8.21.2010

Day 3

Weight: 202.5 ---- it was lower (198) when I weighed first thing in the morning, but I weighed again about an hour later and this seems more realistic

Health Status: Hands still dry and cracked, not as raw, patches on the back of my leg and up my inner arm from wrist to underarm are still there bumpy and itchy. Scalp still irritated and raw in places, may be improving some. Skin on the face is still dry in places, complexion still off. Stomach is not nearly as swollen or bloated today! YAY it is encouraging to feel like your stomach is becoming more flat.


Emotional Status: Afraid of Juicing.....it was harsh, I know it was worth it, but I have to find some more recipes. Emotionally my family is going through some things right now so I don't feel that I can accurately gage the impact of the yeast on my emotional state. Cravings are not as bad today. I was encouraged when I had lost some weight and noticed changes in the shape of my stomach.

Diet:


1 Meal- 1 small cucumber, 1 small bell pepper, 1 medium tomato sliced and drizzled with olive oil and salt.


1 Snack-1 small cucumber and 1 small bell pepper sliced eaten with hummus



2 Meal -medium bowl of salad with 1 small cucumber, 1 small bell pepper, 2 small tomatoes all drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice and salt


2 Snack- 1/2 tsp of peanut butter....I don't know where that craving is coming from



3 Meal- steak, 1 cup steamed broccoli ( olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt), 1 cup grilled yellow and zucchini, 1 cup cut up cucumber, tomato, onion, bell pepper mix.



3 Snack -Dan Active pro biotic drink



Supplements: 4 Cinnamon capsules 500mg, 3 Omega 3 Fish Oil 1000mg, 2 AccuFlora pro biotic supplements, 1 Vitamin E 1000mg, 1 Dan Active pro biotic drink

Tomorrow I intend to juice again, I am researching juicing weight loss recipes until my book arrives, which I hope will be in the next couple of days. I really wanted to get in my raw garlic and coconut oil today, but that did not happen. I am going to try and liquefy the coconut oil and take it in liquid form. I think that will be much easier to do than taking it in solid form as it taste like you have mouth full of Crisco...YUK!!!

Day 2

Weight: 206.5-----probably those chicken wings :)



Health Status: Hands cracked and raw, sore and painful. Patch on the back of the left leg is less itchy but still present, scalp irritated and weepy in places, inside of arms from elbow to underarm are dry itchy and bumpy. Skin on the face has improved, but continues to be dry in places, complexion is dull and sluggish despite a good facial scrub. Stomach is still bloated in the morning, but less bloat by the end of the day.


Emotional Status: Determined! I have ordered the book " The Juice Lady's Turbo Diet" but I am waiting on it to arrive. I have a sample menu from the book which I found in a magazine so today I started my day juicing.

Diet:
1 Meal- Juice :) 3 Carrots trimmed and cleaned, 1 cucumber, 1 inch chunk of ginger root, 1 half apple, 1/2 lemon peeled (only the skin leave the white pith). This made one large glass of juice which I drank, admittedly with a large glass of water between gulps.

1 Snack- sliced bell peppers with hummus

2 Meal-Juice 2 medium tomatoes, 3 large handfuls of kale, 1 raw garlic clove, 1 large handful of fresh basil, 2 shakes of hot sauce

2 Snack- cheat.....I know it is only day one..... 1 tsp peanut butter

3 Meal-2 small chicken breast grilled with only herbal seasoning, 1 cup grilled yellow squash and zucchini, 1 cup roasted asparagus ( seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and kosher salt), 1 large salad with ice burg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers dressed with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and salt

3 Snack- 1 Dan Active drink and 2 vegetarian crackers

Supplements: 2 Omega 3 Fish Oil 1000 mg, 2 Cinnamon capsule 500mg, 1 pro biotic supplement, 1 Dan Active pro bitioc drink


I did not take the Coconut Oil today because it was really hard to take, I need to find a better way to take this as I believe it is important to the process....maybe tomorrow!

Today was a hard day as I have never done juicing before and it was thicker and more intense than I expected. I was not hungry all day long, but by the evening when it was time for dinner I was STARVING! I was also craving carbs A LOT..... I believe this is from the yeast which feeds off the sugar. All I have read suggest that craving for carbs is from the yeast. It is a little crazy to me that one little thing can cause so much havoc, but I can feel it.

One comment from my blog yesterday asked for some of the websites that I used to research this condition, so I am going to provide a couple of links here, by no means is this the only research I did....so please do your homework and don't go into this lightly.

