Week Three- Day Two - Repairvite Begins Today

Day Eight refers to my eighth visit with Dr. Scott and his staff.  I have actually been on this journey for 16 days.

I started the Repairvite program today.  It is phase one and will last about four weeks.  I still can't believe I am paying for this much fun.  I take four different supplements a day.  Three of them twice and the other I take three times a day.  The one I take three times a day is a super charged Vitamin D.  It is supposed to be orange flavored but I am not sure where the flavor comes from.  It tastes like a moldy orange smells.  Two of the other three supplements are capsules, so if I swallow them quickly they aren't too bad.  The third one is a totally different story.  It is a powder that has to be mixed in water and boy does it taste bad.  Drinking dirt would taste better.  I told the Dr. today, I can tell these supplements weren't chosen because they taste good.  He said some people mix it with coconut milk, which is the only thing I can drink besides water, others take it as shots.  I just have to chug it and get it over with.  Can you  say..... YUCK ....... I still have to take take last dose tonight.  Not looking forward to it.

All three of them contain extracts of plants, weeds, flowers and trees.  This seems a little weird for me to be taking these when I have allergy induced asthma and I am allergic to all of those things.  They don't seem to be bothering me but I do keep my Albuterol handy and make sure I am up on my meds.  Everybody seems to think if I will lose some weight by allergies and asthma will go away.  We shall see.

As I said, I started phase one today.  I have cut out sugar, dairy, eggs, wheat  and a number of other things.  Dr. Scott said I needed protein with 30 minutes of getting up, so I cooked up a couple of chicken breasts.  I had a chicken breast with carrots and an apple for breakfast.  Lunch was a hamburger patty, carrots, and a couple of oranges.  Dinner was a salad with chicken, strawberries and lemon juice for dressing.  I have also consumed vast quantities of water.  A couple of snack consisted of grapes, carrots and apples.  I think the problem is going to be getting enough calories daily.  Dr. Scott want me to eat at least 1200 and not go below 1000.  I told Dr. Scott when you take away sugar, carbs, dairy and eggs, it should be easy to lose weight.  Watch for the weight post next Monday to see how much I have dropped.

Week Three - Day One - Better known as the Day of Reckoning

One piece of good news this morning is I was down another 1.7 pounds.  I am not really trying to lose weight, just watching a little closer to what, how much and when I eat.

That all changed with my visit to Dr. Scott this afternoon.  I knew this day was coming.  He is only missing one test result but he had enough to change my eating.  I am now on what is know as the Repairvite Program.  It is A Systemic Dietary and Nutritional Program for Intestinal Barrier Integrity.  Better know as Leaky Gut.  There is a lot about this program and problem on the Internet. This link is a good one for information about the treatment I am embarking on:  http://integrativehealthconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/RepairVite-Brochure.pdf   It is going to be quite change of life for this household.  Dr. Scott says this is phase one and will last about four weeks  and then I move into phase two. This should be quite a ride.  I am not to keen on giving up sugar and bread and dairy among other things, but Dr. Scott says down the road some of these thing will be re-introduced.  As I talked with my daughter about this program tonight she said to do it 100% and don't cheat in any way.  I told her that is the plan, Vick and I have a lot of money and faith in Dr. Scott and I have a lot of time invested at this point and I am not going to turn my back on it.  Tomorrow morning begins the fun.  I am not looking forward to the with drawls from sugar and wheat and other things.  That will be the test, can I keep my cool and get through these next few days.

Tonight I suggested something really stupid on my part.  I told Vick we needed to go to dinner and enjoy my last supper before I started cleaning up my act tomorrow.  We went to Golden Corral all you can eat.  We took the kids with us.  That part was fun.  The twins were really good and ate a lot.  Issac was good too.  He ate a lot of lasagna and plenty of sweets.  We had a hard time explaining to him why we were doing something bad for our bodies tonight, so we could start being good tomorrow.  That boy is to smart and he is only five.  It is after 11 and I am feeling miserable.  I think I am going to have a drink of water and go to bed.

