Monday, September 27, 2010

Giving Back...

So as I was sitting in Ethics class today, having an ethical debate on Euthanasia, something caught me off guard. This was perhaps something I've thought many times before, but never struck me as much as it did today for some reason, so I thought I would share it with you. I am not for active Euthanasia in any circumstance because of my religion, and am on the fence about passive Euthanasia. This brought about a question in my mind about health care. The article that our class read said that letting someone die was just as bad as killing someone, passive vs. active Euthanasia. This struck me, because I agreed that in many cases letting someone die could be just as bad as killing someone. This being said, I've always disagreed with National Health Care, even though one of their main arguments is that people should not die because they don't have enough money to pay for their health care.

It is obvious to me that National Health Care can not work for one simple reason, our country cannot afford it, simple as that. There should be no other arguments made in favor or against National Health Care debating the issue, because without the funds, it simply cannot sustain itself. I agree with the rational of the National Health Care activists, but I think there are other ways to achieve the same goal, perhaps more effectively. I believe that if the government wasn't forcing millions of taxpayers to give their money to a system that many of them didn't believe was working properly, they would be more willing to give their money to local people in need. I feel that communities would help out more, and the people that really needed money would be more likely to receive it.

On a side note: This may seem off topic from my normal blog article...but as someone looking for mental, spiritual and physical health, I believe I am searching for my way to help people, and with this idea it occurred to me that I should be doing more to help others. I started thinking about the importance of touching other peoples' lives in any way possible. I believe this can be very therapeutic for someone suffering from a mental or physical illness. Even though I don't agree with National Health Care, I do agree that people need help, and it is extremely important to find time to help them, because you never know when you will need others' help....

Thursday, September 23, 2010

First Comes Identity, Then Comes Intimacy...

Growing up, I obviously had countless struggles, faced some head on, and continued to have a hard time with some of the others. One of my biggest struggles was obviously that of anorexia, for a variety of reasons. When I was young it didn't always occur to me that I was placing all of my identity in an eating disorder. I lived, ate and breathed everything about my addiction, and had no time for much else. I have always thought that I could not live without it, and because of that, it has seeped inside me, and become part of me, my identity. This did not seem like a big deal, and in fact, I rather liked it for many years. I continued with my life, pretending that a part of me had not been replaced by an eating disorder. It was not until I got into a serious relationship that it finally came to me, I had NO idea who I was! I had been wondering around life clueless, and now I realized it because it was arising conflict in my relationship. It was not until then that I really cared either, because I didn't feel like I could have a full and satisfying relationship while still investing part of myself in this eating disorder. Some might say...I can have both, eating disorder AND relationship. I would beg to differ, because an eating disorder aims to take up all your time and energy, making your one TRUE goal and priority thinness, making the relationship come second, and this will obviously never work. I still struggle with finding my identity, because it has been unclear for so long, but my ability to see that I need to try to find a separate identity from my addictions before I can have a healthy relationship is my first step. I try to not get discouraged and remember how long I've had my eating disorder...it's going to take some time to unlearn all of the bad habits I acquired...but I know it's possible...

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

An Interesting Encounter...A Fellow Survivor

I've felt alone with this disease for quite some time. It's hard to trust people with my secrets, and I'm always weary of people. For so long all I wanted was a buddy to starve with me. I guess it was about more than just that, I wanted someone that understood me, who thought like me, and who I could share my deepest secrets with, and who completely agreed and felt the same way. It is extremely hard to find a confidant like that, especially because the disease is so secretive, and because I am so secretive. Plus the fact that I find most people are not the kind of people that I could get that close to, they are not like me. It's hard to keep all of my secrets inside, because I often feel like I'm rotting away from the inside out. The secrets I have haunt me, everyday, and sometimes I just feel like it would be nice to get them off my chest, but if someone doesn't understand, I'm not going to go bearing my soul and sounding like an idiot.

After I started trying to recover, I changed a little, and decided that I wanted someone who had been through what I had, but was on the same path as me, recovery. It is obvious that hanging out with people who are not actively seeking recovery would send me right back into a tailspin, but it would be nice to be able to talk to someone who has been through that sort of stuff, but as her head on straight. Perhaps it's truly hard to find that person, or it has been for me, because I've seen darkness, true darkness, and it feels like I need a friend who has seen it to. I have a passion for the things that hurt me, self-destruction. Many people don't understand this, find it crazy even, and many are on the borderline. I've always been drawn to the people that have been the most broken, or are the most broken. I feel like they relate to me more than anyone else.

