Get Healthy with Shana

Do you know what candida feels like?  Do you know what Candida is?  Basically Candida happens from eating too much sugar, which creates an overgrowth of yeast in the intestines.  It can cause an array of problems ranging from fatigue to lack of coordination.  The problems are vast and many of them can all be traced back to an overabundance of sugar. 

 For me Candida feels like this;

Fatigue, heavy, swollen stomach, not wanting to stand up as it feels like too much work, inability to focus,  contentrate or make decisions.  I feel jumpy, anxious and my body just feels all over twisted or torqued.  I feel frustrated and edgy.  My muscles feel tight, weak and lazy.  I am forgetful, overwhelmed  and un-coordinated.    My skin is itchy and has a crusty rash like eczema.  The way that I feel reminds me of a character in a movie who was a 20-something-year-old who had Parkinson’s.  Just typing, is difficult for me today.  I am trying to craft some simple craft items and am having a hard time making my hands co-ordinate what my mind is telling them to co-ordinate.    

I remember this feeling well.   Two years ago I felt this same way (with some added daily nausea and rapid weight gain)and my doctor  told that I had Celiac after several tests (which were intended to check my hormone levels).  I became diligent at keeping away from anything with gluten in it.  Even with my continued diligence, my symptoms continued.  I finally decided to get a second opinion from a holistic physician.  He quickly told me, based on my symptoms, that I had Candida.  He gave me a Candida detox to follow for a month, which I followed.  The detox eliminated all sugar including fruit.  It eliminated any molds to include peanuts and mushrooms.  In addition, I had no dairy, corn or tomatoes.  It also included continued elimination of gluten and included some supplements.  Within a month of following this plan, I found my health.  I felt better than I had ever felt….Ever!

I had continued to stay away from sugars except in extreme moderation for the next 10 months and continued to excel with my health.  Then the holidays came….Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas…..I have  been consuming more and more sugars, peanuts, mushrooms and alcohol and today, I find myself exactly the way that I felt a year ago.  I feel sick with Candida again.   And know this, I am very aware of where sugar is hiding in all sorts of foods and am normally very diligent about staying clear of sugar.  I am more mindful than most when it comes to sugar.   These symptoms were not sudden either.  They started slowly beginning with finding myself thinking about sugar (chocolate) more than ususal.  Then the insomnia began.  Literally nothing would knock me out, not a sleeping pill, melatonin, a vodka lime…nothing!  Then the skin eczema flared up.  I had a thought last week that I may be entering the Candida zone again, but I didn’t listen to that inner-voice.  I continued on my happy, holiday, sugar-filled way.  And today I find myself feeling very bad.   

I am writing this because it makes me wonder how many diagnoses of Parkinson’s, M.S., Lupas, arthritis, chronic fatigue…….could actually be coming from the over-consumption of sugar?  I also wonder, do I actually have Celiac, or can I just not handle so much sugar?  I seem to have these symptoms when I over-consume sugar…but when I have the occasional piece of pizza (maybe once every three months), I have no issue.

Today, I am back on my Candida detox.  It is December 20^th and we still have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years ahead of us.  I plan to be realistic but also proactive.  I am dining on whole grain oats, black rice and salmon, beans, vegetables and any nut but a peanut.  I plan to stay away from alcohol at least on the days in between the actual holidays and maybe even the holidays…    My baking is complete for the season, so that temptation is gone. Honestly, I could really go for some chocolate right now, but I won't.  I am going to tough it out and have some Mayan Cocoa tea from Natures Whole Food Depot in Sonora. 
www.natureswholedepot.com.

Need More Information?

Useful Web Sites

• www.celiac.org
• www.candidahouse.com
• www.ihealthcast.com