Let the fun begin........................................

Rest Stop - Visit with my Allergist

This post should have been done last Friday.  I went to see my allergist, Wes, for my Xolair shots.  I get them every two weeks and they are about as thick as peanut butter.  i get one in each arm.  They are to help with my asthma.  They seem to be working.  I hope to be able to get off them in the future.  Every other visit I have to do a Peak Flow Test.  My lung function is stable at about 52%.  That is a long way from the 36% it was a couple of years ago.  Wes would like to get it to be a little higher and hopefully as some of this weight comes off and my system starts functioning properly my Peak Flow will go up and I can get off some of the medicines I am on.  Time will tell.

Week Two - Day Three - Another Step in the Journey

Another visit with the Chiropractor today.  Saw Dr. Scott.  He is good at answering my questions and making sure I understand what is going on and what the test mean.  He is dealing with may of the same issues as his patients and that makes it easier to believe is is in this to help his patients.

I could not remember what the program I am in was called and so I asked and he said it is "Functional Neurology."  As I looked it up on the internet I found quite a bit of information.  He explained to me that more MD's would like to practice functional neurology but can't because their hands are tied by the hospitals, clinics and insurance.  After some of the reading I did today, I believe it.  All the things I read seem to make a lot of sense.  This is going to be a good journey in may ways.

Today I concluded the Th1 test and start the Th2 tomorrow. They take three days each.  I did not have a good or bad reaction to the Th1 test.  Dr. Scott said that was good.  A little bit more about these tests.
T helper cells  (Th cells) are a sub group of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, that play an important role in measuring the immune system, particularly in the adaptive immune system.  They help the activity of other immune cells by releasing T cell cytokines.  They are essential in B cell antibody class switching, in the activation and growth of cytotoxic cells, and in maximizing bactericidal activity of phagocytes such as macrophages.  If you under stand this than you are a better man than me.  It was explained to me as good cells and bad cells.  The Th1 are the bad guys and the Th2 keep them in check.  The Th1 go around randomly and indiscriminately killing cells and when they out number the Th2 there is trouble.  Not that is any clearer but it helps my a little.  You can read more about Th1 and Th2 at:  http://www.bmj.com/content/321/7258/424.1    if you would like.

I followed the same routine as the past five days.  We are still waiting on the rest of test results to go to the next phase of this program.  Dr. Scott expects to have them early next week and then onward and upward.

Week Two - Day Two - Obesity

Did not see Dr. Scott today, but then I knew I wouldn't see him every visit.  The routine is the same.  Cold Laser on the feet, soak the feet, exercise with oxygen therapy, back decompression, roller bed and total body vibration.  Dr Scott will work with my diet when the rest of my test results are in.  I do know my lower back is starting to feel better.  I am not sure if I am feeling much better yet, but I know it will take some time.    I need to get a little exercise along the way, too.  With the swimming pool down, I need to start walking at the Mall.  I need to get Vick to walk with me.  Hopefully in the next few days we will be doing that.

Talked with Cath today and she is concerned about Shawn.  I told her that she can't force him into anything, it has to come from within.  I explained to her mine came with the news a couple of weeks ago that if I don't change, I don't have to many more years left in this life.  I told her as I learn I will do all I can to help her husband.

Tonight, Vickie and I were watching her favorite show "19 Kids and Counting" and it was about the father and one son needing to loss weight and get in shape.  Vick made the comment that her first thought about having me do this program by Dr. Scott was not about losing weight but saving my life.  I think she is going to be a hard task master with this because she says she wants to keep me around for awhile longer.  She is always mentioning about all the things she will have to do when I leave her alone and that doesn't give me a warm fuzzy.

