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:
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)
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/
Well, re-working the format of this baby.... pardon the mess!!
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
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
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
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
Today I made my own miso soup, with Miso Master red miso paste, wakame seaweed, and a little chopped up green onion (though the recipe calls for scallion, but I do not have....)
It turned out great! I'm super excited about the more "genuine" batch than the packet type, though the packet type will do lovely for camping trips!
The deal with miso soup is that the soy used is fermented. Being fermented means it contains cultures (like yogurt or sauerkraut, etc) And they will help to replenish the gut flora.
I'm also learning more and more about minerals and sources of healthy minerals. Herbal infusions seem to offer some of the most potent amounts of minerals. Susan Weed (as I mentioned in the previous post) boasts quite a bit about the herb nettle. Also known as STINGING nettle. But, when the leaves are dried and prepared as a tea INFUSION (not just a hot tea, but set up to steep for at least 4 hours in a jar of boiled water) 8 oz. of such a concoction is said to have 500mg of calcium available for your body! So far I've only really been able to find information about that on Susan's site, which is fantastic! But I'd like to see if that's been mentioned elsewhere! I don't doubt that it is, at the very least, a terrific source of calcium. And I can't wait to get out to the co-op and pick up some dried nettle and have a go!
So I'm on Week 4, and can you believe I haven't had a pinch of chocolate, ice cream, cookies, or any kind of sweets! The closest I've had to a sweet is a small serving of rice pudding I got at India Garden with my mom the other day :-) (and it should be noted that for once I didn't even heap the pudding into 5 bowls and gulp it down like my life depended on it!!) I'm feeling pretty strong! And I feel like I have much less of a craving for sweets now, though the dark chocolate bars at my job still yell at me more often than I'd like! But I'm gonna go as long as I can, paying much attention to my body and what it says. Almond butter has been my "sweet," and all I use is raw almond butter, nothing added... just pure almonds ground into smooth amazingness :-)
Weight fluctuates through each day... usually weigh in around 121-122 in the morning and about 126 in the evening... I'm excited to see what changes when I start jogging again in the spring!
Would like to focus more on yoga. I've been doing several postures every other day or so, but I'd like to really work on a routine.
Well it's late and I should get to bed, but that's a quick update for ya! Thanks for reading!
