then caused body aches and my hands to turn white and numb in the cold (Raynauds) and later on becomes MCTD or Lupus. FML.  And yet not one doctor till 3 weeks ago told me to change my diet. The reason? They just aren’t educated on that type of nutritional healing. The average western doctor learns that medicine is the best and only way to get healed. I am hoping in time I can be like that woman, changing my diet to change my life for the better.  If I could have done anything different from the past, I would have changed my diet the minute I got pancreatitis. Who knows what that would have done. BUT it's better now than never - hopefully I will start to feel a change. 

Here’s hoping!!

I will keep you updated as each check up passes. Stay tuned!

Xoxo

Jacki