Embarking on Trimester Zero: The Prelude to Baby Number Two
Jul 13, 2023
My Gut Health Struggles, Life Lessons, and a Miracle Child
In every great journey, there's always a starting point. For me, that beginning was a few months ago when we decided it was time to welcome another spirit baby into our family. This decision wasn't made lightly - we recognized the amount of preparation it would entail. But what I couldn't predict was the extent of my personal journey that lay ahead, a journey paved with hurdles, growth, and healing.
The Roots of my Struggle: A Disrupted Gut
Ever since I can remember, I've had a challenging relationship with my gut. For the last two years, it had been especially tumultuous. I was constantly bloated, gassy, and sluggish, a far cry from the vibrant woman I aspire to be. The climax of my health issues was back in 2016 in Berlin when my body sent me an alarming signal - I stopped menstruating.
This led me on a five-year quest to regain my health and fertility. I had the privilege of encountering the right people who supported me, guiding me towards resolution through homeopathy, herbal medicine, and functional testing. And against all odds, I conceived my daughter naturally. This miracle child was my beacon of hope amidst the storm.
Rediscovering the Challenges
Fast forward three years, my daughter was born and postpartum, I felt healthier than I ever had. My digestion seemed to be working well, and I recovered quickly. But about two years later, the old digestive issues started reappearing. My bloatedness, gas, and burping reemerged, threatening to eclipse my health once again.
Determined to find the root cause, in April 2022, I consulted a skilled naturopath who performed kinesiology and muscle testing to uncover what was happening in my body. I also undertook a stool test and a heavy metal test to ascertain my toxicity levels and microbiome balance.
The results were a revelation and a shock. The heavy metal test indicated increased levels of mercury, while the stool test showed dysbiosis and heightened Klebsiella, a dysbiotic bacteria known to cause Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). The kinesiologist confirmed the SIBO diagnosis and presence of Klebsiella.
The Limits of Treatment and Unexpected Villains
Although I couldn't take antimicrobials due to breastfeeding, I started using natural remedies like wormwood, calendula, and ginkgo. And then I made an unexpected discovery - I had developed an extreme intolerance to cacao. My daily ritual of enjoying chocolate and ceremonial cacao was making my symptoms worse. It was a hard reality to swallow, but I took it off my menu and started my healing protocol.
Despite these efforts, my symptoms lingered. But every roadblock is a signpost towards a new direction.
So, my journey continued as I delved deeper into the realms of alternative healing. Little did I know, this path would lead me back to a long-lost love: Ayurveda.
(In the next blog post, we will explore how Ayurveda helped me understand the mistakes I was making in my diet and how it guided me towards healing. Stay tuned for an insight into the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda and how it revolutionized my health and fertility journey.)
