Aside from an awful headache, upper backache, and lower backache I feel pretty good. Maybe that's an oxymoron...I dunno. Because I am in pain and also sort of tired I did not do much today. I spent time in my room reading and watching TV while knitting. Mom called and we talked for a while and now I am back in the internet room. I am very, very hungry today. Hungrier than I have been. Dinner is in 45 minutes. I saw they put a glass of tomato juice on the table for me and I hope that doesn't mean I won't get broth. I would much rather have some warm broth.
Tonight I plan on staying in my room and watching TV. I find it hard to concentrate on a book even but I know that's all part of the die off process. I did sit in the infrared cabin for 25 minutes and that felt really good on my achy back.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day 3 - 12:40 PM
I had my "stationary bike session" at 10:10 AM. It is supervised and you have to record your high and low heart rate. I don't know why I worry so much about bad breath. The woman who was "supervising" the stationary bike riding had horrible breath and she is not fasting/detoxing.
After that I hung out at my room for a bit then went for a 30 minute walk. It felt good to be outside and I took some pictures. It really is beautiful around here. The clinic is up on a hill overlooking the town. Lunch was carrot broth - I had two cups. Found out that you can ask for seconds.
Headache and backache are close to unbearable but I am not surprised. Still hungry hoping this will pass. I was told that by day 3 hunger should be gone. This is not the experience I had last time I fasted at home and I was told that I must not have eliminated properly. I did and between taking Epsom salt daily, drinking only liquids, and getting a daily colonic I would say I am eliminating properly here. I am supposed to get 2 exams a week with a doctor so I'll ask him.
After that I hung out at my room for a bit then went for a 30 minute walk. It felt good to be outside and I took some pictures. It really is beautiful around here. The clinic is up on a hill overlooking the town. Lunch was carrot broth - I had two cups. Found out that you can ask for seconds.
Headache and backache are close to unbearable but I am not surprised. Still hungry hoping this will pass. I was told that by day 3 hunger should be gone. This is not the experience I had last time I fasted at home and I was told that I must not have eliminated properly. I did and between taking Epsom salt daily, drinking only liquids, and getting a daily colonic I would say I am eliminating properly here. I am supposed to get 2 exams a week with a doctor so I'll ask him.
Day 3 - 9:00 AM
I slept 9 hours which is so unusual for me. Normally I wake up after 7 or 8 hours and sleeping longer actually just makes me feel worse. In addition, I had a colonic scheduled for 7:30 AM so I felt rushed right after getting up. Didn't do my quiet time or prayer time either. Weight this morning was 64.5 kilos (142.9 lbs).
My tongue looks disgusting and I don't even want to know what my breath is like. The headache is worse today and I also have an upper and a a lower backache. All part of detoxing and die off. My heart rate was still pretty high this morning. I strapped on my HR monitor and it was around 106 just walking down the hallway and then jumped to 135 walking up one flight of stairs. Since I have no desire to just sit around all day I took a beta blocker. It was fine for a while last year so that's what I am clinging to. It sounds crazy, but maybe it's really all related to fungal overgrowth. I don't know what else it would be because 3,671 tests of various kind have revealed nothing.
Breakfast this morning was tomato juice. I added some Celtic sea salt since the doc said my sodium is too low and I should add some to my meals. I took the juice up to my room with me since I am not that thrilled with my table mates. I met two of them last night and they seemed to know each other as well as the other woman who was not there yet. They greeted me but I found it hard to participate in their conversation. In addition, they were eating bread. I asked if they are doing the Mayr type fast (rolls and milk) but they said they are doing the regular broth/juice fast but they add bread because it "helps settle your stomach". Ummm, ok!? That's not really fasting and I have no desire to sit in front of a plate of bread at every "meal" when I am getting nothing but juice and broth. Maybe I am just still cranky but for now I am going to have my "meals" in my room.
Aside from the colonic my other doctor's order for today is riding the stationary bike. There's also a Pilates class at 2:30 PM but I may find that riding the bike and going for a walk is enough. It's cold outside but I find if I bundle up really warm it actually feels good to get out in the fresh air.
