Bernadette_Abraham
Forum Replies Created
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Hi @Inga-55 – is this for an adult or child?
In general, those with sickle cell disease should consume a well-balanced diet rich in hydration, essential vitamins (like folate, iron (unless getting regular blood transfusions), and vitamin D), healthy fats (like omega-3s), and antioxidants to help manage symptoms and support overall health. Avoiding processed foods, sugary drinks, and alcohol is important to reduce inflammation.
1. Keeping well hydrated helps keep blood cells flexible which reduces the risk of sickle cell crises.
->Drink enough filtered water AWAY from meals so that urine is light/pale colored yellow
2. If they don’t get blood transfusions, then consume enough iron-rich foods (with vitamin C for absorption). This also helps bring on board protein which helps with tissue repair & recovery.
-> Heme iron sources come from animal products like red meat, poultry, fish and organ meats. Vitamin C rich foods include bell peppers, broccoli, oranges, strawberries, etc.
3. Include folate-rich foods and/or supplement because folate helps create new red blood cells
->Here’s a post I did on sources of folate: https://www.instagram.com/p/CdWJ0wtrpB0/
4. There have been several studies on the reduction of inflammation and improved blood flow, which can help lower pain crises.
->Consume fatty fish like salmon, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts and/or consider supplementing with a high Omega-3 supplement.
5. Antioxidants!! These help protect against oxidative stress which damages cells. That’s why eating a variety of colorful fruits and veggies are so important. Sticking to berries can help keep the fructose level low as well. For example, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc. Here’s an interesting study you might like to read: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36069788/
6. There seems to be a risk of vitamin D and therefore calcium deficiency in those with sickle cell disease, so getting daily sunshine and/or supplementing with vitamin D3+K2 might be a good idea. Also, consuming calcium-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard greens), and fish with bones in (ex. sardines and other smaller fish) can help ensure enough calcium in the diet.
In terms of pain management, this older study done on mice suggests acupuncture may be helpful – in my personal experience with acupuncture, if it doesn’t help, it certainly won’t hurt!
Hope the above is helpful.
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Hi @naslam1603 – we checked the backend to see if there’s an issue with your subscription level, but it all seems to be setup correctly.
Can you please let us know which course(s) you’re unable to access so we can look into it further for you.
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Hi @LAK – have you seen our Symptom Dictionary handout on alopecia here? I would share that with her so she can start looking at potential contributing factors, rule/confirm them, and begin addressing them.
If it’s autoimmune in nature, the root cause is often multi-faceted; immune dysregulation, gut dysfunction & trigger(s) (which can be stress related – pregnancy & delivery are very stressful on the body).
Removing dairy & gluten 100% for at least 4 to 6 months can also help calm a hypervigilant immune system. If she’s proactive, please encourage her to join B Better so that we can help support her directly. There’s lots she can do.
Since you already know she’s anemic, then it’s important to rule out why since that is one of the possible causes. In this video from the Mineral Balance course, we discuss common reasons for low iron.
Let us know if you have any clarifying questions about the handout and video I shared.
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@Nadine I understand how overwhelming this must all feel. And I understand how you want to protect your daughter from unnecessary tests, however if there are still conventional tests that need to be done, definitely pursue those. You want to rule out pathology and any medical treatments that may be necessary. Speak with her and assure her that it’s just to be sure that everything is ok. Your choice of words and body language can be very comforting to her.
At the same time, please make the time to watch the videos from the mold & mycotoxin illness course above (or ideally, the entire course if you can). You will feel much more in control with this knowledge.
As for Omar, yes, he is difficult to reach because he’s very busy. Did you try reaching out to his technician Shahzad?
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@sara_alm369 I use the one by Earthing. https://www.earthing.com/
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@Nadine I also wanted to bring to your attention a study that is currently being conducted by 2 pioneers in the mold illness space; Dr. Jill Crista (author of Break the Mold) and Dr. Neil Nathan (author of Toxic).
Their goal is to collect valuable data on mold-related illnesses so they can share their findings in medical journals, which could lead to future studies on how indoor mold affects people and guide the development of effective treatments in the conventional medical world. This is a big deal because currently, the medical world only recognizes “aspergillosis” and not mycotoxin illness. If you wish to participate, here is the link to the study.
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Hi @naslam1603 – I’m not sure why you can’t access the courses. I’ve passed your message along to our technical team. Will hopefully be fixed soon!
