HERBALIST - TAKE TWO

I was back at the Clinic to see Jan on Wednesday morning, to check how the change in meds is working on my stomach and to see if the medicine needed any further tweaking. It was a bright Spring day and the sun was shining so it was a nice day to venture out on.

When I arrived Jan said I'd walked up the stairs with a real spring in my step...... I pointed out that I was also barely out of breath too and that's a vast improvement as those steep stairs used to turn me into a wheezing wreck. Another sign of improvement. :0)

We then discussed my latest food diary sheets, how my stomach had been during the week, how my monthly had been and how I'd generally been feeling. The diet is going well and I'm still enjoying the plainer foods, though have found that the new tablet regime cutting out the afternoon snack occasionally leaves me feeling really hungry by the time we sit down to our evening meal - so I've started bulking up on the amount of salad I eat to try and compensate for that..... but I do have a bad habit of increasing the carb as well (rice or cous cous). My stomach has gradually settled down, though it does still have its moments - cutting out the foods I've shown an intolerance for has helped and so has the change in medicine - but there's still more room for improvement. As for the monthlies: that's where the biggest change seems to be happening, as the flooding and clotting had decreased a little to how it usually is. Jan smiled when she heard this as it's a sign that the herbal mix is starting to really get to work now but she pointed out that I may find I start a little early each month - in other words, no longer on a 28 day cycle but a shorter one. If it's only a few days and it's less trouble I won't mind. The moods were yo-yo'ing a little but that's being addressed..... I just need to give the medicine a little longer for it to work on them - compared to how I was: there are many more up days than down.

One thing I did mention was the taste of the meds. If I thought the first lot was dirty stuff...... this concoction is waaaay worse! Of course the last lot was quite pleasant tasting, so I'd got lazy about taking it. Then I had this seriously dirty stuff and, instead of chugging it to the back of my throat and swallowing, I let it touch my tongue.......... and got a full-on hit to every single taste bud in my mouth. I retched and shuddered - and every time since have made sure I chug like a well seasoned boozer! Thankfully Jan has added more mint to this mix so it's helped to take some of the edge off, though it's still far from pleasant. Still, it's working so it's worth putting up with! :0)

There was a little mild disappointment when she weighed me: I'd put a pound back on. Needless to say, the carb portion is back down and the salad and veg portions have been increased to compensate. There are still a few weeks to my holiday to get that pound and a couple more off so it's not going to get me down. :0)

Jan reckoned it was now time to tackle another of the problems that the candida fungus gives you: a leaky gut. Apparently it does something to the gut so that it allows the toxins from the waste to leak back into your system where it "poisons" your body - this is one of the main causes of all the ill health people suffer from when they have this condition. So I'm now taking an L-Glutamine capsule before each meal - that's taking a bit of getting used to. I might just start rattling when walking soon. LOL

Jan seemed pretty pleased with how things are going and has given me two weeks of medicine this time, as she'd like to see me before our holiday to double check progress.

As she was in on her own and had time to talk I then told her about the Reiki treatment and what happened. She was delighted to hear that Aureen had felt my third eye working and said how much she thought I would enjoy coming to the workshops she planned on running, once the changes have been implemented. This led on to talk of the Holistic Health Fair on Sunday and the free workshops and demonstrations that are being held there and I am so excited about it. There are going to be bellydancing demonstrations! Not only that but the lady who does them also runs local workshops.... so I'm going to get some info on those! Yay! If beginner's classes are being held, and if I can get to them, I would so love to give it a go, as it's something I've fancied doing for a long time now........ and what a great, fun way to tone up, too. :0)

Two workshops I really fancy going to are one on Singing Bowls and Sound for Healing and one on Connecting to the Shamballah with the Archangels and Ascended Masters, which I think is a guided meditation. Not sure if my meditational skills are quite up to that but want to give it a go anyway. Reckon DH will be quite happy to come along to see the bellydancing demo but not so keen on the workshops......... so, as it's being held in a function room in one of the local hotels, he'll be able to wander along to the bar area for a pint. ;0) Then there are also lots of stalls to look round with various alternative therapies to try, Tarot and Angel card readings to be had from various readers and a couple of stalls that offer a little retail therapy too, so there's plenty to see and do. Plus the hotel has a good restaurant, and Jan says they are happy to accommodate special diets, so we can have dinner there too and make a reasonable day of it.

BTW, can you tell I'm excited about this? LOL Am planning on writing up about it all so please pop back, if you're interested. :0)