Stress Can Kill and Wreak Havoc on Your Body

Stress CAN kill, but more likely it will just make you feel sick all the time with chronic issues. I know this first hand, and I want to tell you my story.

I don't know whether I just don't handle stress well, or that I just have an excessive amount of stress in my life with no downtime. From moving across country recently, working 12+ hours a day, every day, cooking homemade natural foods for my family, helping take care of my stepmom who has dementia, making homemade products, running errands and not being able to sleep at night, my daily life is anything but calm. Hectic, chaotic are more appropriate terms.

But the stressful events in my life started as a child: the death of my mother when I was 2, the remarriage of my dad to my stepmom (where I immediately had 2 new siblings) the deaths of my grandparents when I was 5, and certain abuse situations as I was growing up that I don't want to get into right now.

And during high school I had activities planned from 6am to 9pm EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL WEEK and then chores, homework, babysitting, church functions, etc every weekend. Basically, I had no time to relax.

And college was not much different. I worked full time (40-50 hours per week) while going to school full time (18 units a semester). And so it went on and on. Never a dull moment, but dull moments were what I craved. I dream about the perfect vacation for me: Hiding for a week straight in a dark cave (with a light of course) and a stack of books, with no one to bother me. Seriously. That is my dream vacation! Well, it could be a hotel room, as long as no one bothers me.

As an adult turning 38 this month, I look back on my life and can't think of any time when I was able to just relax and de-stress. And it has all been catching up to me.

Here are my symptoms:

• Extreme fatigue -- the only thing that keeps me going is my sense of responsibility and knowing that thing won't get done if I don't do them.
• Insomnia -- I can practically guarantee that between the hours of 1am and 4am I will be awake for at least an hour or two, not being able to get back to sleep. And, if I do fall back asleep, I will wake up around 5:30am and not be able to sleep in at all, even on weekends. Which is fine since I start work at 6:30am.
• Weight Gain -- so this one is a bit iffy.. I am not overweight, but in the past 7 years I have NOT been able to get rid of the excess fat in my mid section, no matter what I do. impossible. Exercise, low carb dieting, HCG, etc. I have about 7-10 lbs that I want to get rid of to reach the ideal weight I feel comfortable with. I eat awesome -- my diet would make anyone on a whole foods diet proud. But even cutting out all sugar, I am not seeing results. 

It is extremely hard to have fatigue all day long, and have gone to doctors quite a few times complaining of this fatigue, after blood tests to rule out everything from CFS, FMS and Epstein Barr, and have them tell me I am depressed, and want me to take anti-depressants. (I am the least depressed person I know!).

I finally went to an integrative medicine doctor a few weeks back, who is also an MD. He ran some extremely thorough tests on me and diagnosed me with the following:

1. RT3 hypothyroidism
2. Moderate adrenal fatigue
3. Weakened immune system

All of these are related to the big jackpot test he gave me: EXCESSIVELY HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS DUE TO STRESS!

My cortisol levels skyrocket at night when they are supposed to be declining. No wonder I can't sleep. And no wonder my adrenals never get to rest and recuperate, because there is no time for them to. I am running on adrenaline all day long and at night I am unable to restore my energy. So now I am on pills to decrease those cortisol levels at night which is actually helping me sleep better. And I am taking other supplements to support my RT3 thyroid hormone, so that I CAN LOSE THAT DARN BELLY FAT! There HAD to be a reason, and I get so upset at all those other doctors who misdiagnosed me. I KNEW something was off kilter in my body.

Now I get to go through treatment -- I am able to sleep a bit more (after only a few weeks) and I am already seeing improvements. If I was able to accomplish all that I have been accomplishing, when I am not 100%, then imagine all I can accomplish when I AM 100%? Well, that is kind of a catch 22 though, because one of the ways I need to heal is to learn to relax and take it easy and ENJOY life. So with that extra energy I am starting to get -- I can do things I want to do, like walks and hikes with my dog, gardening, etc. Those hobbies can be fun again for me!

So the point of all of this? No matter how well you take care of yourself, there still can be things wrong with you, especially if you have a high stress life and no down time. So keep searching for the answers if you already are living healthy and eating good foods and not putting toxins in your body.