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Hi @Nadine – as I had listed out for you in our initial messages, general infections and inflammation can be one of the contributing factors that can increase CA 19-9, including biliary tract obstruction.
Her most recent OAT test clearly shows a strong fungal infection in the digestive tract. Given that I’m suspicious of ongoing mold exposure, it is not advised to be giving her any anti-fungal supplements/medications at the moment (even if it’s natural) before ensuring she is away from mold, and her elimination pathways are well supported first. Mold does not like to be threatened, and even natural antifungals can threaten them which can lead to worse symptoms and inflammation. It’s important to do things in the correct order, which I share in the Mold & Mycotoxin Illness course. The “killing” is last. Start HERE to better understand the 5-step strategy for tackling mold illness and to detox from mold.
In the meantime, knowing that she has a strong fungal infection, you can introduce antifungal foods into her diet (i.e. “Stinky foods” and spices), which can provide anti-fungal action but in a much more gentle way that won’t provoke colonized mold. You can see a list of those in THIS video.
And her recent blood test also shows high direct bilirubin, which can indicate biliary tract congestion. Please watch THIS video in our Interpreting Blood Chem course, to learn what that means from a functional perspective. This is one of the elimination routes, so ensuring that the biliary tract is free flowing will be important in her ability to properly detox. You never want to “kill” before ensuring elimination pathways are open. Things like d-limonene and bitter foods can help with decongestion and bile flow. Here’s a video from the Gut Health Masterclass to learn more about supporting the liver/ gallbladder.
Let me know if you have any questions.
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Hi @Nadine – no, Michael is not the mold remediator I mention in the videos I shared with you. Please reach out to Smart Solutions (Omar is the owner, or his technician Shahzad 052-350-4209). Unfortunately we don’t have a certified mold inspector in the UAE. That’s why I now refer people to the only certified mold remediator – Omar.
And yes, it’s possible to detox from mold (that’s what the Mold & Mycotoxin Illness course helps with – I share both a DIY and CellCore protocol) but avoidance is #1 step. The MycoTox results will be telling if it’s a recent exposure or if she’s developed colonization from a previous mold exposure.
The MycoTox turnaround time is longer than the OAT. It usually takes 4-6 weeks whereas the OAT is 21 days.
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@LAK If you get more info on that, please share.
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@LAK Did they explain the rationale with the connection to the eyes? Was there an infection or prior issue with her vision/eye health?
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I personally use a grounding mat on my bed (not this brand) and absolutely love it.
But it comes with caveats; it’s important to make sure there are no electric fields near the mat or else you become a conduit to ground.
And it’s not a replacement for good ol’ fashion grounding outside barefeet.That’s the ideal way to ground.
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My contact never got back to me, so I don’t have a recommendation for that unfortunately. I’ll ping him again…
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@Kkol please watch the following videos for functional interpretation of the liver panel given his continued nausea as well:
- ALT, AST & GGT seem to be suboptimal: Liver panel
- Total bilirubin also seems to be on the lower end of the RR: Total Bilirubin
I know you have previous liver panel results. I would put them in an excel sheet with dates to see if there’s a pattern over time.
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Hi @Nadine that’s great – can’t wait to see the MycoTox results.
In the meantime, please watch THIS video from the Mold & Mycotoxin Illness course to see what a mold inspection should entail. Air sampling unfortunately is not enough, and can often miss mold spores that are heavy and fall to the ground.
Where do you live? I would recommend you reach out to a qualified mold inspector ASAP. Let them know about the OAT test results (and eventually MycoTox). In THIS video, you can find resources to help you find a qualified mold inspector and remediator depending on where you live. If you’re in the UAE, I share details below the video.
Mold unfortunately can also develop under or behind cabinets, behind walls, etc, so although changing AC ducts was a great step, the problem may be elsewhere. Have you seen the video I posted about the mold I found in my son’s room behind their closet? Take a look… this was a result of a very small leak on the roof that was dripping down and seeping into their wall. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4fcS1rJmWM/
As I mentioned previously, blood testing for heavy metals is not very helpful unless you know there was an acute exposure. The body does a very good job at getting rid of heavy metals from blood and storing them in different parts of the body (depending on the heavy metal), so blood tests don’t show long term exposure. If you wanted to explore heavy metals, a hair test is still the preferred testing method (even with all its limitations). But I would wait to see what the MycoTox test reveals as that may be the root of the problem.