I was listening to a program on the radio this afternoon about a study that says this is the first generation that will not out live their parents.  And the reason for this is obesity.  Here are a couple of reads on the subject:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2012/08/the_four_habits_that_can_keep_your_child_at_a_healthy_weight.html

http://children.webmd.com/news/20100409/baby-boomers-may-outlive-their-kids

That makes me nervous for my grandchildren.  I need to set the example by eating better and exercising.  If I don't then who will?

Week Two - Day one - Blood Test Resulsts

Someone said they would have to lose a hundred pounds to be considered morbidly obese.  I think that goes for me too, but this week I lost 1.3 lbs without even trying.  Last Friday I had to go have a second blood test  at a second lab.  It only took them five sticks to get my blood drawn.  And the last stick, the lady used a butterfly needle.  When she asked the guy that was helping her, if that was that smallest needle they had I began to worry.  Then I told just get it done because I was beginning to feel like a voodoo doll.  The guy that stuck me first didn't like the tourniquet, so he use the blood pressure cuff and blew it up until I thought my arm would fall off.  Actually he did it on both arms.  After his two failed attempts, one in each arm, his boss came in and tried twice.  Once in each arm and them got the butterfly and used a surface vain.  When it was all over, I had had all the fun I could stand for one day.

Went to my appointment with Dr. Scott toady and he had the results from my first blood test.  The blood test from my Primary Care Dr. said my LDL's were okay but Dr. Scott's results put my in high category.  Doing a little research the numbers Dr. Scott is looking for are in the "optimal" range.  Then I remembered he said he uses much more strict numbers.  That made me feel a little better.  He says he will be able to save my life. That is a good thing according to my family.

Week One - Day Three - Blood Tests and Saliva Test

Today was the end of week one.  It has been an interesting week.  I can hardly believe I pay to have this much fun.  Did more of the same today.  I got cold laser treatment on  my feet.  A spinal decompression treatment. I got to lay on the roller bed with four electrical disks attached to my lower back.  I have been having trouble with my lower back and the decompression and the roller bed have help it feel better.  I got to  soak my feet in Epsom's salts with an electrical current running through the water.  I exercise with a hand bike while I soak my feet.  I have to wear oxygen while I use the hand bike and lay on the decompression bed.

It has been an interesting couple of days as far as test go.  Yesterday I had to do a Saliva test.  For that test I had to put a small roll of cotton (about 1-11/2 inches long and about as big around as a BIC pen) under my tongue four times.  right after I got up, about noon, 5 PM and 10 PM.  One of the things this test was for is to check my cortisol levels through out the day.  Each time it took about twenty minutes.  Then I got stuck.  They drew 8 vials of blood.  The gal drawing blood forgot to warn me she was about to stick me and boy did I jump.  I was then told to fill the little cup and that presented a problem.  Kevin Henry has me on a water pill (to get the swelling in my legs down) and I had used the little cooks room about 10 minutes before I went to have my blood drawn.  Needless to say I could not do what they needed, so I went to my appointment with Dr. Scott and went back to the lab.  By the time I got back to the lab I had no problem filling the little cup.  I get to do it all over again tomorrow, that is have more blood drawn by another lab.  And again I ask, I pay to have this much fun?  I must be nuts.

When I was at Dr. Scott's office today I was taking with his office help about this program and one of his girls said that the staff was using his health program.  When I asked her a few more questions she admitted she was not really following it closely.  This little gal said she is of Italian descent and would be disowned by her family if she went gluten free.  I guess that is one thing that really worries me is the fact I may have to give up things like bread, cookies and such.  These blood tests will tell if I am gluten intolerant.  I am hoping they come back negative, but only time will tell.  From the reading I have done tonight, after going off glutem for 6 months or so, I may be able to introduce a little gluten back into my diet.  Time will tell. But if tht what I have to do to prolong my life then so be it.

