Candida Diet and Reactions

[skyblue]

Hello, Jonika.
Thanks so much for your kind and informative response.
I'm so sorry that it has taken me this long to reply, but I've been stuck with the online business that I run alone. Sometimes it's just busier than other times, and I seem to get tired so very much quicker than before.

I have definitely learned (the hard way) to read every single ingredient listed on labels, even though the label may say "all natural" and "pure blah blah blah".
I also found some organic Stevia at my favorite, independent (which I love) health food and supplement store. Why I didn't check there first before buying it from a supermarket ... but, as I say about every five minutes now, "I'm learning."
I'll definitely check out the Pronamel Sensodyne Toothpaste the next time I'm at the store. And I knew that about the vinegar. There are just so many things we have to constantly stay aware of. Thanks for reminding me.
I'm also going to check on the beans. I added a tablespoon of uncooked, old fashion oat meal to my breakfast this morning, and unfortunately, I'm still experiencing a reaction to that. If not that, I have no idea what it was, and I only had two eggs and the little bit of oatmeal. I have some of the raw oat groats on order, but haven't yet received those. Have you tried those? Of course, I only want to add one item at a time to test it, but I'll definitely start with the beans.
As soon as you answered my question about the plain Greek yogurt, I went to find it. Found the brand Okios Organic Greek Yogurt (nothing extra added). I started with 1 teaspoon and received no reaction, so I'm up to 1 and a quarter tablespoons now. I know I'm slow, but I hate these immediate reactions I often receive.
You know, I've gone without the taste of 'sweet' for so long now, that really nothing bothers me any longer. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

In your response you typed:
"You haven't been suffering from yeast problems for long so I believe you will get rid of the nasty symptoms very soon! By the way, are you sure, it's yeast you are dealing with?"
First of all, thanks for giving me some definite hope. I really do appreciate that.
Am I sure it's yeast? Well, I know when I got this, and it was easy to figure out how once I did some research, and I know what I receive a reaction to, sugar of any type and carbs. As far as how I contracted this goes; To lose some weight, a 'friend' told me that she lost 30 pds on a fruit diet. I only wanted to lose 10 to 14, so I thought, "This will be a breeze". But my problem was (which I wasn't aware of at the time, thanks to my ignorance) that my favorite fruits, grapes, apples and bananas, were very high in sugar content, even more true because I would only purchase dark purple or black grapes, which are even higher in sugar content than the green ones. They contained at least 20 grams of sugar for one serving, and I was eating about 3 to 4 servings a day. The average banana contains about 17 grams, and I was eating 2 a day, plus 1 apple (average 23 grams) and every day a mixture of any of the following: blueberries, peaches, and strawberries (about a 100 grams per serving). That's probably over (and it's difficult to type this) 200 grams of sugar a day (in the end, this was as bad as your snack diet). But I thought as long as I was eating only protein and greens in addition to the fruit, I was doing fine. Ignorance IS NOT bliss.
You asked if I'm taking yeast-killing supplements, my list is below, daily basis:

6 drops of oil of oregano
6 tablespoons organic coconut oil (may I say "gag"?)
Ultimate Flora Critical Colon BifidoMax (up to 160 billion a day, how high should I go with this?)
Digest Gold + Probiotics Enzyme - almost every time I eat something, which is numerous times a day, especially today, a no-meat day for me. It's so difficult not to feel weak and empty on these days. I eat about 4 organic eggs a day when I do this)

Grapefruit seed extract: I've been taking either the liquid or the pills off and on since I figured out what I have. The first two weeks I was taking it, I felt a definite difference, but after that 2 wk period, it seemed to stop working. Now I take it in rounds, on for a several weeks, and off for a month or longer. I'm about to start another round tomorrow.

I have the Capryl pills, but since I'm taking 6 tbsp of coconut oil a day, I wasn't sure that it was still needed. Do you think it is? I can easily start it back. If so, how much do you take a day?

"New Chapter Candida Take Care" cranberry extract. To be honest, I wasn't sure how necessary this was. I seem to do a lot of just plain experimenting.

I also added Echinacea because I feel that my immune system has been compromised with this onslaught of yeast, and I take extra D3 now, as well as my 'usual' supplements, A, E, C, calcium w/magnesium and zinc. And probably something I'm forgetting.

Azo Yeast, I've never heard of that to be honest. Can you tell that you're taking it?

The hormone theory is interesting, and a great possibility. I know that our bodies absorb chemicals released by the yeast, and these interfere with the thyroid hormone's ability to cause its effect in the cell, and the patient develops fibromyalgia symptoms. This scares me half to death. I've had thyroid surgery and am now hypothyroid. I've been on thyroid pills since the surgery, and the last time it was checked (about 9 weeks ago), my thyroid hormones were very low. The doctor raised my dosage, and I'm now taking iodine pills (without her knowledge), but I have the hormones checked more often now. I've explained to my doctor that I believe I have Candida, and you can imagine her response.

You also asked if I stay away from starchy vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, beets, and artichokes. I've not had any of those items since last November. I can't tell you how totally sick I am of green veggies, eggs and meat. I recently added avocados to my diet, and they are definitely my
'dessert' and only ‘treat’.. I eat 2 a day, every day. Right now I feel weak and hungry, but I don't want to eat. I know I need to add more calories, but I really have no idea how, other than just eating more which is simply a job for me now.

Thank you again so very much for all of your input.
Sky

[skyblue]

If anyone at all has a suggestion or comment about the first post in this thread, I would gladly more than welcome the suggestions. I'll read anything at this point that I think may help me end this quicker.

Should I be taking more than 6 drops a day of oil of oregano?
I stopped having die-off symptoms from this after about the 4th day.

What types of toothpaste do you use if you can't use regular like myself?

What do you do for the occasional constipation?

Does anyone else experience stinging in their lower lip from their Candida?

I would love to have these questions answered.

[Jonika]

Sky
I will respond later today. :-)

[Jonika]

I am glad we can exchange our experience like this. I am alone in this battle - at least that's how I feel.

Stevia extract (white powder) by Kal tastes the best - very little aftertaste. Here on Netrition.com, they have Erythritol as a powder (1lb). I like it because it dissolves quickly and I don't have to use my grinder to make the powder out of erythritol crystals.

That reaction from oat meal you had: some people experience problems with digestion (bloating, gas, ect.) after eating something with a lot of carbs if they are on a very low-carb diet. Try to eat it with yogurt or something fatty - that way your body will have something to work with and bloating may not be so severe...I don't eat oats of any kind...they are not my thing. However, give me HWC and I'll whip it and eat a gallon of it in one sitting! LOL

Yes, you have to be aware of almost everything you put in your mouth, but it gets better in time - you will remember what's good and what not - which products are suitable, which aren't. It'll get better, trust me. There is a mustard that I use and it tastes divine. It's made without sugar and with Apple Cider Vinegar: Organic Brown/Yellow Mustard by Eden.

It's great that you are adding food little-by-little. Keep it up.

I eat that Okios plain greek yogurt too! I add it to deviled eggs or I put some erythritol in it to make it taste sweet and it's like a treat. I also have goat milk kefir (plain) which is very filling. I drink maybe 5 TBS at the time, not every day (I hope it won't go bad in my fridge!).

You know, I used to eat something crazy like 200g of sugar daily too! It was crazy! I used to be addicted to dried bananas in chocolate, those Lindt chocolate balls, watermelon, etc. Then, I would eat a lot of pasta - I had a fave recipe: pasta (elbows) with slices of sausage and onions, covered in powdered paprika...gosh - I love this dish. Those days are over though. :-) We learn from our mistakes. I was never into bananas or apples, but I loved watermellon . You should see my mom though! She eats lots of sugary food. It's her fix - she has a very mentally challenging job - she is a teacher.

I also drink naturally flavored water, there are different kinds - each store carries something else. At Kroger, I get Cascade Ice, Arrowhead, Perrier. you may wanna take a look at that. If I drink water, I am not so hungry and it keeps my bowels moving as they should.

