A few weeks ago, I shared my husband’s story of recovery from mental illness and chronic pain through real food and promised to share more stories of recovery. Soon, I’ll share the story of my son who, raised on real and traditional foods, illustrates that there is hope for true recovery in the next generation. If you would like to share your story of recovery through real food, please contact me.
My Story
I was born in a small community in Oklahoma to a very young mother, and in the late seventies the world was anything but breastfeeding-friendly and, like most babies of my generation, I was raised on formula. Colicky and intolerant of milk, I was raised on specifically on soy formula – a food we now understand to be riddled with antinutrients like enzyme inhibitors, goitrogens, endocrine-disruption xenoestrogens and mineral-blocking phytate. We now know that soy formula is linked to increased risk of thyroid disease, depressed immune response, diabetes and hormonal disruption in adulthood, but, at that time, no one fully understood or recognized these risks. And as a mother, you do the best you can with what circumstances allow.
Later, I weaned to mayonnaise and white bread sandwiches, m & ms and breakfast cereals. My saving grace, nutritionally speaking, was a love of liverwurst and anchovies both of which I consumed with abandon until grade school when I learned from my peers that liverwurst and anchovies were “gross.” By then, the low-fat craze of the eighties and nineties was in full swing and my household was no exception: margarine replaced butter; vegetable oil and shortening replaced traditional cooking fats; chicken came without the skin and blue-tinged skim milk lurked in plastic jugs in the fridge. We didn’t consume sugar, except on rare occasions, though plenty of artificial sweeteners wormed their way into the home – mostly as Crystal Light. I remember craving fat so desperately, that, on the rare occasions we had real butter in the house, I’d steal away in the middle of the night and eat it by the spoonful under the cover of a darkness lit only by the pale and lonely refrigerator light.
By middle and high school, I, like most of my eco-conscious and animal-loving peers, toyed with vegetarianism. I didn’t like what I read about CAFOs, but didn’t understand that there was an alternative. Mostly, I was uninformed and believed whole-heartedly what I learned in school: that fruit, vegetables and whole grains are the keys to health; that plant-based diets are the only humane and healthy choice, and that the more soy I consumed, the better off I’d be. It wasn’t too long before I began to get sick.
Tired All the Time, Gaining Weight with No Cause
In college, even though money was tight for me just as it is for all college students, I did my best to eat well – even if that meant spiking my 25-cent Ramen noodles with fresh bok choy and kimchi. Mostly, however, my diet is best described as whole foods vegetarian with occasional dalliances with fish or chicken when I began to feel nutritionally deprived and the cravings resurfaced. I should have listened to my body.
By my junior year, I felt sick. I was gaining weight, despite eating a low-fat diet with plenty of whole grains. I felt tired all the time, from the moment I woke to when I fell asleep. Worried, I visited the campus doctors and nurse practicioners who took bloodwork, found nothing abnormal and simply concluded that I was “under stress.” Only, I didn’t feel particularly stressed out: my studies were easy, I had a loving boyfriend and I was plodding happily along.
Eventually, I just stopped going to the doctor. Tired of being told time and time again that my fatigue, my weight gain and general malaise was all in my head, I gave up and surrendered to the idea that I’d feel like that for the rest of my life.
The Diagnoses: Gluten Intolerance, Graves Disease, PCOS
A few months after I finished school and took a job, those symptoms I’d give up on started recurring with a ferocity I hadn’t expected. I tried dieting to lose that extra weight that had mysteriously crept on in the final years of school and I dutifully restricted calories and fat. I worked out regularly at a local gym. It didn’t matter. Now, I wasn’t just tired; I was exhausted. I wasn’t just gaining a little weight; I gained twenty-five pounds in three months.
At my next wellness visit, my doctor cautioned me not to gain weight so rapidly and urged me to eat low-fat foods, whole grains and to exercise more. I broke down in his examination room, paper gown and all. But I do eat right, I implored. I exercise. His eyebrow raised and he suggested that I might suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome – a condition of infertility affecting approximately 10% of women. Some blood tests and an ultrasound later and his suspicion was confirmed. Given the state of my ovaries during the ultrasound, he suggested it would be nearly impossible for me to conceive.
Two years after that initial diagnosis, I still didn’t feel optimally well. I continued to gain weight, but chalked it up to PCOS. I was still exhausted, but couldn’t sleep. I felt jittery nearly all the time, even suffering from tremors. My stomach was constantly upset, and my digestive health left a lot to be desired. Bloodwork done at a stray community health fair led to an urgent phone call: TSH (a poor indicator of thyroid health) came back almost undetectable. They suspected hyperthyroidism, which was later confirmed through full thyroid panels including antithyroid antibodies. I had autoimmune thyroid disease and was severely ill.
Given the choice between antithyroid pharmaceuticals and ablation of my thyroid by radioactive iodine, I chose pharmaceuticals with the warning from my physician that “it almost always fails.” She explained that I should give up hope of healing, undergo ablation by radioactive iodine and commit myself to taking medication for the rest of my life. That wasn’t good enough for me.
Several months under the care of an endocrinologist, my thyroid seemed to recover with hormone levels hovering at normal; yet, I was still sick. In exasperation, my endocrinologist ran a series of antibody blood tests which resulted in a diagnosis of celiac disease. At 25, I had been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, Graves disease and celiac disease. (Of course, now, blood work alone wouldn’t be used for a celiac diagnosis which usually also involves a biopsy – but that’s the diagnosis from my endocrinologist.)
Recovery through Real Food
After the diagnosis of celiac disease, I had direction. More than the task of taking pills – metformin and yasmin to combat PCOS, tapazole to combat Graves disease – I felt a new sense of control. There was a way to heal myself through food. My husband and I dutifully cleaned our cupboards removing any hint of a processed food and we adhered to a gluten-free, whole foods diet. We also began to better incorporate oily fish into our diet: wild-caught salmon in particular.
Within five months on a whole-foods, gluten-free diet, I was pregnant. I went to my primary care physician for confirmation only to have her shrug her shoulders and look at me worriedly. She said, “With your conditions, there’s no way you can be pregnant; it’s more likely there’s something seriously wrong with you.” Though tests confirmed elevated levels of hCG in my blood, she refused to confirm the pregnancy until I undertook an ultrasound – believing, instead, that pregnancy was impossible and I was simply very, very ill. It was two very hard days of worry before they could schedule an ultrasound. The doctor was wrong, and, sure enough, I was pregnant. During my pregnancy, I was able to give up the pharmaceuticals and maintain thyroid health.
During my pregnancy, I craved good foods: wild-caught salmon, cottage cheese, butter. So I steered away from that veg*n diet I toyed with for years and began eating real foods – if only because that’s what my body knew it needed. After the birth of our very healthy boy, we returned to a gluten-free, whole foods vegetarian diet, but not for long. You see, I eventually found the Nourishing Traditions in an online book swap which led me to the Weston A Price Foundation.
We began adhering to the dietary principles of the Weston A Price Foundation and our health blossomed in a way I never knew possible. I felt revitalized. I had energy. I felt healthy. Eventually, and with care, I focused on healing my gut in an effort to recover from gluten intolerance just as my naturopath suggested I might. I consumed bone broths, sauerkrauts and water kefir. After a time, I was able to tolerate a small amount of properly prepared wheat and spelt: true sourdoughs and sprouted grain flours. It was a diet very similar to the one outlined in Reversing Food Allergies, an online course offered by a friend of mine who has also successfully healed her sensitivity to food through a strategic approach to that focuses on digestive health.
A Continual Journey
Healing doesn’t take place overnight, but our bodies do have the ability to heal. They do have the ability to recover from disease, from food sensitivities and from infertility.
For me, it’s a constant struggle. I still suffer from symptoms of PCOS like overweight, though I menstruate regularly now when I never did before. I still keep an eye on the health of my thyroid with regular tests and mindfulness toward symptoms (they haven’t recurred and tests have always returned normal). I’m careful, and I choose to honor my body through real foods, traditionally prepared.
As for food sensitivities, I’ve recently noticed a recurrence in symptoms of celiac disease which has me concerned. For the last several months we readopted a completely gluten-free diet. And while I did my best to heal with the knowledge I had, I didn’t follow a strict protocol and omitted key steps necessary for recovery: an introductory diet, therapeutic grade probiotics and strategic detoxing which is why I plan to follow the GAPS diet using the online class Reversing Food Allergies as my guide.
As a culture, we expect immediate results and when we don’t get them, we throw up our hands in surrender. For me, I understand that my road to recovery is a continual journey of learning. After all, from the soy formula of my infancy, the low-fat pseudofoods of my childhood to the vegetarianism of my teens and early twenties, I spent twenty-seven years eating wrong. The five years I’ve spent adhering to traditional foods has seen miraculous improvements in my health, but I don’t expect five years of good to undo twenty-seven years of wrong. It’s a slow process, but one that does offer recovery.
