*The following is an individual’s story of surviving fluoroquinolone toxicity. It is not medical advice. Please see the disclaimer at the bottom of the story. Thank you, and please be cautious with all treatments.
Hello, about 3 to 4 months ago I was diagnosed with a kidney infection, I went to the doctor and was prescribed Cipro. I took 11 pills of 500 mg. Cipro and it destroyed my body, for the first week after the dose I thought I was dying, every movement I made I heard cracks all over my body and immense pain. I have never felt this much pain in my whole life, and I just passed a kidney stone which to most people hurts more than child birth. But now 4 months later I am working and feeling extremely healthy. I’m back to the gym and doing heavy lifting again. And I just wanted to post my research so other people can extract knowledge from it.
NOTE: in my opinion it would be best to stay away from vitamin supplements, I believe vitamins are super condensed synthetic chemical rocks that you digest that put an extreme strain on your kidney and other digestive organs so they can be digested and on top of that these supplements can cause kidney stones which is the last thing you want (it is also very difficult to get kidney stones from natural substances). And on top of that I think your body can easily absorb natural substances compared to supplements. And remember trusting big money hungry companies got us into this mess in the first place.
- Cherry tart juice I believe is the miracle that saved my body. Cherry tart juice contains massive amounts of melatonin. Melatonin helps with the synthesis of glutathione, the ultimate antioxidant; this antioxidant protects DNA and repairs it. It is also chock full of other nutrients and antioxidants. And if you have massive inflammation around your body, this will help, it is a natural anti-inflammatory. Every time I drank this I felt better in the morning, I recommend drinking this at night before you go to sleep, because it will make you very tired. You must get a 100% juice and be careful a lot of the juices have many fillers, I personally recommend either Red jacket cherry tart juice or Granny’s secret 100% sour cherry juice (I favor this one more). There is no research that I found that states you can overdose on this, but drinking too much can make you tired all the time.
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Pumpkin seeds are chock full of magnesium. Magnesium absorbs Cipro and on top of that it is great for tendon and muscle health. It also has beta carotene in it which helps your eyes and will keep your eyes healthy. Beta carotene is a natural anti-inflammatory too. Pumpkin seeds are filled with a ton of things in it: phosphorus, manganese, iron, copper, vitamin k, phytosterols, L-tryptophan, zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin B group (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and folates). Even after you recover you should eat this on a daily basis. BUT do not eat too many of these they will clog up your colon. The recommended dosage is two palm fulls a day that is it, do not exceed this!
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Lemons, with lemons I made lemon water. Lemon water is squeezed organic lemons (get organic ones you should do research on what you should get organic and non-organic) in water and that is it, you can add other things if you would like. Lemon water has tons of vitamin c and vitamin c absorbs the cipro in your brain. Lemons are also good for your immune system too. One lemon every 3 days with a quart of water I recommend, drink with straw or else it will destroy enamel in teeth, make sure to put straw in back of mouth.
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Carrots, I noticed that my vision was getting pretty bad, so I consumed many carrots. Even if you wear glasses cipro can tear your retinas and do a lot of other bad things to your eyes like make you blind so you want to keep your eyes in optimal health. Beta carotene is also an anti-inflammatory, and it flushes out your kidney which is very good. There is no research that I found that states you can overdose on this.
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Milk has tons of vitamins in it. It has calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin d, vitamin b12, vitamin a, riboflavin, and niacin. Calcium absorbs cipro, it also helps with arthritis and if your bones are in pain it will help heal them. Proteins will help rebuild the joints that have been deterioted and help restore your muscles. You can get kidney stones if you drink too much of this, but if you consume vitamin c (lemons, strawberries and stuff) your kidneys should be ok, it is at your discretion.
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Black beans they have a special amino acid that specializes in rebuilding destroyed joints. Look up how to cook these and make sure to cook them right I recommend a broth, because you can overcook it and the nutrients will stay in the water or soup. Do not under cook it, it will hurt your stomach, overcooking is promoted. There is no research that I found that states you can overdose on this.
