Being gluten free is probably the easiest out of the four above mentioned. I used to consume organic tofu about once or twice a week and it was so versatile, as you can imagine, so that is a bit tricky. I am living without it, and to be honest, it feels good to not be eating soy right now. Corn as we know, is a whole different ball of wax, and let’s just say I didn’t think I would ever be able to get away from it, since it’s in everything, but it is possible. Sugar. Now this is where I cringe. What have I said since day 1? I MISS BANANAS. I am not going to lie. They are so easy and they make my smoothie so much better than it is now! I still make my smoothies and put all kinds of goodies in it, but it’s sort of a rule of thumb that a good smoothie must have a frozen banana. So, I may add them back in starting June 1. We’ll see. I don’t really like any “diet” that says fruit is a no-no. I mean, c’mon. It’s nature’s candy, right? But I understand that Candida’s favorite food is SUGAR, no matter what the source.

Speaking of sweets…I bet you came here for your Strawberry Coconut Butter recipe, right? Well, thanks for being patient and reading along. I hope you enjoy this decadent treat! I think it would honestly go great on BANANAS, but I won’t be eating it that way. It’s good on it’s own, lol, or as the creator of this recipe suggests, even dipping more strawberries into it. Yum!

Strawberry Coconut Butter

• 1 cup coconut butter (*not coconut oil) 
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen strawberries
• A few drops liquid stevia
• Pinch of sea salt

]]> http://www.healingthrufood.com/strawberry-coconut-butter/feed/ 0 http://www.healingthrufood.com/the-benefits-of-amaranth/ http://www.healingthrufood.com/the-benefits-of-amaranth/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 21:47:50 +0000 Dori http://www.healingthrufood.com/?p=2502

If you have never heard of kiwicha, you are not alone. I just heard the name recently, so of course I had to share with all of you lovely readers. Well my friends, kiwicha is just another name for amaranth and amaranth is a wonderful gluten-free whole grain. Sometimes referred to as “the mini quinoa”, amaranth is considered a “supergrain” just like quinoa and its seeds contain impressive amounts of protein as well as amino acids. So, it’s actually a seed we are praising, not a grain.

Kiwicha hails from South America and it’s seeds are the size of poppy seeds. Kiwicha, or amaranth contains many vitamins such as vitamin A, B-6, K, C, folate and riboflavin. It also contains essential minerals such as iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. Eating kiwicha has been known to prevent grey hair as well!

Kiwicha supplies us with much needed fiber and the protein it contains is a complete source, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. This is great news for vegetarians and vegans who only consume plant based protein sources!

What’s in a name? The word “amaranth” in Greek means “everlasting”, while the Aztecs called it the “food of immortality”. In India is was called “rajgeera” which translates as “king’s grain”.

So I guess the next question is, how do you eat it?

Here are some suggestions:

• It can be sprouted
• It can be popped like popcorn
• It can be ground up into flour
• It can be used as a thickening agent
• It can be used in place or rice, pasta or couscous

To cook kiwicha, you need 1 cup grain (seed) to 2 1/2 cups water. Let this simmer for 15-20 min.

Add amaranth to your list of tasty gluten-free grains and have fun experimenting with the different ways to consume it! Remember, whole grains are the way to go!

For more information on going gluten free or recipes using gluten free grains, contact me!

Most people are unfamiliar with this amazing “grain”. Millet has been used for years in places like China, India, Egypt and Greece as a grain or cereal. It is actually a seed though, but has a grain-like consistency. Millet is highly nutritive and contains impressive amounts of calcium, magnesium, manganese, fiber, B-vitamins, phosphorus, and cancer fighting antioxidants!

Millet is naturally gluten free and safe for Candida. It also acts as a pre-biotic, which means it feeds the GOOD bacteria (yay!).

Millet is alkaline, and contains seratonin, which is the “feel good” hormone. So, it truly is beneficial and useful for our bodies and our minds.

