Real Food: A Natural Cure for Arthritis, Allergies, Chronic Fatigue, Melasma, Cradle Cap & Cavities
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Is there a natural cure for arthritis? I can tell you from my own experience that you can heal arthritis with good nutrition. I reversed rheumatoid arthritis (and a host of other symptoms) by changing the way I eat. In short, I removed processed foods from my diet, got off sugar and white flour, and started eating more real food.
My journey with real food has been a long one. Here’s how it all started…
When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 26, the doctors and medical experts told me was facing a life of pain killers, surgeries, and possibly a wheel chair.
I was not willing to accept that fate. I was only 26. There had to be a way that I could heal my body naturally. So I started doing research.
I read everything I could find about natural and alternative therapies and nutrition. When I read Dr. William Crook’s book, The Yeast Connection, everything fell into place for me. Suddenly it all made sense. I had all the symptoms of candida overgrowth: rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, allergies, chronic sinus infections, thrush on my tongue, and sores in my nose that would not heal. I also found out that I had an allergy to wheat (gluten sensitivity).
It was almost two years ago, after my daughter was born, that I discovered the “traditional food” movement. When I say traditional food, I mean grass-fed meat and dairy, raw milk (also known as “real milk”), pastured eggs, wild seafood, traditional saturated fats like lard, butter, cream, coconut oil and beef tallow, and cod liver oil. The same stuff our grandmothers used to feed their families. Sometimes I call it slow food or “beyond organic”.
Here are just a few more testimonials from the past two years:
MELASMA
The technical term for melasma is “Chloasma faciei”. They are also called age spots, and sometimes “the mask of pregnancy”. Melasma is a tan or dark skin discoloration. When I was about 35, I started noticing dark patches on my face.
Unfortunately, other people were noticing it, too. I remember my mother said to me one day, “You have a bit of a moustache.” It did look like a very faint moustache. But there was no hair growing! It was just darkened skin above my lip.
I tried waxing and bleaching, but nothing worked. Even makeup wouldn’t cover it up! And to my horror, more dark patches were developing on my forehead and on the sides of my face.
I didn’t know what to do. I heard people talk about chemical peels, but I knew that was just a bandaid solution. There had to be a deeper reason for why I was getting such obvious age spots on my face — and I was only 35.
It was about 6 months into my journey into eating traditional food when I found out that melasma is caused by adrenal fatigue. Makes a lot of sense, because skin pigmentation has to do with hormones.
According to Wikipedia:
Melasma is thought to be the stimulation of melanocytes or pigment-producing cells by the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone to produce more melanin pigments when the skin is exposed to sun.
I’ve suffered from adrenal exhaustion since I was in my mid-twenties. All coffee and late nights working in Silicon Valley start ups didn’t help matters.
I’ve been working to rebuild my adrenals for a year and a half now and I can’t believe the results in my face. The discoloration above my lip and on the sides of my face are totally gone. And the dark patches on my forehead is about 80-90% gone. My husband says he can really notice the difference.
I really believe that this has happened because of all the good saturated fats I’ve been eating, plus the cod liver oil, Iodoral (iodine), maca, and adrenal gland supplements I’ve been taking. And avoiding coffee and white sugar and flour (I still drink some coffee, but not anywhere near as much as I used to, and I rarely eat sugar or white flour).
I’ll post more in a future post on everything I’ve been doing to rebuild my adrenal glands.
CRADLE CAP
When she was 4 months old, I had to start giving my daughter commercial baby formula because I could not produce enough breast milk. She started having cradle cap and no matter what I tried, it would not go away. Within a week or two of introducing the homemade raw milk formula, her cradle cap disappeared and never came back.
DENTAL HEALTH
I used to get cavities all the time. It was pretty typical for me to get at least one cavity every other year or so. I’ve also had two root canals. In addition to that, I have had tooth pain and sensitivity for decades.
After just a few months of eating a nutrient-dense diet including raw milk, butter, grass-fed meats and pastured eggs, avoiding white flour and sugar and taking cod liver oil daily, my teeth pain and sensitivity completely went away. Not only that, but I have not had a cavity in about 2 years now.
Amazingly enough, I even had a tooth remineralize. I have a chip in my front tooth. It used to be really noticable and now you can barely see it — it’s filled in about 80-90% since I started eating traditional food.
