Oh my word. I just spent the last week as sick as a dog. Needless to say, I completely terminated the candida cleanse. Did I do enough to get that crap out of my body? I hope so. Basically, I think the cleanse was eliciting such an immune response (the stuffed nose, swollen glands, etc.) that I ended up with a massive sinus infection. I haven't had one that bad since before my sinus surgery 6 years ago.
Anyway, I'm well on the road to recovery now and ready too move on. Today I started back with a light workout (TurboJam Remix) and I'll do something similar tomorrow. Thursday I want to pick back up with TurboFire and my plan is to mix in some Brazil Butt Lift and P90X Legs and Back. Afterall, swimsuit season is close. Ack!
Now I need to get my nutrition dialed back in, too. This week my goal is to get some raw foods made, specifically some flat bread so I can eat some veggie sandwiches. Yum!
More details on the raw eating later.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The Candida Cleanse
So during the fitness challenge some friends and I have been doing, I wrote a bit to them about the fact that I decided to do a candida cleanse.
What the heck is candida? Brace yourself. It's yeast. Gross. I'm talking about yeast. And I'm talking about it beyond, you know, your private parts. Eeeek! I swear, I'm not going to get THAT personal.
My point is that candida goes way beyond that. Yes, you can have it on your skin (Finn used to get it on his bald head when he was undergoing chemo), babies get it in the crooks of their fat little arms or behind their knees, etc. But you can also get it as a systemic infection in your bloodstream.
How?
I think it happens all sorts of ways (you can Google it and see about 5 million different explanations for it), but for me, I think it tied into my melanoma surgery back in early December and then eating too much sugar, wheat, and all sorts of other goodies over the holidays.
When I was able to start working out again after the first of the year, I noticed my recovery from workouts wasn't the greatest. My joints were sore, I was really tired, and I just had weird muscle fatigue. At first I thought it was just beause I hadn't been able to work out for those 3 weeks (I read that you can lose aerobic endurance in as little as two weeks--bummer, but good incentive to keep up with your high intensity workouts). Then I remembered a few years ago when I was consulting with a nutritionist and she had me do a candida cleanse.
According to natural health people, candida overgrowth in our bodies is rampant in Americans because of our highly processed diets. Really, it all comes down to what you believe and buy in to. I felt really great after I did the cleanse last time, so I thought, I'll do it again.
And so I did. I bought the same products I'd used before and away I went. I didn't even call my friend, who is a naturopathic doctor. I figured I'd have no problem.
Holy cow, I was so wrong.
So if you do your Googling, you will see that there might be some side effects as the yeast in your bloodstream start to die off and get expelled from your body. I was fine for about the first three days and then the die off hit me like a ton of bricks. UGH! At first I thought I was getting sick, but the severity and how fast it all came on got me thinking and that's when I discovered the yeast die off side effects/symptoms.
It was really bad for about four days, then moderately bad for another three. After that things simmered down.
So what I experienced:
-Massive histamine reaction. It was like having the worst sinus infection ever. My sinuses closed almost completely off.
-My lymph nodes were like golf balls and so sore that I could barely eat or drink. Yawning or even opening my mouth very far were both incredibly uncomfortable. That was the symptom that has taken the longest to go away. It was a week before I could eat without wincing. But then, I'm a total baby about such things.
-Complete and total fatigue.
-My tongue had a lovely white film on it.
-The skin on my jaws felt bumpy and itchy.
Literally, it was like I had the flu, except I didn't. At one point I took my temparature, but I never had a fever that I know of.
I did also have night sweats and trouble sleeping. My husband said I was snoring up a storm (I don't THINK I normally do that) because of all of the swelling in my nose and throat.
Sounds lovely, eh?
My Internet doctoring lead to two different trains of thought: don't stop the cleanse because you need to keep going, or stop the cleanse and let your body recover because this massive die off is taxing your immune system even more.
WTF?
So I did the only thing I could think of at that point. I went to my naturopath and we decided on a course of action that dialed back on the supplements to let my body recover, but to still keep going with the cleanse.
The thing is: I have to be super clean with my diet and really only eat meat and veggies. Super. Clean. Ugh! I know I can do it, but it seems overwhelming because there's no time limit on this--it's just until the symptoms go away and it's clear the candida is gone. That could be next week (very unlikely) or two months! ARGH! I don't do well with undefined deadlines.
