THE END OF A LOVE AFFAIR WITH SUGAR {part 4}

Confused? This post is number 4 in a series. You can catch up by reading:

{post #1 here}

{post # 2 here}

{post #3 here}

TREATMENT
Candida is supposed to be very difficult to be rid of. This is how I am working to do it.

First, I'm taking essential oil capsules 3x a day for 10 days to cleanse my intestinal tract. These contain oregano, melaleuca, lemon, lemongrass, peppermint, and thyme. Next, I'm taking a probiotic 3x a day for 5 days. Then, I will give my body a rest for 10 days before  reassessing my symptoms. I expect to probably have to go through the cycle one more time. Throughout, I am drinking about 60 oz of lemon water a day and turning my diet completely upside down. 

This diet I speak of? I hate it with the power of a thousand suns. 

DIET
In order to fully cleanse the yeast, I can't eat anything that would continue to feed them. This includes all sugars (natural and artificial), wheat, grain, starches, gluten, dairy products, or fungi's (like mushrooms). I am not eating fruit. I am not eating bread. I am not eating milk, butter, or cheese. And I am not even eating POPCORN. Just lots of vegetables, eggs, meats, and beans. 

I would never agree to such a strict diet permanently. It is just during the cleanse. Then I will reintroduce the fruit, starchy vegetables like potatoes, real butter, oats, brown rice, sweeteners like honey and molasses, sprouted grain breads, and POPCORN.

Let me emphasize the fact again that I really. really. love. popcorn. And to be without it causes great emotional pain.

WITHDRAWALS
The candida gets angry with me each time I cut off another one of their food sources. It really is amazing the way the Lord has given me guidance in bits and pieces...just enough for me to handle at one time. It wasn't until recently that I learned it's best to cut foods out slowly and work your way up to the complete diet. But that is exactly what I did, by accident.

First it was the sugar and white carbohydrates. That withdrawal was the pits. Then I cut the bad fats and used organic olive and coconut oil for cooking. I went on like this for a long time before learning dairy feeds candida. Goodbye milk and cereal. Goodbye cheddar cheese. A few weeks later all gluten grains had to go. This step was hard, but manageable. I could live without my bread and tortillas.

Then, when I decided to cut the fruit and starchy vegetables...I hit the hardest withdrawal yet. That is what I've been dealing with for the last week. Would it be dramatic to say it's been one of the most difficult weeks of my life? Well, that's what I'm saying. And it's been downright hellish.

I think I've finally cut out the last of the food that candida can eat. And now they hate my stinkin' guts and want to spend the last moments of their little lives making me miserable. 

FRUSTRATION and ROADBLOCKS
There seem to be a lot of them.

• My cravings have come back in full force. It's as if my mind CAN'T stop thinking of donuts. Honey smothered toast. Popcorn. Cookies. Cake with an inch of frosting. It's torture. 

• An interesting withdrawal symptom has been that my face always feels...inflamed. Especially my lips. Like I'm slightly sunburned or dehydrated. It doesn't hurt. It's just weird. But with all the water I've been drinking, I know I'm not parched. But apparently others have experienced this too.

• The emotional impacts have been the biggest surprise. Cravings this week are accompanied by a miserable depression. The smallest things send me to tears. I had a meltdown after waking up one morning with the intention of making a veggie omelet...only to find we didn't have eggs. Our Valentine's dinner date was a bust. I ate my salad with hearty vegetables, beans, and egg--something I usually love--only to find my low morale turning everything tasteless and unsatisfying. Sitting across from Andrew's plate of pizza and pasta was almost more than I could bare. 

• I am always eating and I am always hungry. Rarely does my food satisfy me. I eat my veggies with lots of protein and healthy fat, but my body remains unimpressed by anything other than the junk it craves. It's like I will never feel full again without a piece of bread or hunk of cheese.  Then the "hunger pangs" drive me mad...and I find myself hating the entire blasted world. 

• I'm bitter and angry that everyone else can eat anything they want and be okay. It's not FAIR!

• My fragile mental state is compounded by a frustration with the many views on what should and shouldn't be eaten on a candida cleanse diet. Just when I think I'm doing it right, I read another contradiction. I've found variances on the following items: green apples, sweet potatoes, quinoa, butter, yogurt, hummus, carrots, and even popcorn. Its especially hard that I really want to eat these things. But I've decided to be safe rather than sorry with most of these. 

• I'm losing weight. I have definitely found the perfect weight loss plan. However, at maybe 110 pounds and a naturally petite build, I am WELL aware that weight loss is not desirable.

