Bryophytes!

My goal is to learn much more moss material!!! And a couple tricks up my sleeves..... To Be Continued!......

The Autumn Moon Lights My Way......

Khalil Gibran wrote,

"In the autumn I gathered all my sorrows
And buried them in my garden.
And when April returned
And spring came to wed the earth,
There grew in my garden beautiful flowers
Unlike all other flowers.
And my neighbors came to behold them,
And they all said to me,
"When autumn comes again, at seeding time,
Will you not give us of the seeds of these flowers
That we may have them in our gardens"

Late Summer Cleansing

Well I went a little wild with my diet over the Summer! 8-) It's been awesome. And I've still done better than any previous Summer! I've avoided wheat now (about 99%) since January! I can practically name the 3-4 times I've had a little bit of wheat through the year..... not anywhere near enough to be a problem!!! Not even a whole slice of pizza's worth.

Moving into September and I find myself wanting to cleanse a bit again... so I took the relaxing day off of work today to drink tons of water and eat way lighter than I've been. (I've been delving into a lot of goat milk products and eggs lately, so I just thought I'd take a vegan day again and do a little cleanse.

Here's what I've noticed: Past times that I've done a "24 hour cleanse" I've always gotten, even if only slightly, a headache or a dull similar pain in my head.... Today I chose not to cut out fruits or juices, and I had a small bit of coconut juice through the day, an apple, and most of a grapefruit. On top of that all I had was a salad for brunch with a teaspoon of dressing (hardly any) and some super fresh cherry tomatoes, and maybe a tablespoon or more of hemp seeds. For a late dinner, I had 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and 1 cup steamed baby broccoli. That's it! Making a cup of Yogi Detox Tea now and have been sipping down a big bottle of water all day.... no headaches! No nausea, no severe cravings... no problem. It reminded me of my astonishing January - May candida diet :-)

Another change is that I didn't try to analyze it too much through the day (waited to write about it til now... focused on meditating through it more and just being present), and I didn't try to do a 60 minute yoga/cardio workout hahahahah I realize I try to overdo these cleanses..... so now I've made it through and feel amazing... though maybe too much energy for getting to bed early :-P

Candida Diet Into the Summer!

Alright it's getting HOT already! And the "you-pick" farms down this way are already bursting with fresh blueberries!

So maybe it's a sign of the times, but this weather has brought on more than an average craving for some fruit in my life again! Sooo! I'm back to some granny smith apples, and I've even had one of those little half-pint (or so) size containers of local organic blueberries :-)

And I even found Deland's gluten-free bread down here, so I've "splurged" and bought a loaf of it and have been enjoying some super tasty HLTs (hummus, lettuce, tomatoooo!)

I guess these "summer" vibes are just attacking on all sides! I was in the French Broad Food Co-Op and found these amazing small little packages of raw macaroons, that only have 5 grams of sugars per macaroon! And the ingredients are clean and good: shredded coconut, cocoa powder, cacao nibs, vanilla bean, and agave nectar. So I've had two of them thus far!

So lots of little re-additions to the diet there, and I think just keeping a healthier attitude about treats (ie not eating an entire package of Pamela's gluten-free cookies or a half pan of gluten-free brownies, etc.....or worse yet, wheat desserts!!) is the way to go right now. I don't even want to get into the chocolate bars that have 20+ grams of sugar, or the juice drinks with 30+ grams of sugar... I'm good right now with a nice small treat here and there, no reason to go to the moon with it all :-)

I still haven't had any dairy in awhile, and my sinuses are thanking me... I thought raw goat milk products would be a bit easier to find down here, but I'm still working on that one!

It's definitely a forever project, and I still feel good about how it's unfolding for me... though I'm in dire need of a 24-48 hour fast if I can grasp enough time! 24 hour fasts are great, but I find they really just tend to give you the weird fast feelings then you're done... I feel like the extra day takes it a step up!

So we'll see..... that's about it for now I think! Hopefully I will write a bit more sooner than later! Thanks for reading!
~DL

Turnip & Ramp French Fries!

Holy smokes, I just made these and ate them faster than lightning! They are SO GOOD! They are a great potato substitute, with only 4.4 grams (loosely) of carbs, vs. potatoes' 19 grams (per 3.5 oz. serving of each)

So I'm starving and didn't have the patience to bake or broil them, I just heated some olive oil in my steel frying pan and sliced half of a big turnip root into thin french fry-like slivers, and put the lid on for about 5 mins or so. Then I chopped up about 4-5 little ramp 'bulbs' and mixed them into the turnip slices, and simmered for another 5-6 minutes....

