Ugh…not a Candida Cleanse

Hi Everyone…I must be insane,  I finally decided to crack down and do a Candida cleanse. Over the years, I’ve spoken with hundreds, of men and women describing the following symptoms:

• Acid reflux
• Bloating
• Blood Sugar Imbalances
• Brain Fog
• Chronic poor digestion
• Cravings for Alcohol
• Cravings for Sugar or Bread
• Depression
• Decreased sex drive
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Food allergies
• Hormone Imbalances
• Intestinal Disturbances
• Lack of energy
• Menstrual Difficulties
• Mood Swings
• Oral Thrush
• Painful Joints
• Poor skin conditions
• Poor Concentration
• Post Nasal Drip
• Sensitivity to Chemicals
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Vaginal Discharge
• Weight Gain
• Weight Loss

Looking at the list I have determined that I have several of these symptoms, so how do I know it is Candida. These symptoms can be the cause of many things, like aluminum poisoning, inoculation residue and even the HPV or Epstein Barr viruses!

Well since I have detoxed several metals, parasites, viruses and other pathogens, I assume the only thing left that my symptoms relate to is Candida. I went in search of more info and found an online quiz and a home test.

Candida Questionaire

How To Tell If You Have Candida  –  The Free and Accurate Candida Spit Test.

THE TEST: In the evening, put a clear glass of water by your bed. First thing in the morning, briefly rinse your mouth, swallow, then gather some saliva in your mouth and spit into the glass of water (be sure to spit out saliva, not mucus). Keep an eye on the water for half an hour — especially the first few minutes. If you have candida overgrowth, you will see one or more of the following:

1. Strings (legs) hanging down from the saliva.
2. Heavy-looking saliva at the bottom of the glass.
3. Cloudy specks suspended in the water.

If, within three minutes after spitting into the water, you see “strings” hanging down, cloudy specks showing up in the water, or “debris” sinking to the bottom, you most likely have extensive overgrowth. If it takes longer than a few minutes for anything to show up, the candida is not as serious. If the saliva just floats on top and the water stays perfectly clear, you most likely don’t have candida overgrowth.

Here is a short youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NavoSAeyMuc

Candida concentrates in saliva overnight, so this test is most accurate first thing in the morning.

About 80% of the time, candida overgrowth occurs when antibiotics kill the friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract. Divided up about equally, are cases of candida overgrowth caused by candida spores being breathed in, transmitted orally through food sharing, kissing, or similar activities, and as babies picking it up from their mothers. Overgrowth cannot occur when the immune system is strong and the friendly flora (said to comprise 70% of the immune system response) are plentiful.

Unfortunately, the environment in which Candida thrive means that the pH balance is acidic. This acidity inhibits the bodies’ ability to absorb vitamins and minerals, and it limits enzyme production of digestive proteins. One of the side effects of limited enzymes leads to indigestion symptoms, wind or gas, a sense of the intestines being bloated or swollen, increased acid levels and sensitivities to certain types of food.

I chose to use the Inno-Vite Candida Cleanse. It is fairly simple, just take one concoction in the am and then probiotics before bed. I have added black walnut tincture and Pau D’Arco to my daily regiment as well.

This real issue is the change in diet. As you can tell by the list below, it can be a challenge for most people. I have to admit it isn’t too bad for me since I rarely eat wheat, dairy, sugar (although I started craving chocolate). My cravings are fruits, which add to sugar and wine…same as pure sugar me thinks. I eat yogurt or Kifer daily for the probiotics so that has been a change for me.

Here is a list of foods to avoid on a Candida cleanse:

Sugar

Refined sugar is thought to encourage the growth of Candida yeast.

Foods containing refined sugar include: white sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, maple sugar, molasses, date sugar, turbinado, raw sugar, demerrara, amasake, rice syrup, sorghum.

Read labels carefully because there may be hidden forms of sugar. When reading the label, words to watch out for include: sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, glycogen, glucose, mannitol, sorbitol, galactose, monosaccharides, polysaccharides.

Fruit

Fruit contain natural sugars that are thought to support the growth of yeast. Fruit that are typically eliminated include fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruit and juice.

