Re: New breathing/swallowing symptoms

Your wired state could be just your system being out of whack rather than reaction to things you're taking in. I don't feel like I got a lot of understanding from my research about the different weird states that the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system can get into. Here's one guess, though: Low blood Sugar promotes cortisol release and cortisol can get you wired. Low blood Sugar could come from poor nutrient absorption. I highly recommend the ketone test strips to see if you're burning lots of fat. That period for me seemed to coincide with breathing difficulty, so I wonder if you're in a similar state.

So I'm guessing you need to find a way to get nutrients absorbed. Easily digested, low-fiber, low-residue foods. I've got a book here that recommends a chicken broth-only recovery for GI "flare-ups". Turkey and white rice might also work well for you. If you're vegetarian, there may be non-animal alternatives, but if you can't figure any out soon, eat the turkeys and get well and then go save a bunch more turkeys from their suffering. Aside from diagnostic possibilities, I highly recommend you do not let your blood Sugar fall. You might consider getting yourself a blood glucose monitor so you can know just where your levels are at. Don't skip meals. Eat small, frequent meals.

When I fasted I had no idea what I was doing. I only knew that I seemed to be having a reaction to everything I ate. This is before I realized that my adrenals could be implicated in the whole mess. I think my adrenals were in good enough shape that I could fast without crashing badly. I also dropped about 40 pounds (about 18kg or 3 stone) over that winter. Miserable, really. But I'm doing lots better now. As can you be.

My guess is that the key for you would be getting nutrients and having your GIT settle down then getting a good amount of mental reprogramming in the form of relaxing/meditative activity. Having hope helps, but I know that having no clear answers and having no clear direction can be very despair-inducing. You _can_ make progress and you _can_ get well.

Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that also can make you relaxed and drowsy. The antihistamine effect can help reduce the symptoms of digestive intolerance and the relaxation can help you get to sleep. Keep in mind that it is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor as well -- it potentiates serotonin. This means it'll improve your mood over the course of few days, but it also means that you will want to be careful about taking 5-HTP, a serotonin precursor, because you can have too much of a good thing.

That said, 5-HTP is another good supplement. It can help you fall asleep and it provides the building blocks for serotonin, so it can help improve your mood. But, as mentioned, be careful about taking this in conjunction with any serotonin reuptake inhibitor (like diphenhydramine, Prozac, etc.).

Both the 5-HTP and the diphenhydramine you'll want to test the effects of before taking them regularly to make sure you don't make yourself giddy and them come crashing back down. Improved mood fosters resistance to binging.

Melatonin is also a good supplement for resetting your internal clock and promoting sleep. Try just 1mg a half hour before bed. It's also a nice, strong antioxidant.

Avoid bright lights an hour before bed, especially blue lights.

Make sure to get some sunshine and fresh air. Go for walks in nature frequently if you can. Lean on your good friends and good family if there are any that can be helpful. If not, that's okay, I had basically no one except the fine folk here. You _can_ do it.

Quercetin sounds like a good choice for you. I believe it's both antiinflammatory and a digestive aid. Boswellia serrata may also be good for improving gut health and it's antiinflammatory. Bromelain and papain may be good digestive enzymes for you to take, and they synergize, so it's good to take them together. I suggest focusing on your digestion and blood sugar levels. Tweet