Alternative therapy recommendations

[Oneash]

youtu.be/JlgqllPKQUA?si=b3W...(Not working as expected?) this today and I feel it's helped. All about getting your lymphatic system moving and it's very simple to do.

Also I've been taking moringa powder and dried sea buckthorn berries for the last few days, along with magnesium my doctor recommended. I think these have made a difference. I'm feeling brighter. Upping the banana intake as well. I've always preferred to get my vitamins from food rather than pills.

I've been a bit more erratic with the folic acid and vitamin D the doc suggested, as I eat plenty of green veg and I've been out in the sun more.

What alternative things have you found that help?

Also worth thinking about, there was a Channel 4 podcast I heard today about ultra processed foods, saying that emulsifiers are disrupting the gut bacteria biome.

I'm trying to not rush into taking extra B12 injections, before a blood test in 4 weeks, so the doctor has a clear picture.

I look forward to hearing your suggestions.

🍓🍑🍒🍌🥑🥦🍫

[Technoid]

I think the lymphatic drainage stuff has little credible evidence behind it but seems harmless enough at least via what is shown in the video. Massage can be very therapeutic and makes many people feel great afterwards so this makes sense.

This article has some good coverage of it I think:

web.archive.org/web/2023020...

but Moringa is potentially dangerous:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=VFgfN...(Not working as expected?)

The situation with emulsifiers and the microbiome is interesting but it does not seem to be the case that every emulsifier causes issues - for example soya lecithin does not seem to cause any problems. Fortunately for me since I like it as a choline source.

ref: microbiomejournal.biomedcen...

Most people following a "SAD" (standard american diet) full of processed food need extra Magnesium. This isnt the case if your diet is mostly whole foods, veggies, legumes etc. In this case, as long as you meet calorie needs and eat an overall balanced diet, you'll have Magnesium coming out of your ears. Testing dietary intake with tools like Cronometer can be helpful, even if you just test a single "typical" day, it can be eye-opening.

Ultra-Processed food is a decent overall categorisation but it has its problems, because not all ultra-processed foods are harmful. In general it makes sense to reduce it overall but there are ultra-processed foods which can be part of a healthy diet such as fortified plant milks. Like LDL Cholesterol vs ApoB, its a simplification of a more complex issue but in general, for most foods, it works as a decent rule of thumb.

[jade_s]

I've followed quite a few alternative therapies in my time - and i've tried some of the more stranger things in desperation - but the only things that have consistently helped were getting treated for hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency / addison's, b12 deficiency, and high blood sugar. Plus the few things below.

I currently take lime juice with meals & i do need to supplement certain vitamins/minerals because I still don't seem to absorb enough from food. I may need digestive enzymes too.

Kefir is great and has worked a 1000 times better than any other probiotic i've tried.

I've also needed to treat SIBO and OTC herbs/ supplements for candida used to work for that. Next time I will try SIBO specific herbals if it comes back.

I think that's about it. Everything else was like a bandaid - helpful at the time for a short while, but never solved the problem until I got the basics sorted out.

[jade_s in reply to jade_s]

Ah, Nackapan's post triggered another change I've made. Absolutely, nutrition is important. We eat a lot more raw vegetables now, and it's a big difference.

One of my relatives reversed arthritic joint pain & swelling by eating primarily raw foods.

[Nackapan]

I also prefer my nutrition from food only. Also a strong believer if you crave a certain plain food you need something g in it

However that obviously failed despite a very healthy diet that kept me very healthy for 57 years .

It's being able to eat enough of everything .

If you can't then absorb enough we need help .

I never believed in supplements . Look where that gor me.

Thank goodness its there .

Recently we were trying to find a reason for a marked mprovement in my husbands arthritic knees .

We think Blackberries ,as a glut at present.

Along with raspberries and strawberries.

He has been eating a ridiculous amount as so plentiful.

So that's good to know.

He however hasn't an absorbtion problem and raised his b12 level with a 2.5 g tablet of b12 !! Just to top up daily after the scare of seeing me !!

'We are what we eat '

if we csn absorb it.!!

There are ways of eating to help absorbtion.

Vit c with iron rich foods .

Little and often iron foods.

I've always even little and often naturally .

Never have been able to handle big meals,late meals.