When it was all said and done, I added a pinch of sea salt for the real "french fry" effect, and I'll be damned if I'm not about to go make the rest of that turnip root!!

Ramps are so cool, I wish I could have found some in the wild--I know of a great patch of them on the trails by my house back home :-) But the co-op has them in fresh, and they are possibly my favorite "bulb" for cooking!

Needless to say, I'll be buying many more turnips to mix in with my stir-fries soon!! A great potato substitute!

Awesome Candida-Safe Coconut Vanilla "Kheer" Recipe!

I just had to pop on for a late post about this delicious and super-easy "Kheer" (Rice Pudding) recipe that I whipped up yesterday!

I had a recipe from the Candida Diet website, but it was basically just brown rice and coconut oil and maybe some nutmeg or cinnamon..... that was kind of rough....

So, real quick, here goes:

-cooked brown rice
-as much unsweetened almond milk as you'd like the pudding consistency to be
-1 tbsp coconut oil
-vanilla extract to your taste preference
-cardamom seed (whole or ground, to your liking)
-coriander
-cumin
-pinch of stevia

+any other spices or chopped nuts you might like to add! I omit the raisins, candida diet-style, but this makes suuuuuch a good treat.... especially when you haven't had anything sweet including fruit in awhile! I used a few raw macadamia nuts in mine tonight.....nom......

And it's good cold or hot :-D

Tomorrow or Saturday's experiment includes....... khichri! Lentils & rice soup mildly spiced with Indian spices..... I'm already drooooolinggggg.....

A shot of some kheer!

Candida Diet Week 15! Oxalate Breakdown!

Ever notice how long it takes some things in the body to heal? I've had 2 marks on my face (not that noticeable, thankfully) for awhile now. One since '06! One since just this past December/January..... or consider broken bones or injured nerves...

The body can sometimes take awhile to heal. I plan on following the general candida routine for awhile. With slight variations as I go, but it's such a healthy diet. I've gone all of today without yogurt (which has been the only dairy I've consumed since January) But every now and then I feel it's best to even go without yogurt, and when I'm done with the yogurt I have in my fridge, I'll likely not get any more for at least a week or more.

Also starting tomorrow I'll be not devouring almond butter :-X I'm going to aim for a week without almond butter, and see where I go from there. I feel like it's been too much of a fixation, and I'll be trying to add more beans & legumes into the mix to get the protein. It's gotten so much easier as time's gone by. I know so many more quick and easy recipes and have gained a good knack for how long things take to make and when to prepare them so I'll have them through a long day away from home. Quinoa has been such a great find. I still believe the best philosophy is "Everything in moderation (including moderation!)" A quick read-up on quinoa has the following:

"Quinoa is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of purines. However, like all members of the Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae plant family, quinoa does contain oxalates. The oxalate content of quinoa ranges widely, but even the lower end of the oxalate range puts quinoa on the caution or avoidance list for an oxalate-restricted diet. "

So what are oxalates, exactly? Trusty wikipedia explains:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalate

Basically oxalates in food can bind with things like calcium and cause things like kidney stones.

So wow... here's news to my ears too! The more I'm reading, I see a lot of my favorite candida diet foods are pretty high in oxalates! Hahah c'est la vie.... ya just can't win 'em all can you.

Well that's helpful knowledge though, and much more ammo to steer clear from so much almond butter! Apparently almonds, beans, and kale are on the "high oxalate" list. Pardon me while I make a cup of magnesium tea :-X Here is a .pdf describing oxalate foods, if I haven't scared you away already!

http://www.pkdiet.com/pdf/LowOxalateDiet.pdf

Looks like avocado, yogurt, eggs, and lentils are still on the safe side! I've been kicking around the idea of reintroducing some fish into my life, and this seems to send me another step in that direction, as fish has no (or minute) amounts of oxalates, but a great amount of protein.... hmmmm.... we'll seeeee........

But anywho, "everything in moderation" really just can't be stressed enough. These foods high in oxalates certainly offer plenty of other nutritional benefits. If I could work out some type of fast once a month, I think my body would be pretty content.

Here's to my non-planned-yet-Easter-themed Resurrection! Here's to no almond butter all week and another new way of life, as each day is the first day..........