I take 5 drops of Oil of Oregano 2x a day
Capryl: 6 pills a day (serving size)
Azo Yeast (2 pills a day, it helps releave the symptoms of vaginal yeast -at Walmart)
Azo Cranberry(keeps your urinary tract healthy and infection free: vaginal yeast inf. and UTIs are linked)
Vit. D3 (5000)
Vit. C (3000mg)
Every other day or every 3 days a multivitamin.

I don't eat CO very much and I know I should! It's very good for you, in many ways. Keep taking it. I take capryl because it says it's "sustained" release -so it travels farther into the intestines...I am not a doctor so I can't say whether caprilyc acid needs to travel into the lower bowels...but, eh, what the hell. I'll take it.

Yes, hormones are a *****. My doc and I suspect that my yeast is linked to high levels of Progesterone before my period. I am testing the effect of LoSeasonique contraceptive to see if it helps... Iwas tested on thyroid maybe 4 times last yeast - I am fine there (thank GOD)...

Sky, I know how sick you must be of meat/egg/vegetable combo! Why don't you try making something from coconut/nut flours??? You could make yourself a bread, or salty crackers,...

I take probiotics too: FemDophillus (for women with vaginal problems) and the one you are taking :Ultimate Flora Critical Colon BifidoMax. I think you don't need to go higher with them. 160 is a lot of beneficial bacteria and I believe it's sufficient. We just need to take it long term...

Originally Posted by Sky

Right now I feel weak and hungry, but I don't want to eat. I know I need to add more calories, but I really have no idea how, other than just eating more which is simply a job for me now

Sky, try to add some whole grains such as brown rice,beans, or bake cookies! Don't be afraid to eat!!! I don't want to scare you, but that's how anorexia starts...so, be calm and don't obsess over food too much ok?

[Jonika]

This is for your inspiration: cookies made from 1 and 1/4 C Coconut/Almond flours,1tsp Lemon zest, 1 tsp vanilla,1/2tsp lemon extract, 2 eggs, 1 stick of butter, and 1C erythritol mixed with 2TBS Truvia.

[skyblue]

Hi, Jonika, it was great to hear from you. Thanks.

Ok, first, try to realize how dumb I still am where Candida is concerned. I study and study, think I'm learning something, and then I go to the message boards, and read something as simple as the "HWC" that you mentioned, and of course, I have no idea what you're talking about. First inclination is to go to good old google, I type it in, and the first site on the results page is "Harold Washington College" - I said to myself, "That CANNOT be right." Ok, don't laugh if I'm wrong, but is it “heavy whipping cream."

Jonika, I love the sound of the recipe you gave me, and I definitely want to try it. The picture alone made my mouth drool, lol … But I swear, I've tried a dozen or more products hailed as 'natural' sugars", and so far the Stevia extract is the only one I haven't received a reaction from. The Erythritol is a "type" of sugar alcohol, and I've tried all kinds of these, and any food product with a sugar alcohol in the ingredients will cause a reaction within an hour. I read a lot of information about it when I received your reply, and in all honestly, it does sound different from other, regular sugar alcohols, and the information on sugar alcohols reads that they 'do' feed Candida, however, the info I've found on Erythritol says it does 'not' feed Candida. So I'm going to try to find a small package first, and just experiment. I'll let you know how it comes out. I've found that the best way for me to experiment with something such as this is for me to wait until I'm having no reactions, put the product in plain water, and take a few drinks. I wait a few hours, and if no reaction occurs, I know it's safe. I have to try the product alone, because I have reactions SO many times to products that I'm allowed to have on the strict Candida diet. If I receive no reactions from that, do you think substituting the Stevia extract for the Truvia would work? This would just save me from buying and trying one more product.

At the moment, I’m receiving a bad reaction from a pork chop that I had at lunch. It came from my local butcher who does not inject sodium into his meat, but I know that pork contains a lot of natural sodium, so unless this is the cause, I have absolutely no idea what the cause is this time. Do you suppose that the antibiotics and hormones in meats can cause a reaction that quickly? I had ground been yesterday, and barely had a reaction. I also need to find a good source of organically raised beef, and I guess that, in general, I need to stick with ground beef, or beef in some form. I know also need a good protein substitute, have any suggestions? I’ve not been able to find organically raised chickens, or chicken without sodium injections, but that’s my next project. I know about beans, but I don't want to use a lot of those, not on a daily basis.
Right now, I’d give this stinging a 7 on a scale of 1 to 1o.

About the raw oatmeal, I didn't explain my reactions earlier, and it seemed that you thought that I was speaking of indigestion (bloating, gas, etc.). If that's the case, no, I almost "never" experience those things. I'll explain my one and only (that I’ve notice) "immediate" reaction to foods. The Candida was concentrated on my lower lip from the beginning, six months ago, and that's still where I experience it the most. In the beginning it became very red and 'raw' looking, even swollen. Now, some days my husband says he can hardly notice it. It doesn't happen as often now, but for a long time I could barely stand it when he would give me just a 'light' little kiss. At this point, there are short periods when I feel absolutely no reaction on my lip at all (I basically long for those periods, lol). At other times, it will gradually become very sore, or other times it'll start to sting and reach a level of mildness all the way up to an unbelievably horrible stinging sensation. I've had to take Ibuprofen many times for both the stinging sensation as well as a burning sensation across my lower lip. Sometimes, it does both, sting and burn at the same time. This is something that I try to avoid at all cost; it's nothing less than dreadfully painful.

Wow, I LOVE mustard, and have missed it terribly. I'm going to look for Organic Brown/Yellow Mustard by Eden, thank you so much. I'm definitely happy now. I can make egg salad! I don't need that stinky mayo. LOL I’ll use the Okios yogurt! This is too much good news for one day.
Thank you!

The goat milk kefir, did you make this or purchase it somewhere?

So you take 10 drops of Oil of Oregano a day. I've done nine before, but not ten. Adding more today. Thanks.

You typed, "I can't say whether Caprylic acid needs to travel into the lower bowels...but, eh, what the hell.”... Hey, just let me say, and you can't taste the pills.

Also, "Sky, try to add some whole grains such as brown rice, beans, or bake cookies!"
I received my raw oat groat yesterday. Will that work well enough for the grains? I soaked those for about eight hours, and they're still really difficult to chew. Guess I'll have to try boiling them for a while. Didn't really want to do that because I know it breaks down the carbohydrates.

“Pasta (elbows) with slices of sausage and onions, covered in powdered paprika”, oh my gosh! That sounds SO good.

I know I need to add more of a verity to my meals, and I'm slowly working on that. I think I mentioned the avocados, I can't tell you how good tasting those things are for me. When I first started these, about 4 days after eating one a day, I experienced terrible die-off symptoms for almost two days. I later discovered that this was probably caused by something called chitinase, which is apparently not Candida friendly. I see that plantains also contain it, so I’m going to purchase some of those tomorrow.

Do I remember you mentioning that you were in Knoxville? I checked on the weather news there, and there were a lot of photos from the damage done in east Tennessee last night. Is everything ok at your place? I hope so, we're in NC, and were so fortunate that the storms last night totally missed us, amazingly. The last time we had storms like that, April 11, our roof was damaged to the point that the entire roof will have to be replaced. Due to all the other damage in our area, the insurance adjustor couldn't be here until yesterday. Now all we have to do get the roofer out to our place to do the job. Everything moves SO slow it seems.

Thank you again, Jonika, for every detail of your replies. Just know that they are being read multiple times (by me) lol ... but others too I see, according to the number of reads already showing for the thread.

In time I plan to try everything you've suggested so far. I'll always be eternally grateful for both your time and your knowledge.

Sky

[Jonika]

Originally Posted by skyblue

Ok, first, try to realize how dumb I still am where Candida is concerned. I study and study, think I'm learning something, and then I go to the message boards, and read something as simple as the "HWC" that you mentioned, and of course, I have no idea what you're talking about. First inclination is to go to good old google, I type it in, and the first site on the results page is "Harold Washington College" - I said to myself, "That CANNOT be right." Ok, don't laugh if I'm wrong, but is it “heavy whipping cream."

