Returning to passion

Back on the blog, returning to my passion.

Inspired to get back to healing after watching Forks over Knives.

D-Mannose, an effective treatment for UTI?

Hi there my small group of healers,

I have recently (re)discovered the Holy Grail of UTI infection treatments.

Basically, UTI's (Urinary Tract Infections ) are caused by E-Coli. E-Coli lives naturally in our bodies and the majority of your feces is made up of them. Normally your urinary tract is free from E-Coli, however there are a few ways that they can get inside the UT, one being poor hygiene and two sexual activity. Some people are more prone to them than others and luckily most men will never experience them (trust me your lucky). Basically E-Coli sticks like Velcro to our insides and like to live on the mucus membranes that are the fine lining of our insides. Our colon has a certain level of protection from them and the cell walls are sloughed off frequently. But in the UT there are no natural defenses and since E-Coli just love to stick and climb as well as multiply we can be in trouble rather quickly if they infest the UT, a small sensitive tube.

If your a woman, you know and dread this feeling... I felt one the UTI coming at 3 AM when it woke me with that all too familiar feeling. I promptly called the doctors office to try to get an appointment, and since I could not sleep I spent an hour online looking for relief. After work I drove to the store and purchased the products. I have had several of these infection in my life and have had some that were self treatable and some that went straight to my bladder and kidneys. I recommended only using this product if you have caught the infection early enough that you re not peeing blood. Based on my self assessment, the UTI that I was suffering from was just a day in, though annoying, it only really hurt during urination and created the sensation that you need to do even when you don't. (Disclaimer: go to the doctor if your peeing blood, and go quick if you like having kidneys, once you feel pain in your back you are in for a shot of penicillin and a lecture from your Dr.) Once I tell you how it works you will get the significance of when to use it.

Here is the solution, D-Mannose is a simple sugar found in berries like black, blue and strawberries. It is synthetically reproduced and sold in only a few select health food stores. I live in San Diego, and I had to drive an hour to get to a store that sold it. I bought two products that were offered, one was a natural remedy that included Cranberry extracts and other herbs, the other was a product called Cleartrack. They ranged in price between 28 and 38 dollars so I spent approximately $70 but trust me it was worth every penny. If you plan ahead you can get this product online for somewhere around $18 dollars. What a deal, I am ordering more before I post this so I never run out.

So how does D-Mannose help? Basically D-Mannose loves E-coli and sticks to it better than the E-Coli can stick to our mucus membranes, so when we drink a lot of it it tends coat the outside of the E-Coli and we are able to flush the E-Coli out of our system.

Treatment, as described on the bottle, Take one scoop (approximately 3/4 of a teaspoon) in a cup of room temperature water every 3 hours. I drank plenty of fluids along with it just in case.

The first product, contained (30 scoops) was a mixture as described above, and was grainy, stuck to the inside of the glass and was not palatable. So I tried the second, the ClearTrack, (comes with 50 scoops per bottle) which I think is the best, not only because you get more treatments out of it, but it completely dissolves in room temperature water, I felt it had little to no taste, but when I drank it in a concentrated dose it did not taste great.

The infection was still painful, so it does not take the edge off, and it took approximately 3 days to feel back to normal, although I took it two more days just in case. But it saved me from another round of antibiotics. Which by the way the last kind I got has the side effect of weakening your tendons and I did not notice until round three in one year. Nice, now my tendons crack every time I go down the stairs. (Thanks Big Pharma!)

Checking back, I have been UTI free for over a year and am grateful for D-Mannose.  No turning back for me.

Hawthorn and Heart Disease

I was recently at a networking mixer and met Monique who asked me to do some work on re-introducing the health benefits of Hawthorn for the treatment of Heart Disease to you all.

Hawthorn (Crataegus species) is a very beneficial plant that Monique's grandmother used to use in the treatment of heart disease. It produces several heart healthy benefits like lowering blood pressure, regulating heart rhythm, and reducing angina. It contains the same antioxidants that are found in grapes called oligomeric procyandins (OPC's for short) and quercetin. Quercetin, also found in red onions and apples, is a clinically proven antihistamine (reducing allergic response) and anti-inflammatory (reducing pain and inflammation in arthritis patients) and has been shown to potentially reduce cancer proliferation, specifically colon cancer.

The most effective treatments are tea made from fresh leaves and flowers. Please see the links below for preparation of this natural medicine.

Warning: All natural remedies should be used in conjunction with the guidance of your physician. As they are often not able to recommend alternative non-FDA proven medications they may if persuaded be supportive and at least help you in tracking the conditions you are using alternative methods to remedy. Though there are no real side effects, this should be taken under the supervision if your physician, as it will interact with other heart medications you maybe taking. Also if your condition does not improve but worsens you need to seek medical attention immediately.

Photos credit: jusben from morguefile.com

Hawthorn grows well near forests and has been sacred to the English for centuries. Producing flowers in early spring (for which the pilgrim ship the Mayflower was named after) and berries in the fall.

A native to Nova Scotia, Monique has described a jam recipe containing Hawthorn, honey and tomatoes which she swears will taste like strawberries if made correctly. I will do my best to follow up with her for the recipe in order to post it here. If anyone else knows this recipe, please share it with us!

Data sources as follows:

http://www.allnatural.net/herbpages/hawthorn.shtml

http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/node/200

Ear Infections

As a child I suffered greatly from continuous and unrelenting ear infections. If you have had one you know these infections are very painful, like a pressured explosive in your head and you wish it would burst for some relief. A former BF had his first in his 20s and described it as the single most painful infection he has had in his life. For me it was nights of agony and years of the thick pink antibiotics that did me no favors.