A couple nights ago, I made my first millet dish which started out as one recipe (millet cakes) and ended up turning into this savory, delicious and hearty dish that reminded me of fried rice (but SO much better!!).

Start by rinsing the millet thoroughly (you always want to rinse your grains well). If you want to soak your millet overnight, this helps with digestion as well as speeds up the cooking time. If not, no worries! Just skip that step and add 1 cup millet to 3 cups water. Then cook for about 30 min. You will know it’s done when all the water is absorbed and the millet is fluffy.

Simple Millet “Fried Rice”

Add to a bowl, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dill, 1/4 cup fresh parsley, 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup pre-cooked quinoa.

Cook down some shredded carrots (about 1 cup), onions (about 1/2 an onion chopped) and some garlic in oil.

Last, add all the ingredients together and stir fry them until you get something like this:

There are so many other things you can do with millet as it is extremely versatile. You can try making tabbouleh, grind it into flour for baking or eat it as a breakfast cereal.

Enjoy using millet! I think you will be pleasantly surprised at just how delicious it is!

As always, if you liked this post, please show some love and click “like” or even “share!” I would really appreciate it! If you need more recipes or help with incorporating more gluten free grains into your diet, I’m here to help!

April 29, 2012, Day 29: 29 days and counting. I must say, I feel pretty awesome. For the first time since I can remember, I have not felt bloated. This in itself is a blessing. I am sure you readers who have ever felt bloated or are bloated at this very moment, can agree that NOT being bloated, is a wonderful thing. I have also incorporated a lot more yoga, so I feel much stronger than I did a month ago in body, mind and spirit.

I still cannot believe how truly easy it’s been to omit sugar and more surprisingly, gluten. I think the gluten was easier to omit than the sugar (we are less prone to gluten addiction than sugar addiction), and I am proud to say I will remain gluten free since we all secretly know that is the best choice. It’s particularly easy what, with so much awareness now being put on Celiac and all the GF products out there on the market; not that I buy a lot of things in packages.

I keep waiting for sugar cravings to get unbearable but honestly, they haven’t. I am fine using liquid stevia since I found a tasty one and I do not really miss the stomach issues that came along with all my sweet indulgences.

I think that perhaps in a month, I may experiment and add back in some fruit, since I do not truly believe that eating no fruit is healthy. I am currently only eating green apples (funny, they used to seem so tart and now they are as sweet as candy to me!), grapefruits and berries. These are all allowed on the Candida diet.

Here is a short list of reasons why you may want to consider trying this cleanse (I try to refrain from using the word “diet”) and what you can expect:

• Your energy will increase
• You will experience less bloating
• You will feel less foggy and more clear headed
• Your skin will glow
• You will have regular bowel movements
• Your loved ones will benefit from your healthy changes (since I cook for my boyfriend, he naturally has become a bit healthier!)
• You friends will envy you and praise you

Okay, so that last one may or may not happen since most people don’t think they actually have a problem with sugar or would even think twice about admitting they are addicted. Outsiders may view your diet as hard, restrictive, or just plain crazy, but you can take comfort in the fact that YOU are a warrior. Heck, I AM A WARRIOR! In all seriousness, most people are intrigued and want to know more about how they can break the cycle as well. I figure, I cannot recommend anything to my clients that I have not tried personally, so I am grateful to be going through this process in order to better educate and support others who want to take this challenge on as well.

I am doing this preventively, but many people do not have a choice. Many suffer from major issues such as IBS, colitis, leaky gut syndrome, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia or Celiac disease. All of these can be a result of Candida overgrowth. My symptoms and issues are small potatoes compared to what others experience, so why wait to get that bad? Don’t you want to be your best you yet today? Don’t you want to preserve your health and live as an example for your loved ones? Life is short and yes, some may argue that because life is short, it’s okay to eat or drink whatever you want, but that is not living consciously. Life can be enjoyed much more so when you feel and look your best and that takes a little effort.

If you (or someone you know) needs help to finally get healthy and start living in your joy; the joy that you are 100% entitled to, I am here to help. E-mail today at healingthrufood@gmail.com and take that first step towards wellness and healing. I’m looking forward to hearing from you and helping you.