You are hilarious! But, it's okay! YOu are NOT Candida dumb! Not at all! I am sorry I didn't explain those abbreviations.

HWC - Heavy whipping cream
ACV - Apple Cider Vinegar
OoO - Oil of Oregano
GSE - Grapefruit seed extract
CA - Caprilyc Acid


If I come across another one, I will post it.

[Jonika]

Oh, be assured that Erythritol is a different type of sugar alcohol. I can't eat those other sugar alcohols either! Not even Xylitol which is tolerated well by majority of people. You should have seen me when I indulged on store-bought sugar-free chocolates. Of course, they were full of maltinol. God bless! I got the worst diarrhea and bloating EVER! And the next day, BAM! a yeast infection. I am guessing all the fermentation in my bowels fed candida...Sorry for such gruesome details, but I simply HAD to share...I will never forget that afternoon.

Erythritol is manufactured by fermentation, but the end product doesn't ferment in your bowels. I have VERY LITTLE reaction from it - and I have to eat like a ton of it in one sitting. I have no reaction from my cookies or from my salad dressings.The body expels it through urine...It has ZERO GI (Glicemic Index) while Xylitol has something like 20 (? not sure) and I've heard, Maltinol has something like 45 GI (Sugar 50 if I am not mistaken).

Truvia tastes nice, but I still get that stevia-like aftertaste from it; therefore, I almost always mix it with erythritol. I don't sweeten my coffee (it's stayed with me since my first candida-diet efforts), so I don't really have a use of Truvia besides baking. Oh, I forgot I use it sometimes to sweeten my greek yogurt. It tastes nice, overall. They have Truvia in a small 9.8 oz plastic container with a green lid at Walmart. I am sure, your Walmart or Kroger, or any other grocery store carries it too.
By the way, I posted an extended version of my cookie recipe in the recipe thread. Low Carb Recipe Pictures
Take a look. I would love to hear how they came out for you!!

About the flours: I get them online, but they are also available at any health-food store. Check online for some health food stores in your area...if there are none, then try to go to Netrition.com.

What you can do is to buy raw almond or hazelnuts and grind them into flour in your coffee grinder or food processor. It's the same stuff you buy in a bag.

I like your way of trying out new stuff! I will do the same when testing new food...Thanks for posting.

Oh, and don't forget to keep all your probiotics in the fridge even if the bottle states that the bacteria is stable in the room temperature. I don't believe this claim. It is well known that probiotics die if they are exposed to higher temperatures...

Sky, tomorrow, I will post my comments on meat , etc. It's getting late here and I am winding down. It's great we are exchanging our experiences!

Good night.
Talk to you later

PS: those cookies I made are delish! Try to make 1/2 recipe (with one egg)...alcohol from the extracts will evaporate during baking (that's what I think...am I right? I don't know. It's such a small amount of alcohol that even if it is still there after 20mins. at 350F, then I am willing to sacrifice myself for the taste of Heaven in my mouth...hehe )

[Jonika]

Hi Sky
I am back.
You write that you have a yeast-like spot on your lower lip. Why don't you go to a dentist or dermatologist to get some medicine for it? If it's really infected by yeast (it sounds like it might be), it will never go away on its own (in my opinion) and it can spread. I got Nistatin ointment for my thing (cracked, itchy/stingy corners of my mouth) and it's improving rapidly.

I don't know about a protein powder - try to ask in the general low-carb section...I don't use any because, in my opinion, I eat plenty of protein (fish [love fish], chicken, and every now and then pork and beef). I don't like red meat very much, so I don't eat it often. Right now, we have this wonderfully tasting pork meat. My hubby smoked it on a grill and it came out just divine...ooooh, yummy! I have 2 slices a day with my big salad. I also like buffalo and elk meat - but I don't have them so often.
My next project is to make General Tso chicken by Erica - you will find the recipe in the recipe section of this forum.

I LOVE goat milk, that's why I got goat milk kefir. I bought one by Redwood Hill Farm at Earth Fare (health food supermarked in Knoxville), but any kefir is good if it's plain. Yesterday, I poured 4 TBS of kefir into a cup, added a spoonful of erythritol, and some rum flavor. It was tasty as hell. I also have calorie-free Chocolate syrup by Walden Farms, but that stuff contains citric acid and I am trying to stay away from it.

I buy organic meat if it's available to me (at our local walmart, there is a tiny organic chicken section, ) Kroger has a much better organic selection than walmart. Also, I buy organic vegetables like lettuce heads, radishes, cucumbers, etc.

If those oat groats are too hard even after cooking, don't use them. Try brown rice cereal. It looks like grits, but they get nice and mushy when you cook them. At the health food store, they have many different kinds of cereal boxes - made from brown rice, millet, quinoa , etc. that have only like 3-5g of sugars added per serving (honey mostly).

Avocados are great! I don't like them, but they ARE very heatlhy.

It's kind of you to ask me about the storm! Yes, we had a very bad weather here at our place (we live upon a hill overlooking Great Smoky Mountains). We only had strong wind gusts and rain, but a tornado touched the ground in Newport (30min. from us) and wrecked up a bunch of houses, high school included. It killed over 5 people in Greenville, TN. I am sorry to hear about your roof! sometimes things seem to move slowly if there are many people with a similar damage to their homes...It's no fun to have a roof damaged though. It must cost a fortune to repair it.

Have you bought the mustard yet?

I hope your weekend is trouble free and restful!
Jonika

[skyblue]

Hi, Jonika; I’m back as well, and I’m glad to see you’re back.

I have just a ‘bit’ of good news, at least that’s how I see it. I worked as a volunteer at our local hospital last Wednesday and Thursday, almost all day long both times, and the last time I tried that (2 wks. ago last week) it exhausted me to the point of having mild anxiety late Thursday night, the kind you have to breathe through to get past. That used to happen a lot to me after my Mother passed away in 2004, but I’ve been over it for years, until that night. But the good news is that it didn’t happen this time. I think it’s because I’ve had my thyroid meds increased, plus I’m trying to add more sodium to my diet, which I think I told you I had a very low level of a few weeks ago. So that’s very good news for me just knowing that I didn’t become exhausted again from two straight days plus the work I do in my home office, not to mention cooking every meal now, so much for eating out now…. lol.

Hey, I was glad to hear that you escaped the bad damage from the storms, but that toado that touched down near you, that was awfully close. Glad you and your family and home are alright.

About the raw oat groats: well, I soaked the oats first overnight of course, then they were still hard, so I checked on the Net and some of the info said to steam them for a while. So I did this, and they were definitely more chewable. I had been having a teaspoon or two off and on during the day before I steamed them, and that didn’t seem to bother me, but since they were easier to chew, I went ahead and tried a big tablespoon full at one time, with my breakfast this morning. A few hours later, I began to have the terrible stinging and burning on my lip, “the reaction”. All I can assume is that I steamed them too long, making the carbs easier to break down my body? The main reason that I want to add the raw oats is because they contain 'chitinase’ -- the stuff I told you was in the avocado which gave me two days worth of die-off. I've read that chitinase is a really powerful enzyme that literally causes the candida to break open and leak their cell membrane. Yuck, but good.

The Stevia aftertaste doesn’t bother me, and as I told you, I purchased the Stevia extract, and I swear, I’m sure I’m still experiencing a reaction from it. So I looked for your Truvia, and found it, purchased it, and brought it home. But … I’ve not had a chance to test it yet since today I decided to try the steamed raw oat groats. But I will, hopefully tomorrow.

Organic meat: We don’t have a Kroger store in our area, and I’ve never seen organic meat in our local Wal-Marts (3 of those), but I’ll definitely ask. I found a supplier of organic pork and another one who sells her organic chickens at a close by farmer’s market. I bought the pork chops last week, and had terrible reactions from that, could that possibly be caused by the natural sodium that’s in it? That seems totally weird to me. The only other possible reason I’m having reactions from some of my food is the Himalayan sea salt, and I just can’t bear to think that. The day I had the pork chop, I used some of it on my vegetables.

