Friday, May 24, 2019

The Protocol

The Protocol

The plan that I have developed is a combination of protocols created by Dr. Stephen Cabral and information I have gathered over the past several months from listening to podcasts and reading books. Most of my information that I am using is coming from two main sources: The Cabral Concept Podcast and Dr. Hyman's Broken Brain book as well as as his docuseries which contained interviews from over 30 experts from all fields within the medical community. 

Now, I'm not one to believe in following only one proven approach. I believe in combining multiple methods to figure out what works best for the individual, in this case, myself. However, considering the fact that my state of health has rapidly declined over the past several months, I have decided to focus mainly on the protocols developed by Dr. Cabral as a way to clean and reset my body. Once my body is back to a healthy, functioning state, I will go back to using the multi-method approach to maintain my health.

Now, in order to pinpoint the underlying cause of symptoms, it's best to do lab tests. These tests will give you the data you need in order to determine exactly what is going on with the body. However, lab tests are expensive, so I have decided to forgo the tests and go straight to the protocols. I have scheduled a physical and regular blood work next month in order to look at some of the main health markers, which I am excited about and will share with you!

So with that said, the plan:


Rest/Sleep



Deep Sleep!

Rest/sleep is so underrated nowadays, yet it's one of THE most important things you can do for your body in order to maintain optimal health. Your body NEEDS rest. It's during rest when your body detoxifies, heals and repairs. Without rest, your body cannot do it's job!

Now, there were multiple factors involved in my lack of sleep:
  • Callie nursing, co-sleeping and waking up multiple times a night
  • Dis-regulated cortisol levels
  • Bad pillows
  • Stress and Anxiety
  • SUGAR and Caffeine
I would struggle to fall asleep, and when I did, I would wake up a few hours later, and once again, struggle to fall back to sleep. It was an ugly cycle that left me tired and moody.

So I made some changes:
  1. Encouraged Callie to sleep in her own bed, all night
  2. Stopped all activity (household chores, electronics, etc)1 hour before bed and just relaxed
  3. Added more head support (better, bigger pillows!)
  4. Added Adrenal Soothe to my nighttime routine
I made the last two changes a little under 3 weeks ago, and all I can say is, "WOW!". So this is how it feels to be fully rested? I get about 7 hours of rest, straight through without waking. And if I do wake up, I can fall right back to sleep. Now, that's not to say I can't disrupt this cycle like I did the other night.

A few days ago, I decided to have a handful (or 5) of chocolate chips (SUGAR!) (for the first time in weeks) right after dinner - a food I used to literally live off of daily - and that night I woke up several times and suffered from stomach pains, bloating, night sweats, and a skin itching. A clear sign that I do have CBO and that I'm on the right track with my healing! It also shows how truly sensitive I am to caffeine. Even caffeine in chocolate will disrupt my sleep. 


Food and Nutrition





I don't think I need to go too in depth with food. It's pretty simple. Eat a balanced diet consisting of fruits, veggies, healthy fats and clean proteins. Limit or avoid caffeine, dairy, gluten and alcohol. Supplement when needed. 

I'm working on my diet, but due to the CBO, I have weak digestion, so eating a lot of food doesn't come easy. Therefore, I have included in my diet the Daily Nutritional Support: a Multi-Vitamin, Mineral and Protein shake in one. It contains all your daily nutritional needs in one shake and it's easy to digest and absorb - something I need right now. On top of that, I take Omega 3s in the form of Fish Oil as well as my Fruits and Greens through a powder as well. 


Remove Environmental and Household Toxins


Image: Back to Health 4 You
I plan to go more into depth regarding environmental and household toxins, but just to note, this includes: food, water, air, beauty products, household cleaning products, heavy metals, halogens, plastics, electromagnetic fields, and the list goes on. 


Physical Activity



Image: BiteScience

Ah, my favorite. We all know how much I love to workout. But, at the end of the day, it is a stressor on the body. And when the body is sick, it can do more harm than good   if the workout is too much for the body to recover from. 

So, while I am still lifting and training 5x a week, I am taking it easier, not going as heavy on the weights and as fast on the cardio, and I am taking sunbathing breaks when the weather is nice. 


Manage Stress


Meditating is one of the best ways you can manage stress!

