>Re:  Parasite:  Get Extra Strength version of Wild Oil of Oregano from
>North American Herb Company.  

I will check it out but from what I read about blastocystis hominis this
alone will not get rid of it. The reason I was concerned about the acidity
is that supposedly the parasites are not in your GI tract until the PH is at
6.5 in the morning??

>Re:  Acid/Alkaline/Blood PH:  I think you're worrying about too many
>things. If you read 100 books on these theories -- you'll come up with 100
>different theories.  Some say raw fruits and veggies are alkaline, while
>meat is acidifying (this notion is popular amongst vegetarians); however,
>Kristal's book on Metabolic Typing refutes this and claims that different
>metabolic types react differently to the same food.  For example, a lemon
>will acidify certain types, but alkalanize others.  In any event, your
>biggest issues in my view are the parasite and pms.  

According to The Metabolic Typing Diet by Wolcott I am a protein type. I
also had an 'acid meal' the night before I tested and read that if healthy,
your PH SHOULD be low. And after an alkaline meal (just veggies) the night
before, it should be high.

>Re: PMS -- Emotional upsets:  You don't say if you are eating grains still
I have not eaten grains on a regular basis in probably 2 years in a very
long time. My occasional (every 3 weeks or so) splurge is one low carb
tortialla and it does have wheat. Incidentally I typically give in when I am
PMSing.

>If you are eating large amounts of dried fruit or fruit and even veggie
juices -- stop
>it.

No fruit at all, not even fresh. Every time I try to add fresh fruit I crave
more sugary things after I eat them or more fruit. It's easy for me to go
overboard so I rarely have them in the house. I occasionally have 8 oz of
juice which I make with celery, kale, parsley, and some other greens. I
don't eat much read meat either, just don't care for it and only eat it
occasionally. So my protein sources are chicken, turkey, different fish,
ostrich, and buffalo. Along with that I eat avocados almost every day, other
veggies, salads, coconut oil, and just started back on flax seed oil.

>If you have sore breasts -- eat one can of sardines packed in olive
>oil or water per day. 

I love sardines in oil and eat then occasionally - not every day though. I
can give it a tray.

>.  Add seaweed to your diet a few times per week -- toasted dulse or
>kelp -- iodine deficiency can cause sore, lumpy boobs.  Also for sore
>boobs -- STOP DAIRY.  Just try this -- some women are extra sensitive to
>dairy and it's arguably not paleo anyway. 

I have been completely off dairy for almost 3 years now as I am allergic to
it - all of it, not just lactose intolerant. I am also allergic to eggs -
unfortunately.

>Coffee and cocoa also purportedly create breast tenderness in some women
but this >is highly individual and if you're strict paleo(ish), you probably
aren't drinking
>coffee or eating cocoa.
>Anxiety:  Drink green tea, especially matcha.

Haven't tried Matcha but I drink 3 to 4 cups of green tea per day. Is that
too much.

>Exercise at least 30 minutes per day -- preferably more.  Don't kill
>yourself at the gym -- but I believe something more strenuous than brisk
>walking is in order given our generally sedentary lifestyle.

I lift weights, walk/jog, ride the bike, and do pilates and/or power yoga. I
work out 6 days a week. It's very difficult during PMS but I make myself go.

>Get your thyroid function checked.  Low thyroid is extremely common in
>women and frequently goes undiagnosed.  Even a slightly sluggish thyroid
>will create hellish PMS symptoms.

I am on Armour Thyroid.

I will try what you suggested and I appreciate your feedback. The tender
breasts are not my biggest concern, those are easier to live with. I would
say the hardest thing is the lower back ache for 12 - 14 days without any
relief. I don't take pain meds anymore so I just deal with it but it makes
for a long day and rough nights.

Next are the fatigue and the increase in size in my body. My stomach just
sticks out and it is so uncomfortable. Combined with the lower back ache it
just make my entire mid section, all the way around, feel pretty miserable.
And the water retention is extreme as well. I gain about an inch in my
thighs, my waist expands by 7 inches. I just don't think that PMS should be
that extreme or last as long as mine does. Of course any doctor I consult
wants to feed me hormones which I refuse to take. I want to take care of it
naturally.

I have 2 friends who have had hysterectomies and only have one ovary left
and they have NO PMS what so ever. Now, I know everybody is different, but
it shows that it's possible. What's frustrating is that they eat lots of
grains, dairy, ice cream etc. they hardly exercise, they drink coffee, and
don't do much for their health, yet they feel great.

Hope some of these things help.