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From Blindness to 20/20: My Aunt’s Incredible Eye Health Journey! 👀❤️

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Y’all, I’d like to introduce you to my precious Aunt and tell you about our phone call yesterday.
We have a strong family history of an eye disease called macular degeneration. My grandmother (her mom) went blind from it about 10 years before she passed away. Both my Mom and my Aunt have it, and have for several years. My Aunt was diagnosed a few years ago with cataracts on top of the macular degeneration. This apparently compounds things and can make cataracts surgery a little more complicated. My Aunt waited until she was almost completely blind before finally agreeing to the cataract surgery (they did each eye separately, about 6 weeks apart)
About 3 or 4 years ago, I encouraged my Aunt to start taking NingXia Red and Illumineyes daily in an effort to help salvage whatever we could on her eyes. She has been so faithful in taking both daily……
Well!!!!! She has been telling me how much better she is seeing after her cataract surgeries, and I totally imagine that she was, but I had no idea…. yesterday she called me after her Dr’s appointment. Not only did the doctor tell her she has 20/20 vision, but they also can find no evidence of the Macular Degeneration! (This is largely considered an incurable eye disease).
They asked her to take the vision test twice😉…. and then she told them she drinks a red drink 😉 and takes a red pill to help with her eyesight.
Love your peepers friends!
 

No More Eye Dis-ease

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Fructus lycii: A Natural Dietary Supplement for Amelioration of Retinal Diseases
I’ve been studying the effects of wolfberries (aka goji berries) on the eyes. Our family has a pretty strong history of age-related macular degeneration, and I love my peepers and don’t want to lose them in my twilight years.
 
Thankful I found NingXia Red 10 years ago, and IlluminEyes a few years ago!
Do you have eye dis-ease history in your family tree?
xoxo~ liz
 

February 2023 Free from Young Living

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FEBRUARY IS HERE YA’LL! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? FEBRUARY WRAPS UP THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN OUR BODIES ARE CRAVING “REST AND REFRESH” TIME.
(Total sidebar factoid🤓: yes, we’re all seeing and hearing and perhaps paying high prices for “rare” chicken eggs right now. Who knows exactly “why” this is going on this particular year 🧐(hang on while I adjust my well-worn tinfoil hat), but winter months ARE common for chickens to rest and rejuvenate their oviducts. God made them that way so that they can lead long productive lives. He did the same for us too…… embrace this last month of hibernation and take care of yourself!)
 
Young Living is kindly giving us tools for free (with a qualifying purchase) this month to help us rest and restore alligator winter skin and eyes that may have been spending too much time in front of a screen.
 
I don’t know of another company that will give someone $190.00+ worth of product for free when spending 300+$, (or $96 for spending $190+), and yet YL does…. every single month. 🥰
 
Lushious Lemon is one of my all-time favorite Young Living essential oil blends. I don’t know of a single person who doesn’t LOVE this aroma. This month we’re getting the Lushious Lemon Hand Lotion as part of our gift with purchase. YL never creates a product without a healthy purpose, and not only does the hand lotion nourish skin, the aroma just makes a person happy! (If you’re feeling grumpy or perhaps have a grumpy family member, you’ll never go wrong by diffusing the situation with a few drops of Lushious Lemon EO in your diffuser 😉)
 
If you aren’t yet utilizing the Loyalty Rewards opportunity (more free products and points to accumulate and use for purchasing MORE free products of your choosing), consider the benefits! You can learn more about how Loyalty Rewards works here: https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/learn/loyalty-rewards
 
Loyalty Rewards orders also have the opportunity this month to receive 10 extra points (=free product) and the BLOOM YL essential oil blend. BLOOM can be used topically or diffused. It is a beautiful addition to skin care ( a combo of Vetiver, Blue Cypress, Davana, Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood, Clove, Jasmine, Carrot seed, Spearmint, Geranium, and Sacred Frank). During your hibernation time, do a little pubmed.gov 🤓digging on each one of these, and you find out exactly why (purpose) BLOOM was created 😍.
 