The person who sells the organic chickens took my order yesterday (Saturday), and will have the chicken next week. They keep it in a cooler at the market, and she said that they want the chicken to be absolutely fresh when they hand it to the customer. I like that. When I read your email I suddenly remembered that we still have some venison in our freezer from two that my husband shot this past season. How did I forget about that? Rofl .. so I’ve taken a package out and will prepare it on Tuesday after thawing and allowing it to soak in ACV and water tomorrow night. Eating the venison will be a test for me, I’ll just eat some cooked cabbage, no salt, with a nice bunch of raw shallots and sliced cucumbers along with it. I have a site in my favorites that has the sodium content of most foods, including meats. I checked it for venison, and just 3 ounces contain 77 mg, wow, I didn’t realize it was that much. Let me know if you want that website.

I looked for the mustard online, and found it, but I thought I’d wait to see if any of the health food stores around us have it as well. I’ll let you know, and thanks for that information.

Today I added odorless garlic pills to my list of supplements, that’s something I’ve not tried yet, other than the minced garlic I use on some of the meat I prepare. I also decided to purchase some more Caprylic acid, which I did today. It’s because of the coconut oil, Jonika. It never, never gets easier to swallow, it only gets worse it seems. So I’ll continue to take the oil, just not as much, and add the Caprylic acid. You seem to think the CA works alright, and the way you explained it certainly make sense. Anyway, to tell the truth, the main reason I wanted the oil instead of the CA was for the extra calories. Each tablespoon contains 125 calories, and I was taking 6 a day, 750 extra, much needed calories a day. That may be what was keeping me from losing more weight, guess I’ll find out, but I’m also trying to eat more food for sure.

Hopefully I’ll get to an Earth Fare in Asheville or Charlotte one day to see if I can find the kefir. I’ve thought about ordering the starter packages from “Body Ecology Diet” online, but I was amazed that you would use a quart of whole milk to make it. Sorry, but that seems like you’d be feeding the Candida with all that milk. Of course, I’m the first to admit, I have no knowledge of kefir at all. The directions also say that you can use rice milk; do you suppose that would be better than whole milk? Searching for information on goat’s milk, I found that it's closer to human milk than cow milk is, and it has an alkaline reaction the same as mother's milk, where as cow milk has an acid reaction. But goat’s milk contains about the same amount of lactose as cow’s milk, and we all know what that is. Can that be good? Do you drink goat’s milk now, or just eat the kefir?

I know you told me not to ‘be afraid of food” but, Jonika, I have to be to a degree. It’s almost 11 pm, I’ve not eaten a bite since about 7 o’clock, which was only a plate full of cooked cabbage with shallots and oregano (no salt), and I’m still having a terrible burning and stinging sensation all the way across my bottom lip from something I ate today. Could it be the steamed oat groats from this morning? I honestly don’t know.

I have another appointment with my doctor on May 10th, and I’m going to ask her about the Nystatin. I hope she’ll write a prescription for me, but since she hasn't actually diagnosed this as being Candida, I’m not sure if she will or not. If she doesn’t, I’m going to ask her to suggest another doctor who hopefully will be more knowledgeable on this subject.

Wow, this has turned out to be longer than I expected it to be. Hope your eyes aren’t getting tired from all of this.

I also hope you had a great weekend, and continue to enjoy a great week.
Bye bye, Sky

[CandidHoney]

I'm surprised I haven't seen mentioned on here anything about a more intense Candida cleanse. God, it's kind of a disgusting topic. But basically, when you have a systemic candida problem - as I just realized I've had for years - your body is probably also host to harmful parasites. Luckily there are detox programs that nail both. I just started something from a company called Humaworm. Not a big fan of the name, but I'm on the third day of a month-long parasite/candida/colon cleanse they sell on their website. I'm combining that with all the diet recommendations for candida to try to wipe it out this month. If you do some research, it can take a while to get rid of candida if you don't go through at least a month-long detox that you take seriously. At first, I just went to the store and bought ingredients that are supposed to help - namely green black walnut hulls, cloves, and wormwood. But it gets confusing and expensive to create your own mix, so it really is worth it to buy a detox/cleanse product that combines all kinds of herbs that will help. I'll come back and report here on how much this has helped me throughout the month. I feel fine right now, but I'm hoping/dreading the die-off symptoms just to know that I'm finally kicking Candida's ass.

[Jonika]

Hi ladies
Sky, how are you doing?
Honey, good luck to you! Please, let us know how you are doing. How many mg of the ingredients are you taking?? I have a Candida cleanse with black walnut and other candida fighters, but I don't think I am taking enough of it to make any difference (my opinion)...

I have bad news: two days ago, I found out I had a super-resistant type of Candida infection. My doc has to call in a special prescription to a special pharmacy which can mix it up for me...And there's still not 100% guarantee, this medicine will kill it off. Only a few pharmacies in my area are able to make this concoction...Nobody knows how this candida takes over, but they suspect it's from over-use of Diflucan and common "azoles"..But, what is a woman to do if she suffers from yeast infection all the time? My "best friend"'s name is Candida Glabrata.

What is very interesting is the fact that the infection flared up right before my period and now - during my period, it has subsided some...

I am trying to eat Candida free, but I still have managed to gain some weight. It may be hormonal...I don't know...

Sky, how is your work? Are you still very busy?? Are you still eating a little bit of greek yogurt?

[CandidHoney]

Here is the herb dosage for the Humaworm cleanse:


HUMAWORM For ADULTS
Black Walnut 200mg
Wormwood 100mg
Cloves 100mg
Thyme 100mg
Garlic 200mg
Fennel 100mg
Cayenne 100mg
Ginger 100mg
Gentian 100mg
Hyssop 100mg
Milk Thistle 100mg
Marshmallow root 100mg
Pau D' Arco 200mg
Burdock 100mg
Elecampane 100mg
Fenugreek 100mg
Licorice 100mg
Barberry 200mg
Cascara Sagrada 25mg
Senna 25mg
Sage 100mg
Psyllium 200mg
Yellow Dock 100mg
Cramp Bark 100mg
Peppermint 200mg

All of them are helpful in killing parasites and candida - the website even says there are no diet restrictions while you're on it. But because I really want to take care of this asap and not let it drag on any longer than it has to, I'm also following a strict Candida-starving diet. I've been considering cutting out dairy completely, but still eat yogurt. I've been wondering if I should just cut that out completely too and use probiotic pills. FYI, in addition to probiotics, you need to eat prebiotic foods that keep the probiotics healthy -- stuff like onions, garlic, ginger and asparagus. Here's an excellent prebiotic recipe: The Food Lovers' Primal Palate: Asparagus Soup

[skyblue]

Originally Posted by Jonika

I have bad news: two days ago, I found out I had a super-resistant type of Candida infection. My doc has to call in a special prescription to a special pharmacy which can mix it up for me...And there's still not 100% guarantee, this medicine will kill it off. Only a few pharmacies in my area are able to make this concoction...Nobody knows how this candida takes over, but they suspect it's from over-use of Diflucan and common "azoles"..But, what is a woman to do if she suffers from yeast infection all the time? My "best friend"'s name is Candida Glabrata.
What is very interesting is the fact that the infection flared up right before my period and now - during my period, it has subsided some...
I am trying to eat Candida free, but I still have managed to gain some weight. It may be hormonal...I don't know...
Sky, how is your work? Are you still very busy?? Are you still eating a little bit of greek yogurt?

Hi, everyone.

Jonika, to answer your question from another message about the chicory, I use 100% French chicory coffee from the Orleans Coffee Exchange in Kenner, LA. You can find them online.

I'm SO sorry to hear about the type of Candida you have.
It really makes me angry to be honest. Why do such bad things have to happen to good people?
Hon, if you're still on the Candida diet, phase 1, and you're gaining weight, I don't see how it's anything but hormonal. I've lost three more pounds in the past ten days, and during that time I was trying to gain a few back.
But I'm still on a completely carb-free diet.

