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I’m not a complicated person – I’m not fussy. I’m not difficult.

I’m not a brat.

I’m not picky.

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Not at all. Take me to a football game, I’m happy. Take me to a boring play, I’m happy.

But my body isn’t. My body is complicated. My body is fussy. My body is difficult. My body is a brat. My body is picky. Very picky.

And it’s pretty frustrating when all I really wanna do is enjoy a new Manhattan restaurant or go hiking up the Rocky Mountains.

But it’s not that easy.

Because, well I’m just pretty gosh darn complicated.

I have hypothyroidism.

I have Leaky Gut.

I have heavy metal toxicity.

I have an IGA deficiency.

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I have candida.

I am allergic to gluten, dairy, soy, corn and numerous fruits as well as certain oils and sugar.

And now, the latest…

Last month, I was told…

I have Lyme Disease.

My life is complicated. That’s simply all I can say at this point.

Dating is hard.

Explaining myself is hard.

Trying to figure out why my body hates me is hard.

But I just stay positive and keep my head up high.

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Because there’s a reason for all of this…

Yes, I believe there is a reason that I am going through all of this. There is a reason for why my body is complicated. There’s a reason I spend 10 hours of my day just taking care of myself like an infant – detoxing, healing, soothing and nurturing my body – when all it does is react back to me in a negative way.

I’m honestly hoping this is the end of my diagnoses. I am hoping my treatment for Lyme Disease makes everything better. I am praying that I will soon be normal. Feel normal.

To be able to go out to eat. To be able to go out on a nice date. To be able to worry a lot less about how I’m going to feel the rest of the day, the week, the month, the year.

I’m really hoping.

And I don’t ask for a lot.

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Truly, I don’t.

But I’m asking Santa for an early Christmas gift this year.

Because I just can’t take another diagnosis.

I’ve received countless letters from all of you these past few years and I love having all of you in my life. I’m sharing all of this with you today because I care deeply for each of you – even though I don’t know many of you personally. I care about your health and your well-being and that’s why I started this website – to help you and to heal myself on this journey that I have been on the past 7 years.

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I’ve learned so much and I’ve healed many parts of my body. But the healing has just begun.

I’ve started treatment for my Lyme Disease and I’m not giving up. I’m eager to learn about this disease, to heal myself and to help all of you and everyone else who’s bodies are attacking them. I’ve learned that my Lyme Disease has been in my body for almost 10 years and has been trapped within the biofilm of my stomach. I find it amazing that I never had a tick bite, a rash or a bulls-eye yet years later, this disease has wreaked havoc on my body in so many ways. 

This is all very new to me and I am on a biofilm protocol to kill off the pathogens and heal once and for all. Seems like the reason I haven’t completely healed 100% is because of this biofilm and how it’s not letting me heal. I will be sharing my Lyme and biofilm treatment with all of you soon but for right now I will not be sharing any information and I hope you understand that. I welcome your comments but please know I will not be sharing information until I learn more so that I can help all of you. I will be creating pages on my website dedicated to biofilm and Lyme to help others who need the support. 

In the past, my Lyme Disease results were all NEGATIVE. I’ve learned that it takes going to the best of the best labs in the country and spending thousands of dollars out of pocket to get a true diagnosis. Just another sad issue about our whole medical profession. Just to think that this Lyme Disease is what was causing me to be sick all along and now after 10 years of suffering… I’m just learning this.

The saddest part is that I had to figure this all out on my own. No doctors ever suspected this or found this until I researched and dug and dug and dug for more information and learned what tests I should be doing.

I haven’t yet shared this Lyme Disease diagnosis with anyone other than my parents, my sister and two of my best friends but I felt that I need to tell all of you. Because I am an honest person. I’m not complicated. I’m not fussy. I’m not picky. I’m just me.

Little me. Healing and living.

And never, ever giving up.

Ever.

xox

Coconut Cranberry Almond Butter Rice Cakes
Serves: 2
 
Prep
Cook
Total
 
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan & Vegetarian
Author: Amie Valpone
Recipe type: Entree

Ingredients

  • 2 brown rice cakes
  • 3 Tbsp. well-stirred creamy almond butter
  • 1/4 tsp. coconut flakes
  • 2 Tbsp. dried cranberries
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh lemon zest

Instructions

  1. Lay rice cakes on a flat surface. Spread almond butter onto each rice cake using a knife. Top with remaining ingredients.
  2. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Coconut Cranberry Almond Butter Rice Cakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 250 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Sodium 5mg0%
Potassium 254mg7%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 390IU8%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 90mg9%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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141 comments

  1. My body is complicated! My body is picky! I hear you girl! This post was powerful and so well articulated. Thank you. Also, I hope that you begin to find the healing that you are so longing for.

