And My Kitchen Sink » NAET

Allergy Treatments 20-24 – Soy, Gluten And Caffeine

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:40:21 +0000

By now, I’m realizing that Terry was absolutely right about this taking a long time. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m still doing this a year from now. I’m discovering “new” allergies all the time, thanks to the fascia testing. I test everything before I eat it now, and the list keeps growing.

Treatment #20 – Soy

I was really looking forward to this one, because I was so very allergic to soy and it’s almost impossible to avoid. It’s in everything, not just food items, but in skin lotions, natural candles, non-toxic paint, hair care products, the list goes on. The treatment went well, didn’t notice anything afterwards.

Treatment #21 – Gluten

Apparently I had a pretty bad gluten allergy, but had no idea (it was not mentioned when I was tested at my doctor’s office). The treatment went well, I went home, sat on the couch and watched TV and all of a sudden, my nose got so stuffy I couldn’t breathe through it. Then my tongue swelled up, and my throat started to swell up as well. It was getting difficult to breathe and I started to panic. Then I realized that my husband was toasting bread in the kitchen (regular bread, not gluten free), so I went outside for 15 minutes, and the symptoms went away. I ate all gluten free foods the next day, but when Terry checked if the treatment had been successful, it turned out that that toast had sabotaged the entire treatment. It did not take at all (it had “gotten stuck in the spleen” – don’t ask me to explain what that means!). That’s how important it is to stay away from the substance treated: even smelling it can ruin the whole thing.

Treatment #22 – Gluten. Again.

This time, nobody was allowed to eat anything with gluten in the house for the entire 25 hours. I realized that you get very hungry when you’re not eating normal baked goods! I feel so bad for people with celiac disease (although Terry says NAET can cure that too). This time, it worked. No more gluten allergies!

Treatment #23 – Soy Again

Soy did not take at all the first time, even though I had followed the instructions obsessively. Terry said that because I was so extremely allergic to soy, it might just have needed to do a preliminary clearing before it could clear it for good. Anyway, we treated it again, and it worked! What a relief!

Treatment #24 – Caffeine

When I was in my early 20s, a doctor told me that I was allergic to chocolate and shouldn’t eat it. So I stopped and did not have a single piece of chocolate for 10 years (people are always aghast when I tell them this). Then in my early 30s, I was tested by another doctor who said that he did not think that I was allergic to chocolate at all. So I started eating it again and felt fine. But as it turns out, I’m really allergic to caffeine, so the first guy was right after all.

I only realized this because I woke up one Saturday recently with that same old borderline migraine that I used to get all the time before starting these treatments, asked Terry what she thought caused it, she asked my body, and it turned out it was a particular tea I had had, black tea with little chocolate pieces in it. Apparently that was too much for my body, and when she tested to see if I was allergic to caffeine, I was on all levels. The treatment worked 100% and I’m drinking coffee and eating chocolate like there is no tomorrow! (Check out my Ice Coffee recipe!)

My next post will be about all the treatments I went through over the summer and fall. If you want to learn more about NAET, check out my newly opened Kitchen Sink Store, where I have selected a bunch of books about NAET that I found very helpful. (I have also added a bunch of my other favorite books, fiction mostly, and some movies).

Allergy Treatments 11-19: Cats, Dogs, Salt And More Salt

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:38:22 +0000

If you’ve been reading my previous posts about NAET, you know that by now, I’ve gotten rid of a several allergies. Most of them I wasn’t even aware of, but they have apparently been putting stress on my immune system (and entire body) and it sort of feels like we’re doing a thorough spring cleaning of me. This time, we’re finally getting to treat some of the allergies I knew I had and couldn’t wait to get rid of.

Treatment #11 – Salt Mix

I had no idea I was allergic to salt, but when Terry did the muscle testing, it turned out I was very allergic to it. The treatment went well, I felt fine afterwards, didn’t notice anything in particular. Avoiding salt is not easy, and you’re only allowed to drink or touch distilled water after this one, so the 25 hours after the treatment was a bit of a pain. I keep getting that humming in the ears every time I’m hungry. Weird.

Treatment #12 – Grain Mix

Again, was allergic to this, had no idea. Treatment went well, but the eczema came back. Bummer.

