AUTOIMMUNE
Our Step by Step, All In One Place
"The best six doctors anywhere
and no one can deny it
are sunshine, water, rest, air, exercise, and diet"
-Wayne Fields
I have been so blessed by all the email I have received letting us know how inspiring our story is, and questions about what to do. I have to admit, this blog has become far more than I ever imagined, but I am so thankful for that! Sometimes all you need is a little *glimmer* of HOPE and then you are able to relax and see things in a new way. With all the email I have been responding to, I find myself writing the same things over and over, to different people. So I decided it is time to put together a list of what "we did" and what I "recommend", just so it's easy for people to see.
I want to reiterate that I am not a doctor, and this is no guarantee to perfect health. This is simply what we did, and what worked for us. There is a good chance that if you follow it step by step you too will see improvement, or total healing. However, all results vary and no one can know until they try!
Everything listed below has more detail in a different place on my blog. So if you are wanting more details on the "WHY" factor, just search through older posts. :)
STEPS:
The First 12 months- *CONSISTENCY IS KEY!!!
1. Immediately eliminate allergenic foods.
What I recommend: completely 100% CUT OUT GLUTEN/WHEAT, DAIRY, PORK, SHELLFISH and PEANUTS. As much as possible cut out SOY, UNORGANIC FOODS, DYES, PRESERVATIVES, EGGS (only organic when you do eat them) and SUGAR.
Why? Wheat has been altered and is heavily processed to the point it is even hard for "healthy" people to digest it. Dairy is the same. Peanuts are highly allergenic in nature. Sugar is an inflammatory and is also heavily treated. Soy protein is very similar to dairy, but being dairy free sometimes you have to eat a soy alternative. This is okay on occasion so long as it's not in a strong form like milk or ice cream. The other things are just really bad for you. Read up on gluten to understand it, and to know what ingredients to avoid.
2. Order and start taking supplements.
All on amazon:
-Immuno PRP powder (1/2 scoop every other day/ use hand mixer to blend into almond milk).
-PRP spray by NuMedica (take one spray each night under tongue, work up to 3 sprays daily. If sick, take 5 sprays.)
-Micellized vitamin D drops (mine are in a blue glass bottle/MUST be micellized/ one drop daily)
-Culturelle kids POWDER probiotic. (give one pack on alternating days with the PRP powder/every other day).
-Animal parade multi vitamin for kids (give as directed)
-Animal parade kids Zinc (one a day)
-All natural vitamin C (we use Target gummy/every other day)
-Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Gummies (every other day)
-Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (add 1 tsp to morning juice/ a couple days a week)
-Fiber gummies (Target brand- if needed to help soften stools. 1/2 to 1 daily or as needed).
3. Switch to NATURAL shampoos and soaps. We use "Just Natural" shampoo and Baby Ganics and we love them! The key is to recognize all the ingredients.
4. Make a natural cleaner (I may have a recipe somewhere on my blog, EASY) and use it in the kitchen on all cooking and eating surfaces. I use other cleaners in certain areas of my house, but ONLY natural in my kitchen.
5. Have blood allergy testing done to determine what hidden allergies (food and other) are going on, then cut them as much as you can also. At least for six months. We ordered a kit online and took it to a local clinic to have the blood drawn, then mailed it off.
*DO not be alarmed if the test shows no reaction to wheat. This was the case with us, and more specific testing showed gluten as Emma Kate's main problem. Either way, the gluten/wheat needs to be cut, so it doesn't really matter. These tests are not strongly accurate, but they certainly give insight you would not other wise have. Also, I think it's important because you may find what a main trigger is that you would not have suspected.
6. *ROTATE FOODS*! This is important because autoimmune bodies can build allergy to things so easily. If you eat the same thing all the time your body could start reacting to it, and you wouldn't suspect the food. This includes fruit, veggies, everything. I try to buy different meats, fruits, and cereals each week.