Jenny, your story parallels mine in so many ways! I too was diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s) after a life of standard American eating. I healed my thyroid disease as well, but you are so right — it DOES take time, it does take patience, it takes alot of hard work, and it IS possible — but only with lots of time. For me, and it sounds like for you too, being on drugs the rest of your life just wasn’t an option and so, finding nutritional healing was really the only path for me to take. Being sick and miserable was no way to live and I knew I couldn’t continue. Thank you so much for sharing your story of healing and being so honest and reasonable. Healing from illness takes a while, but given the alternative… it is so worth it!
You’re an inspiration and keep sharing! <3
Liz, how old were you when you were diagnosed with Hashimoto? I have it as well, but it just seems no matter how well I eat, the antibodies continue to be there and even climb at times. What exactly did you do to heal with foods, to the point of not being on meds?
I just think, and this is only my theory, of course, that the earlier you detect this disease, the greater chance to get off the meds.
Grace in Pa.
email me if you’d like.
Liz,
That’s great you’ve been able to control your Hashi’s and be off meds!
Grace, I have Hashi’s too. I was diagnosed at 19, and I think I’d had it for at least a year before that. If I’d treated it naturally right away I think I would have been able to get off the meds, but the naturopath I was seeing at the time wasn’t doing a great job, and I was also in college and broke, so I couldn’t continue the treatment. Also, at the time, no one tested me for Hashi’s, they just tested my TSH, which was over 100, so they put me on Synthroid. I switched to Armour a couple of years later. It was only recently that I was tested for Hashi’s, which I had suspected on my own for years, but my doctor always pooh poohed the idea.
Eleven years after my diagnosis I had tremendous success in lowering my dose of Armour with iodine (Lugol’s). For a while I was up to 50 drops per day. My Armour dose went from 2 1/2 pills per day down to 1. I’ve been stable at 1/day for about a year. I’m doing acupuncture with my current ND and my symptoms are getting much better. He thinks I’ll probably always need a low dose of meds because my thyroid is probably irreversably damaged from being strictly on the meds for so long.
The really important thing with Hashi’s is to be completely gluten-free until you’re sure your gut is completely healed.
I’m able to balance my Hashimoto’s with a gluten free (and mostly grain free) diet, along with gut healing and addressing the underlying immune system imbalance (for me it’s TH1 cytokines) by avoiding supplements that stimulate the wrong part of the immune system and by stimulating the opposite immune path (TH2).
This is important, since Hashimoto’s is just one manifestation of a greater underlying autoimmune disorder that is usually attacking other tissues too, not just the thyroid (joint, brain and heart tissues are the most common).
I follow Dr. Datis Kharrazian’s protocol and it’s been life changing! I feel so much better than I used to and my hormones in general are also improving. http://www.thyroidbook.com
PS- a lot of Hashimoto’s patients have genetic gluten intolerance, which no amount of gut healing can resolve, so unless you’ve had the tests to determine the cause of the gluten intolerance, its better to just not eat it!
I would like to share my story and hope some of you have some suggestions to my questions.
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at age 12 and have been on 100mcg of levothyroxine (dosage has never changed) ever since. I am 24 years old. At puberty, I started menstruating at age 14, with irregular periods. At age 16, I started on Estrostep birth control pill. I then went on a different birth control, Yasmine (but I do not recall why I changed it at this time). At age 20, I was diagnosed with PMDD (post menstrual dysphoric disorder) and my GP started me on Zoloft 25mg around the time of my period. I had worsened symptoms on the Zoloft, and quickly went off of that. My gynecologist changed my birth control pill from Yasmine to YAZ at age 22, in an attempt to help with the severe mood swings I would have around my period (they were so routine, I marked them on calendars and could predict when they would come). After being on YAZ, I was gaining hope because my symptoms disappeared. My hopes were washed away when My gynecologist told me I have to go off of YAZ because my potassium levels were too high and could cause heart problems.
By this point I was extremely frustrated. I made the decision to stop taking birth control all together. I wanted to see what my body would do after being on it since age 16. My periods were all over the place. After 3 months of it not correcting itself (like I was told may happen) I knew my body was still a hormone storm. I had waited even longer in hopes of it correcting itself still, which never happened. I had been off the pill for about a year when I decided I needed to figure this out and dig deeper. I had always been a health advocate since a young age and at this point in my life, started doing a lot more research than I had ever given thought to my thyroid and other symptoms I have experienced since my teenage years (hirsutism, irregular periods, bloated all the time, tired/lack of energy (even though my thyroid levels were “normal”).
Long story short, I started on a 60% raw food 40% cooked (not methodically, this was just the ratio I could adhere to) diet about a year after no regular periods after stopping birth control pills. I also eliminated wheat/gluten from my diet after having intuition from the information I was collecting that I may have an intolerance or sensitivity to this, which could be aiding my issues. After only 1 month of doing this, I had my first regular (completely normal cycle start to finish) since I hit puberty. This was astonishing to me, so I tried it for another month, and another month, and another…having 4 consecutive normal cycles for the first time in my life. By month 5, I started to get lazy and ate a lot more gluten/wheat than I normally would have and less raw foods, more alcohol with dinners etc…and low and behold I never menstruated that month. Even though this was super irritating to me (knowing I wasn’t pregnant), I knew there had to be a correlation with the introduction of gluten into my diet. Again, I eliminated it completely and I had another period when I was supposed to (although it wasn’t as red and normal as the past – of which I believe because my cycle was off the prior month…which was followed by 3 days of spotting, 11 days after I stopped the cycle). Point being, there has to be a connection.
Throughout all of this…I have seen a highly respected endocrinologist/gynecologist at the Cleveland Clinic (who loosely diagnosed me with having PCOS and told me that my lifestyle (eating health, and very active) was keeping the symptoms at bay. His suggestion was birth control….but as you can guess, I do not want that route. I also have a good relationship with my gynecologist and endocrinologist…all of which probably get frustrated with me talking about the connection between all of this…but hey, I am trying to regenerate my body, not treat with drugs.
Because of this, I am working with a N.MD. – naturopathic doctor (distance consultation) and currently detoxing.
But even the N.MD. could not intricately advice me with one question I have:
How can I get off the levothyroxine that I am taking? I hear all sorts of things. I am going to call my endocrinologist and make an apt. to talk to him about getting off of the pill (which he will pry be extremely reluctant to tell me how to do this because he wouldnt want me to do that)…but non the less I will at least consult him. If he does not give me any answer….
is there someone out there who has been diagnosed with auto-immune hypo-thyroid and have successfully regulated their thyroid levels with raw foods, detoxing, etc? I need your help! Although I know I could just stop taking it and see what happens (while closely monitoring this) but I want to know if anyone has done this long term…and please let me know of how you did this, how long it took to regenerate your thyroid gland and regulate your hormones, as well as what you have to do for maintenance)
Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, opinions would be much appreciated!!
All my best,
Natalie
Natalie- are you in Cleveland? I don’t think I can give you specific advice on that issue, but if you are interested in help with local foods or want to know more about weston price philosophy yadda yadda I am in Cleveland and would love to help. If so, answer back on here and we’ll figure it out.
Hi Natalie,
I just saw your post. I know that was months ago and you may have come upon some answers by this point, but if you are still searching, please let me know. I’m a nutritionist and I follow many of Dr. Datis Kharrazian’s protocols for thyroid health. Thyroid issues are hard – there’s soooooo much there to address. Absolutely staying off gluten, probably forever, is one of the most important steps. But there’s more that can be done. If you would like more info, let me know.
Tiffany
This story brings back so many memories, since I was with you every step of the way. I am so glad everything is straightend out.
Another great story of being healed by food! I recently fell into finding out that the food is really the source of my problems. I have been using Creighton Model charting system for over a year now before my husband and I got married and my cycle was always all over the board and my NFP teacher always told me it was stress. When we got married in October and I continued to chart my cycles but they were getting progressively worse. After about 2 months of being married I was feeling sick fairly consistently and having severe pains in my lower abdominal area I knew there was something wrong. After looking up the symptoms I self-diagnosed myself with having ovarian cysts (My NFP teacher also had suggested that was the problem too). Thank God there are good sources out there about ovarian cysts (you have to look hard), but I looked up natural sources and came upon the e-book “Ovarian Cysts No More.” I read the whole book in one day and just totally understood everything she said. Now, I don’t believe everything she says in there (she doesn’t believe in dairy products, but that’s because of pasteurization), but she just comes to the conclusion that it is totally based on diet that causes ovarian cysts! After changing my diet, I felt so much better in less than a day! Then when I would go out to a friends house or a pot-luck and would eat the food they prepared I would feel terribly sick again. It was 100% in the food. We immediately threw away all processed foods, sugars and white flours.
We are still getting used to a new diet, but we are lucky, we live out in the country so we have raw milk, grass raised chickens and eggs, grass raised beef and are starting to make our own yogurts and cheeses! It is totally possible to change your diet!
Jenny,
Thank you for sharing your story. I imagine many of us found our way to “Nourishing Traditions” as a last resort to naturally healing our bodies. I spent many years plagued with health issues that I now am grateful for because they urged me to find a solution, a solution I would not have sought out had I been granted better health.