About the Greek yogurt, yes I'm up to maybe 1/2 cup a day now, and I love it. Thanks for putting me on the path to that.

You know I honestly believe the reason most people take years and years to get over regular Candida is the diet, and of course not using strong enough antifungal on a regular basis. When I finally realized what my problem was, I started researching everything I could find on Candida. One of the things I read was that Candida has to have yeast in some form plus the correct environment in order to survive. My thought was, change their environment (correct your pH balance), and take away ALL of their food supply (sugar/yeast and everythng that causes yeast), and something has to happen, I couldn't believe it wouldn't. The hardest part, and I'm including staying on the diet with these, was searching out and recognizing every single source of their food supply. Some of the food items surprised me, like regular white vinegar and toothpaste.

I thoroughly believe that all the antifungal remedies and drugs in the world are fighting a losing a battle as long as we give them a constant, or even a semi-constant, food supply and a thieving environment.

As a few examples of what I'm talking about; during the past months, it would never have entered my mind to use HWC at all, and I've read that caffeine is an adrenal stressor which harms the immune system, and practically all coffee and teas contain fungi (other than chicory). So I learned to live without caffeine and found the chicory instead, which research says is inhospitable to yeasts, parasites and molds, as well as other pathogens.
I put the Truvia in my chicory coffee and that's all. I stopped using the coconut cream because I'm making a 'coconut dessert' with Greek yogurt now about twice a day that I love to snack on. A warning, chicory coffee is very, very strong (to me at least) and I'm actually still working making a pot that I won't have to add water to in order to drink.

By the way, Jonika, thanks for asking about my work. It's about fair right now, which is normal for the state of the economy. I'm still in business, and that's what I'm hoping for until this is over, because I know it'll start to grow again as it was before.
But all of my spare time is now involved with a lot of the hospital volunteer programs - simply because I feel so much better and have so much more energy than just a few weeks ago. I'm so grateful for that.

Take care, everyone, Sky
PS: Jonkia, please keep us up to date on how you're doing.

[skyblue]

Good evening everyone. Jonika asked about the amounts of the supplements I'm taking, and I missed posting it in my other message. Here are the supplements/antifungals I'm taking and the amounts.


Metal Cleanse 2 x day
AlkaMax 2 x day
Caprylic acid 6 pills/daily
Garlic pill 4 x day after meals or snack
Oil of Oregano 10 to 12 drops a day
bee Propolis 3 x day
Premium Enzyme Formula Digest Gold 1 with each meal
cranberry extract 2 x day
coconut oil 6 tablespoons a day
Ultimate Flora Critical Colon Bifido Max 2 pills which is 160 billion

I went to the vitamin store today to pick up another bottle of the Oil of Oregano, and on the shelf right next to it was a bottle of Colloidal Silver. I've thought about trying this, so I bought a small bottle and had 2 teaspoons today.
Is anyone using this product?

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.
Sky

[Jonika]

Honey, thank you for the asparagus soup recipe! It looks yummy

Sky, thank you for feeling for me. I will post my progress as soon as I get back home. I am going to be traveling next two days. I must be doing something wrong if I am gaining weight - plus, as you say, hormones must be messing with me...

[Jonika]

Sky, thank you for the tip on the chicory coffee! I will look it up.
Also, I've read somewhere on the internet that one should take a week-long break from taking Oil of Oregano each month because supposedly, it's heavy on one's liver...I don't know if that's true...I don't want to raise panic. I would maybe do it like this: take it for 10 days straight, then take 3 days off, and then take it for 10 days straight, etc....I am not taking it at this time because I don't have time - I have to take care of our visitor and I sometimes even forget to take my regular vitamins and capryl...He is leaving tomorrow, so tomorrow, I will get back on track with my regiment.

Sky, oh tell me about it - that good people have to suffer like this. I have no idea why I am one of those unfortunate ones...over the years of battling yeast infections, I've become very ironic in some ways...I have no tolerance for some things/people - because I;ve felt extremely uncomfortable and I've been in a lot of pain; I've been depressed and frustrated...This health problem has definitely changed me...

I am happy to hear you are getting better! You are my inspiration.

[Jonika]

Look up the information on Coloidal Silver on the internet- it's a good stuff!! But, it has its risks...Let me know how you are feeling taking it

Great to hear your business is doing fairly well. Keep it up!

[skyblue]

Originally Posted by Jonika

Look up the information on Coloidal Silver on the internet- it's a good stuff!! But, it has its risks...Let me know how you are feeling taking it

Hi, everyone.

Jonika, I had already read what I thought was a lot about colloidal silver, but after reading your message, I decided to do some more research. What I saw that I didn't like was that CS kills all single-celled microbes that it comes into contact with, the good and bad both (as well as the possible damage to the liver). The info also said that CS was superior to fluconazole (Diflucan). So what I think I'll do is to take the CS for a week or so, and then take some time off from it to allow my system to replenish itself with the 'good' flora that I'm taking on a daily basis. I'll do the same with the Oil of Oregano as well, thanks for both of these warnings.

I know you're busy with your guest right now, and I really hope you have lots of energy and are feeling great so that you can enjoy the good times. It must be horrible to try and stay on the diet while you're taking the trips.

Thanks again, Sky

[Jonika]

Originally Posted by CandidHoney

Here's an excellent prebiotic recipe: The Food Lovers' Primal Palate: Asparagus Soup

Hello Sky, Honey
I am back home at last. I will post more comments tomorrow...For now, I just want to let you know that I made the Asparagus Soup from the site above this evening and it came out absolutely delicious. It took a really short time to make too. I used my blender/mixer to blend asparagus with the chicken broth. I used organic chicken broth (only 4g of carbs per quart/box/4Cups/80cal) from Kroger (you can get it at any store nowadays). Prosciutto is from Kroger (our walmart doesn't carry it). This ham is great for the fact that it contains only: ham and salt. No dextrose, maltodextrin, or sugar. I will post pictures tomorrow.

Next time, I will substitute broccoli/cauliflower for asparagus.

[skyblue]

Originally Posted by Jonika;

I am back home at last... For now, I just want to let you know that I made the Asparagus Soup from the site above this evening and it came out absolutely delicious. It took a really short time to make too. I used my blender/mixer to blend asparagus with the chicken broth. I used organic chicken broth (only 4g of carbs per quart/box/4Cups/80cal) from Kroger (you can get it at any store nowadays). Prosciutto is from Kroger (our walmart doesn't carry it). This ham is great for the fact that it contains only: ham and salt. No dextrose, maltodextrin, or sugar. I will post pictures tomorrow. Next time, I will substitute broccoli/cauliflower for asparagus.

Hi, Jonika. It's so good to see that you're back.

I read the recipe that you sent, and it sounds wonderfully tasty. Can't wait to try it, but I'm sure I'll sub the broccoli in place of the asparagus, because I'm a huge broccoli fan. The only problem I may have is the Imagine Free Range Chicken Broth. I’d bet that I won’t find that in my area, but I’ll try. I do have some organic chicken myself, and I know how to make my own broth, even though I’ve never actually done this. Thanks for that, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. :blush:

Jonika, I have to tell you about my experience with rutabaga. First, I’ll show you my source of inspiration which made me want to try rutabaga for the first time. The post below is from the Mall-Net website and written by a lady who was bedridden and had suffered from Candida for years, became very, very ill, and discovered rutabaga while she was ill.

The quote:

“When I was so ill that I was barely able to walk, I ate a bowl of rutabaga. The die-off reaction was quite visceral; for the next six hours or so, my stomach felt like it was on fire! I felt this pain moving slowly down my intestines till it crossed over and passed out through the urine (Mind you, I really had a BAD infestation of Candida). The next morning I felt much stronger. It really helped!”

The lady later added that red cabbage is another good member of this family, and it can also produce a strong die-off reaction. So I’ll eventually try it as well, especially since I have cooked cabbage almost every day.