I was going to attend the daily prayer time today but realized it's at a really bad time. Lunch is from 12 PM to 12:30 PM and the prayer time is at 12:15 PM. Was that on purpose?
My tongue looks disgusting and I don't even want to know what my breath is like. The headache is worse today and I also have an upper and a a lower backache. All part of detoxing and die off. My heart rate was still pretty high this morning. I strapped on my HR monitor and it was around 106 just walking down the hallway and then jumped to 135 walking up one flight of stairs. Since I have no desire to just sit around all day I took a beta blocker. It was fine for a while last year so that's what I am clinging to. It sounds crazy, but maybe it's really all related to fungal overgrowth. I don't know what else it would be because 3,671 tests of various kind have revealed nothing.
Breakfast this morning was tomato juice. I added some Celtic sea salt since the doc said my sodium is too low and I should add some to my meals. I took the juice up to my room with me since I am not that thrilled with my table mates. I met two of them last night and they seemed to know each other as well as the other woman who was not there yet. They greeted me but I found it hard to participate in their conversation. In addition, they were eating bread. I asked if they are doing the Mayr type fast (rolls and milk) but they said they are doing the regular broth/juice fast but they add bread because it "helps settle your stomach". Ummm, ok!? That's not really fasting and I have no desire to sit in front of a plate of bread at every "meal" when I am getting nothing but juice and broth. Maybe I am just still cranky but for now I am going to have my "meals" in my room.
Aside from the colonic my other doctor's order for today is riding the stationary bike. There's also a Pilates class at 2:30 PM but I may find that riding the bike and going for a walk is enough. It's cold outside but I find if I bundle up really warm it actually feels good to get out in the fresh air.
I was going to attend the daily prayer time today but realized it's at a really bad time. Lunch is from 12 PM to 12:30 PM and the prayer time is at 12:15 PM. Was that on purpose?
Monday, January 18, 2010
Day 2
Today was a good day. Woke up around 6 AM and walked downstairs to get some tea. Still have a slight headache and white colored tongue. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be though.
At 7:30 AM I got my first chamomile infused colonic after they weighed me (142 lbs). The colonics only last about 10 minutes since you are getting one every day. So it’s not the full blown 45 minute deal. After the colonic I went to breakfast. I had some carrot juice, filled my water bottle and went back to my room. At 9:15 AM I got a hot/cold foot bath. They have double sinks lined up along the floor. One side has warm bath water with some herbal foam bath in it. The other side has cold, VERY cold, plain water in it. You put your legs up to about mid-calf into the warm herbal bath water for 5 minutes. Then you stick your legs into the cold water for about 10 seconds. You repeat this one more time and supposedly this brings “tired legs back to life”. Ummm, ok.
Since my legs were “alive” after this nice bath, or at least part of them, I walked down to town (Bad Brueckenau) to see if I can find a skin brush. The store the doctor recommended was nice but seeing all the food and smelling the baked goods wasn’t exactly easy. I found my skin brush and left. I walked around the town a bit and took some pics then came back to the clinic.
Although I took a beta blocker this morning my heart rate was really high coming back up the hill to the clinic. I started feeling some anxiety about the state of my health but decided not to go there. Instead I
Kept telling myself that I am getting better and better every day.
On a different note, when I looked at the tiny amount of Epsom salt they left in my room last night I did not think it would do much. Boy was I wrong. About 40 minutes after taking I was in the bathroom….several times and then again when I got up this morning.
After my walk to town I sat in the infrared cabin for 15 minutes (must bring a book next time so I can last the recommended 30 minutes) and then I took a swim. Or attempted to take a swim at least. After 5 minutes I was bored and went back to my room to take a shower. I also don’t think dwelling in a pool with tons of chlorine is very conducive to healing.
I took a shower and read until it was time for lunch. Today we got potato broth which was INCREDIBLE. It wasn’t clear broth but looked like they had pureed just tiny bit of potatoes into it. I know, you wouldn’t think that potato broth could be that good but it was! I once read that you should chew your liquids and drink your food so I tried chewing each spoonful. I know I don’t chew my food well enough and it’s something I want to change when I am done with this fast.