Power Breakfast

So here's a quick shot of the power breakfast I just mentioned in the last post.... I added clover sprouts to it this morning, and edible violet flowers for aesthetics :-)



I also love to have a couple brown rice snaps with almond butter on them to top things off with the protein ;-)

Candida Diet: Week 12 and Onward!

Well then!! Guess it's been a little while, but I'm still plugging away and feeling GREAT and learning more and more and trying newer and newer things with foods!

I've been practicing yoga every morning when I wake up, and walking/jogging afterward! Couple nights I didn't get to sleep til later, and it was a little harder to rouse myself the next morning.... but it feels much too good to not start the day off with a little movement! Even if I don't have much time, I still at least do some yoga... and a quick jog wakes me up like nothing else!

A typical day-et (my diet through the day) starts off with a power breakfast, after the yoga and/or jogging. This usually consists of the following!:

-1 cup cooked quinoa (protein party!)
-curry seasonings, focusing on that turmeric! (strong anti-cancer)
-1-2 fresh whole garlic cloves crushed and mixed in (SO good for you in many ways)
-1 cup fresh steamed kale (calcium, lutein/vit. A (EYES) )
**Sweet page on Kale**
-1/2 to 3/4 cup steamed broccoli OR asparagus (CALCIUM, alkalizing to the blood)
**Broccoli Page** **Asparagus Page**
-kelp seasoning for iodine (THYROID REGULATOR!)
and
-3-5 tablespoons shelled hempseeds (protein party #2! +amino acids, calcium, and more)
-2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (B VITAMIN + AMINO ACID CENTRAL!!!)
-as much avocado as I'm craving! (protein AND lutein for the eyes)

And depending on how I'm feeling, I'll often throw a hard-boiled egg in the mix. That provides lots of essential things, including lutein again.

I've also been tossing in fresh weeds from my yard! Day-lily root/leaves (sweet & crunchy!), purple deadnettle, chickweed, or speedwell! And though not from my yard, sometimes I use fresh shredded ginger....

Purple Deadnettle:

Chickweed:

I love experimenting with new breakfast ideas for this mix! I'll take a picture of it sometime too, it's really a beautiful meal! :-P It's tonnns of protein (comPLETE protein, that is), but enough other nutrients that help process the protein, and lots of fiber... The broccoli AND the kale are very high in calcium. For those of you reading this who know me, this next statement is a bold, bold statement! I actually find after eating this that I can go well into the afternoon before eating again or just being hungry. And that's after a full morning of gardening and landscaping! I don't usually eat the meal until after my yoga and morning jog are done, so it helps recharge me after the initial morning energy burn, and I like to think that the nice protein party helps keep things smooth for my muscles after a long walk/jog combo. It's also helpful to not eat before doing yoga OR jogging, just way easier on the stomach.

One more fine recipe I've been concocting is a very gluten-free Tabbouleh recipe! It's so easy it almost hurts!

-1 cup cooked quinoa
-1/2 cucumber
-1/4 - 1/3 tomato
-as much parsley as you can take!
-as many hemp seeds as will mix in!
-any seasonings you'd like! Black pepper goes good, maybe a touch of real sea salt.. maybe even a pinch of minced green onion would be good! OH and some fresh MINT!!! Lots of room to create!

Chop up the cuke and the tomato, break up the parsley, and mix it all together in a bowl and enjoy! No further heating involved! I make 1-2 huge batches of quinoa per week these days, so a recipe like this is further made easy... saves a step to cook the quinoa beforehand. It is SUCH a good cold summer 'salad,' and gives you another protein boost mid-day if you need it!

This recipe holds nicely for at least a few days in the fridge! And it's suuuuper carry-along-able! I'm gonna take some pics of these things soon (the power breakfast and the tabbouleh!) They both look like art!!

But as for the diet, I'd like to share that it will be the 3 month mark soon (started Jan. 4, and by April 4, I'll be rolling into the fourth month!) and I've successfully not had a single piece of chocolate (or cheese!!!!) I've had a minimal amount of rice noodles, and 4 slices of bread when I decided to use up the last bit of Sami's bread that I had in my freezer. I've had no fruits or fruit juices, but lots of veggies and veggie juices!