Tonight I met someone. She seemed nice, vivacious, beautiful....I was jealous. We got to talking and she revealed to me many things about her life that were similar to mine, including the fact that she had and still struggles with an eating disorder. I also admitted that I still struggle with anorexia, and have for years. Our conversation went on for a couple hours, and I felt comforted in the fact that she understood me and visa versa. I hope I can form a good friendship with her, it would be amazing to have someone like her close, and there for support. I feel like God brought me to where I was...and I didn't even know why until the end of the night. It's incredible how things work! She actually has the same major as me too...how crazy huh?! Anyways, I feel less alone in the world right now...and I hope that you all can find a friend, eating survivor or not, to share your true feelings with, because otherwise, it's a very lonely lifestyle...Remember, I am always here if you would like someone to talk to, I know sometimes it's hard to talk to the people around you.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Benefits of Self-Hypnosis

I believe it is very important to take time for yourself, but in this very busy world, it's hard to wind down from everyday stresses. Sometimes it seems my mind is always racing, thinking about the things I have to do today, tomorrow, next week...etc. I am easily stressed, considering my past, and often find myself filled with anxiety and unable to cope with situations. This has been especially true lately, and so I set out to find some answers. After reading about self-hypnosis/hypnosis I became extremely interested in how it could benefit me. Hypnosis can be used for a wide variety of things, such as treating phobias, quitting smoking, memorization improvement, stress management and many other things! I believe it is a great tool for anyone. Here's a couple youtube videos that might be helpful if you're unsure of how to go about hypnotizing yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIGSEGfd5Ds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9Bi4gqdb0g&feature=related

Saturday, September 18, 2010

A Healthy, Candida Friendly Chocolate Smoothie!

One of my favorite food indulgences is that of smoothies! Unfortunately, until now, I was unable to make one that tasted truly yummy, and satisfied all my cravings. I got this recipe off another website after doing a search, and slightly modified it to my liking.

Here is a web link to the original recipe, Carob Soy Shake/Smoothie.
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Candida-Diet-Part-III

Here is my updated version of the recipe, and how I prefer it:
1 cup organic unsweetened soy milk (120 calories, 5 carbs)
1 Tbls. vegetable glycerin (66 calories,15 carbs)
1/2 tsp. stevia extract (liquid)
4 Tbls. ground flax seeds (160 calories, 8 carbs)
3 Tbls. coconut milk (unsweetened) (10 calories, 0 carbs)
1 Tbls. unsweetened carob powder (20 calories, 5 carbs)
1/4 tsp. vanilla flavoring (different than vanilla extract)
Ice (how much is up to you)
Blend until your satisfied with consistency
376 calories, 33 carbs (including fiber carbs) 

I found this drink delicious, and I hope you will too! You may also play around with the ingredients if you like, to find the perfect fit for yourself. I added some nutritional facts for those interested in counting carbs or calories. I do both and generally write them down everyday in my food log. Nutritional facts can vary depending on the type of ingredients you buy, but this will give you a rough estimate. I was able to get all of these ingredients at my local health food store. 
ENJOY! :)

(note: I do not normally advocate for the use of soy milk, because too much can be unhealthy. I do feel, however, that it is alright to use soy milk as a treat once in a while in small  quantities, and in any case, organic unsweetened soy milk should always be used.

Monday, September 13, 2010

That Thing You Do...

As a recovering anorexic, it's often very hard for me on a day to day basis to maintain my focus because of all the temptations. It's a much different addiction than most others, because the addiction is played out everywhere around us. I know from experience that I am drawn to tabloid magazines and any image with an emaciated or thin women on it. I also know that this is my addiction. Every time I look at these images that I am so drawn to, I feel like crap afterward...so why the crap so I look at them?! I know I used to justify this self-destructive behavior by saying, "this will make me work harder, eat less, lose more", because I knew the images would make me feel bad about myself, and it would motivate me. Now I am trying to get out of this rut I have created for myself, where I still want to do this destructive behavior, even though I am trying to get well. Most people with eating disorders know exactly what I am talking about, this idea of "thinspiration", an unhealthy ideal that will perhaps forever cloud our minds. Whether or not I am drawn to thinness, it does not mean I have to continually subject myself to these images and then the horrible self hatred that follows. To be perfectly honest, I find myself doing this and don't always even realize it, that is how normal it is. I would go as far as to say that it provides a kind of high that keeps us coming back for more...like a real drug. Even if you don't have an eating disorder, I feel like many people can relate to this sort of behavior, because I see women, and men, looking at the tabloids all the time, and we all know that these magazines aren't going to boost self-esteem! Yet they continue to read them...so it's a universally destructive behavior that I think we all need to be more aware of, so we can work to change it. I think this is a good step in learning to love yourself more...not being so obsessed with what you could be, and focusing more on what you are, and what your own potential is.

