As my story of how I handled my IPF condition progresses readers will be no doubt in need of some good news. So far from Part I to Part V, it's all pretty much been interesting background, but is any of what I have described, working? What's it doing to my body, how am I feeling and what do my results show? In this Part VI I'm going to divulge what happened upon my second and third consultations with the Naturopath and how the results fared. 

My Second Appointment

As far as chronological timeframe goes, the date of this second appointment was 18th May 2021 and I returned to see the Naturopath, with, I have to confess, a little intrepidation. Was it all worthwhile? Were my efforts in vain? What sort of progress, if any will I see.

As professional as ever the Naturopath got down to analysing about 12-15 parts (I have never listed them) of my body...

It's worth adding at this juncture that my weight had now fallen by 2 stone, since the start of the diet at the end of December/early January 2021. Not only was this positive in that the weight loss was of a good standard, but more pleasing was that it wasn't a rapid loss, and thus it was much more likely to remain off providing I was sensible. 

The first radionics result that came in was encouraging... my reading had gone from 30% to 63% (don't ask me what it was for, because I didn't record the consultancy meeting and nor did I write any of this data down...I merely listened). Indeed I listened intently to all the readings and without exception they had all improved. Some had gone from 30% to 60%, some had gone from 40's to 50's and many had crept into the 60%s from 50%s... the real icing on the cake was that one specific area had gone from 20% to 60% (an increase of 40%) within only 4 weeks of treatment. The Naturopath was thrilled and of course I was equally thrilled knowing that giving up that which I most enjoyed, but which was unwittingly doing me harm, and having to struggle through what was still a tough dietary change, was showing such great results. As you can imagine, these results and knowing that the Naturopath considered the progress to be "outstanding" was a big boost to me, my confidence, and helped cement the need to keep focusing on what I was doing right. The weight loss to contributed to a very positive outlook.

At this juncture, two things sprung to mind? The first was, if I'm only on 60% or 63% for some and 50% for others how do I reach 100% and when can I come off the supplements and restrictive diet? I asked "So, if I'm in the 50's and 60's with most of these readings how much more will it take me to reach 100% as I suspect it will become more difficult the nearer to 100% I go...?" "Ah!" Was the reply "you'll never reach 100% - for someone of your age you need only reach 70%-80%! I don't expect you to get anywhere near 100%, your body just won't allow that." Whoa! Music to my ears...my mind went fast forward to the day when not so long into the future I will hit the 70%...but to think that I was to continue to take the supplements in the same quantity for another 5 weeks was something I didn't relish.

As for 'coming off the restrictive diet and supplements? That was going to be some considerable time yet. But the good news was that my dosage of supplements had reduced from circa 36 capsules per day to to 24 per day. That was some progress but of course it also meant that upon my next, third appointment, the progress was likely to be less pronounced. This I understood and had primed myself mentally that this was going to be a slower process than I had first imagined. Having said that, I consoled myself with the thought that 'here was I having to undo literally years of unwitting dietary abuse and it had only taken four or five weeks to make a huge impact, then it shouldn't be a hardship to wait a few more sessions until I can finally claim that my body is in shape.' 

It was recommended that I buy a Himalayan Salt Pipe (yes it was alien to me too at the time) to help with clearing my lungs and with my breathing. The salt that is supplied with it, lasts about 12 months so it was a good investment at about £18.00 in total. What was unbeknown to me was that unlike coal miners who were very prone to fibrosis, salt miners never suffered from the condition. The vapours from salt are actually good for the lungs!

I left the meeting elated! My next appointment with the Naturopath was due on 29th June and with the Lung Consultant (B) at hospital on 19th July 2021 when I would also undergo a further Breathing Test.

There was little happening during the May and June period. The most notable happenings were that I was feeling good, feeling fitter, had noticed a marked difference in my stamina and was starting to regain the ability to walk without feeling tired nor out of breath. I walked down-hill to the pub a couple of times with family members and pretty much made it home (up-hill) without stopping. Previous attempts had resulted in me having to stop and take breathers two or three times en route. Now I was just able to complete the walk home without stopping...although it was slower than I had hoped. It was progress, but I didn't dwell on it as being anywhere where I wanted to be. Towards the latter end of June and again when my sin was around, I was up a step ladder trimming hedges. A task that I had never have attempted for the past three years since my heart attack in August 2018! Clearly I was improving and my family had noticed the improvement. (By the way, before you ask, yes I still go to the pub regularly but I haven't touch a drop of alcohol since before 22nd April. Much to the amusement of my social buddies I order water for every round.) I don't miss alcohol...and the rounds are cheaper!

Fast forward to 29th June and my third appointment with the Naturopath.

The Third Appointment

As I outlined earlier, my supplements had been reduced in dosage, and as such I wasn't expecting such marked results. This was to be the case, but there were still some pleasant surprises to come.

The usual radionics readings took place. "Ah you have a throat irritation" the Naturopath stated. Yes. Indeed I had. I put it down to the Himalayan Salt Pipe, but who knows what it was at that time. Two readings relating to my throat had fallen. Only by 2% from 50% to 48% for one reading but this was disappointing. The Naturopath was unperturbed and dismissed it as exactly what it was, an irritation and that we'd monitor it over the next sessions. A 2% fall wasn't earth shattering. What was more encouraging was the fact that my entire heart structure (not just my heart - but the entire structure supporting my heart frame), was much improved and very strong. Further, all other readings had improved again, some by small margins but more so about 5 of those body readings were now in the 70%s...hey I had hit my target on 5 of my readings! Of those which had improved, the other 5 or 6 were all between 63% and 69%... it wasn't going to be too long before I could claim the scalp of all targets!