Treatment #13 – Pets (Dogs)

We snuck in another one before finishing the first 15, because I do have a dog and I love to spend time with all dogs. I collected hair and saliva from my dog and her doggie friends and put in a glass jar. Terry also had some vials with dander etc., so I had my hand full during this treatment. It went well, I had to stay over at a (pet free) friend’s house and stay away from home for 25 hours. The treatment worked like a charm, I have not had a reaction to a dog ever since (it is now about 6 months later).

Treatments #14, 15, 16, 17 – Salt Again

Turns out salt didn’t take the first time, and had to be treated again and again, in combination with different things (thyroid, adrenal glands, etc.) before it finally took. The eczema was coming and going throughout these treatments, so it seems salt was heavily involved in it.

Treatment #18 – Yeast

Was allergic, treatment went well, didn’t notice anything special afterwards.

Treatment #19 – Cats

I have been extremely allergic to cats for years, can’t visit people even for a short time if they have a cat. It’s a drag to not be able to go to dinners and parties at peoples’ houses just because they have a cat. And I love cats, I think they’re hilarious. For this treatment, I collected all the cat hair and saliva I could get my hands on (from people at work, friends, etc. One of my friends who live in another state even mailed me some of her cat’s hair!) and put in a glass jar. It was easy to stay away from cats afterwards since I can’t get near them anyway, and at the next appointment, Terry checked, and my body said the treatment had been 100% successful.

The next time I visited a friend with cats, I was fine, didn’t even sneeze once. A few months later however, one of her cats was all over me, rolling around in my lap, butting her little head on my chin, doing all kinds of adorable stuff, and I was delighted to be able to pet her and enjoy her company. BUT, when I left, my nose started getting stuffy and I got a rash on my arm. So very disappointing. When I asked Terry about it, she checked with my body (through muscle testing) and it turned out it was an emotional reaction. In addition to NAET, Terry also uses a technique called NET (Neuro Emotional Technique) where you go back to a specific event in your life and let the emotion from that go in order to clear an allergy. And it’s not like they are huge traumatic experiences, it can be silly things, like a sibling hiding one of your toys, or you subconsciously picking up on somebody else’s unhappiness. And the event usually has nothing to do with what you reacted to. I can’t at the moment remember what mine was, but it was not connected with cats or animals in any way.

I know, I know, it sounds really out there, but it does seem to work. And it feels really good to clear out emotional blockages that have been there for decades.

So slowly but surely, I’m getting rid of one allergy after another. It is so exciting, and I can’t wait to finally be allergy free again! In my next post, I will write about 3 treatments I’ve been waiting for since we started this: soy, gluten and caffeine. Getting rid of those allergies will change my life!

Allergy Elimination Treatments 6-10 – Is It Working Yet?

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:03:28 +0000

If you’ve read my earlier posts, you know that back in January, I started an allergy elimination therapy called NAET. I’ve already written about NAET in general and the first 5 treatments, and today, we’re on to the next batch.

Treatment #6 – Sugar Mix

I’ve never had much of a sweet tooth, and I thought staying away from sugar for 25 hours would be easy. Wrong. There is sugar in EVERYTHING. The list of no-nos post treatment even includes toothpaste! Yuck. Fortunately, I’ve been trying out a ton of natural toothpastes over the past few years, and had Weleda’s Plant Gel toothpaste around. No sugar, nice and minty (although the color isn’t the most appetizing). Felt fine afterwards, nothing specific noted.

Treatment #7 – Iron Mix

I was excited when I saw that you’re allowed to eat sourdough bread without iron after this one. Until I tried finding it – impossible. Had chicken and rice AGAIN. Will never eat chicken again once I’m done with all these treatments. Felt fine after treatment, no specific improvements noted.

Treatment #8 – Vitamin A mix

Felt fine, no improvements noted.

Treatment #9 – Mineral Mix

Wow. This one was an ordeal for me. First of all, you cannot use or touch anything metal (including buttons on clothing etc.) without gloves for 25 hours after the treatment, and you are only allowed to use distilled water. Which meant I wasn’t going to be able to see for 25 hours, since my glasses have lots of metal on them, and my contact lenses are stored in saline solution. We got around it by doing the treatment first thing in the morning, so I put in contacts beforehand, and thus was able to see all day. Another complication was that I realized the same morning that there was no way my wedding ring was coming off. I hadn’t even tried taking it off for probably 10-12 years or so, and it was stuck. I tried everything I could think of – oil, soap, ice cold water, holding my hand over my head – nothing worked. So I put a band aid over it, hoping that would be ok.

The treatment went fine, it turned out I was really very allergic to this particular mix, and my system got so messed up just from holding the glass vial that the muscle testing stopped working. It just would not answer anything.

