Craving Dove Dark Chocolate

The last couple of days have been tough on me. The Candida diet is really tough emotionally. Yesterday I really craved Dove dark chocolate. Eating it is a whole experience, but isn't that the way with chocolate. That and coffee is what I miss the most. Since Candida feeds on sugar, it will cause intense cravings to get fed. So although it may be really hard to resist, you must stand strong and refuse the craving. Well I was really craving almost anything I wasn't supposed to have. So my strategy will be to dig into God's word and find something I love to do and do it.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12


So I will fight this with the word of God! He helps me overcome and takes over when I am weak! 


I was reading a blog the other day called The Candida Diaries.  The author is Amy, board certified holistic health coach and she wrote in her post Flat Bread and Crackers, or, Why I Love Flax, "But they weren’t bad and gave me the inspiration for intentionally making a big, thick ‘flat bread’ which is pretty awesome for someone who hasn’t eaten anything remotely like a sandwich in years!" She was talking about her first attempt at making flax seed flat bread. But it really concerned me when I read that she hadn't had a sandwich in years. I definitely miss bread. The flax seed bread will be my next recipe to try. I'll let you know how it goes.

Blessings until next time!

Frittata With Grated Zucchini, Goat Cheese and Dill

I made this recipe from The Candida Diaries for dinner this evening. It was a lot of work for me but I think I'm becoming more of a cook! My 17 month old son loved it! I have plenty left over for the next couple of days.

Almond Flower Pancakes with Almond Butter

I got this recipe from The Candida Diaries. Her recipe is Vanilla Almond Pancakes with Lemon Curd. I left vanilla out of mine and I topped it with Almond Butter. I like the consistency of these pancakes a lot more than the Coconut flour pancakes.  I'm on the hunt for Vanilla Extract made with glycerin instead of alcohol then I will try that in the pancakes! It's convenient to make a couple and save the batter. That way I can have them for the next couple of days when I need something similar to bread. I would make the lemon curd but I am not supposed to have stevia or xylitol at this point. I used coconut oil to cook them in.

Candidia Diet and Weight Loss

Since I've started my Candida diet a couple of weeks ago, I've lost 7 pounds. Now I wouldn't have chosen this diet for weight loss, its not really healthy for anyone, but its necessary to get the Candida under control. It is a side benefit for me and one positive outcome I'm focusing on during this time. I'm excited to one day get into some of my old clothes and feel better!

Causes of Candida

Antibiotics
Swimming in chlorinated pools
Alcohol use (most often beer, wine and vodka)
Regular use of Candida-promoting foods (sugar)
Alcoholism in either parent
Birth control hormones
Mother was always ill
Consistent exposure to mold
Mercury and mercury fillings (silver amalgam fillings).
Use of corticosteroids
Exposure to pesticides         

To read more about each cause visit CandidaMD

 

My Ph Balance is Acidic

I have been taking ph balance tests. I am extremely acidic. I have also taken an iodine test and am very low on iodine. I listened to an online seminar once about ph balance. The woman who led it talked about how the first thing she does with any of her clients was test their ph balance. With many health problems, the root starts with the ph balance being off. I found it very interesting and will find my papers on that at some point and share the information. The iodine is linked to that as well. So I am going to share a list of products I take to get back on the healthy track. I am also extremely low on calcium, zinc, oleic acid, magnesium and B vitamins.

Calcium-Magnesium
Nutri-Calm (B vitamins with other calming herbs)
Dulse Liquid (iodine)
Nature's Prenatal
Bowel Detox
Yeast Fungal Detox
Garlic (anti-fungal)
Lysine (strengthens immune system and helps absorb calcium)
Zinc
Vitamin E
Bifidophilus (Probiotics-healthy bacteria)
Vitamin D3

And I try to drink plenty of water! The absence of these nutrients and the excess of Candida have caused heart arrhythmias, anxiety and panic attacks in me. These are some symptoms of excess Candida, which I believe I got from too much sugar in my diet and swimming in a chlorinated pool.

All of the products listed above I got from Sunshine Herb Shop, my Nature's Sunshine website. 

How I'm Feeling With New Candida Diet Change

I am still trying to figure everything out. I'm not much of a cook. I mean I can follow a recipe but there are so many other things I'd rather be doing. So I have spent a lot of money at the Sunflower Farmer's Market. I should've waited until I knew exactly what I can and can't eat, because I've bought a lot of stuff that I found out later I couldn't eat. Trying to eat organic is extremely expensive, so I will have to spend more time planting and taking care of stuff outside in my garden. Everywhere I read about the Candida diet, its all supposed to be organic. I've also ordered stuff from Living Beyond Organic. It has great products, but also very expensive.

Now on to how I'm feeling. I have had some emotional times, but not near what I expected. I haven't really been craving sugar like I've read I would be. I attribute that to God's grace while I go through this. Now if I think about it or look at a desert too long I would like it, but I'm not like "I gotta have that." My energy in the morning is pretty good. During the afternoon I'm quite tired. I'm sure that has to do with the fact that I really haven't found a whole lot to eat that will give me energy. I'm getting sick of vegetables and grocery shopping, lol. But I have been able to fill my tummy. I fell like I'm eating to live rather than living to eat. :)  In other words, there isn't much flavor to all I eat. Some things are tasty but I've been eating the same things over and over. So I will soon try new recipes after I get the ingredients for them! I haven't felt sick except for the one day of flu symptoms. So I would say its going pretty well.