I have met several people who come here on a regular basis. One woman I spoke to this morning said she has been coming here for 26 years. Another woman last night said this is her 7th time. She also said that things were even more basic when the doctor who originally started the clinic was still alive. Apparently he felt that everybody who has health issues should fast at least 4 weeks. There were no TVs in the rooms and there was no internet connection. He wanted people to focus inward and get the spiritual benefits of fasting.
Next I went to a roundtable discussion on fasting. It was interesting and I got to ask a lot of questions. The guy leading the discussion suggested I have broth at night instead of tea with honey. It was one of the questions I had since I have fungal overgrowth and fungi as well as bacteria feed on sugar.
I tried the sauna again but took a beta blocker about half an hour before I went. It was better but I still felt dizzy and my heart was racing after sitting in the sauna. While I was sitting in there by myself I started thinking about all the health issues I have been dealing with. I started saying over and over “God heals all diseases” and then I just started to cry. I have been SO stressed dealing with all these health issues daily. The hardest part is eating and then reacting, every single day.
After the sauna I took the house tour since I missed it yesterday. The lady who does the tour was half an hour late. After the tour I got my broth and now I am here. Hoping to Skype with Bob and then head to the room for the night.
Now I’m hungry and cranky!
At 7:30 AM I got my first chamomile infused colonic after they weighed me (142 lbs). The colonics only last about 10 minutes since you are getting one every day. So it’s not the full blown 45 minute deal. After the colonic I went to breakfast. I had some carrot juice, filled my water bottle and went back to my room. At 9:15 AM I got a hot/cold foot bath. They have double sinks lined up along the floor. One side has warm bath water with some herbal foam bath in it. The other side has cold, VERY cold, plain water in it. You put your legs up to about mid-calf into the warm herbal bath water for 5 minutes. Then you stick your legs into the cold water for about 10 seconds. You repeat this one more time and supposedly this brings “tired legs back to life”. Ummm, ok.
Since my legs were “alive” after this nice bath, or at least part of them, I walked down to town (Bad Brueckenau) to see if I can find a skin brush. The store the doctor recommended was nice but seeing all the food and smelling the baked goods wasn’t exactly easy. I found my skin brush and left. I walked around the town a bit and took some pics then came back to the clinic.
Although I took a beta blocker this morning my heart rate was really high coming back up the hill to the clinic. I started feeling some anxiety about the state of my health but decided not to go there. Instead I
Kept telling myself that I am getting better and better every day.
On a different note, when I looked at the tiny amount of Epsom salt they left in my room last night I did not think it would do much. Boy was I wrong. About 40 minutes after taking I was in the bathroom….several times and then again when I got up this morning.
After my walk to town I sat in the infrared cabin for 15 minutes (must bring a book next time so I can last the recommended 30 minutes) and then I took a swim. Or attempted to take a swim at least. After 5 minutes I was bored and went back to my room to take a shower. I also don’t think dwelling in a pool with tons of chlorine is very conducive to healing.
I took a shower and read until it was time for lunch. Today we got potato broth which was INCREDIBLE. It wasn’t clear broth but looked like they had pureed just tiny bit of potatoes into it. I know, you wouldn’t think that potato broth could be that good but it was! I once read that you should chew your liquids and drink your food so I tried chewing each spoonful. I know I don’t chew my food well enough and it’s something I want to change when I am done with this fast.
I have met several people who come here on a regular basis. One woman I spoke to this morning said she has been coming here for 26 years. Another woman last night said this is her 7th time. She also said that things were even more basic when the doctor who originally started the clinic was still alive. Apparently he felt that everybody who has health issues should fast at least 4 weeks. There were no TVs in the rooms and there was no internet connection. He wanted people to focus inward and get the spiritual benefits of fasting.
Next I went to a roundtable discussion on fasting. It was interesting and I got to ask a lot of questions. The guy leading the discussion suggested I have broth at night instead of tea with honey. It was one of the questions I had since I have fungal overgrowth and fungi as well as bacteria feed on sugar.
