Learn how your body works

I would like to share with you, from my own experience, a journey towards better health.

In 1993 I had a complete hysterectomy. I will tell you that for me, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Had I known just how good I would feel afterwards, I would have done it sooner. But then that was me. It might not be right for someone else. I was 44 years old.

I am 50 now. My body has gone through many changes. Immediately after the surgery I noticed that things weren't in the same place, didn't work exactly the same way as before. That is only natural. It is nothing earth shattering. It just takes adjustment. Of course I took hormone replacement therapy and still do. It slows down the aging process that occurs after a hysterectomy. I must admit I am a bit vain and was going to go down the aging road, kicking and screaming. No dignified process for me. However, many choose to not use estrogen replacement therapy and that is great! We all have to decide for ourselves what works for us. I also use Progesterone in a transdermal cream to off set the ERT. There are reasons for that I will not go into now.

My metabolism has slowed down a lot. Weight had always been a problem for me, but since then, well, short of working out in the gym, the weight just seemed to appear out of nowhere. I sit at a computer all day and the lack of exercise I know is contributing to the slow down.

One thing I have struggled with is yeast infections and cystitis. Weight gain, I am sure, has contributed to the reoccurrence. We moved from a high desert region which is dry, to the south where it is hot and humid. A real problem for those types of health problems. And the weight makes it even worse. When I say struggle, I mean struggle. It seemed like every two months I was back in to the doctor for medication which seemed to work temporarily. Within two months, it would be back.

I was frustrated. The doctor had no answers. Finally I took matters into my own hands. I tried a lot of different things until I found what works for me. And that is the key. Sometimes trial and error is the only way to find the answers.

My sister told me about cranberry juice. However, while it is helpful, one has to drink so much of it that it is impossible to drink enough in one day. Then there is the sugar in the cranberry juice. Sugar causes more yeast problems. A vicious cycle.

Well, I discovered a product containing a cranberry extract and vitamin C. The extra good thing was that they were chewable. For me that is a miracle. I can't swallow pills so I have to try and find either liquid or chewable products... a nearly impossible mission.

One product was called "Super" and contained a lot more than just cranberry extract and C. It contained things like Kava Kava, Echinacea, Bilberry, and a multitude of other great herbs for the immune system. I started with the super for two days. The symptoms went away. Now that was exciting, because the super only comes in capsule form and it was all I could do to get them down. After two days I switched to the chewable. Not as potent but I could take them whenever I wanted without water or during travel.

That was not all I did. I started taking chewable Acidophilus with bifidus in strawberry flavor. The reason was beer gut syndrome. I don't know about you, but I had trouble with heartburn. Terrible heartburn. The kind that keeps you up at night. Well, I discovered from reading many articles on the subject, that the stomach acid is diluted by taking antacids. That means that it doesn't digest the food well and can cause all sorts of intestinal and stomach problems. It affects absorption as well. Much of the foods that are hard to digest just don't get digested.

Also, the weakened stomach acid leads to fermentation in the stomach which causes gas, belching and acid stomach. This same condition also allows yeast to grow in the body. It leads to yeast infections. Now, this is my own spin on the things I read. I am no doctor and no scientist. It is strictly my own understanding based on how my body works.

After starting to take the chewable Acidophilus daily, I discovered that my heartburn had disappeared. The antacids I carry in my purse and that sit on my head board have not been used in months. Also, the yeast infections, while not completely gone, have become manageable. I have been told that if I would take it daily for about three months there is a good chance I would get rid of the residual yeast that is still in my body.

Thinking back, every time I took an antibiotic I had a flare up of yeast. A natural side effect of the antibiotic that is well known. I have not had to take an antibiotic in a few months and I really think I have seen improvement in the other areas as well.

Another thing I did was take sea salt baths along with baking soda. I now buy sea salt and soda in giant sizes and keep in the bathroom. why do I do this? One day we went to the beach. I had been attacked by Chiggers in the woods behind our house. It was our first summer in the south and I was indoctrinated right off the bat. Well, I had scars and spots on my legs that were healing rather slowly. The chigger secrets a saliva that dissolves human tissue and the bits heal very slowly because of the poison.

After wading in the surf I noticed that my legs seemed much better. After the weekend of playing and shell finding, my bites were all but gone. The sea has natural healing properties I had not noticed before.

Now, if I have any problems with sweat, itches, or galling because of the heat and humidity, I take a soak in a tub of sea salt and baking soda. It soothes the irritated skin and seems to reduce the irritations. It does cause drying of the skin. I have to use lotions for that, but I do not use soap in my baths. It seems to worsen the symptoms I am trying to fight. I shower when soap is necessary.

I will be sharing more of my search for health as I go. This story has no ending because the journey has just begun. I would hope that others out there will share their own personal stories  We can all use as much information as we can get so that we can make informed decisions about our health and our bodies.

Chris

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