Firstly, I am not a naturopath or doctor, and this is does not take the place of medical advice. This is my personal experience.

If you have low energy, have pain after eating certain foods, have been told you are gluten/lactose intolerant or deficient in iron/vitamin D/etc, have infrequent / irregular bowel movements, or just know something is not quite right- this may help you.

This is the story of how my naturopath & I healed my gut.

About 8 years ago, I was seeing many doctors & specialists as I had a host of issues. I had chronic anaemia (iron so low I needed injections), was continually deficient in vitamin D, chronic headaches, had erratic bowel movements (think none for 3 days, then 5 in one day), couldn’t quite shake off the glandular fever I had months before, and my biggest concern, my skin looked like it was melting off and was so painful. I could not hold a pen without my skin cracking & bleeding. It was constantly painful, itchy & one of my hands was usually leaking plasma or blood from one of the cracks.

I saw several doctors, who all told me there was nothing wrong and to try XYZ lotion/cream. We repeated this approx. 7 times. Eventually I was referred to specialists, again tried everything, including quitting my job, as recommended… I was told by the dermatologist that the only thing left is to start having steroids. As a young female, there was NO way I wanted to put on more weight that I already had, so the dermatologist said, ‘I think it’s just in your genes’ and sent me on my way.

I went back to my doctor, completely dejected, showed him my hands and just said “help me”.

My doctor, completely at a loss, said “There is nothing medically wrong with you, go and see a naturopath.” (Wow, I know right!?)

My first naturopath told me that I am intolerant to gluten & oranges via a muscle test. I went away & cut these foods out like it was going out of fashion.

This, along with feet reflexology & having twice weekly paraffin wax hand baths – my skin cleared!!

Left – painful, itchy & weak skin. Right – healing & clearing. 

However, years later, there was still something not quite right. I was getting pain every time I ate, was always bloated, bowel movements were all over the joint, and my hands flared up occasionally. As I wasn’t eating gluten, I didn’t know what was the issue this time, but knew there was more to it.

Then I tried different naturopaths for nutritional advice, bioresonance therapy & live blood analysis. The one who did a live blood analysis, advised that my immune system was weak due to a parasite. She also asked me when I had glandular fever (7 years prior), if I have a dog (I do), if I had my period the week before (I did), if I crave salty foods (omg hot chippssss), if I supplement with magnesium tablets (I did) and lots of other equally creepy things. When I asked how she knew, she calmly said ‘Your blood is telling me’. I knew I was in the right hands.

First step was to eliminate all inflammatory foods so that we can start to build the immune system and effectively starve the parasite. No alcohol, gluten, diary or meat. All quite simple for me, as I don’t like meat, don’t drink often and avoid gluten. All I really had to stop eating was dairy. I was given recipes, supplements of magnesium & fibre (powder, not capsules – research why) and made an appointment for about 6 weeks later.

At my second appointment, I was feeling good and I could even see my blood cells moving faster & responding to bad bacteria on the slides. She told me that something happened about 7 years ago, emotionally, and my blood has been ‘muddy’ ever since. She said to do some soul searching (if I so choose), to continue eating to compliment my immune system and to come back if I needed anything. I am so very grateful for her.

Almost a year later, I started getting pain after eating again. I put it down to not being so strict or careful enough with my food. Using different utensils when cooking, not sharing food, not eating from plates that other people have put their fork into, not using napkins that people have picked up or drink from cups that they have touched using gluten hands – seriously guys, if you know someone who has bad reactions or is coeliac, this is their life. I would rather go hungry than have cramps and pain for 3 or more days.

Either way, I knew something just wasn’t right. There has always been something not quite right.

So I decided to see a different naturopath, who many friends had seen, raved about & got brilliant results from.

I went to my appointment and met with Dr naturopath – yes, he is also a doctor. I didn’t know where to start, or what would be irrelevant, but managed to condense my history into about 3 minutes.

One muscle test and a quick chat later, I was armed with powder to heal my gut, Costat tablets to help kill the parasite and instructions to keep away from gluten and eggs for 6 weeks – the lifecycle of a parasite. He told me that my immune system was barely alive due to the parasite, giardia. I researched like crazy, decided that this giardia needs to leave ASAP.

I generally don’t eat gluten, meat or diary (the three most inflammatory foods), so I figured I was on the right track. HOWEVER… I was going to Italy & Croatia for a holiday.

I had been to Italy before, and never had an issue with their flour. No matter how much pizza I ate (and I tried to eat as much as I can), I never got cramps, pain or bloating. Dr naturopath said it is very common and explained that even some coeliacs can tolerate gluten in Italy & France due to them having ‘old style’ flour, but regardless, I shouldn’t go too crazy.

HA!

I was overseas for 5 weeks, with my tablets & powders, and also eating all of the pizza, pasta & bread that I wanted. Do you know how good it feels to not have to re-wash things, to use the same chopping board, or just sneak food from someone else’s plate?

Let’s just say, I did not hold back.

While overseas, I met one of my partners relatives who was a health guru and had healed family & friends of so many different ailments. We had a few days in the same city, so had many long chats about supplements, blood, parasites, and of course, food. He also told me that the parasite I had was the strongest of them all and gave me some recommendations.

I returned to Adelaide, heavier of course, with a small flare up of my skin, but feeling better overall. I researched all the things we discussed with our relatives overseas and purchased some supplements for various reasons:

• Magnesium
• Probiotic with vitamin C
• Evening primrose oil
• Wormwood, black walnut & clovebud oil
• Liquid iodine
• Lemon oil
• Himalayan crystal salt, Epsom salt, magnesium rub & tissue salts spray

I have shared the reasons why I take some of them on Instagram here, and also on a YouTube video here. Some are fitness related, some are parasite related. As it could have been any combination, I want to give you full disclosure. As always, do your own research.

These supplements were included into my daily routine straight away. I wasn’t being strict on avoiding gluten and wanted to know if my relaxed approach in Italy, and now not being careful in Australia had set me back. There was no pain, no matter what I ate, which was new. I even ate some regular pasta – no reaction – amazing!!!

3 weeks later, I went back to see my naturopath. He re-did the muscle test and found the following:

1. Parasite is dead. YAAYY!
2. My immune system is better than ever (knew it, can feel it).
3. My body can now process small amounts of gluten, dairy and eggs without pain (I always knew I wasn’t coeliac, I knew there was more to it!)
4. When gluten, dairy and eggs are present, my immune system response is not good, and my immune system completely loses it when they are combined – any combination of the 3.

Dr naturopath told me to be careful as when I start getting pain, I’ve done damage. Avoiding the trigger foods is the healthiest way forward for me.

These days, I choose not to eat gluten, meat, dairy or eggs 99% of the time, so I’m all set! But guess what? I can now eat without pain, or the fear of pain, weeeee!!! No food tastes as good as the feeling of freedom!!

I am honestly in awe at how I healed myself to this point. The supplements from my naturopath, mixed with the additional supplements from my own research complimented each other brilliantly.

I knew there was almost something ‘not quite right’, like there had to be something more. And I was right. There was something more, something not quite right. I am grateful to each person I’ve met along my health journey, and for all of their help.

Now I am healthy, happy & parasite free!!

What worked for me, may not work for you. If my experience can help you in some way, I will be very grateful that I was able to help. I would love to hear your story also.

If you are in a similar situation and feel you are on a health rollercoaster, I can give you the details of Dr naturopath.

Supplements can be pretty expensive, but I get wholesale rates, so I can include you in the next order. But please, please, please do your own research.

Deanna