I realize it sounds strict, but I really do feel that my body is happy for the break in carbs and sweets, and it could use the better part of a year to cleanse itself of a diet that I've had for 25 years. Not that my diet has been poor for 25 years, but it's been a lot of the same stuff.... If I wasn't feeling so good or losing drastic amounts of weight or my skin was turning pale or I had any negative symptoms, I'd gladly reintroduce some of these avoided foods... but a scale I just recently looked at was reading 120 last time I saw it, and my face is still embarrassingly pink much of the time! :-P I also wake up with so much energy... I breathe deep and 'wake up' for about 5-10 minutes... dream processing, mapping my morning out... maybe check my planner.... but then once I've settled on a morning gameplan, I explode into the day (WHAM!!) Hahah feelin' great. Haven't had any of these allergies people keep talking about here in the Appalachias... or any other ailments for that matter!

So that's the scoop through to week 12 and a little beyond! Hope this is still posing as a helpful resource for people, and I still encourage any questions or comments! Check back soon for recipe pictures!

Thanks as always for reading!
~D.L.

Dalai Quote

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.
..................................... Dalai Lama

Rainy Day Black Beans 12 & 35

Had to throw a little Dylan play on words with the title there :-X

But get this... I just made a black bean soup so fast and so easy that I've already eaten my share of it and am left wondering what I might've done incorrectly. That was WAY too easy. I'm missing my Mad Mex fixes from the 'burgh, but this recipe brings things home for me in a real big way. It's super rainy, so I wanted a nice hot creamy soup, and I didn't want to leave the apartment again if I can help it.... so using 4-5 things that I already had, I whipped this dish up in 10 minutes flat, if even that.

-1 can organic black beans
-1/2 packet Bearitos "Mexican Rice Seasoning" (I've been WONDERING what to do with this stuff, for like a year or more hahah)
-several pinches of cumin
-several pinches of cayenne pepper
-several twists of the ol' black pepper mill
-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
-1 green onion 'stalk' (optional!)
-1,2,3,4 dollops of thick Greek yogurt to top the dish off!

I just opened the can of beans.... poured the entire can into a pot without draining them. I'm stranded without a blender or food processor...not even a potato masher... so maybe that was a blessing; I just used the bottom of a glass, and I smashed down some of the black beans, giving it a creamier, beanier consistency. Spellcheck don't tell me beanier isn't a word!!! I'm not listening! So the cup is actually much easier to clean up than the whole blender/food processor operation.

From here, I added about 1/4 or 1/3 of the Bearitos Rice Seasoning packet... tasted the results, and it already tasted creamy and good... but I tossed in some cumin, cayenne, and black pepper, and WHAM, it zipped up a notch!

Then I chopped up one green onion stalk, which took all of 45 seconds.... and tossed that into the brew!

Just for kicks (and/or B vitamins & amino acids!) I chucked in 2 TBS of nutritional yeast! It doesn't affect the flavor, for worse OR for better! It just gives you a bit of more nutrients... iron, B vits, amino acids, minerals, etc.....

So the soup was perfect at this point... so I served it up in a cozy little bowl. And Mad Mex always plops a dollop of sour cream on top of theirs when they serve it.... but a slightly healthier variation I decided to try was a dollop of Fage Greek yogurt!! WOWWWW..... not sure how to describe it.... but I think I'm going to go get some more!

Yum, just finished my second bowl.... truly delicious.... easier than easy.... here's some lil pics for reference!

I highly suggest you give it a whirl! Personalize it! Add a jar of salsa instead of seasoning mix if that's what you have!! I didn't have any salsa... and the Muir Glen plain tomato sauces and tomato pastes I have, have citric acid in them..... supposedly not recommended for Une Candida Diet.... I was a little nervous not having the tomato element in the mix, but it turned out PERFECT regardless! WooHoo!!

~D.L.

New Robin Pecknold Solo Songs

Beautiful and haunting, the main singer of the Fleet Foxes shares three songs that he had nothing else to do with but to share!

He performs with Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, on a tune called "I'm Losing Myself," covers a Chris Thompson song entitled, "Where is My Wild Rose," and a solo tune named "Derwentwater Stones."

Have a listen, pretty please

02 Derwentwater Stones by TwentyFourBit.com

01 I'm Losing Myself (Feat. Ed Droste) by TwentyFourBit.com

03 Where Is My Wild Rose by geraldinewaters

And you can download them for yourself, if you like! Just click here!

Candida Diet, Rolling Into Week 10 Like a Freight Train!

Tomorrow marks Week #10 that I've upheld my extremist ways :-P

I'm back again to share this amazingly simple + delicious recipe I just whipped up on a whim today! My recipes keep coming to me that way, just 'aha' moments where either things in my pantry come together in a new way, or I'm in the store and run amok grabbing a few new choices.

Let me tell you......