And of course, use my detox foot pads to help you get on your way to a healthy lifestyle!

Processed Foods --- Natural Foods -- Learning is a Process

I remember back when I used to prepare meals out of a box, packaged dinners, frozen dinners, and store bought desserts. And I thought I was doing well for "cooking at home" instead of going out to eat at a restaurant. The commercial Yoplait yogurt I bought was good for me, right?

And then I realized there were certain ingredients I wanted to avoid, no matter what. They included MSG and Aspartame. So I started reading labels. And that meant that there were fewer "packaged" foods for me to purchase and make. No more Rice A Roni, Hamburger Helper and Stuffing mix for me.

And then I realized that there were SO many ingredients that hide MSG, like autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, maltodextrin, natural flavors, etc. Holy cow. What I once thought was healthy, was SO NOT HEALTHY!

And this was before I even realized how bad store bought milk was for you! (Well, I had switched to organic milk but still didn't know the extent of how bad it is for you).

I then started to make things from scratch. I was making homemade yogurt, I was making homemade bread. I was making beans and rice, and seasoning it. I cut out all soda pop, and white bread. No more sugar cereals, either. And dessert was for special occasions only.

Eventually I graduated to using raw milk (man, I was missing out all those years! This stuff is DELICIOUS!) I have made my own butter and I make my own raw milk kefir every day. I have even started buying grassfed beef, pastured eggs and poultry.

The reason why I am explaining these steps that I have taken to get to where I am now, is that it would have been so hard to go from eating packaged foods directly to making my own bone broth and fermented vegetables (which is where I am now). So don't despair. Just slowly make changes in your life, and eventually you will look back like I do, and wonder what you were thinking!

Learning is a process. It isn't like a light switch where you just flick it on.

And while I don't have any chronic health issues related to my diet, I still have issues. Sure, I am pretty healthy, and I don't get sick much. But I can't sleep well at night and I am under continuous stress all the time. Those issues result in a myriad of other problems that are created, which I am currently dealing with. I can't wait to report on that in my next blog post!

And all the while, I feel pretty well detoxed thanks to my detox foot pads. You should try them. No matter where you are on your journey to health, the detox foot pads will help you.

If you are in the U.S. and want a free sample, please email me.

Cheers!

Purify Your Body Detox Foot Pads Ingredients and The Benefits

Many people ask me about what the specific ingredients do in my foot pads for detox. Let's start by sharing what my ingredients are.

Detox Foot Pad Ingredients:

• Oak Vinegar, 5%
• Bamboo Vinegar, 16%
• Tourmaline, 10%
• Houttyunia Cordata, 7%
• Eucalyptus, 22%
• Chitosan, 10%
• Agicarus Mushroom, 20%
• Saururus Chinensis, 10%

The foot pads are 5 grams each, and the ingredients make up the whole foot pad. There are absolutely no fillers. Common fillers to watch out for are Dextrin, Vegetable Fiber and Cornstarch. They all are basic starch, that, while it has some absorbing properties, it is really a cheap filler that decreases the potency of the foot pad. I use chitosan as an absorber, and it absorbs over 400x its weight in impurities and toxins, so there is no need for a cheap filler, and no need for me to promote it as an absorber.

Oak Vinegar. This vinegar is traditionally believed to improve blood circulation, which can lead to relief from fatigue, headaches, arthritis, and other chronic conditions.

Bamboo Vinegar. This is a higher end wood vinegar and a high quality pad will have more bamboo vinegar than oak vinegars. This ingredient helps pull the toxins through the lymph system.

Tourmaline. This is a mineral that emits far infrared heat and negative ions that work to relieve pain and inflammation, and help promote deep, restorative sleep.

Houttuyni Cordata. (also known as Dokudami). This is a plant that contains a variety of flavanoids and has extremely potent absorbent properties.

Eucalyptus. One thing that is very cool about eucalyptus is that if you planted a eucalyptus tree in a swamp area, it would pull out the water via its roots, and soon, the swamp would be dry. It sucks the moisture from the ground, and is extremely important in pulling the toxins through the body into the foot pads. This is the process of osmosis.