7. Think 1900's. Try to simplify, everything. Think about how people ate back then, the exercise they got, the sun they got, the amount of FRESH organic foods they ate, the lack of detergents and chemicals they breathed in, the lack of technology they were immersed in. Cover your pillowcase with a hypoallergenic case. Be aware of everything that goes on your child's body. Some kids relapse due to sunscreen...because of the chemicals of course. Try coconut oil instead! Wear a hat....do what you can to not have to use it.
8. Test urine DAILY, in the morning.
*WHAT TO DO IF PROTEIN GOES UP:
If you notice a little spike,
- Immediately add Raw Apple Cider Vinegar to every drink you can (best in orange or apple juice)-Give a full scoop of the PRP powder, combined with the probiotic
- Increase the spray at night to 5
-Avoid all the occasionally okay foods
-*Get the bowels clear (100% prune juice/ suppository if needed, if they are constipated and prune juice is not doing the trick).
- Have a diet including organic cucumber, asparagus, garlic, and fresh lemon (diuretic/non-inflammatory).
- Drink the herbal tea from my blog at night.
- If the child is old enough and can tolerate it, do a netty pot.
- If you suspect an ear infection, do ear candles.
- Keep this up until the protein is back to trace/negative for at least one day.
-And keep the diet at ALMOST NO SODIUM, as much as you can.
-Doing this helps keep the kidneys going, flushing toxins, allows the immune system to fight off what it may be fighting, and gives the body it's best chance at allowing the protein to come back down naturally.
-After day 4 at 300+ spilling in a row, or on/off spilling for 2 weeks, that's when we went ahead with prednisone.
-Make sure they stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, but also get at least 30 min of fresh air each day. Walking is ideal.
9. Keep a journal. It can be as detailed as you like. Make a note of everything the child ate for the 2-3 days leading up to a relapse. Put a star by things you think may have contributed to the spill. Keep up with strange symptoms like constipation, runny nose, headache, rash, sneezing....try to see if any of the symptoms correlate with a particular food. Also, note swimming pools, sunscreen, fast food...anything out of the ordinary.
10. These are not exactly in order of most important to least, because this really should be at the top of the list. Surround yourself with people who support you, who understand your goal, and who are willing to do what you need when it concerns your child. Join a church, have people put your child on a prayer list. Believe God for wisdom and direction in everything regarding your child. And DON'T GIVE UP!!!
-The point in doing all of this is to CALM the body, since the system is over reacting and attacking itself. And by eliminating foods that can be taxing on the system, you allow the body to fight off things it needs to, like germs and bacteria that make you sick.
Emma Kate often gets more concerned about making sure a food is "safe" than I do. It's amazing what kids can understand if we just let them try. I tell her certain foods are not good for her body, but they are okay for other people. Just like someone with a severe peanut allergy avoids peanuts, we avoid gluten, and that is that.
After the First 12 months:
Asses your child's health. How has the year gone? No relapse? Were they able to come off meds? If you can see a change in your child and KNOW they are much healthier, then it's time you can add back some of the forbidden foods! Cheers! You have to be careful doing this, but you can try to add a little baked in dairy. If their protein is fine the next day, let they try a small piece of cheese. If the urine is still fine, then they are probably fine to have small amounts of cheese or baked in dairy on occasion. Same with peanuts, pork, and shell fish. As for the other "occasional" foods, you just have to see if their body can tolerate them on a regular basis. Eggs always need to be organic and GLUTEN/WHEAT still is NEVER AN OPTION. You have spent one year allowing the gut to heal at this point. Things that used to enter the blood stream and cause a problem, probably don't anymore. However, gluten is so harsh, it would likely tear down that healthy wall you spent so long healing.
As for supplements, you can cut back on the PRP powder and probiotic. Take a one week break from the PRP spray (just to let your system get a break) and then continue it every day for another year, and so on. You can save the Raw Apple Cider Vinegar for when the child is sick, or starting to spill protein. The V D can be given a few days a week, rather than every day.
So there you have it, our not so condensed 10 steps to wellness! Give it a GO!
Then God said
"I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth
and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
Gen 1:29