I tried the sauna again but took a beta blocker about half an hour before I went. It was better but I still felt dizzy and my heart was racing after sitting in the sauna. While I was sitting in there by myself I started thinking about all the health issues I have been dealing with. I started saying over and over “God heals all diseases” and then I just started to cry. I have been SO stressed dealing with all these health issues daily. The hardest part is eating and then reacting, every single day.
After the sauna I took the house tour since I missed it yesterday. The lady who does the tour was half an hour late. After the tour I got my broth and now I am here. Hoping to Skype with Bob and then head to the room for the night.
Now I’m hungry and cranky!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Day 1 cont.
I skyped with Bob this afternoon, talked to mom, watched some TV, then went to see the doctor. Oddly I am not very hungry although I have not had anything to “eat” today, not even juice or broth. The doctor was nice, asked a lot of questions, wrote stuff down, then did an exam. He gave me a probiotic, some mineral stuff, and a homeopathic that is supposed to support your heart and circulation.
It was 7 PM by the time I was done. Since I missed “dinner” (1 cup herbal tea with 1 T honey) I decided to check out the sauna. I was hoping I could tolerate it without taking a beta blocker but I was wrong. I only lasted 12 minutes in there and when I got up to go out my heart rate was so high I had to lean on the wall for a little while. Very disappointing! So if I want to get the benefit of sitting in the sauna I am going to have to take a beta blocker. I don’t like those options.
The heart rate issue is one that I would really like to figure out. It just does not seem that my thyroid med (Cytomel) is causing it, at the same time, I keep going back to it. There are many things I am unsure about and I am hoping that God will give me some answers during this fast. If you are reading this and feel inclined to pray, here is what I am confused about:
1. Should I switch back to Armour Thyroid or stay on Cytomel? Or do I need a combination of the two?
2. Should I taper off the progesterone cream and just stay off of it for a while, then get re-tested?
3. What is causing the heart rate issue?
Writing about it produces some anxiety for me. I haven’t gone to the “what if this fast doesn’t help” what if. I am trying to just focus on today and keep thinking positive.
They have a Catholic church service twice a week and guided prayer time every Monday through Friday at 12:15 PM. There’s a pastor on staff here that you can talk to if you feel the need. And tomorrow he is doing a presentation (for lack of a better word) called “Finding God Through Joys and Sorrows”. I am going to check it out.
The doctor recommended dry skin brushing while I am fasting but of course I left mine at home. He said there’s a store in town that should have them. Guess I’ll trek down there tomorrow to see if I can find one. He also recommended I ride the bike every day, participate in water aerobics, and he discussed which of my supplements I should keep taking and which I should stop while fasting.
Overall I am feeling pretty good. Other than the heart rate issue, a mild headache, and now some white coating on my tongue I am fine.
It was 7 PM by the time I was done. Since I missed “dinner” (1 cup herbal tea with 1 T honey) I decided to check out the sauna. I was hoping I could tolerate it without taking a beta blocker but I was wrong. I only lasted 12 minutes in there and when I got up to go out my heart rate was so high I had to lean on the wall for a little while. Very disappointing! So if I want to get the benefit of sitting in the sauna I am going to have to take a beta blocker. I don’t like those options.
The heart rate issue is one that I would really like to figure out. It just does not seem that my thyroid med (Cytomel) is causing it, at the same time, I keep going back to it. There are many things I am unsure about and I am hoping that God will give me some answers during this fast. If you are reading this and feel inclined to pray, here is what I am confused about:
1. Should I switch back to Armour Thyroid or stay on Cytomel? Or do I need a combination of the two?
2. Should I taper off the progesterone cream and just stay off of it for a while, then get re-tested?
3. What is causing the heart rate issue?
Writing about it produces some anxiety for me. I haven’t gone to the “what if this fast doesn’t help” what if. I am trying to just focus on today and keep thinking positive.
They have a Catholic church service twice a week and guided prayer time every Monday through Friday at 12:15 PM. There’s a pastor on staff here that you can talk to if you feel the need. And tomorrow he is doing a presentation (for lack of a better word) called “Finding God Through Joys and Sorrows”. I am going to check it out.