• People are noticing my change in diet and commenting that I don't need to lose weight. This makes me grumpy. (See above bullet point)

• I spend every spare moment in the kitchen. The food I'm eating these days all require significant preparation of some kind. I spend hours cleaning, chopping, thawing, roasting, mixing, and preparing in order to have enough to eat for three meals a day. I took for granted how easy it was to spend 3 minutes whipping up a sandwich for lunch. Or grabbing a quick handful of tortilla chips for snacking.

• Our itty-bitty town has one hole-in-the-wall health food store. Maybe it's easier for others to eat all natural and organic. But we are severely limited 'round these parts. 

• Healthy eating is expensive. We ate a lot of fresh food before this...but not this much. And all the candida diets stress organic produce. Without being 100% on this point, our monthly grocery bill has already DOUBLED.

AND A FEW HAPPY FINDS

• I've discovered an essential oil blend, DoTerra's Slim and Sassy (with grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, ginger, and cinnamon) that people use while trying to lose weight because of its natural ability to soothe appetite and cravings. Well, what do you know? They also soothe the insatiable appetite and cravings of a candida cleansing gal like me. It somehow grounds me mentally and emotionally too--keeping Crazy Rachel at bay. It works. Just ask Andrew. 

• I am learning some fun new ways to eat. I am becoming a substitution expert and love the recipes I'm cooking with previously untried vegetables, herbs, spices, and other ingredients. I look forward to sharing a few in a future post. 

• This current bout of withdrawals shouldn't last more than a week before I begin to feel...stable again. I'm almost there. 

So I think I am currently on a road to what I hope...and PRAY FERVENTLY will result in long-term healing. Sorry I'm so grumpy in the meantime.

Wish me Luck,
Rachel

THE END OF A LOVE AFFAIR WITH SUGAR {part 3}

Confused? This post is number 3 in a series. You can catch up by reading:
{post #1 here.}
{post # 2 here}

Written Early December 2013 
I am shocked at my self control. Church activity refreshments, faculty room treats, and neighbor gifts have all been resisted with an iron clad will. As a result, my cycle continues to be regular, I rarely have sugar cravings, and I feel plain awesome. Unintended--but not unwelcome--results include fewer headache, faster growing hair and nails, and lost inches around my mid section. It helped that a warning was issued to my students that all sugary Christmas gifts would go instead straight to Mr. Ashmore. I just couldn't accept twenty-two plates of homemade fudge, gingerbread, or candy cane encrusted sugar cookies...and remain strong.

However, I did allow for concessions over the holidays. We indulged in our usual Christmas Eve chocolate fondue, I requested almond M&M's in my stocking, and for our anniversary we made a stop at the Cheesecake Factory. The main side effects of this sudden sugar onslaught included acne breakouts, immediate sore throats, fatigue, and a general feeling of nauseous ickiness. So far, it has not caused any irregular bleeding...which shows me I can have an occasional treat betwixt all this rabbit food! But still. The side effects I did have were negative enough that my no-sugar decision seems to have been justified. And so it continues.

This new year is going to be exciting. A new juicer and blender will allow for fruit and veggie treats that will be a welcome variation to what I've been eating. Plus, Andrew is all gung ho about getting back in shape. He wants to exercise and eat healthier...which will only make it easier for me to do so.


That entry makes me laugh. 
I sound so enthusiastic. So full of hope and enjoyment for life.

What a pathetic, naive soul I was back then.

I wrote that post right after Christmas. I kept it filed away as a draft because there was more to add. More than a month later, it still isn't finished. And...MAJORLY outdated.  But here it is anyway to accompany a real update of my crazy health crusade. 

Much has changed.

Since then, only knowing my issues were sugar and stress induced, I continued to research. Further underlying causes? Long term impact? Preventative measures? 

I began to notice common threads in medical articles, websites, health classes, and  conversations with others that intrigued me. Things like "estrogen dominance" "cortisol" "adrenal overdrive" and "candida" were everywhere. The word "Candida" seemed to echo in my mind for weeks. Finally I prayed about it. My answer was clear, direct, and undeniable. Candida needed to be my focus.

WHAT IS CANDIDA?
Most people associate candida with yeast infections. It's true they can be related, but candida is so, so much more. And it impacts more than just woman. Several sources I came across stated that 70-80% of all adults suffer from a candida overgrowth of some kind. 

Usually, there is a normal, healthy amount of yeast in our digestive tract. But sometimes an overgrowth of the yeast can occur. The body responds to these parasites by putting up hot, red walls of inflammation in an effort to block their progress. However, chronic inflammation can cause an insanely long list of health issues.

CAUSES?
What causes an overgrowth of this yeast through the body? The following is a list of a few things that can literally feed the candida until it is out of control.

