Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Usnea, please kill the monster inside me

I am still sick. Ginger tea only gave me a headache and i nearly puked. So today, i am bringing out the big guns. The super mega herbal antibiotic .... Usnea. Except it isn't an herb, it's a lichen that grows on trees (see pic above).....
I keep a bunch saved in a jar for no particular reason, and today i went hunting more since I am going to be drinking it 2-3 times a day in tea form until the monster inside my body is slayed .....
I didn't boil the water, i just made it really hot and tossed in a clump. I sip on it, then step away.
Things i noticed today after drinking it... headache, more nausea, a sudden minute of feverish heat inside my body (a little sweat) and like someone unplugged me. SoooOOOOooo sssssssleepy. AND i took a poop that was 30% less disgusting then what i have been dealing with the last 10 days. (Um Yiiippieee, but i am too tired to actually be excited, that is just internet happiness, which doesnt require a real smile.)
I read also usnea burns your throat when you drink it.... this is totally true, my throat felt burnt and spicy all day.

Finger crossed this works. cause i am starting to feel really freakin' awful and run down. I did laundry this morning, and was totally winded and could hardly finish even hanging my clothes. Not good.

XOXOxo

7 comments:

  1. Hi Leslie. I've been reading about your latest health woes, and the various symptoms that you've described such as nausea, diarrhea, no headache (until you took the ginger tea), etc. While I'm not a doctor I am a geologist and environmental consultant (20 yrs actually). The first thing that I can think to consider is if your problem might be your spring water. I don't know the condition of your spring, or how close it might be to any source of bacterial contamination from natural, animal sources (your animals, plant decay, etc.). I would assume that you would be in an even worse state if this were the case. I think you might want to check that out. Of course, your celiac sprue complicates things, so my theory might not indicate the real cause. But it's something to consider. And again, since I'm not a doctor I would ask that you see a local health care pro. FWIW, I hope my advice helps and that you feel better and get well quite soon.

    Thanks for all of your blogging!

    Peace, as always.

    ~Sean

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  2. You are not far off i think.... it could be a bacteria from my spring and creek fed pond. I did jump in with my duck.

    Also.... could be celiac, i went to a party where beer was accidentally sprayed on me when a canned was opened, and i made out (kissin', OMG) with someone who had drank beer all night but did brush said beer drenched teeth, but then i read today even their toothpaste has to be gluten free.. its hard to win in that situation...

    also everyone around me has some flu. but i dont have fever like they do.

    The drinking water i think i am OK with.... it is boxed in, flows, and has no animals nearby at all for miles probably.

    I hope the usnea takes care of it. I reallllly do. Doctors tend to kill me, literally. I use them for tests, then go find my own cures. If this doesnt go away in another week, i will find Dr Feelgood to run some tests. :)

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  3. OMG the gluten thing. That reminds me- I was washing dishes and saw on the label of my Ecover dish liquid that it said NOT GLUTEN FREE. Something else to consider- the shit's everywhere and many/most sources and/or manufacturers aren't up front about that. Not that I have a problem because I've been called "disgustingly healthy" in spite of the abuse I've heaped upon my body in adulthood. How do you your symptoms correspond with a gluten allergic reaction. Another thing to consider, so thanks for mentioning that.

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  4. The gluten thing is sooooo annoying. When i first became a recluse ten years ago, gluten put me there.
    Before I was diagnosed, i lived in New Orleans and New York city.... a very different lifestyle. Although much the same loves, and same person.

    Amazing that Ecover bothers to say they are "Not Gluten Free" ... that is WOW! I try gluten free things very carefully and very many months apart, i stick to mostly whole foods only (veggies, fish, fruit, meat)... but shit... I have seen a child spitting on produce before at the grocery. Literally. So i know it can all get so contaminated in soo many ways.

    The hard part about celiac, is not knowing when you have something else, like a creepy pond bacteria.... because celiac has the EXACT same symptoms as common parasites gardinia? (or howevah ya spell it)......
    but pond parasites take seven days to germinate up in you, and i was sick the next day.

    Possibly, i will start a full on WILL IT AWAY mind thing. yeah.....

    you are lucky to be so healthy!!! xoxo

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  5. I know how you feel about doctors. I've felt like it was the right decision to see one about five percent of the time. The rest I felt cheated, scammed, misdiagnosed, humiliated, etc.

    and then I get better on my own.

    Probably a good idea to figure out how to test your water though.

    I've taken usnea in a tincture. can't remember what for or if it worked. cool looking plant though.

    hope the ducks help.

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  6. How has the usnea been working for you?

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  7. Hey Sean....

    Usnea woulda killed a bacteria (or even helped with a virus)... but it didn't make the sickness stop.

    So now i have narrowed it down to either Celiac, or parasites from the pond! oh YIpppeeee. ha ha.

    I will start taking parasite medicine today, along with some probiotics and other junk (stuff to replace lost minerals, etc) to help get myself back to normal.
    Fingers crossed!

    Xoxox

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