I Figured it Out

I have never been very "in-tune" with my body.  I know people that seem to be able to track their food from the moment it enters their mouth to the moment it exits and everywhere in between.  I definitely cannot feel my digestion happening.  I am more often surprised by things my body does which seem to me to be without warning (noises and such).

Since my diagnosis with Gilbert's Syndrome back in September, I've been doing some reading on Gilbert's Syndrome (gilbertssyndrome.com and other places) and I am excited that what I am reading confirms what I had already figured out.  I've been saying for several years that my body doesn't process toxins well.  When I get on a health-kick and drink a lot of water, my skin gets worse.  I have felt for a long time that my body passes toxins out through my skin.   ( I have mentioned this to a couple of dermatologists who made me feel silly for even thinking it.)  For a while I took "alli" for weight loss.  The idea is that it binds on to the fat and passes it out through your excretory system.  I was in a study group and participated in an online support group.  Many people reported unpleasant experiences in the bathroom.  Not me - I just had horrible acne breakouts.

So now that I've been reading about my new friend Gilbert I've learned that it's not just bilirubin but in general my body (liver) only processes toxins at a level 25% - 30% of people without this syndrome.  So as much as 70% of the toxins I internalize through normal life are still hanging around inside me looking for a way out.  Other sites say put the numbers conversely that my body processes 30% less than others.  So - I figure, split the difference and say I only process half of the toxins that people without this syndrome do.

Because I had this toxin theory I started analyzing my diet last summer and made some significant changes so that I can consume less toxins.  I focused on pH because it kept popping up in conversations with people.  Turns out the changes I made are right in line with what is recommended and what others with Gilbert's are finding effective.

I am just so impressed with myself that I listened to my body and figured this out on my own.