Visiting a doctor, especially one I haven’t seen before, always fills me with dread. As long-time readers know, I’ve been dealing with eye trouble for a long, long time. (Full details here for those who are new or need a recap.) Instead of an annual exam, I’m supposed to go twice a year. Not a big deal there, except that my eye doctor, whom I’ve had for over a decade just closed his office. Thanks to Obamacare, he can no longer afford to stay open. Since he is the only doctor I have that I truly like and feel comfortable with, this has been super-difficult. 🙁

He referred me to a lady that was in the same town, but not someone I’d ever heard of previously. I went in without any expectations, filled out my forms, and then proceed to do the tests and recount my on-going tale of woe, regarding my eyes in particular and my numerous health issues in general.

Without skipping a beat, she said to me, “Oh, I bet you have tried everything and seen every specialist, but nobody has a final diagnosis.” Naturally, I agreed and we started talking about all different types of health problems, and the increasing rise of disease, and why almost everybody is sick nowadays, even young people.

Her specialty may be eyes, but oh my goodness, her knowledge of medicine in general was incredible! Not only was she nice, patient, and a good listener, she had some helpful suggestions that may actually work and doesn’t involve anything expensive or invasive.

Try a Gluten Free Diet for 30 days – Gluten increases inflammation throughout the body and most people are sensitive to it, even if they test negative for a true gluten allergy (which I have). It takes a minimum of a month for the gluten to leave your system, but some people have to do it much, much longer. Obviously, this will be challenging for a carb addict like me. Regardless, I am desperate for relief and very open to experimenting.

Drink “Master Tonic” 4x Daily – This tonic is a veggie-spice-vinegar concoction that also reduces inflammation, promotes healing, and boosts the immune system. While it was totally foreign to me, there are a ton of websites that claim it’s awesome. I chose this version from Recipes to Nourish. Some of the ingredients were obscure and locating them was a challenge; otherwise, the only difficult part is the endless chopping and peeling. It has to sit for 14 days before use, then take 1 spoonful every 6 hours until the jar is empty.

Twice Daily Compresses – Every morning and evening, take a warm, moist washcloth and lay it over my eyes and rest for a minimum of 10 minutes. It should help with dryness and strain.

By doing all 3 steps simultaneously, she thinks I will have a lot of relief. And if it doesn’t, at least no harm will be done. I’m cautiously optimistic right now and keeping my fingers crossed that it actually works. I’d much rather try a natural treatment over pills, that’s for sure.

So, if anyone has heard of these treatments or tried them, I’d love to hear about it. My understanding of gluten free is like being on a Passover diet forever, which isn’t too appetizing. Any gluten free recipes that actually taste good would be extremely appreciated!