Back to the Basics...

Looking back, it's been a little while since I've been fully committed to the Candida Diet. What began a few years ago as a strict, but healthy diet, has become a painfully pathetic attempt to walk to line between health and my chronic sugar addiction. I have slowly allowed myself to eat more and more foods, which has inevitably caused all of my original symptoms to return. I often feel bloated and lethargic, my acne has returned with a vengeance, and my weight has reached my "NO GO" point, so it's about time I commit to change my life with a strict regimen once again. It is difficult to remain completely true to a sugar free diet, as life is a bit hectic as of late, and I am often finding myself eating out. I have slowly begun to incorporate more protein and less carbohydrates/sugar into my diet, but I'm finding sugar moderation difficult. I believe I will have to return to a completely sugar free diet in order to keep my mind sane and my body healthy. I will keep you posted on my progress and results!

The Anorexia Prison

I have been in recovery from an eating disorder for many years now, the process has been a roller coaster ride, and at times, I forget what the madness really feels like. That is, until I have an experience like I had tonight, which brings me back into the anorexia prison I spent so much of my adolescence in. The real madness of an eating disorder is different from the everyday anxiety and uneasiness I feel about my body. The madness of an eating disorder starts deep within, it peameates my whole body, moving from cell to cell. It starts as fear, but quickly and uncontrollably turns into panic. I feel my hands shaking. My mind is racing, thoughts moving quickly trying to find the solution. How can I fix this?! How can I make this all better?! Then I begin to feel helpless and hopeless, which only furthers my fear and creates increasing panic. My whole world feels shallow and empty, I feel like a shell. I have nothing anymore, as my life is completely out of my control. I feel disgusted with my body, myself, my mind. I am too stupid to fix the problem, even dumber for not seeing this coming, not being strong enough to do what I needed to in the first place. My hopelessness turns to rage, its directed at anyone and anything around me. I throw stuff, yell, punch the wall, anything to release this horrible feeling of doom deep within. I eagerly seek exercise as a resolution to my problem. I work out hard, intensely, praying for results. Hoping that the sweat will bring the scale numbers back to a range where I can breathe again. I take frequent breaks to get on and off the scale, I anticipate the change, but dread the outcome. The number is stagnant. I continue to exercise, more, harder, longer….I feel dead inside, helpless again. This is a pathetic and futile effort. I quit and collapse in a pile of despair. The panic has subsided, but the disgust for myself remains. I shower off the sweat and resolve to be better tomorrow.

Occupational Therapy in Mental Health

Mental health has become a niche field more recently in Occupational Therapy. The field has its roots in mental health, but has become more based on physical conditions and disabilities as time has progressed. That being said, this post will focus on providing a brief overview of the current types of treatment occupational therapists administer to patients in psychiatric settings.

OT is often administered in a group setting, and is sometimes referred to as "activity therapy". Groups usually focus on teaching patients life skills as well as coping techniques to deal with mental illness and substance abuse. The length of the groups is dependent on the attention span of the group, and how in depth the material and discussion will be. Depending on the setting, length of stay, and type of equipment available, patients may be able to participate in actual cooking tasks, where they are monitored for safety and taught important skills to use when they are discharged. Other facilities may not have access to large areas and cooking equipment, so the focus could be a discussion and handout on nutrition, cooking and/or meal preparation. Whatever the topic or group, the focus is always on helping the patients engage/participate in an activity that will challenge them, teach them skills, and help them with socialization.

Some common group topics include: nutrition, cooking, coping, relationships, sensory integration, art therapy, leisure exploration, self-awareness, substance abuse

Sensory integration is another important aspect of OT in mental health. Many settings have what is called a "sensory room", where patients can be taken for short periods of time, usually 10-15 minutes, in order to help them calm down and reorganize during stressful or anxious times. These rooms are usually quite small, and often include comfortable chairs/bean bags, fidgets, adjustable lighting, music and nature videos. Patients are brought into the sensory room for an individual intervention, in which a staff member must be present to facilitate. These rooms are best used on a regular basis (i.e. once per day), but can be used on an as needed basis as well. Staff are encouraged to take patients to the sensory room when they are first noticing increased anxiety or escalating behaviors; once the patient is in crisis mode, the sensory room is no longer appropriate. Sensory rooms can be a great intervention which can help patients learn to reduce stress and self-regulate without medication.