Week One - Day Two - Visit with Dr. Scott

As you can tell from my post yesterday, this post will contain discussions I have with my other Doctor's along with my visits to Dr. Scott.  Dr. Scott is the Chiropractor, Kevin Henry is my Primary Care Doctor, Wes Norwood is my Allergist and Dr. Hardman is my Pulmonologist.  All of these people are concerned about me and want to keep my alive, to which my family, especially Vickie, are very thankful.  I need to make sure I do what they say.

Today the program with Dr. Scott was the same as yesterday.  I asked the gal that was giving the Cold Laser Light Therapy the purpose of it.  She said is works with the cells to rebuild them and get the nerves in my feet to communicate with my brain.  I have been accused of being brain dead, maybe I really am.  The do this treatment to help reverse the peripheral neuropathy.  If you haven't heard of peripheral neuropathy, don't be surprised.  Before I began this journey I didn't either.  It goes by many different names and describes a group of symptoms the appear first in the feet, legs or hands.

There is a great article on peripheral neuropathy and cold laser treatments at   http://info.latorrewellnesscenter.com/blog/bid/210799/What-Is-Peripheral-Neuropathy-Can-Cold-Laser-help

I just wanted to post a little information about the purpose of the different treatments I go through with Dr. Scott. More for my own knowledge,but also to help those that  read this blog understand also. Maybe something I post or some information I post will be of hep to someone.

Have a good evening.

Week One - Day One - The Journey Began Today

Before

Before

The Journey to better health began today.

I thought I needed to add a couple of before pictures for all to see and to keep me reminded of what I need to change.  New pictures will be posted monthly to track my progress.

Cathi, Shawn and family were here last night for Easter Dinner and we talked about the coming changes.  I told them they will see changes and Cath said that everybody could use the changes.  We will see how happy everybody is in the future.  Vickie is excited for them.

I erased all the old posts of my feeble attempts at losing weight.  I left my original post as a reminder to me of somethings I need to remember for personal reasons.  I just spent time on the phone with my little sister.  She is always in my corner and I appreciate her support.  She is always in my corner.  I have talked with a small group of people about this venture and a small number of those know a lot of the details.  I don't need a lot of people bringing their negative vibes into this as it is going to be hard enough.  Dr. Scott says I will have days that I will fall and that is okay just get up and get back at it.

I also got a call from my Primary Care Doctor tonight in following up on an echo cardiogram I had done a few days ago.  He said I don't have congestive heart failure but that I have the precursors to congestive heart failure.  He also said my blood pressure is a high and so he is going to start me on some blood pressure meds.  I am going down fast.  I guess I need to get busy and take this program with Dr. Scott seriously.  I think everybody is going to make sure I do.  And I am thankful for that.

As I said, the journey began today with my first visit to Dr. Scott.  One of the first things Dr. Scott said was "I would not feel like a million bucks tomorrow."  I know he was referring to the fact that I should not expect miracles.  It has taken me 35+ plus years to get in this shape and I have to keep reminding myself that it is going to take a great deal of time to get out of this shape.  That being said, I was taught that round is a shape.

I need to have some blood teats this week and when Dr. Scoot get the results we will begin working on my diet and nutrition.  Until them he is working on the neurological problems.  Dr. Scott told me I have peripheral neuropathy.  To that end part of what they did today was give me a cold laser treatment on my feet.  Soaked my feet in Epsom salts with an electrical charge.  That felt kind of interesting, to feel the muscles in the calves of my legs twitch.  I didn't hurt.  While my feet were soaking he had me use a hand pedal to exercise while I wore oxygen (EWOT).  He wants to get more oxygen in my blood.  I wore the oxygen while they did a decompression on my back.  I then got a whole body vibration.  That was a weird feeling.  Overall I felt pretty good when I left his office.

When I got home, I was telling Vickie about it and she said "That's all they did?  I was expecting some big miracle."  I reminded her how long it took me to get into this shape and it is going to take some time to get out of this shape.  She agreed.  I sure love her.

I will close for tonight.  I get to go back a have Dr. Scott and his staff beat me up more tomorrow.  Good night.

