Candida Cleanse - Intro



On Monday of this week (July 7th), I began my first day of a 6-8 week Candida Cleanse.  I will be writing a weekly update on how things are going.  Hopefully I can provide encouragement for anyone else who is considering doing something like this or simply wanting to make some changes to better your health!

"Candida albicans is a specific strain of yeast that lives in the intestinal tract, which can become problematic when it gets out of balance and overgrows. Candida is opportunistic, meaning that it will grow out of balance if your health or constitution has been weakened, typically by using antibiotics. Because non-organic meat contains antibiotics, many of us are consuming them, unwittingly, on a daily or at least weekly basis.  Antibiotics kill bacteria – both the good and the bad. So whenever antibiotics are used, we need to repopulate the intestinal flora with good bacteria (probiotics). The good bacteria should outweigh the bad so it doesn’t take over and cause problems.  Antibiotics can also thin our mucosal lining, leaving us ill-equipped to wrap up pathogens like parasites and transport them out of the body. This can make us vulnerable to all kinds of foreign invaders, and yeast overgrowth.  Other contributing factors include excessive sugar, coffee, or alcohol consumption, parasitic infections, and chronic stress." (The Whole Journey)



But let me start with a little of my story.....
While in college, in my early twenties, I contracted a horrible parasite known as giardia.  I was absolutely miserable for months and months.  When it was finally diagnosed through a stool sample that I had a parasite, I was put on an antibiotic.  By the end of the week I was a mess, laying on my bathroom floor unable to crawl into bed after massive diarrhea and throwing up.  I did not finish taking the antibiotics after this.  Then in my late twenties/early thirties I got strep throat and again was given antibiotics.  In addition, most of my life I have followed the SAD diet (Standard American Diet).  My diet consisted of top ramen, Doritos, soda pop, Rice-a-Roni, Oreo cookies, pizza, macaroni and cheese, doughnuts, ice cream, sour patch kids, bagels, nachos....I think you get the point!  (P.S. I'm referring to a lot of my own food choices I made as a teen/young adult...my mom read this and thought everyone was going to think she fed me horribly as a child! LOL)

 



All that to say, I don't think my health issues I've been dealing with over the past few years are just accidental or part of getting older.  I have experienced things like severe fatigue, adult acne, night sweats, anxiety, digestion issues/constipation, and at times feeling stressed/overwhelmed with every day life.  There is a saying that has become one of my motto's, "Pay now or pay later".  If we do not make the effort NOW for our health and well being, we will be paying for it later.

 

 I have come to the realization that one of the greatest contributors to most every ailment, sickness, or disease, stems from an unhealthy gut.  What we put into our bodies truly does matter....you ARE what you eat (this also applies to what you put ON your body).  We must view food differently, because it has the potential to bring harm or healing.  Unfortunately over the past 60 years there has been a huge change in our food system from an agricultural system to an industrialized system.  We are eating foods grown in soil depleted of the vital nutrients and minerals our bodies need because they are heavily sprayed with nasty chemicals.  There are so many additives/toxins, we can't even pronounce, listed with the ingredients.  And of course one of the greatest horrors of our time...GMO's (genetically modified foods).  This is why purchasing organic, when possible, is so important! 

 

Then there is the issue of antibiotics being handed out left and right, consuming antibiotics through non-organic meat, processed foods, fast food, and another major factor....artificial and refined sugar (which is in EVERYTHING).  Being apart of a fast paced society has impacted how we eat.  Gone are the days, for so many Americans, of homemade healthy meals.  We want fast, quick, convenient, no prep, and of course CHEAP.  Here is a great 20 minute video to watch regarding the evolution of food, click here.



My main focus, initially, was on healing my skin.  This was the most noticeable of my problems and something I was extremely self-conscious about.  But it didn't take long for me to realize my focus needed to shift, from the external, to healing my body from the inside out.  I began to understand that my acne was my bodies way of telling me there were other things off internally.  I began, with the help of a wonderful and caring naturopathic doctor, to address things like adrenal fatigue, detoxing my liver, healing my gut, balancing my hormones, and cleaning up my diet even more...all of which have made a big improvement in my health & my skin. 

About a year ago, my doctor had me do a stool sample, which overall looked good but did show a low level of candida.  So based on those results and the fact that I'm not experiencing major health issue, I do not believe my body is over burdened by candida.  But I also don't want to go down that road either.  We must be proactive with our health. 

I performed an at home spit test, based on the recommendation of clinical and holistic nutritionist, Christa Orecchio, over at The Whole Journey.  I did this first thing every morning for 6 consecutive days and each time my saliva sunk to the bottom in a cloudy/milky form.  It was after this that I knew, what the next step was in my journey to health.

 

 

As I look back over the past year and a half of my life, I can see how the Lord has guided me along, given me wisdom, directed me to the right resources and to those with more knowledge than myself, and shown me the steps I've needed to take.  Most recently the Lord has led me to the place I am now with taking on candida.  Many of the things required for the cleanse have already been in place in my life for sometime now and I give the Lord all the credit for that.  Otherwise this cleanse would be incredibly intense. 

 

Are you struggling with one or more health issues/symptoms such as: headaches, stomach pain, anxiety, acne, a mental fog, constipation/diarrhea, heartburn, digestive discomfort, or chronic sinus infections?  I know what it's like to want answers, to want to feel normal again, to want your energy back, to want the fogginess to lift, and to want the pain to disappear.  I am not a doctor and don't pretend to be, so obviously the first bit of advice is to be seen by a doctor (holistic or naturopathic is best in my personal opinion).  But the greatest thing you can do is take the time to seek the Lord and ask for Him to impart His wisdom and to direct your steps. 

 

 

 

If you need a fresh start with your health, want to figure out the root cause of your symptoms, learn how to use food as the basis for healing, and have an expert walking you through the process than check out: The Whole Journey 6 week eCourse.  You will receive a wealth of information provided by Clinical & Holistic Nutritionist, Christa Orecchio (Whom I absolutely love!!).  This is a pretty expensive investment, but if you are serious about making drastic changes to better your health, you won't regret it!  It's one of those "Pay Now or Pay Later" decisions.

 

Stay tuned next Monday as I share more details about the cleanse and how things are going!!  Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions!  Click here for week 1.

 

Here are some great videos to check out: 48 second test for candida, Blog talk Radio or The Whole Journey.

 

*I am an affiliate for some of the links included in this blog post, which means, if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a commission.



 

 

 

Please Subscribe here if you don't want to miss upcoming posts or find me on Facebook!