Feelin' Low.

My asthma no longer seems to be improving. I'm going to acupuncture once a week, as opposed to two, and with the weather getting warmer, my chest and sinuses have gotten increasingly more congested.

I went to acupuncture today, and with seemingly no improvement, I got a few things in hopes of helping out my asthma.

First, is actually something I've used before: Cordychi. Cordychi is a capsule of a combination of freeze dried mushrooms designed for breathing support. In the past, using this has given slight relief to my symptoms, but nothing significant. Although, at the Holistic Pharmacy where I bought this, the workers there tell me every time I come in how other people with asthma use it and their asthma improves significantly. I'm hoping since, in general, my asthma HAS improved, it will hopefully show more effects than it has in the past.

Second, is Florajen (Florajen 3, to be exact). This is strange, since Florajen is actually something generally used for digestive health, but the reason I'm using it, is because there is a chance I'm what's called "Candida Sensitive".

Candida is a bacteria that exists normally in the vagina and gastrointestinal tract, but when there is an overgrowth of them, they can have some unwanted effects. Some of these can be mental sluggishness, allergies chronic fatigue, immune system malfunction (possible reason for asthma, in anyone), depression, hormonal imbalanced, and poor menstrual cycle (all of which I suffer from). Other effects include chronic vaginitis or prostatitis, chemical sensitivities, bloating or other digestive issues and skin problems.

Talking to the woman at the pharmacy, she explained to me that there was absolutely no way there could be any adverse effects from taking it, and may even improve any digestion issues I may have (and not even realize). I spent my $15, and decided to give the One Month supply a chance. The pills contain a ton of micro-organisms, so many in fact, that they are equal to the live cultures in 10 cups of yogurt! Crazy. Can't wait to see how this affects me.

Also, for those of you who are not aware, I am trying to cut dairy out of my diet almost as completely as possible. I am struggling quite a bit (especially living in what the world calls The Dairyland!), and the fact that since becoming a vegetarian just 2 months ago, another significant diet change came as a huge transition to deal with. I have found a lot of dairy-alternatives, including 'veganaise', as well as vegan cheese (which is only kind of passable as cheese if melted), but found (as per suggestion of a friend. Hi Allysha!) to try a brand called SO Delicious, a dairy-free, soy-free coconut milk brand.

I bought a quart of their 'Mocha Fudge' ice cream, as well as a pint of their French Vanilla creamer in hopes of somethine good coming from it. I have yet to try the creamer, but if it's even HALF as good as the ice cream, then I will be ecstatic. The ice cream is amazing, full of flavor, and tastes just like real ice cream...we even managed to (sort of) trick my cat into thinking it was milk. A feat, indeed. It's really fantastic to know I have somewhere to go if I need a really great treat, without cheating myself.

Hopefully between the two herbal supplements, and more reasons to be able to cut dairy out of my diet, I'll see some more improvement!

Third Acupuncture, and Improvement.

I had the biggest victory so far last night when I blew a 360 on my Peak Flow Meter!

The reason 360 is such an important number, is because that officially puts me in the range for 'healthy' lung capacity. Albeit in the very very LOW range, but in the range nonetheless.I should always be in the numbers between those yellow squares, and this is literally the first time in years that that has happened. I spend my life breathing numbers below the red.

This is the kind of win I've been looking for since I started acupuncture, and I'm so happy to finally have something to look at and say "I did this! I work hard, change my diet, get stabbed with needles twice a week and it's all for something!" The best thing is that we're far from finished. Far, far from finished.

My acupuncturist felt the strength of my organs today, and was happy that all of them are stronger, which I certainly could have told him myself! He was very happy, as was I.

As of late, my energy levels have been higher, my nose isn't running as much, and I have suddenly lost the urge to drink coffee. I have been drinking coffee damn near everyday since I was 14, and just a few days ago I stopped craving it. Usually I wake up in the morning thinking about the way coffee tastes, and how it wakes me up, but lately it just hasn't had the same appeal to me. On an even cooler note, I've been drinking green tea if I ever feel like I need something to wake me up, which is probably a pretty damn awesome alternative.

So things are finally happening. It's not a lot, but it's noticeable.

Soon I will have a post about an at-home allergy test, and might start filling in some gaps with vegan and vegetarian recipes.

