5 Steps To Perfect Digestion

Although the journey to healing complex and chronic digestive issues can seem long and tortuous, there are some steps you can take right now to improve your digestion, assimilation of nutrients and activate your digestive fire.

When it comes to addressing the root causes of your digestive issues I recommend you address potential environmental factors such as mould and chemicals in your home and workplace, as well as treating parasites, candida, streptococcus overgrowth and SIBO. Another major cause of digestive issues is heavy metal toxicity. All of these possible causes should be investigated.

If you want to upgrade your digestive health right now here are my 5 top tips.

# 1 Start your morning with celery juice  –

Drink organic celery juice first thing in the morning after drinking lemon water on an empty stomach to rebuild your stomach acid levels. Low stomach acid is a very common cause of digestive issues. Optimal levels of these acids allow your body to break down food properly and protect you from harmful pathogens. Celery contains unique mineral salts that restore the glands that produce hydrochloric acid.

‘Another primary reason for digestive troubles involves hydrochloric acid. Medical research and science does not know that hydrochloric acid is not one acid, as taught today, but rather a blend of seven acids. Acid reflux occurs when the seven blends of beneficial acid diminish and bad acids produced by bacteria and viruses takeover. Gastritis is another condition that arises with the overgrowth of bacteria. A high amount of gas in the system is not due to a fungus, yeast, or candida as some may think, but due to the bacteria that is overgrowing in the digestive system.’  – Medical Medium

# 2 Take digestive bitters before each meal –

I recommend taking an alcohol free blend of bitter herbs 20 minutes prior to eating a meal. Digestive bitters stimulate our body’s own enzyme release throughout the entire digestive tract, as well as other integral digestive secretions such as stomach acid (HCl) and bile. My favourite is this liver tincture from Natures Answer because it is alcohol free and has no nasty additives. This tonic will also support healthy liver function and bile flow,

# 3 Prepare your meal with presence, love and care + Eat Mindfully without technology –

When you are preparing your meal take a moment to breath deep into your belly and remind yourself it is ok to take this time for you. Continue to breath deeply whilst you prepare your food. Play some relaxing music if this helps you. Send love to your food. Spend a little more time making your food look beautiful. We eat with our eyes. I also recommend trying to eat your meal away from your phone, television and computer. Before you eat take a moment to look at your food and smell it. Take it all in. I personally like to say a prayer before eating – I bless this food. I thank the universe for bringing this food to me. I thank this food for healing and nourishing me and bringing me health vitality and clarity.

# 4 Take Betaine HCL and Digestive Enzymes with your meal –

To further support digestion and get your digestive fire activated I suggest taking betaine HCL and high quality digestive enzymes with every meal. Betaine HCL is particuarly important when you are eating a protein rich meal as protein is quite difficult to digest and break down into amino acids. Begin with 1 capsule of digestive enzymes and betaine HCL. You will likely need to build up your dose of betaine HCL slowly until you feel a gentle burn.

# 5 Chew your food really well –

Just as Ghandi once said – eat your drink and drink your food. Try to chew your food really well, this includes smoothies and even juices. Digestion begins in the mouth where certain enzymes such as lingual lipase and salivary amylase begin to break down fats into fatty acids and complex carbohydrates into smaller chains and simple sugars.

BONUS TIP –

Do not drink liquids half an hour before a meal or at least an hour after a meal as this dilutes hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes. This put a huge strain on your digestive system.

It is also imperative you are eating a healing, organic and wholefoods diet. This is another post in itself and will of course vary slightly from person to person. I also recommend you strictly follow food combining principles to optimise your digestion. I am passionate about health optimisation and will deliver tips for you to achieve this. A moderate approach will tend to achieve mediocre results especially if you are healing from a complex, chronic illness.

I will be elaborating on therapeutic healing diets and food combining in future posts so stay tuned!

Have you tried the above approaches? What has helped you the most when it comes to digestion?

With love, Amy

 

5 Tips For A Healthier Home With Healthy Home Expert Kathryn Woods

We spend on average 90% of our time indoors and indoor air quality is generally much worse than outside, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Creating a sanctuary in our home energetically as well as in relation to physical health (along with good nutrition) is one of the most profound changes we can make in our lives.

Here are my 5 top tips to a healthier home and a healthier you.

1. Check for and minimise mould and damp. In Australia it’s estimated that 1 in 2 homes have signs of indoor damp, leaking or visible mould.  Mould exposure can lead to many health issues including respiratory (cough, wheeze, asthma etc.) and other infections and allergic reactions.  Some people also experience a chronic inflammatory response of the immune system (often diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome), which has a huge range of symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, joint problems, neurological problems, weight gain and much more. If you have leaks or flooding it’s critical that any water or damp is dried out within 48 hours, depending on the extent you may need to hire experts to help you with this. If you can see or smell damp/mould you need to find the source of damp and have that rectified as a priority, just trying to clean it means it will come back. There are many potential sources including inadequate ventilation, previous flooding that weren’t dried out, plumbing issues, humidity etc. If you have small areas of mould it’s possible to clean them yourself, however for larger areas its best to call in a certified remediator to help.  Non porous surfaces can be cleaned with a mix of vinegar and water, and porous surfaces use alcohol and water. Household items and clothing effected by mould should be discarded or treated by a remediator.  In relation to mould prevention do everything you can to keep the inside of your home free from moisture. If you’re unsure about any of this or feel that you may have a mould problem it would be best to consult a Building Biologist or someone with knowledge in this area.

2. Reduce dust levels. The World Health Organisation has stated that particulate matter is the most important pollutant worldwide, both indoors and outdoors, in terms of human health effects. Particulate matter (or dust to most of us) is a major contributor to allergies and asthma both of which have a very high incidence in Australia, and so it’s an especially important issue here. Dust can also contain large amounts of toxic materials such as heavy metals, mould, bacteria and chemicals. There are some very simple things you can do to reduce the level of dust in your home including not wearing shoes inside which studies have shown can reduce dust (including the toxic kind) by more than 50%, and this simple change will also result in much less cleaning. Making cleaning simpler and easier is another great way to reduce dust by using damp microfiber cloths and mops for cleaning surfaces and floors. The weave technology in these cloths is the most effective way to pick up dust and dirt (for more information on how this technology works (http://www.explainthatstuff.com/microfibercloths.html). A vacuum with a HEPA filter is really important, especially if you have carpet and especially if you have someone with Asthma.

