Low Carb Sunflowerseed Cookies

DH went back to eating low carb. He sticks to Paleo meals quite often, but also some regular low carb foods. Since I love to cook, and I want him to succeed in eating LC, I am always looking for new things to make for him. I either come up with my own recipes, or I find Paleo friendly recipes that I modify for him. The recipe I am about to post was adapted from this one: Paleo Mag Online Sunflowerseed Cookies

DH does not like raisins or honey, plus I wanted to reduce the carbs a bit. So I substituted sugar-free chocolate for the raisins, I reduced the honey by half and added 3 packets of Splenda. I added the egg/yolk to replace the honey. I know, not THE healthiest thing to eat, but for an occasional treat I think it's ok. Better than a high carb diet anyway.

what you need:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sunflowerseed flour
• 1/8 cup honey
• 3 packets Splenda
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1/2  bar Russel Stover Sugar Free Dark Chocolate

Beat egg and egg yolk in a bowl. Crush chocolate bar into chunks of desired size. Add all remaining ingredients to eggs. Mix well and drop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.

GAPS Intro #7: Day 49

Two days ago I started taking teasel - an herb that kills Lyme bacteria. I was going to start with 1 drop but 2 drops came out. Yesterday I was going to take another 2 drops but 3 came out. Today I feel like utter crap. I am more fatigued and worn out than I normally am, I feel dizzy and get black spots in front of my eyes every time I stand up, I have this overwhelming desire to stay in bed all day, my eyes are more red/burning than usual, and I feel like I can't go on like this. The daily abdominal distention and constant, never-ending, insatiable hunger alone are wearing me out. I guess the die off I am getting is somewhat tolerable, but that's because I don't have any work right now. If I get more projects next week I am going to have to stop taking the teasel because I also cannot concentrate right now or wrap my mind around simple things, let alone complex programming.

This of course presents a huge problem. I am not going to get anywhere by taking probees (which I still can't tolerate) and herbs against Lyme and babesia (a co-infection I have) on weekends only. Actually, I am wondering if that would make things worse. So my plan is to do another fast. I was going to fast every spring and fall anyhow since I am a total believer in the benefits of fasting for healing and maintaining health. However, this time I am considering a 10-day water fast at TrueNorth Health Center in California rather than a water/broth/juice/tea fast at Malteser Klinik von Weckbecker in Germany where I have gone before. I have read that you can accomplish the same with a 10-day water fast as a 30-day juice fast and my goal is to feel better fast. I have no desire to continue feeling like this every single day for years to come. I would rather feel even worse for 10 days and then be at a much better starting point. At least that's my theory right now.

This gives me hope...

Lyme Success Stories

...and it made me cry. I am SO worn out on every level possible. I used to get up, have some coffee, go work out (running, weight lifting, Yoga, Pilates, more...), go work a full day, come home, cook dinner, and possibly go out with friends. Now cooking a meal seems like a chore. Filling the dogs' water bowel seems like too much some days. I miss the person I used to be and I am not happy with who I have become. Other than not knowing all these years what is truly causing my symptoms, not being able to do anything about them has been the hardest part. It seems that all my efforts to regain my health have been in vain. It is EXHAUSTING to try so hard to feel better yet feel like shit most days.

I used to be so focused and was able to concentrate and do my work no matter what was going on around me. It is something prior bosses commented on. Now I feel like I am trapped in a black box inside my head and all rational thought, focus, intelligence, and joy is outside that box, visible, but unreachable. It is the most horrible feeling when you try to explain something, put something into words, and you feel those words are within reach yet you cannot reach them. That is the best way I can describe it right now. Maybe one day, when I am past all this, I will be able to verbalize it better.

GAPS Intro #7: Day 38

I feel like crap. Two days ago I added in some fermented cod liver oil. I started with 1 ml on Friday and yesterday I had 1/4 tsp. I woke up with a wicked headache yesterday that never went away. Today I woke up again with a headache and also a backache and overall I fee like death. Since I may have to go back to work tomorrow I guess I won't be taking it today.