The doctor recommended dry skin brushing while I am fasting but of course I left mine at home. He said there’s a store in town that should have them. Guess I’ll trek down there tomorrow to see if I can find one. He also recommended I ride the bike every day, participate in water aerobics, and he discussed which of my supplements I should keep taking and which I should stop while fasting.
Overall I am feeling pretty good. Other than the heart rate issue, a mild headache, and now some white coating on my tongue I am fine.
Day 1
First day of 21 days of fasting….! Since I am fasting at a clinic, I should point out that I will be talking about colonics, bowel movements, etc. Just in case anybody reading this is squeamish.
Anyway, I got up and had some decaffeinated green tea, my meds, and otherwise just water. Mom made some bacon and that was tough. I LOVE bacon and I love the smell of bacon.
Simone drove me to the clinic. Mom was scared to drive because of all the snow we got last night. It was good though because it gave me some time to hang out with Simone and just talk. Plus she is considering spending a week here while I am here so she got to see the place. We got here around 1:15 PM, I checked in, and we went up to my room. It’s small but nice with a roughly twin size bed, a window overlooking a forest, a nightstand, small desk, closet, two chairs and a small (slightly bigger than cruise cabin size) bathroom.
They also put a bottle of sparkling water in the room. YES! I love that stuff. In the bathroom there was a cup with a bit of water and some grainy stuff on the bottom. A little sign indicate that this is Epsom salt which I am supposed to drink every night – YIKES – to assist my body in getting “cleaned”. There was also some sign about some sort of wrap that you get every day while during the “resting” period and it comes in a potato sack which is then to be deposited in designated bins in the hallway. The wraps supposedly help the immune system and circulation.
We took a quick tour of the place and found the pool, sauna, laundry room, internet room (small room with one desktop and one addition internet cable), library, and the two “dining” rooms. One is for people who are eating and the other one is for people who are fasting. Both have a tea and water station with all kinds of different herbal teas. I also found some green tea which I had a cup. I didn’t think caffeine of any kind was allowed during fasting but I figure I may as well have one until I am told I shouldn’t. They also have hot ginger water which I know is very beneficial. I always have good intentions of drinking it daily at home but then never stick to it.
After Simone left I unpacked and then started a load of laundry. I took a bathrobe and some sweatshirts from mom’s house and once I got here I thought they smelled like smoke. I am waiting on those to be done right now.
At 5:10 PM today I have my “entry exam” with one of the doctors. Around 5:30 PM they are doing a tour of the building for all the people who checked in today and the receptionist said it would be to my benefit to try and make it. Apparently they do one every day but she said it’s good to do it the first night and it tends to start a bit late so I should be able to catch up to them after my doctor’s appointment.
Tomorrow at 7:30 AM I am getting my first colonic and at 9 AM I get my first hot/cold herbal foot bath. I guess they don’t mess around. Between the daily Epsom salt and the daily colonics I am going to have the cleanest colon of them all.
They have various free activities every day like guided hikes, excursions into town (on foot) to teach you about groceries, Pilates, music programs, stretching, and more. So they definitely keep you busy which is nice.
I guess that’s it for now. I will update the blog later tonight before I head to bed. It would be nice if I could do so from my room, but at the same time I am glad I don’t have internet access in my room. It would be too tempting to just browse the net all the time. Instead I want to focus on God and the spiritual aspect of fasting.
Anyway, I got up and had some decaffeinated green tea, my meds, and otherwise just water. Mom made some bacon and that was tough. I LOVE bacon and I love the smell of bacon.
Simone drove me to the clinic. Mom was scared to drive because of all the snow we got last night. It was good though because it gave me some time to hang out with Simone and just talk. Plus she is considering spending a week here while I am here so she got to see the place. We got here around 1:15 PM, I checked in, and we went up to my room. It’s small but nice with a roughly twin size bed, a window overlooking a forest, a nightstand, small desk, closet, two chairs and a small (slightly bigger than cruise cabin size) bathroom.
