Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
Gang,
Many of you who have been around this site for awhile may remember the brouhaha about Bentonite we had awhile back...well, my naturopath suggested that I go on a cleanse. He said there were two options: QUICK, which involved taking off a week from work, cuz you will be weak and shouldn't be too far from the loo...well, let's just knock that option right out; The second was SLOW. So, I figured I would give that one a shot..started on Friday night. Part of this cleanse is to consume nothing but juice. So I have eliminated that part of the cleanse...yesterday coming home from church I stopped at Pappa John's, so traded juice for 6 pieces of pizza (sausage, mushrooms, and onions) and 6 wings. So, I guess you can say I am TRYING, but not as much as I should.
In any case, decided it might be a good idea to look at the ingredients of this cleanse..number one ingredient? Bentonite! Ack! To be honest, I cannot remember the gist of the arguments we had over this, just that the PRO Bentonite guy was a grumpy old cuss, so I decided against trying it back then. But I have done a few things the naturopath suggested, cut even further back on Coke, and no ice cream for the last three weeks. He claimed that none of the stuff we buy now is really ice cream, just a bunch of chemicals that are bad for you. I have a coupon book with coupons for Dairy Queen, so we will see how long my will holds out on this one.
I hope this all helps...when I first saw the naturopath, I weighed 224, with a target weight of 205. Like those guys you see on TLC on that show "My 800 pound life" (or something like that), I sort of went on a binge after he told me the best meal I could have was grass and air. Shot up to 231. Since recovering my senses, back to 228, but still not even where I started. And when he said SLOW cleanse, he meant it..it is Sunday afternoon, and things are not really moving along any faster than pre-cleanse...but we shall see. I see him again tomorrow, so will ask if this is normal.
Just to warn you, if this Bentonite thing DOES work and I feel better after, I will call all of those of you who won't try this "boobs" and "dupes of big farmers." Somehow that doesn't sound quite right....oh, now I remember..."dupes of big Pharma." Although it does sound degrading to be the dupe of a large farmer named Olaf, doesn't it?
Trying, but no eating grass for juicing for me Bill
Many of you who have been around this site for awhile may remember the brouhaha about Bentonite we had awhile back...well, my naturopath suggested that I go on a cleanse. He said there were two options: QUICK, which involved taking off a week from work, cuz you will be weak and shouldn't be too far from the loo...well, let's just knock that option right out; The second was SLOW. So, I figured I would give that one a shot..started on Friday night. Part of this cleanse is to consume nothing but juice. So I have eliminated that part of the cleanse...yesterday coming home from church I stopped at Pappa John's, so traded juice for 6 pieces of pizza (sausage, mushrooms, and onions) and 6 wings. So, I guess you can say I am TRYING, but not as much as I should.
In any case, decided it might be a good idea to look at the ingredients of this cleanse..number one ingredient? Bentonite! Ack! To be honest, I cannot remember the gist of the arguments we had over this, just that the PRO Bentonite guy was a grumpy old cuss, so I decided against trying it back then. But I have done a few things the naturopath suggested, cut even further back on Coke, and no ice cream for the last three weeks. He claimed that none of the stuff we buy now is really ice cream, just a bunch of chemicals that are bad for you. I have a coupon book with coupons for Dairy Queen, so we will see how long my will holds out on this one.
I hope this all helps...when I first saw the naturopath, I weighed 224, with a target weight of 205. Like those guys you see on TLC on that show "My 800 pound life" (or something like that), I sort of went on a binge after he told me the best meal I could have was grass and air. Shot up to 231. Since recovering my senses, back to 228, but still not even where I started. And when he said SLOW cleanse, he meant it..it is Sunday afternoon, and things are not really moving along any faster than pre-cleanse...but we shall see. I see him again tomorrow, so will ask if this is normal.
Just to warn you, if this Bentonite thing DOES work and I feel better after, I will call all of those of you who won't try this "boobs" and "dupes of big farmers." Somehow that doesn't sound quite right....oh, now I remember..."dupes of big Pharma." Although it does sound degrading to be the dupe of a large farmer named Olaf, doesn't it?
Trying, but no eating grass for juicing for me Bill
Soooo, get off it and go to the gym, and maybe stop for a DQ on the way home ---g---
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentonite
My personal experience- I have spent much time out in Wyoming for business and pleasure... so I've been to every corner of Wyoming. They have Bentonite mines out there. That's where most of it comes from... also Montana. Spent some time there also.
Most of my time was spent in Greybull, Wyoming for work. That and Thermopolis, Wyoming. Wyo-Ben is located in Greybull and Billings, Montana. The Greybull plant is 3000 feet from the aircraft company my company used to subcontract to. I brought a $1M infrastructure building contract there. There is a mining company near Casper and Thermopolis.
Bentonite mining and Bentonite is ugly and dirty. Here is a website.
http://www.wyomingmining.org/minerals/bentonite/
So what's my point? It is dirt. It is ugly. It is a laxative. It is kitty litter. It has industrial and other uses. It is the ugly part of Wyoming where 70% of this stuff comes from in the world. I love Wyoming- Cody, Yellowstone, Big Horn, Wind River Canyon... but the Bentonite mines are just so much of a mess.