Yet Another EXCELLENT Way to Eat Those Vegetables!

This is a very good recipe for cooking just about any vegetable to perfection. It gets boring always steaming or pan frying veggies, so I love to roast them in the oven! This brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetable, and always its flavor to truly shine. This method of cooking veggies comes in a close second, possibly tied for first, with my other recipe using almond meal/flour. To roast veggies, it's pretty simple, and that's part of what I love about it...
(Before you start, preheat the oven to 400 degrees)
1. Pick out your favorite Veggies
2. Wash them thoroughly
3. Dry them thoroughly
4. Place them on a cookie sheet
5. Drizzle a Tbls. or two of olive oil over them (or an oil of your choice, but I prefer olive oil)
6. Add Salt and Pepper to your liking (I prefer a fair amount)
7. (optional) Peel some lemon zest over top of veggies (this is the outer layer of the lemon only)
8. Use your hands and mix the veggies and oil thoroughly
9. Make sure the veggies are in a single row on the cookie sheet, they will bake better
10. Place them in the oven and wait about five minutes before you turn them....another five to ten minutes and they will be done. You can decide how "roasted" you want them...they are supposed to shrivel, and the longer they are in the oven, the more they will shrivel.
11. ENJOY :)

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Ana-Temptation...Ana-Prevention...

Just like any recovering addict, I would be lying to say that the temptation of my eating disorder doesn't get to me on a daily basis. I struggle, more than I let anyone know, because I feel it's easier for me and everyone else that way. Some days are easier than others, and I slide by, yet others test my will to recover. Today was a rough day, because it started with an unacceptable number on the scale. It doesn't matter why it says what it does, whether I drank too much water last night, or ate a big meal before bedtime, it says what it says, and that's it. It does make me feel slightly better when I know the cause, but i still feel that itching feeling when the scale starts creeping up. That feeling of out of control, I'm losing my mind, I can't take this anymore, I have to fix this immediately! This is why I weigh myself everyday, perhaps to keep myself going crazy over a pound or two, or perhaps to keep me from going overboard...the kind you can do in a week, but not in a day.

I've started to try to incorporate a process to keep me from relapsing when these frantic moments come into play. I try to calm myself down, and know that starving myself will not be the answer, even though that's exactly what I want to do, and have many times given into the temptation. Then I regroup and pretend I am starting over on my journey through weight loss...for some reason this helps my mind not go so crazy. I swear it's all in the mindset that you can start to control these urges...at least to a point. If I dwell on the fact that I have gained two pounds, and now I have to lose two pounds to be where I want to be again, I feel ashamed and defeated. This can sometimes spiral into more weight GAIN, because I've been so depressed about gaining the two pounds in the first place! So I make the decision to start fresh and forget the weight gain, and pretend it never happened, or at least try. It's a much more freeing feeling to be thinking about losing two pounds from a starting weight, then losing the two pounds you just gained. The weight you gained needs to be accepted, so you can start to lose it, instead of dwelling on what you did wrong. Perhaps this doesn't help you, but I'm guessing it can't hurt! It's a much more positive experience, and I feel it has helped me a lot in the past, and I still currently use this kind of thinking to help me prevent relapsing after weight gain.

 If you have gained weight and are having a freakout moment, take a moment and try to change your thinking before you proceed. Then I suggest eating a low-carb diet for the next day or until you reach your weight goal. If you've gained the weight in a week or so, it probably won't take you that long to get back to where you were, but make sure you don't restrict...this will only hurt your metabolism and lead to more weight gain in the long run. I have to tell myself these things everytime I feel anxious or I probably would still be relapsing, which I haven't done in a long time. This thought process may seem trivial or useless, but remember, it could be a tool that not only could help you stop the relapsing cycle, but maintain your desire but healthy weight, so why not give it a try?