And no, I haven’t been any better about brushing or flossing. The only difference is what I’ve been eating.
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25/02/2009 at 2:55 pm Permalink
Ann Marie, GREAT post, this will help sooooooo many people, without a doubt!!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop’s last blog post..How Have Nourishing Foods Changed Us? Real Food Wednesday
25/02/2009 at 4:24 pm Permalink
wow. we have more in common than i knew. i will definitely be reading your back posts and seriously work toward getting on the real foods bandwagon. since doctors can’t seem to diagnose (or agree on) what’s wrong with my body, i’m going to have to fix it myself.
25/02/2009 at 4:29 pm Permalink
Now the tooth remineralizing is awesome. I didn’t even realize that was possible!
FoodRenegade’s last blog post..A Journey To Real Food
25/02/2009 at 5:28 pm Permalink
I have had the same results with my teeth. Lots of remineralization, teeth are hard again, cavities are almost fully healed and no more sensitivities!
We no longer use commercial tooth products. Baking soda and salt to brush and a tea, vodka and myhrr oil mouthwash.
I did not get around to posting on this topic today, cause hubby and I got food poisining yesterday.
I would rather get the flu then that!
Paula
Paula’s last blog post..Food Poisining….
25/02/2009 at 6:38 pm Permalink
I’m just now getting into your blog, but I love it! I also love your pic…I crack up every time I come here.
NAOmni
NAOmni’s last blog post..Closet Cooking: Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
25/02/2009 at 8:12 pm Permalink
This is very interesting what you’ve said about the Melasma. I never got the mask of pregnancy, but since last June I’ve been dealing with dermatitis, eczema, and hives and am very recently realizing it is rooted in adrenal fatigue, as are other symptoms that I have had, but didn’t know were related.
Well, the dermatitis was a patch on my hand and it is almost 100% cleared up–woo, hoo! But the eczema and hives are on the rest of my body, but very lately, they are doing much better, but I notice where the patches were, the skin is darker colored. It’s very weird. The skin is smooth and mostly healed, just a different color than my normal color.
I will read your other posts about adrenal issues.
Thanks!
Shannon’s last blog post..Get To The Root
25/02/2009 at 11:29 pm Permalink
I was sad to discover that the cod liver oil I’d bought had vitamin E put in it (which came from soy). I have had lots of cavities (although I think I was partially tricked by a money-seeking dentist), and I have lots of metal fillings. I’d like to get them to pop out but I haven’t been able to do this. I don’t know how I can remineralize if the nutrients can’t even touch the parts of the teeth that need it, right?
I do oil pulling in hopes that it will suck out the metal so that they become loose and pop, and I was taking cod liver oil but I’m a bit in trouble now as I don’t have any except for the scary one which I mentioned above.
26/02/2009 at 5:33 am Permalink
My daughter was recently told by her chiropractor who ran some tests that she has adrenal exhaustion.( She is a gal who is Miss Perky but last fall could hardly get out of bed in the morning. She runs extensively and dispite this has suffered weight gain. ) She is taking a supplement with B’s plus adrenal cortex. He also told her to get some fish oil, but wasn’t specific about it (I sent her fermented cod liver oil). Could you, when time permits point me in the right direction with finding the iodoral and the maca. I know you are busy and a little tired I understand from burning the midnight oil at the computer — so no hurry.
26/02/2009 at 5:35 am Permalink
PS to my last question. Paula- I am interested in the mouthwash you use. The one with Vodka! My polish dad would have liked that
26/02/2009 at 7:07 am Permalink
My health story is of autoimmune disease. I’m a thirty-year-old woman. I had a terrible bout of chronic hives for about a year when I was in high school. The hives were huge welts (not little bumps) that often made my face look disfigured and my breathing difficult. There were times I drank whole bottles of Benedryl and still couldn’t walk because of the swollen hives on the bottoms of my feet. The doctors could find no cause. I was told it was probably a condition that happens once in a person’s life and should not reoccur once it passed. The hives eventually went away, after two years, during which I was honestly afraid the itching might drive me mad.