I’m especially excited that we’re getting IlluminEYES for free this month, as it’s something I’ve recently added to my daily regimen. Too much screen time is definitely taking a toll on my eyes, as well as normal aging…… and I’ve got a strong genetic predisposition to macular degeneration (and my eyeballs aren’t getting any younger🤪). It’s much easier to be proactive than to try to reverse an active degenerative state in the body, so here I am…. give me all the eye health tips! I’m already wearing blue blocker glasses when in front of the computer, I use beneficial essential oils around the bony orbits of my eyes and drink NingXia Red daily. Our eyes need the proper support tools to function well, and IlluminEYES supports eye health. In addition to eye-happy vitamins, you’ll notice that IlluminEYES has Wolfberry fruit powder, Marigold Flower Extract, and Acerola cherry extract. Do some digging friends…. God gave us so much protection and healing directly from the garden.
 
Coconut Lime Replenishing Body Butter is another one of my favorites! My dry winter legs soak this creamy body butter in, and it literally smells like I just stepped into somewhere tropical, warm, and happy⛱🏝☀️! You won’t be disappointed, and neither will your skin!
 
Embrace this final month of hibernation! I know your body is appreciating the tools and recovery time you’re spending so you can be at your very best come springtime!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
(PS: If you aren’t yet enjoying free health tools from YL but would like to, join me! https://bit.ly/3oFccZj )

DIY Tests for Adrenal Fatigue

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Adrenal Fatigue DIY tests you can do at home

 

“One small clue can change the way you think about your surroundings quite dramatically.” ~The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs
When last we met, I unloaded a truckload full of clues pertaining to health history, stress history, and the physical health clues to be found within the story and advancing progress of adrenal fatigue. Being aware of your very personal surroundings (your body and history), and caring for your body based upon that history has everything to do with health outcomes. Using the clues you piece together, along with formulating a plan to “correct course” will have a dramatic impact over time. There are four DIY tests for monitoring your adrenal health. Independently, each test is a puzzle piece.
 
4 simple and free tests (combined with the clues mentioned previously) will paint a decent picture of your adrenal health.
 
1. Check eyes for iris contraction: This particular DIY is a study of the 👁pupil’s muscular strength in response to light stimulation, and is an excellent indicator of adrenal gland struggles. Our eyes respond to stress too, by dilating pupils (Hence the term, “deer in the headlights.”).They do this as a means of increasing visual observations of the perceived threat. Remember, “the lion” that may be chasing you could be a looming deadline, a toxic relationship, a chronic health issue, etc. Compared to a real lion chasing you, these common examples may seem benign, but the body and mind cannot discern the difference between a ferocious mammal or a pile of unpaid bills. As stress increases and adrenaline is released, peripheral vision shrinks, which reduces the field of vision to a laser focus on the immediate threat at hand. When the body is in this state, the eyes👁 are focused on the immediate threat, not the other environmental details, and a sort of tunnel vision develops….. Under a single looming threat (aka, “the lion”🦁), the physical effects should wear off as soon as the threat has moved on. If that threat continues to stalk you, small doses of adrenaline continue to release. When the muscles within the iris are exercised in this manner beyond capacity, they grow weary, and want to rest. If you have low adrenal function, the pupil will not hold the contraction(get smaller) easily.
The iris contraction test was originally discovered by Dr. C.F. Arroyo in 1924 as a means to help identify adrenal insufficiency. 🤓Here’s what you’ll do:
Sit in a dark room with a mirror, a flashlight, and a clock that measures in seconds. Sometimes this test is more easily done with a companion. Shine the flashlight across an eye (from the side of the face), and watch what happens to the pupil. Under healthy circumstances, the pupil should contract (get smaller) immediately. In adrenal insufficiency, the pupil will not be able to hold the contraction and will dilate (get larger) again despite the light shining across (not into!) it. How long is your eye able to maintain the smaller contracted pupil size in this test?
  • 20+ seconds : healthy!
  • 11-19 seconds: early clue of adrenal struggles
  • 5-10 seconds: adrenal insufficiency
  • 0-4 seconds: adrenal exhaustion
Note that this test is also a good one to use monthly to measure success during adrenal recovery, and that certain neurological and ophthalmological dysfunctions, medications (ex: stimulants, opioids, some OTC medicated nasal sprays, nicotine, certain eye drops and some chemotherapy agents) , and age parameters (the very young and elderly) may affect the reliability of this test.
 
