A Simple Test

My MooseBoots journey has become stagnant.  I have been tired.  It seems like every time I turn around, I feel like I am running into a proverbial brick wall of exhaustion.  It has had me a bit concerned.  Lyme disease has become very common in my area.  And, while I have started reading Healing Lyme, I am not far enough into it to feel completely confident in my ability / knowledge to have to treat myself, or anyone else for that matter without substantial outside assistance from someone who has dealt with it.

Wendy has been investigating other possibilities.  She loves to research.  She came up with another possibility, Candida overgrowth.  I was not entirely convinced ... I had only ever heard of Candida in regards to "woman's issues".  I agreed, however, to perform the saliva test outlined on the previously linked page.  The test is simple enough and I figured I could, at least, try it.  What could it hurt?  So, this morning I performed the test and found, according to the page, that I likely had a Candida overgrowth.  It may not be a reliable diagnosis and does not necessarily rule out other possibilities. 

So, for the next month, I will be trying to stick to the documented Candida diet.  The funny part for me is that I was on the Atkins diet several years ago to lose a few pounds.  In fact, both diets recommend eating the things that my body seems to crave.  It is really the way I like to eat ... tons of fresh greens / salads, meat, cheese.  Because this diet worked so well for me, and it is the way I like to eat anyway, I see no reason not to give it a shot.  At worst, I will not feel any better and may consider getting tested.  At best, I will feel better and be healthier.  I do believe that there is a huge connection between feeling healthy and actually being healthy.

This all got me thinking, though.  What other simple tests are there out there, like this, to diagnose simple imbalances or conditions?  With my limited experience, I understand that Chinese medicine uses many simple observations to diagnose health issues and imbalances.  I do not know enough about Chinese medicine, but it all makes a lot of sense.  Stop.  Observe.  Assess.  Treat.  Of course, the Chinese do not limit the causes of medical problems to those we, in the Western World, do - problems are traditionally diagnosed by observing not only physical symptoms, but lifestyle and personal habits over a period of time.  It seems to me, in my limited knowledge and experience, to be a very complete, holistic approach to health care.  I firmly believe, for instance, that stress is a huge negative factor in our lives and level of health.  Modern, western medicine, for the most part, pays its impact mere lip service at best. 

I guess this all follows along with my philosophy of observe and learn.  It is certainly part of my journey along this MooseBoots path.  Perhaps, it is part of the wisdom that I must learn to complete my work in this life.  It definitely illustrates, yet again, how much more I have to learn.  I accept the learning with a grateful heart and a willing spirit.