OT's may also lead groups on music or art therapy. Art groups challenge patients to use cognitive skills such as mental organization, sequencing, and problem solving, while creating something for themselves or someone they care about. Engaging in art activities allows patients to try new things, and discover new talents and hobbies. Music is another important coping tool that most of the patients have access to at home. It is important to discuss how to functionally use music as a tool, and allow patients to experience the healing power of music.

Food Addiction: A Love-Hate Relationship

The cycle of food addiction is all too common these days. Individuals with and without eating disorders suffer from unhealthy relationships with food. Like so many others, I have a food addiction. The common cycle looks something like this:
1. I dislike my body - I want to lose weight
2. I go on an unmanageable diet which may or may not include severe restriction and/or purging
3. I feel brain fog, severe fatigue, hunger and cravings
4. I become so hungry I binge
5. I feel guilty, full, bloated
6. I dislike my body and begin restricting again

Of course, often the foods that I crave are also the foods I restrict. These foods control my thoughts, I daydream about them until I eat them. The foods are usually high in carbohydrates, sugar and fat; they are the types of foods that make me feel disgusting every time I eat them, but often the elusive pull of my cravings eventually wins out over my willpower and knowledge of the foreseeable future torment.

Unknowingly, when I began the Candida diet, I removed my biggest obstacle in fighting the addiction, carbohydrates and sugar. These foods are addicting on their own, but combined with an eating disorder, they are mind controlling. I began to realize that cutting back on these foods was not enough, I needed to remove them completely from my diet. This sounds incredibly difficult to do, and it was initially, but over time I began to enjoy that food did not control my life, and I did not miss the ups and downs of the food addiction cycle. Removing the temptation was made easier because I made sure to eat more of the healthy foods which curbed cravings and kept me from being constantly hungry. Even now that I've been on the Candida diet for years, if I eat certain foods I begin to feel the guilt, the shame, the need to begin the cycle again. That feeling helps keep me on track. I know what it's like to live without the constant feeling of addiction, and I try to remember that in order to stay away from the foods that trigger my eating disorder.

Going on the strict version of the Candida diet was easier for me than most, because I used my obsessive nature to aid me in eating healthier. I made the diet a challenge. I used all the willpower I had always been using to harm myself, and I turned it into positive willpower. I admit, when i first began the diet my intentions were less than honorable, I felt that the diet would help me lose weight. Fortunately, over time, the diet still worked its magic on me both physically and mentally. I was able to maintain my weight easier, control my addiction to food, and live a more meaningful life. The longer I was away from the food cycle, the less power it had over me, and the less I felt I needed it to live. Ironically, most eating disorder treatments are focused mostly on refeeding and teaching individuals to eat all foods (good/bad) in moderation. Moderation has never been something I could do, especially when it comes to carbs and sugar. I look at these substances like drugs, and you never hear a drug addiction center tell their patients to learn to enjoy drugs in moderation! I think this diet has helped me to feel more powerful and in control, just as my eating disorder did, but in a more healthy and manageable way.

Occupational Therapy (OT) Overview

Since many people are mostly unaware of what Occupational Therapy is, I thought I would provide a brief overview of the profession by answering some common questions.

1. What is Occupational Therapy?

"A form of therapy for those recuperating from physical or mental illness that encourages rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life." (Google Search) 

Unlike what it initially sounds like, Occupational Therapy is not all about helping people find or maintain jobs. In fact, occupation is just another word for activity. It is a fundamental concept in OT that individuals will be more motivated to attend therapy and complete a HEP (Home Exercise Program) if therapy includes functional and meaningful activities as opposed to repetitive and/or boring tasks.     

