A while ago I mentioned my current battle with candida. It's a MONSTER. There are not adequate words to describe how miserable the little parasites are. Crazy as it is, 90% of people have it. One of two things typically happens: They just don't know it because it hasn't yet become an overgrowth, OR they have symptoms caused by candida that are almost always misdiagnosed by doctors, making the situation worse. I was personally misdiagnosed THREE times. Let me share a FEW symptoms I've experienced:
weight gain
intense itching in my legs
bouts of depression and anxiety
horrible skin rash
crazy sugar cravings
acne
mood swings
irritability
lethargy/fatigue
trouble concentrating
terrible insomnia
These are just a few of MY worst symptoms. (For a COMPLETE list see http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html) Crazy thing is, they don't show up the same in every person or for that matter even in the individual from day to day. Symptoms come and go. And the SCARY thing is, candida is almost always a precursor to cancer, diabetes, aids, and virtually every major disease. It's essentially the foundation for disease to develop. It's rare to find a child with learning disabilities, a cancer patient, etc that doesn't have candida in some form. It infiltrates every body system and can burrow into every major organ, including the brain. I could go on and ON, but the point is candida=misery and disease. I am CONVINCED that if we could wipe out candida, we could wipe out a huge chunk of illness and disease in this country.
Now for the GOOD part. I've been battling this thing for several years now on and off. In December of last year (2007) I made a decision to full-force beat this thing once and for all. It was a huge decision being that I considered myself a sugar-addict to the point of considering a treatment program, and the thing I KNOW about candida is that it FEEDS off of sugar (or complex carbs that become sugar once they enter your bloodstream). Meaning the more you eat, the more candida grows, but try and go off sugar and the parasites will make you MISERABLE demanding more. I went cold-turkey Jan 1. Without going into ALL the details and ins and outs, I did fairly well for several months. Then two months ago, enter 'The Movement'. Definitely upped the intensity. Although it can take up to two years to completely remedy the situation, I can now report that I'm feeling a good 60-70% BETTER. The constant itching has subsided. I'm sleeping like a baby for the first time in my LIFE. My energy has leveled out, as well as my 'moods'. Craving of any sort are virtually non-existent to the point that some days I have to remind myself to eat. I've lost 27 pounds and counting. I can FEEL my body changing from the inside out...it's crazy. I feel like a dead person come to life, and it's only getting better by the day.
It certainly isn't easy. My daily regimen is pretty extreme, particularly first thing in the morning. I begin with 25 drops of food grade hydrogen peroxide in water and a probiotic on an empty stomach. Ugh. I wait about 20 minutes, basically however long it takes me to cook breakfast, then I mix 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract with 4 drops of oil of oregano and a few tablespoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. UGH. I down it as quickly as possible and then stand there gagging for a few...
I eat, THEN take a handful of supplements, most of which are fiber, ph balancers, cleansers, etc. In the evening I repeat the second solution and take a handful of calcium supplements. And sleep like a baby. It's horrible, but it takes, what, maybe 5 minutes tops out of my day? The point is to both kill the existing parasites and balance my system such that my body becomes an unpleasant atmosphere for more to develop. Cleaning house, so to speak.
The other MASSIVELY important component is diet. What's the point of killing the parasites if I'm only going to turn around and FEED them? I have to avoid dairy, grains, and all sugars and starches. I EAT lots of lean grass-fed/organic/wild caught fish, beef, chicken, and bison. Lots of green veggies. Lots of berries and grapefruit and skinless green apples. (the skin can harbor fungus) Lots of nuts and almond butter. Everything is supposed to be organic. I also eat lots of eggs, avocado, salsa, and coconut galore. And lots of coconut milk. Can't have butter but can have ghee, can't have table salt but can have all the sea salt I want. And that's about it... They key is to feed MYSELF but avoid feeding the candida. Which is tricky.
I'm required to have protein at every meal. And drink water like MAD. As my nutritionist says, 'The solution to pollution is dilution.'
I meet with him weekly to check in, make adjustments and changes, add new components, etc. I also avoid any kind of antibiotics or medication, even over the counter stuff like tylenol.
So anyway, this is where I'm at so far after almost a year. It's been tough and incredibly emotional, but the way I FEEL......there are no words. I feel FREE, like I can breathe again for the first time in YEARS. It's phenomenal. I am SO grateful. RELIEF.
I've become SO passionate about natural health in the past couple of years, largely because of this experience. I've been looking into masters programs and certification. I feel like I've learned so much I could almost be certified now
I've done endless hours of research and reading, and the more I learn the MORE convinced I become that the medical industry and FDA are doing little more than making us sick. It's sad, but it's all about money. I've learned some things that would make your blood boil...but that's a WHOLE other post. Bottom line, the human body is amazing. God knew what He was doing. Give your body what it needs and protect it from what it doesn't, and it WILL heal itself. Even from major diseases like cancer.
I do have more delicious recipes to come, as well as travel tips, money saving tricks, etc! Just been a bit crazy lately so I haven't taken the time to SIT and do it.
Happy Holidays!
Chatboard (0)