Like you, after adhering to the China Study and a whole foods diet, we discovered NT a little over a year ago. In that short time of following its precepts, I have been healed of chronic anemia, chronic yeast infections, recurring depression, fatigue, and a “spastic” colon (which I was told could only be healed through medication, more fiber, and less stress).
I am a believer and I love to pass on this information to friends and family who express similar concerns. One of the best parts is that if ever these issues begin to worsen, I know what to do to heal my body and my family. Thanks for letting us hear your story.
I have to really thank you for this. Being open about your story gives your whole website a frame.
I have begun to embrace real foods because they have helped me lose weight and feel better. But I had no significant problems or health issues. It just seems the morally right thing to do and in line with proper evolution. But hey, I liked losing weight and feeling better.
Non-processed whole foods are the way to go! I only wish that all people, even those without damaged guts would come around to this way of thinking.
Thanks for sharing your story, and good luck on your journey.
Jenny,
Thank you as always you have singlehandedly made my life better by sharing your continual healing through food, I feel that it is possible in this crazy culture to do what I know in my heart is right.
Many blessings to you and yours,
Janelle
Great story, thanks so much for sharing. It confirms that I’m on the right path.
Wow. This just makes me want to cry for all the people suffering now because of ignorance about real food. Thanks for sharing this. And praise God that you and your whole family are getting better!
Thank you for sharing your story.
As for the course about reversing food allergies, do you know if this diet can reverse peanut allergy? And I mean the “true” allergy that requires my son to have an epipen because of anaphylactic reactions, I’m not talking about just a food sensitivity with upset stomach or similar symptoms. I would seriously consider doing something like that if it meant he could truly be healed, but I don’t want to subject a 3-year old to such a strict diet for “nothing” (for lack of a better term).
Monika – no. The diet CANNOT reverse a true peanut allergy – which is more environmental than digestive – nor can it reverse true Celiac Disease – confirmed by biopsy.
Often it is the case that people have certain sensitivities that have built upon each other. It is proposed in the GAPS philosophy however, that with this diet, and removal of all things processed, that your son may lose his environmental allergies.
Many people have compound issues caused by and exacerbated by underlying conditions. I have a friend who had rheumatoid arthritis – guess what? She quit SMOKING, started eating healthy and she felt better…do you think I believe it was just the eating that improved her condition? No. Smoking makes RA impossible.
So, if you want to really treat your son’s condition, see an allergist. They have some new breakthroughs that can help. I have a peanut allergy myself, and two relatives with peanut allergies who have started this therapy – it worked on them – they are very young 5 & 7. I couldn’t get past a baby dose.
Good luck with your son. I know how he feels.
Allison, thank you for your reply.
He does have some environmental allergies as well (very minor, as do my husband and I) that we’re working on clearing up by cleaning up our diet.
I have heard that there are new options out there for treatment of peanut allergy, unfortunately, our allergist didn’t know of anything (wasn’t very happy with him anyway). I am planning on getting in contact with our local children’s hospital to see if they are planning any trials or new therapies that we could benefit from. I know in europe they started doing desensitizing therapies for peanut allergies with great success, so I’m hoping this will come to Canada soon, too.
I appreciate your story but please please be clear! A true celiac can NEVER have gluten again. You cannot reverse that. Gluten Intolerance is a DIFFERENT disease. Please do not perpetuate the myth that Celiac can be cured.
Hi Eleanor,
I would like to respectfully disagree. I want to be very clear that I would never encourage anyone diagnosed with CD (or gluten intolerance or sensitivity) to go back on gluten. However, I do believe it is possible to reverse the diagnosis. This is not easily accomplished, though.
You make a very important point that CD and gluten intolerance are very different from any other allergy. Many people often consider CD to be an allergy to gluten, but they are not.
As we all know, CD is genetic. And as we know, some people can carry the gene and never go on to develop the disease. But the gene can be triggered under certain circumstances, such as trauma, child birth, car accident, stress, etc, etc. But what was it that literally turned the gene ‘on’? Basically, it was a significant changes to the environment in which that person and the gene is exposed to (not just our external environment, but our internal environment, too). Science is proving that gene expression is dependent on the environment. Genes are merely a blueprint. However, different environments will read the blueprints differently. Based on these scientific facts, it is being shown that genes can not only be triggered ‘on’, but they can potentially be turned back ‘off’. I have witnessed it happen.
As I mentioned, though, this type of shift is not something easily accomplished and I do not necessarily believe everyone can do this. This is why I would never encourage someone with CD to go back on gluten. A huge part of genetic expression is based a persons belief. A persons beliefs and emotions can elicit powerful physical/chemical/hormonal/etc responses in the body. If a person does not truly believe (at a deep subconscious level) that they are capable of changing their genetic expressions, then they never will.
And as I said at the beginning, this is just my opinion. In know way do I wish to tell you that you are wrong. I just want to share my beliefs and opinions.
Very interesting theory, that I happen to believe. The point is, how do you know when you’re ready? and is it worth the risk? what happens if you start eating gluten and feel fine, only to find a year later that you’ve damaged your intestine again? and also, if the only way you can be sure of the damage is through an endoscopy, are you going to have an annual one just to know for sure whether your intestine is still fine? sounds too complicated to me, but if you see it differently, please let us know!
All very good questions, and difficult to answer. These types of questions are precisely why I suggest that I don’t believe everyone can do this. I think everyone has the potential, but whether or not they can actually accomplish it is another topic.
What is a “true” celiac? Someone who displays symptoms of celiac, or someone who has the genes for it? There are stories of people who have both genes, marking them for celiac, and yet have no symptoms, or disease in the bowl… and then there are the people who are suffering the symptoms and pathology of celiac in their gut, and yet do not carry the genetic markers.
It’s a tough question, and I raise it, because I have heard of other people who have been diagnosed as celiacs and yet eventually come to feel that they have cured their condition. Additionally, there are people who, try as they might, never overcome their symptoms. As far as it being a “myth” that celiac can be cured – I do not agree. I personally have heard too many stories of people who have done just that. They consider themselves cured, but do not eat your Standard American Diet. Many ‘former celiacs’ find they can tolerate gluten, when it is prepared appropriately – sprouted, and through ultra-long fermentation times.
In reality, what I have researched indicates that all people experience some kind of damage in the gut from ingesting gluten – but these studies just haven’t been done with foods that have been prepared in the above mentioned way….
I just responded, because, as someone who suffers a myriad of symptoms from a myriad of conditions, many of which are considered “permanent” – I wanted to not downplay an individual’s power to heal themselves – despite “myths,” “notions,” and “ideas” about what is or is not possible. Take, for example, autism – a disease considered by many to be incurable. Many parents have shown that to be untrue….
It’s very true that there are still many unknowns when talking about CD, as you mentioned. I also have noticed that some people will talk about ‘curing’ celiac disease. Although I believe the gene can be turned off and an individual could possibly re-introduce gluten under the right circumstances, I personally would not use the term “cure”. In my mind, a cure is something which anyone can easily do/take to correct the problem to a point where it would never be an issue again. To me this would mean being able to eliminate the CD gene completely. I know it would not be possible to eliminate a gene, but changing whether or not that gene is expressed is something that is possible. But changing a genes expression does not mean ‘curing’ a disease. Instead, I like to use the terms “healed” or “reversed the diagnosis”. I say this because it may be entirely possible for the gene to turn back on down the road. I think Jenny has it right, though… eating REAL food will definitely contribute to minimizing the risk of this happening in the future!
Very interesting discussion on all sides. Perhaps in another 50 years there will be exponentially more understanding of Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance so that people can make informed choices about trying to heal or reverse their situation without the question of further intestinal damage. The last thing I would want to do after finally getting my health back after decades of intestinal damage, (partially due to gluten intolerance) is to attempt to reverse it only to find out I now have the “silent” type that shows no symptoms but damages the intestines to the point of severe, irreversible damage. Some people are making very strong claims that Celiac can be reversed or “turned off” and I don’t believe there are nearly enough years of evidence or thorough test results to prove this. And who would we include in these sorts of tests? people who are so desparate for money that they might compromise their intestinal and immune systems? For me, that’s an unconscionable thought…
I know that when Celiac Disease is diagnosed, it is the very reason we have additional auto-immunity, if we do not strictly adhere to the Gluten-free diet. When you are truly diagnosed with CD, you have a geneticly pre-disposed auto-immune disease that is highly hereditary. You are born with it and it is difficult to clearly diagnose it unless you also have Dermatitis Herpetiformis on the skin, and it is biopsied. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 45 years old, and the damage was done all those years eating gluten to cause additional auto-immune diseases. The doctor did not know anything about CD in 1985! I was NOT careful about my diet, as I was not educated of the danger to my health. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Melanoma, neuropathy in my feet, osteoporosis , and it is an ongoing battle to stay as healthy as I can. Food is very important to stay alkaline and gluten-free. I know, short of a Divine miracle, that I can NEVER eat Gluten again! There is no Gastroenterologist ,who is knowledgable about Celiac Disease, who would advise you to return to eating gluten again. It will only cause more sickness! It is a chameleon disease and symptoms can be varied. I look back over the years and can say I had many symptoms that never were diagnosed correctly. Only these last few years have the doctors in America been educated about CD. There still are many who are not aware of the dangers of gluten for one who has CD. I have two sons recently diagnosed. Two more are sensitive to gluten. I have found many great tasting foods that are free of gluten, and my kitchen is kept as free as possible. Dedicated toasters, cookware etc. I hope you can stay GF and find healing completely. One good thing is that the only drug for CD is staying Gluten-free. That is how you can be healed of CD…..