3. Reduce exposure to Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs) where you spend time.  Both AC magnetic fields (from electricity) and radio frequency fields (from wifi and telecommunications) can have a broad range health implications particularly for sensitive individuals including  anxiety, increased blood pressure, mood changes, skin rashes, fatigue, headaches, hormonal disorders, insomnia, dizziness, ow concentration, ringing in the ears etc. They have also been associated with a number of cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and fertility issues. Additionally they can suppress the production of melatonin (as can the light from many of the technologies we use), which is an issue because melatonin is critical for sleep and works like an antioxidant in our bodies. In Australia regulations don’t reflect the mounting research and statements made from organisations like the World Health Organisation regarding EMFs, and as a result our standards are hundreds of times higher than many other countries. The most important thing to do is to eliminate as much as you can and create distance, particularly in your bedroom.  Don’t have electrical appliance plugged In your bedroom while you sleep and no wireless technology turned on in your bedroom.  Use wired technology as much as you can for internet use, instead of cordless phones etc. Use an earpiece or speaker for your mobile phone, and make sure they are in flight mode when kids are playing games on them.  Make sure routers are not placed where people spend time and turn them off when they’re not in use. In order to reduce the impact on melatonin release (and therefore sleep) stop any screen activity for an hour or so before bed, use low voltage lamps in the evening to create a soft light, turn off as much electrical and radio frequency devices as you can, and relax and slowdown.  

4. Reduce your exposure to chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s).  In Australia cleaning products are not required to list their ingredients and personal care products can be fairly vague about theirs. Additionally building materials, furnishings and clothing can contain a large array of VOC’s such as formaldehyde, particularly due to increases in imported goods. Many of these products have chemicals that can affect our hormones, cause skin irritations, respiratory problems amongst many other things. This can be overwhelming, so I suggest starting with a product you use every day such as soap or toothpaste. Research each products ingredients until you’ve found the best alternative for you, before moving on to your next product. There’s lots of information online to help you research, including from The Environmental Working Group who have developed a number of databases on cleaning products, cosmetics, sunscreens etc. http://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides. Also try to avoid plastics as much as possible and anything with fragrance or perfume, especially air fresheners.  When building or renovating opt for low toxic materials and consider what is used in the production of your clothing and furnishings. Make sure you have good ventilation in your home, for when these things do make their way inside. 

5. Cut down on clutter in your home. Although this isn’t theoretically part of Feng Shui, it is very difficult to create the best energy when parts of the home are stuck with clutter.  When we cut back on our physical clutter we also reduce our emotional clutter and improve our health. Clutter can indicate worry, holding on to the past and can prevent new opportunities coming into your life. It can lead to blockages in a specific area of your life and prevent you from being focused. From my experience the change this one thing can make in someones life is incredibly powerful, and most people will talk about feeling physically lighter and clearer. Additionally giving away, selling or up-cycling unwanted items can create a positive energy. Physical clutter in your home can also increase environmental health risks as there will be a higher accumulation of dust, VOC’s and other toxins; mould and some items can conduct EMFs such as metal objects. So is really important to let go of the things that no longer serve you.

Kathryn Woods is a qualified Nutritionist, and Feng Shui and Environmental Health practitioner. She works with people across all areas of health in clinic rooms in Byron Bay and Ocean Shores, she does home audits and consultations as well as group holistic health workshops in peoples homes. You can find Kathryn on her website www.kathrynwoods.com.au and her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kathrynwoodsnutritionandhomehealth/.

An Update And My Healing Regimen

The past year has been a turbulent one. I thought I had no more lessons to learn from this dis-ease. I was so wrong. After experiencing some serious allergic reactions and in general a severe decline in my condition over christmas my health deteriorated further. I cannot truly put how I felt into words, it was like every single ounce of energy was sucked from me and did not return and I was left with 20 + nightmare symptoms literally within hours. It seemed to be my adrenals that were most heavily affected this time. My ability to function as a human being went to near 0%. Due to the adrenals being so effected my blood sugar was suddenly very dis-regulated, my emotions were all over the place, my heart raced when I moved or stood up, my head ached and the head pressure and ‘brain fog’ was unbearable. I physically felt like I would be stuck in bed again for years. The trauma and emotional distress this brought up was so dark and painful. Admittedly I was the biggest mess I have ever been. The first few months of this year were brutal. I learned some hard lessons and everything slowly became clear to me. I could see how my approach to healing my physical body was so wrong. I am always very honest with you all so is a list of things I have been doing which I will elaborate on in up coming posts.