Well, I purchased two nice big rutabagas, cut one into thin slices and baked them until they were semi-soft. Very delicious tasting I might add, at least to me, but then again, I love turnips and rutabagas are a member of the turnip family. Enjoying the taste so much, I ate over half of the rutabaga in one sitting, thinking that I really did have a fairly light case of Candida, especially considering the last few weeks of going through so many die-off days. When I ate this, it was in the afternoon and I felt quite normal throughout the evening. But during the night, I woke with terrible, terrible stomach pains, breath stopping really. I was also in a deep, deep fog from which, I realize now, I could not think clearly. All I thought about was getting up and finding something to take for my stomach, but I do not remember sitting up on the side of the bed or getting up from the bed. My husband told me this next part of the incident. He said that he heard a loud noise, and realized in the dark that I was not in bed. He called out to me several times but I didn’t answer, so he – in a bit of a panic it seems – got up turning the light on and saw me about seven feet from the bed, on the floor. I apparently had passed out and fallen, hitting my head on the closet door. Hitting that door was probably a real head and face saver, as I my head apparently slid down the door onto the floor, hitting the floor a little softer than it might have otherwise. He said that when he had turned the light on, I then answered him and told him that I was in the bed and needed to get up.

I was trying to get up, he said, which I do not recall at all, and he was helping me up when I went limp in his arms. The next that I was aware of was waking up later on the bed with him leaning over me. When I looked up at him, he said he thought I should go to the hospital, but as I woke up, I felt a little better and refused. Of course, with a clearer mind, I was already suspecting the rutabaga. I asked him to get me some more water (I keep it by the bed at night, but it was almost gone by that time). I just lay there for a long time taking vitamin C and drinking tons of water. By morning, of course I was experiencing the normal diarrhea that always follows a die-off period for me, and felt very good the rest of that day. Jonika, I am not a person who passes out, I had only done that one other time in my life when I had a horrible case of the flu over ten years ago. The good news is, I had next to no Candida symptom at all the next day, or the next. I’m going to cube and boiled the other rutabaga in a few more days, and keep it in the refrigerator, eating maybe three to four little bites every morning.

Jonika, are rutabagas part of your present diet? If they are not, and you decide to try them, whatever you do, remember they can be dangerous for us, and go very, very slowly with the amount you eat.

Thanks, and I really hope you are doing well.

Sky

[Jonika]

Hi ladies!
this is the promised picture of the asparagus soup:

I added some cooked broccoli and cauliflower, fresh chives and prosciutto. :-)

[Jonika]

Hi Sky!
I am sorry I haven't written sooner,but I've been horribly jet-lagged from traveling. I've gained quite a bit of weight in a short time - in 4-5 days, I've gained 4 pounds. 3 days ago, I ate at 10pm!! So now, I have something between 120 and 121 pounds and I feel uncomfortable. This morning, it was 118.8lb, in the evening it is usually 120.8. I have one inch more around my hips - yaaa, not good. My tastes have gone haywire and I've been eating 150g of sugar free chocolate a day (3 bars)! I found this wonderfully tasting chocolate called ChocoPerfection. The sweeteners there are erythritol and oligofructose. It gives me a pretty bad gas, I guess it's from oligofructose (a prebiotic). I stopped eating it yesterday. I mustn't touch it again! A good thing is that the cravings for it have disappeared.

Yesterday, I even had regular honey roasted peanuts (full of sugar!) and they gave me such a stomach ache, I didn't eat for the rest of the day. I don't know whether it's hormones that are messing with my tastes or just the change of environment (I did go from the dry heights of Colorado to the hot and humid rain-forest of Tennessee).

When I had those horrible stomach cramps, I made your lemon-baking soda cocktail and it helped!!! I am going to drink a glass of it a day .

I've never heard of rutabagas. Why are they dangerous? I will look them up on the Internet. I have to go easy on food because I am overeating too - I can't seem to stop eating until I am stuffed and that's how I gain weight as well. My hubby has his b-day on Monday so I made him chocolate mousse and a low-carb chocolate cake from Dixie dinners and of course, I had to try that mousse by spoon-fulls this morning! (all low-carb) I found the recipe for chocolate mousse in a Christmas magazine and I substituted Truvia for sugar. If you'd like to get the recipe, let me know.

Sky, you drink chicory coffee. What brand? Would you send me a PM with the link? I looked at chicory coffees last night, but couldn't decide which one to get. Thanks!

What kind of meat are you eating this week? What vegetables? Tell me about your menu so I can get inspired.

Let me know how your asparagus/broccoli soup came out for you. Eating on the road isn't that hard actually. I ALWAYS brink cold cuts with me and make some egg finger food in advance and then, I usually get a salad at a fast food restaurant and put my own dressing on it. I am not that hungry when I am in the car - sometimes, I eat just once a day: coffee and salad and I am full for the rest of the day. I actually lose weight on the road. Rachel Ray has got this wonderful egg muffin recipe that is induction friendly. I make it every time I am traveling. It's very tasty!
Video: Green Eggs and Ham
I also found a new low-carb recipe site (blog): Buttoni's Low Carb Recipes

Sky, I believe you will find an organic chicken broth in your area - but as you say, if you don't , make your own - that's a great idea too and you can freeze the leftover broth.
I absolutely LOVE red cabbage. I may get one next week. How is your rutabaga coming out? How are you feeling?
How about the coloidal silver? Are you getting any strange reactions from it? How often do you take it?

I have an update on my current condition: the doctor did some research and found a special anti-fungal which C.Glabrata isn't resistant to (90%-more successful). As I wrote before, the pharmacy has to mix it up specially for me and the cost is going to be unbelievable $400 for my 14 day dose. If I didn't have health insurance, it would cost me $800. My jaw dropped to the floor when I heard the price. There is another alternative: boric acid, but it has only 60-70% success rate.
I am going to get the antifungal. I will have to throw out all my old underwear too- because I don't want to get re-infected.
There is one good thing that is happening. My period is ending and the infection is getting smaller too. It's a miracle! A strange situation. I've never had it happen before. It makes me very happy. It MAY disappear altogether - which would be THE ULTIMATE MIRACLE...we shall see.Iam ready to get the cream any way.

The yeast infection in the corners of my mouth (Angular Cheilitis) is gone too - thanks to the Nystatin oitment (it cost me only $1.34 and one tube lasts a month). It's been very strange - the infection has been traveling around my mouth: chin, cheeks, upper lip, lower lip, so I started putting the ointment where it was itching...haha...some days, a half of my face was shiny from the cream...but at this point, I don't care about my looks, I just want to get healthy.

How are you this weekend? I went to yoga yesterday and it was sooo hard - Iam very out of shape. Skiing makes me very stiff. Today, it's about 88 degrees and we want to go in-line skating in the afternoon. I will try to do some light yoga too. Otherwise, nothing much is going on.

I am sending you a picture of the chocolate mousse.

[skyblue]

Hi, Jonika!

I'm glad to see that you're back.
I was so happy to read the update on your condition, and that your doctor found the special antifungal which C. Glabrata isn't resistant to. You're right, it really is expensive, but I'm sure it’s worth any amount if it works, and I truly hope it does. Please keep us posted as to how that's working for you. And you're right; it would indeed be a fantastic miracle if that infection would disappear.

Jonika, I made the asparagus/broccoli soup this morning, for which I made my own chicken broth over the weekend. I substituted, as I said I would, and used mostly broccoli but added some cauliflower as well. I have to say, it was absolutely scrumptious and more. =D But let me tell you what I tried and loved. Instead of adding the prosciutto as a garnish, I separated a small pot of the soup and blended about the same amount of pinto beans (for protein) until they were the same consistency as the broccoli. Then I added them to the small saucepan of soup and simmered them for a while to blend the beans with the soup. I loved, and I mean LOVED this at lunch today. I ate two bowls with a small salad. Thank you so much for that recipe, it's worth its weight in gold as far as I'm concerned.
I had another bowl for supper with some cooked cabbage, and I'll probably eat it again all day tomorrow.