I am happy for you and your renewed health, but I also believe what you have written about “recovering” from celiac disease is very irresponsible. As someone who has celiac disease, and has taken the time to learn a lot about it, I have learned that a gluten-free diet is a lifelong committment if you truly have celiac. If you were diagnosed with an intestinal biopsy and know for sure you have celiac, the treatment is a life of being gluten-free (which is, in my opinion, a wonderful way to eat).
Thanks for sharing your story – it gives us hope. I finally signed up for the Reversing your Allergies course – I’d toyed with it for a while – simply because I’m tired of not feeling well or energetic. A friend of mine who is a nutritionist and promotes Nourishing Traditions has helped me a lot this past year, but I’m ready to do more. Again, thanks for sharing.
I loved your story, it literally made me cry. I plan to follow the GAPS diet too, after years and years of suffering and continuous cutting out of offending foods. Now that I’ve started noticing increasing dental problems, I feel all the more compelled to get on with it. It is sooo helpful to know stories like your own. I hope you will be able to heal even further with the new diet. And hope that you will share your experiences here.
Thank you for your story. I have raised two of my three kids using soy formula because of my inability to produce milk and didn’t know about any of the health issues that are caused by it. I appreciate your comment “And as a mother, you do the best you can with what circumstances allow.” That comment eased my broken and desperate heart. You see the two kids who were raised on soy formula seem to always be sick (the Dr just ran blood work on my 2 year old to check for an auto immune disease… luckily it came back negative… I was never so upset and scared). I wonder if that is the connection, that the formula I gave them thinking I was doing the best for them really is causing health issues now (again thank you for your wonderful comment). I am new to Nourishing Traditions and have not looked much at the Weston A. Price foundation, but now I think I will. I’m taking your online class on culturing foods and love it. Thank you for your inspirational story of hope and healing. It sounds like many people stumble upon the Nourishing Traditions and out of desperation they give it a try and it works… maybe it will work for my family.
Is there an age limit for the GAPS diet? I’m wondering if that is what my kids need… but what do you feed kids on a GAPS diet? Growing up believing in the “Food Pyramid” it doesn’t make sense that someone could live without grains. Wouldn’t you be hungry all the time? In health classes I learned that the glucose found in whole grains is what your body uses to nourish your brain. I don’t mean to cause trouble by my questions. I sometimes feel so confused because I’m learning that most of what I learned growing up from “experts” was wrong. I believe that we need to go back to the way food use to be raised, prepared and served, but am also concerned about getting other illnesses without the use of modern sanitation… For example I am using organic milk now for making my yogurt. Is there really that much difference in nutrition between just organic and raw pastured milk? Raw pastured milk is SO expensive…
Waggie, how wonderful to be thinking of healing your children through GAPS. Children tend to heal quicker and easier than adults because they have fewer years of living on an unhealthy diet. GAPS is great for any age, even appropriate as a weaning diet for babies because of the nutrient dense foods and the absence of grains. I have my two year old on it with me. We eat lots of veggies, some meats, lots of fats, coconut flour breads, eggs, fermented dairy. The high fat content of the diet keeps you well-satiated, and when you are just looking for that feeling of fullness you can eat extra veggies, soups, etc. Once your body adjusts to a higher fat, lower carb diet you definitely don’t feel hungry (although GAPS can also be higher carb if you are eating much fruit, coconut products, sweet veggies, etc).
As for the dairy, if organic milk is the best you can get (can you get it from pastured cows?), at least make sure it is not ultra-pasteurized, and non-homogenized if possible, and make sure to culture it into yogurt or kefir.
Waggie,
The short answer is yes, raw pastured milk is superior to organic milk. Most organic milk that you buy in the store is UHP (ultra-high pasteurized), which means, basically, that it is dead. I’m sure if you read Jenny’s blog, you will find some great research on this issue.
As far as what to feed kids on a GAPS diet, there are lots of blogs and websites out there to help you. In fact, another blog I read–Health, Home, and Happiness–has a full GAPS approved meal plan that you can subscribe to. Cara, the author, is a mom with two small children who is using the GAPS diet for a variety of reasons. Keep reading and researching, and don’t give up hope!
Waggie, as others have said, fats are very filling and nourishing. As to the brain’s needs for glucose, we only need about 2 tablespoons of glucose a day for our brains, and less than a teaspoon at any given time (from various sources). Our brains can also burn ketone bodies (products of fat metabolism) for fuel, and there is an argument that they’re a superior fuel source. (See Primal Body, Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas for the science on that.) Even some endurance athletes are coming around to the realization that they don’t need huge amounts of carbohydrates from day to day. We do need some glycogen stored in our muscles for quick energy, we don’t need to eat carbs all day to have glycogen available. (Mark Sisson at marksdailyapple.com or in his book The Primal Blueprint also has tons of good information about burning fat vs burning glucose for fuel. The Blog of Dr. Micheal R. Eades is also full of useful information on all these topics.) Children seem to get away with eating lots of carbs if they are active and burn it off, but I think over the long-term it doesn’t serve them as well as a high fat, moderate protein diet with carbs coming from primarily non-starchy vegetables — in other words, a nutrient-dense diet.
i would very highly recommend reading gut and psychology syndrome the first book on GAPS from Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride!!
Great article! Would you please spell out the abbreviations. I don’t know what some of the abbreviations stand for. Also it would be great to have some websites about the GAPS diet, etc. Thanks! God bless you and your family!
Thank you for sharing your story. Mine is much the same. After a long battle with misdiagnoses I finally met up with a natural doctor who truly listened to me and helped me fight my way back to health. After a year of being gluten free, eating organic food, detoxing and taking care of myself I have my life back. Healing yourself naturally does take time and patience but it is worth to feel whole again. I would urge those out there to open their mind and give alternative health practices a chance. Don’t give up on yourself.
Your story made me cry! I am so happy you are in a good place now=). I have had a long road myself with different things but there is definitely a very bright light at the end of that tunnel!
I wanted to also say my family was bowled over with the fermented french fries and ketchup! I love your presentations and hope to grab a class since I couldn’t spring for the entire series.
Thank you for everything!
Your story made me cry! I am so happy you are in a good place now=). I have had a long road myself with different things but there is definitely a very bright light at the end of that tunnel!
I wanted to also say my family was bowled over with the fermented french fries and ketchup! I love your presentations and hope to grab a class since I couldn’t spring for the entire series.
Thank you for everything!
Sorry for the double post, only submitted once
I have Hashimoto’s Disease – and do not take thyroid meds. My cause was more due to heavy metal poisoning (per my MD/ND and testing) and it has taken years of several detoxs to help my thyroid recover (and it is trying but is not 100% healthy yet). I do take potassium iodide for my thyroid health (it’s the only nutrionaly iodine out there my body seems to tolerate). No synthroid or armour (I did originally take the armour but my thyroid didn’t want it anymore as it wanted to do it’s own work! YAY!!!) I’m still growing in my ability to eat a healthier diet and do find though that sugars and starches are not my best friend, although I can have some in moderation (I don’t have Celiac’s- just more of a gluten sensitivity I think). Thanks for sharing your journey though. It’s too easy to go to a doc and expecxt the to “Fix” it and so many people assume that once they have an autoimmune disease that they will ALWAYS have it – but my hope and prayer is that as I continue to pursue my health – eventually I will not have the antibodies which can predispose me to other auto-immune diseases and even cancer.
Wow, this is one amazing story… you know, I recently prepared your cultured ketchup and we found it delicious!
I love your website and recipes. I think you are the most talented cook of all the Weston Price inspired bloggers I know. I read your story and felt so happy for your recovery, and that of your husband. (I couldn’t stop myself from thinking whether not eating wheat would help you even more?)
I agree with the other commenters that you and your colleague from the reversing food allergies should be a little cautious, especially with real food allergies and celiac disease, which are arguably permanent. The course’s goal seems to be just to be able go back to pizza and cupcakes. It amazes me, as I would give all my fortune and would never ever touch a single grain again if someone took all my symptoms away (I’m doing GAPS for celiac disease). I’ve been less sick than you but also have recovered much more slowly than you have.
I wish you the best in your recovery, and please keep posting more amazing recipes!
For those of you wondering about GAPS, the website of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (who wrote the Gut and Psychology Syndrome book) is http://www.gaps.me
Another website with good info is http://www.gapsdiet.com
Thank you, Jenny. You have made an incredible difference in my life. I have lived many parallels to your story and have shared this post, now, on Facebook. I know timing is everything. My hope is that now….or in the future…others in my circle of good friends and family may benefit.