Also be warned that there is aluminum in this stuff. Bentonite is essentially a drug. It is not food. Aluminum has some negative effects on the body. Here is a website that I believe promotes Bentonite's use, but also talks about side effects.
http://durablehealth.net/bentonite-clay/bentonite-clay-side-effects-hydrated-bath-detox/
petey
Spending a week or weeks flushing yourself out seems like you'd run the risk of losing a lot of the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
I'm gonna have to mirror what Paul says on this one. Eat healthy on a day to day basis, go to the gym, and every now and then, have some Dairy Queen.
Be realistic an occasional Dairy Queen is better than a daily one!
One healthy meal a day better than three unhealthy ones. Find clean real foods to eat that you enjoy. I am use to a clean diet but still have several health issues, I promise I now will eat my chocolate without guilt! (Dark organic but it does have some sugar)
I actually love green smoothies but shhhhh don't tell my son I do not add the zeolite which is a fancy word for Bentonite. I want to cleans with real foods.
laurab
Hope you are feeling better Bill!!
atp
Two thoughts first. Toxins are ever present in our daily lives, coming in many forms. Does this mean taking indefinately?
For true cleansing, most NDs will want mercury fillings and root canals removed. What about meds, dietary restrictions, stress levels, etc? If the clay works once, will it be something else that you will need long term?
Secondly. There is a mineral in urine that benefits us if we drink it. However it is available in less disgusting forms with the same benefit. Would different types of treatment like Enemas, coffee, epsoms etc, fruit fasts, fasting, colon cleansing, give us the same effect without possible toxins in clay we arent sure about? Are there other more natural and safer alternatives?
This obviously wont harm us as many have done this lived to testify about it, just my thoughts. Regards friend.
So went to the naturopath again today (4th of 5 sessions of B complex and mag/potassium combo shots)...I asked him about the cleanse, noting that it didn't seem to be having a discernable "cleansing" effect...he said that I should continue for several weeks, although I hadn't yet read Hawk's posting about the presence of toxins possibly requiring long term use...he recommends this cleanse to all of his patients, and I like this guy, so I think I will continue this until the stuff runs out (about 20 days) and see how I feel. My wife, who goes to the same guy, has many food issues (gluten intolerance, etc.), and does much more research on this stuff than I do..and she is with most of you, which is "NO WAY" to Bentonite. The first three days have shown no adverse effects, so...we will see. He specifically asked me today if I had cut out all carbs...are there any carbs in pizza? I am doing much better food wise, but I just know that the will isn't there for juicing. Did anyone see Dr. Oz today? I had to turn it off...I believed the one Doc who said that sugar is comfort food, but that "high" only lasts for several minutes, then is followed by guilt...but she also said that you eat potato chips out of anger..really? Lady, have you ever eaten Utz? That is PURE joy!
Paul,
I know that I need to exercise more, but I can tell you that 25 years ago if I had done as much as I have the past year, I would weigh 150 pounds! An hour each morning on the static bike (true, not too aerobic, as I do the crossword at the same time) followed by 20 minutes to a half hour on the elliptical at night. And sometimes I have even done up to 3 hours a day on the bike...and my gut? It just laughs at me. Well, I will stick with what I do and just look forward to being the "big guy" in French immersion class this summer...those French folks are just so damn thin and healthy! At least I won't be one of us that is 100 pounds overweight!
Tomorrow I will skip the workout and just shovel the foot of snow they are calling for...of course, the last time they called for 4 inches in MD it was less than a quarter of an inch...so we will see! What are they calling for up in Joisey, Paul?
Slow cleansing Bill
Just wondering what your goal is with the cleansing and the naturopath? Weight loss? Or something else? Wondering why he is asking you to cut out all carbs?
I don't have any experience with naturopaths....will be interested to read this continuing saga, keep us posted.
Only 1-3 inches of snow tonight in north east NJ Down south you will get your exercise tomorrow morning with a foot snow. Right now its a balmy 15 degrees (having a heat wave here). Warm compared to this morning when it was about zero with 30 mile an hour winds.
She also taught me that meds and supplements were actually similiar. I have chemical allergies and have trouble with both supplements and meds.
She was not weird and never recomended cleanses if you had health concerns that had not been addressed. I am in the State of Washington where integrative medicine is a way of life.
I know medical Dr's who see them. In fact before medicare my insurance paid them the same as
allopathic Dr's
laurab
Although my ablation was successful, I have the occasional PAC. I don't go "crazy" about that like I did a year or so ago (blood pressure would shoot up, along with HR, and that wasn't related to the PACs, it was that "oh no, afib is returning!" feeling. Now I know that it is what it is, but thought it would be nice to eliminate them completely. Someone on this site suggested chelation. The naturopath hasn't suggested that, rather suggesting a lifestyle change. Much more exercise and eating right, and a cleanse. I am hoping that along with that goes weight loss.
Laura,
I also see a Myotherapist for treatment, who sadly now spends 8 months a year of his practice in Washington State, since out there, his patients can use insurance. Here in Maryland, it is still considered too "weird." I remember when this was the case for chiropractic...when I started, one GP asked if I was a "chiropractomaniac," one of those weirdos who believed that manipulation could acutally help your back. Now you cannot throw a rock without hitting a chiropractors office in Maryland. But the same hasn't happed for Myo. Oh well. There aren't really even that many naturopaths. I am lucky to live only 10 miles from this one, who came highly recommended. If the cleanse doesn't have any effect, oh well, gave it a try. So far there doesn't seem to be any bad effects, and the weight is coming down a bit. Time will tell...ok, off to shoveling!!!! No foot of snow, but it looks like 5 inches or so.
Bill