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Broccoli is incredibly healthy. It contains a strong mixture of antioxidants like vitamin c, lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene. It has omega 3 fatty acids which help with brain function. It has calcium and vitamin k for bone and joint health. It is great for your heart and it also detoxs your body. I did research and it is speculated that too much broccoli can cause mental retardation because vitamin k contributes to blood coagulation which can clot blood to the brain or something like that, I am very skeptical about this, I personally eat tons of broccoli but it is at your discretion.
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Iodized salt, this is more of a hypothesis, but I believe that ciproflaxcin the main reason why it is dangerous is because of the fluoride in it, because if you look up fluoride toxicity It has the same symptoms as Fluoroquinole toxicity. And iodized salt links up with fluoride and leaves together in urine. So I think maybe it would help pull out the fluoride. And also iodized salt is also very healthy for the glands in your body. You will abuse your adrenal glands just by doing basic things so you want to keep them healthy. Iodized salt is very dangerous you do not want to overdose on it you will be poisoned a safe amount is ¼ of a teaspoon in a quart of water once every 2 days (it taste very bad but it is for your health). You must use a measuring spoons do not free hand it! A better alternative to iodized salt is seaweed, because it is more natural, but seaweed has a ridiculous amount of iodine in it so be very careful with consumption.
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Epsom salt baths help your body heal. It helps with nerve health, muscle health, and it soothes muscles so you have more blood circulation. It also eliminates toxins from your body. Make sure not to exceed instructions on package.
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Strawberries they have tons of vitamin c, they taste very good, and they have a mixture of antioxidants. There is no research that I have found that states you can overdose on this.
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Dry saunas, cipro may still be in your fat tissue so you need to go to a dry sauna and sweat it out so your symptoms don’t return in a few months. When you go to a spa or any other kind of place with a sauna you have to make sure it is a dry sauna, a regular sauna has water in it and the water has fluoride and sitting in there for a long time can accumulate a lot of fluoride. I personally stayed at the spa till it closed I did 5 minutes intervals inside the dry sauna then 5 minutes in the pool, I’m telling you this because a dry sauna is very hot and you are going to have to tap into your willpower to stay in one for 5 minutes and try to sit on the highest seat or ledge. Bring lots of water and a waterproof stopwatch and put it in a Ziploc bag so you can time yourself. Don’t just go in there and sit down in the sauna for like a second and leave you have to make sure you get rid of any cipro in your body, you are on a mission, you do not want to relapse.
You have to understand cipro is going to destroy your body that’s its job, to destroy. It is your job to rebuild it and if you didn’t eat healthy before this incident you are going to have to now. Eat tons of vegetables be careful of spinach and kale too much of each is dangerous. Drink milk it has tons of vitamins in it. As years progress you always hear about articles saying “due to recent research we have found out this fruit or vegetable has another benefit” so eat your fruits and vegetables and look up the recommended consumption of each you don’t want to overdose and hurt yourself. IMPORTANT research organic and non-organic….NOW
Good luck I hope this helps.
June, 2014 update from Douglas –
Well since Cipro entered my life I have been on a health crusade. And I mentioned to people to be healthier and eat healthy stuff. I examined thoroughly all of the things I told you guys to eat and I made a mistake. And I guess when I was writing that list of what to eat my head was not at full capacity (it still isn’t but it sure is definitely much much better then when I first wrote this) and I really wanted to help people asap. And for some reason nobody really listed what they consumed.
Cherry tart juice: I said this juice has much melatonin in it and that is synthesizes glutathione. That is true, but juice that is sold for people to consume, are usually pasteurized. Pasteurization means that a food substance is heated to a certain temperature for a set time and that it kills the bad bacteria in it. There is a controversy about pasteurization, some people say it kills everything (including good bacteria, vitamins, proteins, enzymes, all of the good stuff) and some people say that this statement isn’t true. But it is a fact though that it does decrease nutritional value but the amount in which it decreases remains to be seen. But if you really want the maximum health benefit of cherry tart you can buy the actual fruit and eat it, not juice it because in the pulp there are many healthful substances too. Well I guess you can juice it, just eat the pulp on the side.
