I have found my greatest comfort and success in treatment through acupuncture and chiropractic care. If I couple that with herbs and homeopathy, plenty of water and moderate exercise, then I find myself in pretty good health. When I find myself uncomfortable in my own skin then I know that I've let a few of these things slide.

For years I have battled various discomforts, some more so than others. As I did research and learned more about the world outside of conventional medicine I realized I had missed out on a lot throughout my young life. Being introduced to alternatives that look back to God and Nature has been a great blessing to me and my family. I enjoy considering all of my options and not just one side of them. When faced with these options I can ponder and pray until I know which option would be best for that particular situation. I never say "never" anymore. It seems that I always find myself being prompted to do the "never's" more and more as I go through life. I encourage you to consider all options as you search for answers to your questions.

I've found that there is a lot of misleading information being published in various formats when doing research on health and nutrition. It's enough to confuse anyone who has tried to find "the plan" for them. I'm not really into plans, but I have found that moderation, balance, and mere common sense goes a long way.

My main guide defining what a healthy lifestyle really is comes from scripture. In my LDS (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) faith we have something we term as "The Word of Wisdom". It is a basic guideline from God in regards to caring for our bodies. Whether you believe in my religion or not, there is obvious truth written here: Doctrine & Covenants 89.

After our move to Utah I had a rather large variety of health care professionals I could choose from. After watching a nutrition seminar on health at church one day I asked the nurse for her information so that I could learn more about her practice. She informed me that she used something called electro-dermal screening (EDS) and homeopathy (along with nutrition consulting) to help her clients reach their optimal health. Having used acupuncture and homeopathy in the past the method made a bit of sense to me, but I still wasn't sure how it all worked. I went for my first consultation and was amazed at all of the various dysfunctions this machine picked up on (many of which I was well aware of and some I was not). Once the dysfunctions were discovered she then tested to see which remedies would best help me. After a period of time (about 4-6 weeks) we then retested and saw whether these remedies were working the way they should or if I needed something different. In most cases the remedies were working (and I could feel it), and in one or two they needed to be tweaked a bit. After a few short visits I had finally found the remedies that my body worked best with to help me manage (and in some cases overcome) some of the various health issues I had been dealing with for many years. It was an amazing experience for me and I feel it was a godsend for me in my life at that time. I can't say that I completely understand how it all worked, but it helped me through a tough time and I'm thankful for that experience. We moved away from her office when we bought our first home so I no longer receive EDS treatments.

At this time (from 2010) I go to a clinic that looks at health in a holistic manner. Now that I am no longer breastfeeding and am currently not pregnant, it's time to start looking for answers once again. Until I do, as a way to try and improve the severity of the symptoms I try to consistently take probiotic, omega-3, folic-acid, and trace mineral/multi-vitamin supplements; as well as drink plenty of filtered water and eat a whole/natural foods diet as much as possible. I also see a chiropractor every month or so, depending on how I'm feeling. This has proven to be the best treatment plan for me when I feel a major headache starting or am having back and neck pains. Not all chiropractors are a good fit for all patients, so you may need to "shop around" until you find one that works for you.

Below I am going to share some of the remedies that have worked for me. (Please note: This is purely informative and should not be used as a method of self-diagnosis and treatment. I have removed the links to specific products and articles since they seem to change frequently and I am unable to keep up with it all.)

Getting sick is no fun, especially when it includes an infection that just doesn't seem to go away. One clinic recommends ASAP, which is a silver product that kills bacteria, and it works, and it's safe. Another product I use for certain infections (like my gum infections) is pure tea tree oil. I apply it with my finger straight onto my gum and hold it there for a few seconds a few times a day. Within a few days the infection is gone. Great stuff!

I have tried many different herbal remedies in the past to try and help with my depression. Though some of those things helped, they never truly helped me overcome depression completely. During my EDS sessions there were a few remedies that came up that are often mentioned to help depression (omega-3, D3, B-100). But the one that I was tested for specifically for my type of depression was something I had never heard of before. It's called L-Tryptophan, and I have to say that it really worked great for me. Though I am still taking omega-3, D3, and B-100 for other reasons, I am no longer taking L-Tryptophan and have not had the depression come back. I took L-Tryptophan for about 4 months before I tested to not need it anymore (and could totally feel the difference after only a week of use). My brain had the boost it needed to regulate my serotonin levels so I can do it myself now. If I ever start feeling depressed again I'll be sure to take my L-Tryptophan, but for now I'm feeling great!

Have you ever heard of Amalgam fillings? They are the shiny silver fillings in your teeth which happen to be about 50% mercury. Yea, mercury, that toxic substance we've been warned about in fish and vaccines and even in high fructose corn syrup now. I felt that removing this toxin from my system as much as possible would be a positive step on my road to better health. At the start of 2009 I made the appointment and had the procedure done. I have experienced a few health benefits that were noticeable to me, and many more that were picked up during my EDS sessions since. If your fillings are a bit older (mine were all from early childhood) your dental insurance should cover their removal and replacement (non-mercury of course). Just make sure you go to a dentist that has been trained in its removal or you can cause more harm in the process than good. It is very important to take a chlorella supplement to help remove the toxins from your system during this process.

In the few blood tests I have had to check my thyroid, the results have always come back in the "normal" range, but "low normal". Despite this I have often dealt with many of the symptoms of a low thyroid. The clinic I went to previously recommended I start taking iodine to improve my thyroid function. Instead of ingesting it as is the common method of increasing iodine, she suggested I apply it to to bottom of my feet (or anywhere on the skin, but on the feet means you don't have to see it). She was instructed to take the iodine this way herself by a doctor who said the skin will absorb the iodine it needed this way and prevented an iodine overdose. Every morning I put about two drops of plant-based iodine on the bottom of my feet, rub them together, and let air dry for a minute. I tend to absorb the iodine some time before noon, which is pretty quick. You need a prescription for iodine, so contact your doctor about the use of iodine if you feel it may help with your thyroid.