Silica supplementation (diatomaceous earth)

[sunday]

Wow Mini! I am so sorry that you went through that. I can't even imagine the suffering!

I just watched an episode a few weeks ago on Dr. Phil, about one of his staff members (in fact, I think she may be his main chief show manager) and how she almost died before they diagnosed her with lyme disease. She also has lived all of her life in California and they discussed the politics and the antibiotic treatment. The doctor that treated her is known to be controversial because she is one of the best in dealing with Lyme disease. It is a very scary disease! And to think that it could be the cause of so much suffering.


Thank you for sharing all of your health obstacles. I know that this will help someone else here who could be going through the same symptoms.

[dawnyama]

Originally Posted by tiva

Minimonkey, many folks argue that you don't need to count coconut oil in your calories because of the way your body metabolizes it. Dottie can give you more information. I don't count it, and when I add it to my DD calories, I lose far better than I do on a DD with no CO. (ie, a DD with 500 food calories but no CO leads to less weight loss for me than a DD with 500 food calories plus 2 T of CO, for 720 calories).

This is fabulous news I will now take a TBL of coconut oil to celebrate!!! I have a nasty cold I am trying to get over and the coconut oil really helps.

[capricapers]

Right on all counts! Turmeric is bitter to me and does indeed look like ginger - the color is different to be sure. It makes a great yellow dye as I have just dyed some white sheets a vibrant yellow for a project. Fades a huge amount after being in the sun. Right again re the pepper. The capsule form I have has the black pepper in it, a standardized amount.

What an incredible journey Minimonkey! We get the benefit of your knowledge though. I'm grateful.

Originally Posted by piratejenny

I love turmeric!!! Well, the benefits of it...it tastes quite bitter to me!!!
I can even get it fresh at the Indian market...it looks sort of like ginger root.

It *is* a very potent blood thinner, though, so be sure to stop taking it a few days before any surgery or dental work, and use caution if blood thinners are contraindicated for you.

I'm surprised there is no black pepper in this recipe...it really maximizes the benefits of turmeric. And I think you'd only need a little bit--maybe 1tsp for the 1/4c of turmeric.

And if you're thinking, "Ew! Yuck! Black pepper in milk!!!"...black pepper is in masala chai, and most people like that!

[piratejenny]

Originally Posted by tiva

when I add it to my DD calories, I lose far better than I do on a DD with no CO. (ie, a DD with 500 food calories but no CO leads to less weight loss for me than a DD with 500 food calories plus 2 T of CO, for 720 calories).

THAT'S SO COOL!!!!
I might have to try that!!!

[KeirasMom]

I want to add the CO, but I'm so afraid to NOT count the calories. That may have to be my next experiment. 2T per day, and not count. Hmm . . .

[sungoddess]

Originally Posted by KeirasMom

I want to add the CO, but I'm so afraid to NOT count the calories. That may have to be my next experiment. 2T per day, and not count. Hmm . . .

Me too!I know it has benefits for me, but I am afraid not to count it. And if I do count it, I am not sure what I want to give up in exchange.

[adillenal]

Well, since I have only had 50 calories today I am going to eat 1 T and I will count it but it really won't matter since that will be all I have today. I was trying a complete fast today.

[OhioGuy]

holy crap
dont mix CO
and CM with excersise
i jusssssssssst about yacked'em

[minimonkey]

LOL Ohio guy -- not to laugh at your distress, but your post phrasing made me nearly spew tea all over my keyboard. Not everyone reacts well to coconut at first ... it doesn't bother me (digestively) one bit.

I've heard that about the coconut oil calories not counting -- I'm a little scared to go there, but I do know that it seemed to help my losses on hcg, when I added it above and beyond the normal protocol calories.

I wasn't aware of the Dr. Phil thing on Lyme disease, but it is actually very cool to have that publicity for our community. It is going to take a lot of famous people becoming ill and speaking out before the tides fully turn, but change is happening on the Lyme front, albeit slowly. I'll have to look the Dr. Phil business up --- our doctors have taken a tremendous amount of heat for being willing to treat us, which is truly maddening, not to mention tragic.