Links: READ LINKS
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=297
http://consciouseatingexplored.blogspot.com/2012/04/i-wa-s-shopping-at-trader-joes-this.html
http://diaryofanutritionist.com/2010/03/16/how-healthy-is-that-juice-juice-and-pasteurization/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/543480-does-pasteurized-juice-have-nutrients/
On another note organic milk is ok to drink even though it is pasteurized. I have two links from the same author from different times read them both they are about pasteurized milk.
Link:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/03/26/pasteurized-milk-part-one.aspx
(From March 26, 2003)
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/14/conventional-vs-organic-milk.aspx
(From January 14, 2014)
Vitamin supplements in my opinion are not good for you. Read these articles they are important, and do your own research. Vitamin supplements have the same chemical composition of their natural counterparts, but in fruits, vegetables, plants, and herbs these natural things have combinations of thousand and millions of chemicals, enzymes, organisms, and life in them. I think I read somewhere on a forum or something that somebody got better because of their supplements, but they don’t really know if that is the truth, the truth is they could have really been postponing their recovery or not have been affecting it all, but look I am not a scientist I am a person with an opinion.
Links: READ LINKS
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/dont-take-your-vitamins.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/08/22/antioxidants-part-one.aspx
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/12/17/251955878/the-case-against-multivitamins-grows-stronger
http://www.thelocal.se/20140130/vitamin-supplements-can-speed-up-cancer-study
My current daily diet consists of:
- Chia seeds*
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Hemp seeds*
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Coconut oil
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Kefir
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Blueberries
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Carrots
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Black bean
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Pumpkin seeds
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Lemon
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Organic milk
- Chia seeds: (highly recommended)*
-very high antioxidant count
-soluble and insoluble fiber
-magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, omega 3, omega 6 (buy in grounded form so your body can digest the goodies better)
-protein (18 out of 22 amino acids) (50% of human bodies are made of protein)
-I personally take about 3 tablespoons a day I put it in water and I let it sit in bottle of water for like an hour then I drink it, it makes a cool drink. Texture is very cool, make sure to shake it like every 10 minutes if you let it sit in water and leave it in the fridge when it is sitting.
-this seed is very healthy I finished a bottle of it and there were seeds still in it and I left it on the table for a few days because I am lazy and then the seeds started to sprout inside my finished water bottle
Links: READ LINKS Because I am lazy and do not want to rewrite all of the things in articles
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/03/chia-seed-benefits-_n_3379831.html
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7928/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds.html
http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2013/12/chia-seeds/
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/top-10-health-benefits-chia-seeds-6962.html
*On 7/15/14 Douglas noted that – “chia seeds and hemp seeds are high in oxalates so they can contribute to kidney stones please warn ppl i think i actually have a kidney stone now”
- Hemp seeds: (highly recommended)*
-protein (20 out of 21 amino acids) I researched online and some people say there are only 20 amino acids others say there are 21 and others say 21 so I am not sure)
-magnesium, thiamin, manganese, zinc, iron, phosphorus, omega 3, omega 6 (you do not need to ground this, usually they are bought unshelled so it is easy for body to digest)
-In same family as marijuana LOL, but bare minimum in THC when produced for consumption
-antioxidants
Links: READ LINKS Because I am lazy and do not want to rewrite all of the things in articles
http://www.purehealingfoods.com/hempHeartsInfo.php
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/hemp-seed-nutritional-value-and-thoughts.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/043230_hemp_seeds_health_benefits_blood_pressure.html
*On 7/15/14 Douglas noted that – “chia seeds and hemp seeds are high in oxalates so they can contribute to kidney stones please warn ppl i think i actually have a kidney stone now”
- Coconut oil
-great for brain, helps produce ketones
-helps body absorb nutrients better
-I consume about 3 teaspoons a day with water, I did use it to pan fry things but this method waste a lot of it, unless you lick the pan after you are done cooking it is a waste. The taste of eating it raw with water is not the most pleasant, so maybe throw it in a shake or something.