This was great news indeed, and although it wasn't, as expected, as pronounced as the previous (second) session it was nonetheless incredibly positive. My entire regime of i) changing diet, ii) taking the recommended supplements and ii) coming off the (traditional pharma) heart medication, and countering that with a good diet and suitable supplements was having a profound effect...as demonstrated by my next paragraph. 

By the time of this appointment, my weight had reduced by 2 stone 7lbs.

Profound Progress (and a word or two about exercise.)

Naturally, many readers will have assumed that I have been incredibly physically active...and regular and concerted exercise has played a big part of this great progress over the past months. You couldn't have been more wrong. The honest truth of the matter is that I had ballooned so much that my stamina and breathing difficulties somewhat constrained me in doing too much physical. When, mentally, you know it's not going to be enjoyable, and you don't have the breathing capability to cope with much then one tends to switch off to treadmills, exercise bikes or even walking. 

About five months earlier, and prior to any diagnosis or consultation with the Naturopath, my condition was so bad that I was breathless having climbed the stairs of the house. Dizziness played its part and weight was the greater obstacle. A few small events (or should I say every day occurrences) which I undertook, convinced me that I was 'in trouble'. My son and his partner encouraged me to walk down the road to the local pub. We had a drink or two and meal and started the journey home...all up hill. It was only a quarter of a mile...but as I say it was uphill. I stopped twice. I couldn't go on and my son had to get the car to take me home. Lightbulb Moment One. We repeated this exercise the following week and again twice I had to stop but this time no car was required. But a walk of 7 or 8 mins turned into 20 minutes. Lightbulb Moment Two.

Around that time I was asked by a client to attend a venue in a park. I knew the venue location well, indeed I knew the park well, and I walked the 500/600 yards downhill to the venue without issue. Well, it was downhill! The return walk however was a different story. Again I had to stop and rest on benches twice - hell it's only 500/600 yards!! Lightbulb Moment Three! I had to undertake the same visit to the park a second and third time but that was a little later after having started the naturopathy treatment and I could sense a tiny improvement...only one stop. 

Following my third appointment with the Naturopath and with renewed confidence I again went to the pub for a meal with my son and his girlfriend. The return walk uphill was without incident. No breathlessness, no stopping, no pausing, nothing. I walked straight home with no detrimental effects. 

That week I had to return to the same venue in the park. Some 500/600 yards downhill. This time I didn't stop. I continued the walk further in to the park and down another slope and then a third slope...down to a cafe. Since I have stopped tea and coffee in my diet I only ever partake in water or herbal teas. A herbal tea and a quick chat with the owner, and I was back in the park tackling the much longer walk - nearer half to three quarters of a mile, all up a gradual incline. I made it in one session with no breathlessness, no tiredness and no huffing and puffing (indeed I felt so strong I could have continued on when I reached the road and my car). This was a major breakthrough. 

My next quest was to tackle lay at the top of my road. As I have mentioned I live on a sloping road and I still have a steeper element of about 400 yards to cover to reach the junction. Turn right and then left and one is faced with a further slope with a much more severe gradient. About 1 in 4. One evening when the weather was good but cool I decided to tackle it. Reaching the top of my road was a breeze. Tackling the steeper gradient was a different challenge. I got half way up and stopped to check my Fitbit - my heart rate had raced to 124. This was 13 points over that which was safe for me, according to my heart consultant. In a split second I had to make a decision, to push on or the turn around defeated and return down the hill. By this time I had stopped for no more than 30 seconds. I pushed on. Of course once I got over the brow, it was literally downhill all the way back and I had finally broken the spell which I felt hung over me. 

The icing on the cake was however to come a week or so later. The weather was great - not too hot and not too cool...good walking weather. Following a disused railways track which had now been converted for walkers and cyclists I decided to walk to a pub/restaurant have lunch and walk back. It was 2 miles each way. The walk there was easy although appeared never ending. A salad lunch later and I was back on the track walking a slight incline for the 2 miles back. I did it. I slumped my tired body in the car. It wasn't a matter of breathlessness as I'd expected but more tiredness of the legs. I'd even done a detour into the woods on the return journey to find the old disused brickworks where as a kid I had spent many a day fuelling a vivid imagination. Yes, about 4 months/5months earlier I could barely walk up the stairs in the house. This particular day I had walked 4 miles! This was a remarkable turn around...and gave me some slender boasting rights at the pub, with my friends who'd been there most of the afternoon. The sense of achievement was immense. I slept well that night.

As this story has unfolded so far, I have been relating the event as they have occurred in the past, but with one more post we will be up to date with my current progress. The next stage of the story takes me back to Hospital (B)  to undertake a further Breathing Analysis test and immediately after a further consultation with Lung Consultant (B) to discuss which of the two traditional medications I was to commence for my 'deteriorated' IPF condition. Check back what happened...

 

Having discovered on the telephone, by accident, that I had contracted Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) I was faced with a three week delay to see the Lung Consultant (B) for the official diagnosis. In the meantime, and unbeknown to the Lung Consultant (B), I had engaged the services of a specialist and very experienced Naturopath. I was put on a rigorous diet and a programme of natural supplements and I commenced the treatment as soon as the supplements arrived. In Part IV of this story I'll take you through the meeting with Lung Consultant (B). From a timeline perspective all these events from Part III to date occurred within one month, April 2021. 