I too raised an eyebrow when I saw “recovery.” What does she mean, I thought. Then I decided that she meant your gut (small intestine) can recover. Now, I’m not so sure. The gene getting switched on and off is an intriguing idea, and it may pan out to be true. But I’d like to see some science first.
Maybe the author could expand upon her use of “recovery.”
Thanks – good article.
Thank you for putting your story out there. I was diagnosed a little over a year ago with type 1 diabetes, LADA in fact. I recently found and started reading Nourishing Traditions as well. There are a lot of things that I just cannot tolerate in terms of grains, but I whole-heartedly believe in the rest of the traditions. In fact, I stake my health on it.
Wow… thanks for sharing your story. Mine is similar, if much longer. I am now 53 and just in the past year have I given up gluten and added iodine, but I know I am on the right track… my body is telling me so! I am taking Ann Marie’s class too so I will see you online!
I really appreciated this post. We have been trying for six years to conceive naturally, and my husband has suffered from Grave’s. We recently discovered Nourishing Traditions and have been working to incorporate those principles into our diet and lifestyle. I have enjoyed reading your blog, and plan to take a stab at making my own lard once I can get my hands on some organic pig fat.
Thank you for sharing.
i’ve been reading a LOT about the GAPS diet lately and am interested in trying it, though also a little wary as i’m still nursing our son. i was diagnosed with hashimoto’s thyroiditis about two years ago and went on a strict gluten-free diet as a result. my thyroid is better, but i’ve never been happy with the gluten sensitivity diagnosis (especially after discovering weston a. price), so the GAPS diet and the premise behind it makes so much sense to me. i’ll be interested to see how it all works for you. thank you for sharing your story!
Wow, it is so amazing a story similar to mine. I was ill for 4 years before I was finally diagnosed with PCOS. This was after my doctor told I was fat and needed to lose weight (I was working out daily and had become a vegetarian at that point) and I had gone to another doctor & expressed worry.
Luckily the second doctor listened and tested me for everything under the sun. I do hope that someday they stop giving women Metformin, which made me violently ill, and that more doctors will suggest a natural diet. With the support of my doctor I started using Traditional Chinese medicine which has also helped immensely. Keep sharing your story, there are many women out there who need to hear it!
A well written , heartfelt story of recovery.Congratulations on intuitively following your personal truth..I am sure it will be inspirational for a lot of people. I agree with your philosophy and always have believed that WHOLE FOODS MAKES WHOLE PEOPLE! Looking forward to more from the nourished kitchen. THank you for the great service you provide, bringing hope to many.
Wow. That’s quite a story! I was dx with PCOS 3+ years ago. I recently stumbled my way back to NT and WAPF…and so far, I’m gaining more weight. I surely hope to see it go in the other direction, but I wanted to say that blogs like yours are inspiring to people starting out…..I went the metformin route, and that stuff made me SO INCREDIBLY SICk< i stayed on it for 45 days. Not sure why I did that. I've been taking Yaz for 4 years.
I'd so love to drop 60 pounds eating this way….I hope it's the answer to my struggles. Congrats to you and your family for living this lifestyle and reaping it's benefits.
Cheers!
Marie
I’ve never written you before but I find myself struggling with some of the same things. I recently signed up for the “Reversing Food Allergies” class you recommended, and I’m so excited! I was told by a naturopath to cut gluten out of my diet and that’s how I originally found you, looking for gluten free recipes. I hope to be able to reintroduce gluten to my diet even if only to be tested for celiac. (once you’re off gluten you will test negative for celiac) I am of the understanding though, that if you have celiac disease it is genetic and there is no cure. The only thing to do is keep all gluten out of your diet. I also have Hashimoto’s (hypothyroid disease) and am being treated with Armour Thyroid (finding the right dose is difficult). Any way, thank you so much for all your recipes and stories and I hope you stay well!
We now have science that shows that biology is not destiny. An excellent book called Nature Via Nurture, using twin studies, describes how genes DO turn off and on … in response to environmental factors.
For example, you can acquire Hashimoto’s in mid-life (you were not born with it) but there has to have been a trigger. It’s not always wheat, but let’s face it … in the 60′s even the most conscientious moms were giving us wheat products at every meal and for snacks in between. If you stop eating wheat, that particular trigger is removed.
I know not what the healing factors are for the gut in such a case, but autoimmune diseases usually originate in the gut, where the immune system performs much of its defense activities. And the gut can heal.
Just the other day I read again about studies showing how genes not only turn off and on, but actually alter themselves in response to stimuli.
What a great service you provide, Jenny, by taking the time and effort to live the way you do and to share with us all on your blog. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing. I’m looking forward to reading this. I’d also suggest the book ‘Biology of Belief’ by Dr. Bruce Lipton. He does a great job explaining the science and mechanisms behind genetic expressions and how their state can possibly be altered.
You’re doing great, Jenny! I am still following many of the principals of the GAPS diet. I still cook all the recipes and only veer from the path slightly on the weekends. I feel sooooooo much better and it healed my daughter’s eczema!! I still post about it often. Much luck with everything.
What a wonderful post! I’m definitely going to be sharing this with friends and family. I got my first copy of the GAPS book a few years ago and have within the last couple of months committed to it completely in order to help my kids (ages 6, 3, and 1) overcome recurring strep throat and avoid surgery. Right now they are all strep-free for the first time in 7 months and I am so excited! I’ve also read Nourishing Traditions and am devouring everything I can find about WAPF. It’s interesting how a health challenge/struggle can be a blessing in disguise. This journey has led us to information that will bless us for the rest of our lives.
To Waggie: There is no age limit for GAPS–it is wonderful and healing for everyone! Check out gapsdiet.com. There is a section on feeding your baby (all this info is also included in the most recent reprint (2010) of the book).
To Noraine: Gapsdiet.com has a ton of information on it. From that page you can click on http://www.gaps.me as well, which has wonderful information. There’s also a gaps guide blog linked to it, which is great.
Best of luck to everyone! Thanks for sharing your stories.
Jenny, I’ve only recently found your website as I was searching for a good liver pate recipe. I used your recipe a couple weeks ago and it was delicious!! I also enjoy reading your health and food tips … hoping to incorporate and experiment with some of them myself from time to time. Thank you so much for your inspiring work.
- Grace
This article was good, but one thing extremly upset me. My nine year old daughter has Celiac disease. You can heal and recover from a gluten intolerance. You can heal the gut from Celiac disease. You can not get rid of Celiac. I am so tired of people saying such dumb things. YOu can follow the diet, Live symtom free, and prevent other auto- immune diseases.
Thank you for sharing your story. I love hearing how people heal/reverse symptoms by changing their diet. I so believe this, and I just wish more people would come to see that getting rid of sugar, etc and eating whole foods can take care of so many problems. For myself, I was diagnosed with Candida. I’ve been working with a chiropractor since July and have lost almost 50 pounds. I feel much better and hope to get pregnant soon. I do miss sweets and occasionally I indulge, but I know that the way I eat now is so much better for me!
Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing! I linked to this on my FB page. Best wishes, Erica
Jenny, I meant to write a comment after I read your husband’s story. Unfortunately I read it on my phone and that format was not easiest to express how grateful I am that you are writing about a situation and experience that is all too common for many people. I’m glad that you were able to defy the belief of medical professionals and heal with the power of real foods.
Your story is very inspirational and I am sure it will help many! I just love a happy ending which includes no drugs!
I, too, recovered from Hashimoto’s and Graves Disease (hyperthyroid only) without taking any medication to prevent the production TSH. I did, however, take a beta blocker to slow down my system, as I had a heart rate as high as 148 bpm and high blood pressure.
My endo wanted to place me on a thyroid suppressant drug and I begged her to just let me wait it out a little longer. The next time I went to see her my thyroid was in the normal range. If I had taken the meds she would have contributed it to that.
Prior to seeing her one doc told me I was a nervous woman and should take a 4 months off of work or whatever I needed to do to destress. Another wanted to give me a psychiatric prescription. I knew it was my thyroid all along. One chiropractor told me that your thyroid does not show up as being abnormal in blood tests until it is about 60% off track. She was so right! I had previous blood tests showing it was normal. Luckily I found a doctor who would not give up.
I found 3 things which helped me immensely: avoiding stress. (I know easier said than done.); eating healthy; and getting a good night’s sleep, I believe that avoiding stress triggers are the most important. I had gone on a gluten-free diet during my worsening of my thyroid, which the doctors were all unaware of at the time, but it did not help me any. My thyroid became worse, despite the gluten-free diet. At that time I was not eating any sugar, dairy, fermented products, alcohol, etc., but was eating corn and soy. I have since removed most soy products from and am finding corn bothering me now. I am ready to get back on the bandwagon of avoiding all dairy, fermented products, etc., as well as corn and soy.