They also put a bottle of sparkling water in the room. YES! I love that stuff. In the bathroom there was a cup with a bit of water and some grainy stuff on the bottom. A little sign indicate that this is Epsom salt which I am supposed to drink every night – YIKES – to assist my body in getting “cleaned”. There was also some sign about some sort of wrap that you get every day while during the “resting” period and it comes in a potato sack which is then to be deposited in designated bins in the hallway. The wraps supposedly help the immune system and circulation.
We took a quick tour of the place and found the pool, sauna, laundry room, internet room (small room with one desktop and one addition internet cable), library, and the two “dining” rooms. One is for people who are eating and the other one is for people who are fasting. Both have a tea and water station with all kinds of different herbal teas. I also found some green tea which I had a cup. I didn’t think caffeine of any kind was allowed during fasting but I figure I may as well have one until I am told I shouldn’t. They also have hot ginger water which I know is very beneficial. I always have good intentions of drinking it daily at home but then never stick to it.
After Simone left I unpacked and then started a load of laundry. I took a bathrobe and some sweatshirts from mom’s house and once I got here I thought they smelled like smoke. I am waiting on those to be done right now.
At 5:10 PM today I have my “entry exam” with one of the doctors. Around 5:30 PM they are doing a tour of the building for all the people who checked in today and the receptionist said it would be to my benefit to try and make it. Apparently they do one every day but she said it’s good to do it the first night and it tends to start a bit late so I should be able to catch up to them after my doctor’s appointment.
Tomorrow at 7:30 AM I am getting my first colonic and at 9 AM I get my first hot/cold herbal foot bath. I guess they don’t mess around. Between the daily Epsom salt and the daily colonics I am going to have the cleanest colon of them all.
They have various free activities every day like guided hikes, excursions into town (on foot) to teach you about groceries, Pilates, music programs, stretching, and more. So they definitely keep you busy which is nice.
I guess that’s it for now. I will update the blog later tonight before I head to bed. It would be nice if I could do so from my room, but at the same time I am glad I don’t have internet access in my room. It would be too tempting to just browse the net all the time. Instead I want to focus on God and the spiritual aspect of fasting.
yesterday
The flight was uneventful and I got to Germany 20 minutes early. After dinner on the plane and a movie I got comfy across four seats with 3 pillows and 2 blankets and slept..............30 minutes! I don't get why I just can't seem to sleep during a flight even when I am comfy and have plenty of room.
Mom and I went to the Wiesbaden base before coming home because she wanted to get some Euro and also fill up the car, only to find out that her ID card is expired. We were able to get into the commissary but that's it. I drank some coffee when we got home and that got me through the day without sleeping. By 10 PM I was very tired and slept straight through the night.
I found myself wanting to eat and searching for non-ZC (zero carb) foods most of the day. My original plan was to go into this 21-day fast without any splurges ahead of time but that wasn't so easy. On the flight I decided to take one bite of the roll that came with dinner which led to me eating the whole thing as well as a piece of cheese and the little brownie. I ate ZC throughout the day yesterday but when I got home from visiting with my SIL I had some green beans and also some almonds. I guess it could have been worse.
Considering jetlag and the fact that I ate foods I don't tolerate all that well, I feel pretty good this morning. I am ready to go to the clinic and excited about getting started. I believe that it will be a really good thing overall.
Mom on the other hand is not doing so well. I am worried about her...
Mom and I went to the Wiesbaden base before coming home because she wanted to get some Euro and also fill up the car, only to find out that her ID card is expired. We were able to get into the commissary but that's it. I drank some coffee when we got home and that got me through the day without sleeping. By 10 PM I was very tired and slept straight through the night.
I found myself wanting to eat and searching for non-ZC (zero carb) foods most of the day. My original plan was to go into this 21-day fast without any splurges ahead of time but that wasn't so easy. On the flight I decided to take one bite of the roll that came with dinner which led to me eating the whole thing as well as a piece of cheese and the little brownie. I ate ZC throughout the day yesterday but when I got home from visiting with my SIL I had some green beans and also some almonds. I guess it could have been worse.
Considering jetlag and the fact that I ate foods I don't tolerate all that well, I feel pretty good this morning. I am ready to go to the clinic and excited about getting started. I believe that it will be a really good thing overall.
Mom on the other hand is not doing so well. I am worried about her...
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