I just hung out at home for the rest of that day with cotton gloves on, working on a photo album. I was so happy when I woke up the next day and the 25 hours were over. BUT, once I got up, I felt like a lobotomized zombie. I could not focus on anything, couldn’t even move except in slow motion and had a splitting headache. It was as if I was distanced from everything and had cotton balls in my ears (which were humming constantly). I had to go grocery shopping that afternoon, but when I got home, I was thinking that I probably shouldn’t even have been driving, that’s how strange I felt. The lobotomy-feeling went away after a few days, thankfully, but the headache lingered for several days. I did acupressure on myself to get my kidney chi back to normal (with the help of my dog-acupressure book!) and it did help, but it was quite something.

Once the symptoms went away, I felt amazing, better than I have in many years. Not that I thought I was feeling all that bad, but when you have a dramatic improvement like that, it’s so noticeable. My head felt unfuzzy and light and the eczema went away completely. It has always been on my left hand, which is where my ring is, so you have to wonder if there was a connection.

A Side Note – How To Get a Stuck Ring Off Your Finger
I panicked when I realized the ring was stuck, and for weeks I kept trying to get it off. Then somebody suggested I should try Windex – and it worked! Soak your hand in ice cold water for as long as you can stand it, spray tons of Windex on the ring and your finger and try to twist it off. Keep adding more Windex, and it should come off eventually. I have no idea why it works, but it does.

Treatment #10 – Flower mix

We snuck in a seasonal allergy treatment before the first 10 were done. You’re not supposed to, but pollen season was just around the corner and Terry wanted to treat it before it would be too late. Normally, in May-June, I have a 3-4 week hangover feeling with a really bad headache followed by 3-4 more weeks of sneezing and eyes swelling up.

The treatment went fine, and I was not allowed to go outside for 40 hours afterwards (once I was back home again). I felt fantastic after this treatment, even better than after the mineral one. My whole body felt light and I had tons of energy. And this spring, for the first time in probably 20 years, I did not have pollen allergies! Amazing.

I was able to smell the flowers (and freshly cut grass), and walk and run outside and still breathe! Interestingly, when I was tested for allergies at my western doctor’s office, I was told I was allergic to pretty much all pollen (grass, weed, trees, flowers) but that oaks were the absolute worst for me. But when Terry tested me, my body said I was only allergic to flower pollen. And it must have been right, because that’s the only one she treated and I felt great all spring, summer and fall.

So yes, it is working! Yay! In my next post, I will talk about treatments 11-19, where Terry treats me for salt, grains, yeast, dogs and cats.

Allergy Elimination Treatments – The First 5

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:42:39 +0000

As you may have read in my previous post about NAET allergy elimination technique, I have many allergies and am trying to get rid of them (for good!) with an alternative treatment method called NAET.

I wanted to share my experience with NAET, because, as you all know, it truly is a pain (if not outright life threatening) to live with allergies. And with over half of the US population suffering from some kind of allergy, chances are you are either allergic yourself or know someone who is. If you ask a “regular” western MD, all you’re told is to avoid the things you’re allergic to, and that you will have to live with your allergies for the rest of your life. But there might be hope for all of us and NAET might be the answer!

NAET is by no means a quick and easy fix; it takes time and commitment to get this to work. With all the preparations and restrictions before and after each treatment, it can sometimes feel like a full time job. But if I can eat apple pie again someday, it’s worth every minute!

Here is my personal experience with the first 5 treatments (mandatory regardless of whether you’re allergic to the items or not, in order to get your immune system in balance):

Treatment #1 – BBF

Brain Balancing Formula. This one was easy – no prep work was required and I didn’t have to avoid a thing afterwards. This was my first ever experience with acupuncture, and I have to say that I think it hurts. So many people have told me they can’t even feel the needles, but I certainly feel them. I do have to add that I have almost no tolerance for pain, so it’s probably just me. Maybe it’ll get better once I’m used to the needles.

Treatment #2 – Egg Mix

This took a bit more work – I had to remove my down quilt, the sofa cushions, and all my down jackets before the treatment. Had to vacuum the entire house really thoroughly so that no feathers were left anywhere. Also had to prepare foods I could eat the day after. Which wasn’t so difficult, I could eat many of the things I normally eat. I would say that this one is easier to have done in the summer, since I am a big fan of down everything in the winter… And it was a bit embarrassing at work the day after to run from people in down jackets.

