The roller coaster ride of lyme disease continues.  The appointment today went well.  We are still making good progress but there are still a few layers to go.  I'll be working on upping my dose of IS-BART and once I am down to half a bottle on it I'll be adding the IS-BAB in again.  I was told that the Babesia is a hard one to fight.  So it's expected that I'll have a bit of a downward spiral as I start back on the IS-BAB.  I'm also dealing with bacteria and a virus in my uterus and kidneys.  Of course, the co-infections I'm dealing with are a bacteria so that makes sense.  

The exciting news (because we always want to have a positive, right?) is that I am now taking an adrenal cocktail.  It's actually a pretty tasty drink that has orange juice and coconut water along with some very beneficial supplements.  So I'll be looking forward to that every afternoon.  This will give my body the support it needs to help keep the headaches and detox symptoms at bay. It will also give my adrenals extra support in the hopes that I don't have as much fatigue.  So that's a plus for sure!

My next appointment will be in 8 weeks, assuming all goes well and I don't need to go back sooner.  Today we got me fairly well set up so that I know what to add and when so that we can go a longer span.  I'm sure my bank account will appreciate that. lol

You can find the updated supplement list here. 

Today is one of those days that the water works just keep on going.  As moms we sometimes have days where it all just hits and has to be released.  This has been one of those days, and one that the lyme has definitely played it's part in.  It's really a combination of family, finances, emotions, physical pain, and (if I'm being honest) spiritual.  I need to find my balance again in all of these areas.  But last night and into today it was more about letting the tears out, sitting with my thoughts, and processing all that is going on.  Now that I have taken this time I can move forward with a more level head and make the changes that need to be made.

I don't let myself have these days often because I know that I have a good life, a good family.  But some days the pain just gets to me and then I get down on myself because of the many ways I feel lyme is holding me hostage.  I feel like a failure, like a slob, lazy, and feel like I'm letting everyone down.  Is this all reality?  No, but that doesn't mean the feelings aren't there.  And today it hit me extra hard.  I even cried over lunch because I couldn't eat what I wanted to eat.  I know, petty!  But some days it just aaaalll comes out.   And you know what?  That's ok!  In fact, it's a healthy release.  We all need time to feel what we feel, let it out, and move on.  The key is that we let it out and MOVE ON.  

So what's next?  Next is a relaxing evening, a cup of hot tea, and a good night's sleep.  Then tomorrow I will have a new day.  Now that I took the time to deal with my emotions I can move forward and be more positive.

Note, this is not a post meant to complain or as a "woe is me".  It's here so that others can see the reality of lyme disease.  I don't want to sugar coat things and people think it's an easy ride.  I want those who are dealing with it or who have a loved one dealing with it to know that some days are just extra bad.  Just because we don't vocalize our pain and our struggles doesn't mean we aren't dealing with them on the inside.  I think it's very important for us to realize that we are not alone and that it's ok to deal with these feelings.  Again, the key is that we deal with them and move forward instead of pretending it's all ok and hiding our pain.

If it's not one co-infection, it's another...or 2 or 3. My question today for my practitioner was "are there always several co-infections you deal with along the way?"  The answer was "yes".  So, here's the rundown so far of my co-infections:

I started out treating the Babesia.  We treated it early to help with some of the pain.  We are holding off on it for now because it isn't the primary one at the moment.  Remember, this is like peeling an onion so we are treating what needs it most at the moment.

Next up was Borrelia.  I'm currently treating this one.  We upped my dost today, so that's a good sign!

Number 3 is Bartonella.  Once I'm half-way through my bottle of IS-BORR (for Borrelia) I will start treatments for the Bartonella.  

We are also focusing on nutritional support (getting that gut working) and dental health.  I'm still working through the elimination diet.  I goofed a tad and rushed the past week, so I'm taking a step back and re-doing some of the food introductions to see what I'm reacting to.  One thing is for sure...there's never a dull moment when working through Lyme and an elimination diet! 

I'm on the right on track with my treatments.  I have entered the 3rd phase of the Krebs cycle which means my adrenals are getting better.  So that's a huge plus!  I still don't have a ton of energy, but I'm able to do a bit more at a time before being exhausted.

We talked about the PEMF Therapy.  It's suggested that I do it twice a week.  They are 20 minute sessions and are used to enhance the uptake of nutrients, improve sleep patterns, reduce inflammation and swelling, and increase cellular energy levels.  So that's something I will be working on getting started.