-Lauric acid
-good fats
-only buy organic, extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil
Links: READ LINKS Because I am lazy and do not want to rewrite all of the things in articles
http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html
http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil?page=2
http://wellnessmama.com/2072/benefits-of-coconut-oil/
- Kefir
-Probiotic, many good bacteria in this for you
-Calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D (I think the vitamins vary by the types of brand, because kefir has milk in it and it depends on what the cows are fed at the different factories, and also the vitamins vary too if they decide to fortify it with any.
-I use mostly to help gut digestion, because you can eat the healthiest stuff in the world but if your gut is not digesting it right a lot of it can come back out.
-it doesn’t have to be kefir, I recommend trying to find any probiotic suitable for your body.
- Blueberries:
-brain health
-antioxidants
-vitamin c, vitamin k, folate (some websites say it has certain vitamins and some don’t say, so I am not sure)
- Organic blueberries are good for you but organic frozen blueberries are even better. Because when you buy organic fruits they are shipped to you and they sit somewhere for a long time after they are picked then they are on the truck, and then sit on the fridge shelf waiting for you. So the optimal health value of it depreciates. But with frozen fruits as soon as they are picked they are cleaned and frozen and they keep much of their nutritional value.
Links: READ LINKS Because I am lazy and do not want to rewrite all of the things in articles
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8
http://www.womenfitness.net/blueberries.htm
- Organic Carrots:
-I already wrote about this in my first post, but I recommend eating this by peeling them and washing them and eating them raw it taste not bad and you preserve all of the good stuff, no heat to kill any good bacteria.
7,8,9, and 10 I already wrote about them in my first post.
My current health after about 9 months is very good, I still have tons of fatigue, but that can also be due to my work schedule and lack of exercise (exercise increases testosterone, which in turn increases energy). My joints don’t hurt like before, tendons are good. My mental capacity is getting there, but I still have trouble wording my thoughts though. My psychological state has greatly improved, but I still have a ridiculously high anxiety but is much better then before, but not like before being floxed
NIck I did go back to working out, I can lift the same weight just not as many reps or sets, I actually only do one set right now. I had to stop working out though because my core and lower back, I think they muscle wasted away and I had much back pain, but right now I’m just doing tons of core and getting my core really strong and my back pain is decreasing …then soon I can go freaking crazy again. And also Nick I recommend maybe doing swimming and push-ups, like do exercises that target tons of muscle groups not just one you have to build what was destroyed, and maybe take it easy don’t go to hard go light be patient with yourself. I remember shooting a basketball about 4 months in and I couldn’t even reach the rim on a 3 pointer, I felt like I was in a dream, a horrible nightmare.
I guess you are right Kelli Chan do not go back into pool only use dry sauna.
Well Renee I haven’t really regressed like sometimes when I wake up my joints hurt a lot but then I go to my fridge and eat all that good stuff and it makes me feel confident then I go about my day and the next day gone. But in the beginning i got smacked a few times pretty hard again by it. But even now I don’t think I am in the clear, I think after another year and a half then I can breathe easy, after something starts hurting.
Even though I put a massive amount of information and links in this article, I would advise you to do your own research.
i hope each and every one of you good luck…be strong.
