The Mad Hatter: Have I gone Mad? Alice: I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret all the best people are.”

MY GENES ARE BONKERS

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalms 139: 14). In fact my genes are fearful of the synthetic form of folate: folic acid. Yes ladies I have a mutant gene that has taken up residence in my body by the name of MTHFR. To be specific it even has its own prison identification number A1298C and he’s greedy because he has this twice. Inherited from both my parents.

Image via Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology news
Image via Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology news

I just found out this week what has been the source of my troubles with infertility. MTHFR stands for Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase. It’s a bit of a tongue twister isn’t it? According to the MTHFR Australia support ‘it’s an enzyme that converts folate you eat into the active form (5-Methyltetrahydrofolate).’

Folic Acid, the synthetic version found in pre-pregnancy vitamins are actually detrimental to my body. So for the past twenty months I have been taking a vitamin that has been storing up toxins in my system! No wonder I can’t get pregnant.

I’ve provided some information below from the MTHFR Australia support website. I’m only a week into learning about MTHFR and this site summarises it clearly.

SO WHAT DO WE NEED FOLATE FOR?

• Synthesis of DNA, RNA and SAMe. Proper cellular function is critical for our good health.

• Single carbon metabolism or methylation. Various critical reactions in the body require the donation of methyl groups to become active.

• Amino acid metabolism (for neurotransmitter, serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine production and detoxification).

• Formation and maturation of RBC (red blood cells), WBC (white blood cells) and platelet production.

• Essential for detoxification of homocysteine. For all the above functions to happen the body needs to convert folate to the active 5-MTHF (5-methyltetrahydrofolate) with the help of co-factors. Methyl groups (made up of one carbon and 3 hydrogen atoms) are required for a huge range of functions in the body. Methylation is the addition of this methyl group to another molecule.

• They are the on/off switches for many cells activities. They turn genes on and off.

• Turn enzymes on and off.

• Turn neurotransmitters on and off.

• Turn on tissue repair.

• Turn off inflammation.

• Turn on and off the stress response.

• Reduce the aging process because they protect telomeres.

• Detoxify chemicals and importantly help supply glutathione which is the body’s most important anti-oxidant helping to break down xeno-oestrogens and assisting with your phase-2 liver detoxification.

• Give us our energy because we need methyl groups to help our energy cycle create carnitine, Co Q10 and ATP and support mitochondrial energy.

If you are short of methyl groups your body cannot respond to whatever nutrients, vitamins, minerals or herbs you put in your body.  (MTHFR AUSTRALIA SUPPORT WEBSITE). This would explain why I have had other health issues such as Psoriasis, sleep problems, tiredness, anxiety and depression. This news is empowering. Last week I talked about being connected with your body. I feel now I can wire in wise choices to ensure that I can have a healthier future.

WHAT TO DO?photo (29)

I’m going back to the Naturopath this week to learn more about MTHFR. For now I am taking some Activated B Complex vitamins and trying to eat Vitamin B nutrient rich fruit and vegies as much as I can. That means I’ve been making organic kale, spinach, lime, avocado and raspberry smoothies.

I’ve also been looking into buying a cold pressed juicer. The cold pressed juicer uses a slow pressed action rather than a blending or grinding action. This means the juice does not oxidise and helps keep the nutrients and enzymes intact. I need to be able to process Folate more efficiently and the best way is to keep it as raw as possible. In the mean time I have bought a week’s worth from the “Pressed Juices” company. They all sound so delicious! I’m also going to continue singing the theme song to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” around the house. Why? Just because I feel like I’m a mutant with this mutant gene.

A SEASON

These past few weeks I have been made so aware about 1 Corinthians 12:26 “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” The unseen parts of my body, the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in my knee and now the MTHFR gene/enzyme have been having a fair bit of attention. I love what Christine Caine says in this article ‘Every Part of the Body is Vital.’

‘I have encountered firsthand the truth “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,and the parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty.” (1 Corinthians 12:22-23) It is imperative that we value and esteem every single part of the Body, and not only the visible and more known parts. I think in our celebrity-obsessed culture, we must ensure that we do not think that if someone is better known, visible, or being used in a unique way by God at a particular time, that it makes them in any way better than any other part of the body. We need to inspire people to take their place in the Body that God has assigned, and not devalue that place and aspire to a more prominent place. Prominence and significance are not the same thing. The liver is not prominent in the human body…but it is extremely significant. We should not aspire to be the biggest and the best, but rather to be all that God has called us to be, and to do all that God has called us to do.’

I’m really looking forward to going on this healing journey. How about you?

What have you been doing to deal with the health struggles you are having?

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