Yeast

Foods that contain yeast are typically eliminated. Yeast-containing foods include: Baker’s yeast, Brewer’s yeast, Engevita, Torula, and any other types of nutritional yeast.

Baked goods raised with yeast such as breads, rolls, crackers, bagels, pastries, and muffins are not permitted.

Foods Containing Gluten

Gluten-containing foods include wheat, barley, and rye. This includes products made with these ingredients such as bread and pasta.

Vinegar

Includes all types of vinegar, such as white vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, and balsamic vinegar, and any food made with vinegage, such as mayonnaise, commercial salad dressing, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, BBQ sauce, shrimp sauce, soy sauce, mustard, pickles, pickled vegetables, green olives, relishes, horseradish, mincemeat, and chili sauce.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are typically not allowed on Candida diets.

Peanuts, Peanut Butter, and Pistachios

Peanuts, peanut butter, and pistachios are thought to have mold contamination, which is why they typically aren’t allowed on candida diets.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages are believed to encourage the growth of yeast. All forms of alcohol are typically eliminated, such as red wine, white wine, beer, whiskey, brandy, gin, scotch, any fermented liquor, vodka, rum, and all liqueurs.

Coffee, Black Tea, Cider, Root beer

Includes regular coffee, instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and all types of black tea (including “fruit flavored” black tea).

Cider, root beer, and other fermented beverages are also typically eliminated.

Aged, Moldy and Processed Cheeses

Roquefort and other aged, moldy or blue cheeses are not allowed on a typical Candida diet. Also eliminated are processed cheese such as cheese slices, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz, cream cheese, cheese snacks, and Kraft dinner.

Processed, Dried, Smoked, and Pickled Meats

These foods include smoked salmon, pickled herring, sausages, bacon, hot dogs, pastrami, bologna, sandwich meats, salami, corned beef, pickled tongue, and kolbassa.

Packaged, Processed, and Refined Foods

Canned, bottled, packaged, boxed, and other processed foods containing yeast, refined sugar, refined flour, chemicals, preservatives, or food coloring.

My Experience

As you can see the list of avoid items is extensive. It is best to consider what you will eat and prepare a few things before beginning in case the detox puts you into a healing crisis.

The first three days I experienced low energy, bloating, headaches and I was cranky. I am at the end of week one and although I haven’t dropped any weight I have noticed that my skin is better and so is my digestion and my mood swings have definitely improved. Not bad for the first week.

I am beginning to notice a cravings for alcohol, I’m not sure if it’s because of summer and being at the beach or the Candida causing the cravings, hmmmmm.

In my attempt to find a healthy snack that fills the gab when hungry and busy or those darn sweet cravings I have tried a couple of things I thought I’d share with you. The first are raw crackers, fairly easy to make but you need a dehydrator. Below are some pictures and the recipes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Crackers

• 1 cup soaked sunflower seeds
• 1 cup soaked walnuts
• 1 cup soaked almonds
• 1 tomato
• 1 cup red onion (chopped)
• 3 tablespoons flaxseed
• 3 teaspoons cumin seed
• 2 teaspoons salt

Mix in food processor. Spread on parchment paper or TefIon sheets. Make them very thin.

Then using a pizza cutter, cut in squares. They will be easier to break into pieces when dry.

Dehydration time is about 15 to 20 hours.

Basic raw cracker recipe inspired by Ani Phyo’s recipes

• 2 cups ground flax seeds
• 2/3 cup whole flax seeds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons red pepper (chopped very small)
• 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped very small)
• 1 teaspoon Italian spices (or your favourite savoury spice)
• 2 and 2/3 cups of water
• 1 and 1/3 cups of sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup black sesame seeds (or regular white sesame seeds will do fine)

Directions

1. Mix everything together in a mixing bowl.

2. Spread batter on parchment paper or a teflex sheet. FYI: Do not use regular waxed paper. The crackers will stick to the paper and be difficult to remove. Buy parchment paper or teflex sheets.

Remember that the above recipe should make two dehydrator sheets worth of crackers. Spread the batter out evenly. Using the back of a spoon works well.

3. Start dehydrating the crackers. I generally dehydrate everything at 120 degrees for the first hour, then I reduce the temperature to 105 degrees for the remainder of the cooking time.