Not particularly sociable.

'Going out for a meal '

So many hidden sugars and fats in sauces ect .

As you rightly say the downs of processed foods .

The mix of salt and sugar and tomato most can't resist .

The high demand there as society changes .

There's more cafes and restaurants than shops in our town.

'Fast food'

Everyone seems to have less time .

Less skill being passed down.

Even taken off the curriculum at schools .Basic nutrition in 'home economics ect

Yes all tips welcome 😊

Do remember b12 is not needed to be tested once on injections.

Means little.

Go by symptoms not numbers for your regime.

I was pleased to be told by the nurse its actually stated on the blood form here now.

Progress .

[Hectorsmum2]

Just wondering why your doctor is taking a blood test re B12. If you are already on injections it is not recommended.

[Oneash in reply to Hectorsmum2]

To be honest I'm not sure what she is testing this time, but she didn't want me to have extra before. If I'm flaking out by the time it happens I'm sorted for B12 alternatives to have straight away.

[Vitali-ep]

I have a few things on my list:

Cayenne pepper - stomach and blood stimulant

Celtic salt - 92 mineral salt

Turmeric - bones and joints

Comfrey oil - for broken bones, bruises, muscle pains

Brazil nuts - gut and alkaline your system

The no1 item from above is cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon daily with water, it worked amazingly for stomach issues (especially stomach ulcers) and gives massive mood and energy boost, this I can 100% recommend!! (if interested in the other items which I have found also work for different other issues, research them yourself, most can be found via Barbara O'Neill you tube or tick-tok videos)

[Technoid in reply to Vitali-ep]

Cayenne Pepper, if you can handle it, can be great (in moderation) and has various health benefits

m.youtube.com/watch?v=-B8Fq...(Not working as expected?)

m.youtube.com/watch?v=vGKNe...(Not working as expected?)

Celtic Salt has no particular health benefits

Ref : logicallyfacts.com/en/fact-...

Turmeric is great stuff, in very small amounts (w/black pepper)

Ref: nutritionfacts.org/topics/t...

Comfrey Oil seems to have some uses as topical application for specific use-cases but should never be taken orally, and if used regularly even topical application could result in the build-up of toxic substances. I would stay well clear tbh.

Ref: mountsinai.org/health-libra...

One Brazil Nut a day covers your Selenium requirement and may even have beneficial effects on cholesterol. But don't overdo it. Selenium levels in Brazil nuts are so high that one a day is enough and consuming large amounts regularly risks Selenium toxicity, which can be very serious.

Ref: nutritionfacts.org/video/fo...

I would advise extreme caution with any advice from Barbara O'Neill:

Ref : gritdaily.com/barbara-oneil...

Ref2 : sciencebasedmedicine.org/au...

Alkaline diets are bunk and covered here:

chatelaine.com/health/debun...

[CRK1]

the podcast Zoe Science and Nutrition has a lot of useful scientific data on the gut microbiome. Worth a listen.

[edeuweed]

Do you have pernicious anaemia???....Why do you take the moringa, sea buckthorn berries and magnesium.....also why are you upping your banana intake......Thank you

[Oneash in reply to edeuweed]

Yes I do have PA triggered by COVID, so I have some long Covid issues too. Moringa for anti inflammatory and other B vitamins, sea buckthorn again anti inflammatory, then I read there was this B12 bacteria link. Mostly because in my reversing out I've been having lots of weird inflammation. Magnesium because the Doc told me to take it for chronic fatigue, along with Vitamin D and folic acid.

[edeuweed in reply to Oneash]

Thank you so much for your reply....Wish you so much luck with this.....I just have PA and that's enough!!!!

[Oneash]

Thanks for everyone's comments. I just think after a summer of sleep then managing to get up and watch telly, also realising how much stress, sugar and alcohol consumption and lack of movement all contribute to my symptoms, whilst I can't control what the Doctor wants, I can eat well, exercise gently, avoid the sugar and just cut out booze.

Lymphatic movement is important to healthy immune system function. Oxidative stress on the body must use up B12 in the system faster, if it's part of DNA formation and body mending.

So I wish you all a great week. Sit in the sun, read a good book, plan a gentle distraction.

🍁🌻🍫🌞