Okay, will try to keep on topic for each thread. This one is about gut and healing help needed. I think most of what we've shared in each comment is directly about those very things.
If I ever decide to go to the Gerson clinic, it won't be for the food preparation or the dietary education. I'm already capable of both (and when I'm in too much pain or too low in energy, I have a family who can prepare my healthy meals for me). The reason I'd go is because there is the added benefit of having blood tests done, consistent monitoring of what's going on, and then there is the huge benefit of the peace that comes from being away at a healing clinic and the ability to more easily heal mentally, emotionally, and spiritually while separated from daily life.
For my own health, right now, I am not able to consume very much raw/fresh food. My stomach can't digest it...and taking enzymes and HCL with a leaky gut isn't a good idea for many people. I was taking enzymes when I first stopped being able to digest foods (within months of the tick bite), and they ended up entering my body and digesting more than food. I was near a heart attack when I was working with some cutting-edge health scientists who ran some tests and suggested that I immediately stop taking the enzymes. My cholesterol level was very low (because my liver was overworking with the lyme bacteria, thus not producing much for my body...and my vegan diet wasn't supplying any--which wouldn't have been an issue if my liver was functioning well), so I had to add some immediately to stop the bacteria as well as the enzymes from entering cells that should have been more closed-off had my cholesterol levels been balanced.
Like you, I feel better with fats in my diet right now. When I eat too light, or too clean, my body feels too unwell (even less energy, more pains and aches, food sitting in my stomach too long, etc.). I'm hoping to learn even more about gene mutations and how they affect digestion of certain kinds of nutrients. Reading and commenting and asking questions on this forum has helped me much more than all the health courses and reading I've done over the years.
I'm familiar with Dr. Kelly's work, but more knowledgeable about Dr. Watson's work (similar...based on metabolic typing, including mental health issues directly related to metabolic disorders and the supplements that are key to each metabolic disorder). Most people can be helped with the addition of enzymes (which ones, is totally dependent on the individual's health challenges and balance in the body), but for some other issues need to be fixed, first.
After all I've been through, all I've read and learned so far, and what others have shared about their health challenges and healing protocols, it really does all come down to having a healthy gut to start with. If something compromises that healthy gut (be it a bacteria that is introduced, DNA issues, a combination of those two, or something else altogether), health starts to quickly decline. So, I'm very interested in addressing gut issues and that's why I'm asking a lot about what has worked for other people, what kinds of things we can do if we have genetic mutations that add to gut issues (like SHMT +/+ which my daughter has), etc.
I feel like I'm learning a lot, have been collecting puzzle pieces, but still haven't figured out how to put the puzzle together...too many pieces, maybe, for my skill level at this point? ;-) At least I'm fairly certain I need to start with the pieces that are going to make up the healthy gut portion of the overall picture of health.
Thanks so much for sharing, asking questions, and offering possible suggestions of things to learn about and/or try. I very much appreciate it, Plum!
Love,
Wendi
XOXOXO
p.s. My daughter was raised learning about natural living/healing and she would definitely roll her eyes at the suggestion of reading about the harms of gluten...or the suggestion to learn anything more than she's already been exposed to just by being my daughter. Part of her poor choices for diet/health could partially related to the need to break free from the way she was raised....to see and experience the other side. ;-)