During my freshman and sophomore year of college, I developed alopecia areata, then vitiligo, both autoimmune diseases. I went to a dermatologist and was told these conditions were simply cosmetic, not dangerous to my health, and I should not worry about them. Like I had when I was in high school, I naively listened to the doctor and went home.
Five years later I broke out in hives in the middle of the night and called my father in a tearful, desperate panic. He was scared too; he had seen me with the hives in high school. Along with chronic hives, I suddenly had severe hypothyroid symptoms: hair falling out, sensitivity to light, extreme fatigue, and awful fibromyalgia that felt like flu body aches 24/7. I had never felt so terrible in my life. On top of that, I was misdiagnosed by many doctors and told it was all in my head. I did my own research and diagnosed myself with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, yet another autoimmune condition. Once I finally convinced a doctor to test my thyroid antibodies, my diagnosis was proven correct. I went on thyroid medication (T3, Cytomel), but I still had the hives.
My stomach started getting upset more and more often, and I listened to my body. I just knew in my gut (what a perfect pun) my stomachache was connected to the hives. I fasted for five days to test this. Sure enough, if I ate something—anything, no matter how bland—I would break out in hives. If I didn’t eat, no hives. Taking digestive enzymes, not steroids, “cured” hives that large doses of allergy medication could barely control. Then I thought, if the hives came back at the same time I had a severe autoimmune thyroid episode, and digestion was at the root of the hives, maybe digestion was at the root of the autoimmune attack. Maybe all of it came down to my digestion.
Since all of this has happened, I have essentially become my own doctor. I read all the books I can and have “graduated” to learning everything I can about my digestive system. A couple of years ago, I had ten colonics by a professional colon hydrotherapist (and my experience has taught me they are not a health fad but a tool for wellness). I’m currently on my fifth liver cleanse. I discovered the underlying culprit: systemic candida ablicans (bad bacteria) overgrowth in the gut and not enough good gut flora. This has been a revelation. I am currently on the Body Ecology Diet and am transitioning to the Gut and Psychology Disorder diet.
My main goal was to halt the body’s autoimmune attack. When my health went to hell, I realized I hadn’t had these problems all my life. There must be a reason my immune system started attacking me, and I was determined to find it and get it to stop. When I ruled out all processed foods, sugar, and wheat, my autoimmune symptoms stopped. I know my symptoms will not reoccur as long as I eat real food. I haven’t seen a single new patch of alopecia or vitiligo in a few years, but I still have a white patch of hair to remind me of what I’ve been through. After the full-blown crisis, I suffered with extremely painful, heavy periods for two years, and then they just stopped for a year. I am convinced that coconut water kefir brought back my periods.
I still have some work to do to achieve optimal health, but my health is better than ever every day, and I’m extremely grateful for everything I eat, from my pastured eggs to cultured veggies. After I’ve won the battle with candida to my satisfaction, I plan to incorporate raw milk and other real foods into my diet, per the dietary recommendations of the Weston Price Foundation.
26/02/2009 at 9:17 am Permalink
I am very interested in your future posts about adrenal fatigue!
26/02/2009 at 12:00 pm Permalink
Julie,
Here is the recipe. Its from http://www.frenchtoastfrance.blogspot.com
*4 oz. Water (or try a sage or rosemary tea infusion)
* 4 oz. Vodka
optional and simply sweetens the mouthwash
* 10-12 drops Peppermint or Spearmint Essential Oil or Cinnamon or clove or? we made one that is Bergamot Orange…the choices are endless
* 5 drops Myrrh ( Myrrh can assist in mouth and gum care)
Directions: Boil the water and vodka. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add the essential oils and let cool for 1/2 hour and bottle.
Paula’s last blog post..Food Poisoning….
26/02/2009 at 12:39 pm Permalink
Julie,
I am by NO means an expert, I am just learning all about adrenals myself and I’m sure that Ann Marie will have more information, but I thought of a few things that might help.
You mentioned your daughter was taking Bs. My question is, what is the source? Are they whole food? This is most important with supplements. I am taking nutritional yeast to get a natural source of Bs.