THIS little baby packs a remarkable flavorful punch!! It will only be as 'hot' as you make it (ie. adding a teaspoon or adding a tablespoon, etc) And add this coconut milk or a coconut milk of your choice..... heat the two together in a skillet...... pour over steamed vegetables. DINE ON A GOURMET THAI MEAL. THE END!!!

That's literally all that I did tonight. The curry paste lists a nice little recipe on the back, calling for brown sugar and anchovy paste, etc, etc...... sure that might be great! But I say, plain was absolutely outstanding. I didn't even use any rice along with it... more veggies to fill up on!! And I actually used a tiny 4 ounce can of coconut milk for my meal tonight, and I was slightly nervous about how much curry paste to add. So I started off with maybe a half teaspoon or so? ....well, I wound up using at least a tablespoon. It actually tasted JUST LIKE THE GREEN CURRIED VEGETABLES I GOT AT ANGKOR LAST WEEK!!! That's a delicious Thai place in Pittsburgh, fyi. If you're in Pitt, GO THERE!!!

But yes, I now have a new toy.... I also bought their "red curry paste." :-X You'll have to drag me out of the kitchen.

I've also started my gardening work today--- I've prepped a 5 gallon bucket with 20 or so holes in the bottom and sides for my composting needs..... And I've bought lots of organic seeds and a starter tray. And organic soil of course... extremely stoked to get this started up!

The seeds I bought were: THYME (of course!), chives (common), Pepper (sweet Yolo Wonder, green/red), Green onion (White Lisbon), swiss chard (Five Color Silverbeet... a rainbow of chard!!), fennel, tomato (Roma, bush variety), KALE (dwarf blue curled), oregano (greek), basil (Italian Genovese and Thai Siam Queen), bush green beans..... and catnip for the neighbor's kitteh :-P Oops I done forgot lettuce hahah oh well, all the health stores have seeds now, I'm sure I'll get some this week... got my hands full already! I'm counting on the massive amount of farmers' markets down here for other foods too!

Well I better start getting ready for bed here and finish my tea! Thanks as usual for readin'

~D.L.

Candida Diet, Week 9

Well then! My routine has been slightly changed up as I relocate my life hundreds of miles from home..... But! I've stayed strong making big healthy, hearty breakfasts! About a cup or so of cooked quinoa, mixed with some type of curry powder (turmeric being exCEPTIONALLY healthy, anti-cancer, detoxing, etc.... I try to get some in everyday.) In the curried quinoa, I toss in some steamed kale and steamed broccoli, sometimes steamed dandelion greens..... and as much hemp seed as I can fit in the bowl! I usually top it all off with a hard-boiled egg and a little ground black pepper! And kelp powder sprinkled throughout when I think of it! And for "breakfast dessert," I have usually a half cup or so of greek yogurt to boot! Talk about protein!

I've also maintained my daily morning glass of Just Barley juice :-)

The past few days, since I've moved, I've been out through the afternoon, so I've missed my usual raw salads, but the food choices around here are so healthy that I've since temporarily replaced the salads with miso soup with seaweed salad, one afternoon was mostly raw sunflower & pumpkin seeds with cashews, and another afternoon I mostly gorged on the seed snacks I mentioned in a previous post... "Sticks and Twigs" with a really good tomato basil hummus I found! So... maybe not as beneficial as a sweet raw salad, but at least I haven't binged on carby foods or any other of the gamut of scrumptious options that would set me back on the candida diet.

It's tough cause even good friends don't quite understand the extent of the strictness, but they just go along with it, and I've gotten quite good at finding my way around a menu!!! At Mad Mex just last week, I ordered their veggie burrito without the tortilla around it.... essentially just a plate of cooked, awesomely-seasoned veggies, and pico de gallo to top it off! It was friggin better than the regular burrito!! It was so good the manager came over to the table my brother and I had and commented that it looked so good in the kitchen that he made the exact thing for himself!!!! That was super awesome! I can still picture it, and it makes me drool!

I've also re-started the Renew Life CandiGone cleanse, just to go the extra mile again.... and I take probiotics everyday.

I'm coveting my Brad's Raw chips and considering ordering them online as the days go by.... but I'm trying not to use credit too much while job-searching! Finally landing a job this week, no ifs, ands, or buts! So that shall help!!

I think that's about all for now, but I'll add more if I've forgotten to mention anything!

~Dancing

Candida Diet, Week 8!

