New beginnings...

Welcome to my blog, The Body Clock, which has been a long time coming, for myself and I think for many people that know me. 

If you don't know me, my name is Sean Waters and I am currently 28 years old. I reside in the tropics mostly in central america, but I'm originally from Birmingham, UK. 

Ths is the first post of hopefully many to come that will be an exploration of biology, biochemistry, biophysics of the human body and, more broadly, cells of all life where necessary. 

I want it to be a journal of my own as I have come to understand the critical importance of experience in learning the disease and healing processes of life, in combination with studying scientific theory. It should also be a guide to others, a place for solace and relatability for those in difficult times, an information hub when looking for quick answers. Above all, it will be an adventure story of a Man exploring his physical and spiritual terrain of life in the present time.

The story of how I got here may have to be added in full later, or perhaps not. For now, just know that since birth I have disease (literally, dis-ease, discomfort) and biological issues with auto-immunity, a term we've come to use to describe an overly sensitive immune system, or one that seems to attack the host cells. I'm not sure I believe this theory, as that is all it is. But, for simplicity for readers, that's what it would be known as conventionally. 

At birth, it was allergies, reacting to the baby weighing paper and scales at the hospital seconds after I took my first my breath as the constellation of Libra gazed at me from the horizon. Not too long after, I reacted to baby Formula made with Cows milk, not breastfed, so I had to be weened on Soya milk. Currently I'm seeing many issues with Estrogen in my own body (I believe too much) and I think this early assimilation of Soya may have been a problem. 

By the time I was a toddler, I had widespread eczema over my body. It would always be most aggressive at night during sleep, waking me up over and over again. My lips would be cracked at the edges, and the hydrocortisone cream prescribed by the doctor only further served to interfere with me hormonally.  At school i remember kids wincing at the sight of my lips some days. This faded as I got to my teens, then reappeared aggressively in my 20s. 

My behavior was also very bad, I was told I had hyperactivity, and sugar and processed food would it make worse. It was true, there was definitely a correlation. The problem was, sugar wasn't the only offending agent, as I'll come to explain, there was a bombardment of environmental toxins, making it very hard for my Mom and others trying to help both my mood and also my eczema. 

It's worth noting here, the catastrophic effect of poor sleep, especially in children, on immunity and cognition/ mental health, which is extremely well documented.

My gut was also poor, I had difficulty with going to the bathroom for years, always on the extreme ends of the spectrum. This probably fed back into the estrogen collection occurring from diet, environment and poor sleep. 

The diet we grew up on was TV an processed, frozen foods for dinner, and TV an cereals for breakfast. I believe this combination is one of the biggest causes of disruption to Cellular function in children today - as it Food and Light are two of the biggest effectors of our Circadian Rhythm (The Body Clock - the name of this blog), with the other being Temperature (Specifically, cold temperatures can entrain our clocks, and this was absent too in our insulated home).

Everything was made extremely difficult for a single Mom of 3, dealing with an inflamed, manic and sleepless child, who seemed to react more to everything than all of the other kids, including the siblings.

What was the difference? Why? And how? 

That's where my curiosity bloomed for health, answering those questions became such a meaningful and fulfilling quest. Many experience this chase, highly addictive, and unique to our time to have an enormous body of public research across many disciplines of physics and chemistry, ever growing to fuel the endless journey to the never-quite-attainable mountain peak of knowledge. 

It wasn't until after my teenage years that I developed Crohn's disease age 16, which wasn't diagnosed until I was 21, that things got really debilitating. Even in school, the eczema faded as i played more sport and spent time outside, we had more whole food served at lunch thanks to Jamie Oliver (although better, it's still far from ideal), and I began to feel physically stronger.

However, around 2008, I developed symptoms of IBS, depression, anemia and rapid weight loss. These intensified and got worse until I admitted a clean up of diet was needed in 2014. I began with whole foods and salads, following the Dolce Diet, a trainer of UFC fighters in the US. I still had symptoms but I felt a difference. I then went Vegan in January 2015 following suit of the Diaz brothers, two MMA fighters in the UFC who are vegan, and felt another boost intially.  

However, after 3 weeks I became more an more inflamed and eventually after a failed attempt at Cous Cous or Quinoa boiled and then baked in a red pepper, I caused major an severe gastric distress to the point where I couldn't move or lift my arms without feeling like a blade was being driven into my abdomen. I'd never experienced anything like that pain and not since. 

