Day 213 - Small Intestine

“The small intestine is around five metres long, making it the longest section of the digestive tract. Although it is longer than the large intestine it has a smaller diameter. This is why it's called the small intestine.

After food is churned up in the stomach, a sphincter muscle at the end of the stomach opens to squirt small amounts of food into the top of the small intestine. This first section of the small intestine is called the duodenum.

The pancreas releases digestive juices through a duct into your duodenum. This fluid is rich in enzymes that break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It also contains sodium bicarbonate which neutralises acid produced in your stomach. The gall bladder squeezes out bile down a duct into the duodenum. Bile helps break down fats in your food.

Most of the nutrients in food pass through the lining of the small intestine into the blood. The lining of the small intestine is covered in tiny microvilli. These are microscopic, finger-like protrusions which give the lining of the small intestine a massive surface area for absorption of nutrients to occur across.

Each microvillus contains a minute blood capillary. When nutrients are absorbed into a microvillus, they enter its blood capillary. This is how nutrients from the food enter the blood. By the time food leaves the small intestine all the nutrients in the food will have entered the bloodstream. All that remains is indigestible food which is passed from the small intestine to the large intestine for further processing.”*

*http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/factfiles/smallintestine/small_intestine.shtml

“I just got back from a four day sun dance." “What’s a sun dance?” I asked inquisitively. “It’s when you dance for four days.. after that I was hung from a tree. I now have holes everywhere” he explained to me. “O-kay....” I said under my breath, rather puzzled. “It’s a ritual, it represents the continuity of life. I often go and live with tribes, I just got back from South America... to see and learn about their forms of natural healing”. This was the first slither of conversation I had with the acupuncturist before having needles stuck into my feet and hands.

I know acupuncture is not meant to hurt, although this time it really felt quite uncomfortable. Luck would also have it that half way through I had a really itchy leg but couldn’t move because of all the needles.

Anyhow, the good news is that the acupuncturist (also a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine) believes that my headache is related to the small intestine, the gallbladder and partly also the liver. He is now the third person (along with the kinesiologist and the nutritionist) who believes that the problem is internally related, and more specifically gut/liver related. The needles were placed in my gall bladder, liver and small intestine acupuncture points located in my hands and feet.

The doctor wanted to give me some Chinese herbs to detox, although I explained I am currently undergoing a programme with the kinesiologist and want to finish with that first. I am, however, keen on continuing with regular acupuncture sessions. Unfortunately though, he is only in the country once a month as the rest of his time is spent travelling and studying herbal remedies. It’s nice to see someone so interested in learning about alternative medicine, which no doubt reflects his knowledge on diagnosing health problems.

The acupuncturist also strongly recommending regularly doing some relaxation techniques in order to relieve the pain.

Day 212 - Dandelion Coffee (Taraxacum officinale)

“Dandelion is a common meadow herb of the Asteraceae or sunflower family, closely related to chicory. Its name is a corruption of the French "dents de lion", meaning "teeth of the lion." The generic name derives from the Greek words taraxos, meaning disorder, and akos, meaning remedy.

Dandelion leaves and roots have been used for centuries to treat liver, gall bladder, kidney, and joint problems. In some countries, Dandelion is considered a blood purifier and is used for ailments such as eczema and cancer.

Dandelion has also been used to treat poor digestion, water retention, and diseases of the liver such as hepatitis. It is a general stimulant to the system, especially to the urinary organs, and is primarily used in kidney and liver disorders.

The bitter compounds in the leaves and root help stimulate digestion and are mild laxatives. They also increase bile production in the gall bladder and bile flow from the liver. This makes Dandelion a great tonic for people with sluggish liver function due to alcohol abuse or poor diet.”*

*http://www.althealth.co.uk/help_and_advice/miscellaneous/dandelion/

Lately I have been indulging in dandelion coffee which tastes a lot nicer than it looks (the roasted coffee beans look like guinea pig food). On the nutritionist’s recommendation, I have been drinking various cups a day (it’s caffeine free), and have really taken a liking to it. Dandelion is meant to aid digestion and help the liver eliminate toxins.

I spoke to the nutritionist today and finally got my liver test results. Apparently my liver is not functioning to its full capacity - she suggested taking some supplements to rectify the problem. The majority are the same as those the kinesiologist has given me - it's reassuring to see that both the nutritionist and the kinesiologist share the same viewpoint.

In the meantime, I am waiting for the nutritionist to email me my results in more detail to see exactly where the problem lies.

Day 160 - Diet

“The word diet is often used to describe an eating plan intended to aid weight loss. However, diet really refers to the foods a person eats in the course of a day, or week.

The more balanced and nutritious the diet, the healthier the person can expect to be. A balanced diet means eating the right amount of foods from all food groups.

The benefits of a balanced diet are numerous. No single food contains everything the body needs so it is important to eat a wide variety.

The right amount of vitamins and nutrients can increase life expectancy by keeping the heart and body healthy, and preventing many long-term illnesses.”*

*http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/diet/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Today I had my second Bowen treatment.

I feel more relaxed after this morning’s session and the headache seems to be a bit better.

In terms of my new diet, I am struggling to come up with some dishes that do not contain any traces of wheat, yeast, dried fruit, sugar, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, chillis and all other nightshades.

In brief, I am starving.

And I am not too sure how healthy this can all be - at the moment I am certainly not maintaining a balanced diet.

I don’t think I can bear the sight of sweet potatoes, chicken, salad, spinach, goat’s cheese or eggs anymore.

Before starting my new regime, the headache had slightly improved - it was not as strong on a daily basis. The supplements the kinesiologist gave me must have been doing something. Or am I just accustomed to my headache, and nearly becoming immune to it?

Despite being open to all these new treatments, and doing my utmost to rid my body of the pain, I feel like the solution to it all is once again creeping further and further away.

Day 143 - Nutritionist

“A nutritionist is concerned with the study of nutrients in food, how nutrients are used in the body, and the relationship between diet, health and disease.

What we eat is an important part of our being. Food provides us with the energy and vital nutrients necessary to remain healthy and help us should we become ill.

Most of us know that diet plays a role in our general health, but over the years it has also been shown that specific foods can enhance our chances of avoiding certain diseases, and help us cope better with some conditions.

Knowing which foods are responsible is the first step to ascertaining how to go about addressing the problem, though this can sometimes seem like a detective’s nightmare. Often the only way is to carry out an elimination diet, by excluding certain substances.”*

* http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/nutritionist_job_description.jsp
http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/Therapies/nutritional-therapy.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/nutrition/dietary_index.shtml

A few weeks ago there was an article in the paper about a nutrition consultant who had cured a boy the doctors had given up on. She bases her treatment on blood analysis and looks for deficiencies.

Today I went to see her.

The nutritionist examined my form. She tested me for vitamin deficiencies. She said that she was surprised about my headache, given my lack of symptoms (other than the headache of course) and vitamin deficiencies.

She believes my headache may well be related to my liver. She has suggested carrying out a detailed liver test in the next few days. The test will be delivered to me in the post.

She suggested taking some supplements - incidentally, these are the same as the ones the kinesiologist advised taking. It's reassuring to see that - finally - two different people advise doing the same thing. Maybe with the help of both of them I can solve the problem.

She advised eliminating wheat, yeast, sugar, dried fruit and alcohol from my diet.