A New Journey Under the Direction of Dr. Scott

I am beginning a new journey Monday, April 1st.  I have decided I need to do something about my weight.  It is out of control.  Here is my story:

Two or three weeks ago Vickie saw an add in the Sunday paper for a weight loss seminar and wanted me to go.  It was given by a chiropractor by the name of Darren Scott.  I agreed to go but under a lot of duress. The seminar was on a Tuesday night in Layton.  I put off calling until Tuesday afternoon and I got his answering machine.  I figured I was in the clear because I probably wouldn't hear back from them at that late date.  The ad said seating was limited and I figured they would be filled up.  I was wrong.

His office called me back with the information about the seminar.  I had been  tending my granddaughters and was on my way home when Vick called and said I needed to be in Layton at 5:00 PM.  I looked at the clock in the car and realized I was after 4:30 PM.   I stopped at home and got the address and knew it would take a small miracle for me to get there on time.

I got there and went into the seminar.  I was lucky, it had not started.  I sat in the back, still very skeptical about all of this.  I am from the old school and am very skeptical of things that are out of the norm.  Both Cathi and Vick wanted me to see a reflexologist about my asthma and Cathi wants me to think about essential oils also.  Still haven't decided that is the path I want to follow for my asthma.

Back to the seminar.  I sat and listened to the things that Dr. Scott had to say.  And somewhere during his seminar, what he was saying rang true.  The fact that if the body wasn't right, it would lead to other things going wrong.  He said that while getting the body to function properly you will lose weight along the way.  What a novel concept.  I have always believed the body has the ability to heal itself if it functioning properly. I believe our father in Heaven designed it that way, but we have to make sure our bodies are working properly.

I came home and told Vickie what I had learned.  I think I was beginning to believe that this might be the way for me to get my weight under control..

Dr. Scott said for $65.00 you two visits with him.  At the second visit he would review things from the first visit and let you know if he would accept your case.  I figured two visits for $65.00, that was about the cost of two co-pays, so I did not have much to lose. Just time and a little money.  But something in the back of my mind kept telling me there was truth in what Dr. Scott had said.

The first visit was very interesting to say the least.  The testing consisted of neurological testing.  Several of them were the sobriety tests used by police officers.  Dr. Scott said he was checking to see how my brain was doing.  I didn't do so good.  I knew there were some problems but I didn't realize how much I had slipped.

The second visit was tonight.  Vick went with me to this visit.  When Dr. Scott talked about how bad my brain function was Vick got really scared.  I knew I was forgetting things and having a few other memory and co-ordination problems but I had written them off as lack oxygen because of my asthma.  Dr. Scott said that these problems will only get worse without some help.  as we talked with Dr. Scott, he talked about a plan to help me.  Vickie and I talked about it and she is happy that I am finally going to do something.  She wants me to be around to see my grandchildren have children.

There are a couple of other things that happened during this time period that figured into my decision.First, my sister's first husband passed away from cancer.  He was only three months older than me.  When we went to the viewing my grand son wanted to see the body in the box.  He didn't seem to be bothered by it but then he didn't know Ned.  My thought was, I am not ready for my grandson to see me in the box.  And I don't want my granddaughters asking where is Poppa and not understanding where I am. And not knowing me because they are so young.  Secondly, I had a physical.  The first question out of my Dr.'s mouth was "Have you considered bariatric  surgery?'  He went on to say "he rarely suggest that or even asks the question."  I told him I had and the answer was No.  He told me if I don't do something my life expectancy is about 7-9 years.  Not a good prospect.

This journey is dedicated to several people who never give up on me: my daughter, my grand kids, my family, my friends, especially my good friend Mike.  Mike you never give up on me, you never criticize me for all my half hearted attempts at losing weight and your good wife Becky. You are special people in my life.  But most of all to my good wife, Vickie, I love you and I want to be around and hang out with you for a long time to come.

So the journey begins..................................