What has changed this year ~

• I stopped being so hard on myself. I stopped pushing. I surrendered. I accepted where I was at physically and worked with that. I stopped giving myself a hard time for where I was at. I stopped being ashamed. I have tried everything in my power to heal. I am incredibly determined and driven. It is enough. I am enough.
• I continued treating Lyme Disease and associated conditions.
• I continued with a detoxification protocol, but I took it to the next level after finding the work of Alexander Bloom. I look forward to sharing with you the incredible healing powers of suppositories, superfoods, binders and high quality detoxification and nutritional supplements. I will share more details soon. P.S Yes I did just say suppositories. Suppositories have been used for a very long time in medicine and it is a very effective way to absorb nutrients, herbs, antimicrobials and detox supplements fast. It also allows your medicine to be absorbed systemically, very quickly and cross the blood brain barrier. I personally think these top enemas.
• I began to focus on Mercury detoxification again. I had tested ridiculously high for this a while ago using a urine provocation test and hair mineral analysis as well as other metals such as lead and arsenic. At the time I did not have a doctor who really understood how to properly chelate mercury so I am now working on detoxing mercury using Dr Christopher Shade’s protocol. I am already seeing results after a few months. You can find a really great run down of his protocol here.
• My diet changed, dramatically. What I eat and how I eat.
• I learned about the work of Dr Robert Morse and have had amazing results with his protocol. This approach has helped my lymphatic system so much and therefore my health in general. Before my eyes stagnant, hard lymph was dissolved all over my body.
• I discovered the huge role black toxic mould played in the decline in my health and I did something drastic about it. I now believe mould and CIRS is one of the core triggers for ME/CFS.
• I learnt further about how important your home environment is, where we spend so much of our time. I now feel educated about how to properly clean my home and I feel empowered. I enjoy cleaning. I can’t believe I just said that! I had the help of my friend Kathryn Woods who is a healthy home expert and nutritionist.
• I realised calming my nervous system is absolutely crucial for me to heal and I am mastering how to do this. I am always working on this and grounding myself because I tend to become ungrounded very easily.
• I became familiar with the work of Dr Jack Kruse and committed to working on re-setting my circadian rhythm. Sunshine exposure in the morning and during the day, blocking blue/bright light at night. I earthed more frequently and started being stricter with limiting EMF exposure. I learnt more about DHA.
• I educated myself on the powerful healing abilities of medical cannabis and experimented with taking it orally to help with sleep and pain. This is now legally prescribed by medical doctors in NSW, Australia.
• I hacked my sleep and work hard to get the best sleep I can and go to bed early. This entails wearing blue blockers when I can, taking liposomal melatonin, turning off electronics an hour or so before bed, feet up the wall before bed and some yin style yoga, magnesium, oral and transdermal. Sometimes I do have to take a pharmaceutical drug to sleep. The positives of sleeping and taking this drug far outweigh not sleeping for me and it is not something I do daily. I used to be against any pharmaceutical medications but I believe some can be hugely beneficial when used correctly.
• I discovered the cause of most disease. To put it very simply, at the very core ~ Toxicity – nutrient depletion – infection plus epigenetics inevitably play a role but whether these genes are expressed or not depends on your environment. After seeing a few very experienced practitioners over the last couple of years I learned that there is a certain order you should heal the body in and I basically did it backwards for many years. Addressing toxicity and healing the gut is crucial whilst beginning to treat parasites, the largest pathogen. Then working from largest pathogen to smallest. I initially went after the Lyme and viral load first, then parasites, then mercury toxicity. The completely wrong order!
• I continued to work on my emotional and spiritual wellbeing experiencing incredible breakdowns at times that led to breakthroughs.

Writing this now makes me realise how much work I have done and how blessed I am to be where I am. I look forward to sharing more of my experiences, knowledge and insights with you. What I share isn’t gospel, it is just my journey.

With love, Amy x

Aggressive Treatment Of Parasites

Since arriving back from Bali last May, where I was being treated for Lyme Disease my body has been body riddled with parasites. I have done my fair share of intensive conventional and herbal parasite treatments. One of the many lessons I learnt whilst in Bali was that I indeed had parasites even before my trip overseas. I had tested for parasites in the past and tried a few weak herbal cleanses with no change in symptoms, but I did not realise what a huge problem they were for me, until I saw them with my own eyes.

Over the past 8 months, after trialling a few protocols on myself (forever the guinea pig!) and finding myself the most wonderful, experienced and knowledgeable practitioner I have been treating multiple parasite infections. Finally I am starting to see improvements. The severe bloating and pain that would worsen over the day has improved significantly. I am surprised to have a relatively flat stomach after eating most of the time. Certain unusual skin conditions that I forgot were abnormal have disappeared and slowly my energy in increasing. It is certainly not a perfectly linear progression, but the improvements are occurring.

When I first arrived home after my trip to Bali I was still infected with Ascaris, Blastocystis Hominis and Campylobactor, that I know of. The IV flagyl I received in hospital I assumed had wiped out the Entamoeba Histolytica. The PCR test that I did only tests for 5 different parasites! My body was suffering multiple acute infections, I had intense nausea, bloating, pain and weight loss. In this desperate time I reached straight for the pharmaceuticals, I required a treatment that would act fast without a doubt. The first drug I took was flagyl, for one week. Which appeared to work within 12 hours. It was amazing. But after stopping many of my symptoms returned with vengeance. I then started treatment for Ascaris which initially involved taking Mebendazole. After a course of this I then began a 10 day course of Paromomycin. The diarrhea began to ease and I was able to eat properly again which was nice. I then began looking into the Kerri Rivera and Andreas Kalcker parasite protocols. These protocols are extremely rigorous and target mainly intestinal worms which many practitioners I have consulted with believe the majority of the population have. They appear to cause the most significant symptoms in immune compromised individuals.

I did 2 rounds of the Kalcker/Rivera parasite protocols which involved the CD baby bottle method, CD enemas, Mebendazole, Pyrantel-Pamoate, Neem, Castor oil and diatomaceous earth. The protocol is based around the full moon cycles when parasites appear to be more active and susceptible to the drugs and herbals consumed.

After doing a couple of round of the Kalcker/Rivera protocol I noticed a great improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms. But there were still many debilitating systemic symptoms that I experienced and my gut was still far from perfect. I finally tracked down a wonderful practitioner who trained under Dr Klinghardt and we started consulting via skype. It was the best decision I have ever made to see her, we work so well together and I finally have a practitioner who I trust and am in awe of her knowledge. Under her guidance I have done the Kauai Herbals GI Infusions parasite cleanse (which involves milk and salt enemas!) along with Mimosa Pudica implants, more CD enemas, 4 rounds of the Kauai Herbals papaya black seed mix one week on, one week off, neem and 3 x 2 week rounds of the pharmaceutical drug Alinia or Nitazoxanide. It has been extremely tough! On top of this I have been doing liver/gallbladder flushes under her guidance using Super Good Stuff products and castor oil packs on my liver and abdomen.

