Naturopathic Doctor's Opinions

Dr. Pouliot found many reasons for my constant fatigue after analyzing my blood work.  My vitamin D level should be between 30-100 and mine was 27.  Dr. Pouliot feels that for proper calcium metabolism it should be between 40-60.  My magnesium levels were in the lab range but out of Dr. Pouliot range.  She felt that my levels could be contributing to my muscle pains.  My B12 was in lab range but lower than Dr. Pouliot would like it.  Some of my thyroid numbers were low which can lead to fatigue, but there was no indication that I have a thyroid disease.  My vitamin A level was low which might have been caused by my under-active thyroid.  My ferritin or iron should be between 10- 232, and Dr. Pouilot believes it should be over 50 to avoid fatigue.  My ferritin level was 4 which could be the biggest reason for my fatigue.  She also found high levels of Epstein Barr virus (Mono) antibodies which indicates that I had Mono at some point in my life.  When the antibody levels are so high, she has found that it leads to a weaker immune system.  This could be the reason I feel like I have a cold all the time and contract every illness that I come into contact with.

 The only lab result that would have concerned a MD would have been my ferritin level.  If I just corrected that, would that have been enough?  I am not sure.  For now, Dr Pouliot has put me on several different supplements to help bring my levels up.  I hope to be feeling better soon.

2 Weeks Off Elimination Diet

Diets don't work for weight loss because they instill a mindset of deprivation that we eventually rebel against.  After reading Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth, I vowed that I would never go on a diet again.  Instead, I began listening to what my body, not my mind, really wanted.  I stopped dieting and ate what I wanted, when I was hungry, sitting down in a calm environment.  As I really began tuning into how my body felt, I stopped craving foods that stole my energy and easily maintained my weight.  Even though I felt like I was doing everything to support my health, I continued to get sick.  It seemed as if there was a tiredness that just wouldn't go away.

When I heard about The Plan by Lyn-Genet Recitas, I thought maybe there was a "healthy" food that I was eating that wasn't working for my body.  I had high hopes that this elimination diet would reveal the source that was draining my energy.  Although I broke my no dieting vow, I felt like I had a good reason that was not based on weight loss.  So, instead of eating what my body wanted, I had to follow a very strict diet.  The planning that was involved to start the elimination diet was intense, and I started eating larger quantities of food and more sweets.  By the time I started the diet my weight was in its higher range.  Being on the diet was very time consuming and complicated.  When I went off of it, I did not slip back into my balanced path but continued to incorporate sugary foods into my diet. Like many people, I am now heavier than I was before I started this diet.

However, my goal was not to lose weight but to try and determine what drains my energy.  On the bright side, this elimination diet did highlight the fact that even when I ate perfectly, I still felt sick.  This prompted me to make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor.  I had an hour and a half appointment with Dr. Pouliot, and she sent me for blood work that tested for 11 different issues.  I have a follow up appointment with Dr. Pouliot in four days to go over my results.  Although the elimination diet did not give me any clear answers, it did prompt me to work with someone who might.