Guess I'll learn pretty quick!
So do go out and learn more about the negative health issues candida can cause if you're so inclined. As with many other things, much of the traditional medical community kind of poo poos the whole concept, but there are stories about how in autopsies people organs are just covered in the candida fungus. Personally, I think candida is a real problem and I want it gone!
What the heck is candida? Brace yourself. It's yeast. Gross. I'm talking about yeast. And I'm talking about it beyond, you know, your private parts. Eeeek! I swear, I'm not going to get THAT personal.
My point is that candida goes way beyond that. Yes, you can have it on your skin (Finn used to get it on his bald head when he was undergoing chemo), babies get it in the crooks of their fat little arms or behind their knees, etc. But you can also get it as a systemic infection in your bloodstream.
How?
I think it happens all sorts of ways (you can Google it and see about 5 million different explanations for it), but for me, I think it tied into my melanoma surgery back in early December and then eating too much sugar, wheat, and all sorts of other goodies over the holidays.
When I was able to start working out again after the first of the year, I noticed my recovery from workouts wasn't the greatest. My joints were sore, I was really tired, and I just had weird muscle fatigue. At first I thought it was just beause I hadn't been able to work out for those 3 weeks (I read that you can lose aerobic endurance in as little as two weeks--bummer, but good incentive to keep up with your high intensity workouts). Then I remembered a few years ago when I was consulting with a nutritionist and she had me do a candida cleanse.
According to natural health people, candida overgrowth in our bodies is rampant in Americans because of our highly processed diets. Really, it all comes down to what you believe and buy in to. I felt really great after I did the cleanse last time, so I thought, I'll do it again.
And so I did. I bought the same products I'd used before and away I went. I didn't even call my friend, who is a naturopathic doctor. I figured I'd have no problem.
Holy cow, I was so wrong.
So if you do your Googling, you will see that there might be some side effects as the yeast in your bloodstream start to die off and get expelled from your body. I was fine for about the first three days and then the die off hit me like a ton of bricks. UGH! At first I thought I was getting sick, but the severity and how fast it all came on got me thinking and that's when I discovered the yeast die off side effects/symptoms.
It was really bad for about four days, then moderately bad for another three. After that things simmered down.
So what I experienced:
-Massive histamine reaction. It was like having the worst sinus infection ever. My sinuses closed almost completely off.
-My lymph nodes were like golf balls and so sore that I could barely eat or drink. Yawning or even opening my mouth very far were both incredibly uncomfortable. That was the symptom that has taken the longest to go away. It was a week before I could eat without wincing. But then, I'm a total baby about such things.
-Complete and total fatigue.
-My tongue had a lovely white film on it.
-The skin on my jaws felt bumpy and itchy.
Literally, it was like I had the flu, except I didn't. At one point I took my temparature, but I never had a fever that I know of.
I did also have night sweats and trouble sleeping. My husband said I was snoring up a storm (I don't THINK I normally do that) because of all of the swelling in my nose and throat.
Sounds lovely, eh?
My Internet doctoring lead to two different trains of thought: don't stop the cleanse because you need to keep going, or stop the cleanse and let your body recover because this massive die off is taxing your immune system even more.
WTF?
So I did the only thing I could think of at that point. I went to my naturopath and we decided on a course of action that dialed back on the supplements to let my body recover, but to still keep going with the cleanse.
The thing is: I have to be super clean with my diet and really only eat meat and veggies. Super. Clean. Ugh! I know I can do it, but it seems overwhelming because there's no time limit on this--it's just until the symptoms go away and it's clear the candida is gone. That could be next week (very unlikely) or two months! ARGH! I don't do well with undefined deadlines.
Guess I'll learn pretty quick!
So do go out and learn more about the negative health issues candida can cause if you're so inclined. As with many other things, much of the traditional medical community kind of poo poos the whole concept, but there are stories about how in autopsies people organs are just covered in the candida fungus. Personally, I think candida is a real problem and I want it gone!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Coping with Cravings
OK, a small group of us started a challenge on Jan. 30 and are communicating via a private Facebook group. If you want in, let me know. It's never too late! We're just using the page to keep ourselves accountable with exercise and eating.