I have also been taking detox support supplements that tested up as helpful for me such as Bioray Liver Life, Activated coconut charcoal, Viatrexx systemic detox (a homeopathic formula), LivOn Labs Liposomal glutathione, Thorne Methyl Guard, Seeking Health Optimal Creatine, Nutribiotic vitamin c and bioflavonoids, Biotics Calcium/Magnesium Butyrate and A.C Grace Company vitamin E. I also continue to take Byron White formulas A-BAB for Babesia and am about to introduce Liposomal Artemisinin. I have been advised to do another 6 weeks of parasite work and then hopefully we will be able to move onto treating other infections. My practitioner works by treating infections in a particular order from larger to smaller infections. Parasites are always treated first as without addressing them treating Borrelia and other bacterial infections, mold, candida, protozoa and viruses is very difficult.

So there you have it, that is what I have been up to the past 8 months. I also continue to have 3 x infrared saunas per week, dry body brush using a natural bristle brush, scrape my tongue every morning to discard toxic residue, oil pull with coconut oil and sometimes Young Living Thieves oil and flush my sinuses with a netti pot using warm filtered water, sea salt, xylitol and grapefruit seed extract.

The inconsistency can frustrate me, but I try to surrender and accept my bodies desires in the moment. I choose not to be a victim and aim to be equanimous with the physical pain that is present. I try to be the witness, as hard as it can be sometimes, I understand the impermanence of these sensations, they shift and change. Most of all I am forever grateful for my amazing body carrying me through life day to day and allowing me to have this sensational human experience. I try to be my bodies best friend and treat it with the utmost care as it is the most precious gift I will ever receive.

My Top Tips For Flawless, Glowing Skin!

I really love making an effort to look after my skin, not just by choosing to use the most purest and effective products externally, but by healing and nourishing my body internally. Truly healthy, glowing skin starts from the inside. I learnt this after many years of struggling with painful and embarrassing skin issues and trying various chemical laden skin care products that did absolutely nothing but strip my skin of its natural oils and add to my body’s toxic load. You may already be aware that the majority of skin care products contain awful, unregulated synthetic ingredients and there is no one that regulates the use of these chemicals. Thankfully you can seek out recommendations and research from independent organisations such as The Environmental Working Group that test cosmetic products for toxicity levels, carcinogens and potential allergens.

Could you potentially eat the products that you are putting on your skin? If not, then you probably don’t want to be using them. What we put on our skin, goes within, straight into the blood stream.

What do I do to look after my skin from the inside?

• Eat a nutrient rich, whole food and highly digestible diet.
• Consume healthy fats. This macronutrient is crucial to dewy, glowing skin. Essential fatty acids found in foods such as avocado, coconut, hemp, chia, wild seafood and grassfed, free range and organic beef feed your skin from within.
• Include plenty of fermented foods such a kefir, sauerkraut and coconut yogurt to provide an abundance of enzymes and probiotic bacteria essential for a healthy digestive system.
• Consume an abundance of mineral rich foods and avoid anti-nutrients found in un-properly prepared grains, nuts, seeds and legumes which bind to essential minerals in the gut, preventing their absorption and inhibiting the digestive process. Zinc and silica are particularly important for skin health.
• Consume foods rich in fat soluble vitamins A, E and D such as sunflower seeds (activated), avocado, organic eggs and organic chicken liver pate occasionally.
• Lots of chlorophyll rich foods such as spinach, spirulina, chlorella and kale and green juice!
• Foods rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids such as berries, amla berry and GMO free vitamin C supplements.
• Consume gelatin in the form of bone broth and pasture raised bovine gelatin and marine collagen supplements.

What do I do to look after my skin on the outside?

• Cleanse my face morning and night with Devita Aloe Vera cleanser.
• I also love the oil cleansing method for a deep cleanse and do this frequently.
• I make up a facial scrub using aluminum free baking soda, raw honey and sea salt and use this fortnightly to exfoliate dead skin cells.
• I occasionally do a clay mask using green clay and apple cider vinegar.
• I moisturise with organic cold-pressed jojoba oil and rosehip oil. I have also recently been adding in a drop of wild frankincense oil at night too.
• I sometimes wear a natural tinted moisturiser on top of my moisturiser. My favourite is Devita’s Moisture Tint.
• I wash my body with organic baby castile soap, dry body brush and moisturise with either coconut oil or Young Living’s Cel-lite oil blend.
• I like to occasionally make up a body scrub using baking soda, organic ground coffee, sea salt, raw honey, raw sugar, jojoba oil and water for a full body scrub. Warning: messy!

There you have it, my tips for flawless, glowing skin. Healing your skin, is a process and does not happen over night. When the bodies toxicity levels fall, the gut heals, hormone levels regulate and the immune system settles, that is when the magic begins to happen.

Trust in the process, trust in your body’s incredible, innate wisdom and healing abilities and love your body to bits! It will love you for it!

Part 2: My Bali Journey

Dear readers. Thank you for your patience during the past few months since arriving home, and not posting on my blog.

I am so grateful for you!

My entire trip was extremely challenging and I still feel like I am recovering from it all.

Starting from where we left off, I continued to receive the EBOO (Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation) until the last 2 weeks of my 2 month stay in Bali. I continued to feel worse, until I realised my body was too depleted to cope with any more ‘die off’ from the EBOO ozone therapy which takes out around 2 litres of blood and ozonates it over an hour. I listened and opted for some major autohemotherapy ozone treatment instead where a much smaller amount of blood is taken out, mixed with the ozone and then injected back into the vein. I also continued with the intravenous vitamin C, glutathione, and lipoic acid until the day I was leaving to come home.

My days looked like this: Ride with my scooter taxi through the densely crowded and polluted streets of Ubud, Multiple injections, massage, sip on a green juice and eat amazing raw and organic cuisine, sauna, yoga, eat, rest, eat, sleep.

Along the way I met some interesting characters, had emotional breakdowns to local Balinese strangers and made friends with some beautiful fellow Lyme sufferers at the Bali Ozone Clinic.

