Katia....Woman cures dermatomyositis naturally

[Guest guest]

This is an autoimmune disease....and I've no doubt that we've had women on this group fighting it.http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/07/16/rheumatoid-arthritis-part-eleven.aspxImagine not having the strength or energy to care for your newborn.

In December 1999 I was so sick that I could barely pick up my 15-pound

baby boy or a gallon of milk without a struggle. Getting off the floor

by myself was an impossibility. I couldn't even climb stairs due to the

weakness in my legs. I had a red itchy rash all over my face, including

my eyelids, front and back of my neck, my chest, my knuckles, and on my

right knee that resembled a second-degree burn.

My sleep was so restless, due to the itchiness of the rash, that I

was tired constantly. In the morning I woke to find dried blood on my

face where I scratched all night long. I spent most days napping

alongside of my child and immediately went to bed once my husband

returned from work. I was so spacey that I couldn't think straight.

I began my healing journey in January 2000. My first stop was to my

general practitioner. He looked at me and advised me that I had

post-partum depression and told me to go home and exercise. Within a

week I was back in his office and requested a test for Lupus. The tests

came back positive for a mixed connective tissue disease. I was given

little hope and referred to a rheumatologist.

My next stop was to a rheumatologist. Wow, did I feel awkward

sitting in his waiting room, I was the only patient under 60. Extensive

testing showed that I had dermatomyositis, an autoimmune disease that

causes muscle myopathy, wasting away of muscle, extreme fatigue, and

very itchy skin rashes. His prognosis was very grim. He told me I had a

life-threatening illness and gave me his home telephone number to call

in case I started experiencing problems breathing. His course of

treatment included high doses of Prednisone and Fosamax, to build up

the bone density that I would be losing by taking the Prednisone. At

that point I felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. What could I

do? I needed to get better so I could care for my child. So I decided

to go along with his recommendations. Well, his treatment worked for

awhile, but as soon as I weaned off of the Prednisone, my muscle

weakness and rash came back worse than ever.

The whole time I was under his care, I started looking into other

treatment options. That's when I came across a rheumatic support group

online (Rheumatic.org).

They promoted the benefits of the antibiotic minocin to heal rheumatic

diseases, including dermatomyositis. Every day I was flooded with

e-mails, some of which mentioned a holistic doctor who uses natural

healing modalities to treat chronic disease. Everyone was talking about

Dr. ph Mercola of The Optimal Wellness Center. Through

corresponding with group members, and visiting mercola.com, I

discovered that Dr. Mercola prescribes minocin to treat rheumatoid

arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Dr. Mercola's Web site is so

informative that I decided to subscribe to his free twice-weekly

newsletter.

Little did I know that my next rheumy visit would be one of my last.

I asked him to put me on minocin and he refused. Instead, he tried to

persuade me to start incorporating methotrexate into my treatment

regime. Knowing the devastating side effects of the drug I flat out

refused and went home to schedule my next appointment with Dr. Mercola.

I knew that it was time to find a doctor who wanted to help heal my

body, not further destroy what was left of it.

In June 2001 I had my first consultation with Dr. Mercola. During

this time he told me that he'd have me back on my feet within eight to

12 months. He even said it with a smile on his face and hope in his

voice. That was the first time anyone gave me hope. That was the day my

true healing journey began. His course of treatment included

eliminating grains, sugar, and dairy from my diet and adding lots and

lots of fresh organic veggies, in the form of fresh juice, cod liver

oil, and healthy sources of protein into my diet. Additionally, he told

me that I would be working with his therapist Jody to help me deal with

emotional issues, meeting with Jordan who would examine my blood under

a microscope, and discussing my diet with Jim the nutritionist.

I left the office that day with a renewed sense of hope for the future. I felt such peace and joy.

The next day I woke up confused and scared. How was I going to make

such enormous lifestyle changes? Could I rise to the challenge? I

pondered this for awhile; then decided to get to work. I cleared my

cupboards and refrigerator of all unhealthy food and then went to the

store to purchase some veggies. I came home and decided to prepare my

first batch of veggie juice. It didn't taste like V-8, but it wasn't

bad. Initially, I juiced inorganic veggies, soaked in vinegar to remove

impurities, in my Hamilton Beach juicer. As I became more committed to

juicing, I decided to buy organic produce and an Omega 8001 juicer. Juicing became much easier and less time consuming when I started using my new juicer.

Juicing has been crucial to my healing. It is full of vitamins and

antioxidants to promote a healthy immune system and it helps to flush

out toxins from the body. I not only juice for myself but for my whole

family. My 3-year-old just loves "green juice," as he calls it. I

normally juice celery, lettuce, spinach, chard or collard greens,

cucumber, and garlic. I add a few carrots and/or beets to my family's

juice, but refrain from adding them to mine due to the sugar content.

Following the diet was a real challenge in the beginning. The first

three months were the worst. I refused to socialize outside of the home

because I couldn't control my food selection. This evoked a lot of

anger and depression in me because I felt so isolated. In order to deal

with this, I began incorporating EFT

into my healing regimen. As I became more comfortable with the program

things got much better. It is now a normal part of my life.

However, whenever I become angry, depressed, or tempted to indulge

in unhealthy fare, I sit down and start to tap along the EFT meridian

points. EFT is a great tool; I'm so glad Jordan took the time to teach

me how to use it. EFT has helped me to deal with my emotions and food

cravings so I could continue to follow the program. It's a great way to

eliminate negative emotions/thoughts that lead to unhealthy behavior.

My husband even uses it.

In addition to EFT, I routinely use prayer and the support of my

family to deal with my emotions. Fortunately, I was blessed with a

wonderful husband and son. On a monthly basis, I see Jody at the

wellness center. She has been instrumental in helping me to resolve

negative emotions and replace them with positive ones. I don't think I

could have followed such a rigorous program without help.

Another strategy I use to reach optimal wellness is to incorporate more raw foods into my diet. I add raw, organic cage-free eggs,

chorella and/or spirulina to my veggie juice. I enjoy eating raw

broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, nuts and seeds. My favorite

snack is an organic Gala apple with a handful of walnuts alongside. My

goal is to eventually eat 80 percent raw, since I know that cooking

destroys many of the healthful benefits of food. I do eat some cooked

meat, including beef, chicken, tilapia and sardines. When possible I

try to purchase organic.

Real improvement started to manifest within three months of starting

the program. My rash started to fade, the brain fog lifted, and I

became less fatigued. I attribute this to the elimination of

grains--especially wheat--and sugar, the incorporation of juice and cod

liver oil into my diet, and the use of minocin to treat the

dermatomyositis. Without a doubt the juicing was the most beneficial

change I have made. Right after drinking a glass of juice, I feel more

energetic and less fatigued. It's like drinking a triple espresso

without the negative side effects of coffee.

It's now July 2003 and I am the model of good health. I no longer

take the minocin and rely on my diet and a few supplements to maintain

my health. All of my strength has returned, I'm full of energy, my rash

is almost gone, and I am enjoying life again. I routinely juice,

continue to follow the diet, exercise constantly, and practice stress

management. I've never been happier. I no longer worry about being

physically unable to care for my son. I feel so good that my husband

and I are considering having another child. We are having a great

summer.

I am so comfortable with the diet I couldn't imagine doing things

differently. Occasionally, I deviate from the diet, and my body lets me

know. I never want to be as sick as I was in December 1999. That

realization, along with the smile on my son's beautiful face, keeps me

from deviating too much. My husband and my son inspire me to do my very

best.