Eventually tubes were placed in my eardrums and though I loved the water of SoCal, I was banned from swimming because I had openings into inner ear exposed at all times. This experience has inspired to write about this because I do not want others to suffer as my mother and I did. Also because this experience taught me that Western medicine is not always the best medicine. Since then, there have been studies that show that the use of antibiotics reduced my bodies ability to produce antibodies to the infection and the use of antibiotics may have actually caused these infections to return again and again.

Even still today I suffer the consequences of these eruptions. I am reminded of the scars in my ears every time a doctor looks in and says "what happened in there?" Although I haven't had an infection since I was about 20, but I still suffer at the hand of my teen who often makes fun of me because I have the radio cranked up. The kid still messes with the computer volume controls and for the life of me I think he has finally found the one volume switch that I can't. I am spotted yelling on my cell phone and can't hear conversation in loud rooms. This leads to poor attempts at reading lips and though I am no longer in pain, it makes for some awkward moments. ;)

Well, lets get to it, Dr. Oz has a wonderful segment where audience members bring in Home Remedies, and he and his team does the research behind the remedies presented by the audience and give their opinion on whether the remedy should scientifically work.

Dr. Oz's #1 Earache remedy (taken from his show and website)

Garlic and Olive Oil

1. Heat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in a microwave or pan until luke warm

2. Grind up 1/3 of a garlic clove until small enough and dissolve in the oil.

3. Mix together and test the temperature on your wrist.

4. Take a dropper and drop about 4 drops into the infected ear.

5. Lay on your side for a few minutes so that the oils comes in contact with the infected eardrum.

6. Repeat 2-3 times a day until pain and symptoms subside.

Well, I have not had the pleasure of trying it out, but I will update this blog when I do, or let me know if you do.

Signing off

Nail Fungus Among Us

Well, how do we start... I guess I would like to share a cure I used to get rid of a fungus, specifically a toe nail fungus. I know there are a lot of people out there that swear by prescribed drugs, and then there are others that swear by natural means of treatment, I like to swear by what really works in my own experience and the experiences of those around me. If you'll indulge me...

Nail fungus is a nasty little microbe that likes to live and breath under our nails and skin. It is unsightly and can stay with us for years. Yes ladies and gents, this bad boy is here to stay unless you do something about it. And it can spread to your hands, feet and then to your loved ones by living in your carpets or through regular human contact. Grant it it is not as scary as I might portray it, you don't have anything to fear by shaking hands or walking around in your stalking feet, I give it a 3 on the transferability scale. If you have been on this planet for a few years as I have, I am sure a you have either experienced or know someone who has experienced a nail fungus at some time in your lives, well here is some food for thought

The Problem:

Nail fungus is described quite well here if you have not been officially diagnosed or are not able to go to a doctor due to financial reasons. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/toenail-fungus/

Western remedies... still a bit of a problem...

Now if you have gone to your doctor for this, you are probably given an option of a few drugs to cure the issue one starts with Lam.... If enjoy a good giggle, as I do, you should read all of the complications that can occur due to these drugs you will probably also know that these drugs can wreak havoc on your liver. I don't know about you but I need mine to help me process a little habit I call social drinking (thank god that is still legal without prescription!). My also informed me that it often takes 2 month long prescriptions to actually clear it the infection. Why would this take so long? Slow toenail growth, slow only because we often have lower circulation in our extremities. (especially you women out there... to be continued later.) If you would like to see these side effects I googled them and here are the most common diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and stomach pain, while this sounds fun, the long term side effects could be liver damage. So needless to say, those suffering from liver ailments, pregnancy and childhood need not apply.

The Remedy...

So, now as we all know doctors are legally not aloud to prescribe a cure to a disease unless it is a FDA approved pharmaceutical. However, I had a GOOD doctor at the time and she recommended this cure which I have been sharing with whomever will listen for years now. (ABC Homeopathy site: http://www.abchomeopathy.com/forum2.php/101906/1)

It is called Vicks Vaporub , (note: if your Spanish speaking it sounds a lot cooler. ;)

Ok, now why does this work? Well lets take a look at the ingredients.

MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS:

Camphor 4.73% w/w
Menthol 2.6% w/w
Eucalyptus Oil 1.2% w/w

NON-MEDICINAL INGREDIENTS:
Cedarleaf oil, myristica oil, special petrolatum, thymol, turpentine oil

Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus and cedar leaf, hell,this reads like a hippy medicine book, but there is science behind it. Volatile oils like tea tree, Oregano, and menthol that contain antimicrobial properties which for microbials like fungus this is bad news. In fact on specific study concluded:

In vitro antagonistic activity of monoterpenes and their mixtures against toe nail fungus pathogens by RS Ramsewak, MG Nair, M Stommel and L Selanders; Quote"The zones of inhibition data revealed that camphor (1), menthol (2), thymol (3) and oil of Eucalyptus citriodora were the most efficacious components against the tested organisms" http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/104525317/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Now if your infection is very severe or not accessible, (i.e under the nail and not erupted yet) you may want to consider taking the 1st coarse of prescribed drugs in addition to this treatment. Please note I did take Lam..., but I used this remedy to help clear the rest of the infection as the nail grew out and I cleared the infection that had been with me for 5 years in 3 months.

Anyone? thoughts on this...