In my research and by interviewing professionals I have learned that soy contains an estrogen-like element. I finally figured out that even if you think you need estrogen that it best by getting the same amount every day, or 12 hours through bio-identical hormones, versus through soy. And males certainly should not be consuming soy.
Meanwhile, I would never eat gluten again, as I believe it slowly wears down the vilia (hairlike follicles) in the intestinal tract. Of course, some are more susceptible than others.
Keep up the wonderful work you are doing to help so many!
Graves Disease makes it impossible to get a good night’s sleep. Insomnia is a symptom and very real problem with Graves.
I am not convinced diet can resolve Graves, but pharmacuticals can. There is not always a need for surgery. I was able to manage mine with meds and then reach equilibrium. My endo wanted to remove my thyroid, but I was willing to try the meds to keep my thyroid.
Interestingly, I was Rx w/ CD last year. Diet did reverse the severe malnutrition that is a result of years of the disease, but again, I am not confident it means I can eat gluten. I am not even certain why I would want to go back. It is inconvieniant, but frankly my diet is much better now than it ever was. My family has benefitted also.
Thank you for this excellent post! These heartfelt true stories are what inspire others who are still trying to find their way through the maze of misunderstandings and “cures”. My journey has many similarities to yours and these heartfelt commenters. Soy formula as a baby because I was allergic to milk formula. I believe it set the tone for the next few decades of migraines, bronchitis, sinus, constipation. The birth of my daughter triggered systemic candida. I now believe I had gluten intolerance for my whole life given those early years of symptoms. I had chronic sinus infections, chronic vaginal yeast infections, chronic constipation, chronic fatigue along with the Epstein Barr virus, and more.
At age 40 it was discovered I had massive uterine fibroids. I was unwilling to have surgery because my health had been so bad for so long I wasn’t sure I could recover from the surgery itself. I gradually found my way to Nourishing Traditions and Healing with Whole Foods, acupuncture, chiropractic (she was the only one who could look at my complete situation). I had recovered most of my health but still had chronic sinus, constipation and mild fatigue. By then I had developed skin rashes. Sometimes I would be absentmindedly scratching all the time! Rather unprofessional looking, eh?
At about age 50 I developed an umbilical hernia. I also met my future husband who had a holistic MD he was happy with. I had given up on doctors for many years by then, with all the misdiagnoses and simply not knowing how to help me. I went to this doctor, she diagnosed the gluten intolerance, Hashimoto’s, other food sensitivities and strongly urged me get the hernia repaired. I unhappily prepared for the surgery while drastically changing my diet, going off all gluten and other sensitive foods within 48 hours. By the time I went for the pre-op visit the surgeon asked me what I had done since the hernia was gone! She said I didn’t need the surgery any more but she could still put in a few stitches just to be sure. I had my clothes on and was out the door in 2 seconds, ecstatic that I beat yet another surgery! The gluten-free diet allowed my belly to come back to its regular size allowing the hernia to close up.
Thanks for the opportunity to share!
I love your story Jenny!
So inspiring! Thank you for sharing. The more people who tell their personal stories of healing, the more people will try to heal themselves. On a personal note, your words reminded me of why I am 3 months in to the GAPS diet and why I need to stick with it!
Thank you Jenny! You are an inspiration.
I just sent you an email, letting you know how much I was touched by your post about your husband. This one parallels my own journey through illness, and healing with traditional foods. Considering how widespread the low-fat high-carb fake-food craze hit in the 1980′s and 90′s, I bet it resonates for a lot of women our age! Thank you so much for sharing your family’s stories with us.
Thank you for sharing a piece of yourself. There is so much hope in your story!
I have a son who is very ill, he gets well and then he gets sick again, it’s almost like having aids, his immune system is so damaged from all the antibiotics that “well intentioned” doctors gave him that his immune system gave up, now the good bacteria are all gone and there is nothing left in his gut but parasites and candida (yeast) — this was confirmed with a stool test. Now the candida is so bad that he has become allergic to everything, he can’t eat wheat, dairy, gluten, sugar, carbs, bananas, eggs, the list goes on and on . . . he is only 5 years old with no hope in sight at this point. Doctors caused this damage to him but now we are left alone to fix all the damage ourselves, very stressful on a parent to do. This is what antibiotics can do, they destroy bodies and immune systems, very sad that doctors can do this, yet they are not required to fix the damage that these drugs cause to our children, very sad . . . GAPS diet and others would work if he would eat the food, he won’t eat it, if he won’t eat it, then we can fix him, dead end street?? Hopeless . . .
To Worried Mom:
My heart broke reading about your son! This past year has been hard for my family as well, with round after round of antibiotics trying to treat my children (ages 6, 3, and 1) of recurring bacterial infections. The medicine just wasn’t working, so we started GAPS, and things are looking up. Have you read the section on GAPS about getting a resistant eater to eat the food? I feel it’s very encouraging, because Dr. Natasha takes you through it one bite at a time. We have also been using the therapeutic strength probiotic supplement produced by Bio-Kult (sold on gapsdiet.com) several times a day to try and repopulate their systems with good bacteria.
My heart certainly goes out to you. Good luck on this journey to healing for your sweet little boy!
Thank you so much — we need luck and a miracle too. He was so sick at one point his hair was falling out, now it’s tummy aches, diarrhea, constipation and chronic ear and sinus infections with no end in sight ! We have found an herb called “Mastic gum” that seems to be helping him a lot with the parasites and pain — I have the gaps book and I have the gaps cookbook as well, I cooked the foods and he wouldn’t touch them. I did read the part about picky eaters, but I can’t remember the details now since it was a few months ago, but when I try to get him to try one bite he gags and sometimes vomits it up right at the table, the Candida has changed his taste buds, so food really does taste very bad to him, even foods that he used to love like chicken now taste like dirt to him, poor thing has missed so much school now that we may have to home-school him. He is on diflucan now to kill off the infection, but other than that we only use natural medicines now. I wish there was a doctor who really knew how to fix this, but it could take years to fix and I will NEVER EVER put my children on another antibiotic again, unless it is literally life or death…I learned the hard way for sure, sadly.
You need help… support. Anything is hard to do with a small child, ESPECIALLY a sick one. Are you in the Weston A Price foundation? Whether you are or not, you need to go to the website (www.westonaprice.org) and find a chapter leader near you. Tell them your story and that you need help healing your son. My eyes are welling up as I write this. You can heal your son. There are people who can help you. Also, the better your son feels, the better he will be about eating new foods. I am not qualified to say this, other than being a mother of small children myself, but don’t be afraid to cheat a little in the beginning. Put the probiotics in maple syrup if you have to. Put ketchup in the soup. Do the least offensive things you can to get your child to start consuming the really important things. He needs stock and probiotics to heal his gut. He needs liver and fish eggs to give him some super concentrated nutrition. You can get dessicated liver and put it in maple syrup. you can buy that sushi roe that they put on California rolls on line (kids live that stuff). But, most importantly, FIND SOME HELP! You and your son need it and deserve it.
Another unqualitfied comment – maybe the chapter leader can direct you to a qualified homeopath. Homeopathy can help your body do amazing things if the right remedy is used
Just had another thought… he’s a boy. Maybe you could go the other way and make the food look disgusting and play some sort of boyish food games. I don’t know how to verbalize my idea (obviously) but I’m just saying that boys are often fascinated with gross.
Thank you these are very great ideas, I do need help as I am exhausted and have tried so many things, this is not easy to fix. It takes patience and time, and things that I seem to lack these days. — funny you mention weston a price, I just started meeting a new group each Thursday morning in a parking lot here locally (to pick up my raw milk) and one of the women from this raw milk group is a local leader of Weston a price, she didn’t seem very talkative though so I didn’t push the issue with her. I did ask the organic egg lady (who sells eggs from her car near the raw milk) if she knew how I could heal my son and she says that I need to try the Gerson Therapy — however the Gerson therapy sort of contradicts everything that Weston A Price says? It’s all so confusing, each diet contradicts the other and I am left with my head spinning and wanting to crawl in bed and pull the covers over my head . . . But I won’t stop trying to heal my son. — Today I am taking him to a Naturopath who does muscle testing, to see what I am giving him that he is reacting badly to. Right now he can’t have much, he is allergic to many foods (21 common foods).
Worried Mom,
Hi. I’m sorry to hear about your son. I have two boys (age 6 & 4). Collectively, they are allergic to 23 foods. My oldest son was diagnosed eosinophilic esophagitis. We had to change his diet and the way we prepare food. My other son didn’t have eosinophils in his esophagus, but after he was scoped, it showed that he had a thickened esophagus, hernia and multiple duodinal ulcers. We have also changed his diet – based on his food allergies. We travel about 2 hours to see a pediatric gastroenterologist. They also get tested with patch and prick testing for food allergies. It’s frustrating. I’m wondering if your doctors ever looked into this?? My children are thriving and healthy again, with the diet changes that we’ve implemented. My older child also will supplement his limited diet with neocate grape splash. I hope this helps you.