First of all, I have to say... this candida diet has me exploring more new recipes than any other "diet" ever has! Getting so creative and really starting to value a wholesome meal. My body knows what it needs, and my cravings have changed so much.

On a side note, I HAVE to share about this AMAZING store I've been hearing about for almost a year and just finally visited! It's in Mt. Lebanon, just outside of Pittsburgh, and it's called "Eden's Market." I thought they specialized in gluten free foods, ie they had a great selection. But I was wrong! THEY ONLY SELL GLUTEN-FREE FOODS!! The whole store!! It was phenomenal!

It's all gluten-free, but it's obviously not all based on candida too. But a few gems that I am officially including in my diet from here on out are the following:

Brad's Raw Chips:

Brad's Raw Chips

There are several flavors, my favorite so far being "Vampire Killer," which is garlicky. (But not so much that I'd say it would kill a vamp!) This particular flavor includes nutritional yeast (way different than the negative yeast the candida diet focuses on eliminating!), red bell pepper, garlic of course, cashews, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, scallions, Himalayan sea salt, and that's it! The ingredients appear to all be blended together and basted onto the kale before the leaves are dehydrated, leaving an even coating that sticks to every leaf! They are DIVINE. I'M GOING TO MAKE THEM WHEN I GET A FOOD DEHYDRATOR. They have a super-light crunch, and the enzymes and nutrients are preserved in the light dehydrating process (versus baking or frying, which kills the nutrients.)

Just one serving (about half of the container) will give you 6 grams of protein, 139% vitamin A, 129% vitamin C, 8% calcium, and 11% Iron!!! Only around 140 calories. Did I say YUM? The other flavors look amazing too; I've already tried the red pepper chips! (also delish!!) And the "Indian" flavor ones are divine, I'm sure........

Next up on my list....

Mary's Gone Crackers! (Chipotle Tomato)

http://www.marysgonecrackers.com/ns/intro.php

This brand has been around for a little while now, but I always ran into their products that have wheat-free tamari in them... So it's wheat-and-gluten-free... but there's a small amount of 'alcohol' in the tamari, and I'm candida diet nazi so I skip out on these snacks. BUT! The chipotle tomato flavor, as it turns out, is tamari-free too! So now each bite is full of whole quinoa, RED quinoa, brown rice, flax seeds, brown sesame seeds, amaranth, millet, chia seeds, tomato powder, chipotle chili, and sea salt. How's that for an entire meal of seeds that is actually delicious, wholesome, and filling!! All ingredients are also organic, I might add! Now let's just whip up some roasted tomato or red pepper hummus to go right along with these babies... wheeeewwww..... being healthy without even TRYING sometimes!

So in any case, I *HIGHLY* recommend visiting Eden's Market when you get the chance! He's on the same side of Washington Road as the Sesame Inn.... here's his info!

http://www.edens-market.com/

Under le Construction

Well, re-working the format of this baby.... pardon the mess!!

Candida Diet, Weeks 6 & 7!

Already onto Week 8 of the Candida Diet!

Went out to eat quite a bit this week, but made some really great choices while out! Got Indian food a few times, eating just the veggies in their glorious spices (no rice or naan or mango lassi!) (miss the lassi......will have it again sometime though!) Then also got some Thai food for lunch the other day, with just a huge amount of broccoli and some other veggies (bok choy?) and lemongrass chili soup that was diviiiiine!

Feelin' good I must say! Having a little routine has really been a sweet change of pace for me... usually waking up around 8 or 9am and getting to sleep usually between 12 and 1. Feels good to have a little rhythm! I'd love to wake up around 6am someday if I can do it; I really really love mornings!

Still doing the Candi-Zyme enzyme a few times here and there as I remember to take it..... kind of saving it for when I do another RenewLife Candida Cleanse again though (probably soon!)

I haven't really been taking much oregano oil lately, but I've still been getting in lots of garlic everyday! And a huge salad everyday to boot!

Had an amazing 65-degree morning last week, and I walked up a storm before work! The warm weather calls me out to get moving-- the winter weather just doesn't do it for me, though I love winter hiking, when you just don't ever seem to overheat while climbing up huge hills with a big backpack on!