Second Acupuncture, Diet Restrictions, and Some Herbs

My second acupuncture seemed....different, somehow. I felt a little anxiety going in, but absolutely none while in the chair. While I was being stuck, I felt calm, tired, wonderful, a little inspired. He put pressure on my knee, asked me if it did anything for my congestion, (which, it didn't, not really), then put pressure right above my ankle, and my nose cleared up in an instant. He put a series of needles in my feet and ankles, and for a solid 15 minutes I was able to breathe in and out of my nose! It went away after a little bit, and he said he wasn't too surprised considering all of my sinus/chest congestion.

He 'prescribed' a couple herbal tinctures for me, one for the asthma itself, and one to detox my body of all the bad stuff in my liver, I guess. I'm supposed to dilute it in water and take both of them twice a day. I have yet to try them, but my money is on the fact that they are probably disgusting. I peeked at the list of ingredients, only to see a bunch of Chinese herbs I couldn't even begin to recognize. So, this should be magically mysterious.

I was also given a list of dietary restrictions to help my asthma and congestion, and let me just say that 'overwhelmed' does not even begin to cover how I feel about it. Considering I've been a vegetarian for a solid 5 weeks, more diet changes are really really scary to me. Here are some of the things he is asking of me:

1. No dairy of any kind, ever. Since I watched Forks Over Knives the other day, I've been very aware of how much dairy I've been taking in, and I've been managing to cut back on it, but he's telling me none, whatsoever, or I'm going to stay congested pretty much forever, and the acupuncture won't do as much for me as it could.

2. Eat less soy. Pardon my French, but: FUCK. After becoming a vegetarian, AND cutting back on my dairy, I've been turning to soy for a lot of things. I've been getting a lot of protein from soy products (including at least 1/4 cup of soy nuts almost every day), and replacing milk with soy milk when I have the opportunity to at work. I bought some Almond Milk today, so hopefully that should give me some freedom with something somewhere.

3. No coffee. Not sure where to go with this one. I love coffee. LOVE IT. It's my favorite thing, possibly ever, and espresso even helps my asthma if I'm having a bad lung day. Every single one of my instincts are telling me to just say OH NO. HELL NO. But, there is tea, and liquid ginseng, and other things. I can certainly try, and I will.

4. 'Congee for breakfast daily'. Not sure what this is. Must investigate.

5. No carbs. Upon tracking my calories lately, I have found that I eat too many carbs every single day of my life. So, certainly this will be worth looking into.

6. No sweets. Fuuuuuuuu, why won't you let me have anythinggggggggg?! I mean seriously, at this point, I feel like if I'm not eating vegetables constantly, I'm going to be doing something wrong.

7. No food with artificial coloring. Okay, I'm cool with this one, because I know it triggers my asthma in weird ways.

8. Cut back on nuts. ABSDGODWG*OGW((*)HRE@(*)R@YG*. I can't have soy, meat, or nuts. I just don't know what you want from me anymore. Truly, I don't. Although, I did not realize that peanuts contribute to phlegm production. I can certainly cut back on that.

9. Sleep my 10 PM. Err....no. Most nights I'm done with work at 10:30, and get home around 11. However, I think I get the concept. I HAVE been going to bed around 4 AM for the last 6 months, I can certainly aim to move that back to 1 AM.

10. Among all these things, he also suggested getting an air purifier, washing my sheets once a week, taking a probiotic called "Floragen", meditating twice a day and avoiding other things I am already avoiding (such as meat). These things I know I can manage.

So, that's a lot. I am basically 'allowed' to eats fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Again, I know this is for my health, for my asthma, but it's a lot. He told me to start slowly, to not overwhelm myself, but that is clearly not working.

He also keeps talking to me about lowering my stress levels. To meditate, to get away from things. I've never considered myself "stressed", but I get uptight, and kind of controlling, maybe that's what he means. Ah, anyway. I can't think about all of this right now.

Post-acupuncture was certainly different from last time. Where on Tuesday I almost took a nap on my kitchen floor, today I feel riled up. I feel like running, and maybe punching something. I feel careless, and I feel like eating a gallon of ice cream, eating a cheeseburger, and smoking a freaking cigarette. I feel like sprinting across town. I feel like listening to metal. I feel...weird. I feel like I'm 14-years-old, and spiting everything around me. I'm hoping a lot of this is related to my stress regarding my new diet restrictions, and I will hopefully calm down soon.