• Chronic stress 
• Causes the adrenals to overproduce which causes hormone imbalances with elevated estrogen levels. Estrogen feeds the yeast growth.
• Birth-control pills 
• Also causes an increase in estrogen
• High-sugar diet
• Antibiotics
• Caffeine
• Refined Carbohydrates

I find it very interesting I felt so inspired NOT to take the birth control pills doctors kept prescribing to me to fix my hormonal imbalances. It would have actually only worsened the underlying issue.

I also find it very interesting that when I was seeking answers back in September about my bleeding, the repeated response I got was limit my stress and limit my sugar! At the time I didn't understand why. Makes sense now, right?

SYMPTOMS?
The list below makes me wonder how many people are misdiagnosed and/or are busy treating symptoms for things that they never would guess originate from issues in their gut! Here are the most common areas problems arise.

• Emotional
• anxiety, depression, mood wings, intense cravings for sweet, salty, or dairy foods

• Respiratory
• asthma, coughs, sore throats, sinus issues, difficulty swallowing, chronic post-nasal drip, allergies

• Digestive
• constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, large abdomen "beer belly", pain, heartburn, nausea, bad breath

• Skin
• acne, eczema, hives, rashes, nail fungus

• Mental
•  inability to concentrate (brain fog), ADD/ADHD, insomnia, fatigue 

• Reoccurring Infections
• vaginal yeast infections, UTI's, bladder infections, earaches

• Female Specific 
• PMS, abnormal mentrual cycles, infertility, miscarraiges, endometriosis

• Other
• restless leg syndrome, headaches, sexual problems, high cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood pressure, swollen joints, gout, weight gain--especially around the mid-section, weight loss, dizziness, chronic pelvic pain, cold hands, feet, or nose, blurred vision, pale skin with dark circles under the eyes

And that is the short list. I am not going to fill you in on all of my personal symptoms, but if I were to highlight them for you, you would see why I am putting myself through this process.  


LONG-TERM EFFECTS?
The above list is just the everyday symptoms. Chronic inflammation does much, much worse to us over time depending on its location. 

Crohn's disease. Multiple Sclerosis. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Heart Disease. Stroke. Alzheimer's Disease. One source said that doctors in Europe have begun requiring a candida cleanse from their patients before undergoing cancer treatment. They have found that you just don't have cancer without having candida as well. 


TREATMENT?
Well...this post is getting a bit long. So in two days, plan on a follow-up post that explains all the blasted things I have to do to get well again. It'll be filled with drama, tears, and angst. 

I'm sure you can't wait. 


STILL CURIOUS?
These are a few of the sources I referred to as I studied all of this out for myself. If you have the desire to learn more, check them out.

• The Essential Alchemist
• Vitamin Research Products "The Hidden Causes Behind Hormonal Imbalances," by Sherill Sellman
• Healing Heart Oils, "The DoTerra Answer to Candida"
• Webinar: "Natural Solutions for Candida with Dr. Sue Lawton"
• YeastInfectionAdvisor.com "Understanding the Structure of Candida, Yeast, and Fungi"
• Candida MD

P.S. I think I just wrote a research paper of my own accord...because I wanted to. What the heck is wrong with me? On the bright side, I won't have anyone grading me on how incorrectly my sources are formatted. 

See you soon,
Rachel


UPDATE: Part 4 can be found here. It explains more about what I am going to do about the candida, now that I know I have it. 

VALENTINE HOME DECOR TOUR {2013}

Here's to posting my holiday ideas BEFORE the actual holiday! I'm so proud of me.

I have never been a fan of the tacky, commercial-looking Valentine decorations overpowered with kissy lips, naked angels, red foil, and pink, pink, pink! (Bah, humbug, right?) Well, I took an unconventional wintry woods approach instead. Most of the Valentine touches are subtle. 

I reused the felt garland I made for Christmas (FYI: Easy as pie to make. I ordered the 2CM wool felt balls from an etsy shop and then strung them with needle and string. You can make your own felt balls by following tutorials like this one.) 

Then I made a doily garland by sandwiching the two halves of a folded doily on either side of string. It is held together with a little white glue. This frilled things up enough to look Valentine-y without overdoing it. 

Andrew helped me cut a dead Aspen tree into several skinny stumps while we were out chopping a Christmas tree. I knew I wanted to use them for some kind of display. I got the idea to make them work for February by adding the carved letters. Another subtle touch.

I kept the homemade wreath I used in December, because it continued the woodsy feel. 

{source}

I love this print. Not only is it pretty and matches my felt garland, but it sums up my feelings for Andrew. Sometimes I feel so boring and serious. Andrew is the funny, lighthearted, playful one...the source of  the color in my life. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't get the entire page to fit in the frame I had on hand. So I folded the bottom line out...hoping it still made sense. Good enough. 