Now, for the past two days, I've been craving avacados/guacamole. What is it in the avocado that I need right now?
I am a big believer in eating what you crave. Please note, this doesn't apply if you're craving a bag of potato chips or 10 pounds of chocolate. For example, at certain times of the month (TMI, I know), I have intense cravings for protein, specifically for chicken and eggs. Other times of the month, the thought of eating eggs makes me sick.
Keep in mind, I'm no medical expert, so what I'm saying could be a load of hooey, but I think our bodies are talking to us all the time and trying to tell us what what they need. Unfortunately, we are so far removed from listening to our bodies, we have no idea what they're saying. "I need some protein" becomes a hamburger and French fries at a fast food retaurant. "I need some antioxidants" becomes a binge on cheap chocolate that just leaves you wanting more.
It has taken me a long, long time to get to the point where I can sort of listen to my body (and then not ignore it). Trust me, I want to mow through an entire chocolate bar sometimes, too. But the next time a craving hits, slow down and think about what you're feeling, and you might find a nutritionally better way to satisfy your crave and really nourish your body versus just eating to consume what you think you want.
Here are the ways I try to deal with irrational cravings and try to change some bad eating habits I might have taken on lately...
1. Get out of the kitchen. I find that after I eat lunch, my body wants something sweet. I'm pretty sure this is just a habit I got into over the holidays. So I hurry and get away from the temptations.
2. Brush my teeth. Nothing kills wanting to eat something else faster than brushing your teeth because anything after that tastes nasty. Even better: floss. Way better: put in a tooth whitening strip. You'll never want to eat again.
3. Drink water. I'm usually just thirsty.
4. Pack snacks. And try to think about what will give you the most bang for your buck. Candy bar, no. An appropriate portion of nuts and raisins, yes.
5. Chew gum/eat a mint. This is kind of like the toothpaste one. Today I had the overwhelming urge to keep eating after I had alredy finished lunch. I grabbed a piece of gum and was fine.
So there you have my five key strategies for trying to break habits and stop cravings. I admit, some days are easier than others!
Now, for the past two days, I've been craving avacados/guacamole. What is it in the avocado that I need right now?
I am a big believer in eating what you crave. Please note, this doesn't apply if you're craving a bag of potato chips or 10 pounds of chocolate. For example, at certain times of the month (TMI, I know), I have intense cravings for protein, specifically for chicken and eggs. Other times of the month, the thought of eating eggs makes me sick.
Keep in mind, I'm no medical expert, so what I'm saying could be a load of hooey, but I think our bodies are talking to us all the time and trying to tell us what what they need. Unfortunately, we are so far removed from listening to our bodies, we have no idea what they're saying. "I need some protein" becomes a hamburger and French fries at a fast food retaurant. "I need some antioxidants" becomes a binge on cheap chocolate that just leaves you wanting more.
It has taken me a long, long time to get to the point where I can sort of listen to my body (and then not ignore it). Trust me, I want to mow through an entire chocolate bar sometimes, too. But the next time a craving hits, slow down and think about what you're feeling, and you might find a nutritionally better way to satisfy your crave and really nourish your body versus just eating to consume what you think you want.
Here are the ways I try to deal with irrational cravings and try to change some bad eating habits I might have taken on lately...
1. Get out of the kitchen. I find that after I eat lunch, my body wants something sweet. I'm pretty sure this is just a habit I got into over the holidays. So I hurry and get away from the temptations.
2. Brush my teeth. Nothing kills wanting to eat something else faster than brushing your teeth because anything after that tastes nasty. Even better: floss. Way better: put in a tooth whitening strip. You'll never want to eat again.
3. Drink water. I'm usually just thirsty.
4. Pack snacks. And try to think about what will give you the most bang for your buck. Candy bar, no. An appropriate portion of nuts and raisins, yes.
5. Chew gum/eat a mint. This is kind of like the toothpaste one. Today I had the overwhelming urge to keep eating after I had alredy finished lunch. I grabbed a piece of gum and was fine.
So there you have my five key strategies for trying to break habits and stop cravings. I admit, some days are easier than others!
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