** The story above is truthful, accurate and told to the best of the ability of the writer. It is not intended as medical advice. No person who submits his or her story, nor the people associated with Floxie Hope, diagnoses or treats any illness. The story above should not be substituted for professionally provided medical advice. Please consult your doctor before trying anything that has been mentioned in this story, or in any other story on this site. Please also note that people have varying responses to the treatments mentioned in each story. What helps one person may not help, and may even hurt, another person. It is important that you understand that supplements, IVs, essential oils, and all other treatments, effect people differently depending on the millions of variables that make each of us unique. Please use appropriate caution and prudence, and get professional medical advice.
Why is it important to use a dry sauna if it’s ok to go in the pool?
Thank you Douglas for your story. I like the idea of getting what we need from food versus taking all these supplements. I plan on trying this route.
Hi Douglas, I am really interested to hear how you are doing now – are you completely recovered? Or have you regressed at all? (A fellow floxed victim treating this poison with natural remedies)
Douglas how are you doing now? How did you transition back into exercise and movement.?
Is anyone improving going this route? Newly floxed and need hope. Thanks!
Any updates?
Interesting stuff, though I would remove commerical milk from your diet, even the organic one is basically poison. Unless you can get your hands on raw milk straight from a trusted farm, I would avoid it.
Douglas,
What kind of heavy lifting are you doing?
I’m asking because I used to be able to squat 350lbs 5 weeks ago and would like to know when I can expect to start training again…
Mark
Douglas, what a great testimony you have shared here, thank you. And you don’t appear to be lazy at all–not with all you have figured out, accomplished and shared! Needing rest isn’t being lazy–especially not after what you have been through.
You mention the cherries have helped because of the production of glutathione. From my research, I believe glutathione is key to getting well after being floxed. Many do well with glutathione IVs, but these are very pricey, and some have discovered that liposomal glutathione (avoid any that use hydrogenated oils) is much, much cheaper and might actually even be more effective. It’s about $40-60/month. I know you are against supplements, but this one might be worth a shot?
Also, if you have kidney stones again, the Chinese herb Shilintong dissolves kidney stones almost overnight, and it can be bought online.
How did you figure out that lemon juice pulls Cipro from the brain? People says essential oils with sesquiterpenes can pull petrochemicals from the body and brain, so I am guessing it is the sesquiterpenes in the lemon juice that do this, but how smart of you to simply do lemon juice.
When I was first floxed in 2006 – 2008, I pretty much at the Standard American Diet. I didn’t try any dietary adjustments and kept eating meat, milk, etc. When I was able to start walking again, I started to pay attention to my diet. It’s so hard to know if the healthier diet helped me heal faster or not. I took magnesium supplements for a while and didn’t notice a difference. I eat a lot like Douglas now – except I don’t do any dairy, meat, cheese. I eat veggies, fruits, and seeds. I’m doing a detox now but hope to reintroduce beans and nuts.
After 5 years of health, I am experiencing a relapse and think it has to do with starting running in June. Even though I was in the best physical shape of my life post-floxing (because I committed to daily exercise and healthy eating), I don’t think my body can handle running. It’s been five weeks, and my symptoms are very similar to 2006 when I took Levaquin. Though I am still able to work, I’m experiencing lots of carpal-tunnelly like pains in my arms, numbness in legs, feet, hands, arms, and a brain fog that is coming and going. Still though, I think diet is the way to go. Even if it doesn’t cure a floxing, I can avoid cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.
After five years of daily exercise, I’ve completely stopped doing any – even walking short distances like one or two miles. I’m hoping I will recover quicker that way. Hope you all are doing much better! After reading your stories, I know I can recover (again!).
I was prescribed Norfloxacin in January this year, and was unable to walk at all for nearly two months because of it. I spent alot of time researching how to treat it. Thank you for your encouraging information. I looked up Dr Schulze and did the 30 day incurables program.
On top of eating a healthy diet, Douglas, you could take charcoal with water or juice. If you google Charcoal and Fluoroquinolones you will find that charcoal adsorbs FQs. I am not a scientist, but it would make sense that at some point these FQs re-enter the bloodstream. Ideally it would be good to have charcoal in the digestive tract to remove them from the body. Another point that has been researched is the role of N-acetyl Cysteine (a protein) that actually repairs the damage caused by FQs. These are studies that can all be found on the PubMed site.