I will be completing another full moon challenge this week and hopefully that will be my last one for a bit.  I'm also still working on the elimination diet.  I'm currently on phase 2 out of 4 and things are going well so far.  One other thing I will be considering down the road is blood work that will help to pinpoint specific food allergies so that I can give my body what it needs and avoid what it doesn't.  

This visit was more of an informative visit to help me know what's coming up so that I can make decisions (financial, time, etc).  There's still a lot to take care of, but we are on the right track.  

I am also starting a supplement to help with dental health (Calcium Lactate).  I'm really hoping it will help and buy some time before I have to find a good dentist to go to.  One step at a time. ☺️

This week (Monday) I started a strict diet plan to help with inflammation and to better help my body fight the lyme disease.  I knew I needed to do the diet, but held off on it as long as possible.  I knew it would be rough getting it going, especially since I can't have coffee until phase 3 (roughly 1 month into the diet).  Monday was a bit rough. I tried to prep for it but realized there was still a lot to do.  I still had no energy to do it all.  My hubby decided to do the diet with me so that he can offer support and I won't be on my own.  So he's been good at helping me prep, especially when it comes to lunches he needs to take with him to work.

Day 3 (Wednesday) seemed to be rough on both of us.  He had a rough day at work and was maybe a bit hangry. 😂 I had a long day at co-op but managed ok.  I had to rest for about 20 min after I got home because I was exhausted.

Today is day 4 and I still have a headache and am extra achy, especially in my back and shoulders.  So I'm trying some yoga and heating pads to help.  

Thankfully I'm finding ways to fix good meals so that we don't totally go hungry.  The biggest thing is snacks during the day.  But I think we are getting the hang of it!

I'll be doing a blog post on this diet, so stay tuned for the link!

I've been pretty achy and dealing with a lot going on in my head.  I don't even know how to explain it. It's just a lot going on up there and it's uncomfortable. So today at my appointment we looked at treating Borrelia vs Babesia.  Both need to be treated, but sometimes you just can't (or shouldn't) do it all in one shot.  We determined that it's time to work on the Borrelia for now.  It's tricky to treat some of the Lyme symptoms before your body hits certain levels of healing.  But in the process you also want to treat some of the aches and pains that come along with the Lyme.  So that's what we are doing.  

We are adding a supplement to help with the Herxheimer Reaction as well.  This happens as the bacteria die off and the body goes through detox, which often includes an inflammatory reaction in the whole body.  I'm very thankful my practioner is on top of things and does her best to keep the process moving forward, taking care of what needs it at the moment, and helping to ease the unpleasant symptoms along the way.  I really can't imagine going through this process any other way.  Being able to go through this with someone who has been through it herself is comforting.

I will also be working more on my nutrition.  As a nutrition coach, you'd think it would be super simple and easy to do this for myself and my family. But the reality is that it takes a conscious effort.  So I'll be getting back to some meal planning and insuring that I have healthy meals and snacks each day.  I'll be documenting some of this journey as well.  Once I have that all in place I'll be sharing a link for it.

You can find an updated supplement list here (scroll to bottom to see newest updates).

At my last visit, we decided to take me off of one of the supplements that was treating the Babesia.  My body needed to focus on other areas first so that it would handle the treatments better.  The good news is that I know that supplement was helping.  The bad news is that I know that because I am dealing with more aches and other symptoms again and it just isn't very pleasant.

Before I found out I have Lyme, the best ways I knew to describe some of my pains was, "achy to the bone" or "my brain hurts."  I didn't realize at the time how truthful those statements were.  Some of those symptoms were getting a tad better, so I know they will be better again soon!  But in the mean time, I have to give myself pep talks to remind me that this is just temporary.  

I am feeling a bit more run-down.  Part of this could be due to a recent mother/daughter trip I took with my mom and sister.  We kept it pretty low-key, but my body still feels it.  It could also be due to the current 5-day parasite cleanse I'm on.  This cleanse is fairly mild, but the body still has to take time to process and repair.  