2. What types of settings does an OT work in?

An OT can work in many types of settings including inpatient/outpatient hospitals, skilled nursing facilities (SNF), schools, clinics (public and independent), communities, health centers, psychiatric facilities, etc. 

3. What populations do OT's work with?

OT's work with diverse client populations including pediatrics, geriatrics, adult rehabilitation, mental health including dementia and psychiatric conditions, hand therapy, vision rehabilitation, driving rehabilitation, sensory processing disorders, etc. 

4. What type of education do you need to become an OT?

In order to become an occupational therapist you must graduate with a Master's from an ACOTE-accredited program. There are many schools available which provide occupational therapy degrees, some include just a Master's program, and some which include a combined baccalaureate/master's program. I have provided a link below to AOTA's website which provides a list of accredited universities. I would suggest researching each program, as not all programs are created equal. I think one of the most important parts of my education were the 4 fieldwork experiences I had through my university. I had 2-level 1 fieldworks and 2-level II fieldworks. My level 1 fieldworks were shorter and less intensive, encompassing about 10 hours per week. My level 2 fieldworks were each 40 hours per week, where I was expected to be at the level of an entry level practitioner by the end of the fieldwork. These experiences were very helpful at bridging the gap between school/theory and real world occupational therapy practice.     

http://www.aota.org/en/Education-Careers/Find-School/AccreditEntryLevel/OTMasters.aspx   

5. What do you do after graduation?

After graduation, you must begin the process of registering to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). This can be done by visiting www.nbcot.org. This website will walk you through the process of registering for the exam. I would suggest beginning the process soon after graduating, as it often takes a month or so before you are actually eligible to sit for the test. Once you apply and are in the process of waiting, you will begin to study (if you haven't already). This process can taken anywhere from 1-3 months, depending on how much time you spend per day. I began studying the middle of January 2014, and ended up taking the test the end of February 2014. I studied with another OT student I had worked with during college; we met about 3 times, once per week which helped keep me on schedule. My study sessions were based on the TherapyEd book by Rita P. Fleming-Castaldy which can be purchased through: http://www.therapyed.com/nbcotstudyguide.htm 

My studying was very sporadic at first, usually 1-2 hours per day, and I took many days off. The last two weeks before the test I studied about 8 hours per day, took countless practice exams and likely overdid the studying process, but hey, I'm intense!  

After taking the NBCOT you will wait about 1 week to get your online results of pass/fail. You can now begin the licensure process. You will have to have your scores sent to each state you intend to be licensed in, and yes, you will have to pay for each separately. Licensing can be a lengthy process, 1-3 months is not uncommon. Each state has its own process, so you will need to visit the website of the state you intend to be licensed in, and it will walk you through the process. Check the state's website often after all your paperwork is received, it is likely you will be licensed on the state website before receiving your hard copy in the mail.     

Stimulant Addiction

For many years now, I have struggled with an enormous amount of fatigue and exhaustion. Perhaps this harsh reality stemmed from countless years of eating disordered behavior and psychiatric medications, specifically Topamax; but either way, I often feel I lack the energy required for many daily activities. Unfortunately, in a feeble attempt to manage the debilitating fatigue, I resorted to using various stimulants over the years: energy drinks, caffeine pills, diet supplements, vitamins, and OTC medications.

My stimulant use may have began as a way to manage fatigue, but it progressed into a physical, mental and psychological dependency. Not only did I feel a greater sense of happiness and joy when I took stimulants, but I also felt thinner and often ate less, which only fueled my eating disorder addiction. Stimulants also make me more outgoing and often decrease my social anxiety. All of these reasons made stimulants an integral part of my every day, which allowed me to live the life I so desperately wanted. My stimulant abuse continued for many years, waxing and waning, and often the times I chose to decrease stimulant use was only a method to increase their effectiveness once I started taking them again.  

