Metamorphosis

Every time we decide to get our bodies into some kind of transformation, whether spiritual, dietary, dermatology treatment, fitness regimen, or anything that changes our emotional state ---like a new job, loss of job, new love, love loss... As you go through the changes, you could experience a series of symptoms as a result of your body's attempt to adjust.  May it be fatigue, acne or other skin problems, gastrointestinal discomfort and other relatively minor problems. And if you're one the unlucky ones like me, you might experience them all at once! In a matter of 11 months, I have gained 25 pounds, psoriasis, acne, brittle nails, hair loss, IBS (if it's not one, it's the other---and let us not forget about the BLOATING) I don't sleep at all or I feel like I want to sleep forever. Every scent, noise, light, touch, magnified to the 100X awakens the "monster with an attitude" that had decided to find refuge in me. It wasn't a pretty introduction at first...actually the first encounter with my she-monster cost me a week of the infamous silent treatment; no one in my house wanted to talk or look at me -to say the least! I was untouchable. Not necessarily my option and definitely NOT to my liking. I was miserable; which in turn triggered symptoms that made recovery way far from sight.

While trying to keep my inner monster on a leash, I resorted to meditation. There was no way I would feed my monster some Xanax -that for sure would keep her happy but it will push me off the wagon and back to square one. Meditation doesn't come easy when getting into lotus  or any position brings on  stabbing pain shooting through your ribs, your hips, your shoulders...let's say the whole body to simplify things a bit. It takes some serious mantra to focus on to become one with oneself. I knew my transformation needed to come from within so instead of trying to ignore the stabbing, the throbbing, the shooting, the burning sensations, I focus on the pain, feeling each central nerve ramification run through my system with each breath. I know that sooner than later with each 15-20 minute session daily, I'll be able to leave this monster homeless.

As for the other issues, those are just a matter of time, I know. It gets ugly before it gets pretty. My hormones, estrogen levels are so out of whack right now- they truly are "living la vida loca".  I'm addressing each by their names and last names and treating them as such. There's no fooling around in my temple! This butterfly have flapped her wings in search of all natural remedies to bring my immune system (body's strongest machine) back home- to a normal state.  Once I bring this machine back to its maximum potential, all these uninvited guests will regret their intrusion. 

Here are some of the remedies I've found along the green path:

• Psoriasis: 

1. Take a Soak -  Soaking in a tub can rehydrate very dry skin and remove scaling without damaging the skin. Make sure the water is not too hot, as it may increase itching. 
2. Moisturize -  Dry skin can crack, bleed, and become infected, so it's important to moisturize to prevent this. Moisturizing also helps reduce inflammation, maintains flexibility and it keeps psoriasis from getting worse. A natural moisturizer...Olive Oil. It's inexpensive and so effective!
3. Medical Treat- Treat yourself to mother nature's healing touch. Cat's Claw is a plant from South America that has been known to cure psoriasis and other skin problems. It is widely available here in the US.  Another on my list for great psoriasis remedies is salt. Of particular note are the ever so famous Dead Sea salts of Israel's Dead Sea. Long known for mystical healing powers! Because the Dead Sea salts contain 27% salt as opposed to the 3% found in most seas, it has a higher concentrate of calcium, potassium, and magnesium...all of which aid in blooming healthy skin. These could all be found at health food stores in different homeopathic forms. You may also visit www.saltworks.us 

* Information taken from "Rainforest Medicines for Eczema and Psoriasis Treatment"

• Acne 

1. Drink LOTS of water. A gallon a day, if possible. This will help you flush all impurities and get all those toxins out of your system.
2. Quit smoking if you do, caffeine, alcohol, added sugars, artificial sweeteners, overly processed food, and refined food.
3. Take probiotics
4. Take a concentrated form of Omega 3 fatty acids -either Flax Seed Oil - I take 200-300 mg per day; but please consult your doctor first!!
5. Drink decaffeinated Green Tea every day
6. If you suspect that a certain food is causing the breakout, try eliminating it for a week to see if acne subsides. I've heard of people having reactions when they change their diet and increase their soy intake as a source of protein. You know your body....but I advise to keep a food journal- this will help!

• Hair Loss

I experienced a significant amount of hair loss- not to the point of looking bald but enough to make my hair look thin, dull and lifeless. I did a bit of research and found some great home made remedies that did the work and help me restore my beautiful mane of hair. It's a constant battle for me, due to my compromised immune system but I am very diligent with my beauty regimen. Although there are some women that can sport their bald head with elegance -like Kanye West former girlfriend Amber Rose- I really can't see myself rocking it as beautifully as her. So I embarked upon a strict nightly journey of herbal treatments.