For the ladies: I've been meaning to link this article that I found on cycle regulation with omega oils! It's a pretty short article, but it's easy to follow, and I'm experimenting with it! (*Note~ It's another Blogger page!! Called "Life is Recipes")

http://lifeisrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/01/regulating-female-cycle-with-oils.html

Great info for such a small article, it's just what I was looking for. I usually try to aim for a decent amount of omega 3's throughout every day & week, but I add more hemp after ovulation just for experiment... I use Hemp Hearts, which are just organic hemp seeds that taste great and go on my daily salad (after ovulation) An easy diet addition with lots of healthy nutritional content! You know what, here's a sweet link to the Hemp Hearts too. It's super descriptive!

http://www.healing-source.com/about_HempHearts_b.htm

They don't have a strong flavor, and they're real soft, not crunchy..... so good for you!!

I'm in now, boy! This diet hasn't very much changed my physical sense of well-being (I like to think I've been a pretty healthy person for at least the last few years or so...) But it's been great for my mental well-being. And hopefully I'll see some nice changes physically down the road too :-)

Blessings,
Lotus

Kale Thyme

So I finally scoped out some kale recipes! I already found about 5 that I really want to try soon as possible.....

I found them here:
http://vegweb.com/index.php?board=454.0

So today I went the whole day with no almond butter or cashew butter. It truly is possible..... And I made a killer stir-fry with these Indian spice packs that I've used for a few years now.... HIGHLY RECOMMEND! They make any veggies taste fantastic!

They're awesome.

Well, pretty tired now, so off I go........

Signing off!
~Dancing

Candida Diet, Week 5 Progressssss

Alright! Another quick late-night post..... I can't help but to share how delectable this batch of tomato basil soup is that I made tonight! SO GOOD! And so easy..... here's a link to the recipe I used!

http://www.chow.com/recipes/13494-vegan-roasted-tomato-basil-soup

Eating too much almond butter :-\ It's so friggin' delicious I can't handle it.

Getting in a full cup (or sometimes more) of steamed kale or chard about 5 days out of a week, and still on the seaweed marathon! Feeling great, haven't had any headaches!

Started taking Renew Life's CandiZyme, an enzyme blend designed to break down candida cells overnight (taking them before bed) and helps the body's defenses by weakening the candida's tough exterior. Such a potent enzyme, also good for breaking down any excess things in the bloodstream.

One huge salad per day! What did I do special today.... OH! I cooked some of the fire-roasted portobellos from my job and mixed it all through the salad, with avocado.... that was divine. I still use 1-2 cloves of garlic in each salad, and pumpkin seeds. And flax or hemp seeds too! As I said in an earlier post, it's likely not ideal to eat mushrooms much (if at all...) while majorly cleansing on the candida diet, but one portobello cap here or there isn't necessarily going to break you.

Yeah when I get strict, I can get strict. I often blame it on my German descent (My father was born in Germany) :-X So there's a bit of a disciplinary mindset I can get on sometimes, depending on certain things...

I'd say so far I've gotten on such a great routine with myself that things are becoming more and more second nature. I craved sweets pretty strong tonight, but even when that happens I don't cave too hard (I just nibble on a little more almond butter here and there, or cashews and rice snaps.....) And I'll pour a tall glass of water and squeeze some lemon in to cut the sweet craving a little and help create a little alkalinity!

From here I'm envisioning it being easier to fast. I'd love to go as long as I comfortably can with just veggies and greens and beans/lentils, etc. I could make a big batch of lentil soup and then focus on all the veggies and greens around it.

Two things:
I'm in need of a couple more kale recipes. I know they're online EVERYWHERE, but I'd like to do a little more with kale to get more of it.

Secondly, I would like to find some sound advice on raw vs. cooked foods. Susan Weed (the herbalist I've mentioned throughout my blog) seems to find truth in the fact that cooking many veggies and greens (even just a little, braising, steaming lightly, etc) helps to break down the plant cells for much easier digestion. I don't know what the fine line is between breaking down the plant cells for digestion and cooking things too much and potentially killing the beneficial enzymes & nutrients.

Something tells me that might be a scientific study all to itself...... In the health food store I work at, we have a little library of health-related books, a couple of which are raw food based. And I keep trying to read into what "professional" people say about raw foods.... there are so many raw foodists who swear by it. I just don't know quite what to make of it! So for me, kale and chard and broccoli taste way better steamed for a short while..... so that's what I do. :-P

As for my studies on how candida diet affects the menstrual cycle, well I haven't quite been participating in the diet long enough for any kind of "results," but I do notice that the days right around the very middle of my cycle (right around ovulation) I become the most social during, compared to most other days through the cycle. That's pretty common, it's a special time for gals :-) I feel I've noticed the same thing in the past, too. I guess my main goal, as someone with a very abnormal cycle, is to see if things become any more regular... my cycles can be pretty off-the-wall sometimes, jumping from the shortest cycle I ever had (around 14 days!) to the longest one (36!) I know some women who go for months without a period.... at least mine is a semi-monthly event still, but it's just interesting how bodies are so different...