April 24, 2012, Day 24: Okay, so you know how I mentioned that “21 days to adopt a new habit”  thing, right? Well, let’s just say, this no longer feels like a “cleanse” or “diet”  and feels more like a new way of life. I have easily (well, maybe somewhat challenging at first) taken to omitting yeast, gluten, sugar and corn. I feel lighter, have never had a flatter belly and feel much more clear headed and driven. I admit, I am not perfect, but I am doing the very best that I know how to do and that seems to be working for me.

This week has been a very “connected” week so far and a lot of “divine intervention” type things have happened. I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say, I was a reassured that I am in the right place and that I am reaching people who need to be reached. This experience is obviously for my health first and foremost, but I share it with all of you so that you can take comfort in the fact that you are not alone and anyone who wants to commit to changing their food choices, can and will feel and live better. That, I guarantee.

I still miss my bananas, but I am telling you Stevita makes all my sweet dreams come true! I feel like I can make anything now and won’t feel deprived. I have to admit, my tastes have changed though. I don’t crave sweet as much. I love that! It’s like escaping from prison (not that I would know what that would feel like)!! It’s like I have broken a cycle and have said to sugar (pardon the expression, but), “Sugar, I am no longer your b*tch!”. Feels pretty darned empowering!

So I ask you, do you think that omitting sugar from your diet is even remotely possible? First off, do you even know how to find it in your foods? For those of you who don’t know, sugar has many different names:

• Barley malt
• Beet sugar
• Brown sugar
• Buttered syrup
• Cane juice crystals
• Cane sugar
• Caramel
• Corn syrup
• Corn syrup solids
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Carob syrup
• Castor sugar
• Date sugar
• Demerara sugar
• Dextran
• Dextrose
• Diastatic malt
• Diatase
• Ethyl maltol
• Fructose
• Fruit juice
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Galactose
• Glucose
• Glucose solids
• Golden sugar
• Golden syrup
• Grape sugar
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Icing sugar
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Muscovado sugar
• Panocha
• Raw sugar
• Refiner’s syrup
• Rice syrup
• Sorbitol
• Sorghum syrup
• Sucrose
• Sugar
• Treacle
• Turbinado sugar
• Yellow sugar

Can you find any of these hiding in your ingredient list? Or the better question is, why are you eating things with ingredient lists? When you buy whole foods, you don’t have to worry about deciphering which things are sugar, artificial colors, MSG (which also has many names) or try to learn an entirely different language trying to pronounce any of the things listed.

Sugar, whether it is fructose, sucrose, corn syrup, caramel, or date sugar is still sugar. True, not all sugars are created equally and obviously, natural sugar from fruit or honey is not the same as high fructose corn syrup. My advice to you, even if you don’t have Candida is to stay as natural as possible and avoid processed foods. This is not breaking news; it’s just a reminder. We are so inundated with information these days (especially nutrition information) that we tend to lose sight of those gems that are really the tips to saving our health. Trying to lessen your REFINED sugar intake is one of those gems. If you do nothing else, I can bet that that will help you with whatever you are struggling with, whether it’s obesity, skin issues, IBS, Candida or depression.

Sugar is 100% addictive and for those that disagree, just try to go off of it and see how it makes you feel. I recently saw an excellent documentary called “Hungry for Change“, which I encourage you all to watch. Again, most of us (especially conscious readers like you), are probably familiar with a lot of the information presented, but even for a professional like me, it’s an excellent reminder. 

For anyone interested in breaking the cycle, I can help by showing you the many other wonderful things you can be feeding yourself; foods that will make you look and feel your best! What are you waiting for? 

So, today I got creative and made a few new (and very delicious) recipes!