I tried so hard to enjoy every moment I had over there, but it was hard, hard to not feel homesick and not be eagerly awaiting the arriving of a couple of close friends in the last two weeks of my trip. I felt so crap and although I had access to some of the most divine raw food I have ever tasted in my LIFE (I love food) I had nausea and diarrhea most of the time which took away the enjoyment a tad I must say.

I was so excited the day some friends were arriving in Ubud, I took myself out for a celebratory dinner prior to their arrival. I was likely anemic after my hospital stay and craving red meat like crazy so I went to a very expensive Italian restaurant that had been recommended to me. I had a giant lamb roast and vegetables. About half an hour after my meal I become intensely nauseous and just generally feeling really unwell. The nausea had been there previously the night before, but not to this extent. It continued to worsen, my belly swelled up and was terribly painful, my food just was not digesting. I was actually moaning in pain, and then my visitors arrived. I managed to walk downstairs to greet them, but after getting back in bed I just started to freak out! I was profoundly ill, and then I think I had a panic attack on top of it. Adrenaline kicked in and I just ran outside with one of my friends down a path to some local Balinese friends, bawling my eyes out and asking them to take me to the Ubud clinic for help, it was nearing midnight by this stage. Once at the clinic I couldn’t sit up, I was just in agony. The doctors assessed me and all they could tell me was that my stomach was full of air and I should take 3 unidentified types of drugs for high stomach acid. NO THANK YOU! I couldn’t move from their assessment tables so I just lay there, eventually though I had to leave.

I vomited which relieved some pressure in my stomach, but the intense nausea stayed. I began to sweat profusely, having to lie towels down on my bed, the next day the intense nausea remained, making it difficult to even sip water, and I felt like I had a flu. My body was aching like hell, my face looked green/grey, my skin itched and my poop was pale and clay. This continued for a good 6 days. I requested an ultrasound of my gallbladder, they found nothing. My doctor did not seem to take what was happening seriously at all, I just wanted to go home!

When another beautiful friend arrived a week before I was due to go home, thankfully my symptoms were subsiding. Apart from looking at least 6 months pregnant for the remainder of my trip, I was coping. I intended to enjoy my last week in Bali, indulge with dear friends, laugh and find joy in each day I had left.

My stomach issues remained severe after arriving home with worsening diarrhea, itching, weight loss and cramping. I have since taken a large list of natural parasitic herbs, essential oils, antibiotics and anthelmintic medicines to treat various infections I picked up on my trip. Stool testing picked up campylobacter, blastocystis hominis and there remained strong evidence of ascaris.

Thankfully after 3 months of treatment my stomach issues are very much improved. Yay! I credit this to Flagyl, Paramomycin, mebendazole, Pyrantel Pamoate, The Kalcker protocol in conjunction with Kerri Riviera’s MMS protocol over the full moon (when parasites are most active.) I have also been using Bioray wormwood and artemisia, Global Healing Centre’s Paratrex formula and Young Living oregano, peppermint and Di-gize essential oils.

So there you have it, part 2 of my time spent on the island of Bali, in a nutshell.

If you have any questions regarding my treatment over there feel welcome to ask, I can elaborate for you.

Love and blessings, Amy x

P.S Here are a few photos for you.

Anita Moorjani ~ ‘Dying To Be Me’ Review

I want to introduce you to the woman who saved me whilst I stayed in Bali and underwent ozone and IV vitamin therapy for chronic Lyme disease and co-infections.

She has changed the way I live my life, approach physical and emotional healing and spirituality.

I landed in Bali with so many expectations for the coming months that I truly believed would consist of dramatic, miraculous healing! But as you are aware if you have been following my journey, my trip turned out to be a very different experience.

How can this be so! I do everything right, I think positively ALWAYS, I diligently write down all my intentions for my life and healing and created a gigantic 2 page manifestation list for my trip to Bali which clearly stated I WILL ARRIVE HOME WELL AND AT 100%! I repeat daily ‘I am healthy, I am healed, I am strong, I am well’ and I visualise myself in optimal health daily, running along the beach, surfing, dancing, power walking, glowing, laughing, studying, working as a nutritional therapist, preparing healing and nourishing food for others and travelling. I am not gonna lie, I am in tears writing this. I also do my gratitude practice daily, because there is always so so SO much to be grateful for, I ask for guidance from angels and since my trip to Bali I now like to pray to god.

Now these are all wonderful habits to integrate into your life and healing regime, don’t get me wrong. They serve an important purpose. But I think many people on their healing journeys have been scared into the belief that if even a tiny negative thought creeps into their mind, this will attract a negative situation (the law of attraction anyone?) I fell into this trap. For so long I have bottled up any negative emotions or thoughts that surface when dealing with a chronic illness. They have to eventually come out and it is important to really feel them in the moment, sit with them, surrender to them, accept them so that you can move forward. It is not dwelling on these thoughts and emotions but accepting that in this present moment this is how I feel and feeling like this serves a purpose also. Nothing is permanent, everything is ever changing.

Being in Bali and having everything NOT go to plan was extremely difficult for me. I am a control freak. I like to practice the law of attraction to make my dreams a reality (don’t we all.) I am forever an optimist. But in my darkest hours it became challenging to maintain this. In my darkest hours my spiritual guide Anita Moorjani came into my life, through an audio book. No real life meetings here unfortunately. This woman is incredible and I cannot recommend her book or audio book ‘Dying To Be Me – My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing’ enough. Read about her story here. She had a near death experience and had the most profound insights. Anita’s story spoke to me and came at just the right time. She helped me let go of all the expectations I had for my trip in Bali. Her words helped me to trust and allow the experience I was destined to have unfold. It also made me realise that concealing my true emotions with artificial positive emotions was rather counter-productive. It is OK to feel these negative emotions, it is natural.

“The state of pure allowing seems like the place where most positive change can occur. Let yourself be you, no matter who you are, embracing anything that makes you feel alive.”

