Gradual Detox

It's been three weeks since the first half of the mercury amalgams have been removed.  Although I'm doing 'pretty' well on my detox program, I'm beginning to show some symptoms associated with detoxing.

I have a couple of skin conditions that seem to be worsening.  One is a rash on my chest and neck area that looks similar to a heat rash.  The other is a rash that I've had since the onset of my hypothyroidism.  It looks like little blisters, around my wrists and now has now extended to my hands and up my forearms.

What I've added to my detox regimen is (additional) intestinal detox and skin detox.

Jill (right) and Cristy (right) of All's Well That Ends Well

First is colon hydrotherapy, also known as colonics.  I had my first back-to-back sessions last week.  I'm not going to lie, it was a little strange, but I'm willing to experience a bit of discomfort to get the mercury out of my body.  I worked with Jill Simons and Cristy Warren at All's Well That Ends Well.  Both were very informative, helpful, and supportive to my mission and I highly recommend them.

I plan to go in every other week until the second half of mercury is removed and I can start full-on chelation with a naturopath, during which time I plan to have colonics done weekly.  After the mercury is gone I'll likely continue with the colonics on a monthly basis, due to the 'malformations' in my intestines that make them more susceptible to diverticulitis, which is NOT FUN!  Also the primary reason I started this journey....

Slightly less embarrassing and invasive and is the skin detox, which is comprised of infrared sauna and skin brushing.

First, the infrared sauna I visited was R3 Health located in Anisha: A Center for Holistic Health.  I met with Michael Alexander and he was also very helpful.   I liked the facility and the sauna was brand new and very nice.  The infrared sauna isn't like traditional saunas, where you sweat right away.  These heat you up from the inside, like a fever.  As a result I found the experience very comfortable and meditative.  I will definitely be going back.

Finally, skin brushing is a practice that was explained to me by Elisabeth Dunham, nutritionist extraordinaire.
I have a brush and have used it a few times, but not for 10 minutes as recommended.  I'll have to work on that.  If you want to read more about it, check it out here: http://www.whole-body-detox-diet.com/dry-skin-brushing.html

29 Days to go

29 days until the first of my mercury removal appointments.  So far I'm feeling mostly excited and hopeful.  It helps to know that I'll be using the conscious sedation, too.   Like most, just the sound of a dental drill sends me through the roof.  Bring on the nitrous and an ipod!

Me and Melanie last spring.

Today my daughter, Melanie, and I ate lunch at an excellent spot in NW Portland called Prasad  (thanks for telling me about this spot, Megan!).  They have excellent, healthy rice bowls and juice.  Melanie had the zucchini pesto, I had the dragon bowl, and we shared a fresh squeezed carrot juice - delicious!

Afterward, we went to Whole Foods to pick up some supplements for my detoxing.  Today I bought a B-complex, sirulina, selenium, and a Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc combo.   I will only add one at a time so I can better chart any changes or side-effects.  Tonight I will replace my current bedtime magnesium supplement with the new combo.    After 4-5 days, I'll add the B-complex, then the Spirulina and finally the Selenuim.  This way I can better determine if any new supplement has any positive or negative impact.

I'm still looking for a chart or schedule of some sort that I can use to keep track of my daily supplements and any changes or side-effects I might notice during this process.  If you know of anything like that, please leave a comment with a link, if you would be so kind.

Blessings!

Blog launch - T minus 31 days

I am preparing to detox from mercury and recover from heavy metal poisoning.  This blog is to document my detoxing process before, during and after the removal.  I can only hope that this will help someone else who is suffering from mercury poisoning.

Last year I got sick.   Sicker, I should say.

In August,  I ended up in the emergency room with extreme intestinal pain.   I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, a condition where intestinal pockets become infected.   The doctor told me some people have recurring diverticulitis, and might need to have sections of the colon removed.    I had nightmares of colonoscopy bags, etc.  (which turns out to be an unsubstantiated fear, since many of procedures do not require colonoscopy bags).

Anyway, I started watching my diet.  But not carefully enough.  One month later, while on the other side of the US visiting my daughter at University of Richmond, I ended up in the emergency room again, with a diverticulitis relapse.  Now I'm really scared!

I returned home to Portland and finally called a nutritionist.  Enter health counselor Elisabeth Dunham Gerding.    If you need nutritional help - check her out NOW!  I know she helps many people and will work with you online or over the phone.

Elisabeth echoed a suggestion my naturopath, Dr. Bridghid McMonogle, made earlier in the year.  I started seeing Dr. McMonogle two years ago when I was feeling particularly disheartened with the lack of improvement in my thyroid.  She recommended a gluten-free diet and mercury removal, which seemed extreme to me at that time.  Who knew dental fillings would cause such a problem?  You'd think the American Dental Association would know!

In the early 1970s, our family dentist used mercury amalgams for fillings.  Forty years later, I still have seven of these mercury fillings in my mouth.  For me the symptoms didn't really start until around 2003, when I was detected as having hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid under performs.  My case of hypothyroidism was diagnosed with a 30 pound weight gain over a one year period.  Ugh.  I was also exhausted and often needed a nap in the afternoon.

All of my life, I've been in great shape, not skinny, but fit.  That's me in the photo swinging the bat at a softball game in 2000.  I participated in sports, danced, and hiked regularly.  My ideal weight is 140 pounds.

Over the next eight years, my weight has fluctuated between 165 and 190, primarily between 170 and 180.   I was prescribed a variety of thyroid medications which seemed to make my bloodwork better, but I was still exhausted.  In 2010 I got up to 199 and decided to try the HCG diet.  I was able to lose 25 pounds relatively quickly, but still didn't get my health or energy back.

When I explained all of these symptoms and my history to Elisabeth, she just nodded.  Then she shared her experience, strength, and hope with me.  Elisabeth is a primary catalyst in me changing my diet and starting my mercury removal process.  Please visit her website at www.elisabethdunham.com to read more about her miraculous recovery from mercury poisoning and lyme disease.

I plan to use many methods for detoxing, including chelation with my naturopath, infrared saunas, hot yoga, diet and supplements.   I certainly want to hear from you if you have experience or questions about the mercury removal process.