Let’s start with breakfast, shall we? I shared this photo on Facebook once I made it:

I think you guys know how much I love my kale/avocado smoothie, but it usually requires banana. Well, that is just out of the question at this point, so I have to make due. I am really excited about my new stevia product called Stevita! It is probably the best tasting liquid stevia I have tried since you know, some have a nasty after-taste. This is actually quite pleasant. I urge you to give it a shot! Soooooo, I made my smoothie using this “in place” of my banana. The smoothie goes something like this:

Kale Yeah! Smoothie (Modified for Candida)

1 Haas avocado

2 large kale leaves

1/4-1/2 cup freshly juiced apple juice (using green apples, preferably)

1/4 tsp spirulina

1-2 drops Stevita

*1 scoop E-3 Live Renew Me (optional)

2-3 ice cubes

First, make your apple juice. Put all other ingredients into your blender. Blend and add filtered water if smoothie is too thick. Cheers!

I was quite pleased with the taste and the texture and I think anyone would enjoy this smoothie. If you are not concerned about Candida, you can use 1-2 Medjool dates, a splash of agave or a tsp. of raw honey as sweetener and of course, you can have the banana (frozen is best!).

Lunch was super yum, too! I had some rainbow chard on hand, which I LOVE (I love the way it looks to be honest, don’t you?), so I decided to make red bean hummus wraps using the chard as my “wrap”. Here is that recipe:

Red Bean Rainbow Wraps

For hummus:

1 can red kidney beans (yes, I know I should be making my own beans…it’s what I had on hand)

1 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 tbsp water

1/4 lemon sqeezed

1 garlic clove

pepper

sea salt

Blend all in mini food prep and put aside.

Remaining ingredients:

1 large rainbow chard leaf, rinsed well and cut in half width-wise

2 slices avocado

1/4 cucumber, cut into thin slices, then chunks

1/2 Roma tomato, chopped

1/4 scallion, chopped

Raw sesame seeds (optional)

Dry chard leaves and lay them flat. Spread red bean hummus into leaves. Layer on top the cucumber,  avocado, tomato and scallions. Top with raw sesame seeds and roll into wraps. Enjoy!

These were so light and refreshing (not to mention filling!). I will definitely be making these again as they were super easy and would probably travel well. In fact, I think I know what I’m having for lunch tomorrow!

Let’s move on to dinner! While grocery shopping this afternoon, I picked up some buckwheat soba noodles and was inspired to make a stir-fry because let’s face it, everyone loves noodles; myself included, and it had been a while since I have enjoyed them. So, I found a recipe online and of course modified it. At first I thought I could use some red curry paste I have on hand, but alas, it contains sugar (always read ingredients!), so I had to resort to something else. I love a good Pad Thai with peanut sauce, but PB is out. Guess what though? Almond butter and sunflower seed butter are IN and you know, they taste just as delicious! We’re on!

Almond Butter Soba Noodle Stir-Fry

4 oz. buckwheat soba noodles (such as the ones above)

1/4-1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 cup shredded cabbage (I used purple)

1 cup broccoli florets

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 scallions, sliced thin

Coconut oil

Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

For sauce:

3 tbsp almond butter

3 tbsp water

Splash apple cider vinegar (or if not worried about Candida,  3 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar)

2 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari)

Whisk together the almond butter and water until smooth. Then whisk in ACV and coconut aminos. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add soba noodles, cooking until just tender; about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.

In a large saute pan or wok, heat a splash of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic, cabbage, broccoli and saute for about 10 min (do not overcook–keep veggies crisp). Remove veggies from heat and add the noodles. Toss in the scallions and red pepper flakes to desired spiciness.

Pour the sauce over the noodles and veggies and coat well. I turned the heat back on low and mixed it together while it heated up the sauce a bit. I garnished with raw sesame seeds. They are so nutritive and supply us with a great amount of copper, magnesium and calcium! I use them as much as I can! Sorry there is no pic of the finished product. My phone does not have a flash, so I could not get a great pic as it had already gotten dark! Make it yourself to see what it looks like!

I hope you have enjoyed my Sunday food adventures and try experimenting with these recipes!

For more recipes or questions about coaching services, feel free to contact me!