I am so tired of waking up feeling like crap every single day. The Lyme test results should be in by the end of next week - I hope. I want to start treating it but I wonder if I will even tolerate any kind of treatment. If the die off is this strong simply from fermented cod liver oil, how am I going to feel taking targeted herbs and homeopathics for Lyme's disease?

Trying not to be scared...

GAPS Intro #7: Day 35

Reading about Lyme disease, eating zero carb, doing the best I can to make it through each day with minimum symptoms which in itself is utterly draining.

GAPS Intro #7: Day 29

I wish I had kept up with posting daily but I got tired of repeating the same thing over and over. I am on stage 2 now in that I am eating egg yolks on and off, but I think I am reacting to them. I also started taking Nystatin about a week ago but only a tiny amount - less than 1/16th of tsp. Two days ago I increased it to 1/8th of a teaspoon and I am paying for it. Increased headache, fluid retention, fatigue, anxiety (about my job and health mostly), and feeling down on myself.

I am so tired of living this way. The thought of spending one more day inside this body fighting negativity, fighting constant hunger, feeling discomfort or pain from abdominal distention, feeling fatigued and achy, having trouble concentrating, and all the other crap that happens on a daily basis seems unbearable.

I did find out that I most likely have Lyme's disease. I asked Dr. Cowan to order a CD57 blood test and mine came back as 20. Dr. Kalb, my local doctor, says that means there is a chronic bacterial infection but not necessarily Lyme. Some websites say a low value on the CD57 indicates chronic Lyme. So Dr. Kalb is running a Lyme panel and co-infections panel with Igenex. Supposedly the Western blot is the most accurate test for Lyme (although it can present a false negative as well) and apparently Igenex is the best lab to use. I had blood drawn on Tuesday and it will take 5 to 6 weeks to get the results.

The next question is how to treat it. Dr. Kalb treats aggressively with abx, herbs, and probiotics but he is concerned that I will not be able to tolerate abx due to my sensitive stomach. He said in that case we can do IV abx or go the homeopathic route. In the meantime I watched a video of a Lyme talk given by Dr. Rau from Switzerland and he said if you take abx it will cause the Lyme bacteria to form cysts and that's not a good thing.

I also asked the ostheopath in Germany what he recommends and he said to take the homeopathic remedies Aurum Arsenicosum 30C, Notakehl D5, and Fortakehl D5. Apparently the latter two are homeopathic antibiotics but don't kill good gut flora. Mom is getting all three for me and is sending them next week. Her pharmacy had to order the Aurum Arsenicosum from Austria.

I also scheduled a phone appointment with Dr. Cowan today at 4 PM (about 30 minutes) to see what his recommendation is.

GAPS Intro #7: Day 11

Eleven days of intro and I have not noticed any changes for the better what so ever. I stopped the Berb/GSE supplement as well as the Symbioflor probees from Germany. I started feeling so awful I couldn't think or function. I am also giving up on boiled meat. It hasn't done a thing for me.

Friday I went to see a doctor in OH. His dad, a retired doctor, was also there. They think my lymph system is not working properly causing toxins to build up in my body. In addition, they feel my adrenals and thyroid are shot. Ya think!?

Anyway, they put me on two liquid herbal extracts (one for the lymph/detox and one for adrenals/thyroid), liquid ionic minerals, and probees. I am supposed to start the latter in 2 weeks. They have a lower CFU count than mine so maybe those will work for me.

Yesterday I actually had a relatively good day. I wasn't so down/depressed or as angry as I normally am, the distended belly wasn't so bad in the morning, and I had fairly good energy (spent 2 hours mowing and edging the yard in 90-something degree weather). This morning I woke up and that horrible anger is back. I told Pepper (dog) "back" when I went to open the door and as usual she didn't listen. I was so angry I wanted to SCREAM at her and probably would have if DH hadn't still been sleeping. I hate this kind of anger.

I am also depressed, frustrated, tired of feeling this way, tired of waking up with a headache, tired of not knowing what is causing the friggin' abdominal distention, and just feel like crying today.

Not exactly a happy post - what can I say!?