The key is to eliminate those things in your life that create inflammation and to introduce the type of supplements into your body which will help build you back up. Almost all of my research has shown the link between out of control free radicals and inflammation. And it is being acknowledged by a large portion of the medical community, from conventional to alternative, that inflammation triggers most diseases? Cancer, arthritis, asthma, excema, heart diseases, diabetes and on and on? It is of my opinion, and also many in the field of healing, that inflammation is triggered by exposure to unnatural substances, thoughts, stress, parasites, harmful bacteria and lifestyles.
Step 1 Drink and bathe in Pure Water. Water is everything to our health. We are made up of mostly water therefore it is critically important that the water that enters our body be of the purest form with no chemical adulterants. Find a high quality water filter for your tap drinking water and also install filters in your shower and bath. Remember…your skin is an organ. Just imagine standing there breathing in the lovely toxic chlorine fumes and absorbing all of the chemicals through your skin as you enjoy your morning shower or bath. Note – because we need an adequate amount of water not only to hydrate us, but to flush toxins out of our system. Make sure you drink ½ your body weight in ounces of pure water in order to accomplish this goal. Also, avoid like the plague whenever possible, most bottled waters from the stores. I don’t know which is worse, the plastic bottles or the water inside. The jury is out! There is much controversy over bottled water. Do your research.
Step 2 Consume a diet of “real” food, eating organic whenever possible and concentrating on a large percentage of raw foods. Raw foods are alkalinizing to our system and will help combat inflammation, the precursor of your auto-immune system breakdown. Eating organic will insure that your body is absorbing the least amount of toxic poisons in order to stave off inflammation and promote healing. Eliminate processed foods, enriched grains and flours, soft drinks and products which contain too much sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Getting rid of all the non-foods (I call them dead foods) in your life would be a major step in the direction of healing. Remember that all processed foods are loaded with chemical additives to increase shelf life and enhance flavor. These are all a foreign substance to our organism and act as an irritant to our bodies. Also too much sugar is extremely detrimental (Newsflash! Americans on average consume over 180 pounds of sugar a year per person). One sugar that should be avoided at all cost is High Fructose Corn Syrup, which is now used for over 60% of sweetening in all processed foods. This demon, virtually goes direct to your cells after consumption, and wreaks havoc with your metabolism and creates large scale inflammation. There are many books available from respected doctors and nutritionists that tout the benefits of a natural diet and can offer clear and concise details on what to eat and not to eat.
Step 3 Eliminate exposure to toxic household cleaning products, pesticides and chemicals. Did you know that almost all of the everyday consumer products that we buy at our local grocery store, are filled with toxic chemicals far more dangerous than stated on the labels? And that due to labeling laws the manufacturer doesn’t even have to tell you half of what’s in there. And that only 20% of all the products that we so willing use have actually been tested for dangers. We are being duped by big manufacturing businesses without real protection from the government. When it finally hit home that chemicals might be one of the main causes for Viv’s illness, I was a mom on a mission. But do you know how hard it was to find good safe products in our area? There are so many products out there that are manufactured by the BIG companies that are really not that GREEN although they say they are. It was very annoying trying to shop for alternative products. I would have to go to one store for one thing, and a different store for something else. It almost seemed like it was a lifetime career, and I still was not totally comfortable with the thought that maybe, just maybe these products were only just Green Screening, not really that safe after all. Eventually, after searching high and low I did locate a wonderful company that saved me a lot of time, money and searching, that has over 350 different types of products that are completely safe. Not only did they have a wonderful line of cleaning products, body care, vitamins and so on.