Today I went in for a colon hydrotherapy session. Colonics are used as part of the cleansing / healing process to remove debris and impacted matter (i.e. feces) from the large intestine (colon). I was probably abnormally excited about it, but people who “know” will get it and understand just how exciting the process can be. For those of you who are not familiar with what colon hydrotherapy is, I will try to explain it in the cleanest way possible.

During a colonic, the colon is basically flushed with pure, warm water via a tube that is inserted into your rectum. As you “fill up” with water you start to feel pressure on your belly and experience a very “full” feeling. The more you can take, the better and more effective the treatment is, but it is slightly uncomfortable and feels as though your belly may burst, lol! Don’t worry–it won’t! Once the flow of water stops, things should start to move out of the body.

Most of us (even the healthiest of eaters, and work out fanatics) are not truly clean on the inside. Stuff gets built up over time, just as plaque on your teeth does, and becomes hard, impacted and fermented. The colon is approximately 5 ft (yes, that’s right) in length, all bundled up inside your body, so it’s no surprise things don’t always make it out and flow peacefully.

During the process, you can see everything that is flowing out of you via a see-through window where everything goes to be disposed. If the colonic is going well and doing it’s job, the water is usually brown in color and you should see particles of feces making their way OUT of your body (yay!). There is no smell, and it is a 100% professional atmosphere. Colon hydro-therapists are licensed and the one I worked with today has been doing her job for 11 years!

So, get this: I actually SAW CANDIDA!! Yes! The therapist pointed it out to me. She said it looked like it had been sitting in my gut for a while. There wasn’t much, but then again, this was only 1 session. It’s recommended that you go once/week for 4 weeks. The sessions are typically between $75-90/session, but they usually have some sort of package for a series of colonics. Insurance does  not usually cover colon hydrotherapy. And yes, there are at-home enema kits, but none will probably be as effective (or be able to fill up the entire colon) as effectively as an actual professional colonic session.

It is IMPERATIVE that you take a high grade probiotic after a colonic session because you run the risk of wiping out not just the bad bacteria, but the good as well. You better believe I brought my Dr. Ohhira’s with me!

After a colonic, you can expect to feel lighter and less bloated. Check and check. You have to keep your food light for the rest of the day in order to not put too much stress back on the colon.

Colonics can also help with food allergies, mood swings, constipation, IBS, food cravings, and skin problems. Remember, 2/3 of your immune system resides in your gut and if your gut is in bad shape, it can’t function as well as it should and this could leave you feeling pretty crappy (tee hee).

Some things to think about…

• It is estimated that 100 million people in the United States suffer from constipation and that these people spend $700 million on products to relieve constipation each year.  It seems a shame, when constipation is easily avoided through diet and cleansing.
• “Infirmity and sickness, at any age, is the direct result of loading up the body with food which contains no vitality, and at the same time allowing the intestines to remain loaded with waste matter.”  - Dr. Norman Walker
• Each year over l00,000 people undergo a colostomy due to a functional breakdown of the colon.
• Coronary artery blockage and strokes, cancer, neurological diseases, dementia, depression, are initially caused by the retention and accumulation of poisons and toxins in the body. Most often this retention and accumulation is caused by a sluggish colon that just doesn’t properly remove the waste from our body. - Dr Richard Schultze
• Jesus, according to “The Essene Gospel of Peace” emphasized internal cleansing: “Think not that it is sufficient that the angel of water embrace you outwards only. I tell you truly, the uncleanness within is greater by much than the uncleanness without. An he who cleanses himself without, but within remains unclean, is like to tombs that outwards are painted fair, but are within full of all manner of horrible uncleanness’ and abominations.”

Colon health is nothing to take lightly, especially with colon cancer being the third most common cancer in this country. Sadly, I lost my grandmother to colon cancer. This actually helped catapult me into a life of nutrition education (love you grandma). Friends,  colon cancer is fully preventable with FOOD and CLEANSING. Think about it…

If you need more information on how to keep your colon healthy, just ask!

