My journey from drugs to herbs – Part Three

If you didn’t have a chance to read Part One or Part Two of, My journey from drugs to herbs, you can go here and here.

Something you may not know about me is I have asthma.  Most of the time, I don’t have too much trouble with it, but when I inhale something I am allergic to like cigarette smoke, burning oil, certain burning woods, and whatnot, I can have a severe attack.  In 2008, I had such a severe attack that I was not moving any air in my lungs at all.  But again, I can go long periods without any trouble and then all of a sudden, something bothers me and I have an attack.

Therefore, I decided…recently to add some herbs for upper respiratory health for that reason.  I have a friend who sells Maximum Vitality Partners herbal products.  They carry an herb that helps build stamina and endurance and is really good for those of us with asthma.  I gave it a try and I really like it.  Xtra Mile has really helped with my lungs, especially during this horrible  allergy season we are having here in Tulsa.

The way it works is it helps the body utilize oxygen better so that when the body needs to respond to something, it has the ‘endurance’ and ability to do so.  Thus, now that I am on the Xtra Mile, my body has more energy and can cope with any allergic responses I have to pollen and handle much better.

I also added another herb for my upper respiratory health -  New Chapter’s, Sinus Take Care.  I discovered the sister product when I got sick at the beginning of this year with that bug I couldn’t get rid of.  In just three weeks of being on the Sinus and Respiratory, I was completely well.

By taking the two above herbs together, I am not spending my spring (in Tulsa) in a darkened room with raging migraines as the result of allergy season!  Everyone I know is having problems, but the worst I have had is a tickle in my throat and sneezing.  (except when I go outside – then I have had nausea and dizziness).  Again, it is amazing what the right herb will do for a person.

In addition to the asthma diagnosis, the VA diagnosed me with IBS.  I don’t personally agree with that diagnosis.  Despite that, I definitely have had a lot of ‘gut’ problems and decided a few years ago that I needed to tackle it.

I whole-heartedly believe that our food supply is so tainted and nutrient deficient, that unless we eat food directly from a farm that turns the land over every 7 years and doesn’t use chemicals, we have very little chance of getting the appropriate nutrients we need to keep the gut running efficiently.  In addition, I recently read that our bodies come into contact with 10,000 chemicals a day!  That is mind blowing!

After a friend suggested I add a digestive aid to my regime because I had to have my gall bladder removed, I decided to take it one step further.  I added the recommended digestive enzymes, as well as, a ‘live’ pro-biotic and a nightly colon cleanser.  Again because of a poor diet and/or a poor food supply, our bodies just aren’t getting what they need in order to properly function on their own.

I don’t know how many people I have suggested these three (3) herbs to, but all of them have had the same success I am having.  I no longer have bloating, gas, pain, diarrhea, constipation, belching … none of it.

I take New Chapter’s (live) pro-biotic (which means it has to be refrigerated) Immunity, at night time as I don’t personally like taking them during the day.  I also take Enzymatic Fiber Fusion Cleanse at night as well.  I take four capsules and the next day, I am regular as rain.  Actually, more regular than rain! 

The thing I really like about the Fiber Fusion is that it, too, is tailorable to what you need.  I take the recommended 4 a night because my system is so darn sluggish, although I have friends who only take one or two at night and that works for them.  Again however, I am right a rain when I take the fiber fusion and the pro-biotic.

The digestive aids are also customizable.  I take 2 at every meal except when I eat gluten products or meat products.  Then I up it to 3/4 to ensure that I can digest my food.  I use a product by Source Naturals which works really well for me and is cost affective.  Daily Essential Enzymes comes in a bulk bottle and it usually last me 2-3 months.  I can really tell when I don’t take the Enzymes.  I have a lot of bloating and intestinal discomfort/pain and can even end up getting really constipated.

For me, of all the herbs I take, the herbs for my gut are the most critical.  Seventy percent of our immune system lives in our gut.  If the gut is a mess, so is everything else.  If I made no other change in my life, I would make that one.

Determined to continue forward,