Without wishing to be unkind, I could have conducted the interview of me, myself. Meaning, I could have written the script! I make no judgement of Lung Consultant (B). He was accompanied by two Senior Nurses. I guess that's in case I become unruly and start throwing objects about the room in response to the news he was about to impart. 

Of course, I had done some homework, so I knew exactly what he was intending to say. Nonetheless, he moved very quickly to show me the results of a previous CT scan which I had done in preparation for my appointment and yes, indeed the scan did show signs of scarring on my lungs. It was explained to me that the scarring would deteriorate over time and that it would eventually spread to such an extent that it would impair my breathing. At this time I would have to rely on oxygen tanks and eventually it would prove so bad that nothing could be done. In summary, the Lung Consultant (B) confirmed everything I'd read and that "it is irreversible, incurable and that on average I'd have about 2 years left, although some individuals go on beyond 2 years but rarely more than five years." They have no cure, but they can slow the progress down with one of two medications...Pirfenidone and Nintedanib. I knew nothing of either of these medications and didn't even research them prior to the appointment, other than I got as far as "there is no cure" on the NHS website. But to give readers a flavour of what was in store, should I go this route, I'll relay what was on the NHS website. 

Pirfenidone

Pirfenidone helps to slow the development of scarring in the lungs by reducing the activity of the immune system.

It's normally taken as capsules 3 times a day.

It's recommended if breathing tests have shown your lung capacity is 50 to 80% of what would normally be expected.

If your condition gets worse despite taking pirfenidone and your lung capacity falls by 10% or more within a year, the medicine will usually be stopped.

Side effects of pirfenidone can include:

• feeling sick
• tiredness
• diarrhoea
• indigestion
• a rash caused by exposure to sunlight

For more information, see the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on pirfenidone for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Nintedanib

Nintedanib is a newer medicine that can also help slow down scarring of the lungs in some people with IPF.

It's normally taken as capsules twice a day.

Like pirfenidone, it may be used if you have a lung capacity 50 to 80% of what would normally be expected, and should be stopped if your lung capacity falls by 10% or more in a year while taking it.

Side effects of Nintedanib can include:

• diarrhoea
• feeling and being sick
• tummy (abdominal) pain
• loss of appetite and weight loss

For more information, see the NICE guidelines on Nintedanib for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

I was basically told a quick summary ie. one medication gives you 'the runs' (Nintedanib) and the other (Pirfenidone) screws up your skin and you'll have to wear 'factor 50' cream when you go out. 

You'll see that both medications state that "it may be used if you have a lung capacity 50 to 80% of what would normally be expected" - the Lung Consultant (B)'s view was that practically they don't usually prescribe either of the medications if the lung capacity is 75% or over. Mine was 74%. It was borderline, and in fairness to Lung Consultant (B) he stated that he didn't want to stuff drugs in me where they weren't completely necessary and that he proposed that I wait three months, have a further consultation, and then depending upon the results of my next breathing test, we'll decide how far my lung capacity has deteriorated and I can choose whichever of the medications I'd prefer. It was a fair and reasonable approach as far as I was concerned as to be honest, I hate the medical apparatus which they use for the Breathing test and my poor previous performance could be put down to the struggle I have with it. That said, it was music to my ears that I wasn't to start the treatment immediately.

I enquired about the cause of my IPF and they were and still are at a loss. This was my opportunity to raise the subject of my heart medication and the Serious Side Effects (see Part III) of the two pills I had been taking for 2.5 half years and it was quickly dismissed as "No, no, no - that's very rare!" Of course in order for it to be listed as a Serious Side Effect, someone must get it! That 'someone' could be me and so it cannot be discounted. I suggested that perhaps the heart medication wasn't the correct type and again it was discounted although as a rider, Lung Consultant (B) stated "Well, I suppose it won't do any harm to come off them for a few days and see how it goes".

What he should have said, is "I'll contact your cardiologist and speak to him about the medication." He didn't and this gave me an opportunity to at least try an alternative approach. Of course, I'm not completely dumb in that I know that if I have been taking medication daily for two and a half years then merely "coming off for a few days" is going to make sod all difference. I need to be off them for at least 3 or 4 weeks to allow my system to clean through, a bit like detoxing. My appointment over I left with leaflets on the medication in hand and a new appointment to be made three months hence.

Three days later, and in light of the knowledge I had learned from my Naturopath regarding the efficacy (or lack of) of the Bisoprolol and Simvistatin, I stopped my heart medication, including Aspirin. This was 25th April 2021. I already possessed a blood pressure unit which read my heart rate as well as blood pressure, an oxymeter for my oxygen and heart rate and a fit bit for my heart rate and I intended to regularly check my readings, and my cholesterol would be checked by my Naturopath. If you are thinking it was a dumb choice by me, then you need to understand that my Naturopath was aware of my intentions and some of the supplements she prescribed were designed to strengthen my heart, my heart structure and assist with my cholesterol, but besides I was already two weeks in to my Naturopathy programme and the associated rigorous diet. 

I was comfortable with my decision and I started to monitor my readings.

 

In Part V of the story, I take you through some of the meals I prepared during my rigorous diet and how I started to change my lifestyle. So check back to discover what I was eating, drinking and how it affected my approach to food, and life.