Question of the day:

Would you ever get a colonic? 

April 18, 2012, Day 18: Shopping has gotten a bit more interesting. I used to think I was an avid label reader. Well, now I am like 100x’s more avider. I know that’s not a word. If I am buying things with a label, which isn’t much these days, I have to be very careful. Today I bought these raw flax crackers because I was totally craving crunchy/carby stuff. I admit it. I used to L O V E chips and crackers (rice-based stuff…I still kept it healthy), but there truly is not a lot out there in the “processed” food world that is safe for me. Looking at all the raw stuff, I realized that I MUST start dehydrating again. It’s either that, or pay $big time$ at the store for all my food fantasies. Raw snacks are not cheap, but making them myself could save me big time! I posted this pic earlier on Facebook, but I am posting here too:

These crackers are delicious, and I definitely want to try to make them myself! Keeping it more raw based means I am getting the most nutrients and enzymes my food has to offer me (yay!). When we eat cooked food, over 60% of the nutrients get cooked out of the food. What a waste, huh? So, my plan this weekend, is to make some raw onion bread. The best and most easiest recipe comes from the (un)cookbook RAWvolution by Matt Amsden. This is so good and can be used as sandwich bread, pizza crust or you can dip them in hummus! Here is the recipe, if you have a dehydrator and are feelin’ adventurous (although it truly is a really simple recipe–they just take lots of time, so be patient!):

RAWvolution Onion Bread

April 16, 2012, Day 16: I am an awesome girlfriend. No seriously, I am. Who else would make their man vegan mac ‘n’ cheese (while she simply cannot partake) with such love? Vegan mac is kinda like my fave meal. I do miss my quinoa pasta, but I sound so silly running around complaining that I miss this or that. I was at a party last night (surrounded by tons of bad influences) and was discussing my diet with someone and we were speaking about nutritional yeast and I said I missed it and I said, “yeah, and I also really miss…” total blank. There isn’t much I am completely dying over not eating. Sure chocolate crosses my mind once in a while, and yes of course while I am making the man his mac ‘n’ cheese, I am a teensy bit tempted to take a small large bite, but truly, I am FINE.

Today I ate much of my usual; raw buckwheat cereal for breakfast, avocado/chickpea mash with fresh cucumber, red and yellow peppers for lunch, almond butter, sludge smoothie (okay, I kinda do miss bananas–they truly do make a smoothie!), and for dinner I had some quinoa with roasted Brussels sprouts and kale. That was super yummy!

I made a cool connection today. I have noticed over the last week or so, that my hair has been fuller, longer and healthier looking. A little while back I got a terrible hair cut (that I shed a lot of tears over) and I was just praying for it to grow back fast. So just about a minute ago, I realized that my hair probably looks so delicious because I have been taking diatomacious earth! One of its pluses is that it helps hair growth! Sweet, right?!? I have been taking it in my smoothies every day!

Okay, so check this out. I have not done this myself (yet), but I think it may be interesting to try…I found a test you can do at home to see if you have Candida or not from a site called Candida Yeast Infection Relief. If you try it, comment and let me know how it went! Or comment on their site here:

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, which will require more candida-fighting action on your part.

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.

The logic behind the test is simple.

If you have candida overgrowth, it will show up in the saliva, a friendly environment for yeast. When you spit into the glass, the aerated saliva is lighter than water. However, candida is heavier than either. Whether it sinks as “legs”, falls to the bottom, or floats around in the water, all are indications of candida. The more you see, and the faster you see it, the more systemic the infection.

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

I suggest rinsing out your mouth first, because, if you happen to be sleeping in a room with mold, you may have mold in your mouth from the room, and that could show up in the saliva too.

Again, I have not done this, because I am pretty sure I have a Candida overgrowth, and even if it’s not “official”, one can stand to go without sugar for a while to clean out, don’tcha think?