ALTHOUGH I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT the best thing I can do for myself and others is to consciously keep myself uplifted and do what makes me feel happy, you may be surprised to learn that I don’t advocate “positive thinking” as a blanket prescription. It’s true that since all of life is connected, keeping myself in high spirits has a larger impact, as it is also what I’m putting out to the Whole.

However, if and when I notice negative thoughts creeping in, it seems best to allow them to pass through with acceptance and without judgment. When I try to suppress or force myself to change my feelings, the more I push them away, the more they push back. I just allow it all to flow through me, without judgment, and I find that the thoughts and emotions will pass. As a result, the right path for me unfolds in a totally natural way, letting me be who I truly am.

Sweeping statements such as: “Negative thoughts attracts negativity in life” aren’t necessarily true, and can make people who are going through a challenging time feel even worse. It can also create fear that they’re going to attract even more negativity with their thoughts. Using this idea indiscriminately often makes people going through seemingly tough times feel as though they’re bad for attracting such events, and that’s just not true. If we start to believe that it’s just our negative thoughts that are creating any unpleasant situations, we can become paranoid about what we’re thinking. On the contrary, it actually has less to do with our thoughts than with our emotions, especially what we feel about ourselves.”

– Anita Moorjani from Dying To Be Me

It is hard to put into words how significant this shift was for me, to let go of control. Anita made me realise how much I had been living in fear, particularly since receiving a Lyme diagnosis. A lot of the decisions I made were through fear, fear of the illness getting worse, fear of never recovering, fear of these organisms living inside of me. The fear was so intense I was trying to do multiple healing protocols at the same time in fear of one not working. If only I could trust in my body’s inner wisdom instead of always seeking for answers from external sources. I now have so much trust in my path and that everything is perfect. I am learning to be gentle and kind to my body and only do what feels good instead of forcing what intuitively feels wrong is or something I think I ‘should’ do.

Here are some major points Anita makes that I would like to list:

Act out of LOVE, not FEAR!

Being true to ourselves is more important than staying positive.

Be yourself, ALWAYS. Honor who you truly are.

Stop seeking so much outside yourself and trust your inner wisdom.

Allow and trust in the process of life.

Everything is unfolding as it should, everything is perfect.

Do what brings you joy and makes you happy.

Here are a few quotes from Anita Moorjani.

“The biggest shift we can make is to make every decision from a place of love, and not because we feel fear of not getting ahead, or not having enough money and so on. For instance, when you choose everything you do from a place of love, then everything you eat, you will eat it because you love the food or because you love your body, or you love your health or you love your life… and not because of some fear such as, “If I don’t eat this, I’ll be unhealthy” or “If I eat that, I’ll become fat.” – Anita Moorjani

“I now also understand that I don’t have to work at being spiritual. Being spiritual is who we are at our core, whether we realise it or not. It is our true nature, so we cannot not be spiritual. Being “ourselves” and being spiritual are one and the same thing.” – Anita Moorjani

“If I do not express my authenticity, the Universe will be deprived of who I came here to be.” – Anita Moorjani

“I knew that was really the only purpose of life: to be our self, live our truth, and be the love that we are.” – Anita Moorjani

Learning to let go and live in this new state of being is something I am working on everyday. I am constantly checking in with myself.

My current mantras are : GENTLE, FLOW, SURRENDER, ACCEPTANCE, MAKE EVERY DECISION FROM A PLACE OF LOVE, BE YOURSELF, INNER WISDOM, ALLOW, TRUST, BE AUTHENTIC, DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY AND BRINGS YOU JOY.

Want some tips on how to tap into that inner wisdom? Here are some tips from Anita.

“In my book “Dying to be Me”, I speak about not giving our power away to external sources by constantly seeking and searching for all our answers outside, but to awaken the dormant guru within our own self instead, as we all hold our answers within. Recently, someone asked me whether I had any advice on how they could awaken that dormant guru within, as they were starting to feel lost and confused with the barrage of (conflicting) information that was coming at them from all directions.

I have a very simple rule of thumb on how to awaken our inner guru, and not give our power away. Even if the information is coming from an external source (whether a book, a person of authority, or the internet), if this information is making my heart sing, if it makes me feel alive and inspired, if it makes me feel empowered, magnificent, liberated and free, then it means that this information is true for me, because it is speaking to my heart. This information is awakening my own inner guru.

However, if the information I am being given (whether from a book, the internet or a “spiritual authority”) is making me feel fearful, small, limited, or that I have to “work at earning spiritual favor”, then I run a mile in the opposite direction. Buying into other people’s fear-based, limiting beliefs and making them our own is what it means to give our power away.

Nature intended for us to feel strong, empowered, liberated and free; not fearful, small and limited!

Our only purpose is to fearlessly be a full expression of who we came here to be!

When we truly realize this, we will start to attract the right information, the right gurus, and the right teachers at the right time, who will endorse this truth.”

– Anita Moorjani

Have you noticed yourself making decisions out of fear? Have you been afraid of thinking negatively out of fear of attracting negative situations in your life? Do Anita’s insights make you take a big sigh of relief like they did for me?

I now think it is time to fill you all in on the details of the remainder of my trip in Bali. Unfortunately I experienced a second health scare 2 weeks before leaving Bali. A very sudden onset of severe symptoms that led me to seek medical care at the Ubud 24 hour clinic in the middle of the night and left me in bed for days. What happened is still a mystery and it has been difficult to find a doctor that will take my situation seriously. I will elaborate further in my next post.

Until then, sending love to you all, Amy x

I Am Off On A Healing Adventure In Bali + My Travel Essentials

 

Good evening beautiful followers!

Thank you so much for your patience with me over the past year when my blog posts have been rather infrequent.

It has been a tough one, the past 8 months of Lyme disease treatment has been extremely challenging and blogging was not a top priority, survival was and getting through each day.

So I have some exciting news! I am heading over to Bali this Friday for 2 months of intensive healing. The decision to go over there came about very quickly and spontaneously. I felt so strongly that it was what my next step was meant to be, so I booked the flights. I want my own Eat Pray Love experience y’all.

