Fall Equinox

Twenty-five years ago I was diagnosed with orthostatic intolerance, and hypermobility, although that didn't mean the same thing back then as it does now.  Back then it just meant 'fragile and accident prone'.  I had a lot of issues with allergic reactions (suspect MCAS now, but not confirmed) and learned by trial and error what I could eat, and what I should stay away from, and how to survive the constant bruises and cuts, rolled ankles, strained tendons and shoulder and knee and hip dislocations and everything else that comes with that.  So, for me, that was just life.  And about six years ago something changed and my healing process slowed down - stress, aging, it was all getting a lot worse and harder to come back every time I injured myself.

About that time as well, my first cousin told me she had EDS, had been genetically tested for it at a big clinic and was now being treated.  She thought a lot of what I was going through could benefit from the dietary changes she had made - since none of the clinics anywhere near me had any clue about this.  One told me they only check for that in children, and if I was still alive after all this time, chances were low that I had any problems with it.  Times have changed since then - there is big news coming out in a few months about that.  

Anyway, I had international friends in UK and Canada and they told me more about what they knew about it.  I studied into that and found a lot of similarities.  I learned a lot, especially about vitamins and how the body processes them.  Even that helped myself some towards getting a little better than I was.   I was just trying the anti-inflammation diet, lots more protein, vitamin C and being as careful as I could with myself, and that did help a lot.  

 About two years ago I read another article and it put a big lightbulb on.  It was talking about folate processing and not being able to process folic acid into the correct body usable form.  The article was connecting this with EDS like symptoms and suggesting that those that didn't test genetically for EDS might actually have this problem going on mimicking the symptoms.  At that time, I started taking the first supplement daily and saw good results, it was L-methylfolate, the form the body can use and normal people can process down from a variety of foods, including the folic acid that is supplemented into many foods.  It is necessary to a lot of the tissue healing and energy systems of the body.   

My sister confirmed a few months ago, through her health insurance, that she does have that genetic condition, MTHFR variation, and so do her daughters.  I went and read though that article again and looked up more of the things that have been talked about since that initial information was released.   I saw there was another supplement that was simple and food-based, but that could help a little more, especially when taken in combinations.  

 

I started the second half of the equation today - two versions of the cysteine complex, taken in staggered days - one is an extra dose of the food version with Vitamin C to help it process, and the other is the actually half-digested version by itself.  It might just pass through but it might help.

 

What I hope to see improve is better wound healing and hair and nail growth. I'll hold my breath on the 'increased energy/decreased fatigue'. The first supplement, I believe, really helped to get beyond the 'what am I falling apart?' stage and strengthen the tissues from breaking as often (like bloody noses when I would sneeze, fewer of those now) and I don't dislocate quite as often just doing normal things like walking down the stairs but I still have really slow healing like bruises and cuts that take weeks to heal.