No Gallbladder?!

Gallbladders are an important part of digestion that aid in the consumption of fats. They store bile that is released when fat is eaten, to make eating a much more enjoyable experience than it would be without. I was born without a gallbladder, which I discovered a couple years ago, after experiencing many digestive problems. I was never really told by my doctors what I could do to help with this situation, beyond eating less fat, which I didn't eat much of anyways, so I continued to have issues even after I discovered the cause. It was not until I started on the Candida diet that I realized I should be taking something to help me digest my fats. My problems became more evident because I was eating more fat in my diet, and thus having more problems. A local chiropractor recommended I take CHOLACOL (a product of Standard Process) and so I gave it a try. Cholacol is designed to do what your gallbladder is not doing, since you don't have one (because you weren't born with one or you had it removed). This product worked wonders for my digestive problems, and perhaps could help you as well. I continued to eat the same way I always have, but incorporated two tablets per meal. The only downside I've really found with this is the convenience factor (I hate taking pills), and the fact that these pills taste pretty crappy, but honestly, I feel these are small prices to pay for digestive relief.

Eating Your Vegetables the RIGHT Way!

So whether you're on the Candida diet or not, it's often hard to eat enough vegetables in a day. People are much better about getting their allotment of fruit per day, but for people on the Candida diet, fruit cannot be eaten in large quantities. The Candida diet promotes centering your diet around healthy fresh vegetables that can be eaten raw or cooked. Personally, I don't like too many vegetables raw, so I find myself cooking vegetables a LOT. This can get annoying, eating the same foods over and over, so I like to add a little variety to my diet.

A good way to eat fresh vegetables, that taste AMAZING, is to add almond meal, or almond flour. I like to take Zucchini and Yellow Squash and cut them into slices, then dip them in egg and coat them with the almond. Put them in a pan with a little butter and fry them up! If you want to make a bunch, get out a cookie sheet and place them on the cookie sheet after they're done frying, and turn the oven on low to keep them warm while you make more. This is by far my favorite vegetable recipe, and I hope you enjoy it as well!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Finding a Set Weight for Your Body...

I know that finding my set weight has been one of the things I have struggled with relentlessly throughout my eating disorder. Finding a set weight requires a trust in your body, and I've never really been good about trust at all, let alone in my own body. My body has always seemed so foreign to me, so my sanity seemed too precious to entrust it with. In my mind, and in the mind of every other anorexic or bulimic, there's always a weight that they want to see themselves, whether they're body naturally goes there or not is a different story. I tried to put health in the forefront of my mind, and stop caring as much about how I looked, but it didn't help, and I am guessing that kind of thinking does not benefit many of my fellow recovering eating disorder readers either. It is easy for doctors and nutritionists to say trust your body, it will eventually reach its set point if you eat healthy. My question was always, what if I don't like that number, or how I look at that number?! No one ever really addressed these questions, perhaps because I didn't bring them up, I wasn't willing to help myself at the time, and I was scared. The truth is that when you first start gaining weight, and at least get to a relatively healthy weight, you will have to learn to like the way you look, or at least accept it, differently than you accepted an emaciated appearance. I believe you may never LOVE the way you look, or maybe you will, but acceptance is a good and healthy start in recovery. I don't always like the way I look, and many times I wish I could be much thinner, but I have to realize that it is unhealthy thinking, and that I've been there before. Within the healthy weight range, I think you can work with your body and your mind together to find a happy medium between the two. I don't think you should have to look in the mirror and hate how you look because your body likes to be heavier than you think looks good. This being said, healthy measures must still be taken in order to keep your metabolism up, and your mind from returning to its old evils. I would suggest either the Candida diet I've listed above, or for a less intense alternative, perhaps a low carb diet. Just decreasing your carbs can help boost metabolism and burn fat, and it's a much healthier form of eating than most Americans eat anyways. Combining this with a moderate amount of exercise, I think that even if a person's set weight is slightly above what they wish, then these simple lifestyle changes will help produce weight loss and make you feel better about yourself without taking extreme measures. I've learned that the more restricting that takes place, the more damage to your metabolism goes on, this only causes more weight gain. This is obviously the opposite desired effect, and cannot continue forever. My experience with the eating disorder roller coaster has taught me that balance of eating right, exercising and keeping my calories above 1200 is the only way for me to find my true and healthy set point.  

