Candida Cleanse - Week 1

Last week I ended my post by stating how important it is that we seek the Lord, for His wisdom & guidance, as we strive to figure out the root cause of health issues we are experiencing.  The reality is for any one ailment there are going to be countless different suggestions and protocols on what you should do, take, eat, etc... Many times those messages can be contradictive.  That is where wisdom is so important, because it can be a confusing and overwhelming task trying to know which steps to take, and navigate your way to better health. 

 

I think one of the areas we need the most wisdom is in choosing the right practitioner.  This can make all the difference in the world.  I can't tell you how many times I have left a doctors visit feeling so discouraged, upset, or in tears.  I didn't feel heard, I didn't sense compassion, and I didn't receive any beneficial help or guidance.  But I did receive a lovely bill in the mail afterwards!  I am now so blessed to have such a kind and caring doctor, who has not only made a difference in my health, but in my oldest daughters as well. 

If you are trying to get to the root problems going on and your doctor just wants to write you a prescription, run for the hills and never return to them! LOL.  There is a time and place for prescription drugs, however, there are so many other things that need to be addressed to treat the root problems going on in your body.  Medications typically just treat the symptoms, come with a long list of side effects, and often the problem is reoccurring.  Look for a holistic/naturopathic doctor, which means they "integrate conventional and alternative therapies to treat a patient on all levels. By treating body, mind and spirit, the physician heals all aspects of the disease, not just the symptoms." (source here)  I know too from experience, that even among holistic doctors, there are some whacks out there.  You have to "interview" them in a sense and make sure they are going to be a right fit for you and your family and that you feel very comfortable with them!! 

Now onto the cleanse....

I have just completed (or should I say survived) my first week on the Candida Cleanse that I chose to do.  This cleanse is not for the wimpy.  It's not a quick fix, packaged in a nice little box, with a small price tag.  It's a huge commitment, time consuming, and costs several hundred dollars.  If you are not use to spending time in the kitchen prepping and preparing meals, you better get use to this new way of life, as you and the kitchen are going to become quite close!!

 

There are many candida cleanses available, so here is why I chose this particular cleanse: Christa Orecchio, founder of The Whole Journey Candida cleanse, suffered herself from candida for many years.  She was raised on antibiotics and was a sugar/caffeine addict as an adult.  It took her 3 tries to rid her body of candida.  The protocol she followed on her 3rd attempt finally worked and rid her body of the yeast overgrowth.  She has used this same protocol over the past 8 years to help hundreds of her clients.  Candida, is a nasty booger, and you have to attack it on 3 different levels: diet, anti-fungals, and probiotics.  You have to starve the candida (through diet, since it feeds on sugar) and then you have to kill it and get it out of your body (anti-fungals and probiotics).  This particular cleanse addresses all 3 of these areas.  She provides you with a wealth of information including: 5 hours of webinars/powerpoint presentations, menu plans, lots of recipes, remedies for candida cleanse symptoms/issues, frequently asked questions & answers, information on testing your PH levels,  resources for adrenal fatigue, thyroid health, and much more!  Christa literally takes your hand and walks you through the process step by step.  Although you do not get live, face to face support, it's the next best thing!  In my opinion, thus far, it has been worth every penny. 

4 Anti-Fungals I am using.  Olive Leaf, Oil of Oregano, Grapefruit Seed Extract, and Pau d'Arco tea.
 

 It's a 100% commitment for the entire 6-8 weeks of the cleanse.  There is absolutely no room for cheating or caving in to temptation.  If you do, that is 1 step forward and 5 steps backwards...and you DO NOT want that! 

 

My diet consist of eating 40% organic greens and vegetables and 40% organic meats, fish, and eggs.  Another 10% is for a few low sugar fruits and nuts, which equals 1 green apple or 1 cup berries for example and 1/4 cup nuts or 1 Tbl nut butter.  The last 10% is reserved for complex carbs such as brown rice, quinoa, beans, sweet potatoes.  I'm allowed 3 servings per day, and 1 serving would be 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or 1 medium sweet potato for example.  

The 5 most challenging things so far are: 1) Feeling so limited on what to eat for snacks.  I don't think I realized how much snacking I did throughout the day...until many of those options are taken away.  2) Sometimes I'm having to make one meal for myself and a completely separate meal for my family.  Although I try to combine the two or use a lot of the same ingredients but tweak mine as needed.  3) There are so many details to remember with this cleanse-what you can and can't eat, supplements at different times of the day, drinking enough water, etc...  Thankfully I am a very detailed person and this isn't too big of an issue for me, however, this might feel way too difficult/overwhelming for someone who works full-time outside of the home or doesn't have the personality to do the daily checklist of requirements.  4) Going out to eat...options are pretty limited.  I've turned into that very annoying customer who asks all the questions and has to have foods tailored for my needs (No gluten, no dairy, no sugar, no yeast, no fermented foods, no caffeine, nothing fried, no vinegar, no alcohol, no refined carbs, no high glycemic fruits, shall I go on??? LOL) 5) The biggest challenge I am facing is that my blood sugar feels "off" and I am losing weight.  I am eating every few hours but I am feeling weak and that my body is lacking something it needs to function properly.  I'm also losing weight, which is a great bonus in doing a cleanse like this IF you need to lose weight.  I was at a very ideal and healthy weight and people are beginning to take notice and make comments and I don't like that.  I want to look healthy not sickly.

 

I keep telling myself this is only a brief moment in time compared to my whole life and it is worth the sacrifice right now!  But I need to make sure that I am staying healthy through all of this and not overdoing it.  Praying about what I need to do.  I need wisdom right now.  Stay tuned next week as I give a recap of how week 2 went! 

 

 

If you missed my Intro blog post to the Candida Cleanse you can go here.

 

  

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

 

 

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