Q & A: Important Steps For Healing

Question:

Hey miss Natalie,
I wanted to see if I could pick your nutritional brain.
I've been watching your videos and reading your stuff and wanted to see if I could get your advice.
I've been recently diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (pcos), it messes with my hormones (super high testosterone and low estrogen) along with another million symptoms. I'm asking you this on your wall instead of in a... private message because PCOS is a fairly common condition that causes embarrassing symptoms (facial hair growth, weight gain, depression, etc.) so it's rarely talked about and I hope to bring more awareness to it. I also hope, with your help, to find some natural ways to cope with severe cases (like mine) of this disease. The different medications (I'm currently on 3 soon to be increased to 5) all make me feel like crap, so my question is.......
Do you have any recommendations for supplements/foods that help to naturally regulate a woman's hormones. As well as anything that will assist with conception (the overall end goal)?

Thank you for your time and knowledge. Hoping all is well with you,

Brianna

My response:

Brianna,

Thank you so much for taking my message to heart!  I do have plenty of advice to offer, but first I must remind everyone that while I am a Nutritional Therapist Practitioner, every person's body is in a different place, so each person must weigh their healthcare choices individually.  As much as I would like everyone to use only holistic health care, I know that for some, it's too great a leap for where their health is currently at.  That being said, as with your health condition, there are many physical, emotional, and psychological burdens that many of us don't know how to talk about.  The health care argument has become something of controversy, almost like religion.. not to mention, each person's own awkwardness when addressing the subject of another's health crisis.  As you probably noticed on my videos, it is my goal to be an open book when it comes to my health.  I hope more people learn to be, so we can puzzle together how we're being misled by allopathic medicine, and how we as individuals can opt for holistic health care more often.  Below is my list of "musts," in the process of fighting any condition holistically.  This is a good base picture for how I healed my root canal infection.

1.       Cut out processed foods and sugar.  Take a good honest look in your refrigerator and cupboards.  Throw away everything that does not look like it did in nature.  Sugar is poison.  People don’t want to believe this, but inflammation literally feeds on sugar.  Almost every health condition will show a decrease in symptoms once sugar is removed from the picture.  http://taliekarina.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-sugar-is-devil-stomach-acid.html

2.       Increase water intake.  Proper hydration is fundamental to basic cellular communication.  If you’re not hydrated, nothing happens correctly in your body.  You should be drinking ½ your body weight in ounces, plus 16 ounces for every 8 ounces of diuretic (coffee, tea, juice, etc..).

3.       Increase vitamin and mineral consumption.  In our culture, we think of pills when we think of vitamins.  Change your mindset, and consider whole food your vitamin and mineral source.  A high quality supplement from a naturopath or nutritional therapist is still important though.

4.       Fix your digestion.  Be honest with yourself about your bowel movements.  Most people will say that their BMs are doing fine.  Most people are not doing fine.  We should have three, clean, well formed, poops a day.  Not many can say they do.  If you’re not pooping properly, it’s fair to assume that you’re not absorbing those nutrients you’re working so hard to ingest.  In this case I recommend a supplement called hydrochloric acid.  This is stomach acid, and helps to digest food at the top of what I like to consider a food roller coaster.  It would be in each person’s best interest to find a naturopath or nutritional therapist who can test your body for helpful supplements.  I can provide names, feel free to email me.

5.       Eat fat, always organic! Look for expeller or cold pressed oils; olive, coconut, hemp, and flax are great oils to add to your diet.  Try to include more raw or properly soaked and dehydrated nuts.  Eat avocados, full fat meats; free range chicken/omega 3 eggs, and grass fed beef.   Go organic and full fat for milk products (though you should get tested for a dairy allergy).  Don’t fear fat and cholesterol (do be very deliberate about your sources though).  Your body actually needs cholesterol to make hormones!  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/the-cholesterol-myth-that_b_676817.html

6.       Also get tested for gluten allergies.  Try to only consume whole grains; steel cut oats, amaranth, and quinoa  are great options.  Eat grains and fruit in extreme moderation (or not at all) while you’re health condition is in an acute stage.

7.       Do not eat anything with iodized salt.  Use sea salt only, and read the label to make sure that’s really all your getting. http://taliekarina.blogspot.com/search/label/electrolyte

8.       Put yourself first.  Our culture is fast, and over stimulating.  Especially when you’re dealing with a health condition, you must learn to say no to unnecessary obligations.  Saying no to some engagements leaves you time for self care.  It’s important to exercise!     Meditate, or just allow yourself and everything around you to be quiet, calm, and positive.   Get as much sleep as you can (I know how hard that is for moms.  Do your best.  Get acupuncture!  Acupuncture is always my first step when I feel overwhelmed by life.  The affects are subtle, but drastic.

9.       Know that you can be healed.  Energy and intention is huge!   Speak and think lovingly about yourself; and of course, others too.

Specific to your case, there are definitely supplements that help with the female reproductive system.  I will refrain from telling you exactly what to look for because it is important to see a practitioner to have supplements tested with your body.   Look for a naturopath who specialized in female health.  There are a few integrative female medical centers in the Portland area.  Here is a link to one that I have used:  http://www.awomanstime.com/

I hope this helps!  Keep me posted on your journey in healing.  Make good choices!  :)  You're going to kick booty!

Better Than Cereal Papaya Salad!

People are always surprised when I say I don't miss dairy or gluten.  At some point during the conversation, said person kindly offers advice on milk substitutes for my cereal.  I remind them that I don't eat gluten.  They look to the floor awkwardly, eventually deciding that something in their far right distance has become of great importance.  Finally, their gaze falls back on me as they regurgitate what their recent brain bulb has shown them, "they have gluten free cereal now!"  I always wonder at this point if I should protect their ignor.. I mean innocence, or tell them that I also avoid refined sugar.  I usually decide to be honest, and polite as can be.

All that is to say that my creation below reminds me of cereal. Well, in retrospect, cereal is reminiscent of fruit with cream. It has recently struck me as entirely odd that we consume processed cereals designed to taste like fruit while dousing it with adulterated milk. Starving our bodies of the nutrient dense, fatty cream that it craves, along with the many vitamins and minerals found in whole fruits.

Please eat whole foods.  Your body will like you better. :)

Better Than Cereal Papaya Salad

1.  Gut and chop your papaya.

2.  Pour full fat coconut milk liberally.

3.  Add raw (or properly soaked and dehydrated) chopped pecans.  This is where that familiar crunch comes into play... so again, be liberal.

4.  Add a small amount of cinnamon.  Then, add way more.  I love loads of cinnamon in this dish, but of course, you must follow your own heart.

5.  Take a taste, if you'd like more sweet, add grade b maple syrup, or raw, local honey. 

6.  Take a moment to gather your intention for this meal/snack.  How would you like this meal to affect your body?  Your day?  Sprinkle sea salt and intention, sit down, and enjoy!



Papaya, Apple, and Coconut Salad



This recipe is the same as above, with the exception of the following variables:
- I used less coconut milk for a drier, more traditional fruit salad texture.
-I added chopped apples.  Asian pears are also a delightful addition.
-I used chopped almonds instead of pecans.
-I added shredded coconut meat.

Be creative!  Don't be afraid to alter my recipe.  Let me know how it turns out!

Thanks for reading, make good choices. :)