I found myself in a very dark place 8 months ago. Caught up in the stress of loss, overwhelmed by emotional pain*, and then brought to my knees by physical pain. All summer long I was in and out of emergency rooms, telling the doctors – I cannot be sick, I’m one of the healthiest people I know!

*If you want the personal story with all the gory details, you’ll have to take me out for a drink after I’m done with this detox 😉

For months medical and holistic doctors tried to pinpoint what was wrong with me. The cardiologist diagnosed me with costochondritis, the rheumatologist diagnosed me with non-specific auto-immune disease (positive ANA and other indicators), and my GP thought I had a tick-borne illness. Test after test, medicine and more medicine, finally I got fed up and went to see Sally Kravich. “Stress!”, she proclaimed. You’re body is shutting down – your lymphatic, immune & adrenal systems are weak and you have leaky gut and suffer from oxidative stress. 

Emotional and environmental stress needs to be cut out… I looked at her like she had 3 heads…  Um yeah, okay, that’s not going to happen. I have 3 young kids, a new puppy, a labor intensive and stressful job, a cooking business, a blog, and family and friends I cannot ignore! I don’t have time to cut out stress, but I CAN cut out inflammatory foods, and take supplements to help heal my body…

DONE. Let’s give it a try.

After a month, I felt worlds better, but still had the pesky chest pain. My daily fever and headaches were gone, and I knew I had more testing to do. After Thanksgiving I met with Dr. Warshowsky. Another panel of bloodwork and a urinalisis, and direct instructions to do silly things like: “FIND WAYS TO STAY IN THE MOMENT – MASSAGE, YOGA, WALKING, READING, MEDITATION, BATHS, ETC.”… also, eliminate toxins from my home – cleaning supplies, make-up, tooth-paste, deodorant, body cream, facial creams… I have a lot to do!

My test results showed that Sally’s program was working (Negative ANA – Hooray!), but there were other specific things I needed to do. I have a genetic mutation – MTHFR C677T and A1298C. Having this mutation reduces my ability to:

• detoxify toxins and heavy metals
• activate essential vitamins for energy like (B vitamins)
• metabolize hormones
• and protect DNA

It could also cause blood clotting, inflammation and can affect cognitive abilities (metal focus, clarity, memory, mood, etc.) 30% of the population has a form of this mutation but doctors RARELY test for it… and it affects EVERYTHING.

Knowledge is power. Within an hour of receiving the news of this DNA mutation, and modifying Sally’s plan to be even more specific, I felt like crying, laughing and dancing… all at the same time. I was SO relieved and it made me understand myself so much better.

Pain is a teacher. I spent my whole life with anxiety issues, blood issues, heart issues, digestive issues, weak immune system, migraines, chronic bronchitis and sinusitis, etc. It took 36 YEARS of me feeling pain and ignoring it, for me to feel enough pain to do whatever it takes to get myself better.

The TRUTH. Sally was right. I WAS STRESSED. This should not have been revelatory, but it was! in 2017 I felt needed by the people that I love, more than ever before. My mom, my kids, my friends, my colleagues… I didn’t have time to be sick. I had to get myself healthy, so that I could be there for them. THAT realization, that I didn’t do all of the testing, drug trials, and now a crazy strict detox, JUST FOR ME… I did it for others… totally floored me. I didn’t value myself or my health enough to do what it takes FOR ME.

Time to Change. I am valuable. I am worthy. I am ready. I’m leaving the crap from 2017 in the past, learning from the pain, but not carrying it with me. I’m doing whatever it takes to make myself whole. And I’m not delusional about the process. It will be hard, but totally (100%) necessary!

Step #1 – DETOX. Some of that 2017 crap is still stuck inside of my body. So, I’m embarking on a 21 day cleanse as prescribed by my amazing doctor. Want to follow my detox/cleanse? Check out the articles below!

• DAYS 1 – 7
• DAYS 8 – 14
• DAYS 15 – 21

Wishing you a HAPPY & HEALTHY New Year, full of LOVE & YUM!

XOXO,

Lindsay “Mama” O’Neill