Raising a child as a single mother is a challenge in itself, but what happens when you're also battling Lyme disease? I met Theodora when our kids were just babies. What struck me was her was beauty inside and out. She is a loving mother, kind and generous to everyone. What I have continued to be impressed by is her healthy lifestyle, recipes and how she incorporated her daughter in all her cooking adventures. It was just recently that I became aware that this courageous mother has been battling Lyme disease for over 13 years. If you know anything about Lyme disease, you'll know it can make you constantly fatigue, causes memory loss, swollen and painful joints, daily bouts of hives, brain fog, constant flu, neuropathy and much more. Recently Theo has come upon a treatment that can change not just her life, but her daughter's life through Giveforward.com.
When Theo was 19
years-old she began her studies at Columbia University. It was the beginning of
what was to be one of many adventures. She took a semester to study ecology in
Brazil. That is when her life took a dramatic turn with a single bite of a tick.
Unknown to her she had been infected with Lyme disease. "At this time I
did not realize I had been infected with Lymes disease though I developed a
myriad of strange symptoms that were incredibly debilitating," she says. This
caused her take a year leave from school that turned into 10 years due to
limited access to treatment. But now the treatment that she needs may be in
reach of her finger tips.
"A new
treatment for Lymes is available and the success rate is very high. It utilizes
cutting edge technologies and is based in Germany. The name of the clinic is
Infusio. (www.infusio.org)" she says, "I've spoken to 3 people who've
had this treatment with great results. I've also spoken to the doctor who
thinks I am a great candidate for this protocol. I’d like to have this
treatment and cure Lymes once and for all." She just needs the support
from us. It's about mothers supporting mothers and people supporting people at
times like this.
"Once
you learn the basics of cooking you can do anything. You make mistakes at first and sometimes you
make something that taste and looks horrible.
But with a little practice it becomes second
nature." -Theodora
What do you do
when you have lemons? You make lemonade. Having to try many home remedies to
keep Lyme decease at bay Theo became a certified Holistic Health Counselor
accredited through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, Columbia University
Teachers College and the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She is
a food educator, hosting workshops on fermentation and basic cooking techniques.
She has owned and operated an independent catering company in Los Angeles. Not
all her love for food can be contributed to Lyme decease. She tells me that
many both her grandmothers were great cooks and that many great memories came
from cooking with them. "I cherish those memories and I know that the time
my daughter spends in the kitchen with me is very magical. Her daughter, Azielle
(4 years-old) has picked up the love for food and healthy eating. Her favorite
thing is to chop and of course licking the batter if we make cookies! Theo
tells me, "she hasn’t created any recipes per se yet, but we talk about
food and she often inspires me to do something I perhaps hadn’t thought of."
Unfortunately, despite an extremely healthy lifestyle, I have not been able to
achieve the sort of lasting health and wellness I truly crave. This means it is
very difficult for me to embark on any long term career paths as I spend months
out of the year being sick" she say, "On good days I can manage but
about 2 weeks out of each month I'm unable to more than just get by. The thing
is I don't want to just get by. I want to thrive!"
"Warm
honey and lemon water when you wake up in the morning.
It’s a really great ritual with multiple
benefit"- Theordor's health remedies
Having Azielle is a
miracle in itself. She tells me that during her pregnancy her "Lyme
effected (her) adrenals and liver and brain most severely. During my pregnancy
I was exhausted all the time and generally felt very stressed and was often
prone to huge mood swings." She went on to tell me that "at the end
of pregnancy I developed cholestasis. This
is a condition which can cause an increased risk in stillbirth and so it was
recommended I induce at 38 weeks which I did." Theo continues to push forward.
"Through all of this I have not let go of my dreams of having my own
business, of finishing my education, being of service in my community and being
a strong role model for my daughter" she says, "I can put my talents
to good use in this life and as things stand it won’t happen without some help.
If things continue they will only get worse as I can't keep relying on the
generosity of family members." I know this mom would like to live a life
as normal as possible. It would be great to be able to run and play with her
when she wants to or be just beat after a long day of activities rather then
from a disabling disease such as Lyme disease. I know that this trip can make a
difference not just for this mom, but for her daughter.
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| Theodora has also recently partnered with an LA chef to create Etherealpalate.com |
The money donated
will be spent to pay for travel and lodging and the treatment itself. Give
Forward Fundraiser for Theodora ends June 26th at midnight. If you can please
make a donation please go to: Giveforward.com. Once the
fundraiser is complete and I make it to Germany I will be sending updates and
sharing my experiences in an effort to help others with Lyme. I hope that my journey will be helpful to
others in my position.
-Get out into
nature as much as possible and walk outside with bare feet when possible (and
safe). This feels great, increases blood flow and reduces inflammation. Look up
earthing for more info.
-Sleep. Scientists is still unsure about how many
hours of sleep are ideal and as I said before everyone is different. The thing that scientists are sure about is
that it needs to be completely dark and that keeping in sync with circadian
rhythms is important. Limit your use of electronics (TV, tablets, smartphones
etc) before bed as the light they emit will suppress your melatonin cycle
leading to sleeplessnes and lighter sleep.
-Water. Drink half you body weight in fluid ounces
every day. Making sure that the water is free from chlorine and fluoride.
-Your gut. Your gut is your second brain. What goes on in your gut affects your moods
and your immune system. Here is a great
blog post by Kris Carr. It has
everything I would want to say about simple ways to create gut health.
http://kriscarr.com/blog-video/how-to-improve-your-gut-health/
-Exercise. It doesn’t have to me a crazy intense workout. Find something you enjoy and can do 5 times a
week. It’s better to have a sustainable workout
regime. Perhaps 30 mins a day rather than a mammoth workout at the gym once a
week. A walk round the neighborhood
every morning for example.
