Restless Legs Blog

I have been working off and on between job and family, for the last 2 years on an eBook about RLS. I have had so many people ask me questions about Restless Leg Syndrome that I just didn’t feel my blogging could adequately cover everything. So, I decided a couple of years ago to start putting down my thoughts on RLS along with the most recent research. I wanted a book that was easy to follow and not very long, only 70 pages. A reference book that I felt would address most peoples concerns and give them some different choices of treatment for their RLS. I know that one cure does not fit all, but I do think there are standard things that everyone should do that is afflicted with RLS. I am trying to work out all the technical stuff and sometimes that feels like looking through a glass darkly, but I hope to have it up and going on my website for your reading pleasure in the next couple of weeks. I also hope to have a system set up that will notify all my readers everytime I write a blog so that if you are interested you can check it out on my blogsite.

I welcome all your comments on my upcoming eBook.

Kris

I had someone tell me once that we are our own best doctors, if we would just listen to what our bodies are telling us. That is not giving in to our cravings or addictions, but really listening to that little voice that says that doesn’t feel right or that helped, I need to do more of that. Have you ever really exercised and sweated and hurt; thinking this is ridiculous, why am I killing myself off? And then you have a break through, you feel like you are on a natural high and you have never felt better in your life? You tell yourself, boy I want to do that again, that was great! But the next day the thought of starting all that work again just seems too hard, you have other things you should do; and that happens the next day and the next and pretty soon you have forgotten all about that great feeling you had. Things are fine for a while but then your body gets out of whack you start feeling poorly and all of a sudden you remember that feeling again and decide you really need to work out again.

In my professional opinion, I believe the cytomegalovirus infiltrated the endolymph fluid which is encased in the balancing labyrinths of the inner ear. Within these labyrinths are small hair-like structures which move with changes in motion. My theory is that the virus attached to the hair-like sensors and the toxins produced by the CMV virus disrupted the normal proprioceptive function causing faulty signaling into the central nervous system. The dramatic results came when the virus was immediately destroyed by the treatment frequencies. This technology has been available since the early 1930’s but was suppressed because it was too effective and would have destroyed the pharmaceutical companies as they existed in the 1930’s.

I found this on a forum group I visit and thought it was worth considering.

Kris

Whether to drink milk or not has generated a lot of heated debate over the years. I can’t say I am on one side or the other, but I have learned a lot about the pros and cons over the years. There are many people that feel it is one of of the staples of life. You know the many references to milk and honey. Some wouldn’t live without it. Pregnant mothers are encouraged to drink it. Children should have it everyday. I grew up on it and couldn’t live without it, how can anyone live without chocolate chip cookies and milk?
But what about those who are lactose intolerant or vegans that won’t drink it? What about all the hormones that cows are given? Does that help or hurt us? Also, is pasteurized milk better than non unpasteurized milk? Do bodies really need milk? There are so many sides to this argument I hardly know where to begin, so I will give you my experiences instead.

My second daughter when she was about 1 year old started getting really sick every 6 weeks. I couldn’t seem to keep her away from the doctors office. The antibiotics never seemed to really work for long and then she would get sick again. I will always be grateful for a very insightful and caring pediatrician. I was worried and told him of my concerns; this wasn’t normal and I wanted to find out what was going on with my baby. He did some tests on her and found out she was anemic. When we met again we talked for an hour as he asked some very pointed questions and then suggested that she may be allergic to milk. It seems that milk can block some bodies ability to absorb iron and therefore makes them anemic and their bodies weaker to disease. I took her off of milk and we went to goats milk instead. She was cured. No more reoccurring illness, just a normal happy baby. She is still allergic to milk and milk products, but she is no longer anemic, but very healthy. My other children are very healthy as well and they live on milk and have never had any problems.

I use to travel to Europe quite often and as those of you that have been there yourselves know; drinking milk like we do in the USA is not the norm in Europe, in fact it is harder to find, especially in restaurants and it doesn’t taste quite the same. So usually when I am in Europe, I never drink milk. It took me a while to notice the difference of how I felt in Europe as opposed to home. I never seemed to catch colds in Europe and I never had sinus problems. Phlegm completely disappeared and I felt healthier while I was there. I could walk for a long time without getting tired or winded. I guess the thing that finally brought it to my attention was when I got back to the USA and started to drink milk again, I would usually end up sick. Now does this mean that I have similar problems to milk as my second daughter does? Was I the one who passed it on to her? I don’t know, could be. I just know that I drink milk very seldom now and I don’t get as many colds.

I bring all this up not to stop someone from drinking milk, but hopefully to help any of you that are experiencing similar symptoms and have no idea what is causing the problems, to be aware of the possibilities of what you should be checking into and what questions you could be asking your doctor.

Just some more health tips.

Kris

I know this is a touchy topic but I need to make a personal observation. I was reading about a young women who was suffering with Schizophrenia but seemed to be handling the disease very well. She credited her ability to handle it on the support she had received from family and loved ones and the medical profession. Several things came to mind as I read the article. First, there are far too many mental illnesses in this world and I am including depression in that group. I would wager that it is unparalleled from any other time in history. Secondly, I am disturbed by the number of children being diagnosed with mental illness. It makes you wonder why that is the case? Third, what is causing all of these problems, is it our culture?  And fourth, what can we do about it? If I were a scientist or researcher maybe I might be able to come up with the answers to those questions, but I am not, so I can only offer an opinion.

