Update on Journey with Lyme Disease & Magnetic Therapies

By Janis Uquillas, R.N.

It has been a month since I lost wrote and I am very happy to report that I have slept soundly every night since I started sleeping on magnets in early September.   When I first received my super bed grid and Vitality Enchancer on September 16th, I went full speed ahead and was drinking magnetized water, using the super bed grid and enchancer and some localized magnets.  I experienced constant nausea and a funny taste in my mouth so I thought maybe my body is trying to adjust to all of the heavy duty magnetics and I will have to go more slowly.  So some nights I would sleep in my bed for half the night and then move to another bed without magnets. 

After about 4 days, I felt off balance.  That scared me as I had previously had attacks of vertigo off and on since the 1970's and the last attack in February landed me in the hospital and bedridden for 3 weeks.  So I decided to remove the Vitality Enchancer and stop the magnetized water and just try sleeping on the super bed grid for awhile to let my body adjust.  The nausea and dizziness stopped completely and I felt great.  Now I feel that I have more than adjusted to the super bed grid and some localized magnets so adding back the Vitality Enchancer and the magnetized water so that I can do the full magnetic protocol for Lyme disease.

I am beyond thrilled with more than 6 weeks of nightly sound sleep.  Restful sleep makes a world of difference.  I feel that my overall health is gradually improving.  Occasionally I have pains that indicate either a die-off reaction or just the normal ups and downs of Lyme but generally the quality of life is better each day. 

My husband reports a much deeper sound sleep as well.  I just finished making magnetic dog beds for both of my dogs yesterday.  Last night they sleep there for the first time.  My little pom slept on her back and she never does that and she slept soundly and didn't wake me up early like she usually does.  My other dog leaped out of bed with great energy this morning and usually she is dragging. 

Will keep you posted on my progress.  Blessings.

Journey with Chronic Illness

By Janis Uquillas, R.N.
9/12/11

The last time I remember sleeping well without a natural or medicinal sleep aid is when I was a teenager.  Now, I am 59+ years old.  I have lived with Chronic Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple disc herniations, chronic nerve pain and arthritis to name a few for many years.  I think that I got infected with Lyme disease as a teenager and have been sick since.  The Lyme wasn't diagnosed until approximately 3-4 years ago.  I believe that the Lyme disease is the root cause of many of my symptoms.  Treating chronic long term Lyme disease is not only extremely expensive but difficult to put it mildly.  I long go lost optimistism for beating this illness and settled into a quiet reserve of life with pain, fatigue and many other issues.  JES Organics has been such a blessing for me, I can't imagine life without my mission.  At times, I wondered given the poor quality of life, how I could manage to live into old age not sleeping and living with pain all the time. 

Sleep had always been a big problem for me along with a host of many other symptoms.  I try to be as alternative as possible in any treatment approaches as I believe that medicines while they sometimes have their places in our lives and in our health, generally cause more problems and should be avoided as much as possible.  If there is a natural approach, try that first in my opinion.   

Approximately 3 months ago, my holistic doctor recommended North Pole magnetic therapy for me as treatment for my Lyme disease.  Initially, I took this information lightly because after all, I have been an alternative medical researcher for years and I hadn't heard much on this topic before.  Then he asked me to read a book on the subject which I slowly got around to doing.   The book certainly peaked my interest enough to want to learn more on the subject, to be honest, it sounded too good to be true!  So I went to the library and checked out every single book available on magnetic therapy and also did a lot of research on the Internet reading as many articles as I could find.  Every single book and article I have read has indicated that north pole magnetic therapy is beneficial for so many symptoms and illnesses.  I also learned that the reason it may not be widely known is because clinical trials are extremely costly to conduct and often require private funds unless it is a drug backed by a big pharmaceutical company.  Let's face it, do you really think that 'Big Pharma' wants to do clinical trials on magnets that would eliminate the need for many drugs. 

So after months of researching and trying to find out the correct protocols for me, I am excited to say that my magnetics are on the way here, due to arrive this week.  I feel like I have been waiting forever for them to arrive.  In the meantime, 3 weeks ago, I ordered 2 magnetic pads.  Today I can report that I haven't taken any sleep aids for almost 2 weeks now and sleeping very well.  The north pole negative polarity magnets stimulate the pineal gland and melatonin production.  I never liked taking the melatonin supplement because the sleep wasn't great and it gave me nightmares but I have no problem with natural production of the melantonin.  This is just the tip of the iceberg for me.

In the books and articles that I have read, I am very optimistic that the magnetic protocols will change my life.  This is highly unusual for me, a natural skeptic and someone that has tried many things.  My doctor did warn me and this was confirmed in all of my reading that not all magnetics are created equally.  It is crucial to get the right type, right size, correct protocol and good quality.   

As my journey continues, I will be excited to share my progress with you.  It is possible that I will experience some detox reactions during treatment and that is to be expected, I don't fear that like I did with taking medications in the past for Lyme as I don't also have to worry about the damage that the treatment is doing to my body because the magnets will not harm me. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail Janis at jes@jescollection.com.

