My Whole 90 (autoimmune protocol + coffee elimination)... almost...

[Physibeth]

From everything I've read on candida it gets worse before it gets better. I found this to be a good read. Not Paleo blogger but definitely a real food blogger: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2013/03/25/if-youve-ever-eaten-sugar-you-probably-have-candida-symptoms-yes-you-you-in-the-chair-read-this/

[suth_n_belle]

Probably biggest difference from my normal diet was more gluten free breads/grains, less fruit juice, less fruits and vegetables. Also, much smaller portions of everything, before W30. And dairy.

 

I attribute it to increased fruit juice. I didn't really drink fruit juice before W30, and mostly only used stevia to sweeten my coffee or tea. I didn't have candida symptoms when I started W30; I hadn't had symptoms for several months, since starting to brew my own kombucha at home. In addition to the cups of tea I like to drink throughout the day, I have several nasty herbal/vitamin concoctions I try to take, and hard to do without any sweetener whatsoever. Hence, the fruit juice as sweetener. It would have been a big increase from basically only stevia as added sweetener, a lot more naturally-occurring sugars to it. Is that all clear as mud? Sure, would have been better to avoid sweetener altogether... I frequently did that in my plain tea, but I couldn't stomach it in my many herbal/vitamin drinks.

[suth_n_belle]

Also, I don't expect everyone else will have the same experience with the candida... remember, I have other health issues going on. This is just what happened with me.

[Beets]

I do better without any fruit and have candida symptoms. But it's summer so I'm having some melon, berries and will have peaches when they are in season. But fruit juice? Pretty much never. Why do you need these vitamin mixes? Are they powders? Just curious!

I agree that I also experienced die-off symptoms during my w30. The more I read about leaky gut the more I believe "candida" is yet another symptom or effect of a leaky gut, and not a syndrome into itself. That being the case, healing the gut is the primary goal.

[Beets]

I don't believe having fewer meals would increase candida. My meals, when I'm on template, are much smaller than what I feel the need to eat when I'm not following the template or I've allowed sugar to creep back into my diet.

I mean, if it works for you to use stevia then I'm

not saying you shouldn't. I just have also thought quite a bit about these food puzzles myself and am always curious for more thoughts and info.

[Nadia B]

Also, I don't expect everyone else will have the same experience with the candida... remember, I have other health issues going on. This is just what happened with me.

_____________

 

Ehm...this sounds quite defensive. Maybe I haven't worded my post correctly, sorry if that's the case. I wasn't saying that the article is right and everyone should do what it's telling to do. I was more curious what do you think about it as you've been dealing with it. Opinion and thoughts.  

 

 

Do you think that dairy is helping? Sounds a lot like GAPS diet which is quite interesting. 

[suth_n_belle]

Not defensive... just allowing that others may have had different experiences. Yes, I do struggle with frequent candida, sure, it could be leaky gut, which I know I have a history of. Just that I hadn't had symptoms for many months prior to W30, and I attribute that to beginning a daily intake of kombucha.

 

And melons... who can resist the melons and strawberries, this time of year? lol. Although I have tried to be moderate.
 

The vitamin powders are in interest of finding the purest source available, no fillers, just the pure vitamin powder. Herbal concoctions are just to help me have more energy, help me sleep better, whatever else... Most, but not all of the vitamins relate directly back to my thyroid issues, and the iodine protocol I'm on.

 

[suth_n_belle]

And I'm currently not on dairy. The list of foods I gave, was what my diet was like, prior to W30. Basically just a gluten-free diet. I'm not reintroducing other foods until August.

[suth_n_belle]

As for stevia, the article you posted mentions Truvia, and I do not consider that a good stevia to use. I mean, yes it does have extra stuff added, and chemicaly processed! As I've researched it, there is only one commercially available stevia sweetener which is processed without chemicals, and that's the one in question, at this time. It does contain "natural flavors" on the ingredient list, I wrote to the company, who assured me it is free of corn, soy, and gluten (Quite sure I'm allergic to corn and gluten; the jury is still out on soy, but it is suspect). However, I can't help but wonder if the person who responded, just didn't know... you know, read the ingredient list, none of the questionable ingredients mentioned by name, not realizing it could be on there under another name.
 