This is obviously easier said than done, but this past year has taught me a lot about priorities and self-care. I no longer over-fill my plate. I say "no" when I need to and I ask for help when I need it. I take breaks; I work overtime only when absolutely necessary; I'm mindful of my emotions; and I meditate whenever I can. Chronic stress is one of the main causes of dis-ease. Make sure to de-stress every single day!


Heal the Body!


All of the factors above are extremely important to healing the body and later maintaining optimal health. However, "if the damage has already been done", you must address the root causes, provide extra support to the body to heal through supplementation and bring back balance. 

As I stated before, testing is the BEST way to pinpoint the root causes, but I'd much rather spend my money and do a complete reset of the body. So, with that said, here is the complete plan of protocols as recommended by Dr. Cabral: 

  • Parasite Protocol
  • Intestinal Cleanse
  • 7-Day Detox
  • Candida and Bacteria Overgrowth (CBO) Protocol 
  • Intestinal Cleanse 2
  • Gut Rebuilding Protocol
  • Heavy Metal Detox
It will be a lengthy process filled with supplements, multiple detoxes, and special diets, but it will be worth it in the long run!

Parasite Cleanse

Image result for parasite dr cabral
Image: Episode 1124

You may be wondering why I decided to include a parasite cleanse when it's not listed as a potential root cause in my last post. Well, for starters, live pathogens can prevent your body from fully benefiting and healing from the other protocols and cleanses. This is because live pathogens can "steal" your nutrients and also prevent the gut lining from healing due to the protective layer they create along the gut in order to survive. Therefore, it's really important to kill these bugs before starting any other cleanse. Considering the amount of money I intend to invest in order to heal, I want to make sure that I am setting my body up for success!

In addition, here are a few other reasons why I think I need to do a parasite cleanse:

  1. I love seared, raw tuna and raw oysters and I have been consuming quite a lot of both ever since we moved. Who knows what kind of parasites I may have consumed. 
  2. I have also consumed sashimi in the past year from our local sushi restaurant, which included all sorts of raw fish, some local, and some, not so much.
  3. I have traveled out of country multiple times in my lifetime, one time resulting in "food poisoning" and a trip to the hospital. While this may be irrelevant, know that some parasites can live in your body for 10 years! 
  4. In addition, I have also experienced some possible symptoms of parasites to include:
    1. Night Sweats
    2. Unexplainable skin itching, especially at night when the parasites are most active - I would wake up at night unable to calm the itching on my back
    3. Adult acne, especially on the back and forehead
    4. Bloating and digestive issues, especially at night
    5. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies as well as unexplainable anemia
    6. Strong craving for sugary foods

So, as you can see, to rule out parasites would be counterintuitive to my healing process. Plus, parasites may contribute to CBO, so again, best to kill everything!

The Parasite Protocol is one of the easiest cleanses I will be following on this journey. All that is required is:



Weeks 1-3

  • Consume 2 capsules of FloraFilm (an intestinal enzyme) upon waking
  • Consume 2 capsules of FloraFilm along with 4 capsules of ParaPro Support Herbs at night, before bed


Weeks 4-6

  • Consume 2 capsules of FloraFilm upon waking and 2 capsules before bed
  • Consume 2 doses of Biocidin Drops, 1x upon waking and 1x before bed


In addition, I am to consume:

  • 1 raw garlic, crushed and swallowed before bed
  • As much as I can of coconut oil, papaya seeds, oregano, pineapple, onion, and garlic 

I just finished the first half of the cleanse and I am already seeing positive changes. The night sweats and skin itching has disappeared and I have less bloating. My mood has significantly improved thanks to the Adrenal Soothe which is allowing me to sleep through the night, and the nutritional support that is providing my body with everything it needs to function. My hair is slowly looking thicker and fuller again, although quite a bit is still falling out. Overall, I am quite pleased with the changes I have experienced so far! Just the fact that I am finally getting a full-nights rest, and waking with the sun, as opposed to my alarm, has made all of this worth it! I'm slowly starting to feel like me again!

It's important to note that there are multiple factors, besides the cleanse, that have contributed to these positive changes, but I am excited to continue with the protocol plan I have in place as I continue working towards optimal health!

My goal moving forward is to capture my progress at least weekly in hopes that my health journey can help someone else out there who may be dealing with similar issues. My life purpose has always been to help others, and this is just one way I get to do just that! If you have experienced similar symptoms or wish to know more, please don't hesitate to reach out! I am always happy to help!

"Every day in every way, I am getting better and better" - Dr. Stephen Cabral

Stay Positive!
Beth 

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