So, those not so pleasant bits I'm referring to...here's a little rundown of them (in hopes that it can better help someone else get to the cause of their health concerns):

foggy brain

dropsies (hard to hold small things or dropping things often)

weakness (woozy, just feeling weak in general)

brain hurts

achy bones

lack of menstrual period (far in between due to blockages)

easily tired/exhausted after small tasks

I'm sure there are some I am forgetting, but these are some of the main ones.  Of course, there could be many reasons for these symptoms, which is why I suggest going to a trusted healthcare provider to get to the core of what is causing your symptoms.  Knowledge is often times half of the battle!

This is something I have to constantly remind myself: It's not a set back.  The past week has been a bit more challenging.  I've had a headache of sorts for the past 4-5 days.  Thankfully it's manageable, it's just annoying. 😂 I've also had more achiness in my hips/mid section.  Since we are holding off on one of the supplements to help with all of this, it's to be expected that I will have a few more aches and pains during the process.  However, it's a necessary thing to do.  If my body is not removing all of the yuck at a fast enough rate, it will just build up in my body and cause even more problems.  So, yes, we put a hold on some of it but it's still progress as long as we are working on the other areas.  

I'll be completing another full moon parasite cleanse and that should help a lot!  Every time I do one I notice a difference.  One step at a time, sometimes one day at a time, we are making progress!

I'm also focusing on a healthy diet, getting a good night's sleep, and allowing myself to take breaks throughout the day.  Thankfully my kids are all teenagers and able to fend for themselves as needed.  They are also pretty good at helping me out when needed.  And, of course, my hubby has been wonderful throughout the whole process.  He has a listening ear when I need him to and he does his part to help out and give me time to heal. 💗

Today I went in telling my practitioner that there's just a bit too much going on in my head.  The pressure and discomfort aren't knocking me flat, but it is slowing me down a bit.  And, let's face it, as a wife and mother of 3 teens, life keeps me busy!  We determined that we are a bit too aggressive with the IS-BAB.  Yes, my body needs it, but there are other areas to focus on first...like parasites.  Yep, still dealing with those nasty little (sometimes not so little) guys.  So we are backing off the IS-BAB which should help relieve some of the head junk. It's one of those things that needs taken care of, but if it's done too fast it causes a bit more trouble than it's worth.  So for now we are moving things back down the body and focusing a bit more on the mid section.  The large intestines need some help still, especially with the parasites.  They also seem to be causing problems still with my ovaries.  For now, I'll deal with the join pain (which is one reason we started the IS-BAB) and tackle the rest of the mid section so that we can move forward again.

Now for the Krebs Cycle.  We have successfully moved on from stage 1 to 2 as far as my adrenals go.  So, here's to having a tad bit more energy!  I say "tad" because I still have a ways to go.  By mid afternoon I'm ready to call it a day.  But at least I'm working on getting a full 8-hrs of sleep at night so that's a big plus!  I'm also *usually* not falling asleep as I make dinner for the family in the evenings. I'd call that a win for sure!

For an updated run-down on my current supplements, click here.

When dealing with Lyme disease, there are many different co-infections you may deal with.  Babesia has been a big one for me, and it's still hanging on.  At my last visit we upped my IS-BAB dose and it threw me for a loop.  Well, now I get to work on upping it one more time.  After this I should be at my goal dosage and things should settle down a bit.  We also realized that I need a bit more adrenal support, so we added another supplement to help with it.  As for lack of clarity in my head and all the mumbo-jumbo I have been feeling from the neck up...yep, it's still there (thanks Babesia!).  But I should be seeing some relief from it soon.  

During the muscle testing I was asked if I have ever had a miscarriage that resulted in a clean-out.  I was a bit surprised as to how she knew to ask this question.  Yes, I have had one that resulted in a surgery to clean things up, but that was 15+ years ago.  Apparently the Babesia likes to attack weak areas of the body, such as scar tissue.  So that could explain why I'm still dealing with it in my ovaries.  Isn't it amazing how the body works and how one symptom can tell you so much about what is (or has) gone on in your body?!  To help with the scar tissue, I am now taking wheat germ oil.  I was told that I should actually feel it working.  That could be interesting!

We also determined that another parasite cleanse would be beneficial.  There's one that's still hanging on and it could also be protecting the Babesia.  We certainly don't want that!  So, today I started the 5-day full-moon cleanse.  Time to wipe out all that extra yuck!

My next appointment is in 2 weeks.  We are dealing with a lot right now so we want to keep up on it and make the necessary changes to help really knock this out.  I've been happy with taking the natural path for my healing.  It can seem slow at times, but it's obvious to see that my body is responding well to it all.