First, I did my own home-made Rosemary and Sage shampoo after I heard of their ability to stimulate hair growth. Rosemary and Sage are both astringents (they help constrict the tissues) Rosemary has antiseptic properties and is a natural skin toner (take note!) The combination of the two cleanses pores, stimulates hair follicles and conditions the scalp. 

To make the shampoo all you have to do is boil together equal parts of  Rosemary and Sage, if available, nettle. You can use both stems and leaves. Strain the liquid onto Castile Soap to make shampoo. Use as little as castile soap as possible to create a solution that lathers to your satisfaction. Too much castile soap will dry out your scalp--and we don't want that!  My hair is very oily so I have to wash it with more frequency but I don't recommend to use this mix more than twice a week. It has a very slight lightening effect so if you don't mind the extra highlights...it's a plus! I didn't have any adverse reaction to the mix, but since everyone is unique---you should watch for any kind of allergic reaction and if so, discontinue use immediately.

After shampooing, I would saturate my scalp with Aloe Vera. I bought pure Aloe Vera (from a drugstore) after finding difficult to buy the plant at local supermarket. That way it was always handy. I would massage it through my scalp and then rinse it off completely. Aloe Vera gel contains glycoproteins and polysaccharides which relieve pain and stimulates skin growth.

I have fine long hair that easily tangles so I need a great conditioner. On my quest to finding the best eco-friendly, organic, natural products, I experimented with different shampoos and hair conditioners, to be very dissatisfied many times- feeling like I had not only just wasted my time but my money. They just wouldn't moisturize the hair enough. They actually left my hair feeling like straw. Well that was until I tried John Masters Organics. 

I wrote an article in Lumigrate.com on their forums called "Hair Comes The Bride" where you could find lots of information about different hair products and home remedies. So I invite you to visit this wonderful website that I'm honored to collaborate with: www.lumigrate.com and feel free to share with me your comments. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have too.

• Brittle Nails

My nails were so ugly, I was truly embarrassed to show my hands. It's a little difficult to hide them when you use them as much as I do...they are my tools...the ones I use to make others look their absolute best! And there they are, the biggest most conscious eye sore to a perfectionist like me. I'm used to talking with my hands, as every good latin woman does, but this time my hands were the ones doing the talking for me.

In my Oral Communications class, we would practice giving a speech with our hands tied, trying to increase our vocabulary skills -the idea was to use as many adjectives as possible without having to rely in our hands to express our emotions. Seriously, this is very hard for a Puertorrican like me- one that uses  hand motions and sound effects with every word. Yes, I'm very animated.  You could just imagine how self conscious I was of my ugly, brittle, fungus like infected looking nails I had just developed courtesy of Fibromyalgia and my Vitamin D deficiency.

I found that in my case, as soon as I finished my 50000 units of prescribed Vitamin D treatment, they immediately regained their strength and health. 

But to keep nails strong and healthy, you should add Fish oil to your diet. If you're a Vegetarian, then you should try Omega 3's- Flaxseed Oil. 

Also, as a home remedy, one I learned in Puerto Rico, garlic and olive oil. My grandmother use to have an empty nail polish bottle filled with olive oil and garlic and she would rub it through her cuticles and nails every day to make her nails  grow stronger. As a little girl, it sure caught my attention, but I didn't pay no mind. I actually questioned what in her right mind would possess her to put such smelly concoction on her hands. But of course, it was my "abuelita" the one that would also grab "yerba buena", "guarapillo" leaves from her farm to make me a tea for my upset stomach or my cold. She would force me to drink it. Wish I would've known back then what I know now...I would sure not had spit it behind my bed and pretended to have drank it. I know, that's gross- but you don't think that way when you're a kid! 

There are so many other wonderful old home remedies I learned growing up and some great new ones I've just learned that I will be sharing with you. But if you have any specific question or interest, please leave me a comment....I love this whole researching process; it's like discovering a whole new world. One that's pure, natural and if feels oh so good.

So go ahead, allow this whole metamorphosis to take place while you nourish your system the natural way. Walk around proud like a caterpillar, knowing in time you will be the most beautiful and vibrant butterfly there is!

~Viva la Mari