In order to continue the story in its chronological order I feel it's important that I share with you some of the meals that I ate during the early stages of the dietary programme set by the Naturopath. Sometimes the most difficult decision of the day was and still is "What the hell can I eat tonight?" So Part V of the story takes you through some of those decisions, and how I kept on the straight and narrow, when I really wanted to pig out on something unhealthy. And don't worry if I have addressed your concerns and all the meals in this post, I will be continuing on the meals theme throughout the blog, from here onwards...at least this Part V gets you started on that road.

Before I get too far into this post, I'm not going to pretend this was an easy programme to which I had to adjust. It was far from easy. There were times when I wanted to give up and there were times whether I doubted if the programme would do me any good and I questioned if this restrictive diet (which was really to, unnoticeably, become a lifestyle change) was going to save me from the inevitable and if I'd be better off spending the next 2 years merely enjoying myself eating anything I'd like...after all, if I'm going to go early, then it should be on my terms. But for someone with such a positive attitude through life, that seemed defeatist and it's not what my family would want, no matter what a pain in the backside I am to them. Like many when faced with a terminal illness you question your sanity and the logic. So I'm the first to admit that in the early days, when I felt like sh*t and couldn't face the prospect of another salad or having to think "What can I have tonight?" I felt a strong urge to go off the dietary rails. It's natural to experience this feeling...so no apologies from me and, there should be no apologies from you if you too are a sufferer and you experience similar feelings.

It's important too that I tell you at this juncture, that I suffer from no food allergies (of which I'm aware), and so 'coming off' certain foods is only temporary and also a 'life choice'....ie. choose to live by the best means possible. I went to the consultation with the Naturopath, duly paid my fee, had my thorough White Light Radionics body analysis, and was given or prescribed the programme. The decision was entirely mine as to whether I adopted the programme or I chose to ignore it. I chose the former. The first port of call was the internet to purchase the supply of supplements for this 'emergency' programme. Given that the supplements alone came to £250+ on top of the consultation fee, it sort of focusses one's mind on how serious one is about the programme. I had learned that my body was too acidic and apart from knowing that drinking lemon juice and water helped change it to alkaline, I wasn't too au fait with what else I needed to do nor which supplements were best to achieve the quickest response. Giving up at the start point, having already lost 1 stone 7lbs, would seem futile and as I said to myself "What cost do I put on my life?" The decision was made, and I decided that if I was going to do the programme then I couldn't do it half-cock! For me it was an all or nothing and it was at this stage that my mental resolve kicked in and I became 150% committed to making this programme work. 

As a training consultant of thirty years experience in and out of the corporate world, I knew enough about goal setting and the need to set myself reachable, and measurable goals - in small manageable chunks. My goals weren't so much written down (and despite what I just said, I recommend that you DO indeed write your goals down), but they were clear, achievable and measurable. I'd start with the weight...

I knew that if I could reduce my weight to a more reasonable level then I'd give my lungs a fighting chance to recover. As I stated earlier, I was 17 stone 7lbs at the Christmas 2020 and I'd already started the process. My goal was/still is to reach 13stone 7lbs (that will represent an overall loss of 4 stones.) However secretly I'm aiming lower...13 stone. I am confident it is achievable and you'll discover how I do later in the story. Of course this is a long term goal and the only successful way to achieve this overall target is to do it in bite size pieces... a few lbs at a time until I reach 7lbs. Then on to the next 7lb target. By building on a few lbs at a time the entire target soon gets closer and each small target reached is incentive to keep going. Not only can I feel the weight coming off but also with each 7lbs (half a stone), I feel fitter. 

If you recall from Part III of the story, my new regime recommended by the Naturopath went beyond that diet which I'd prepared for myself in December...as a salient reminder it was as follows...(and it's quite a challenge)

No Grains - nothing made from grains (no bread, cakes, pastries etc - not even gluten free!)

No Dairy - i.e. no milk, creams, cheese etc but Almond milk is okay and Coconut Milk

No Tea (Breakfast tea - I'm allowed herbal teas) No Coffee and No Alcohol

No Sugars nor artificial sweeteners - honey is permitted

No Vinegar - regular vinegar that is (one or two of the others are ok but I stay away from them if I can)

 

So what did and do I eat?

Well, the first thing I did was to buy a juicer! I already had a food processor with a liquidiser attachment so I was half way there, but a juicer was missing from my range of kitchen gadgets. I purchased an expensive workhorse which is described as a 'masticating juicer' as a nutritionist friend recommended such due to the fact that it produces on average a further 50% more juice than other versions. 

Juicer instructions read and understood, next was to juice lemons and oranges...oranges for the daily Vitamin C and lemons for my hot water and lemon drinks which I was to consume throughout the day...this was part of my aid to transforming my body from acidic to alkaline. Practical Tip: After a while I decided to juice the lemons in bulk and to freeze the lemon juice in ice cube trays, form cubes, and store them in the freezer for daily use...this saves me having to keep juicing lemons on an almost daily basis and keep re-washing the juicer for each fruit or vegetable used. 

Breakfast: consists of a few different meal/dishes depending upon whether I have been shopping or what's in the fridge. Generally the options are as follows:

Fruit Smoothies - base fruit is always banana, with one of a variety of choices from blueberries, raspberries, mango, red berries, blackberries or strawberries...To those two ingredients I add coconut milk or almond milk. or as a back up natural yoghurt, never low fat. (I'm not one for vegetable smoothies but I do understand the health benefits.) - the smoothies can be consumed plain or if you wish, some crushed pistachios sprinkled on the top will go down well and are very nutritious.

Semi Cooked Breakfast - this usually consists of poached egg(s), smoked salmon, and avocado. Sometimes the avocado is substituted with baby asparagus, or even baby broccoli. No toast as I can't have grains. 