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Sweeten your day...

The Candida diet is extremely hard to remain committed to, especially when there is little or no sugar allowed (depending on whether you are allowed to have small amounts of fruit or not). Being a formal sugar addict myself, I felt almost crippled by this restriction at first! There is some light at the end of the tunnel though. I assure you, if you stick to the diet, your taste buds will change, and you will crave the ultra-sugary foods less, as well as the fact that you will start to like the taste of healthy foods more. Needless to say, I still want a treat here and there...well maybe more than that! A safe sweetener to use is Stevia. It's safe because it's not artificial like aspartame and it comes from a herb, so it's naturally occurring. Stevia can replace sugar to sweeten just about anything, but be careful because it can be up to 300 times sweeter than table sugar and too much will turn something bitter! Stevia does not alter blood sugar levels, and that is partially why it is allowed on the Candida diet, along with it's all-natural properties. I carry a small bottle of Stevia in my purse, this way if I go somewhere I can treat myself with tea, and sweeten it with my own Stevia. So have a sweet day on the Candida diet, with Stevia!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Anorexia vs. Recovery: A Compromise?

Recovering from any addiction is not easy, and takes hard work each and every day. When I was first told that I would have to 'recover', I dismissed the idea completely like most anorexics. I fought tooth and nail for a long time to hold onto my disorder because I was not ready to even attempt to give it up. Part of me didn't want to even try because when someone mentioned the word 'recovery', I had an idea of an impossible goal in my mind. I knew that no matter what, I was never going to think like a normal person, and I was never going to behave like a normal person, because I'm not normal when it comes to this realm of life. It was frustrating for people to say that I should want to get better, because part of me did. A problem always arose when I found the lifestyle I thought I should be living in 'recovery' to be unmanageable. I believe the problem is that unlike alcohol or drugs, you cannot just avoid this addiction, you must face it head on and learn to embrace it, because you must eat to live, of course. Thus comes the challenge that I was faced with, what was the meaning of recovery? I believe for everyone it is different, and each person must find their own way. I've learned to define my recovery as the ability to live my day to day life with a compromise. This worked better for me than any other recovery advice I've ever gotten. Life has to be manageable, with or without the disease. I was told that counting calories was not a good idea, but I have never been able to stop, since I count them in my head, and so do most other anorexics. I found that counting them helped me not freak out, because I felt safe, because I knew what I had eaten. Yes, yes, yes, I know this is an anorexic thought, but like I said, for me it's about compromise. Another thing that I had to compromise to set my mind at ease was with the scale...that whole no weighing yourself thing....that was not for me! I would go crazy thinking about what I weighed, and then I would worry more about what I was eating...anyways...I decided it was the lesser of two evils to weigh myself. I will be honest, I weigh myself quite often, around two times a day, plus or minus....but it's less than what I used to. In no way do I believe I am completely recovered, and I don't know if I ever will be. This may be my kind of recovery, because I'm able to live a fulfilling life at a healthy weight and eating a good balanced diet. This is the first time since my eating disorder started that I've ever felt any sort of normalcy. I don't know what recovery means to everyone else, but to me it means being able to manage the disease that I feel will always be dormant inside me. I'm happy to say at this point in my life I'm managing it instead of it managing me! 

The Candida Diet Broke Down...

Improving health is what everyone is striving for, but most people fall short in the simplest place, their eating habits. Alright, perhaps it's not simple to choose the nutritional foods over the dessert or fries, but your body will thank you for it! If you're not fueling yourself with high quality ingredients, you're not going to feel the best you can. The candida diet works but starving the yeast of their food source, thus making them die off and allowing your body to get back into its normal balance that was wrecked by things such as antibiotics and birth control pills. This won't be easy...it's an extremely hard diet, and most people feel a "die off" response that may make them feel nauseous or sick when they first start. Don't be discouraged, this is normal, but worth it in the end!
What can you eat on the candida diet?

