Michele's Candida Loss Story

[Michele]

Good question, James. I am not sure there is a test for Candida...I am due for my annual physical end of November. I will ask my doctor...I guess the real question will be how I feel when I am done the 28 days?

My instincts have told me for many many years that I have Candida. I have many of the symptoms. One example is I have had vaginal discharge that looks like cottage cheese (just a little) for many many many years (like 10 or more years). It doesn't itch and I do not see it every time I pee but I saw it enough for it to catch my attention. I had a physical once and the doc asked if I was in the middle of a yeast infection - which I didn't think I was. I have also asked docs about this reoccurring discharge when I urinate and they say that it is normal...nothing to be concerned about.

I really didn't know what to do and didn't think having Candida was a big deal...thinking if it was, wouldn't my doc say something at each annual physical? I have moved around A LOT and have had many family docs and none of them asked me questions in regards to Candida - even when I asked about the discharge...they all sluffed it off so I did too.

Maybe that is why I am so into cleanses this year (the Candida thing has really been on my mind). I did the beginner SmartCleanse system in Jan. My boyfriend did it too...neither of us felt any different. Then I did the Dr. Joshi Cleanse in June and I felt different and could see changes in my body along the way. I am now doing the Candida Blast and again I can see changes going on with my body.

If there is a way to prove what is going on with my body...damn, I wish I had done the test before starting this cleanse. Oh well, live and learn.

I found the below articles on the internet.

http://www.jigsawhealth.com/articles/candida.html

You should also know that while candida overgrowth is not difficult to confirm through lab testing, an actual medical diagnosis of Candidiasis can be difficult to obtain, as mainstream medicine has not widely or fully recognized candida overgrowth as a health concern.

Your best course of alternative health treatments involves a combination of actively fighting the Candida Infection, re-establishing good intestinal flora within your gut, and helping your intestinal wall heal by removing irritants within your diet and ensuring better digestion of your food within your stomach.

http://www.cfs-recovery.org/research.htm

Many mainstream doctors contend that Candida overgrowth rarely occurs in people who are not HIV positive, have leukemia are not otherwise severely immune-suppressed.

There are blood tests backed by peer-reviewed research which can detect Candida overgrowth. I tested positive on these tests. I do not have HIV, leukemia or any other immune suppressing condition. I am not on my death-bed. I have corresponded with other individuals that have also tested positive and are not immune suppressed. The fact that any of us are around, means that the conventional wisdom is wrong. At the very least, it mandates further research.

The biggest problem in proving the existence of Candida Related Complex in non-immune compromised people is that until very recently, there were no good tests for the condition. Everyone has Candida in their system and in small amounts it is harmless. It is only in larger amounts that Candida is harmful.

Therefore it is tricky to test for Candida. Simply showing that Candida is present in a person's system is useless. What are needed are tests that show how much is present in the system.

The IgA, IgG, and IgM are three tests which are somewhat reliable separately, and together have a good degree of reliability. The candida immune complexes test is even more reliable.

[Rob]

it doesn't matter if we can prove it, it matters that you feel better. The proof is in how you feel, and that's the only proof I've ever considered anyway. We're all different. If you feel better, that's a good result. Over and out.

as for getting rid of Candida forever, no. Candida is a war that is going on between the light and the dark forces in your colon forever and ever.

we must always be supplementing with a probiotic until the day we die. It's not that candida gets in, it's that the probiotics keep getting eliminated from stress, alcohol, antibiotics (even in the dairy and meats that we consume), so the good bacteria get eliminated and then candida has free reign.

we must always supplement with probiotics.

here is a short clip of an interview wih Udo about Probiotics

[Michele]

So this is day 10 of eating healthy and clean. It really has not been that hard as I surround myself with healthy food - including snacks I like ---> almonds, almond butter, hummus and raw veggies. I have had the odd craving but it was an emotional "wanting".

My stool seems to switch from solid to mushy to solid to mushy. And I have noticed I am seeing small food bits...which leads me to believe that I am (1) not chewing my food properly, (2) I have digestion issues and/or (3) my colon is really getting a cleaning.

Stuff happening with my skin is interesting...I have pimples on my chest and a small rash (for lack of a better way to describe it) between my eyebrows...about the size of 2 quarters...the pimples are really really small and close together so it looks more like irritated skin. But the rest of my face is radiant. I used to have a very very oily T-zone but not so much anymore...

Energy level is fine. I am not running circles around people but I would not consider myself tired. Actually, I am feeling pretty good.

[Rob]

it's my experience that the "rash" is what happens or is an outward sign of Candida dying.

yes, we could argue that I dont know what I'm talking about and someone may require me to "provide proof"

I don't have any.

what I do know is that for everyone that I've coached through this, they all get it.

then it goes away, and our skin bounces right back and further to an even better place.

The "skin rash" thing seems to be very common among everyone who goes through this.

Coincidence?

sure, make a simple change to eating better, add in a probiotic, add in Udo's Oil for good fats and the result's are always the same

yep,

coincidence.

prove it? nah.

[Rob]

Many mainstream doctors contend that Candida overgrowth rarely occurs in people who are not HIV positive, have leukemia are not otherwise severely immune-suppressed.