I didn’t notice a whole lot after the treatment, apart from the eczema on my hand, which kept disappearing and coming back again every other day.

Treatment #3 – Calcium Mix

This was a tough one. Between allergies and trying to stick to a vegetarian diet, all I could eat/drink after this treatment was air popped popcorn (with no salt or oil or butter or anything), bland-as-can-be rice cakes and distilled water. This was my first experience with a very limited diet, and not realizing how much not eating affects you, I was out trying to buy a car the day after this treatment. On the way home, I was starting to fear I was going to faint, and it had finally been 25 hours, so I stopped at a store, bought a huge bunch of bananas and ate and ate. Oh, and only being allowed to drink or touch distilled water also means you cannot shower or wash your hands in regular water. Disgusting.

Didn’t notice any improvements after this treatment.

Treatment #4 – Vitamin C Mix

This wasn’t so bad. I had learned my lesson and had prepared some chicken for the day after. I don’t want to eat it, but I also don’t want to faint. You are also allowed to eat brown toast and a few other filling things afterwards, and drink regular water. And shower! What a relief! No improvements noticed. Eczema is back. Needles still hurt.

#5 – Vitamin B Complex

Another distilled water treatment. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried it, but it somehow seems less liquid than regular water… gross. And for me at least, not drinking tap water seems to make me weak. After about 22 hours with only distilled, I get really woozy and shaky, have this annoying humming in my ears, and can basically only manage to sit on the couch and wait for the next 3 hours to pass so I can eat and drink again.

I didn’t notice anything in particular after this one either. But I’m going to keep at it! In my next post, I will write about treatments 6-10, which includes sugar, iron, vitamin A, minerals and flower pollen.

Getting Rid Of Allergies Once And For All With The Help of NAET

Getting Rid Of Allergies Once And For All With The Help of NAET

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:01:51 +0000

Yes, get rid of allergies. Something you NEVER hear a “regular” doctor say. You’re either given medications that only mask your symptoms and come with some pretty nasty side effects, or told to avoid the allergen altogether.

Like over half the US population, I suffer from allergies. Many, many allergies. But it wasn’t always like that. Apart from a life-long allergy to strawberries, I wasn’t allergic to anything when I was younger (as far as I know).

That all changed when I was 17 and a friend got a kitten. I went over to her house to watch a movie (Blues Brothers, if I remember correctly), the kitten was all over the place as kittens usually are (running along the back of the couch, hanging from the curtains…), I started sneezing and assumed I was coming down with a cold. Woke up fine the next day, went over to my friend’s house and the sneezing started again.

That was the beginning of the downward spiral. Within a few years, I had become allergic to most animals (not dogs, strangely) and some foods. I had to give up horseback riding and stop eating chocolate. But it was manageable.

Then, in my late 20s, I was sitting on the couch in the living room, pigging out on a large bowl of black cherries when I suddenly noticed that it was getting more and more difficult to breathe. I stopped eating the cherries, drank a lot of water, and it got better. But from then on, over the next few years, I became allergic to almost all fruits and some vegetables. And pollen, mold, dust mites, and a million other things.

Nothing Helped

I tried all the medications for environmental alergies on the market at the time – Claritin, Allergra, Zyrtec, and I forget what else. The side effects from all of those were worse than the actual allergies, so I stopped using them.

Since Western medicine does not offer anything at all to help with food allergies, I just stayed away from the foods I knew I couldn’t eat. But since I became allergic to new foods all the time, it was difficult – one day eating a blueberry was fine, the next it made my throat swell up. You get scared of eating when you don’t know if you’ll have a reaction or not. And restaurants, forget it. I have many times asked if a specific food item contains nuts, been told no, ordered it, and it did indeed have nuts in it. I have been fortunate in that I am not anaphylactically allergic to anything. I feel so very bad for people who are – that same ignorance could kill them. How do you ever dare to buy anything or eat out?

Soybeans

Soy was another difficult one. I was allergic to it and it is everywhere. Do soy growers give it away for free?? I was food shopping and wanted to get a can of PAM (which I had never used but thought I’d try for a recipe). I looked at the ingredients and what do I see? Soy. In canola and olive oil. Sigh. It’s in skin care, non-voc house paint, candles, everywhere.