Andrew thinks the shelves look like Easter...which works for me. That just means I can leave this up for several months...maybe with just a different framed print. Less work!

As for the mantel in the great room, I was never fully satisfied with how this turned out, but I wanted to show off my homemade garland. 

The framed print can be snagged for free at sissyprint.blogspot.com. I made a tiny 8x10 look a little more imposing in a large framed mat. 

I received this Hyacinth for Christmas from grandma.  It bloomed just in time to decorate for love month. Doesn't it look unreal? Hopefully, it sticks around a little longer. 

I made the bunting over a few evenings sitting in front of Netflix. My inspiration came from here. I cut pages out of a vintage, thrift store book with a razor blade--sinful, I know. Then I used a template printed from the Internet to cut out hearts from fabric scraps. 

I tried double stick tape with no success. Glue left ugly splotches behind the fabric. So I sewed the things on with a needle and thread and handful of mismatched buttons. 

They looked a bit plain...so I added a washi tape touch across the top. 

Then I strung all the flags together with needle and string. Seriously, easy. 

Have a happy Valentine's Day, folks. 

Feeling the Love,

Rachel

TELLESTRATIONS {favorite family game}

Every year on New Year's Eve, we unwrap a new family game to play together. This year's game was so fun, I wanted to share. Pass on the love.

You know that telephone game where you whisper something from person to person to see how far the original message is distorted by the end? This is the same thing, but with pictures. 

Telephone + Pictionary = Telestrations.

To begin, the timer is set and we draw the word from our individual cards. Then we pass our notebooks, and the next person has to write the word they think was illustrated. Then it is passed again and the next person draws a picture from the new word. After everyone has had a turn with each notebook, we share. 

This is where the real fun starts. Sometimes, the original word gets reeeally far off track. And then we laugh and laugh until we're in pain. 

It's great fun.

Here's an example. 

My assigned word was "dust bunny." So I drew a french maid's skirt and a hand holding a feather duster + a cute bunny. Easy enough, right? 

Well. My supposed art skills were no match for Becca's unique way of thinking.

Apparently, my feather duster looked more like a flaming torch...really throwing off my little sis. 

So then my sweet mother drew a picture of a demonic man with a poor flaming rabbit. 

At least Andrew made an intelligent guess (as opposed to flaming rabbit???). 

When my notebook made full circle, the word was so different from my original word that it didn't even occur to me that it was mine. So I continued the chain. A Roman + a candle. Again, easy enough, right?

But no. My poor sister saw my picture and saw a warrior flame. It almost makes sense. 

Except for not at all.

My mom, in turn, drew Becca's "warrior flame." 

Please note the handlebar mustache.

And then poor, confused Andrew did the best he could with what he was given. 

So there you have it. My "dust bunny" traveled through all the rounds eventually transforming into a "candle ninja." My stomach muscles hurt the next day. 

Check it out if you're in the market for great game. Though I have to say, a ditsy player or two can make all the difference on this game's entertainment value. 

CHRISTMAS HOME DECOR TOUR 2012

No one is going to care about this post for another ten months. But here goes our holiday decor tour anyway. It was so fun to decorate a brand new house!

This is the shelf Andrew recently built for the entry way. It turned out exactly like I pictured in my head, and my man is a stud. Stockings and a wreath hung from the hooks. 

The framed Joy to the World printable was free from Angela Hardison's lovely blog. 

I framed last year's Christmas card.

I printed this wintery mason jar print from TWIGGSstudios.com.

Then cuttings from out Christmas tree were stuck between the frames. 

In the great room, I gussied up the mantel. Keeping the Proclamation print, I added our stocking holders, Christmas tree cuttings, and a cozy felt garland I made.

On the other end, I brought nature indoors and decorated branches with cheap-o ornaments rolled in glitter or fake snow.

I put small holiday touches randomly throughout the built-ins...

...Most of which I gathered for pennies from thrift stores. 

I already talked about our Christmas tree in greater detail here. 

Christmas cards from friends and family ended up strung across windows like this one. 

In the dining room, I had a family heirloom theme going on. Above the hutch I framed an old childhood picture of my mom and a photo of great grandparents. 

The back of the hutch got a touch of wintery glam with wrapping paper. 

I used double stick tape to attach the paper and then cleaned up the look with washi tape along the edges.

The chandelier was even festive with dollar store greenery, ribbon, and ornaments from my grandmother. 

And finally, the shelves. The frame with more old family photos was moved here from the mantel. Then I covered the tacky, shiny green foil around the poinsettias with burlap scraps already on hand. The Believe sign was a gift from a student, the mini sled was a thrift store find, and the wreath I made with moss and a grapevine form. Super simple. 

Well, a little overdue, but there it is. Our home at Christmas.