[gotsomeold]

I think some people count 1/2 the calories in CO. I know for me, it burns brightly and, apparently, more than just the cals it has. A few years ago on a cruise I ate it before every meal. Gained zero weight on that cruise.

Unfortunately a year ago it started upsetting my tummy badly. Metqa explained this has something to do with the way it is digested. I had to lay off eating it (still use a jar every two weeks on everything else I use it for). I am now slowly reintroducing it into my meal plan.

Like Mini, I love the stuff, cannot imagine life without it.

[sunday]

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

I think some people count 1/2 the calories in CO. I know for me, it burns brightly and, apparently, more than just the cals it has. A few years ago on a cruise I ate it before every meal. Gained zero weight on that cruise.

Unfortunately a year ago it started upsetting my tummy badly. Metqa explained this has something to do with the way it is digested. I had to lay off eating it (still use a jar every two weeks on everything else I use it for). I am now slowly reintroducing it into my meal plan.

Like Mini, I love the stuff, cannot imagine life without it.

Amazing!!! Nancy, I am going to try adding it. I have been reading my "Coconut Miracle" book by Bruce Fife. His ancedotes are amazing and especially with all of the new research with alzheimer's and brain injury and EVCO, I am so impressed!

[sunday]

Mini,
The episode was April 13 and it was titled "Deadly Consequences". I am wondering if you have heard of this doctor, because it sounds like she may have been a miracle to many patients?!?!

Dr. Bhakta is her name. He also told the story of a San Diego Weatherforecaster who says one day in 1995, she went to bed feeling fine and awoke paralyzed from the waist down and the neck up. She says she didn’t move again for a-year-and-a-half. Seven years later, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease.

Dr. Phil.com

[C'Marie]

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

I think some people count 1/2 the calories in CO. I know for me, it burns brightly and, apparently, more than just the cals it has. A few years ago on a cruise I ate it before every meal. Gained zero weight on that cruise.

Unfortunately a year ago it started upsetting my tummy badly. Metqa explained this has something to do with the way it is digested. I had to lay off eating it (still use a jar every two weeks on everything else I use it for). I am now slowly reintroducing it into my meal plan.

Like Mini, I love the stuff, cannot imagine life without it.

Holy coconut oil, Batman! How much did you eat before every meal? A tsp or a tablespoon? with anything else? Going on vacay in 3 weeks and wondering

[minimonkey]

Sunday -- I looked up the episode -- I have heard of Dr. Bhakta, but don't know a lot about her.

I did know about the weather forecaster -- she has been quite vocal about her story. There are thousands upon thousands of stories like these -- and most of them are eerily similar -- years of misdiagnoses, being accused of imagining or faking the symptoms, finally getting a correct diagnosis only to have to face a ton of political disinformation and a wall of out of pocket expenses, denials by insurance, and so forth. Not to mention that the treatment makes you feel a whole lot worse before you start feeling better ... ugh.

The whole thing is truly a nightmare. I was lucky to have a great doctor, and to be able to manage to get treatment, even though it did leave me bankrupt (literally). I am mostly healthy these days, and that is worth its weight in gold.

Lyme is a huge epidemic -- far worse than most of us will ever realize, because so many of the late-stage cases are never properly diagnosed.

If you are interested in learning more about all this, I highly recommend the documentary "Under our Skin." It is excellent, and hits on most of the main points of this whole debate. I'm pretty sure it's available on Netflix.

[minimonkey]

Back to the topic at hand -- I am liking the DE so far! My gut seems to love it -- it is hard to say what other benefits I might see from it, but at least from a GI perspective, it is looking to be a good thing.

Now, if it would make my cellulite go away, that would be beyond miraculous!

[gotsomeold]

Hey C'Marie!

For convenience, I carry CO gel caps when I travel. Either swallow them whole or pop one open if I need face/hand cream.

I took four capsules, approx 1 Tb, before each meal.