I think we might be more responsible for that problem than we want to admit. Could it be our lifestyles and what we take into our bodies? Yes, I know some of you will say it is biological, chemical or hereditary and we can’t do anything about it but take drugs, and maybe in some cases that is correct but I don’t believe the majority of the cases are that way. So then, could it be our reduced interaction with each other inparticularly our family? Could it be the me factor and always thinking about what can make me happy? Could it be our greed and lack of service. Could it be our coping skills. Could it be the victim mentality that nothing is ever our fault?

I don’t have the answers to all of that but I have some strong feelings. We do eat unhealthy as a society, so why would we not think there is a correlation to what we eat and our bodies becoming chemically unbalanced? The majority of people don’t get enough exercise especially children. We don’t even force physical activity on our children at school. How many parents insist their children play outside everyday instead of being in front of the computer or TV? Don’t even get me started about the lack of sunshine people get in a day. With both parents working and kids in every organized activity there is to offer when do we have time to sit down and talk to our children let alone play a game with them? Yes, we have lots of stress but how much of that is our own faults? Coping skills? Life isn’t fair so get use to it! But do we help them know how to handle it? Do we talk and really listen to each other before we have to get going and do something more important? I don’t care how many drugs you throw out there, if a person doesn’t know how to handle the ups and downs in life and realize, how the only constant thing is change, meaning things will get better, what do they have to look forward too? Hollywood has made us all think we have to have all the things they have to be happy but isn’t “true happiness” as I read once, “contentment with the little”. If you constantly think you have to have what everyone else has and that life is suppose to be fair and equal and you continually think about yourself and no one else, how then can you be happy? Do we make service a part of our lives? Just a small moment when we are thinking of others and not our self. Learn to have more positive self talk, it’s amazing how strong a force that can be in your life. Eat better, exercise, de-stress your life. If you can’t make these changes on your own then talk to a family member, a friend, a clergy, or God. Just don’t give up, there is always hope!

Just something to think about.

Kris

I think diseases that have  no known cure have always fascinated me and drawn me to them. I think there are several reasons for that. First, I always have hope. I strongly believe in a higher power that can help when nothing else can. Secondly, I always want to say to those who state that nothing can be done, try some alternative medicine. Crohn’s disease and Irritable Bowel syndrome are 2 conditions that fall under the ‘no known cure and nothing can be done about them category’. I had a reader write me about their struggles with Crohn’s disease and I have had some problems with Irritable Bowel syndrome so I thought I would add my thoughts on them today. First let me explain what each is, from the website WebMD it states that;

“Crohn’s disease is a lifelong inflammatory bowel disease. Parts of the digestive system get swollen and have deep sores called ulcers Crohn’s disease usually is found in the last part of the small intestine and the first part of the large intestine. But it can develop anywhere in the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus.

Doctors don’t know what causes Crohn’s disease. You may get it when the body’s immune system has an abnormal response to normal bacteria in your intestine. Other kinds of bacteria and viruses may also play a role in causing the disease Crohn;s disease can run in families. Your chances of getting it are higher if a close family member has it.”

Secondly WebMD states that Irritable Bowel Syndrome or:

“(IBS) is a disorder of the intestines. It causes belly pain, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome is a long-term problem, but there are things you can do to reduce your symptoms.

Your symptoms may be worse or better from day to day, but your IBS will not get worse over time. IBS does not cause more serious diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease or cancer.

Doctors do not know exactly what causes irritable bowel syndrome. In IBS, the movement of the digestive tract does not work as it should, but there is no sign of changes in the intestines, such as inflammation or tumors. Doctors think that IBS symptoms are related to problems with the signals sent between the brain and the intestines. This causes problems with the way the muscles of the intestines move.

For some people with IBS, certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, and some antibiotics may trigger pain and other symptoms.”

I know the frustration of having a doctor tell you there is nothing they can really do or they give a medicine that the side effects are worse than the disease. So let me suggest the following: first, Dr. Christopher’s Lower Bowel formula is the best on the market in my opinion for getting your bowels and intestines working right again. I would recommend it for both conditions. You have to regulate it for your own body. I think Dr. Christopher recommends around 6 capsules or more a day. That was too much for me and gave me diarrhea. I mostly stick to 3 in the morning everyday. That has changed over the years, I have been using it for over 14 years, but it depends on what is happening in my diet and lifestyle as to how much I take and whether I require some at night as well. I would suggest experimenting with it and see what works for your body. It is nothing but herbs or food and it doesn’t hurt your body at all, nothing like the devastation laxatives can cause. Just remember Lower Bowel Formula is not a laxative but instead helps the digestive tract and bowels start functioning normally.

My second suggestion comes from a discovery I made when it seemed Dr Christopher’s formula  wasn’t working for me and and I was having constant diarrhea and stomach cramps. Somewhere in the back of my head I remembered reading something about pro-Biotic Acidophilus working for other things besides what I had taken it for, such as after taking antibiotics or for yeast infections. I immediately talked to one of my alternative health care resources and they said that my good bacteria was probably messed up somehow, either from stress or diet and agreed that Pro-biotic Acidophilus would help and then also suggested taking a super enzyme that would also help support a healthy digestion. The one they suggested was by a company called NOW and the product was called Super Enzymes. I took the combination for about 2 weeks and my symptoms cleared up and now Dr Christopher’s formula is working great again.

I hope these suggestions help but let me add one more thing. If you are afflicted by either condition think seriously about your lifestyle patterns, what you eat, how you exercise and sleep and the stresses in your life. I truly believe we are our own best doctors if we pay attention to what our bodies are telling us.

Good luck!

Kris