You can see my current list of supplements here: 

When I first started my treatments my practitioner (who has also been through this process) warned me that some parts of the treatment could knock me flat. Up until now, I hadn't noticed much of a difference.  In fact, I have even (at times) felt a tad less exhausted.  My body had been tolerating all of the upped doses and changing of supplements fairly well.  

Last week Wednesday I started on a few new supplements as well as upped my dose of IS-Bab (from 1 dropper, twice a day to 2 droppers in the morning and 1 at night).  I wasn't feeling super great, but I didn't think much of it at first.  Then on Saturday evening I started feeling weaker and a bit woozy.  I thought a good night's sleep was all I needed.  By Monday evening, I wasn't feeling any better.  My whole mind-over-matter motto wasn't working this time.  A decent night's sleep wasn't changing anything.  So I messaged my practitioner, sure that it was just a part of the process that she had warned me about.  She assured me that it was due to the upped dose and had me cut back on it for a bit.

Here's the best I can describe what I was feeling:

Yesterday I had another appointment.  It was a week earlier than originally scheduled due to some family schedule conflicts.  Since Lyme patients can be seen up to twice a week it wasn't a bad thing to go back earlier than expected.  We have been making good progress with longer times between visits (to help with finances) so we tend to stretch them out a bit.  As long as we are making good progress, all is well!

And, yes, we are making progress.  That was great news for me since I felt like we had kind of hit a stand-still.  Some days I felt a tad bit better, just enough to know things are working.  And other days I thought, "nope, we have a ways to go."  My practitioner reassured me that this is normal.  It's like a roller coaster ride.  The whole process will have its ups and downs.  As for the ways I'm feeling now, headaches (nothing new, just always underlying), fatigue, weakness, palpitations, muscle/joint pain, she said it's also normal. She said it's like dealing with malaria.  You get easily run down and just don't feel super great.  But you get so used to it that it just becomes normal for you.  Then when you have a good day, you think, "wow, I actually feel better", but, again, it's a roller coaster so that day of feeling better is often followed with several days of what has become your normal.

So, how do we know we are on the right track?  While doing the muscle testing (something reviewed at each appointment), she was able to tell that my drainage system is becoming more open.  This means that the bacteria/parasites are moving on.  Hooray!  We will continue to support the kidneys and liver, digestive system, and female organs for a bit longer.  Then we will move on to the lymphatic system.  This news was super exciting to me because some of the results of dealing with the bacteria and parasites like to show through the skin on my face.  It's like having breakouts, but it's not like the teenage acne.  It's different, red, sometimes swollen, bumpy...but nothing seems to help.  It has gotten better over the last few months of treatments.  However, it's one of the areas I feel has hit a stand still.  She noticed it too.  A lot of that is contributed to extra stress and anxiety.  Since my last visit, 2 weeks ago, I moved (a 20 mile distance that kept me going back and forth for a couple of weeks as we prepped one house and left the other), lost an uncle (suddenly of a heart attack), and lost a dear sister-in-law to her year's long fight with cancer.  To say that my body has been overly stressed and exhausted is an understatement.

We kept all of my doses the same.  However, we did talk about upping my IS-BAB to 2 droppers (the goal) but decided to hold off because it can cause some of that sluggish feeling I've been having.  When tested my body showed that it could handle the increase (which was good news), but since I'm still a bit sluggish we decided to hold off until my life settles down a bit more.  

A little side note on the IS-BAB and why it may cause sluggishness:  It helps the body go into repair mode.  So at night, while sleeping, the body kicks into gear and begins repairing the body.  Then, when it's time to wake up, it may take the body a little bit of time to get going.  Once going it's usually ok.  But since upping the dose could increase the sluggishness, now just wasn't the right time to push the body more.

We also added a temporary supplement called Calm.  It's for extra stress relief and mood support.  With all that's been going on the past couple of weeks, this was a supplement I was happy to add.

My next visit will be in 5 weeks (unless there is a need to go sooner).  I'm excited for the upcoming visit because it likely will mean moving on to the next area of treatment.  All in all, the visit was in perfect timing because it helped to reassure me that things are on the right track.  Just because I don't always feel or notice the differences doesn't mean that my body isn't starting to heal.

And one more thing to note:  the chart I shared here that shows the phases, we are now nearing the end of phase 3!  Another reason to celebrate success!