Natural sleep remedies

They are safer and have fewer side effects than over the counter and prescription medications. Many of these can not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but they can also promote muscle relaxation and help with restless leg syndrome.

Personally, I can tell you with Lyme disease and chronic pain, falling asleep and staying asleep has been a major problem for me for years. I find that one thing may work for me for months or years and then suddenly I can't sleep again so I find having various natural remedies on hand so that I can switch it up if I need to. And then oftentimes, I can go back to my previous remedy and it will work again after being off of it for a while. Others I have talked to with the same problems, find things work for awhile and then don't work so I always encourage everyone to try something new but to go back to the previous one again later. Don't assume it won't work. Also, I have found the ingredients of one brand may not work as well as another brand, so again don't assume it is the ingredients, it may have been the quality of the brand or the dosage.

Another thing that helps me if I am in a lot of pain is to rub the muscle balm into an area that is painful or to heat up my Comfort Buddies and put them on my body while trying to fall asleep. Ice helps too and if you feel too cold, lay on ice under the covers with a warm comfort buddy on you and it will be much more comfortable. I formulated the muscle balm because of my own pain, I loaded it up with natural things that help relieve pain and I make the Comfort Buddy because I use 3 of them to help my sleep and pain. If you try Melantonin, it is important to start low on only take 1 mg. and see how your body reacts too it. I know years ago I tried it and the dose was too high and I didn't like it and didn't try it again until this year after my doctor told me to only do 1 mg.

My favorite natural sleep remedies are:

Metagenics Somnolin:
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) 40 mg
Folate (as L-5-methyl tetrahydrofolate†) 400 mcg
Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) 500 mcg
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP from Griffonia simplicifolia) 200 mg
L-Theanine 200 mg

Metagenics MyocalmPM
•Calcium (as calcium lactate) 75 mg
•Magnesium (as magnesium citrate) 150 mg
Herbs:
•Passionflower Flower 5.5:1 Extract (Passiflora incarnata) 60 mg
•Valerian Root Extract (Valeriana officinalis) 30 mg
•Hops Cone 7.5:1 Extract (Humulus lupulus) 60 mg
•Lemon Balm Leaf 5:1 Extract (Melissa officinalis) 150 mg

Metagenics Benesom
Casein Tryptic Hydrolysate† 75 mg
Melatonin 1 mg
Passionflower Flower 5.5:1 Extract (Passiflora incarnata) 300 mg

Magnesium and calcium
Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together they become even more effective. Plus, by taking magnesium you cancel out any potential heart problems that might arise from taking calcium alone. Take 200-300 milligrams of magnesium (you can lower the dose if it causes diarrhea) and 600 milligrams of calcium each night.

Lemon Balm
Several studies have found that lemon balm combined with other calming herbs (such as valerian, hops, and chamomile) helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep.

Hops
Beer fans are already familiar with the calming effect of hops, the female flowers used in beer making. For sleep purposes, this extract has been widely used as a mild sedative for anxiety and insomnia. Take 30 to 120 milligrams before climbing under the covers.

Aromatherapy
Lavender is the trick here, as studies have proven that it aids in sleep. It's also an inexpensive, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime, or buy a lavender-filled pillow.

Melatonin
Melatonin is the hormone that controls sleep, so it's no wonder that it naturally induces sleep. Studies show that lower doses are more effective -- plus, there's concern that too-high doses could cause toxicity as well as raise the risk of depression or infertility.

Passion flower
Has a mild sedative effect that encourages sleep. This property has been well-substantiated in numerous studies on animals and humans. Nervous symptoms and cramps that inhibit sleep are alleviated by ingestion of the herb, and leading quickly to restful uninterrupted and deep sleep.

Yoga and Meditation
Choose gentle yoga or stretching, not vigorous power or ashtanga yoga, which could energize you instead. Try easy yoga stretches in bed followed by simple meditation. Close your eyes and, for 5 to 10 minutes, pay attention to nothing but your breathing.

L-theanine
This amino acid comes from green tea, and not only helps maintain a calm alertness during the day but also a deeper sleep at night. However, green tea doesn't contain enough L-theanine to significantly boost your REM cycles, and might make you wake up to go to the bathroom. Instead, buy pure, active L-theanine(some brands have inactive forms of theanine that block the effectiveness), and take 50 to 200 milligrams at bedtime.

Valerian
Valerian is one of the most common sleep remedies for insomnia. Numerous studies have found that valerian improves deep sleep, speed of falling asleep, and overall quality of sleep. However, it's most effective when used over a longer period of time. Keep in mind that about 10 percent of the people who use it actually feel energized, which may keep them awake. If that happens to you, take valerian during the day. Otherwise, take 200 to 800 milligrams before bed.

Wild lettuce
If you've suffered anxiety, headaches, or muscle or joint pain, you might already be familiar with wild lettuce. It's also effective at calming restlessness and reducing anxiety, and may even quell restless legs syndrome. When using a wild-lettuce supplement, take 30 to 120 milligrams before bed.