I feel that stevia, itself, the actual herb, is a natural substance, it does have a certain level of naturally-occurring sweetness to it, and if you wish to use it as sweetener, how is it really different from using fruit? Plus it has the advantage of zero calories and not contributing to candida growth... if you are looking to reduce your "sugar" calories. For this reason, I am considering making my own stevia extract from dried herb... then I will know exactly what goes in it, and will know that it isn't chemically processed, etc. That's my opinion concerning stevia, after researching the different options available. So far as commercially available stevia, there's only one I will buy, and I may or may not continue with them, pending resolution of this rash.
 

Bottom line from what I can tell about stevia... it's too new to our market, to know what the long-term effects will be. So, stick with the whole leaf, as much as possible.

 

[Guest]

Could you mix your icky potions (that are only icky in taste, but not in healing powers) into root veggie purees?

[suth_n_belle]

I don't know. Wouldn't that be icky?

[Guest]

Something sweet or properly seasoned might work.  You could do it until the candida and rash problems are in check.  Or, once to see if it is too icky.

 

(I had to dissolve my meds in the past, so I get how icky it can be.  Also made a nice root veg puree today and thought of you.)

[Nadia B]

Ok, thanks for detailed opinion. Kombucha is another thing I was suspecting in contributing to the symptoms...I so wanted to get probiotics in the tasty way  

[suth_n_belle]

Nico, do you have a recipe for this puree?

[Guest]

I don't follow recipes much and cook to suit our tastes.  I cooked some roots until they were soft - rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, and sweet potato.  I added an ice cube of bone broth and blended with my immersion blender.

 

It was when I grabbed my sweet potato that I wondered if it would have too much natural sugar for you to use.

[suth_n_belle]

Well, I am doing good. The small rash never really went away, but it did get better, and not getting any worse. I got off stevia for several days, and it made no difference. And then I was struggling with candida from the use of other things as sweetener. So I got back on the stevia, candida started clearing up, and the rash didn't change one way or the other. I think it's mostly gone, just a matter of waiting for the skin to heal up. I think if I would get back on my nettles tea, I would have less of these skin disturbances; nettle is a great detoxifier. I also did some salt water flushes with Celtic sea salt, to clear it out.

So, based on a good experience with reintroducing stevia (the one brand I will buy that is not chemically processed), I'm thinking it was either the "natural flavors" in the tea I had bought at the time of onset, or the sulfites in the coconut cream I had. Don't know how long I was on the coconut cream, or whether it infringed on my first 30 days... I do believe I really started using it in earnest after about Day 50, when I allowed myself to have sweets, again. Coconut cream and stevia make a great whipped cream! So, hopefully, I did get a good first 30 days in... More or less.

We went to the beach, this week; I wore a bikini and looked and felt fabulous! I'd post here, so you can see the difference from my "before" picture, but I'm not sure we're allowed to post bikini photos, here? I also have one in which I am wearing shorts over it, if that makes any difference. Not sure whether it's ok to post in a "family" forum.

My acne has all but disappeared, baby belly is *almost* gone... Still have a little bit of it hanging around. I am looking and feeling great!

I start full reintros, next Tuesday! That will conclude my 90 days. I am buying low-temp pasteurized milk, eggs, butter, tofu, corn chips, to see how it goes and what I tolerate Of course I will not be reintroducing gluten... But dairy, eggs, corn and soy, are the big things I want to know whether I am intolerant to.

[Nadia B]

Oh so glad you are feeling awesome. I am thrilled to know about your milk experience. Where I live raw dairy is illegal, but I found organic low-temp non-homogenized milk. I did some research, but no evidence of any "paleo people" trying it out. 

 

P.S. Pics are totally allowed. 