Today's appointment went well.  Things seem to be moving slow, but we are actually right on track.   There's more pain, but that's actually a good sign.  It means the parasites are clearing out and the lyme is presenting itself more, which allows us to treat it more thoroughly.  At my last visit we added IS BAB to my list of supplements.  I found out today that it is to treat the Babesia bacteria.  My body is handling it well so we took the dose up.  Our goal is to increase it to 2 droppers and I'm now up to 1 dropper.  So that's good progress!  We also added in some magnesium because it can help in several areas.  My next appointment is in 3 weeks, so we will reassess things then and talk a bit more about the upcoming treatments.

We have also been in the middle of a move.  We are redoing one of the floors (from carpet to vinyl plank) in one room and painting several rooms.  I'm sure that accounts for some of the aches and pains.  Thankfully we will be done with most of the moving this week so maybe things will slow down a tad.

You can find an updated supplement list here.

Today I had a follow up appointment with the practitioner.  We reviewed the supplements I was taking, changed doses, changed a few out, and added a few in.  I think this means we are getting into Phase 3.  She assured me that the extra aches and pains I'm having are due to the Lyme.  Once that first parasite cleanse was done, it allowed the Lyme to come through a bit more. So the good news is that the parasites are clearing out and not over-shadowing the Lyme.  The bad news is that it means I'm in more pain and will be until the Lyme is under control.  So, no pain, no gain!  

What are we doing to treat the pain?  For now, it's heating pads, warm baths, and rest.  We also added in a supplement to help support the ovaries, since that's one area the Lyme is strong in.

My energy level has still been suffering.  I usually make it until early-mid afternoon before I start slowing down.  Thankfully, I haven't been falling asleep while making dinner like I was before.  But once dinner is over, I'm usually flat out exhausted and done for the rest of the evening.  So, we changed my B12 and D supplements from a pill to a liquid so that it can give me a better boost.  

I will be doing another Full Moon Parasite Cleanse next week.  This should help clear things out even more.  Thankfully, between the parasite cleanse and taking the liquid collagen, my skin is starting to clear up.  It's much less red and less inflamed.  It's always a bonus when things like that are noticed.  It was a pretty big concern of mine before because it all shows up in my face.  So to have clearer skin is a huge bonus!

I will also start focusing more on a special dietary plan to help my body through the upcoming stages of treatment.  Thankfully I have some of it underway already due to 12+ years of dealing with special dietary needs in my family.  That makes things like this that much easier to handle!

This week has been super busy for me.  I typically have things going on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday.  But this week it has been every day, except today (Friday) and tomorrow (I hope).  It's been a week of practitioner visits (for my son), play practice for 2 of my kids, co-op, end of the year co-op planning, meeting up with friends to chat, and church services.  It's been a great week, but today I feel useless.  My brain power is shot.  Last night, after supper (which thankfully I was able to make w/out falling asleep!), I was just in a zone.  I couldn't focus to do anything productive.  Thankfully I slept well last night so I was able to get up and at least do some normal things around the house (dishes, laundry, a little work, light yoga, etc).  Now here it's mid afternoon and I find myself feeling exhausted and unable to focus.  

However, I'm grateful that I made it this far into the week without being completely run-down (though some days got close!).  I decided to give myself some grace and just let things be today.  It's ok if I'm not overly productive.  It's ok if I don't have the brain-power to knock out some amazing content for my business.  It's ok if "all I do" is the regular daily things around the house.

Giving the body time to heal is sometimes hard for me to do.  I do not enjoy sitting and doing nothing.  I don't enjoy just simply "being". But I have learned over the years to listen to my body and allow myself the time when I need it.  If I push my body too much, it will only rebel more and I'll pay for it later.  So, today I rest.  Today I am thankful to have a day at home.  Today I am thankful to "just be".

Some days it's hard to get moving, especially when I'm already achy and just getting up and down from a chair hurts.  Pain is nothing new for me.  It's literally been years since I've had a pain-free day.  However, things have been magnified this week.  It would be easy to just give in and let the pain control me.  But I refuse to go that route.  I know that in the end, I'd truly regret it.  The simple fact is this: if I continue to move my body, my flexibility will return, and even on the days with more pain, I'll still be able to move more freely. And that thought alone is enough to get me moving!

