Karen Heffron - Proactive Souls

08/10/2024

Sharing my Shingles story. I have a minor form of the EpsteinnBarr virus and have learned if I keep wheat, dairy out of my diet, it can stay dormant in my body. Temptations were too strong on vacation last year, and I indulged in the wrong foods. I woke up on the last day with unrelenting pain in my shoulder. It took many hours before I finally suspected Shingles which, like Epstein Barr, is in the family of Herpes viruses. I started taking action by grabbing some oil of oregano, then later alternated colloidal silver with oregano every 2 hours. I stopped all carbs and dairy and did this for days. I could feel the virus coming forward from within like like it was boring a path up to the surface. I threw everything at it, and it stopped right before the skin surface, and I ended up getting only 1 lesion. I considered it victory even though the pain was a nightmare for weeks after.
I used to be against all medications, but the pain was so bad, I finally went to Urgent care. He issued me a steroid, but I refused to take it, determined to fight it naturally. That ended in about 6 hours! It ended up allowing me to relax which gave my system the ability to heal. Topical heat, and prayer with the recommendation of Exedrin Migraine also helped me through.
The lessons learned: natural methods and an inflammatory diet do work to reduce the effects of an oncoming virus, but doctors and meds are on the planet for a reason. It is good to look at the whole picture- from an environmental, emotional, spiritual, and medical level and discernment on which road to take to rebalance the body ❤️

06/08/2024

I ended up being allergic to the antibiotic. Late at night, my throat felt like it it was starting to close up. Until I could get to the doctor, I grabbed my essential oils which helped open my airway a little more. The next day, I stopped eating any foods that had increased histamine like processed meats, chocolate, and any fermented foods to keep my liver from overworking until I could get the antibiotic resolved. In general, if anyone struggles with allergies, a liver that is struggling to process toxins or if someone who has genetics that make it difficult to process histamine will be more prone to allergies. A low histamine diet could make a big difference in the Spring! There are also ways to move those toxins along and out of the body- by drinking those multiple glasses of water, rebounding by jumping or using a trampoline, and dry brushing. With proper plumbing, toxins can easily recirculate and overwork your liver even more. They are all worth a google search!

05/27/2024

CHRONIC INFLAMMATION. That is the word that started it all for me over 10 years ago. I read an article in a magazine stating that it was a root to all chronic disease. It literally jumped off the page at me. Since then, I went on a journey of revamping my health and stayed “strong” for many years, resisting temptation at the processed in front of the grocery store and saying no to potlucks. It eventually got to me, and I have been through phases of giving in. Willpower only works for so long. As I entered back into the ways of the world, my motivation drastically decreased as well as resurfaced my old issues of eczema and joint pain. Exercising much less, sleeping more.
Then a case of simple cellulitis came my way which led to steroids and antibiotics. Usually I’m a fan of trying natural methods but felt the leading to go. It took away the inflammation I didn’t fully pay attention was there, and now, partnering with some prayer, I feel new motivation to get up early, exercise get things done- not out of drudgery as before.
I haven’t used this site for a while, and don’t have pictures to make it interesting. But I thought I would blog for a while to demonstrate a comeback with health facts along the way if anyone is interested! We all fall, but the joy is in the journey and the fruit of what’s ahead!

11/28/2021

Interesting

It's about time I figured this out

10/26/2021

I see the idea with the Keto diet to reduce insulin spikes, but we were wired for sweet. It has to be for a reason other than it prevented humans from eating poisonous plants back in the day.

Time for some accountability: I owe honey🍯 an apology.

In the past, I have written about honey and recommended that people avoid it at all costs. This position was based on the fact that honey has a very high sugar content. In fact, the actual fructose content in most batches of honey is around 40 percent, but this percentage can vary wildly from 21 to 43 percent due to how and where the honey is harvested and processed. When digging deeper into the literature about this sweet nectar from nature, I discovered that science supports the idea that it may not be so bad after all. But, as I write about in my new book, DROP ACID (www.dropacidbook.com) We may be able to make a small space for honey in our lives.

In fact, several human trials have indicated that honey consumption is associated with better insulin response and better blood glucose levels. Some researchers have gone so far as to characterize honey as a “novel anti-diabetic agent” in terms of its effects on both the liver and pancreas where it has been shown to improve blood sugar control, and the gastrointestinal tract where it positively modifies the gut microbiota.

So, have I changed my position on honey? Yes, and that’s a reflection of how scientific research continues to inform us. Research I share in my new book, DROP ACID ➡️ www.dropacidbook.com

And my promise to you is that I will continue to change my position(s) any time science starts to align behind findings that support lifestyle modifications associated with improved health outcomes, whether or not they're in harmony with my earlier recommendations. This is about getting you the information you need to protect your health, not my reputation.

Pre-order today and read more in DROP ACID ➡️ www.dropacidbook.com

08/04/2021

The difference between red and green cabbage..

HealthyWildFree.com

08/01/2021

Mangoes are the world's most popular fruit. But does that popularity come at a cost? Find out if mangoes are good for you, or the planet.

06/24/2021

We are young, old, male and female, early risers, late owls... and we all have different genetic makeup. There are many factors that impact metabolism, and one diet/lifestyle can fit everyone. That's why it's important to pay attention to body cues to guide you in the right direction on your path to health.

Are you a night person or a morning person? Do you have to eat breakfast in the morning or does it make you feel sick? Do you feel anxious when you ingest caffeine or could you drink a Cappuccino at 2:00 AM and go right to sleep? We all have different genetics and the environment impacts us differen...

06/19/2021

The current events in this one aren't so current, but it's important to know dementia doesn't have to be your destiny. You are not doomed to your genetics. Environment plays a much bigger role than we realize.

With the news of Ted Turner admitting he has Lewy body Dementia, I thought I'd share that Dementia does not have to be your destiny. Although some have certain genetics that predispose them to dementia, the science of epigenetic has revealed that genes are not your destiny, and 95% of these genes ca...

06/19/2021

We really do forget to breathe deeply in general, and it all impacts metabolism!

We all talk about our metabolism, how it's fast when we're young, and slower as we age. Some are afraid of ruining their metabolism, but what is metabolism exactly? Metabolism is the ability to break down a food fully to extract the nutrients and excrete the rest. We need a fully functioning digesti...

06/19/2021

Chronic inflammation is the foundation of most chronic diseases. The easiest thing to experiment with is food, but it is also the hardest to change. When you pay attention to body signals, change gets so much easier!

One thing all diseases have in common is the presence of chronic inflammation. We all benefit from acute inflammatory reactions to sudden infection or damage to the body, but chronic low level inflammation due to inflammatory foods and stress impact our ability to digest properly, absorb vitamins/mi...

06/13/2021

Are you willing to push through the obstacles to fulfill your dreams?

I've lived in my neighborhood for 14 years and have walked my dogs down a certain street forever. Never have I noticed so many blackberry bushes on my route! I grew up picking wild blackberries and was very excited to gather free ones without pesticides (it's the health coach in me). I didn't recall...