2. The DIY Postural Blood Pressure Test: For this test, you’ll need an “at home” blood pressure cuff.
  1. Lay down for about 10 minutes, and then take the blood pressure while in that position.
  2. Then, take blood pressure immediately after standing up (from the original laying down position).
  3. Blood pressure should rise 10-20 mm/Hg when coming from a laying to standing position. If it instead drops by 10 mm/Hg or more, and there is not other cause (ex: dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, an injury, or certain medications including blood pressure medications, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, opioids, anti-psychotics),adrenal insufficiency is a strong possibility
  • Increase by 6-10 mm/Hg : adrenal status healthy
  • No change: adrenal status is fair
  • Drops 1-10 mm/Hg: adrenal status is poor
  • Drops by more than 10 mm/Hg: adrenals are exhausted.                                                                                                                                                                                         Note that an overall low blood pressure does not indicate adrenal problems, and also that an overall high blood pressure does not mean an absence of adrenal issues.
3.  The DIY Sergent’s White Line Test: French physician Dr. Emile Sergent first described this test in 1917.🤓 French physician Dr. Emile Sergent first described this test in 1917.🤓 You’ll need your belly and a ballpoint pen.
  1. Stroke your abdomen with the capped end of a ballpoint pen (or something equivalent). Make the strokes one over the other on the same 6 inch line.
  2. Note the reaction of the skin. What color does the skin turn when you quit stroking that area?
  3. In a normal reaction, the mark should be white, but then redden within seconds. If you have diminished arterial tension (a factor in compromised adrenal glands), that color line will stay white for a minute or two and may actually widen.
4.  DIY Body Temperature Test : Dr Bruce Rind MD is another beacon of light within the Western Medicine world. The body temperature🌡 test I am describing is one of his contributions to identifying adrenal distress. Recall that endocrine disorders often have a masquerade party amongst themselves (and other disorders!), making it hard to differentiate who the real party pooper is in your personal health situation. Dr. Rind recommends the following test as a means of identifying hypothyroidism, adrenal dysfunction (or a combination of the two).
  1. Take your temperature by placing an old fashioned thermometer under your arm at a 45 degree angle.
  2. After 10 minutes, record the temperature.
  3. Do this three times a day at 3 hrs after waking, and then 3 hours later, and again 3 hours after that (if you’ve eaten or exercised right beforehand, wait 20 minutes to take your temperature).
  4. Average these three daily readings and record the result.
  5. Do this for 5 days (making sure that during that time you are healthy and not ovulating)
  • If the difference between your daily average temperature reading is no more than 0.2 degrees: no indication of adrenal or thyroid dysfunction.
  • If fluctuating, but the overall average is 98.6, adrenal support is recommended.
  • If fluctuating but overall low, it may indicate both an adrenal and thyroid issue.
  • If there is very little to no fluctuation, but temperature remains low, focus on the thyroid.
So interesting, right? I love how the body speaks📣 to us in very intentional ways. If your body is giving you clues🔎 that your adrenal glands and/or thyroid is in need of serious TLC, it may be a good time to call in a trusted health professional to help you navigate this part of your journey. There are also some advanced labs that can be run to further put the pieces of the puzzle together. Sadly, the majority of standardized health insurance companies do not cover these VIP tests. That said, nothing is more important than your health, and ignoring health clues and foregoing tests because they are a ”too expensive” out of pocket expense will become an exercise of frustration and detriment. I really recommend having a “rainy health day” 💰fund established simply to pay for supplements, oils, alternative health care options, and lab work that traditional insurance won’t cover. You’ll be glad you did!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
Becoming Your Own Health Detective Volume I ( https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ )
 
PS: Did you hear Dr. Jim Bob Haggerton‘s call last night on adrenal fatigue? It was fabulous and loaded with information! As soon as it’s available, I’ll drop a link to it in the comments section here.
 
#sharingiscaring
#adrenalfatigueisreal
#theapplicationofknowledgeispower
#goodmedicine
#BYOHD
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#ThanksYL

Clues From Our Thyroid – part 1

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Thyroid disorders are like🦎 chameleonic villians. They look different in every person, and their characteristics may change according to their environment. Thyroid disease is a master of disguise! This is important to understand
 

 Two key reasons:

  1. Innocent until proven guilty. It’s estimated that perhaps 18-25% of women have an underlying thyroid disorder (It’s somewhat less common in men). This still means that 75-82% of us (women, for statistical ease) do not. Become well acquainted with your body so that you may better decipher the clues you are being given, and remember that there are many possible causes for almost every clue the body gives. Cluster clues for the win!
  2. Thyroid disease is overwhelmingly mistaken and/or overlooked in favor of other disorders (often mental health related) by the corporate owned medical community. Thyroid diagnosis often requires intuition (Holy Spirit discernment), patience, persistence, and attention to details. If you feel “off”, and yet your doctor tell you “everything looks good”…. Who do you believe? I hope you pointed a finger back at yourself just now. You believe what you know about your body and your refined detective skills!

