2 Witches Blog » I’m A Witch On A Mission To Restore My Health

Mar

21st

I’m A Witch On A Mission To Restore My Health

Category: Health & Wellness, Lady Rose's Musings | Written by Lady Rose

The other day in a Diet Pulpit post, I wrote about my diagnoses of gastritis and Barrett’s esaphogus this past Monday. After the testing, I was released from hospital without seeing the doctor, she gave me no instructions, no information, and left me a sheet of paper by the bed with the diagnosis and a note to make an appointment with her in about two to three months. No one at the hospital even offered me a sip of water before I left, knowing that I would not have had any water or any food if over 24 hours in preparation for the procedures. I was a bit grumpy and shocked for awhile about the diagnosis and the overall way they deal with patients at this hospital. Plus I have NO symptoms at all, so I really didn’t expect them to find anything serious. The only reason I had the tests done was because they are part of the serious of checkups I need to have in order to qualify for gastric bypass surgery. However, I’m adjusting and putting all my focus on finding solutions.

FYI: Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) and Barrett’s esophagus (the lining of the esophagus changes into tissue more closely resembling the lining of the intestine, caused by GERD [gastroesophageal reflux disease] which means stomach acids are backwashing into the esophagus and causing erosion).

I am certainly not going to wait around months for the doctor to do something and let the condition just get worse. I am the type of person that believes in taking positive action. My first step was to read up on both conditions.

Gastritis is treatable by reducing stomach acid, eating soft bland foods in small amounts, losing weight, etc. I am more concerned about the Barrett’s esophagus because according to sources it is not curable (the cells of the esophagus have been changed), and sometimes if the condition gets bad enough it can require surgery to remove that part of the esophagus. It also requires an annual checkup to make sure that it doesn’t turn into cancer.

However, those medical sites don’t know me, or my determination, or what is possible through postive action and thought and natural remedies. I am one determined Witch and I plan to put all my witchy talents to work on this problem. I will not give up until I find a way to reverse the damage or at least improve it and make sure no further damage is done. The underlying cause of both gastritis and Barrett’s esophagus is too much stomach acid so I will be focusing on reducing it as well as improving my entire digestive system.

The first step, of course, is making changes to what I digest, such as not taking aspirn any more, drinking lots of water, cutting down on diet soda and eventually eleminating it all together, eating only small amounts of bland foods, etc. And I will also be doing self-Reiki regularly.

I ordered some over the counter medication, Prilosec OTC- Delayed-Release Acid Reducer. It reduces the acid and is a former prescription product in a class of medicines called proton pump inhibitors. It dramatically decreases stomach acid production and GERD (which is the underlying cause of Barrett’s Esophagus). A lot of folks highly recommend it and it is safe to take long term.

Another over the counter supplement I am going to take is Enzymatic Therapy Acidophilus Pearls, these are designed so that healthy flora (probiotic bacteria) reach the intestines where they are needed (and not destroyed in the stomach) and also these don’t require refrigeration. Probiotic bacteria is very important to having a healthy digestive system.

I am going to the health food store this weekend to see if they carry aloe vera juice. I’m looking for something like this product Natural Heartburn Relief – 4 Pack Grape Organic AloeCure® Pure Aloe Vera Juice. Aloe Vera is very soothing and healing to the skin but it is also has the same benefits to the esophagus and GI tract.

I will also see what kind of coconut water they have, perhaps something like Vita Coco 100% Pure Coconut Water and I’ll try that also for a few weeks. Coconut water restores the normal condition of the stomach within a few hours, (recommended to have 2 to 4 cups a day). Coconut water has many health benefits, such as boosting metabolism and immune system, detoxifies the body, cleanses the digestive tract, reduce the risk of cancer, and much more.

My Blendtec Blender is going to be even more useful now because it allows me to make healing smoothie potions that will really help in healing the digestive tract. I find it interesting that I just recently got the blender – perhaps my intuition was nudging me. I’m glad I listened.

One suggested remedy is drinking a daily dose of spinach-carrot juice (200 ml of spinach juice with 300 ml of carrot juice). I will probably toss in some papaya and parsley which are both good for the digestive system.

Another natural remedy is lemon water (juice of 1 lemon in glass of lukewarm water in morning, and more throughout the day). Lemon juice is actually helps make the body less acidic and more alkaline, it cleanses the liver, aides the digestive tract and elimination of waste, and many other heathly benefits.

Honey and ginger are also recommended and good digestion, but I don’t like the taste of either. I have enough things to try first before I consider adding things I don’t to my diet or chewing on a small piece of ginger.

At the end of the month I have an appointment with the director of the weight loss surgery center and will discuss with him how this will affect my qualifying for gastric bypass surgery and what he recommends as far as treatment. I know if you have an ulcer, the ulcer has to be cured first before surgery can be approved. I’m not what happens if you have gastritis and Barrett’s esaphogus, which may be more permanent or long term conditions.

I’m also going to request bloodwork to check for infection (H. plyori) which could be an underlying cause of ulcers and gastritis. It needs to be treated with antibiotics otherwise there is no cure only treating symptoms (which by the way I don’t have any symptoms!). I will also look into finding a doctor that I can see NOW to work out a treatment plan rather that waiting months for the one who did the tests.

Since I don’t have any symptoms at all, it will be impossible for me to tell if I am making progress. I will have to wait until the doctor orders another endoscopic exam, which I am hoping can be in a few months, if there is a possibility I can still qualify for gastric bypass surgery – which is tentatively planned for July or August 2009. However, if the doctors won’t do the test again for a year or so, I’ll just have to do the best I can and keep positive.

I will adjust my plans accordingly as I get more information. I am confident I can deal with the situation and restore my digestive tract to health.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

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By julia on Mar 21, 2009 |

Hi – I’m here from the Ultimate Blog Party. Sorry to hear about your gastric troubles – my mom has similar issues and has tested positive for H. pylori. She gets a lot of relief by drinking ginger root tea, but if you don’t like the taste, that’s not too helpful!

julia´s last blog post..2009 Blog Improvement Project – 6 – Taking My New Social Media For a Test Drive

By Celestite on Mar 21, 2009 |

If I may…
I have been doing some research on raw food diets. I have found that many people that do this are pretty fanatical and a little hard to talk to…and I do not want to go 100% raw. I like food too much.
But there seems to be a lot of evidence that adding raw food to your diet, almost any amount, whatever you can, can make a HUGE difference in your health and in particular, in your ability to heal.
I have started adding just some raw fruits and vegetables and some super foods….green smoothies and immediately dropped a little weight (I am way overweight), lost that bloated feeling and started feeling a little more alert.
Look into it, it isn’t hard to do unless you want to do the 100% thing (yuck).
We have to take care of our own health in this country….the “health system” is broke.

Celestite´s last blog post..Ostara wreath

By Lady Rose on Mar 23, 2009 |

Thank you both for your comments and and advice.

Julia – if adding the aloe vera, stopping the aspirin and other things I’m doing don’t help I may try the ginger – perhaps mixed with something else I could manage it.

Also – I don’t have symptoms (no pain, no gas, no indigestion) and a lot of the suggested “remedies” are to relieve the symtoms and not necessarily to the heal the condition – so I’m trying to focus on things the will heal the underlying cause.

Celestite – I could never been 100% raw either, but I have been doing green smoothies for a little while already. As a matter of fact I posted about the first green smoothie adventure on the blog a little while ago – with photos too. I brought my new blentec blender over to Mama Kelly’s and we experimented. I found it very “coincidental” that my intuition kept nudging to get the blender and start green smoothies – and a couple weeks later I get the diagnosis.