Full Cooked Breakfast - a herb omelette with a slice of bacon...sometimes I add semi-roasted tomatoes which I have usually prepared maybe 24 hours in advance. I prefer the semi-roasted style as the tomatoes become more intense in terms of flavour. In addition it allows me to add a further herb in oregano and maybe a little garlic. 

Right now I'm going through a smoothie phase and out of 7 days, 5 of those will be fruit smoothies of one variety or another. 

Lunch: I started the programme religiously sticking to three meals a day. That was unusual for me. Having lived abroad in Spain and being self employed I lived on breakfast, tapas and one main evening meal. Having returned to the UK to care for my aged father I found myself not only eating three meals a day but often over cooking the dishes and consuming more than was necessary. For the past year however I have returned to a regime of Breakfast and either a very late but decent lunch. or grabbing a bite at lunchtime, and a more substantial meal in the evening. Either way I'm not eating three full meals and to be honest I'm not missing a three meal lifestyle. What is important to me now is i) I'm eating the right foods to benefit my intended goals of weight loss and fitness and ii) that whatever I put on my fork or spoon I am going to enjoy it. 

Salads: Without doubt if I'm going to have a meal at lunchtime, however late, it's going to be a salad of some sort. The base ingredient will most often be fish of some variety...from smoked mackerel, tuna, tinned sardines in olive oil (the oil is important - I always go for the olive oil and not the sunflower oil), crab meat, or smoked salmon.

The salads will vary from the usual kos lettuce, and few tomatoes and cucumber and will lean heavily on 'greens'. As I create it I have more of a crude Caesars Salad in mind. Salad leaves (a variety of leaves is fine and makes it more interesting - spinach leaves are good too), cucumber, spring onion, plenty of herbs and especially basil, which I always seem to have in abundance, radish, avocado, green beans (cooked but left to go cold), and flaked smoked mackerel. Anchovies (preferably the white and not brown salted variety) are traditionally used in Caesar's salads but you can use whichever you wish. No croutons (no grains don't forget) and no shavings of parmesan (no dairy). The dressing is usually straight olive oil but I do make my own version of French dressing with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), a touch of either balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt and black pepper...shaken not stirred as 007 would have said. Having lived in Spain where the tomatoes are so flavoursome (bought from a street market where the seller is a small holding owner, and not the supermarkets) a Tomato Salad is a meal in itself. Chopped raw tomatoes with garlic, sea salt, a few scattered herbs and EVOO is perfect. If you can get hold of different varieties of tomatoes to make it both colourful and even more flavoursome, then I highly recommend you do so. Alternatively a Bean Salad could consist of a combination of beans, cannellini, chick pea, red kidney beans to accompany with tuna, tomatoes, sliced red onions and again a sprinkling of garlic....and EVOO dressing. If you have guests then sharing a Cobb Salad is a great way to get everyone involved...and traditional Cobb Salads even look great assuming you keep to the rules. Finally, for the moment in the salad range a Salad Nicoise, made with either tuna or chicken goes down well. If not a salad then subject to time constraints and the weather a quick soup, previously made in advance and housed in the freezer makes a good and substantial lunch...and strictly no grains! 

Evening meal: I've deliberately called it an evening meal rather than dinner as the term 'dinner' can be so more formal. This isn't necessarily formal, unless you wish it to be...

For me, I'd again go straight for the fish...Salmon fillet ideally from a fishmonger. The issue with salmon is that much of the product sourced in supermarkets is farm raised and not wild. If you can find wild and you are prepared to pay the extra premium then that's what I'd recommend. If you are in a small supermarket which has no fish counter (and those are becoming more rare by the day) then there aren't the knowledgeable people around to ask. Most supermarket staff stack shelves and don't necessarily know anything about the products. At least with a fishmonger you can ask, where and when it was caught, and determine if it is wild or farmed. To accompany the salmon I'd include any of asparagus, spinach (raw or cooked - raw is more beneficial), tender broccoli stems, mange tout, snap peas, leeks, or basically anything nutritious and green, punctuated with chopped herbs. More often than not I'd exclude potatoes...unless a have a few summer new potatoes, but then only literally three or four cut in half to look like more! As for a sauce or dressing? I'd maybe put a little horseradish on the side or failing that just a squeeze of lemon and EVOO. 

Sardines, either fresh or from a tin are another great core ingredient and I'll happily eat my way through a tin of these with semi-roasted Provencal tomatoes, hot or cold. If you are looking for a great tasty potato accompaniment then I'd recommend 'Patatas a la Pobre' - Poor Man's Potatoes. This is a Spanish dish of sliced potatoes (usually peeled although I have left the skins on if I'm using new potatoes), with slices of white onions, and slices of green bell pepper. Cooked slowly in olive oil. (By the way if you are cooking with olive oil, always cook with the cheaper versions, not with the EVOO.) Cook the potatoes until they are soft, and usually there's enough oil in the pan to cover the potatoes. Let them colour on the edges if you wish but don't cook as if you are frying/sautéing them.  

Other evening meals could consist of chicken (for me no more than say 4 oz/112 gm per meal)...including a roast to share with family, providing you don't eat the chicken skin. Make the gravy from a little vegetable stock from that which you have boiled and the juices of the chicken - I'm not against the gravy stock cubes and you can use them if you wish but remember that many contain processed additives which you don't need in your life. 

