Just to catch up a bit:
I am nearly 3 weeks into my candida cleanse. I do feel a bit better each day, but I can tell you that I have a long way to go to embodying the vibrant health that is my goal and intention.
The first week was absolute hell - no way around it. I was experiencing such severe die off that I felt like I was from another planet: I felt like I had the worst flu I've ever experienced, the aches and general malise were really horrific. The most disconcerting symptom was that I felt very drunk; I was dizzy in a way that I have never experienced before - not vertigo - really just like being really drunk. I kept thinking I was going to fall over. I would run my hand along the wall as I went from room to room. It is this experience that made me think that writing about this for others would be a good idea.
During that first week, I could only go on the Internet for a few minutes at a time, but as I typed 'candida' and 'drunk' into the search engine, indeed I learned that this IS one of the common symptoms of die off. Apparently the dying yeast gives off alcohol in your body, thus causing this odd feeling. It went hand in hand with belching all day long, which was lovely. Let's see, other symptoms? Acid reflux, foggy brain, a mind-numbing fatigue - although that is what I had been feeling for weeks prior, so no surprise there.
My mistake, I guess, was in not ingesting something like activated charcoal or bentonite and psyllium whilst in the midst of the worst of the die off, but there you have it. Live and learn. Not only that, but by the time I realized this might be a good idea, I was too ill to get back to the store. One day, my dear sweet neighbor across the street drove me because I thought if I tried to drive, I might get arrested for drunk driving!
Whenever my mind wanted to wander and worry about the income that I've been missing, etc., etc., I just did the same positive talk. "Look, the lack of money that you feel right now mirrors the lack of ENERGY that you feel. As you regain your vibrant health and increase your energy, it will be reflected in every area of your life." This isn't just bullshit to me - I completely believe it. I do work as a life coach, after all!
By the second week, I still felt awful, but like I said, better daily, bit by bit. I have been obsessed with looking at my tongue. I check it out all throughout the day. When this thing really took me over, I had a terrible case of thrush. My mouth was bone dry, my tongue had a thick white film, and the taste in my mouth was nothing short of foul. In the past few week, I've witnessed as the white film began to recede in my mouth and to lighten up. It's never quickly enough, I can tell you that, and it seems as though this will be a process that takes a while to complete.
At present, nearly three weeks in, my energy is to the point where I can go out and run a few errand or go work for a few hours, but I'm still on the upswing. Today I am on day two of my period - and day two is my toughest day - so I don't feel very good. The good thing is that I expect when I get my vibrant health fully back, my periods will not be difficult any longer, as they never were during other healthy times in my life.
I'm getting to the point where I want to log off, so here's what I'm going to do. I will detail what my protocol is and then call it a day. Next time I will explain how I believe I came to be in this precidament, and talk more about the nature of the diet I'm on and how I feel about it --- I'll give you a hint, I LOVE IT. Because of how truly awful I have felt, brussel sprouts taste better to me than chocolate. I'm not even kidding. My goal is to fully heal and go out and live my life the way I want, with love and joy.
Protocol:
Candida diet (my version of which I will detail another day). This is a huge part of the protocol.
Lots o' water
Rebound for up to an hour a day
Stretch daily
Lift light weights every other day
Do deep breathing whenever I need to
Meditate daily
Do reflexology on my own feet as well as I'm able
Occassionally take an Epsom Salt bath
Take 1/2 tsp. baking soda in water if acid relfux kicks up (due to die off)
Take 2 tablespoons of aloe vera in water (Aloe Gold) every other day or so
DAILY SUPPLEMENTS:
Upon waking: digestive enzymes (Wobenzym), acidophilus, and l glutamine
Then I oil pull with virign coconut oil for 20 minutes first thing after brushing my teeth. Rinse with warm salt water. I'll explain oil pulling another time.
3 Tbsp. cold or expeller pressed liquid virgin coconut oil. Eat it right off the spoon before each meal. It tastes heavenly. I crave the stuff.
1 slow release iron tablet (anemic at the moment due to this candida imbalance).
1 Women's Multi from Whole Foods.
4X day Milk Thistle tincture (in glycerine, not alcohol).
Enzymes and acidophilus 2X more mid day and before bed.
Okay - much more next time....