Step 4 Eliminate all toxic skin care products. You would be amazed at how little government controls there actually are on skin care products. Our skin is the largest organ in our body and absorbs everything it comes in contact with. That is why it is critically important to bathe in pure un-chlorinated water and to use skin care products which contain no harsh chemicals and toxins. Even as long ago as 20 years, a House subcommittee asked the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to analyze 2,983 chemicals used in personal care products. Of these 884 were found to be toxic and from these, 778 were found to cause acute toxicity. 146 were tumor producing, 218 could cause reproductive disorder, 314 could cause biological mutations, and 376 were skin and eye irritants. Also be aware that there are not the regulatory controls on skin care products producers that we would expect And when you consider just how many new chemicals have been added to the marketplace since these findings, It is plain horrifying, Beware…use only the purest products on your skin is you want a real healing of your body.
Step 5 Get the bad fats out of your life! Although fat is essential to our health, don’t be fooled, not all fats are created equal. In fact many of the commonly used fats on the market today actually cause inflammation in the body, which in turn can trigger your autoimmune disease. Eliminate all bad fats from your diet. For example transfat (aka: partially hydrogenated vegetable oil – laboratory altered fats commonly found in most fast foods), margarines, most commercially available vegetable oils such as corn, soy, safflower and “vegetable” oils. Switch to good fats such as coconut oil for cooking, olive oil for salads and dressings, and eat plenty of Omega 3 fats from wild ocean caught fish, flaxseed and flax oil, walnuts, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Also take a good Omega 3 supplement daily. Recent research has shown that not only do Omega 3 fats help you lose weight they also reduce inflammation which severely aggravates your ITP. I personally found that a good quality lemon flavored cod liver oil supplement worked the best for Omega 3’s. Omega three oils are one of the wonder foods, and are the king of all fats.
Step 6 Take a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement. Supplements can reduce inflammation and build up you immune system. But be very aware of the type and quality that you are taking. I give this warning because all supplements are not the same and just as recently as last August some very respected researchers in the field of free radical research have come out with scientific proof that most of the mainstream vitamin and mineral supplements can actually cause more harm than good, and that basically most supplements in the form and delivery system that they are currently made in render them just about useless, a waste of money and actually create more free radicals in the body.
Finally, Address Your Stress. Stress hits us all in life, and while a little stress is good — it keeps us focused and motivated — too much of it and it can grind our lives to a complete halt. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed-out, you may become paralyzed and unable to do much of anything.
Here are some tips to tame your stress today, and keep the stress monsters at bay.
- Perform diaphragmatic or “deep breathing” exercises. Sit in a reclining chair. Put a hand on your abdomen and a hand on your chest. As you breathe, make sure the hand on your abdomen is moving up and down rather than one on your chest.
- Meditate. Use visualization or guided imagery to help you learn to be one with your thoughts. Sit quietly with your eyes closed, imagining the sights, sounds and smells of your favorite place, such as a beach or mountain retreat.
- Exercise regularly or take up yoga.
- Make time for music, art or other hobbies that help relax and distract you.
- Learn to identify and monitor stressors. Come up with an organized plan for handling stressful situations.
- Make a list of the important things you need to handle each day. Try to follow the list so you feel organized and on top of things.
- Keep an eye on things that might suggest you’re not coping well. For example, are you smoking or drinking more, or sleeping less?
- Avoid using caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, junk food, binge eating and other drugs as your primary means for coping with stress.
- Learn to just say, “No” occasionally. It won’t hurt other people’s feelings as much as you think and is simply a method to be more assertive in your own life, to better help you meet your own needs.
- Get the right amount of sleep. For most people, this is seven to nine hours a night.
- Cultivate a sense of humor; laugh.
- Set aside a time every day to work on relaxation.
If these tips don’t help, or you’ve tried a lot of them with little luck in better taming the stress in your life, it may be time to consider taking it up a notch. A mental health professional — such as a psychologist — can help teach you more effective methods for handling stress in a healthy way in your life.
Remember — we do have control over the stress and choices we make in our lives. It sometimes takes a little practice and effort to put some of these techniques into play in your life. But once you do so, you may be pleasantly surprised at the positive benefits you’ll receive. (Excerpts from Lynn Ponton MD on Stress Management)
Remember…“Wellness is a journey, not a destination”.