Eating Out: Of course this dietary restriction can be a little hard to bear and you may think that it will curtail you ability to dine out and enjoy yourself. Not so. What you need to do is to undertake a bit of research regarding venues and their menus. Admittedly most venues offer similar dishes but if you look hard enough then you can more often or not find something that works for you. For example: a particular French restaurant near me has a pretty exhaustive menu, and my meal was made up from both the vegan menu items and the normal menu. From the vegan menu, (and no I'm not vegan and nor will I ever be) a traditional vegetable soup. From the main menu fillets of hake on a bed of lentils and coriander sauce, with roasted tomatoes and a small swirl of potato.

The key for me (and maybe you too) to keep this dietary regime going is to understand that for every meal you stick rigorously to the diet, the closer you are to achieving full health. None of the foods which I'm not permitted within this strict diet cause any allergic reaction in me, but they do represent a set back should I deviate away from what you have been advised to eat. It reminds me of when I was in a hospital canteen and a huge (I mean huge -  about 20 stone) nurse sat on the table opposite devouring a large iced bun. I overheard her say to a friend "Yeah I know I'm supposed to be on a diet but this one doesn't count!" That's the problem they all count and they all hurt...they clearly just keep setting her back from becoming healthy. Eventually poor health and illness will overtake the progress of dietary improvement and one's efforts will all have been in vain.  

Dietary change is to be looked upon not as a chore or something to hate...it should be looked upon as your life saviour and maybe just the very change which is going to save your life. 

In Part VI of this journey discover how my second and third appointments went with the Naturopath and find out whether my programme made any difference over the first four or five weeks, and then onwards to my tenth/eleventh week of progress.  

 

Welcome to Part III of my story regarding my having developed Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and how I'm still tackling it. So far in Parts I & II, I have given you the background into how I first heard of my life shortening condition and now in Part III I'll recount what action I took.

But before I go too much further, let me give a brief recap. At this particular stage in the journey all I knew is that I had been told by a Senior Nurse on the phone, "we want to start your treatment" and upon questioning "for what exactly?" I was informed that I had IPF. I had no idea what it was nor the ramifications of having developed it - I was ignorant of the illness. 

First port of call, of course, is the internet...

My internet research findings

I'll keep this as short as I can. During my internet searches I found two things. The first was that it was confirmed that this was an incurable, irreversible condition which gave me a window of 2 to 5 years left to live depending if I were to successfully respond to the little treatment on offer, which was designed to merely 'slow it down' and delay the inevitable. It listed possible causes as being a smoker, working in mines or some such industry, or being exposed to asbestos. I qualified for none of those scenarios...hence the condition was named 'Idiopathic' i.e. of unknown cause.

My internet searches then took me on a slightly different path and I researched my heart medication side effects. The list of usual side effects were listed and I know these well, but clicking further to drill down on the subject on the NHS website I uncovered (rare) Serious Side Effects of both Bisoprolol and Simvistatin which were not listed in the medical paperwork which accompanied the medication, as the very symptoms from which I was suffering i.e. Shortness of breath, Dry cough, and Wheezing indicating a lung problem. Both pills recorded the exact same serious side effects, and matched the exact  symptoms of IPF! I can in no way say categorically that the pills have caused my condition without further medical analysis, but I wouldn't rule it out either, and what I can say is that this medication which I had been taking for 2.5 years certainly wasn't assisting my overall recovery and may well have been exacerbating my condition from the start. At least this discovery was more feasible than any of the alternatives I had read, i.e. smoking (I never have), mining (I never have) and exposure to asbestos (I never have).  

When you're faced with the words (verbal or written in print on a website) "It's incurable, it's irreversible and it's life shortening" the immediate reaction is that of numbness. Thoughts of your family and leaving them behind rush through your mind like you are expecting something fatal to happen tomorrow. How am I going to tell them, what am I going to tell them, how can I handle this? OMG! What am I going to do? My appointment with Lung Consultant (B) was scheduled for about three weeks hence, and I had three weeks to research and get used to the news before being told the 'official' diagnosis. I also had three weeks to go before I needed to break the news to anyone, if I was ever to do that. Sometimes one thinks, "I'll keep it to myself and I won't tell my kids." Then there are days when you need to tell someone if only to unburden yourself and your mind. And then of course there is the need for understanding, support and if necessary, planning for your demise...should your condition become rapidly worse and you go down-hill quickly. In addition, being able to talk about it openly has a sort of cathartic aspect, in that you can more easily face the future (even though at this juncture it looks bleak) and the more people are used to it then the more they will understand your behaviour should it change as a result of this bad news. Having said all that, there is a need to remain calm and rational if you are going to manage this and any chance of recovery.

For me personally, I felt I needed to plan. Not for my death, but I have contracts with a number of small businesses who reply on my skills for some of their business success -  so the planning was more in the form of 'business contingency'. Two clients in particular sprang to mind as they are both local and one in particular with whom I have worked closely for a number of years, would have to re-think the future of their business such was the dependence upon my skills. The other business contract was, I knew, coming to a mutually agreeable end as I had fulfilled my side of the client's requirement to help get them over the hill during COVID lockdowns etc and the owner was now much more hands-on regarding the technical side of the systems we'd introduced. We remain close friends, I'm there should he need me, and it frees up time for me to concentrate on doing a few more things I want to do, whilst I still have limited time. 

With my main client, this was a different situation. We have been there for each other in times of great difficulty. My client stood by me during my heart attack and recovery from my quadruple heart by-pass and I was there for her when she was unexpectedly rushed into hospital and under went three life saving operations in three weeks, and the necessary recovery thereafter. Little did I know at the time that it would be due to her that I would look at an alternative approach to my health solution which could save my life and without which this blog would not be written. 