I am walking now and doing everything I have to do, almost entirely pain-free. The nerve damage has repaired, and I feel good most of the time. Like you, Tammy, I find that exercise can bring on bone pain and exacerbate joint clickiness but I am continuing in the hope that it is helping to remove it, circulating the FQs, then I can remove them with charcoal. Best of wishes to you all. Hope you see big improvements.
Hi Renee,
I’m so glad to hear of your recovery! Where do you get charcoal and what dose do you use? I’m so leery of adding something other than healthy foods, but I would be willing to try it if this relapse doesn’t get any better. I am also going to check into that protein you mentioned.
Thank you for taking your time to share.
Hi Tammy,
Activated charcoal is a totally natural product. It is made by a process of partially burning then powdering wood. In fact, all hospitals have AC on hand. (Not that I think that hospitals have the answers, but it is interesting because they use it to pump stomachs after ODs etc, because it does have an amazing ability to bind to toxins). The one I have had is from eucalyptus trees, but others are from coconut sources etc. I buy activated charcoal in powder form from a couple of different health retreats here in Australia. If you google Activated Charcoal Powder, you will find a supplier I am sure. It will often come in a 1kg tub. This amount will last you about a year, maybe more. I take a heaping teaspoonful of it in a cup of water or juice to make it more palatable. If your digestion is sluggish you can add some psyllium husks to help it move through (try a teaspoonful with this mix). Play around with it until it works for you. Activated charcoal is a wonder in itself. It adsorbs an amazing array of medical drugs, pesticides, and other toxins (including some venoms). I have applied it externally to different bites with great success. Try taking it about 15 mins before breakfast. If that is fine, take another one just before bed.
Charcoal never enters the bloodstream but remains on the surface of the skin or in the digestive tract and simply works like a magnet to draw out the toxins that are near.
When the FQs were really bad, I applied it directly to the skin as well. If you get say a disposable washcloth (we call them chux cloths, a mesh-like, porous fabric) and mix up a little charcoal into a paste with some water, spread it onto the cloth, then enclose it like a pillow by folding all sides in, you can lay it over your liver on the skin. The cloth makes clean up a whole lot easier. Wrap it around you with some sandwich wrap and leave it on for 2-4 hours. Just be aware that charcoal will stain fabrics, and I am yet to find a way to remove the stain, so wear old clothes and be careful of the lounges and your bed. I put old towels down if I wanted to rest. It can also pit some stainless cutlery so I mix it in glass containers and rinse straightaway. You only need a small amount of water to make the paste, compared to the amount of charcoal you are using.
I shared this charcoal liver poultice with a friend who also took FQs and it gave her much relief. She did it straight away after taking them because of pain around her ribs, and difficulty breathing. It cured the pain and breathlessness and she has suffered no long term ill effects from the FQs.
I am hoping this helps you too 🙂
Renee, this is so much helpful information. Thank you so much for taking the time to be so thorough and explain exactly just how to do it. Right now, I’m on a detox diet but will be trying this if I am not better when my time period is up. I’m so glad it’s helped both you and your friend!
Do you not find milk/dairy increases pain? Both sour cherry and pineapple help me.
Thank you so much for this detailed and thoughtful post, Douglas!
I have been searching for such valuable information. It is difficult to sort through all of the floxie horror stories and get to “what works to feel better”.
I cannot thank you enough for this, really.
Supposing what works for one makes someone else worse?
Hi Douglas,
Could you please tell me what brand of pumpkin seeds you are using?
Hi – I was just wondering if anywhere in the UK does the activated charcoal powder as powder and are you sure it is safe to take? I am only aware of the charcoal pills from Holland and Barrett. many thanks Pete
Maybe you should check your adrenal glands. Look up adrenal fatigue
Sounds like it