Chitosan. I mentioned earlier that chitosan (a shellfish fiber) can absorb up to 400x its weight in toxic matter. It is what is used many times during oil spills. They pour the chitosan on the surface of the water, and come back to scoop it up as it absorbs the oils and impurities.

Agaricus Mushroom. This mushroom is said to support normal immune function and to promote homeostasis. It is known to help balance blood sugar levels and alleviate allergies.

 Saururus Chinensis. This plant is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Adrenal Fatigue? Rightly So!

I remember life getting pretty hectic starting in Junior High School. I woke up at 5:30am to deliver the papers from 2 paper routes. I then went to school, did homework, coached soccer, and did chores. I tried to get as much time with my friends as well. On weekends I usually had 3 babysitting gigs lined up, I was in such high demand (I was the oldest girl of 9 kids so parents loved the experience I had) sometimes families would throw their kids together and I would be watching 5-8 kids at a time.

I didn't have much down time.

Then high school came and my first class started at 6am, and I went to school until 2:45pm, then from 3-5 I had either band practice, soccer (I played varsity from my underclass years) or track. From 5-9pm I worked at a local 5 and dime store. Then I went home and did whatever homework and chores I had, and then went to bed.

And then college came. I ended up working full time (I was the marketing coordinator for a computer company in the Silicon Valley and had to travel a lot to do trade shows) while going to school full time (and by full time I mean 18 units a semester). I really didn't have much time for myself.

Now, in my late 30s I start work at 6:30am, and work 8 hours. I also have the commitments of my side business, www.purifyyourbody.com, and that takes about 2 hours a day.

Not to mention caring for my dogs, one of which is elderly and needs special meds and attention for his seizures. Oh, and I have a husband, too, and we all know husbands need a lot of care. And taking care of the household, errands to run, home cooked meals, and my garden.

Oh, and did I mention that I help take care of my stepmom, who has dementia? Us kids all chip in during the week to help my dad out. I take her Tuesday afternoons, and I feed my parents 2-3 times a week, to make sure they get home cooked healthy meals.

And, I make all my laundry detergent, toothpaste, lotion, cleansers, etc etc. And because my friends like it, they always ask me to make lotion for them, too.

And, I have 3 different callings at church, which take up my time as well.

Suffice to say, I am exhausted ALL THE TIME.

I have cut out all sugars in my diet (I did this last September and have been true to it). I have cut out most gluten as well. So I am healthier, but the energy is still not there.

I finally went to a naturopathic doctor and bingo: ADRENAL FATIGUE. The symptoms perfectly match what I am feeling.

And so this makes me feel a bit like a loser, and this is where I have to be a bit more kind to myself. I do everything I can think of to be healthy, and yet, I get diagnosed with something as a result of all the responsibilities I put on myself, knowing I can't handle all that stress and sometimes feel so overwhelmed.

I realize I try to fit so much in my schedule. I stress and worry a LOT. I don't sleep well. But all the things I do GOOD for myself: eat REAL whole foods, following mainly the Nourishing Traditions protocols, well, none of that matters if I am running on adrenaline EVERY DAY. My adrenals are shot.

I will know more when I get the rest of my bloodwork back next week. But this has to end. I can't keep up with it.

So... I am going to be treated for this, and I WILL OVERCOME IT. Then, I will have so much energy I am so excited to even think about it! :)

I also am going to start saying no more often. I have tried it a couple times and it FELT GREAT!

I am going to try to meditate more often, too. I have some awesome CDs from www.immrama.org that help elevate you to the theta state of relaxation. Can I do it? I don't know, but I sure am going to try. If nothing else, I am a very determined woman!

And, I will continue to use and promote my detox foot pads.

In fact, here are my detox foot pads from last night: I haven't been good at wearing them for a while, so I need to start up every day again...

They should have only a little bit of dark around the edges, which lets me know that my body is clean of toxins... but the accumulated toxins from the last time I wore them really are showing themselves!

I will continue to post and follow up about my adrenal fatigue battle. Mainly to document my experience, not that I think it is interesting to anyone else... :)

Congratulations to our winners!

Congratulations to the following WINNERS of this contest:

Kari S. and Jane B!! I have sent you both emails requesting your mailing address :)

Thank you for sharing on Facebook, for tweeting, for posting comments and liking my posts on Facebook, I really appreciate it!