If you are not used to eating CO, I really really really really encourage you to start small - like with a teaspoon/day with food and build up slowly. Partly because CO is digested out of the tummy/small intestine and you may need time to get used to it. AND partly because that detox Mini mentioned is very very very real when you first start eating CO. Being detoxed by CO is, I believe, extremely healthy. But the act of detoxing can have some pretty unpleasant side effects. I felt like I had the flu for three days this first time I did it. Better to take that slowly.

[minimonkey]

Oh, yes -- start SLOWLY with the coconut oil, particularly if you have yeast overgrowth (as most people do, unless they have been eating a yeast free diet for some time.)

I can guzzle the stuff now, but it definitely caused a detox for me.

On the metabolism front: I had an unplanned up day yesterday (starving from two hard workouts, so I gave in and changed my rotation) -- and I ate a good deal of my calories in coconut oil -- last night I was super warm while in bed -- I had to get up to cool off a couple of times! It feels a little bit like a hot flash, but without the skin flushing and discomfort of that -- this happens when I eat a lot of coconut oil, which really leads me to believe that there is a metabolic boost that comes from eating it!

[minimonkey]

I've been reading quite a bit on the DE -- this is one of those 'miracle products" that people claim will improve or cure most everything! I am liking it -- I've increased my dose to 2 heaping tblsp a day (one site I was reading showed that people were having the best results at that dose) -- it seems to agree with me. I am not detoxing from it, so far as I can tell, but that is likely because I just finished a cleanse, and I am very acclimated to bentonite already, which is similar in action.

I am hoping the DE will help my skin, which could really use some help. I find it very tasty, actually -- there must be something in it that my body needs, since I find I am almost craving the stuff -- so strange!

[sunday]

Originally Posted by minimonkey

I've been reading quite a bit on the DE -- this is one of those 'miracle products" that people claim will improve or cure most everything! I am liking it -- I've increased my dose to 2 heaping tblsp a day (one site I was reading showed that people were having the best results at that dose) -- it seems to agree with me. I am not detoxing from it, so far as I can tell, but that is likely because I just finished a cleanse, and I am very acclimated to bentonite already, which is similar in action.

I am hoping the DE will help my skin, which could really use some help. I find it very tasty, actually -- there must be something in it that my body needs, since I find I am almost craving the stuff -- so strange!

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your updates! I am learning a wealth of info from you.

[minimonkey]

Thanks, Sunday -- glad someone finds value in my rather profuse posting, lol! I love my experiments, and love to keep chronicling updates on them....

I was reading a number of testimonials that DE helped people lose weight -- mainly by decreasing appetite, it seems. Doesn't seem to be having an effect on my appetite yet, but maybe that will come in time.

[sunday]

Now you have my attention. Where are you reading about experiences with DE???
I forgot which one you purchased? I went on Amazon and placed one on my cart by Nature's Wisdom. I want to make sure I am getting the right one!

[minimonkey]

I have one that I bought at my local feed store -- it is made by "Treats for Chickens" -- lol. I think any of the food grade ones are fine ---

There is an incredibly long thread on a forum about hair -- it's actually a forum on hair growth for women of color, but I read it a lot, because those girls know their stuff about supplements! I've learned a lot from reading that forum. (If you google "Diatomaceous Earth and hair", you should find it, I think. ) I don't think we are allowed to link to other forums, but that should be sufficient info to find it.

I know that some people claim they have had remarkable improvements in cellulite after taking DE for a few months -- one can only hope that will happen to me!

[C'Marie]

So each cap is about 1/4 tbl or about .75 tsp? I did not even know they made co capsules! LOL I use co some but as I just came off P2 I will start slowly again. I just had about a tablespoon today though
As tomorrow is my first JUDDD DD I won't be having any

Thanks for the tip. I wonder if you didn't gain because it decreased your appetite? Or because it did some magic? What do you think? The last cruise I went on I "tried" to keep to eggs/bacon brx, salad with meat lunch, and sensible dinner with small dessert and ended up gaining 8 pounds.