Oh Jenny, thank you for this post, it gives many of us so much hope !! — I shared your story with my 900 friends on my Facebook account too. It is a great story of success and sends the message of hope to us all. I do believe that food is our medicine. I love your husband’s story too, amazing, but I am not surprised that food can have this kind of impact on a brain, food is either the poison or the fuel for the brain. – thank you for sharing both of your intimate stories, it means a lot to me and to others as well <3 <3 <3
Went on an elimination diet & had no symptoms when I reintroduced gluten or dairy. Am allergic to other foods: soy, corn, citrus, peanuts. Is elimination of gluten still required for this dietary regimen?
Jenny- I find comfort in your honesty. I have suffered for so long. There are still many people around me who don’t understand or believe my sickness. They can’t relate to the indescribable exhaustion I fight daily. Reading your story I had to tear up. This battle isn’t something that any conventional doctor I have ever gone to has helped me with and the suffering has deepened.
I was told by a very very young female doctor that because of my age there couldn’t be anything wrong with me hormonally (or otherwise)… that my issues, poor health, menstrual problems, etc was all depression and all she could do for me was prescribe an anti-depressant. I had to see a doctor specializing in bioidentical hormones who believed me and tested me and realized I needed hormone therapy among other things. After ONE month of treatment I got pregnant. We had been trying without success for a year. Unfortunately, I had to stop hormone treatment during the pregnancy and nursing and cost (paying out of pocket) was prohibitive. But before stopping treatment test results came in that I had three forms of candida in my gut and no good bacteria. Now I knew for sure where a large portion of my illnesses was coming from!
I haven’t stopped there. I have kept searching for away to make myself feel healthy. It is so easy to just surrender to the idea that this is how I will feel until I die. I now have hope. Via my diet and real food I can find health. I discovered Body Ecology Diet among other things and I can slowly crawl my way out of this hole and I can heal my family and provide a future for my son of health. It is as you say. You don’t replace a whole life time of ill health in a few months but baby steps and you can get health back. I have hope.
Thank you again for sharing your story. It encourages me greatly.
Jenny of Nourished Kitchen,
Your story brought tears to my eyes. Everything you discussed was everything I have dealt with. I am posting my story as all the stories here have given me a new sense of “You are Not Alone”.
I was finally diagnosed with PCOS when I was 37 years old after a miscarriage. My ordeal started after I returned from Bosnia, I was an Army Nurse deployed there. I still blame all the “experimental” deployment shots, the Depo they made us take and after taking those drugs is when all the symptoms started for me. I went from a size 6 to a 14 in a matter of 6-8 months. They told me it was stress. I have no proof of this of course.
It was from this moment on I looked into things and PCOS weight gain can be controlled by the GI (glycemic index) diet. Big words for following a natural diet rich in vitamins and rich in natural protein-Natural everything-nothing processed, nothing fake or artificial. Does this help with the weight gain? Sometimes, it just keeps it under control, and by no means am I skinny again. I watch what I eat. In fact I eat less than 1300 calories a day, I splurge once in a while, and by that I mean I only eat half the meal (most often its a burger and fries or pasta). I watch everything I eat. I stay away from refined sugars and “toxins”. The most insignificant change in my diet brings on anywhere from 8-15-20 lbs at any given time. I can balloon up to 40 lbs within a month if I am not careful. By no means am I skinny anymore but at this point it all counts.
My story:
I miscarried my first and only child (7 months of pregnancy) at the age of 37. The PCOS diagnosis came within a month and they told me that although I COULD get pregnant I could not possibly carry a child to term. I was devastated. They told me that by the time I was 40 I would either have a thyroid problem or diabetes, since PCOS is a precursor to hypo or hyperthyroid disease and Type II Diabetes.
At 40 and 7 months they diagnosed me with Diabetes type II. I am now 42 going on 43 and I have been recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism-The third in the trilogy of unexplained weight gain- A triple whammy in the inability to lose weight.
A few months ago:
I knew there was a reason why I was so tired ALL the time, no energy and the things I once loved to do were now something I had no desire for nor did I care, and the uncontrollable crying. I can honestly tell you that from the age of 41 until my hypothyroidism diagnosis, no one could understand my “depression” that is what they called. I refused to go on depression meds because I KNEW it was not that. I insisted on tests and finally my doctor said “I am going to check the enzyme levels of your hormones and your thyroid”. I remember going to this visit and crying for no reason and telling my doctor “there is something wrong with me and I don’t feel sad”. My doctor left me a panic message on my cell to come to her office immediately, the thoughts of cancer and brain tumor were echoing in my head. A death sentence. As it turns out my hormone levels were as my doctor told me “a mess” my thyroid an even bigger mess. My T4 was 22 but my TSH was 73 which is supposed to be .5 to 4.5 . A clinical crisis-also I later found out was the thyroid levels of suicide victims upon autopsy.
My doctor tells me although I have “mild’ symptoms now, I know my bikini days are over. I was a great runner, fun-loving person who was involved in all sorts of things all of which I just abruptly stopped because I could not put my finger on the “there is something wrong with me” phenomenon. I am finally starting to feel like myself again and unfortunately I take 3 pills every day for the rest of my life I know its for the best. My doctor tells me that within the next 5 years I may be looking at an insulin pump so I will try to beat that milestone by doing what I have to do and that is eat right and naturally.
Marisa
Isn’t it awful how doctors know so little and think they know so much? Then you wake up (if you’re lucky), and realize – hey, if I want to get better I’ll have to do it myself. Well, of course. We are responsible for ourselves. We’ve just been trained not to be.
Thanks for posting your story. I have suffered from lifelong allergies and asthma and developed chronic fatigue syndrome in my early 30s. A switch to an organic diet, with an emphasis on traditional foods, such as raw milk, animal proteins & fats, fermented foods and low grain/sugar has made a radical difference. recovered from CFS and my allergies and asthma are a great deal better!
Such a beautiful and honest post, thank you so much for sharing it with all of us! It really does break my heart to hear so many stories, all of them so similar, about women having to lose their health and get so low before discovering whole foods, and vibrant health! Your story, of course, made me think of my own vegan journey, in which I ultimately became very, very ill. And it was only when I introduced animal products back into my diet, eliminated soy and minimized wheat, that I began to feel better. SO much better. I still can’t believe how quickly I regained my health.
Here in Saudi Arabia it is challenging, and sometimes impossible, to find a steady supply of organic, pastured meat, but it’s getting better all the time and we do the best we can.
I hope your health continues to improve. I’m glad to have discovered your website!
I’ve enjoyed this article and the follow-up comments. I began following a gluten-free WAPF-style diet in the beginning of 2009. About a year late I went for my annual physical and doctor found my TSH had skyrocketed! I got tested further and was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. I’ve been on Levoxyl for a year now and my TSH is still high and my total cholesterol continues to climb and climb and climb – though I still try to eat nourishing foods in the WAPF manner. Actually I don’t know what my numbers are right now as I refuse to go back to the endocrinologist I’d been sent to, who immediately wanted to put me on STATINS for my cholesterol. I knew right then she was not the doctor for me. I have an appointment in May to see a holistic nurse/practitioner and I have high hopes for that. Her philosophy? :
“We search for distinct root causes of health issues and use holistic, natural approaches as treatment. Dietary and lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements, herbs and homeopathic remedies are always the preferred methods of treatment. Medications are reserved as a last resort in holistic treatments because they often mask the symptoms of illness rather than addressing the root cause.”
This fits much more with my own preferences, so hope this can help my health too!
By the way, I guess I’m old enough to be your mom as my son was also born in the late 70s (1978 to be precise) and I found the late 70s to be *totally* friendly to breast-feeding. Everyone I knew breast-fed. I breast-fed my son and never even imagined or considered doing anything else. I had total support from my obstetrician, pediatrician, the hospital where I delivered. The only question the hospital asked was “breast or bottle” to pair you with a roommate doing the same thing (as the bottle babies were not brought in to their mothers for a 2 AM feeding). The split between breast and bottle mothers was about 60/40 with more emphasis on breast-feeding. Maybe most babies of your generation in Oklahoma were bottle-fed. But in the northeastern US at least breast-feeding was all the rage in the late 70s. Bottle feeding was certainly acceptable too, but most women I knew felt sorry for mothers who either didn’t or couldn’t breast-feed. Breast-feeding was strongly encouraged. My pediatrician was totally in favor of it. The late 70s was a great time for breast-feeding moms!
Wow, so many comments! Despite that, I need to add my voice of appreciation! Thank you, Jenny, for sharing your story. I was moved to tears by the journey you have been on, and the journey you are still on. Having suffered from interstitial cystitis (a horrible disease, apparently incurable, that disappeared after I changed my diet), I know how scary some health challenges can be – and how much work and love they can take to heal. But how incredibly rewarding it is to heal yourself with the right foods! And how much we learn about ourselves in the process!