[suth_n_belle]

Oh, I haven't tried milk yet... I'm not reintroducing until next week. I can get raw milk from a dairy farm, but it is an hour away from me... Low-temp is readily available from WF.

[suth_n_belle]

I know pics are allowed, but are BIKINI pics allowed? Lol

[Nadia B]

One more question regarding dairy - does the regular supermarket stuff give you reaction? 

 

Yep, that's what I meant. I mean people post before and after in underwear, bikini is way better   

[suth_n_belle]

Lol. Ok, I will post pic when I have time. My "before" pic is a self-conscious fully-clothed in jeans and t-shirt, so I'm not sure you'll be able to tell too much... Mostly that I am probably 1-2 sizes smaller. I'm now wearing misses size 4 and juniors size 5.

Milk... I've had some nebulous reactions to dairy in the past. I haven't compared raw or low-temp milk to conventional milk, to know whether I react differently. If I could easily get raw milk, I would just use that to reintroduce, but it is quite a drive to get it. So I'm going with the next best thing. I think it's entirely possible that I will react to the conventional milk sold in stores, and not the stuff straight from the cow... It's really two different products, as I see it.

Plus, I will FINALLY get to eat the cheese that Hubby brought back from his hometown in southern Russia, last spring! WOOT!! I love that stuff!

[suth_n_belle]

Let's see if this shows up... The first picture is in January of 2012; that was about my heaviest. My thyroid went whack after my baby was born, and I put on a lot of weight in the postpartum.

The second picture is on May 1st, 2013, the day I started my Whole90.

The third picture is from this week, a few days from finishing my "almost" Whole90.

I am 39 years old.

[Physibeth]

Great transformation! Thanks for sharing those pictures! 

[suth_n_belle]

Mind you, the first transformation was a series of 2-week juice fasts, for a total of 6 weeks or more, and then severely limiting my portions the rest of the time, such that I ate less than my toddler. And I only maintained on these very small portions. To actually lose, I had to go on the 2-week juice fast (Master Cleanse). It was rather miserable, and I was always hungry, even when not on a fast.

By contrast, Whole 30 was a breeze (that's the second contrast, there)... I actually got to eat, and to eat normal-size portions, and still lost weight! After I got over the initial "carb flu", I really didn't feel deprived. I wish I'd done W30, sooner; I expect I would have lost the weight faster with less hunger accompanying it.

[suth_n_belle]

Do I log my reintroductions here, or in the "reintroductions"?

Also, refresh my memory on how it works. Introduce a new food every 4 days, watching for anything out of the ordinary? Eat the food all day on day one, don't eat it on days 2 and 3, just monitor? Or eat the food on all 3 days? Then, if no reaction, introduce another food on the 4th day?

I plan to introduce dairy, eggs, corn, and soy, more or less in that order. Dairy and eggs are the biggest things I want to be able to eat, corn and soy I strongly suspect an allergy or intolerance to. Actually, I'm concerned I may be allergic/intolerant to dairy and eggs, as well, and hoping against hope, that it isn't the case.

I don't really expect surprises with anything else. The other foods I'm off of but that I may reintroduce, would be non-gluten grains, legumes, nightshades, nuts and seeds. And I really don't expect any surprises, there. My inflammation did not really improve much on W30, so I'm thinking maybe the nightshades were not to blame. I still have the aches and pains, but they are improved with magnesium and turmeric. So I may not really be strict about when and how I reintroduce those items, I may just start eating them if I want them.

For the most part, I plan to stick with a Paleo + grass-fed dairy diet, at least for awhile. I won't worry too much about the occasional deviation into non-Paleo territory, but I am looking to stay relatively close to a Paleo + dairy diet. And as always, I will stay gluten-free.

Oh, and coffee... Coffee is something I plan to reintroduce carefully, perhaps starting with bullet coffee or low-acid coffee. Anyone else do bullet coffee? I figure I can mix it in my blender, as I don't have an immersion blender.