About the chicory coffee that I use; it’s 100% French chicory coffee and it’s from the Orleans Coffee Exchange in Kenner, LA. They're located at this site; Orleans Coffee Exchange - Coffee & Chicory
If that link doesn’t work for you, just go to Orleans Coffee Exchange - Coffee & Chicory, Fair Trade and Organic Coffee and look for the chicory coffee.

I couldn’t find the coconut flour (for the cookies) in my area, at least not without going to Charlotte, and we’re not planning a drive there any time soon, so since I can't wait to make those cookies, I ordered some from a store online along with the mustard you mentioned and some more of the coconut cream concentrate.

Oh by the way, I'm really glad to hear that the lemon-baking soda helped your stomach cramps.

You asked about rutabagas, maybe you had time to look them up, but if not, I can tell you that they are one of, if not the most powerful natural antifungal foods you can purchase. The lady whom I quoted before rated the foods and remedies that she tried over time by the length of time that each food put her out of commission with die-off symptoms. This is how she rated rutabaga and a few others.

The best anti-fungal, rutabaga caused terrible intestinal pains and put her out of commission for about six hours the first time she ate it.

A thumb-size Jalapeno pepper put her out of action for three hours, and red cabbage put her down for one hour.

So, even though she described red cabbage as a 'strong antifungal' it was only half as powerful as a rutabaga.

By the way, the mousse photo looks delicious. Stop that!

You asked about the meat I'm eating this week; last week I went all week without red meat, I ate only organic chicken breasts. But I broke down Saturday and purchased two nice steaks and my husband grilled them for our lunch on Sunday. Last night, I had a mild reaction from the steak, don't know what else it could have been as I had a gigantic salad with the steak with lemon juice, and the rest of the day I had cooked cabbage, a small bowl of rutabaga at breakfast, a boiled egg, Greek yogurt twice, morning and evening, with coconut cream and grated coconut, a handful of blueberries, plus a bowl of pinto beans. By the way, I am loving beans in my diet finally, thank you again for convincing me to add those. The Greek yogurt as well, especially mixed with the coconut cream is truly a time-saver and a really great snack. Love it!

You asked what vegetables I'm eating so that you could be inspired... well I think I'm the one who needs to be inspired.

But mostly I'm eating the chicken and eggs for protein, and in the area of fruits and veggies, I'm eating the following;

1- Green beans
2- Pintos or white beans, and today I cooked a big pot of black-eye peas.
3- Salads with leaf lettuce (from our garden), spinach, onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers, and occasionally, if I need protein, a boiled egg sliced in the salad.
4- One avocado every day, sometimes in the salad.
5- A small bowl of rutabaga every morning - I'm adding a bite or two to the bowl every few days, and I eat it in the mornings just in case of die-off, I don't want another night like the first time I tried it.
6- Cooked cabbage and/or broccoli every day.
7- A small bowl of blueberries mixed with the yogurt once a day.
8- One to two lemons a day (lemonade).
I think that's all.

As far as the colloidal silver is concerned, well I stopped using it when I had that terrible die-off night, because, to tell the truth, that night made me literally afraid of die-off now. I can't help it, that was probably one of the most horrible experiences of my life, and I don't plan on ever reliving it. But I started back on the CS today, one teaspoon to start with.

You asked about how I'm feeling; to be honest, I've not felt really good since that terrible die-off experience well over a week ago. I've been reading a lot of information about really bad episodes of Herxheimer Reactions, and I came across the following information;

A product by the name of Molybdenum has proved useful in detoxifying the toxin called aldehyde from Candida die-off. Aldehyde is the toxin which causes the symptoms. When the Candida yeast cells are killed, the cells rupture spilling all those toxic contents into our bloodstream. When there's a large number of Candida cells killed at one time, the liver is forced to deal with the increased toxic load. If a large toxic load is not somehow reduced, then more and increased symptoms such as malaise, fatigue, myalgia, headaches, rashes, and a plethora of problems can result, and Molybdenum is specific in dealing with those toxins and reducing the die-off symptoms.
The day after the die-off episode wasn't so bad, but beginning on the second day, the description above is how I've felt for over a week or so, in fact, almost just plain sick at times. For several days, the headaches and fatigue have been nothing less than debilitating.
I purchased the Molybdenum on Saturday, and have been taking it since. I'm actually feeling at least 50% better today, which believe me is a huge difference.

I have been so weak and feeling so lousy lately, that I haven’t imagined going to the gym, but I'm so glad you were able to go to yoga. I have to work at the hospital two days this week, so I was really hoping I'd feel like it, and according to the improvement I've already felt, I'm fairly certain I'll be feeling fine by Wednesday.

Jonika, I don't remember you mentioning die-off symptoms before, do you ever experience it and if so, has it ever been very bad for you, or is it always mild?

I hope you're having a good week, girl, please let me know about anything new that you learn in the way of foods or supplements as well as how you’re doing.

(I really love the recipes you send.)

Later, Sky

[Jonika]

Hi Sky!
Thanks for your response! I will get rutabaga next time I go grocery shopping and will let you know what kind of effect it has on me. Thank you for the link for the chicory coffee! I will order it. I have to dedicate some time to online shopping tomorrow .

I know of Teeccino herbal coffee which contains chicory (besides other things), but it has many carbs per serving (8net)...so I don't drink it too often. It claims that Total cals per serving is zero and I don't understand how it can have 0 cal per serving if carbs are 8g net carbs.

Sky, I have to share with you: I made this FABULOUS birthday cake for my hubby and it is all low-carb! I used my mousse and fresh raspberries for the filling and Dixie Dinners Chocolate Snackin' Cake & Frosting Mix for the rest. My hubby didn't even know it was a low-carb deal. He just licked his fingers afterwards...haha I am assuming one serving of my cake from the pictures has about 4g of net carbs,no kidding. There is only one glitch there - Dixie Dinners use Sucralose as sweetener. I am trying to stay away from splenda, but...obviously, it creeps up on me from every corner. My hubby bought flavored water called Sparkling Ice which contains some vitamins and sucralose(tastes really good and they have a version with only natural flavoring too). I can't resist it so I have one bottle (0.5l) every night as a treat.
I am going to tempt you again (please, don't be mad at me!)
John's Birthday Cake:




I am trying to eat less these days - it was easy yesterday because of the cramps, but today, I got hungry thanks to my yoga class. I ate steamed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, zucchini) with a piece of smoked salmon and one "egg muffin" from Rachel Ray and since I love sauces, I made myself a mix of organic mustard, 1TBS mayo,a TBS of erythritol, and yogurt as a dip.
Afterwards, I didn't resist and had my chocolate mousse with my home made coconut flour cookies (lots of it!).

Sky, I am trying to avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms)and I am pretty sure that the regular Mayo is made from GMO soy beans...they use soy oil and, in other kinds of mayo, corn starch which is GMO too, in my opinion. Therefore, my next step is to make my own mayo. I buy organic eggs and I have organic safflower oil (this one doesn't have any flavor which is what we want)...

I wish I could eat clean like you! My mom destroyed me last year. I started eating sweets with her (she has a major sweet tooth) and since then, I haven't been able to NOT have anything sweet-tasting every day.

Oh, I am happy your soup came out great! That was a great idea to add beans! Wow! Wonderful! One simply can't eat just one bowl, right?
Thank you for your support as far as my health problems are concerned! You are very kind and I appreciate it! I will keep you posted.
I am sorry you suffered so much from coloidal silver! Maybe it's for the best that you are not taking it any more. I've read that it may cause a serious damage to the liver...But on the other hand, I don't believe everything that's on the Internet...so that's why I didn't try to discourage you from taking it. I am glad you are very aware of your body and that you don't "push it" with anything. If it makes you feel like c**p, then it's not worth it. I would rather stick with anti-fungal vegetables as rutabaga.
Have you tried Pau D'Arco tea? I have and it did nothing for me. It's quite bitter and I am not a tea person, so I stopped drinking it altogether.

