2017 certainly was a learning year for me. I wish I had documented more as I experienced the best changes to my health I have ever made. I started the year sick and weak from antibiotics for a cold I could not shake. I have avoided antibiotics for years knowing they make a mess of the microbiome. Four weeks after returning from New England with some crud I finally gave in. The next morning, I had a yeast infection and over the course of the antibiotics I kept feeling worse. Then the heart burn attacks started.
Healing SIBO
I tried some high doses of probiotics and gut repair protocols. Nothing helped me get my energy back. In April it was suggested that I needed to go on SIBO attack. SIBO stands for small intestine bacterial overgrowth. The large clue that this was the problem was the yeast infection after starting the antibiotics. Basically the antibiotics killed my good microbiome as expected. The bad bacteria were probably barely held in a weak balance before the antibiotics and then took over instantly after the balance was turned in their favor. SIBO protocol is extremely strict consisting of food that will starve the bad bacteria. By day 4 on the SIBO protocol my appetite dropped, my heart burn faded and my energy rocketed. I continued for five weeks.
Finding Keto
What I discovered later was that the SIBO protocol put me into a state of ketosis. A state that I sought for the majority of the year. A keto diet is a high fat, moderate protein and low carb eating plan. If natural living was my goal, I feel that I found the bullet I needed to succeed. I am still focused on “real” whole foods and avoiding toxins and chemicals. I know now that weight loss is not about calories in versus calories out. Weight loss and more importantly – health – is about balancing hormones. I am still doing that as hormones take time to balance out but I have my greatest foe against the rails – insulin (the king of hormones).
2018 Promise
I cannot wait to share more with you about proteins, carbs, delicious fats, insulin, cortisol, pregnenolone, water, fat adaptation, leptin, amino acids, fatty acids, inflammation, and so much more. I am devouring books, podcasts, videos and information in general on all these topics and understanding how our body functions and how to heal. I am not sure if this will reach anyone but I have always learned the most when I taught others so my game plan is to solidify all my experience, reading and information by sharing it here!