Just read on the comments of a blog: "Sugar free does not mean candida safe; sorbitol, maltitol, etc still feed the candida. Xylitol, however, does not but is extremely expensive. Aspartame and other full synthetic sweeteners are also “candida safe” but should be avoided for other reasons."* There goes my sugar-free syrup (sorbitol) and candy (maltitol)! I suppose it's really good news, because it might explain why I'm still so freaking sensitive to relapses; here I've been feeding my candida unknowingly all this time! *I had to change 7 punctuation marks in the above quote to make it sharable! I wonder if grammar sensitivity is genetic or just a learned behavior? Thank goodness I just have a mild case :)
According to the foods list I got from the specialist I saw yesterday, my sweetener options are: stevia, chicolin chicory extract, vegetable glycerine, and yacon syrup. I couldn't find any of those things at Vitamin Cottage other than stevia, which tastes pretty gross to me. Internet research is telling me that the Herbal Advantage brand has a less-gross version, but I'm guessing that also means a crazy expensive version. I'm also learning that most candida patients do the strict candida diet for only a couple weeks or months and not their entire lives, which makes me a little hopeful and also makes me wonder if that's why there aren't better sugar alternatives out there. I could do fine with nothing sweet for a few weeks or months, but for years? I was raised on way too many delicious baked goods to not feel deeply desperate every time my roommate makes muffins! The search continues, and will surely result in some neat nutritional discoveries!
Right now I'm drinking my hot garlic/ginger/cheyenne water and learned about 2 ingredients which make it even more candidacidal (which definitely should be a real word if it isn't one). I switched out the Tbs of olive oil for coconut oil and added vital mineral blend sea salt instead of kosher salt - double yum! I also started adding delicious kelp granuels to food for more minerals as the candida causes some degree of leaky gut, making mineral deficiencies a common problem with yeasty people. Yeast makes me very grumpy, and the hormonal changes around menstruation increases yeast populations, so I have to wonder if much of PMS for many people is simply those yeast toxins screwing with their neurotransmitters. I just put a book called, "The Second Brain" on my reading list. It explains how the enteric nervous system affects our mood and state of mind. Here's an article from Scientific American on it: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=gut-second-brain. One really intersting fact which stood out: 95% of the body's seratonin is found in the large intestine!
Which reminds me, I told my mom I would send her my favorite Ted Talk, so here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-iGZPtWXzE. It's the same guy who wrote Born to Run, and it is delightfully entertaining and inspiring! Every time I watch it I get such a kick out of, "Usain Bolt can get his ass kicked by a squirrel," "One thing is remarkable about all women sprinters: they all suck." I now think of my ancestors chasing down antelope when ever a run gets hard. Mom, maybe you should imagine chasing down arboricidal* elk for extra inspriation! *I'm really introducing some gems to the English language today.
I AM Daring Greatly
12 years ago
3 comments:
Boo hiss on your sugar-free syrup and candy! Glad the xylotol is OK. Yeah, it's expensive but you don't us mass quantities of it. I wonder if you could make syrup out of it. My mom used to do that with brown sugar and maple flavoring.
Really enjoyed the Ted Talks about running! Thanks!
unfortunately, though xlitol does not feed yeast, it's still pretty bad for you and is on the strictly do not eat list! But if i can find them somewhere, there's those four or five other possibilities like vegetable glycerin! :) Glad you liked the ted talk! I hope you discover running in your crocs works for you as well as it works for me :)
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