4. Score the crackers. Once the crackers are starting to harden up (four hours later?), use a knife to score the crackers along wherever you want the crackers to separate. This will make them easier to break later on.

5. Remove paper or teflex. Once the crackers are holding their shape together very well (8 hours in the dehydrator?), break them apart along the score lines. Remove the parchment or teflex sheets and place the crackers directly on the dehydrator tray.

6. Finish dehydrating. Some people like their crackers a bit moist. I like them to be very dry. If you plan on keeping them for a few weeks or more in storage, then you must ensure that there is no moisture left.

A good way to make sure that they are really dry and dehydrated is to pinch them hard. If all of the moisture is gone, you should not be able to feel any movement. If you pinch a cracker and it gives a little, it needs to be dehydrated longer.

I dehydrate my crackers for a long time. Perhaps even 20 hours or so! That might be overkill, but it’s what I do.

7. Eat and enjoy! I love avocado, sprouts, and tomato on raw crackers. Mmm!

I enjoy left over grilled salmon on them or bean dip goes well with them too. They are got delicious and are a nice compliment to any meal or snack.

For my sweet tooth I made some organic spelt flour and oat muffins with unsweetened carob chips and xylitol  as a sweetener, they are fantastic!

Spelt Muffins

WET

• 1 cup of yogurt
• 1/3 cup of safflower oil
• 2eggs
• 1/2 cup of shredded: carrot and/or zucchini (if not on cleanse apple is yummy)
• I add spices, you choose,  what you like, mine are cinnamon, nutmeg and clove; 1 tbs of each.

DRY

• 1/2 cup nuts (walnuts, almonds)
• 1 1/2 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons of xylitol (if not on a Candida cleanse you can 1/4 cup brown sugar)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened carob chips (if not on a Candida cleanse you can use raisins)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat wet ingredients together in a bowl. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix the two together. Put in lined muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes.

These muffins are great for breakfast, I cut one in half and use as a dessert in the evening.

 

The Inno-Vite kit comes with a booklet that has a Candida quiz in it as well as several awesome recipes, you can get the pdf and download it here: Inno-Vite

Protein Shake

The other thing I have been making that is fast and easy and fills the void are shakes. So what is in a smoothie that can’t have fruit or sugar because of a Candida cleanse, you ask…spinach, parsley, cilantro, ginger, cinnamon, pinch of cayenne, celery, chia seeds, almond milk, rice powder, xylitol and coconut oil.

One other thing that I should mention that is great is making unique iced teas. A tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is refreshing, and it might also do your body good. Studies show if you drink tea regularly, you may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s and diabetes, plus have healthier teeth and gums and stronger bones. How? Tea is rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids, which are most potent when tea is freshly brewed. If you want to keep a batch of cold tea in your refrigerator, add a little lemon juice. The citric acid and vitamin C in that squeeze of lemon—or lime, or orange—help preserve the flavonoids. These iced tea recipes are a delicious way to enjoy this beneficial beverage.

I try combo like white tea with cinnamon sticks or white tea with ginger and mint. I just make it really strong and then add it to 1.5 liters of filtered water and keep it in the refrigerator. For those of you who would like any of these sweetened simply use stevia or xylitol.

Hibiscus-Pomegranate Iced Tea

This herbal iced tea blends sour, berry-flavored hibiscus tea with sweet pomegranate juice.

Green Jasmine-Mint Iced Tea with Lemon

Here we balance the mildly grassy flavor and slightly astringent mouthful of green tea with honey and lemon. Over steeped green tea can be bitter, so don’t brew it any longer than 3 minutes. And be sure to steep in simmering water: water that looks like it’s steaming, with little bubbles, but not boiling.

So what are the top Candida fighting foods you ask?

• Coconut Oil
• Garlic
• Seaweed
• Almnds
• Ginger
• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Cayenne Pepper

Use them often and wherever you can!
I hope this blog has given you some ideas of food choices and recipes should you find yourself in need of the dreaded Candida Cleanse…perhaps the fall when fruit isn’t so plentiful is a better time to embark on this one!

Love, Light and Healthy Choices,

Rev. Carol Lefevre