Apple Cider Vinegar - "the mother"

The benefits of apple cider vinegar are a relatively new concept to me. When I first started the candida diet, I avoided all vinegar because I was under the impression that all vinegars were the same. Since then, I have discovered a vinegar that can actually be helpful in fighting candida as well as many other ailments.  Apple cider vinegar is different from distilled vinegar because it contains "the mother" (there are some apple cider vinegars that do not contain the mother, steer clear of these because they have been heavily filtered and have lost the most beneficial parts). "The mother" is the scummy chunks that float around in the vinegar, and that often settle to the bottom of the container. This may seem unappetizing, but this "scum" is an excellent antibacterial and and cleansing agent. ACV is one of the few products that is all around healthy. Some of the uses for ACV are: cleaning/disinfecting, treating yeast/candida, getting rid of acne, reducing acid reflux, increasing metabolism, treating allergies, and flushing out excess water weight. The taste of ACV may be the most unfortunate part about it. It has a very strong flavor which mixes well with other citrus flavors if you plan on drinking it. ACV can also be added to salad as a dressing, which I personally love! Other people will combine ACV with raw honey and drink it in hot water as a tea. No matter what the use, ACV will be sure to spice up any recipe you use it with!

The Candida Snack Shack: A Simple Nutmeg Smoothie

I have been trying to increase my protein intake lately, and one of the easiest ways to supplement a healthy diet is with whey protein. I have come up with a new and exciting smoothie recipe that tastes great and is very healthy! Hope you enjoy!

1 Tbls Salted Almond Butter (unsweetened)
7 Drops Stevia Extract
1 Cup Ice
4 Scoops Whey Protein (I used Standard Process, but any will do, including the NOW Product linked)
1/2-1 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 cup water

Add all ingredients and then blend until consistency is smooth.

Reducing Water Weight and Cleansing the Body

I believe one of the most frustrating things to wake up to is water bloat. During these kind of days I usually feel uncomfortable showing off my body and wearing tight fitting clothing. I usually grab my sweat pants and wish I could stay home. This may seem extreme, but I believe many people feel uncomfortable in their bodies to begin with, and water weight only adds to this discomfort. Water retention can be caused by a large variety of things, including excessive sodium consumption, hormones, nutritional deficiencies, prescription pills and a variety of diagnoses. There are abundance of different solutions for water retention, and the cause will often determine what method works best. 

My water retention is mild, and comes and goes throughout the month. In order to combat this annoyance, I drink a glass of water with fresh lemon juice and sometimes apple cider vinegar (must contain "the mother"). The ratio I usually use is 1 cup water: 1 whole lemon: 1/2-1 tsp ACV. The ACV can be very overpowering, so I suggest going easy on it to begin with. Both lemon and ACV have diuretic type properties, and will help cleanse your body. I enjoy drinking this first thing in the morning so I am sure to start out my day with a glass of water (which will also help reduce bloating).

Another thing that I often take is called Colax (a standard process supplement). This supplement contains dandelion root which is also known to reduce water retention. There are a variety of other natural remedies that can be used as well including: caffeine, parsley, green tea, garlic, celery, and onion. These things can be eaten or made into an herbal tea. I often find that natural remedies work better for me than using over the counter water pills!