Well I guess I oughta head to bed now, thanks again for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment (or two!) sometime! I'd love to share stories, ideas, or info!

Goodnight!
~Dancing

Candida Diet Weeks 3-4 Progress....

Well I'm already on Week 5 here! So talk about a chocolate addict.... I feel like one when I can count the days since my last chocolate consumption! Ta daaaaa, it's been exactly one month!!! *crowd goes wild* Hahah and what a day to celebrate such a feat... you see, it's absolutely a perk to work at a health food store for the easy access to such wholesome foods... But on the flip-side of the matter, we got in 3 BOXES OF ORGANIC DARK CHOCOLATE TODAY!!! And I priced them all by hand individually. HAHA cruel and unusual... but I'm quite proud of my progress and I didn't want to cave, so I'll be keeping away from that stuff for a little while longer yet, perhaps until I feel more rebalanced.

Weeks 3 and 4 were quite good weeks, as I learned a nice way to make miso soup, and I've been on a seaweed rampage adding it to as many things as I can! (It's not a strong flavor, I use these!)



They're wonderful and they don't have a very strong flavor, so I add them to a lot of things nowadays!

I've been keeping to at least one large salad a day, with avocado, pumpkin seeds, and either flax seeds/oil, or hemp seeds, and if I roast some red peppers in the oven, I'll chop up some of those to go in too! I've also used 1-4 cloves of garlic everyday in some form or another (usually 1-2 in the salad) And I've been making hummus at least once a week or so too, trying to get the best flavor (which has been a little challenging!) But I've been making roasted red pepper hummus, and it's pretty good!

I haven't had ANY fruit for at least 3 weeks. And my weakness remains brown rice snaps and raw almond butter a couple times a day! The rice snaps ingredients: "Brown rice, sesame seeds." The end. I don't feel too guilty about them! And I figure I eat enough almond butter that would be equivalent to about a handful or so of almonds per day... except creamy and rich!

Yogurt has been a semi-regular protein/calcium source through all weeks so far as well. I either go for the Redwood Hill Farm Goat Yogurt or the FAGE Greek yogurt. The goat yogurt is delicious and comes from a really conscientious farm, but I'm kind of yearning for organic raw goat yogurt... the real deal. The Greek yogurt is a protein powerhouse, so that gets me through busy days or long between-times of meals. Sometimes I throw a small handful of cashews in with the yogurt if I really need a pick-me-up at work, but something tells me that's not the best food combining....

Before a double-job day or a long hike day, I'll start the morning off with an over-hard egg with steamed kale or chard or just raw spinach tossed in, with a little green onion to boot (and now kelp flakes!!)

And stir fry has been quite a delicious staple. I don't actually "fry" very much, except for the diced onion and sometimes zucchini or peppers. I take to steaming most things that go in the stir-fry though, like the broccoli or the kale or chard... and I've been keeping away from mushrooms for the time being too, as I read that candida/fungus would (perhaps obviously) like to feed on such things. Once everything's in the stir-fry pan, I sprinkle some dried miso from my miso soup packets on top, for a pleasant gluten-free + fermented soy flavoring. Haven't been using any carrot! And trying my whole self best to use lots of broccoli and leafy greens. I also have thrown in a small bit of fresh grated ginger too, dee-lish!

I made my first nettle infusion the other night! It turned out very brown in color though, compared to the bright green variations I've read about.... but I also read that since it isn't fresh-harvested nettle, and depending on the source of the dried nettle, it may turn out brown. Not sure what effect that has on the nutritional value of the infusion, but it does taste pretty good!

And still plugging away with a tall glass of Just Barley drink every morning.

I've somehow taken to doing some gentle nighttime yoga postures and some 'muscle toning' exercises too. Nothing very aerobic (since it's nighttime,) but it feels wonderful to stretch after the long day! I also like to stretch a bit in the morning now too... suppose I'm slowly adding the yoga element in now, too! I like elevating my feet for 5 or so minutes once or twice a day too, as I think I need to pay more attention to my legs/circulation, etc.

Really trying to build a healthy foundation that will just feel too good to stray from in the future!! So far I'd say it's working quite well!!

Thanks for reading!
~Dancing