From the bottom of my heart I congratulate you for five years of discipline, wisdom, perseverance, and love. And thanks for letting all of us benefit so much from those five years, too!
thank you for sharing your inspiring story in such an honest and eloquent way
Jenny, this brought tears to my eyes. Your journey is very inspiring. Waggie, as others have said, fats are very filling and nourishing. As to the brain’s needs for glucose, we only need about 2 tablespoons of glucose a day for our brains, and less than a teaspoon at any given time (from various sources). Our brains can also burn ketone bodies (products of fat metabolism) for fuel, and there is an argument that they’re a superior fuel source. (See Primal Body, Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas for the science on that.) Even some endurance athletes are coming around to the realization that they don’t need huge amounts of carbohydrates from day to day. We do need some glycogen stored in our muscles for quick energy, we don’t need to eat carbs all day to have glycogen available. (Mark Sisson at marksdailyapple.com or in his book The Primal Blueprint also has tons of good information about burning fat vs burning glucose for fuel. The Blog of Dr. Micheal R. Eades is also full of useful information on all these topics.) Children seem to get away with eating lots of carbs if they are active and burn it off, but I think over the long-term it doesn’t serve them as well as a high fat, moderate protein diet with carbs coming from primarily non-starchy vegetables — in other words, a nutrient-dense diet.
This entire article and story could have been written by me. Unbelievable that I’m not the only one who is going through/went through the exact same thing.
Hi, a friend of mine just sent me this story because I’ve had similar problems over the years that I have been healing as well through whole foods and fermented foods. I wanted to comment because I’ve never heard of anyone being “cured” of celiac disease. When you write that your symptoms are coming back I was concerned for you trying to eat gluten again in your life. I may be stating something you already know but it is not a food allergy, celiac is a hereditary autoimmune disease that damages your small intestines. People with celiac disease can even be symptom free but still be damaging their intestinal walls. You don’t “get” celiac disease, we are genetically wired that way, it’s just that some can be symptom free for a long time. I guess I would just caution bringing gluten back into your diet as a goal. Wheat really isn’t necessary in our diets anyway, it is very much a filler food no matter how it is prepared.
I am so happy to read your story about finding your own way amid so much mainstream media and influence over “what is good” for us and “what isn’t”. Your last comment is truly inspiring… We cannot expect to undo years of eating a certain way and the toll it takes on our body. Congratulations on your determination and perseverance. You are inspirational, and another reason for me to take a good hard look at all that Weston A. Price’s teachings has to offer. Thank you for your courage to share your story!
What and excellent story and final conclusion! Thanks for sharing!!
Hi all,
I am wondering if any of you with these various thyroid and other disorders have been tested for heavy metal poisoning. It has been implicated in situations like this, and if you have it, and don’t clear the heavy metal, you will have ongoing obstacles to cure. I have been diagnosed with heavy metal poisoning and have been working on it for three years, with the help of a naturopath. It is not a pleasant process but this is definitely a case of “better out than in.” Also, FYI, I am a spiritual healer and in touch with many other such types, but I have chosen to use drugs and naturopathic methods for this problem. In general I am very anti-drug, pro-diet, pro-yoga/Qi Gong, etc., but if this is something you are dealing with, I suggest you cut to the chase and use the chelating drugs with the help of a naturopath, along with the supportive methodologies that are more natural. I am almost clear now of the metals and it is like night and day.
Holding a vision for everyone’s wellness: no matter the path, may we all find our way to that home, easily and smoothly, now.
Amy
I am glad that so many people have had sucess healing Hachimotos with diet. I have been following Nourishing Traditions diet for the past 3 years. I did a yeast ellimination diet, sugar free, GAPS intro and diet, tried accupuncture, detox and I rarely cheat in general. Everyone around me thinks I am crazy… lol With all of this I have not been able to heal my thyroid, autoimmune system and/or digestive problems. I gave in and tried taking armour, and natural supplements for my thryroid, but that only raised my TSH to such a high level it could not be read. I found Dr. Datis Kharrazian’s book and was ready to begin it on my own, since there is no provider close by and I did not think I could afford all the testing. I just found out I am pregnant, so now I have to put a stop to all my plans and begin taking the synthetic pills so that the baby is ok. This is exteremely frustrating! I am so careful with my diet and limit toxins in my life to a minimum, and still I can’t heal myself.
I am always inspired by great stories like these; and I believe our bodies can heal themselves if given nourishing whole foods. But I also get frustrated and wonder why it isn’t working for me. I have been eating traditionally with WAPF principles for about the past 2 years and have been on GAPS for the last 1 year. I have PCOS and can’t get pregnant. All my blood test numbers are great due to my diet, but my ovaries are still covered with cysts. I am going back to the GAPS intro diet again, for longer this time. It seems to me that my body starts moving toward health but then something snaps it back to its old bad habits. I still struggle with acne, even when on the GAPS intro for over a month. I am so sick of broth, but am going to keep at it!!
I was just diagnose with celiac disease, but I KNOW I have sufferred with it for years! I have all the symptons including tonic clonic seizures which was diagnosed 5 yrs ago that put me in the hospital for a week. This past year I have been very sick and lost 20 lbs…my normal weight is 115 lbs. I have seen my former family doctor with all the symptons, but he did no test me or even mention celiac disease. I finally went to another doctor who sent me for a colonoscopy and voila!!! I went on a gluten free diet and it has started to make me feel somewhat better. I was told it could take a year or longer to completely feel better. I am not sure if I still need to take the 300 mgs of dilantin daily, but would love to go oFf them as I don’t lie the side effects! Has anyone else been diagnosed with epilepsy and have a suggestion?
Weston Price’s recommendations are highly biased, bought and paid for by the meat industry. It’s very possible to be a healthy whole foods gluten-free/celiac vegan.
No Jennifer. This is just not true about the Weston Price organization. They just realize the beauty of real meats that are not corrupted by the feed lot systems that most store meats are raised under.
Jennifer, perhaps you can prove your assertion? Do you have a record of the organization’s donors that can prove your allegations? I, for one, know your statement is fully and completely false, but I would love for you to be able to prove it.
OK, so I can’t believe I found this site and story because I was beginning to think I was the only 25 year old with Hashimotos, Celiacs, and PCOS! I was diagnosed with all 3 after my pregnancy with my son who is completely normal and healthy and now 3 and 1/2 years old. Its been a lonnnngggg 3 years and the only thing I’m totally bummed about though is the weight gain! I gained about 60 pounds after I had my son and with my thyroid (on armour thyroid) is now under control, I was on metformin for PCOS but it messed up my tummy too much to continue so my PCOS is not controlled. I’d love some suggestions on things to do for PCOS. I try to stay gluten free but its SO HARD!! My biggest thing that bothers me though is the weight. I am 5’8 and I weigh 215. I had a abs before I had my son and could eat anything. Now I eat fruits, veggies, and chicken and continue to gain weight! SO MY QUESTION IS….. HOW DO YOU LOSE WEIGHT WITH ALL 3 OF THESE BATTLING AGAINST YOU? Can anyone do it? I’m desperate!!!!!! I work out, I take my vitamins, and I eat healthy but im STUCK AND SO OVER IT!! ANY suggestions please have it
and thank you again for all writing and commenting I dont feel so alone anymore!!!
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16 or 17. I was training for the stinkin’ olymics for heavens sake. I was down right skinny and muscular. But I ate a TERRIBLE diet of mostly bad carbs as part of my training. Like you, I became more and more tired. I quit training when I had a bad accident that dislocated my foot. (then a wk later I broke my arm). I was in a wheelchair for about a year and had to relearn to walk. No more running after that.But, I was still very active, and tried to eat right. At that time I could easily gain 10-20 pounds in one day!!! One doctor told me that there was NO WAY I could have been skinny when diagnosed with PCOS. She said I was lying, and if I would just go on a diet and actually exercise that I would lose weight and the problem would go away. ( She was a SKINNY BIT$H). I was married at the age of 28 and immediately started trying to get pregnant. All of the hormones and infertility shots/treatments just made me bloat up faster and did not work. I was HUGE breasted. My boobs never really quit growing. I was a 38MM bra size. Two doctors told me to get breat reduction surgery then I would be more likely to get pregnant. I finally did at the age of 37. It was a hard surgery, and they took 16 pounds of tissue off my chest, but a year later I was pregnant, AND my periods have been normal ever since. I still can’t lose weight, though. Yet, I really do not GAIN weight anymore. Another piece of the puzzle, I have very fragile bones. I have broken bones 19 times all together. Now I have 2 bad knees and a bad hip and ankle. I need double knee replacement. I am hoping that the W.Price NT diet will help strenthen my bones, so I won’t fear falling so much. I have always had gut problems, so I will look into the gulten issues. I do not have health insurance any more, and do not want any more surgeries. I also have a 6 and 5 year old at the age of 46 and need to be able to keep up with them. So, I am open to just about any natural treatments. We do not have lots of money. My husband is a grass-fed beef farmer/rancher. We sell our stuff at farmers’ markets in the Houston area. I love the Westin Price Foundation and am active in our Houston chapter. I tell ya’ll this so you can know you are not alone. It is nice to know that other people have learned to overcome these problems!
Thanks very much for this. My gluten detox has been hard and I am still tired but this gives me hope that I can heal….just need to be patient as you said.