I have to share that the highlight of my week is going to be my colonic! I know, I know… TMI again. But, it’s an important part of this process as well and it is really helpful for keeping the colon clean and healthy. Colonics are designed to remove impacted feces and toxic debris from the colon. After treatment, you can expect to feel lighter, less bloated and more energized. It is not recommended to do too many colonics though because they can upset the healthy balance of good bacteria. This is why it’s important to take pro-biotics directly after a colon hydrotherapy session. I can’t wait to post pics! Kidding.

If you enjoy reading my updates, please let me know! I love comments and promise to reply in a timely manner! Show some love and engage! I write this stuff for YOU, my HTFers! I’d love to know what you think.

I will leave you with a question:

Do you think it would be harder to go without sugar or coffee?

April 15, 2012, Day 15: Sometimes it truly blows my mind how fast time flies. It’s been 15 days of super clean eating! I am definitely experiencing more and more die-off symptoms. Just yesterday, I fell asleep on the couch at around 3:30 in the afternoon after just running a couple simple errands. I am pretty lethargic sometimes. I have read that when the Candida start to diet off, they release more than 79 toxins into your body, thus creating many unpleasant reactions. I am mostly dealing with feeling tired/lethargic, bloating/gas/constipation (TMI, but hey, just tellin’ ya what to expect when you decide you want to heal), mild cravings, and minor mood swings. The cravings have not been super intense, which I am grateful for. I am finding plenty of tasty things to eat, so I don’t really focus too much on what I can’t have. The most awkward part is being out in the world or going to social functions. We have a BBQ today, actually. Guess who’s bringing the kasha salad? Would I love a glass of wine at this point? Sure I would! But would I cave in? No. I have never been “married” to drinking anyway, but I will admit, it’s nice to have a drink with friends once in a while. On the flip side, it’s also extremely empowering to be able to just be present and be sober and know you are treating your body with the utmost respect and love.

I wanted to mention something really cool! As if we all didn’t have mad love for coconut already, here is one more reason why it can be given another gold star. Caprylic acid. Sounds like something you’d use to treat acne, right? Well, capylic acid is why coconut oil is a popular and one of the most commonly used anti-fungals used to treat Candida overgrowth. You can take it by itself (as I am doing), or start using it to cook with (which I do as well). For treatment of Candida, you can take up to 5 tbsp per day (note: you work your way up to this and should start with 1-2 tbsp per day).

Caprylic acid can also be found in supplement form, but it’s one of the main medium-chained fatty acids in coconut oil, so why not take the whole food approach and get it from a natural source (unless you absolutely hate coconut)?

In addition to the coconut oil, I am taking grapefruit seed extract, which I can’t (and probably won’t ever) get used to. I am not going to lie; it’s gross.  But it’s also very effective and again, a natural, food based source. I purposely wanted to do this the natural way, as you would have guessed and was not really interested in taking any prescription meds for Candida. Nystatin for instance, is a synthetic drug which literally blows up the Candida, which can make the die off symptoms even more unbearable that they already are. No no, I prefer a slow and painful death for my Candida.

So let’s talk food, shall we? Today I am going to be bringing a buckwheat salad to this shin-dig because $20 says there won’t be a thing I can eat there! Want the recipe? I think I will just make it up as I go along, but it will go something like this…

Spring Buckwheat Salad

1 cup pre-cooked buckwheat (kasha)

1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut into chucks

5-10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 small zucchini, cut into chunks

1/4 red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 handful parsley, chopped

Sea salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Olive oil to dress

BOOM! Feel free to get creative with that one and don’t be intimidated by buckwheat if you have never cooked with it before. It’s just like brown rice and the ratio is 1:2 (1 cup grain, 2 cups water). As always, make sure to rinse your grains first and with kasha, you want to toast it a little first.

 Kasha is easy to get used to and you can even throw a little coconut oil into that as well! Use all of these foods more often and reduce your chances of Candida overgrowth!

Are you ready to get clean? Remember, you don’t have to be exactly at this level! I meet you where ever you are holding. Small changes amount to huge ones over time, so it’s important to start somewhere! I’m here to help and excited to be of service to you!