I am going to be staying in Ubud where I will be undergoing 12 sessions of EBOO (Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation) Ozone Therapy, Intravenous Glutathione, Vitamin C and R-lipoic Acid injections. I will also be getting weekly colonics at Alchemy and plan on getting frequent massages and infra red saunas.

This trip is also a well deserved holiday for me, because I flippin’ deserve it! So I am extremely excited to live in a lovely bungalow with a house keeper/cleaner, eat out daily at Alchemy, Clear Cafe, Bali Buddha, Yellow Flower and the many other amazing raw and organic cafes in Ubud, Bali that you can find here.

During my trip I will continue to take some of my supportive supplements. I will stop taking most of my anti-microbials (I have been taking ALOT) and stick to my Byron White Formulas A-L Complex, A-Bab and A-Bart. I will also be taking Pure Encapsulations GSE, Doctors Best Artimisinin and take Oreganol P73 oregano oil for emergencies.

I am mostly concerned with surviving the travel over to Bali so I am currently focusing on taking supportive, and detoxifying supplements. Here is a list of what I am taking prior, during and after my flight.

I will take the following on the plane with me as well:

Results RNA ACZ Nano Zeolite

Results RNA Glutathione

LivOn liposomal Glutathione

LivOn liposomal Vitamin C

Thorne Meriva SR Circumin

Earth Circle Raw chlorella and spirulina

Healthforce Nutritionals Friendly Force Probiotic

Dr Mercola Probiotic

Lumina Health Cell food

Leading up to my trip I have been taking:

HealthForce Nutritionals Intestinal Drawing Formula

Pure Encapsulations Nutrient 950 Multivitamin

Doctor’s Best, Quali-C (non GMO ascorbic acid)

Thorne Basic B complex

Metabolic Maintenance zinc picolinate

Thorne magnesium Citramate

Jarrow Saccharomyces boulardii

I also have been making a morning detoxifying drink with whole leaf aloe vera juice, lemon juice, detox tincture, Braggs ACV and concentrated mineral drops.

I will add in some enzymes when I have settled in Ubud:

Kirkman Labs Biofilm Defense

As well as taking high quality supplements on board my flight I am also packing:

A Seychelle water filter bottle which can be used in third world countries, its filtration system is so advanced.

My Iphone loaded with meditations, relaxation music and healing frequencies.

A medical Ionizer.

Wild, sustainable salmon, cucumber, carrot, avocado and activated seeds to eat.

Organic tea bags.

I might bust out some basic yoga moves on my flight, in the toilet (if that is possible!) to help with circulation and oxygenation of tissues.’

Wish me luck!

I will keep you all updated on my blog, my instagram @amylouisesouthorn, and on facebook.

 

 

Healing With Art Therapy

When it come to healing myself I have a holistic approach, taking care to nurture my mind, body and spirit. Nourishing my body with healing, nutrient dense whole foods, thinking positive thoughts and practicing meditation, moving my body when I can using yoga, strength training and walking, living a toxin free lifestyle, drinking an abundance of filtered water, using specific therapeutic herbs and vitamins, consuming probiotic rich foods, spending time in nature, connecting with others, Ayurvedic detoxification methods such as netti pot, enemas, oil pulling and tongue scraping, infrared saunas, dry body brushing and adequate sleep all contribute to my increased vitality and healing.

On top of all of this, in the past year I have been able implement another healing ‘modality’ if you like,  doing things that I truly love, that bring me joy and feed my soul. This is where my healing really began to accelerate.

Unfortunately studying nutrition, my other passion, is not possible at present but I have been able to get creative again! I have always had a love for drawing, sketching, painting but the past few years saw my creativity and inspiration run dry.

Being inspired again feels so amazing. I feel like I am finally achieving something, by creating, and sharing my creations. My art is my therapy.

I am enjoying creating mandalas at the moment. I suddenly felt inspired to go in this direction. I also adore drawing portraits and figures as well. I use pencil, watercolour and pen.

‘Mandala’ loosely translated as ‘circle‘ represents the universe, the material and non material realities, the macrocosm and microcosm. These highly intricate illustrations are used as an instrument for meditation and are cosmic diagrams reminding us of our relation to the infinite. Mandalas express ones own visions, beliefs and facilitate personal growth. Many cultures create mandalas as part of their spiritual practice. The intentions that are set prior to and during the creation of the mandala create a powerful piece that is extremely healing for the artist and the viewer.

I hope you enjoy viewing my most recent art collection. Check out my website, my Etsy store, my facebook page, and my blog to keep up to date with what I am creating.

Eco friendly A4 prints and A5 greeting cards and originals can be purchased from my Etsy store. All paper is recycled and the cards feature a recycled envelope and biodegradable cellophane bag. All prints and orders are wrapped in recycled tissue paper and recycled tape.

16 Tips To Help You Become A Healthy, Creative and Intuitive Cook

Learning to become a healthy, creative and intuitive cook has been an imperative part of my own healing journey. There is nothing more satisfying than preparing meals with love and knowing the food is playing a crucial role in your own healing and wellbeing.

Preparing healthy meals from scratch does not need to be complicated and can be extremely enjoyable and rewarding. Not to mention taste sensational.

Your body will LOVE YOU for it too!

Here are some tips I have compiled to help you become a healthy, creative and intuitive cook!

Making a green smoothie

1. Get friendly with your local organic grocer and farmers market and learn to appreciate where your food comes from. Buy closer to the source by shopping at your local farmers market. Opt for organic and bio dynamic over conventional produce which is typically grown in nutrient devoid soils with pesticides and laden with hormones and antibiotics.

2. Preparation is key, stock up on healthy whole foods. If you have junk food in your pantry, you are likely to want to eat it. It is in our primal nature to gravitate towards calorie dense, sugar and fat laden foods.

Compile a healthy shopping list:

~ Healthy oils to cook with or drizzle on food such an organic, extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil, coconut oil, macadamia oil and organic, grass-fed ghee and butter.

