Hello Detoxers,
After 9 days on our candida detox I wanted to post an update. Not my usual style, so if you are looking for my regular frequency / spiritual / motivational type stuff follow me on Instagram as - Janderella, on Twitter as - @JFloydHolistic or on Face Book https://www.facebook.com/OmniaLumen/
Remember - this is for educational purposes only. This is not intended to treat, prescribe or cure anything. Please seek advice from your health care provider before starting any program or taking any medication / herbs.
Ok, so here we go with all the detox details you want to know - and some you probably don't. We are doing this detox as a family, however, to keep it simple I will only be posting my experiences.
I am 9 days in to this candida detox and right now I feel like I could eat a whole wedding cake! My cravings come and go and are usually not this extreme. Tonight though, is tough. I have to admit - I caved and bought some sugar free candy for moments such as these. I am adamantly against artificial sweeteners in any form and haven't bought or consumed any in years. For this detox though, I would rather have the occasional piece of sugar free candy than have the actual sugar. Sugar is a huge No-No when it comes to candida. Candida thrives on sugar and simple carbs. All of which are some my favorite foods. I miss those little Hawaiian rolls that are slightly sweet, I miss brownies, bananas, grapes, and most of all I miss COFFEE!!!
Oh, but the good outweighs the bad in so many ways. I feel so much better overall. I've lost 9lbs, I sleep better, I'm not struggling to wake up in the morning, and did I mention I've lost 9lbs?!? LOL I wasn't expecting to loose so much so fast. And before you say it - it's not water weight. I'm not taking anything that would promote fluid loss specifically. I've always been careful about staying hydrated. Besides, people who stay hydrated typically don't have an overabundance of fluid retention. Now, I can't claim that my weight loss is all fat either. I'm sure it's a combination of some fat, some old toxic fecal mater (gross, I know), some fluid and some actual dead candida.
My biggest complaints have to be the cravings, the bloating & the zits. Right now my face has 4 blemishes and a few odd bumps that are on their way to being zits. We have all been bloated off and on since day one. It comes with the territory and we still have a ways to go. Thankfully, we have essential oils for diffusing in the house and for intestinal support. We also have some great digestive enzymes that we love. Also, on days 2-4 I was extremely tired in the afternoon / evening. I just rolled with it and retired early on those days. A little extra sleep is always welcome in my book.
Here is a list of some common signs during a candida die-off (otherwise known as a Herxheimer reaction).
- Nausea
- Headache, fatigue, dizziness
- Swollen glands
- Bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea
- Increased joint or muscle pain
- Elevated heart rate
- Chills, cold feeling in your extremities
- Body itchiness, hives or rashes
- Sweating
- Fever
- Skin breakouts
- Recurring vaginal, prostate and sinus infections
- Luckily, we have not experienced all of these signs! I can't imagine how we would get through this if we had.
- We have been eating mostly veggies, seafood, nuts/seeds & poultry with some sausage to keep the husband & the son happy. Yes, I realize sausage is not a healthy food, however, in the short term and for our purposes it is allowed. I also made a concession for Satsuma's since our tree is loaded down with these little orange-like gems. Other than that we have had NO sugar, NO simple carbs, NO fruit, (other than lemons & limes) NO coffee, NO sweet potatoes, NO peanuts, NO mushrooms, NO junk food, NO fast food, NO processed food, NO milk products, NO cheese, NO desserts, NO, NO, NO..... I miss homemade macaroni and cheese right now. I do occasionally use organic, grass fed, unsalted butter and we do eat eggs. We quit drinking cow's milk a couple of years ago, so that's not a big deal. Ice cream though, was an occasional treat that I loved.
- Ok, I have to stop talking about food before I do something I might regret. Let's get on to supplements & essential oils. Please know that I can't get into to much detail about what supplement or essential oil is good for which issue. The regulations surrounding this are insanely picky. Feel free to email me with any questions about the products we are using. I will post links and please be aware that I do get a modest commission if you purchase them from me. But hey - buy them from somewhere else if you like. I'm just sharing what I'm doing & using. The best part about this is it's working for us and it can work for you too!
Fiber - if you haven't read my previous post about fiber, please do so. I am taking Loclo Fiber daily. No bloating, no nasty side effects. Yay!
Probiotic - Honestly, I am rotating between 2 probiotics. Not because I need to, I'm just trying to see if one works better for me. So far, they are both excellent and I like them equally. They are Probiotic Eleven & Life 5.
Essential Oils - I am using these topically, internally & aromatically. Some I apply to the bottom of my feet, some on my abdomen, some in my tea or water and others in my diffuser. These oils have been a huge help for so many reasons. They support my immune system, my digestive system, my mood and even help to banish some of my cravings. The ones I am currently using can be found here. (I'm currently using oregano, lavender, ocotea, tea tree, clove, thieves, lemon, peppermint, eucalyptus, joy, stress-away & frankincense)
Herbs - I am using Pau d'arco for it's well known 'abilities'. It strengthens the immune system and fortifies against "foreign invaders". (I highly recommend a quick search on Pau d'arco for loads of good info about it's benefits.)
I am also using food enzymes milk thistle & digestive support as needed. The digestive support provides friendly bacteria which helps support the immune system & the colon. The food enzymes are a great help with all of this meat I'm eating. (I normally only eat poultry, seafood & deer meat occasionally rather than almost daily.) I do take the milk thistle on daily basis to help support & protect my liver from toxins.
I take 2-4 tablespoons of high quality, virgin, cold pressed coconut oil daily. I get mine from a local shop, but this stuff is available everywhere. Just make sure you get a good brand that has not been destroyed during it's processing.
On my list to use, but not for another few days is Inner Defense. Why wait you ask? Simply to not overload my system. Step 1 - kill the candida. Step 2 - support the body. Inner defense is part of my step 2, but more on that later.
Protein shake mix - This is totally optional. We happen to like having this option for busy mornings or even a mid-day snack. My protein shake mix of choice is not on my meal plan right now. I have two that I like for this detox. One is called Love & Peas. It is totally sugar free and made with stevia. It also has fiber, vitamins & is Vegan. The other one is called Balance Complete and it has wolf berries, vitamins, coconut oil & whey protein. This one does have a little sugar in it from the fruits in the ingredients, but is acceptable as long as there are absolutely no other sugars in the diet. I love both of these and they are both delicious!
Another thing I will be adding is a product called AlkaLime This is used to maintain proper PH, which can sometimes be challenging during this particular type of detox. With such limited food choices, we often find ourselves a little to acidic. This will do the trick. BONUS - candida hates an alkaline environment!
Alright, so no pretty pictures or fancy blog stuff. Just straight forward information of what I'm doing to kick candida's ass. Feel free to email me with any questions you have OmniaLumen@aol.com. Yes, I still use AOL - don't laugh to hard.
If you would like to have a personalized candida detox plan from a professional Holistic Wellness Practitioner who specializes in Holistic Nutrition contact me at the above email. Not everybody's body is the same and no one detox plan is right for everyone. Don't guess when it comes to your health.
Love & Light,
Rev. Jan Floyd HWP, RMP, CHt