The first glimmer of hope... and an alternative approach

I first broke the news to my sons... and it wasn't easy. There's no easy way to tell anyone that you have been diagnosed with a life shortening illness. But ever the optimist I explained that I wasn't giving up and that I'd fight it....I didn't know how but I knew I would fight it. Breaking it to my sons was a little more complicated for me than for some because my eldest works abroad and we haven't been able to meet up face-to-face since January 2019 when he departed the UK...we have however kept in touch and I have advised him of my progress at each step of the process. My youngest son I see regularly and was one reason why I never returned to live abroad. 

Having broken the news to both my main UK clients, it was suggested by main client (whom incidentally was shattered by my news) that I make an appointment with a particular 'Naturopath' who had a great reputation for success. The Naturopath was based locally and in my frame of mind, "Anything was worth a shot!". An appointment was booked at short notice and I attended the session knowing nothing about the Naturopath nor what was expected of me nor me of her. By this time my change in diet was working and I'd lost about 1 stone 7lbs, so something was going in the right direction and it gave me some level of confidence. 

What I was told was that the Naturopath was/is an ex GP who decided to stop pumping pharma drugs into people and she'd been practicing Naturopathy for some 40+ years...with great success. She practiced in a number of treatments including as a Nutritionist and a specialist Osteopath, so I had the confidence that she understood the body and how it behaves. I'd long gained the impression, especially when caring for my elderly father in his latter days, that for GPs illness was much more Pharma/drug driven whereby if they didn't have a drug for the ailment then there wasn't a solution....they also know elementary nutrition which I can be found in any book on basic nutrition. I had also been awoken by my research into the COVID debacle and the vaccines propaganda and the track record of fraudulent Pharma companies which alerted me to the fact that there could well be an alternative approach to managing my illness. It is also worth mentioning too that having lived in the Far East and the Middle East and worked in North African countries, I was familiar with a market in natural remedies through Chinese herbs and Middle Eastern spices but had never really taken a detailed look into that area. Since returning to live in Swansea however I had contacts with Chinese medicinal consultants both locally and in London, but for no reasons which were personal to me. Some internet surfing I had done in the past had revealed that some 60+ Naturopaths/Holistic specialists/Homeopaths had all mysteriously died between 2015 and 2017 in the USA, and such circumstances can never be put down to coincidences. It just doesn't happen like that! Anyway, I was prepared to give the Naturopath a chance as 'what did I have to lose?' 

Attitude

I can't go any further in this story without mentioning the subject of mental attitude. I have long been an advocate for developing a very positive mental state i.e. in my book there's no such word as 'can't'. This stood me in great stead when I was on the road in sales for the bank...and it helped determine my success in everything I have ever addressed, especially in business. Since I had returned to the UK however, a negative cloud had hung over me (the UK's culture no longer fits in to my psyche) and it was difficult to shake off. [I won't go into the whys and wherefores - it's an inappropriate subject here]. I needed something, however small that I could pin some hope on for the future and I wasn't sure from where it would appear. Just hearing that an experienced Naturopath was prepared to meet with me, was the spark to light the fire of hope and positivity, after having researched such upsetting news. By the time my appointment arrived my mental state was hugely positive and this was also augmented by the fact that my weight loss plan was working. 

Had I approached this appointment with sceptical views, a closed and negative mind this blog wouldn't be written and I owe much of my progress (read on) to the incredible belief I have that I will overcome this condition and I will prove the Lung Consultants (A) and (B) wrong! My positive frame of mind is also the one element that has got me, and still gets me, through having to stick to routines that I would have previously found alien and often uninspiring. 

Naturopathy

I'm not qualified enough to go into this subject in depth but I do learn daily about new areas (to me) of naturopathy and especially nutrition. In addition I must stress, this isn't a novel and so I will refrain from describing the Naturopath in full other than to say, she was highly professional calm, gave me the confidence which I was seeking in order to help me tackle my IPF condition. From the very moment I met her, I had and still have the utmost faith in her ability and I trust her entirely to do the right thing for me - I can't say the same about the general medical practices with which I have been in contact, other than one or two individuals. Clearly she has heard it all before over a 40+ year career and I was just as likely repeating that which other IPF patients had divulged. I was assured that she could "put me right but there were changes to be made if I was to recover from this condition." This alone gives one hope. The words 'recover from this condition'? Did she really mean that? Yes. She did. She had/has successfully treated other IPF sufferers with success and they were/are out and about with full lung capacity and undertaking all manner of physical activities. Of course we are all different and I hadn't heard the official diagnosis of my condition from the hospital practitioners, so the Naturopath was working blind on me. Nevertheless it was the first sign of any hope that anyone had offered me. 

White Light Radionics

Yes, it was alien to me too! And when you read this you'll be convinced that not only am I completely barking mad, but that I should be certified, and you may even call the men in white costs on my behalf. But...please bear with me...and as I said earlier 'approach this with an open mind' and safe in the knowledge that the practitioner in this case has 40+ years of experience in this field. In other words, 'Have faith!' (Naturally, I would resist the men in white coats!). 

I'll try and keep this simple...Radionics theory builds on the premise that all living things including plants, animals and humans radiate energy.  Healthy cells emit a different energy or 'frequency' to unhealthy cells. It's the practice of 'tuning in' to these unique frequencies, a bit like tuning a radio to a station, to identify energy and any irregularities occurring during ill health. 