Be sure to visit my Facebook page often for more giveaways and promos!

www.facebook.com/detoxfootpads

and my website, to place orders!

www.purifyyourbody.com

Congratulations!
Rebecca :)

My Story of Amalgam Removal

So we all know how bad mercury is for us, and that our silver fillings in our mouth are 50% mercury. Over time and with every bite, they start leaking that toxic mercury into our mouths.

I knew that was what was happening to me, and while I didn't have acute mercury poisoning symptoms, I sure wasn't feeling my best.

I did some research which led me to DAMS which stands for dental amalgam mercury solution, and they are a non-profit organization that explain the process of safe amalgam removal. They also shared with me a list of safe dentists who understand the harm from removing the amalgams and replacing with composite fillings (many dentists will just drill, without worrying about the mercury dust that is being created... they will wear masks covering their nose and mouth, but won't care about you!). I went to a local natural dentist, and got some pricing. Wow! It was super expensive and I knew I couldn't justify spending that much (I had 7 amalgams in my mouth).

So, after researching, I went to my regular dentist and explained what I wanted... I wanted to wear a mask over my nose to not breathe in the vapors, and I wanted him to use a rubber dam (mostly used for root canals). He agreed.

I ended up doing it in 4 different steps... one quadrant of my mouth at a time. The upper right, the upper left, the lower right, and the lower left, about 2 months apart.

At each appointment I prepared myself for the mercury detox. Here is what I did:

1. I megadosed on Vitamin C a couple days before, and after.
2. I was taking chlorella supplements which is a well known heavy metal chelation agent.
3. I wore my detox foot pads DURING the process, and for a week straight afterward.

I have heard many stories of people who feel horrible after their amalgam removal. But with the measures that I took, I didn't feel bad at all.

However, I do have to tell you that there are some potential side effects you will want to know about.

The most major one is that the silver fillings actually are very good at not being sensitive (to hot, cold, acids)... but when you remove those fillings, the composites you replace them with are not so forgiving. You also run the risk of them drilling too close to your nerves and upsetting the nerve so it goes into a fit, and even can die as a result of the trauma (resulting in a necessary root canal).

That happened to me. I had two teeth in my upper left quadrant that were so sensitive I couldn't drink water at all if it was colder than room temperature. And it had to be through a straw. I couldn't for the life of me eat ice cream, or even pickles. It got to the point where I had to go back in to the dentist and see what they could do. They couldn't save the tooth and so I got a root canal, something I really didn't want.

But overall, I have a beautiful mouth now, you can't see any metal in it, and it is super healthy. I would definitely do it over again, as long as I could use the same precautions as I took.

200 Chemicals Found In Newborns

I wanted to write something about how effective the detox foot pads are for babies and young children. In fact, a test by an environmental group found more than 200 chemicals (on average!) in newborn umbilical cord blood.


The article states: "We know the developing fetus is one of the most vulnerable populations, if not the most vulnerable, to environmental exposure," said Anila Jacobs, EWG senior scientist. "Their organ systems aren't mature and their detox methods are not in place, so cord blood gives us a good picture of exposure during this most vulnerable time of life."


It is imperative that we detox our children, and my detox foot pads are a very good way to do it. The foot pads pull out heavy metals, chemicals and other toxins that you do not want your kids exposed to.

Some other ways to detox your kids are clay baths, green smoothies with chlorella in them, and getting them a lot of sunshine (without toxic sunscreen).

But, I think my foot pads are so much easier -- one single foot pad most likely covers their whole foot!

The benefits of my detox foot pads for children:

* One foot pad covers the whole foot, so it pretty much will help detox their whole body for a fraction of the cost of an adult!

* The foot pads help them sleep better, and we all know that well rested kids make mama happy!

* The foot pads have been proven to pull out the heavy metals that are so harmful to the kids' neurological development.

* There are no side effects known. (Allergens are: mushrooms and shellfish).

* It is easy to do, and much less expensive than other methods, and much less traumatic for the child. Many children see their parents using the foot pads and they want to, as well.

So, place your order today! www.purifyyourbody.com

And visit me on Facebook for lots of great health tips: www.facebook.com/detoxfootpads