This was valentine's 2015, at 10pm, except I was alone as everyone was on holiday, and I had to just lay there until the morning. It finally had mercy on me and I managed to call my Grandma who took me to the hospital. I felt fine then, and they thought it may be appendicitis. But, within 6 hours, it returned with a vengeance and I was screaming down the hospital ward. My brother and his wife witnessed it and then I was put on morphine and rushed into laparoscopic surgery to investigate my abdomen with cameras. They assumed my appendix had burst and needed removing. I woke up to discover my appendix was in perfect health, but my terminal ileal section of my small intestine was severely inflamed and that I had Crohn's disease. 

This explained to me why for 5 years I had struggled so much with life, not only with studying and careers, but socially too, it made me such an unreliable and useless person. I had become addicted to cigarettes, weed and drinking. Although it was normal for lads in Birmingham to drink and smoke, there was a deeper effect on me, it would last longer and hit me deeper. I hated it but felt so low all the time I needed the highs. 

People around me were forever frustrated with my laziness, mood swings and lack of drive. I also ended up in several toxic relationships and could never keep up with my job, always late, considered a stoner. This was different to my nature in school, pre-disease, where although a bit lazy I made up for it by being highly socially engaging and attentive to all my friends and teachers. Teachers recognised I had massive ability and intelligence but I was "too cool" for it, I used to get good marks easily. This changed when I got sick, everything became heavy, mainly my personality, unless I was drunk of course. Even then, that deteriorated, and I became aggressive and often sour at the end of the night, always lacking confidence and I'd lost the charm i had in school.

After years of frustration and confusion, I had an answer - i was vindicated - it wasn't ME, it was something happening TO ME. 

My family looked upset, but I was beaming, I couldn't wait to get started. My mother thought i was "done", but I had only just started. I told the doctor and my family I'd have this thing beaten very soon, he smiled at me and said unfortunately this disease is for life, it's a chronic illness "you can't reverse it, only medicate" he said with a sympathetic smile showing he appreciated my ambition, something he'd seen many times before.

However, he didn't know me, and in 6 months I took myself off medication, and I've never taken them since (now 7 years as of 2022). The NHS told me that in 1 year of halting medication my disease would flare up again and I'd be in surgery with my bowels being removed, forced to use a colostomy bag. This didn't happen, never even came close.

My mom was worried about my choice, but she had witnessed major alleviation of her painful rheumatoid arthritis/ carpal tunnel by using a supplement called Curcumin, which I had recommended to her after success with it. She sensed a change in me.

I'd deep dived into nutrition and naturopathy and alternative medicine the day after discharge. I tried EVERYTHING. From rye bread and slippery elm powder, to the classic "white food only" diet of bread and chicken (useless, illogical and racist), to paleo and spending hundreds of pounds on supplements of high dose, high quality omega 3 and L-glutamine and vitamins. 

Eventually, I found Joe Rogan through my MMA interests, and I found Dr Rhonda Patrick. She brought up the benefits of her smoothies, which I employed, as well as the benefits of cold shock therapy, heat shock therapy and glutathione. Recommending, Curcumin (glutathione activation), Saunas and Ice Baths.

I then listened to the Wim Hof podcast immediately after and began using Cold Thermogenesis (CT). It was absolutely incredible. I'd never experienced anything like the feeling I had after my first ice bath. 

I then joined the CNM college of Naturopathic medicine and met a friend Elliot Overton (EONutrition on youtube/ facebook) who introduced me to Ketogenic dieting and the neurosurgeon, and controversial alternative health guru, Dr Jack Kruse.

From there, I was gone, never to return to Crohn's disease. I found my two doorways to where I am today, and it's been an amazing journey. 

I was then working 4 days per week, 1 day at university on day leave from my job, and studying my CNM diploma on the side. Running a job, and effectively a university bachelor's degree alongside a diploma in naturopathy on weekends twice per month, alongside exercising after work 3-4x per week, ice bathing every other day, preparing and managing a dynamic health protocol and also socialising more than ever with my confidence, happiness and vitality all restored.

The difference in my life was night and day. All from diet, biohacking and alternative medicine. 

And i was hooked.

I think my family and many people felt distanced or alienated by my change. But, it was inevitable, and unstoppable, I've never felt or been gripped by such purpose in my entire life and I'm never going to apologise for it. I hope everyone can find theirs too in their own life.

I later moved to London, chasing the dream life, ignoring the wisdom of Dr Kruse to avoid big cities due to their toxicity - EMFs, lighting, pollution. 