Typical analysis utilises a sample of a patient's hair. The individual's cell frequency is checked for any disharmony and results reveal specific misalignments or point to areas that might be affected and require further attention. 

Attending a white light radionics consultancy session is undoubtedly bizarre, but from my experience and I gather from many others, it works...and as I have stated previously "What do I have to lose?" The recommended remedies are in my case all natural and no drugs are involved....so the 'side effects' should be low and not adverse....and shouldn't interfere with my heart medication. Indeed the side effects to natural remedies is purely the fact that your body hasn't previously been exposed to these supplements and your body is telling you "Hey, what's this you have put in me?"

Illnesses

Indeed I read recently that the reason for any illness is the 'abuse of the body'. Of course some of that abuse is unavoidable, or accidental as we know no better, and much is down to eating the wrong foods...especially processed food products, and then lack of exercise. If you put s**t food into your body then, sorry, but there are going to be consequences i.e. side effects. More recently I have heard the term (in relation to COVID vaccine adverse side effects) "Oh that's the vaccine working!" No, this in my humble opinion is your body telling you "this is an alien substance you have just taken in and I don't like it!" Just as if you get food poisoning your body tells you "Hmmm, wish you hadn't eaten that because it's not natural and now I have to make you pay!"  Of course it's far more complicated than that but with my simple explanation I think you get the gist.

Back to Naturopathy

I was told on my first session in mid April by my Naturopath that my body was too acidic and that I'd have to change it rapidly to alkaline. I knew about this but hadn't realised that the particular foods I was eating were causing my body to become acidic as I had thought I understood some elements of food production and digestion. Oh boy I have so much more to learn. I was also aware that if one's body is in an alkaline state that cancers cannot spread as the cells can't easily reproduce in an alkaline body. This fact has been borne out by a great friend of mine who having had stage four cancer, had changed his diet to create an alkaline body and he's never had any re-occurrence, whereas those cancer sufferers who continue to unwittingly eat poor food can often see a return of the cancer. But I'm not the expert and I am only relating my observations. Incidentally, it's amazing how much we don't know about our food and how much of what we buy has already been processed but appears to be unprocessed. (More on that later.)

During the White Light Radionics session the Naturopath told me that my heart medication was ineffective - one pill (Bisoprolol) was 20% efficacy and the other (Simvistatin) only 48% efficacy. She has an approximate cut off of 50% i.e. anything below, one has to ask, "Why are you taking it? Do you really need it? What's it doing for you?" and anything above then "Ok, it maybe working and doing it's job" But in my case, as I had discovered that both could have been causing my IPF condition or at least exacerbating it I was asking the question "Do I need this?" It was left that I would ask the GP and/or Lung Consultant (B) about the medication I was already taking, but that my body would probably be better if I wasn't taking pills which were ineffective.

The analysis of my body continued and there were certain areas that needed addressing in order to return my body to a balanced state. One area which required attention were my kidneys (I was all too often dehydrated) and also clearly the Naturopath wanted to ensure my heart structure was sound too. Some attention was also required in the intestines and there are three related measurements (which I don't understand) relating to the intestines and inner or small intestines (?). These were all noted by the Naturopath for reference upon my return assessment in 5 weeks time.

At the end of the session I cam away with a list of supplements and a more rigorous diet than I had adopted for myself at the of end December 2020/January 2021. The diet was as follows: 

No Grains - nothing made from grains (no bread, cakes, pastries etc - not even gluten free!)

No Dairy - i.e. no milk, creams, cheese etc but Almond milk is okay and Coconut Milk

No Tea (Breakfast tea - I'm allowed herbal teas) No Coffee and No Alcohol

No Sugars nor artificial sweeteners - honey is permitted

No Vinegar - regular vinegar that is (one or two of the others are ok but I stay away from them if I can)

I could eat salads and fresh fruit and vegetables as much as I wanted, eggs, chicken, a little meat, plenty of oily fish. Oh and soups!

At first it came as a shock but once I addressed the diet menu I had developed earlier in January, it wasn't too far removed from that which I was already eating....but cutting out bread, cheese and coffee hit me hardest. I was restricted too to only 4 oz (112gms) of protein with my evening meal - I've never measured - and I had the task of drinking 8 glasses of lemon water each day. Eight? I thought! Hell, I've never drunk 8 glasses of anything before in one day...this was going to be a challenge and hand on heart it still is a challenge...but I try.

As for my health supplements - they are exactly that - they are specifically selected for my body and the condition my body was in and the condition my Naturopath believes I need to achieve to get my body back in shape. You must forgive me if I don't therefore list my supplements here. The danger is that anyone suffering from IPF can read this, go off and purchase my supplements and think that it will solve the problem. It won't. You need to consult your own naturopath, nutritionist or specialist etc for your own personalised prescription of supplements which are right for you. Suffice to say I was taking approximately 33 to 36 supplements a day (11 pills taken 3 or 4 times a day) of one kind or another for the best part of 4 weeks. This I discovered was an emergency dosage in order to get my body into the alkaline state as quickly as possible, as was the rigorous diet....(to rebalance my body,) they wouldn't last forever. My next appointment was due in 5 weeks time (allowing a week for me to buy the supplements online) and hence the 4 weeks treatment.

I went off armed with my 'prescriptions' for the supplements and some hope that maybe this could be the answer for which I was looking to get me back to great health.

 

Please return for Part IV of my story and how my appointment with Lung Consultant (B) went, three weeks later.