Healing Chronic Fatigue, Sinus Infections & Headaches With a Gluten-Free Diet & Fermented Foods
– by Hallie Price
I am twenty-one years old on a medical leave of absence from college, recovering from a life-long abuse of antibiotics since I was two months old. Two years ago, I had a 6.4 hemoglobin (a healthy woman’s hemoglobin should be between 12 and 16) and I went through every test imaginable: bone marrow biopsy, endless blood tests, endoscopy, colonoscopy, pill camera endoscopy, only to get no answers.
My hematologist told me I had probably been anemic for at least 3-4 years based on how I was functioning with such little oxygen in my blood. I was even sent to Mayo Clinic for a week where I didn’t get any help. Thankfully, last June I found a fabulous Integrative physician in Chicago, but I still have a long way to go in my recovery.
What my chronic fatigue, chronic sinus infections, headaches, etc. came down to was that I was abused with antibiotics from my prior physician since I was two months old. I was prescribed antibiotics every couple of months for my entire life for ear infections, strep throat, sinus infections, etc. So now, I have candida, leaky gut, inflammation, and chronic gut dysbiosis. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
After listening to Nadine Artemis’s lovely WISH call on Saturday night it finally dawned on me why my cellulite is so bad considering my young age and healthy lifestyle: It’s the toxicity in my liver and entire body from those back to back prescriptions of antibiotics for my entire life, along with a lack of oxygen in my cells from being anemic for so many years. My skin is also very problematic.
A Prescription for Healing
I want to prevent antibiotic abuse from happening to anyone else like it did to me. I am learning so much from this journey towards regaining my health. I thought I would take a moment to share some of the lifestyle choices that I have been incorporating with the help of my new integrative doctor’s suggestions, in the hope that they may be of assistance and support to you and anyone else on the path to better health and healing:
- I’ve transitioned to an all organic diet! (Do not underestimate the toxic effects of pesticides!)
- I’m on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet (which I believe EVERYONE would benefit from)
- I’m incorporating fermented foods into my diet
- Every day I make sure to have a mineral-rich green smoothie
- I have started up a yoga practice and also do rebounding
- I’ve been spending time in an infrared sauna which has made a huge difference in clearing up my acne
- I’ve also been recommended to try craniosacral therapy (and I’ll let you know how that goes!)
Refreshing Lime-Aid Cooler Recipe
I am currently on a very restricted diet recommended by my doctor. I can only eat one grain every other day. My only fruit choices are lemons and limes. This is only for six weeks, but I totally understand why I need to starve the yeast and bad bacteria out of my system. It has been unseasonably warm for March so I have been making myself a refreshing lime-aid frequently. It’s so simple, here’s what I do:
Ingredients & Directions:
- I fill a 16. oz glass with ice
(made from clean spring water) - Squeeze 4 thin slices of fresh lime and leave them in the ice
- Fill up the glass with clean, spring water
- Sprinkle stevia powder to taste
Be well,
Hallie Price