Eat as much as you want of the following foods:
Fresh Vegetables-The opportunities are limitless!
Meat-Anything but processed, smoked, packaged, lunch meat
Eggs
Seafood
Nuts-almonds, brazil buts, cashews, filberts, flaxseeds, pecans, pumpkin seeds
Oil
Butter allowed in moderation

Eat High-Carbohydrate Foods in Moderation
Vegetables
Artichoke
Avocado
Fennel
Beets
Beans, peas and other legumes
Breadfruit
Winter, acorn or butternut squash

Whole grains
Barley
Corn
Kamut
Millet
Oats
Brown Rice
Spelt
Teff
Wheat

Eat Sparingly-Yogurt (unsweetened)

Foods that should be avoided:
ALL Sugar (honey, syrup, sucrose), Yeast, Alcohol, Chocolate, Dried Fruits, Vinegar, Fermented Foods, Cheeses, Moldy Foods, Mushrooms, Gluten, melons, peanuts, etc...make sure to READ LABELS!!!

You should take supplements with this diet to aid your body in finding balance and wellness again.
Probiotics
The following can be found at Standard Process:
Zymex
Spanish Black Radish 
Cal Amo
Garlic

My Journey From Anorexia to the Candida Diet

I was introduced to a whole new reality when I was 13 and developed Anorexia Nervosa and later Bulimia. Food became my addiction and means of coping with family and everyday stresses a teenager feels. I was a perfectionist, lost in a sea of emptiness. I felt a hole deep inside myself, and I tried to console myself with the feeling of hunger and control for many years. Throughout the years I worked with psychologists, a psychiatrist, a nutritionist and in group therapy. Even after all of this, I found myself unable to live a normal life. Recovery is one of the hardest things I've ever had to face, and is still a great obstacle I continue to face daily. Living with an eating disorder for as long as I have, it made me start to consider the possibility that I would never be free from its tight grasp. I had tried to recover so many times without success, and every time was an epic fail! I am a person that sees things in white and black, so there is little room for in between. When I had decided it was time to try to recover, instead of eating healthy, I binged thinking..."I can finally eat now!" I wouldn't weigh myself for a week or maybe a few days thinking...."I was told to gain weight, this is good for me....I can handle this..."but then my eating disorder would creep back making me crazy, and I had to know what I weighed. So I would weigh myself, only to discover in horror the most awful number I could possibly imagine....I had probably gained five pounds or so in a week from eating so much. Then I would start the roller coaster all over again saying, "I'm not allowed to eat hardly anything tomorrow!". Needless to say, recovery didn't work too well for me, and I didn't trust anyone enough to share what I was doing to myself, because I was ashamed. I could talk about it as long as I was back on track and it was in the past, but I was never good about talking about the problems at hand. Anorexia controlled my life for nearly all of my teenage years.

About a year ago, when I was 19, I started to get more of a handle on my eating disorder. It was a struggle because all the years of starving had completely ruined my metabolism, so I had to stick to a low calorie diet just to maintain my weight. This was frustrating but allowed me to find some sort of balance. This was the first taste of normal eating I had had since I was very young. Although I worked out religiously almost everyday, and stuck to a strict calorie regimen, I was finding a plan that was actually manageable. During this time I did have my ups and downs with my eating, but they were much better than any other time since the start of my eating disorder.

I then stumbled upon a breakthrough called the CANDIDA DIET. I had never heard of candida or the candida diet, so I started researching it and discovered something very interesting. This diet is designed for people who have an overgrowth of yeast throughout their body (systemic), and thus are having many symptoms associated with it. It has a variety of different causes, but things such as long term antibiotic use (such as used for acne), birth control pills, toxins in food and air, and a sugar-rich diet are all contributing factors. There are numerous and diverse symptoms (feeling sick everywhere) associated with systemic yeast (leaky gut): abdominal gas and bloating, headaches, vaginitis, excessive fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, acne, low sex drive, difficulty concentrating, depression, cravings for sweets, diarrhea or constipation, itching, dizziness, athlete's foot, thrush, sensitivity to fragrances and chemicals and much more. Since I was experiencing many symptoms associated with candida, I made a command decision to change my life right then and there (black and white thinking) and went on the diet that day, as unprepared as ever. I would never recommend anyone else attempt this diet in this same fashion, I would suggest preparing for it and reading up on it first. After going on the diet, I was sick at first, because the diet is so restrictive, and I had been addicted to sugar, but after a couple weeks I started to notice a change, plus I lost a few pounds while eating more! I am happy to say that this is my 69th day of the diet....well, perhaps I shouldn't call it a diet, because for me it's more of a lifestyle change. I'm working to repair all the years of wear and tear I did from my eating disorders, and I'm happy to say I feel I'm finally on track!