***** OTHER NOTEWORTHY EFFECTS OF MY REGIMEN *****
I emphasize 'improved' only because I've been eating well for a long, long time. In case you've missed it (sorry... I know I've been writing at length. I'll try to be more economical - really
) I switched from a predominance of Herbalife products to Garden of Life products about 2003-10-15. My primary reason was that I could not find an Herbalife product based on probiotic blends and Garden of Life is the only supplier I've found thus far that has HSO's ( Homeostatic Soil Organisms ). The final decision was made when I realized that I was beating my head against the wall trying to obtain the Miya-BM probiotic from Japan. I have not given up this pursuit, but as the photos will attest I couldn't wait much longer as my PPP got worse. I started taking two of the GoL products that I had purchased from my local natural food store; Primal Defense and RM-10. I was impressed with the way they energized me, much the way Herbalife had when I first started taking it.
After reading much of Dr. Rubin's propaganda and perusing his book, I decided to try the entire protocol suggested for immune system imbalance. So I ordered an ample supply of products and fleshed out the rest of the stuff I needed for the complete protocol. Even at the attractive prices offered at iHerb.com, it's still a fairly costly regimen. Then again... I'd give up a large part of my 'kingdom' to walk free from suffering. Having committed myself to the full barrage, I've noticed a few other things that impress me:
VISION IMPROVEMENT:
Colors are more saturated and contrast is better. Visual acuity has improved. My slight astigmatism has NOT.
ENERGY:
Already mentioned above, this is even more noteworthy as it seems to continuously improve, being better almost every day. Yet, sleep comes more easily and is more restful than before. I've never slept for long periods - 4 to 5 hours a night - to begin with. But I'd usually go to bed pretty beat. By comparison, I arose at 5:30 a.m. today, punched into work at 7:45 a.m. and left at 7:02 p.m. It was a very hectic day gathering together end of month data for everybody, preparing for an all day certification meeting tomorrow and filling in chores of those absent from work today. It's now 9:35 p.m. as I write this, and even though I'll have to be up at 4:00 a.m. for a 3 hour road trip to the meeting, I'm not the least bit tired or concerned that I'll have sufficient rest. At 52 years old, that's a GREAT way to feel!
URINE FLOW:
Another function of age that is of concern to males is BPH - Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (or Hyperplasia; same thing ). This can cause delayed urination, a sense of urgency even when retaining only a small amount of urine in the bladder and because the prostate is enlarged, a narrower urine stream. While I HAVE NOT NOTICEABLY suffered any problems with my plumbing, I DEFINITELY noticed since taking the new supplements that my urine stream is much larger, it comes without delay, and there is no sense of still having urine retained when I'm finished voiding. Hmm... somethin' good is goin' on down there, for sure!
EVEN MORE ACUTE MENTAL CLARITY:
Another benefit from the Herbalife was a definite improvement in mental clarity. That is even MORE ACUTE with the GoL supps. I've always had to focus because of the minutea involved in highly structured and detailed work. But recently I've noticed that I can multitask much better than before and return to my original priorities without a sense of impending doom as though I'm buried once again and each return is like starting all over from beginning.
FINGERNAILS:
My nails have been prone to splitting into layers for many years. I keep the ones on my right hand fairly long so I can pick and pluck the guitar strings. Quite problem when one breaks. I haven't had a single instance of this occur lately. My toenails were starting to crumble a bit at the ends. I attributed this to the steroid use and a possibility of secondary fungal infection; a common side effect of steroid use, I understand.
Because of these and a number of other factors that I'll detail as I go, I feel that I'm getting VERY CLOSE to the right combination of ingredients that my body has been lacking. I agree wholeheartedly with peterb and others that one MUST eat a balanced diet and it definitely makes more sense to eat lots of small meals rather than 3 BIG ones. My only divergence is the carbo thing. Too many carbs, regardless of the source, just doesn't make any sense to me. And... I can't remember the last time I ate a meal that put me to sleep as does a grilled sandwich or pasta. Individually, once you start to rebuild the way you eat, you'll begin to quickly recognize which foods have value and which ones overtax your system.
If this line of 'reason' holds true, I can only hope and imagine that a time will come when the PPP resolves because I've re-educated my immune system with quality foodstuffs. Surely if I'm already experiencing other physical effects for the good, then that day will come. I'll continue to cherish that thought.
Later!
K