One anecdotal story I will share with you is I talked with someone yesterday who had the same type of problems with their hands that I have. They went on the diet and pro biotics and now have no issues and are able to return to a normal diet.

The first two sites here give you a quiz that helps you gage if you have this condition and to what extent you may have it. The third has some really good information on what the symptoms are as well as the long term effects.

http://www.thecandidadiet.com/

http://www.candidasupport.org/

http://www.mercola.com/

8.19.2010

Day 1

Day 1

Weight : 204.5 lbs

Health Status: Hands are cracked, raw, painful. Back of the left leg is itchy and bumpy. Left side of the scalp irritated dry skin, open places, painful. Patches of dry itchy skin going up both arms on the inside. Face is mildly irritated especially around the eyes and lips. Overall all skin appearance is sluggish and tired. Stomach is bloated and swollen.

Emotional Status: Upbeat because I think I may have found a way to help all the health issues. However unsure and apprehensive anxious to make the "right" changes and have the best results. At times overly sensitive.

Diet:
1 meal: 1 medium tomato, 1 small bell pepper, 1 4 inch section of Armenian cucumber: sliced in a bowl drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. 1 cup of hot green tea with a splash of lemon juice.

2 meal: 10 unbattered chicken wings with barbecue sauce and a small order of fries.....hey it is the first day :)

3 snack/meal: 1 medium tomato, 1 small bell pepper, 1 12 inch section of Armenian cucumber: sliced in a bowl drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. 1 cup of hot green tea with a splash of lemon juice. 1 32 oz glass of ice water

Supplements:
1 Vitamin E 1,000mg, 2 Cinnamon capsules 500 mg, 1 Fish Oil Capsule, 1 pro biotic supplement, 1 Dan Active yogurt pro biotic drink, 1 tsp of Coconut Oil orally.

Cinnamon is a proven supplement for the regulation of sugar and insulin in your system, it is also a proven anti fungal. Fish Oil is good for circulation and heart health, the pro biotics help to restore the Intestinal Flora, several websites suggest that Coconut Oil can split and kill Yeast bacteria, suggestions are to take 3tbsp per day.... I am working my way up.

Candida Yeast ...the beginning of a journey

For me the words Yeast overgrowth, or Candida Yeast, have until recently conjured thoughts of the typical yeast infections that women get....of which I have had maybe one or two in my life!

Until about 2 months ago I had never heard that all people of both sexes have a certain amount of yeast in the lining of the stomach. Now that is not to suggest that I was unaware that the human body contained a delicate balance of bacteria which helped our digestive system to work properly. I am only saying that I didn't realize that Yeast was one of these bacterias. Nor did I realize that this yeast could grow out of control in your body, causing a huge mirage of medical problems.

Now, my mother is a very homeopathic person so I have always heard that I should eat yogurt when I take antibiotics. The antibiotics killed the good bacteria in your stomach and is the reason a lot of people suffer with bowel symptoms as a result of that killing of good bacteria.

One thing that I didn't know, and I am not sure anyone in my family knew, is that in addition to antibiotics; corticosteroids can cause a disruption in your bacteria balance too.

For as long as I can remember I have struggled with Eczema, food allergies. The treatment for these allergies were corticosteroids! I have literally taken them my whole life! Every day after my bath and frequently through the day I cover my skin with Cortisone ointment. This has been going on for at least 31 years!

Over the course of my life the Eczema and allergies have gotten worse, then better, then worse but they have never really been gone. I have had menstrual issues, inability to lose weight, depression, anxiety, hair loss, constipation, the list goes on and on. After finding the issue of Candida overgrowth and taking the quiz to see if it could be my problem I found that I have 12 of the 15 symptoms!

Now I am going to come clean right now and tell you that one of my character flaws or "special trait" is this, when I decide that I want to do something I have to do it right then. I may take a while to make up my mind, but once it is made up I do it right then!

After reading at least 20 websites, watching videos, reading testimonies, and a long and very enlightening discussion with a good friend this morning, I have diagnosed myself with this condition. True to my character I went out and purchased a medium grade juicer, and several supplements suggested by the various websites.

For the next few days or weeks I am going to chart the changes I am making in myself , my diet, my routine, etc. I am doing this for me, so I can see if I am noticing a difference, and I am doing this in the hopes of helping others who may have this disorder and not even know it. I will be blogging about what I have found to be symptoms of the disorder, supplements I am taking, juicing diets, cleanses, etc....

If you have questions, ask, if you have suggestions, let me know! I want to learn and grow from this experience. I feel as if I am on the verge of a huge break through for me.