I’m also taking Bee Pollen, vitamin C (Radiance C from thesynergycompany.com-it’s a whole food form), Magnesium, Licorice Root, Wheat Germ Oil (a whole food source of vit E), cod liver oil, coconut oil (in case of candida issues), high-strength probiotic (Primal Defense Ultra), MSM (good for digestive system and skin issues, which is how my adrenal issues are manifesting themselves), and Adrenal Cortex from Dr. Ron.
Shannon’s last blog post..Get To The Root
26/02/2009 at 1:12 pm Permalink
P.S. Forgot to mention I’m also taking Concentrace Minerals and making sure I eat continually, snacking between meals and finding the proper balance between carbs and protein (low-carb has proved to aggravate my issues).
Shannon’s last blog post..Get To The Root
26/02/2009 at 2:07 pm Permalink
What an encouraging post. I love to read how people have overcome “chronic” illnesses with diet. I hope to do the same. I am enjoying the new switch to raw milk. I have even switched my toddler over to it. I am having a hard time finding pastured eggs, but will try to hit up a local farmer’s market and find some that way. I was curious if you make your own cream and butter or are able to purchase “raw” forms of those also.
01/03/2009 at 7:44 am Permalink
Oh, we have had such similar issues here! My husband has RA (it killed his grandfather, they tell me) and recurrent bouts of chronic fatigue. He has had constant hives since college (he’s 49 now) some days so badly he can’t wear clothes! I will be looking into adrenal fatigue. Thank you SO much! I just KNEW there was an answer out there that didn’t involve pills!
Local Nourishment’s last blog post..My own personal “Duh” moment
01/03/2009 at 12:32 pm Permalink
I’ve just recently started to read your blog and was excited to hear about your success with healing your teeth. About a year ago, I experienced my first major chip in a tooth, which, of course, just happened to be front and centre. Since then, I’ve had several more (more minor) chips and then began experiencing some sensitivity in several teeth. My family dentist also noticed two cavities on my last visit.
As I am a jobless student, I do not have funds to purchase raw dairy products, but do take some fish oils. Should I switch to cod liver oil? If so, what type do you recommend? Also, are there any other supplements that I can consider? My family, oddly enough, is always open to trying new supplements, but I can’t convince them to switch to raw dairy. In any case, what can I do improve my dental health?
02/03/2009 at 5:45 pm Permalink
what an inspiring and amazing story. How lucky your kids are to have such a smart insightful mommy and how thankful I am to have read such remarkable changes. Thank you
Annie – Hip Organic Mama’s last blog post..Life Lessons from a 3 year old
26/04/2009 at 2:01 pm Permalink
Dear Author
In your post you said, you got rid of your melasma. I am one of the victim, could you please post in detailed what you did to get rid of it, I am suffering from it for a year now and I dont wanna use any peeling or artificial tech on my face, your information would be really helpful.
04/05/2009 at 11:52 pm Permalink
I was ,diagnosed with arthritis recently and what i do is take food supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin plus regular exercise. they really help a lot in managing arthritis.
01/06/2009 at 11:00 am Permalink
Great post! What brand of Maca Root do you take and at what dosage? I’ve read that not all Maca Root is the same.
25/06/2009 at 12:57 am Permalink
for arthritis. i makes sure that i take food supplements that support joint health like glucosamine and niacinamide. exercise also helps a lot.
15/07/2009 at 5:50 am Permalink
Hiya Cheeseslave,
Could you please send me an email at sodapoplounge@yahoo.com – I’m interested in the melasma treatements.
Anything would help.
I too late night …working 109-117 hours a week drinking gallons of coffee…then…wham-O ..melasma came knocking at my door.
02/01/2010 at 12:31 pm Permalink
Thanks for including this in your top 10 posts of 2009. It must have been added before I was a subscriber to your emails, because this is the first I’ve seen of it. You mentioned in your “top 10″ post that this post may have to come down, so I suggest to everyone that likes to go back and reread articles: Use Cute PDF and make a pdf file of this, so you don’t lose the links and can reference it any time you need. There’s some really valuable information in this…
Thanks Ann Marie!!
21/05/2010 at 7:35 am Permalink
Hi Cheeseslave,
Could you please send me an email at duda0107@hotmail.com with more detailed info about what you did to get rid of melasma?
What kind of adrenal gland supplements have you been taking and what have you been doing to rebuild your adrenal glands? Any info would be helpful.
Many thanks!