Function of the Thyroid

While every little organ and gland of the endocrine system is important for stellar body function, very often the trail of tears leads back to the thyroid, the butterfly 🦋shaped gland located just below the Adam’s apple along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid’s function is to regulate all the processes of energy release on microscopic (cellular) and macroscopic (full body) levels. Because hypothyroidism (especially Hashimoto’s) is the predominant thyroid disorder, most of what I write about will be centered upon thyroid deficiency. Grab a mirror (you’ll need it for a few of them!) and your journal and take stock of your own possible crime scene.
 

Symptoms of thyroid deficiency might include:

  • Chronic fatigue or tiredness.
  • Muscular fatigue
  • Puffiness or evidence of fluid retention
  • Difficulty regulating body temperature (chronic feelings of being hot or cold. Recall the posts on body temperature)
  • Development of Reynaud’s Syndrome
  • Reduced pulse pressure and blood pressure
  • Heart rate fluctuations
  • Angina and/or feelings of breathlessness
  • Higher cholesterol. People with subclinical hypothyroidism often have higher levels of LDL cholesterol. Thyroid disease is a major contributor to cholesterol problems.
  • Arteriosclerosis (decreased elasticity of arteries)
  • Changes in bruising or clotting (generally, bruising will become more common)
  • Depression and/or anxiousness
  • Difficulty gathering thoughts, memory, focus and concentration
  • Headaches with unknown origin
  • Moodiness or lack of enthusiasm in life
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Carpal tunnel (there is a strong link!)
  • Random shooting pains in the hands and feet
  • Osteoporosis (chronic hypothyroidism can be a contributor)
  • Visual problems: dry eyes, age related macular degeneration, primary open angle glaucoma
  • Loss of the outer eyebrows
  • Chronic constipation
  • Increased incidence of gallstones (thyroid hormones affects the composition of bile and how well it flows)
  • Poor digestion of fats and proteins
  • Decreased stomach acid resulting in poorly digested foods (If this clue is on your radar, grab your YL Essentialzyme and give your body digestive support!)
  • Bloating, gassy
  • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
  • Insulin resistance (and therefore) increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes
  • Thicker tongue, perhaps even with scalloped teeth marks on the sides of the tongue.
  • Changes in how food tastes.
  • Periodontal disease
  • Development of a husky or hoarse voice
  • Infertility or difficulty maintaining a pregnancy
  • Heavy periods (There is often a link between hypothyroidism and PCOS)
  • Sex hormone imbalances (progesterone, estrogen and testosterone in women)
  • Loss of libido
  • Postpartum depression (very common)
  • Premature menopause
  • Dry skin
  • Deep cracks and scales on the bottoms of the feet
  • Deep lines on the palms of hands or soles of feet
  • Yellowish orange or reddish color on palms of hands or soles of feet
  • Reddish spots, bumps, or rashes that come and go
  • Acne (often seen in conjunction with testosterone level disturbances)
  • Brittle, flaking nails or nails that fail to grow well
  • Hair loss (on the head) or gaining hair in all the wrong places elsewhere
  • Getting sick more often, especially upper respiratory tract infections and in women, persistent urinary tract infections.
  • Bedwetting in kiddos
  • Delayed wound healing
  • Gaining or losing weight without trying
  • Poor sleep
  • Iron deficiency anemia (roughly 50% of people with thyroid disease struggle with this)
That’s the bulk of this particular crime scene checklist. Thyroid disease is very interesting in that the severity of symptoms often are not reflected in thyroid specific lab work. Lab Work is based on a standardized bell curve and not everyone fits exactly into that bell curve mold. Additionally, many western medicine health professionals only test TSH when first evaluating the competency of the thyroid gland. That alone is insufficient information to determine thyroid function. This list of possible symptoms, while not completely comprehensive, is more valuable in determining the probable health of your thyroid than a single TSH test.
More to come friends.
 
xoxo~ liz
#sharingiscaring
#lovingyourthyroidisgoodmedicine
#itsthelittlethings
#becomingyourownhealthdetective
#goodmedicine

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