I had started to fear that I would eventually not be able to eat anything at all except meat (which I hardly ever eat and don’t like eating for ethical reasons) when my chiropractor mentioned that an acupuncturist had successfully treated a few of her patients for their soy allergies and gotten rid of them completely. She gave me her number, and what did I do? Nothing, for 6 months. Then, in one month, I all of a sudden started reacting to avocados, red peppers and chickpeas. Foods I love and eat all the time. I dug out the number and called Terry (the acupuncturist).

NAET To The Rescue

Terry told me that she herself had gotten rid of her many allergies and asthma through the system she practices called NAET. It uses kinesiology (muscle testing) to test for allergies and acupuncture and NET (Neuro Emotional Technique) to treat them. She warned me that it might be a long and sometimes difficult process, but I decided to go for it and in January of this year (2009) I went for my first treatment.

What Is NAET Therapy?

NAET stands for Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique. It was invented in 1983 by Dr. Devi Nambudripad (MD, D.C., L.Ac., Ph.D.), herself a lifelong allergy sufferer, who took what she describes as “the best” of several different healing modalities (Oriental and allopathic (Western) medicine, chiropractic, kinesiology, acupuncture, acupressure and nutrition) and combined them into a natural treatment method she named NAET. If you want to read more about her story, as well as others, check out the books in my Kitchen Sink store.

What Happens During A Treatment?

Acupuncture treatment

The practitioner will determine your level of allergy with the muscle testing. You then hold a vial (or several if needed) with the substance while lying on your stomach. The practitioner uses a tapping technique up and down your spine (sort of like a massage). You then turn on your back, still holding the vial, and the practitioner inserts acupuncture needles on specific points (or uses pressure, not everyone does the needle thing) on your body. You then rest for 20 minutes (still holding the vial). The practitioner then removes the needles, takes the vial from you, and that’s it. That’s the easy part.

The difficult part is that for 25 hours after each treatment, you need to completely avoid that particular substance (and related substances). For example, for 25 hours after the Egg Mix treatment (#2), you are not allowed to go into your kitchen, a grocery store, or restaurant, you cannot wear a down jacket or sleep under a down comforter or be near feathers in any form, and you may not eat or touch eggs, chicken or anything made with eggs (you must also avoid things like skin lotions, shampoos and conditioners that may contain egg products in some form).

As you can see, this means that you need to prepare yourself in advance of each treatment. Anything you are planning to eat within 25 hours after the treatment needs to have already been bought and cooked (since you cannot go into a store or your kitchen). Unless you have a very helpful family member who is willing to cook for you, of course!

Also, if you have pets, make sure to check the ingredients in their food and treats to make sure you don’t touch anything with eggs (or whatever you’re avoiding).

How Many Treatments Does One Need?

Well, that depends on your allergies. The system is set up so that you have to go through 15 basic treatments before you can move on to the things you want to have treated (pets or nuts for example). This is to boost the immune system and prepare it for coming treatments. You may also find that you are allergic to many of the basic 15. I didn’t think I was allergic to any of them, but it turned out I was, on some level, to all of them! Salt especially (who knew?!). Once you’re done with the 15, you can move on to the substances you want to have treated. Unless your body needs more than 25 hours to process each treatment, you can get several treatments per week, and speed up the progress that way.

Am I Cured Yet?

No. I have so many allergies and sensitivities that I don’t expect to be done with this for some time yet.

But I am really optimistic and have already had some very positive results: I have had eczema on my left hand for years and years, and just barely kept it in check with the help of steroid and cortisone creams. It’s gone now. So are my debilitatingly painful headaches, which I used to have as often as once a week. My pollen allergies used to be horrible: 3 weeks of feeling like I had a really bad hangover followed by a month of sneezing, eyes swelling almost shut and coughing. This year (because we snuck in a pollen treatment before we were done with the first 15) I was smelling the flowers and feeling great!

Follow Me On My Journey

Instead of making this so long that nobody will have the time to read it, I will post separate pages for treatments where I share my experiences and tips. Read about the first 5 treatments, where I discover that, in spite of what people have been telling me, the needles hurt and distilled water is nasty.

During treatments 6-10 I find out that I’m really allergic to minerals, not so allergic to pollen after all, and discover how to get a stuck ring off your finger.

Treatments 11-19 take care of two allergies that have been a huge problem for me: dogs and cats. They also get rid of a few allergies I didn’t know I had – salt, grains and yeast.

During treatments 20-24, we finally get to soy, and also eliminate my caffeine and gluten allergies.

Hopefully my experiences can help you decide if NAET is something you want to try. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!

No related posts.