I keep taking:
Capryl (6 a day)
Oil of Oregano (10-12 drops a day)
Vit D3 (5000units a day/1 pill a day)
200 mg of garlick (4 softgels, I started when you did)
3000mg of vit. C
cranberry extract (daily maintenance dose)
Candida cleanse (2pills a day - mixture of anti-fungal herbs)
probiotics (FemDophillus and Colon one you use)

I quit:
Azo Yeast (I grew tired of taking so many pills a day)
coconut oil softgels
I also haven't touched my sugar-free ChocoPerfection chocolate and I am proud of myself for it.

Oh , by the way, I don't buy coconut flour at a regular store either. I either buy it exclusively online or I get it at a local family-owned organic shop if I am lucky and they have it in stock. It's cheaper online anyway.
Coconut milk concentrate? What is it? I use "coconut milk beverage" - it's basically mashed coconut mixed with water, 2g net carbs per 1cup...

How do you fix your cooked cabbage? Do you add something to the water??

I am glad to hear you are enjoying your yogurt and beans.

Don't fret, your strength will return in no time. Stay calm and wait it out. It's not going to last forever. I agree with you. It was probably caused by coloidal silver. It may have put a lot of pressure on your body. How is your itchy spot on your lip? Is it still gone??? (I hope so!)

You work at a hospital? may I ask what you do there?

Sky, my problem and a cause of puzzlement is the fact that I have never suffered from a die-off reaction. I don't remember one. I got a horrible gas and stuff related to that (diarrhea)when I first introduced probiotics into my diet, but nothing after that. Absolutely nothing. If I eat clean (just meat and veggies), my tongue is beautifully pink (even in the back). I don't believe in the "spit test" because yeast IS a natural part of the body and is present in the mouth no matter what you do or eat.

I will try to write more tomorrow or later this week. We are going to see my hubby's mom this week - she has her birth day on Sunday.

Have a great day at work and I hope you are feeling a little better today! (Tue)

[Jonika]

I am sending you some flowers from our garden to cheer you up

[skyblue]

Hi, Jonika, I had to write you this morning because of something you typed in your post last night.

Hon, you typed the following in your the post; “I am sorry you suffered so much from coloidal silver!”

If you remember this past Friday (5/20 post), I wrote the following:
“… I have to tell you about my experience with rutabaga.”

In Friday's post, I was talking about what a horrible die-off experience I had with rutabaga, and how I passed out twice from it the night following the meal, remember? That’s what I was talking about being so weak from in yesterday’s post, and not the Colloidal Silver. I stopped the CS after I had the night of die-off symptoms from the rutabaga because it scared me so much that I didn’t want to add another antifungal until I knew that die-off episode was completely over.

No big deal, I just didn’t want you to think I received that night of die-off and the following week of weakness because of the toxins from the Colloidal Silver because it was the rutabaga and not the CS. When you purchase rutabaga, please remember this, because I don’t want you experiencing anything like what I went through. So eat just a tiny bit in the beginning and not over half the rutabaga like I did.

I’ll write more of a reply later, need to do some work right now. Hope you have a fantastic day hon.

By the way, I love love love the photos of the beautiful flowers in your garden that you sent. Thanks.

Sky

[Jonika]

Sky
Thank you for the clarification! I must have been tired or something when reading your post about rutabaga. I WILL be cautious with it. (will definitely let you know how it's effecting me).

I had a very busy day - running errands, paying bills. I am mentally exhausted and that calls for an hour of yoga. I hope you are feeling better today! Let me know.

Talk to you later

[skyblue]

Hi Jonika.

Thanks for that informative reply yesterday.

You wrote this about mayonnaise in your post, "regular Mayo is made from GMO soy beans." I don't know about other brands, but Duke's also contains distilled vinegar and salt, and it doesn’t read "sea salt" so it's probably regular Morton's salt with Dextrose. I've not touched it since last November. And I LOVE that stuff. There are so many things I made that I used mayonnaise in. That's why I can't wait for the mustard to arrive, the one you told me about. It's going to be doing a lot of subbing soon.

You asked if I’ve tried Pau D'Arco tea. No I've not, I've read several negative things about it such as what you wrote, that it does nothing, so I doubt I’ll ever try it.

Jonika, you're so good to keep taking most of your original list of supplements that you named. I agree with you, last week I got so terribly tired of popping a pill every time it crossed my mind, that this week I've left quite a few out as well.

I'm going to alternate the Oil of Oregano (10 drops a day put into capsules) every other week with bee Propolis (capsules) and garlic (pills). I'm still taking the regular vitamins that I've always taken, the cranberry extract, Digest Gold Premium Enzyme Formula (this is my third bottle of this one), and the Ultimate Flora probiotics. Plus I've added a few that I've researched as well; the molybdenum to counteract the die-off symptoms, turmeric, and Betaine HCI caps. I also take Protease along with the Digest Gold Premium Enzyme Formula (this is my third bottle of this one), oh and the CS as well.
Hon, I've read so much lately about how important good digestion is with Candida, and I'm now looking for better ones. The protease is just one digestive enzyme, and I know I need all the others, but this one pill is an amazingly high dosage, and I thought I'd give it a try while I'm still researching this subject. According to my research so far, I’m thinking about switching to Candex soon, but I want to research it a little longer first.

How long have you been taking the Candida cleanse? And can you tell any difference?

You haven't touched the ChocoPerfection chocolate. Hey, I'm proud of you too, very proud.

You asked what coconut milk concentrate was, but that's not exactly what I typed. What I use is coconut cream concentrate. I eat it every day in my Greek yogurt. Here's a link to Tropical Traditions where they explain how it's made. By the way, I love this store, and use it all the time. It's the store that I ordered the coconut flour and mustard from. Coconut Cream Concentrate - Tropical Traditions

Here's a link to a long, long list of recipes that one can make using the cream. You can even make ice cream with it. But I've not tried it. Coconut Cream Concentrate Recipes

You also asked how I prepare my cooked cabbage and if I added something to the water. Hon I use only waterless cookware, don't know if you've ever heard of it, but you basically steam cook everything that you prepare, no water needed. So when I cook the cabbage, I add maybe two tbs of water first along with a little olive oil for taste. That's all I need, I love cabbage prepared this way. Today I steamed some, but like I do sometimes, I added some bell peppers and cauliflower to it. It's extra delicious that way.

You asked about the spot on my lip; it seems that this reaction comes and goes several times a day, but it's not constant. It was at its best for the first few days immediately following the huge die-off night I had, but that is NOT worth a few days of no symptoms.

You asked if I work at a hospital and what I do. Hon, if you remember, I actually work only at my home office, but I've been a volunteer at this hospital for seven years now. I was appointed as the historian on the board last year, and that's a big responsibility since there are over 200 volunteer members, but I love it all. When I became the historian last year, the board voted to ask me to change everything from paper to a computer, and of course come up with a specific way to present that. That was actually fun, and I found that the best way was to use online reports as well as Powerpoint presentations for the history. I chose this because they’ve always used so many photographs of the various functions of volunteer work, newspaper photos, and general historic events.

When I'm actually at the hospital on Wednesdays, I run the cash register in the gift shop, and on Thursdays, I work at the information desk in the main lobby. So many of the jobs in the hospital are done by volunteers, that it's really amazing how much money was save the hospital every year, plus the profit we earn from the gift shop is used to purchase new medical equipment.
This is a county hospital by the way, and not much of a profit is involved, so our help is definitely welcomed and appreciated by the entire staff.

It's interesting that you don't think you've ever experienced die-off, but Jonika, your symptoms are improving. That means that you're doing it 'the right way" because I've read that our goal should be to rid ourselves of the Candida without having to go through the die-off symptoms. So, way to go on that hon.

By the way, I agree with you on the spit test, I've read so many times that it can't be trusted.

I hope you have a great time with your husband's mom this week - and please wish her happy birthday for me on Sunday.

Later hon. Keep smiling.