I wanted to share my experience with shingles, which hit me hard at the end of March. It all started because of extreme stress—running my flower shop during the chaos of Valentine’s Day, organizing a Body and Mind Festival, and dealing with personal issues. All that stress lowered my immune system, and boom, I got shingles.

For those who don’t know, shingles is caused by the same virus that gives you chickenpox. It stays in your body and can reactivate later in life, usually due to stress or a weakened immune system. It’s not something you want to mess with—it’s incredibly painful and can be really scary.

When I first realized I had shingles, I immediately turned to natural remedies. Over the weekend, I started taking vitamin C, D3, L-lysine, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B complex, zinc, and melatonin. By the time I saw my homeopath on Monday, the blisters had spread around my torso from my spine to my belly button. The pain was intense, like a burning, stinging sensation. Even my clothes hurt to wear, and I was exhausted with sore muscles and a headache.

My homeopath, Dr Anton De Waard, was really concerned about my condition but pleased with the supplements I was taking. He added two bottles of strong nerve, Shingle medicine and a potent immune booster in liquid form—tasted awful but necessary three times a day. I also needed over-the-counter painkillers four times a day just to cope.
He suggested I try other therapies to calm my nerves and relax my mind. After all, my body was clearly screaming for help. I’d been dealing with anxiety and nerve issues for years, and each time, the symptoms were worse. It was clear I needed a major life change.

I decided to try Sound Therapy with Tracy White at the Energy Centre, who uses Tibetan healing bowls. For five days straight (Her recovery package), I had sessions with her, and wow, it was incredible. The vibrations from the bowls were so healing.

The first session put me in such a deep state of relaxation that I couldn’t move—I was completely one with the bed. Tracy had to leave me there for an extra 35 minutes until I could start to come back. Each session after that, I recovered more quickly, and by the fifth day, my nerves were so much better.

The sound therapy was truly amazing. The vibrations from the Tibetan bowls penetrate deep into your body, promoting relaxation and healing from within. During the sessions, I felt like I was floating, completely at peace. It’s hard to describe, but the experience is both grounding and elevating at the same time. You feel connected to the present moment, and it’s like all the stress and tension just melts away. I now go to her group sound therapy session every Monday evening just to destress for the week ahead.

Shingles recovery typically takes about six weeks, but I started feeling better after four. To help with the healing, especially with the scars, I added vitamin A (cod liver oil), vitamin E, and collagen to my routine. The electric shocks under my skin where the nerves were damaged lasted a few more weeks but gradually faded. Now, the scars are tender but much more bearable.
After the shingles healed, I faced another challenge: dry eczema around my eyes and on my elbows, likely a side effect of the painkillers. My eyes were extremely sore and swollen, and I made it worse by trying different eye drops, which I ended up being allergic to. I went to eye specialists who told me to stop using any creams or drops for a week, and if it didn’t improve, I’d need steroid cream. Thankfully, my eyes got a little better after a week.

I then consulted my friend, Dr. Zara Valentine, a naturopath, about my dry skin. She suggested I take L-glutathione for liver support, explaining that many skin issues can be related to liver health. Within a week of taking it, the itchy skin around my eyes cleared up.

I’m determined to manage my stress better to avoid a recurrence. Life changes are hard, and it’s emotionally draining to let go of things and people that cause you stress, but it’s necessary for my health.

Take care of yourselves, and don’t ignore the signs when your body is crying out for help.

Love and Smiles, Traci

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