So today I took action.  I rolled out my yoga mat, pulled up my daily yoga app, and selected a restorative 5 minute routine.  Yes, 5 minutes.  You may be thinking that 5 minutes is hardly worth it.  But let me tell you, 5 minutes is better than none!  And on days that I just don't wanna, 5 minutes still seems doable.  And, you better believe I felt it!  By the end of it my arms were hurting as if I'd done some heavy lifting.  So, before you give up and decide that you don't have the time to do a form of excercise, remember this: Some is better than none!  And you can always add time to it as you ease into it.

I started off the day fairly well.  I was moving slowly, but actually made it to our weekly co-op 10 minutes early!  We stayed a little late today and, therefore, were home late for lunch.  I realized that I had forgotten to take my morning supplements.  I was also feeling more exhausted (similar to how I was feeling before I started on the supplements).  It's not uncommon for Wednesdays to wear me out.  It makes it hard to get dinner on the table and out the door for our evening Bible class.  Well, tonight I didn't make it back out the door.  I managed to make supper, but had been feeling off for a couple of hours already.  My body felt shaky, my head weak, I just felt like collapsing.  While eating supper, one of the kids was asking how I was doing and if I'd make it to class tonight.  My response was, "I don't know, because right now I feel like curling up into a ball, rocking, and crying."  I wouldn't call it an anxiety attack, but I suppose the end result of how I was feeling was more or less the same feeling.

Was this all because I didn't take my morning supplements (which included B-12)?  Was it because it's a Wednesday and co-op got the better of me?  OR could it even be because it's "that time of the month" and my body is just weak?  Chances are, it's all of the above.  Oh yay!  Oh, and one more thing that's made it a bit "off"...I can't talk. I keep stumbling over my words, my tongue gets tied.  Humorous, of course!  Frustrating, definitely!  

Here's to a relaxing bath, an herbal tea, and a good night's sleep!

It's been a long time since I've traveled much (more than 2ish hours).  This past week I was able to take a trip with my mom to visit my granny.  It was about 5 hrs (before stops) from my house.  By the end of the day I was achy all over.  Thankfully things settled down a bit and the achiness wasn't so severe for the rest of the trip, including the ride home!  

The trickiest part of the trip was remembering to take all of my supplements when I was supposed to.  I lined them up in my room so that they were visible and that helped a lot.  I also did my best to make sure I had snack foods I could enjoy that were also good for me.  Thankfully my granny is a great cook and the meals she served were wonderful!

Generally speaking, I do my best to eat right at home so that when I'm away from home the food I eat isn't as big of a deal.  I'm really not an all or nothing type of person when it comes to my diet.  I don't want my body to go into "shock" when I eat something I shouldn't (like gluten) so I still eat small amounts of it from time to time.  I think this also helps me to tolerate eating differently when I'm away from home.

Now that I'm back home, my plan is to ease into more of a nutrition plan that's suitable for Lyme Disease.  I'll be updating it along the way in the "Nutrition" tab above.  

Let me also use this moment to say that I'm working on my Nutrition Coach Certification so that I can better help other moms when it comes to special dietary needs.  I have been proactive in this area for 12+ years now.  It's been that long since my daughter was diagnosed with Hyperoxaluria...and there was NO one who could help me with it, not even a dietician we were referred to.  At the time, there was also very little information on the internet to help.  Add to that all of our food allergies, MTHFR (hubby), ATP (son), and we have quite the mix of dietary needs! 

I'm super excited to get my certification and learn even more about health and nutrition!

Yesterday was the first day in a long time that I didn't have to fight to keep my eyes open while making supper.  Yep, the struggle has been real!  There were days where I literally had to fight to keep my eyes open.  So crazy!  But I realized later in the evening that I didn't have that problem.  On top of that, I wasn't falling asleep just waiting to go to bed.  Those are 2 major times of day that I fight sleep.  

Today was another day of "wow" in that department.  We have co-op on Wednesdays until noon. I'm normally flat out exhausted for the rest of the day.  This afternoon I didn't feel it so bad.  Now it's time to make dinner and, yes, I'm tired and starting to feel it more, but that's a good 5-6 hours longer than I normally make it.  Hooray for success!!

What's helped with these changes?  I can't say exactly, but I can tell you this...I've been using liquid collagen and aloe juice for a month (today!).  I've also been on the supplements listed above for about 3 weeks now.  To say I'm excited about these small changes is an understatement!