  2. Amie,
    First, I echo everything your followers have posted – you are amazing, strong, inspiring, and a great encouragement to all of us with health issues that work to rob our quality of life. Your thoughts and feelings resonate because we understand the daunting task of living day to day with an all consuming health issue. After coming to a point where I could not take one more diagnosis, one more recommended supplement (I need a separate garage for these), one more form of treatment, I came across the many benefits of juicing. I have since decided that the power of greens on a daily basis is a MUST for me, sometimes more than once a day. I am believing that I am feeding my cells on a daily basis and that they will turn themselves around and get healthy! They are that smart! I will keep your condition in my prayers, and your steadfast spirit to overcome this! I’m not a doctor, but start juicing – there’s power in those greens, I’m convinced and seeing/feeling dramatic changes after only one month!

  3. Oodles of hugs sent your way, Amie!! Geez, what else??? You are a trooper through all of this. Hope they can get it all under control for you and your body. You deserve peace!! XO

    1. Awe; thank you Lori. This means so much to me. Thank you for taking the time to visit my site and for your kind words. Sending you hugs right back. Love ya, sista! xoxox

  4. Wow. You’ll pull through Amy…God puts us through these tough times so that we learn to love and appreciate life that much more when we pull through it. And you will make it!

  5. 4 stars
    I wish you the best, and that things will only go up from here!

    I never thought rice cakes were that appealing…until now. 🙂

  6. Just today I was thinking that although I’d never choose to have an allergy or a food sensitivity, much less one that was unheard of most of my life (gluten), it forced me to learn how to eat well. It forced me to learn how to cook. It’s probably one of the main reasons for why I don’t struggle with weight problems, since there’s so much food that’s off limits, anyway. And it forced me to pay attention.

    Hang in there. Sometimes the strangest things end up turning into gifts. 🙂
    btw – rice cakes with Nutella and fresh slices of banana. Like a candy bar but not as bad for you!

  7. Amie- you are the strongest person I know. I love you with all my heart. You will overcome all of this and be able to help those out there suffering just like you. Remember, God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers.

  8. I admire you so much for keeping such a positive attitude, Amie. You are so strong and brave and you deserve to be happy and healthy. I’m always hoping the best for you 🙂

  9. I wish you well on your journey to healing. I have to say that I’m in awe of the amount of work you do for your blog and via social media given all the issues you are facing. Best wishes.

  10. 5 stars
    I’m so sorry about your health problems! Oh my! Hope you are feeling 100% soon! Thanks for the awesome recipe, looks yummy 🙂

  11. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes and finding the new mixes available. I am always so cautious about buying premade GF food. It’s so costly so I hate to waste the money on something bad…which I done plenty of times! Your recipes are wonderful, easy and so helpful!

  12. 5 stars
    I also have a thyroid problem (hyper; graves’ disease). On top of that, I have had arthritis since I was seven, but diet has greatly helped with both. I avoid gluten, and I have been told I have Celiacs because of the pain I suffered when eating gluten! It really made me feel like my intestines were hurting.

    It definitely can be troubling to have a list of things wrong with you…. I have so many different symptoms and problems…. It never ends!

    Good luck to you with your laundry list of issues and symptoms; I hope you can at least make them bearable!

  13. Here’s hoping getting the Lyme disease under control will help other areas. After my gallbladder surgery about a year ago, I discovered I feel better eating GF. I love trying new GF flours. The Crave Bakeshop sounds yummy!

  14. I have recently discovered the amazing flavors of a rice cake topped with nut butter and fruit too! Definitely going to add some coconut to my next one…

  15. 5 stars
    You are very inspiring my dear sweet apple. Hang in there and overcome the Lyme disease. Because like you said maybe this is the cause of all your alignments, maybe you just found the answer!! Also, because you cannot eat this and that…it had inspired you to eat well, to eat clean. And in the process inspired hundreds to do the same and to have courage to overcome their alignment and confusion in the kitchen.
    On another note, I just bought hemp rice cakes yesterday…I haven’t purchased rice cakes in years. What a coincidence that you post an incredible idea involving rice cakes, almond butter and coconut! I’m thinking about exchanging the cranberries for acai berries! Hmmm.

    Lastly, your alignments don’t define you. Your mind, spirit, actions, and attitude do.

    Love love love stay strong stay great keep posting,
    Katie