By 2017 I was 94kg and 10% body fat, still doing my degree, on a promotion in my job to a London company, with a girlfriend and a load of new friends and loving life in the city. I was drinking and smoking and partying on the weekend with my new found vitality and appearance with my long hair and tanned skin, hugely stimulating for my ego that had been suppressed for years with ill health, and then fasting, Ice bathing and doing ketosis and crossfit workouts in the week to biohack my rockstar lifestyle. I was actually thriving. 

I'd sussed it. I was living like a rolling stone in London, and feeling amazing using these biohacks.

Then, May 2017, everything fell apart. Differently however, the Crohn's never resurfaced, but I developed severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (of course) and a severe Mold/ MCS problem due to my moldy EMF filled London home and my destroyed immune system. 

I couldn't get up for work. Ketosis didn't work anymore. Nor the fasting. I'd just get too hungry and feel horrendous. I'd crash. My skin covered in white spots and rashes. Hypo-melanosis. Waking up multiple times each night to scratch my hands and groin until they bled. Going to work without skin on my fingers. Inability to exercise due to a severe effect on my sleep and mood and inflammation. A toxic relationship building with my girlfriend, resentment building between my friends and my home. What a disaster. My life was in ruination. I had to leave.

I eventually realised I had to move back home. Dr Kruse's wisdom was evident when I took a winter trip to India and all my symptoms disappeared after 3 weeks on a beach in Agonda beach, Goa. He was right. I needed more of the right light, the Sun, and less of the fake light, blue light and EMFs. When all of the dietary principles failed me, his core protocols of "Nature's wisdom" prevailed and I learned it the hard way, but the best way. 

I've spent the last 4 years since 2018 moving out of London, rebuilding at my parents in Warwickshire, then jumping ship to central america and mexico in 2019. Since then, I've recovered every last part of my health issues slowly but surely in the tropics using Jack's protocols as my base and experiments a myriad of mostly useless other biobacks on top, except for a few gems.

The last 4 years have been spectacular and have brought me to begin a path of spirituality and a complete mastery of myself, my mind and body. Mainly, a devotion to a divine consciousness, whom which me and my current girlfriend call Don Señor, who others call God, that has interwoven and supported me even when I think I'm failing, in order to allow me to reach my full potential in both the physical world and in terms of self-realization.

Today, I'm just about to plan my first road trip (as i love to travel) and I'm now working out and recovering again for the first time in 4 years. My rashes have all gone, my CFS disappeared, and my cognition and mental health is the best ever.

My plan is to slowly use this blog to relate the journey and the information to those seeking a similar path. 

My background is in construction, specifically commercial management or quantity surveying. This is like estimation and bid management for those from the US, or cost controlling. I still do this job today for a Bricklayer who has become a good friend of mine, although I have wanted to break out of it for years, I've come to appreciate some benefit to the grounding nature of the building industry and it's people.

The ideal "breakout" was to quit and go full time into nutritional, functional and alternative medicine practice. Ideally, to make the same or if not more income and to be able to do it full time. I began this process years ago and began training at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Birmingham and later London. I completed 2 years but before my final year I decided to quit. 

The reason was because I had become really separated from the Nutritional or Naturopathic/ Functional methods of practice, as well as, and mainly, the actual consensus or ideology (some may say dogma) that was present within the teachings and in the wider industry. 

For example, we began clinical modules and we had to prepare for a supervised clinical practice session. As part of the preparation, they made us assess a client questionnaire and form a diagnosis of sorts (although careful to use that D word!). That wasn't too bad. The issue was the "treatment" (watch that word as well) or the Clinicians recommendations. 

I didn't believe in the powers of vegetables or fruits or supplements like they did, not after finding the truth regarding Circadian Rhythms and our Biophysical nature. In hindsight, I could've just bit the bullet and carried on. But, they said I couldn't pass my just advising changing people's light environments, I had to recommend people vegetables and their version of therapy as is conducive to the CNM way, or functional way. Even Ketosis was very frowned upon.

I couldn't do it. So i quit. 

For years I've been disillusioned with how helpful any clinician really is to a patient, and resisted my potential as a Clinician, as I believe in self educating and the path of discovery. However, I also used and read much of the work of Clinicians like Dr Kruse and many more...

So I've made a compromise.

This blog is that compromise. It will be my small but hopefully significant contribution to helping enlightened and brave souls retrieve the vitality they need to function as good human beings in this world, perhaps this is why Don Señor give me the opportunities and assistance that he did.

Thanks for reading

Love Sean xx