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

Hey C'Marie!

For convenience, I carry CO gel caps when I travel. Either swallow them whole or pop one open if I need face/hand cream.

I took four capsules, approx 1 Tb, before each meal.

If you are not used to eating CO, I really really really really encourage you to start small - like with a teaspoon/day with food and build up slowly. Partly because CO is digested out of the tummy/small intestine and you may need time to get used to it. AND partly because that detox Mini mentioned is very very very real when you first start eating CO. Being detoxed by CO is, I believe, extremely healthy. But the act of detoxing can have some pretty unpleasant side effects. I felt like I had the flu for three days this first time I did it. Better to take that slowly.

[gotsomeold]

C'Marie,
Some people report CO causes appetite reduction. It does not seem to work that way for me. But, like a good DD, it does pump up my energy big time. Like Mini, I get warm after I eat it or rub it on my skin. Back on the SAD, it really did seem to burn a lot more calories than it contained.

I am still gradually getting back to eating it regularly. In a week or so, I plan to try eating it even on DD. I am really pleased that my tummy seems to be tolerating it again. I get DD shivers big time - CO's warmth should help that.

Mini,
For complexion enhancement, have you tried combining castor oil and CO? It is important to test the combo in some obscure place first because it can be caustic to some skin. But, I use it as a facial and am amazed at the magic it makes (especially combined with JUDDD's anti-inflammatory effect). Little lines and flaws are gone, even wrinkles are reduced, and I 'glow'.

[minimonkey]

Nancy -- I've never tried that, but I will give it a go -- I do chemical peels on my face, so it is pretty tough! I will test it first, though -- how odd that the combo can be caustic!

I was getting a bit of the DD shivers yesterday -- I was freezing a lot of the time on hcg, and I know that feeling all too well Coconut oil helps that a lot.

[C'Marie]

We can have co on a DD? How much do you count it? And crikey, I'm not on hcg anymore I can put it on my skin on a DD, right?

MM, I took DE for 2 months straight and did not notice any difference in cellulite. Maybe it takes a long time to work. It DID work on my dog's fatty tumor though, so maybe eventually? I'd love it. I'm considering doing one or two of those "wraps" for vacay. I have a visible BUMP on both thighs.

[minimonkey]

LOL -- C'Marie -- it is SO hard to shake off the hcg mindset, isn't it? I find I am doing the same thing on down days -- "gosh, I'm eating mushrooms, that's rogue...." lol. I never gave up using oils on my skin even on p2 -- my skin got dry enough with minimal dietary fat.

Some say don't count coconut oil up to 3 tblsp daily -- some people count half of the calories, and some count them normally -- there is a theory that it is digested differently than other calories and isn't stored as easily by the body -- and a lot of people do seem to find they lose better with it than without it (I did, on p2, for sure!)

[minimonkey]

As for the DE -- I am going to continue taking it -- it makes my gut happy, and if it helps my skin in any way, I am all for it. It would be awesome if it did help the cellulite, but I have heard that it takes months to start showing any effects in that department.

That is very cool about it helping your dog's tumor!

[sunday]

I tried it on my DD yesterday and the scale is good this morn! Had about 3 tbsp of cocoa crack. It was weird because I did not eat it all at one time, in fact, I had one tbsp in the morn with breakfast, then ate 1 with my dinner and then right about 7 pm decided to have another. My scale shows a small loss, but will know after today if it is going to be something I can do daily.

[gotsomeold]

I count half the CO calories. But, like Adi, I am seeing an increase in weight loss rate. If that keeps up, I may drop back to don't count the first 3 Tbs.

Sunday, I think back in the beginning I read something about spread CO out over the day. I always eat it with a meal...figure that is a great time to rev up the ol' metabolism.

C'Marie! For heaven's sake! You are free now, free!! Put it on your face, your hands, your whatever!

( Transitioning to freedom is really startling, isn't it? Six months JUDDDing and I still have "Can I do that????" moments.)