~ Good quality unrefined salt such as Celtic or Himalayan salt and Herbamare seasoning

~ Buy up big on fresh, organic vegetables and fruits in all the colours of the rainbow. Enjoy a mixture or raw and cooked vegetables and fruits. Some heat sensitive micronutrients are only available when the food is raw. Other nutrients are more bioavailable in cooked food.

~ Fresh herbs such as turmeric, ginger, coriander, parsley, basil, dill and rosemary add instant flavour, colour and nutrition to meals.

~Garlic, garlic, garlic!! This superfood is amazing for you and tastes sensational. Onion is another wonderful flavour enhancer whether you use raw red onion in salads or stir fry, caramelise red or white onion as part of a meal. Onions and garlic are rich in sulfur which aids in detoxification, so don’t hold back! Garlic is also a potent antimicrobial, for those on a candida diet or parasite cleanse this is a must.

~ Stock up on quality nuts, seeds, legumes and grains of your liking. I use activated sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds currently. Look out for organic quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, almonds, macadamia, walnuts and brazil nuts. A few companies are producing activated nuts and seeds now by soaking and dehydrating them to make them more digestible. The soaking process tricks the nuts, seeds, legumes or grains into releasing phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors residing in their outer shell, that they use as protective mechanisms until the right conditions are present to sprout. Phytic acid binds to important minerals in the gut, chelating them out of the body before they can be absorbed, and enzyme inhibitors disrupt protein digestion by interfering with protein digesting enzymes.

~ If you eat meat buy organic, free range, grass fed meat, poultry, eggs and wild, low mercury seafood. Try kangaroo, a wild, nutritious and sustainable meat. Experiment with steaming, poaching, roasting, slow cooking and grilling.

~ Stock up on an array of dried single and mixed herbs and spices. My favourites are cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, cumin, dill, basil and rosemary and curry powder. There are also some great curry pastes available without any nasties, checkout your local health food store.

~ Condiments and baking aids such as Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut aminos, organic mustard, aluminum free bi-carb soda and vanilla powder.

~ Have flours on hand for baking, coating and thickening such as coconut flour, buckwheat flour, quinoa flour, plantain flour and rice flour.

~ Natural sweeteners such as stevia leaf, raw honey, coconut sugar and maple syrup

~ Have some raw, organic sauerkraut on hand to add to your meals for a unique flavour, texture and a hit of probiotics.

3. Learn how to master the basic cooking techniques. Do you know how to steam, poach, boil, stir fry, braise, stew, bake, grill, roast, saute, caramelise, blend, grind, process, grate, shred. Having these skills make it a bit less daunting when faced with a bunch of ingredients and intuitively choosing what to do with them. You can find plenty of instructions on the internet. Or ask a family member or friend to teach you.

4. You might want to invest in a few gadgets like a spirooli to make zucchini pasta, a blender, a food processor, quality knives and non-toxic pots and pans.

5. Google, cookbooks and magazines are your friend. Research healthy recipes on the internet, books and magazines. Using key words such as paleo, raw, primal, gluten free, dairy free, low carb, vegetarian, vegan when searching the internet will really help you find appropriate recipes. For example you want to make a healthy Apple pie. Type into google ‘paleo apple pie’ and you will get some delicious recipes made with almond meal, eggs, apples, cinnamon, coconut oil and ghee for example. If you type in ‘raw apple pie’ you will get recipes using nuts, dates, coconut syrup, honey, apples and lemon.

After testing out many recipes you will become more confident, practice makes perfect.

6. Make a conscious effort to breath, relax and be completely present when preparing food.

7. Set some intentions for the meal you are about to prepare. This food is going to nourish me, heal me, support me emotionally, physically and spiritually. Let your infinite love flow into the meal you are preparing.

8. Mix up different foods, textures, flavours and colours. Try a funky salad with organic greens, activated almonds, sauerkraut, poached fish, toasted nori, hemp seeds, red cabbage, cucumber and an olive oil, tahini and turmeric dressing.

9. Taste the food whilst you cook to suss it out (I do this probably too much!)

10. Don’t be afraid to experiment, let your creativity run wild! They don’t always work out, but you learn from your mistakes, and it is fun.

11. Don’t shy away from using your clean hands when appropriate in the cooking process, this really connect you to the food you are preparing.

12. Get creative with plating your food up. Top meals with pretty garnishes such as herbs, sprouts, toasted coconut, a drizzle of tahini, turmeric and olive oil dressing. Make a rainbow of colours!

13. Dont be afraid of fat! Fat not only makes food taste amazing but is contains essential fatty acids crucial for optimal health and fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E and K. It also aids in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins and minerals from other nutrient sources it accompanies in a meal. I always make sure I have a quality fat source with my meal. Fat is essential for our survival and is important in triggering the hormones that generate a feeling of satiety after consuming a meal. Try adding avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, tahini to a meal or sourcing wild fish, organic grass fed lamb and beef and organic, free range eggs.

14. Have fun! Don’t take the cooking process too seriously, it is ok if things do not go to plan. Quite often things do not go to plan for me but I go with it. Perfection doesn’t exist, so learn to flow with the process.

15. If you haven’t already, discover the world of raw desserts! Trust me, you will never feel the need to go back to conventional sweets made of boring refined flour, sugar and milk EVER!

16. Trust what your body is telling you nourish it with, tune into your intuition. When you feel the hunger rising, what does your body tell you it needs. This will vary from day to day and season to season. In winter your body may crave more warming, cooked, unctuous foods, soup, stews, animal proteins and roasts. In summer your body may crave more raw foods, fruits and smoothies.

Raw Chocolate Pie

Pan fried apricots with cinnamon and fresh raspberry and coconut milk ice cream

I hope these tips will serve you well and help guide you towards unleashing your inner healthy, creative and intuitive cooking goddess! Or god!

Let go of your inhibitions, put your apron on and get into the kitchen people! Be prepared to experience increased vitality, energy, and well being when you tune in and prepare nourishing meals with LOVE!