There are blood tests backed by peer-reviewed research which can detect Candida overgrowth. I tested positive on these tests. I do not have HIV, leukemia or any other immune suppressing condition. I am not on my death-bed. I have corresponded with other individuals that have also tested positive and are not immune suppressed. The fact that any of us are around, means that the conventional wisdom is wrong. At the very least, it mandates further research.

The biggest problem in proving the existence of Candida Related Complex in non-immune compromised people is that until very recently, there were no good tests for the condition. Everyone has Candida in their system and in small amounts it is harmless. It is only in larger amounts that Candida is harmful.

Therefore it is tricky to test for Candida. Simply showing that Candida is present in a person's system is useless. What are needed are tests that show how much is present in the system.

The IgA, IgG, and IgM are three tests which are somewhat reliable separately, and together have a good degree of reliability. The candida immune complexes test is even more reliable.

Yep, Doctors know how to fix broken parts, that's all I feel that they're good for

disclaimer: My sister is a medical doctor (a surgeon), her husband is a medical doctor (the leading speaker on the migration of disease who worked for the World Health Organization for 6 years in Switzerland), my other sisters husband is a medical doctor as well.

Candida is one of those things where the doctor swears there's nothing wrong with you and tells you that "you're crazy, you feel fine", which is usually not what the patient is feeling.

There's no way to prove that we have it.

However, there is no doubt what role Probiotics play in our diet and in our body and no doubt that anti-biotics, stress, alcohol, birth control pills etc all kill the good bacteria.

so, it seems safe to conclude that we should be eating a pro-biotic each and every day to just stay on top of things.

if it gets out of control, we have to get control back in an aggressive manor, by cutting thing that aggravate it and feed candida yeast, and then put in a large amount of probiotics.

once it's done, it's done.

in my opinion, why even question it? why even talk about if we should or should not do it?

why not just do it for the sake of treating your body better?

the thing is that if you're not coached through it by someone who's been there, it may very well seem quite unpleasant and be enough of a mess to stop. The trick is knowing someone who's done this and can guide you through the process.

Michele will be your new cleanse coach and coach you through the Candida Blast... if of course she's up for it.

I think I can say that she is. She just has to share her experience with it is all.

Be well

[photogirl67]

So should a woman stop taking birth control pills after the cleanse too?

[Michele]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rob. I will definitely help/coach anyone who wants to do the Candida Blast.

Here is something I meant to write about last time but forgot. My job can be very stressful and I usually react with frustration when kios insues. I noticed in the last 2 weeks 2 kiotic incidents happened and I handled them calmly. It wasn't until a few days later I looked back and realized that I was much calmer than usual...and not by any conscious action like telling myself to be calmer...I just was...The only thing I have changed in my life in the last month or so was to start eating Sunrider and do this Candida blast...I find this realization very interesting...

Plus yesterday I planned my evening meal poorly. I had evening appointments and arrived early for one and was hungry. With rush hour traffic, I had enough time to run to the corner McDonald's (or so I told myself). I asked myself if I had the will power to have a salad with chicken and nothing else (meaning diet coke, fries, burger, etc). I felt I did (which was a new feeling) so I went and ordered a Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad (as I am avoiding fruits until Sept 10th). I sat down and looked at the salad dressing package. The second ingredient was sugar so I ate the salad with no dressing. It was still good. I am so proud of myself to sticking to my guns! This is a test I usually fail but I passed it with flying colors!

[onesmartcookie]

Wow. I'm impressed.

I have to admit that I didn't do as well last night. It seems like at least once a week I manage to foil my plans of healthy eating. Is this to be expected?

Yesterday we had a meeting and our Supervisor LOVES chocolate. She brought chocolates and licorice. I was tempted by the licorice but then I remembered about Gelatin. Gelatin is made with... meat byproducts?

[Michele]

Is it possible you fail once a week because deep down you tell yourself you are going to fail once a week? Just a thought.

Is this to be expected?

I am not sure what you mean...is temptation to be expected? I have temptations to eat foods that are bad for me but I focus on my goal of being healthy and that helps me overcome the temptation. That is what helped me while I was at McDonalds. I was even negotiating with myself that I COULD eat the dressing because I was making a some what healthy choice...but then I looked at my goal and knew it was taking steps backward, not forward. I guess it depends on how bady you want your goal. I want to be healthy in a really big way.

[Fitness Nette]

First – Michelle, you’re doing a fabulous job! It’s absolutely amazing what the power of a goal, visualizing the final product (a healthier you!) and some determination can do. You’re an awesome example.

Second – this is for you Cookie – Here’s my secret to an 80lb weight loss. Cheat! Make mistakes! Screw up! But that very next meal, next scheduled workout – get right back at it more intense than ever. Heck… I actually schedule “reward” meals into my lifestyle. I watch what I eat all the time…and I’m good at it. I enjoy eating clean. But I also enjoy being a bad girl! So I have ice cream (not of that low-fat crap for me) and pizza and chocolate. But I only do it a few times a week, I don’t gorge myself - I just enjoy it for what it is and move on. Don’t get caught up in the details.

I know my mindset is a lot different than some of the gang but that’s the beauty of the forum…everyone is an individual! Everyone gets to their destination by following a their own map!