It was not until recently that I realized how unmanageable my fatigue and stimulant use had become. I often take caffeine pills in the morning and afternoon, and for a while was dependent on asthma medications to keep me going throughout the day. I began to notice the various side effects taking a toll on my body: acne, anxiety, irritability, headaches, and eventually total exhaustion unalleviated by stimulants. It was then that I decided to clean up my act and work on healing my body. I am currently in the process of decreasing my stimulant use, and increasing my vitamin and supplement use in an effort to normalize my adrenals and general hormone function. I am also looking to start exercising on a more regular basis and increase the amount of hours I sleep to at least 8-10 every night.

Can you choose to have an eating disorder?

This is a very interesting and highly debated topic. Many outsiders will look at someone with an eating disorder and wonder why they choose to live that way. Most people with eating disorders will defend themselves by saying, "I don't choose this, it's a disease" (or something to that extent). In my opinion, both are correct. Anorexia is clearly a disease/addiction, and most people need help in order to recover. This being said, I believe that many anorexics chose the lifestyle to begin with, and then became so consumed that their choice turned into an addiction. Looking at my own life, I made a clear choice to pursue self-starvation in order to lose weight and become thin. This process was intoxicating, and I slowly became less and less in control of my actions.

For many people, the process of developing an eating disorder is less clear. Some people may start a diet with perfectly good intentions and become addicted. Unfortunately, many people with eating disorders also choose to play the victim which only furthers their disease. Even addicts must choose to get better, so choice is always part of the process. Those who say they have no choice are not being honest with themselves or others.

"But you don't look anorexic..."

For quite a few years I have been in the recovery phase of an eating disorder. When first recovering, maintaining my weight was very difficult, and I often ended up losing and gaining weight over and over again. This cycle was brought on by my fear of looking fat or even average sized. The hardest part about gaining weight was the fear that people wouldn't think I looked anorexic. This thought in itself reflects how disordered my thoughts were. Because anorexia was such a big part of my identity, the thought that people wouldn't recognize my eating disorder made me feel that I was losing a part of myself, and unfortunately it felt like anorexia was one of the bigger parts of my identity. In order to get better, I realized that I needed to separate myself from the eating disorder.

Nowadays I approach the subject somewhat differently. I am in a very different place in my life than when I was very thin, and most of the people around me don't know about my past history of anorexia. I have decided to remain somewhat tight lipped about this because I feel that if others knew, I would feel more insecure about the way I look. There is always an expectation that comes with having an eating disorder, and I don't want people to question my food choices or weight, but I also don't want people to be weird about these subjects. I talk about food and weight the way any other average person might, and don't feel self-conscious or judged. Even though I have been in recovery for quite some time, the thought that someone might mention how "normal" I look still makes me feel uneasy.

Some might believe that I'm trying to hide my disorder or protect it by being secretive, but I believe I am just trying to protect myself. I spent so much time in my past trying to get people to see me instead of my issues, and I finally feel like I have a clean slate (being in college). I also feel that talking about my past eating disorder is unlikely to help anyone, and more likely to cause someone else to feel uneasy or to repeat the same actions.

My Struggle With Body Dysmorphia

A couple of years ago, around the time my anorexia became manageable, I started to notice some different compulsive behaviors emerging. These behaviors troubled me more than my eating disorder compulsions, because I didn't understand them. Things such as constant mirror checking, feeling repulsive, and excessive makeup application began controlling my life. For the first time in my life, I began to notice the power of facial beauty, and weight became slightly less important. In hindsight, I can see that my eating disorder only changed form, it did not become manageable as I had originally thought. My obsessions and compulsions became focused on a different target, but the feelings and emotions were still the same. I felt inadequate and insignificant.

When the obsessions and compulsions began to take over my life, I felt powerless and embarrassed that I could lose myself to vanity. This idea is still something I struggle with; this disease makes me feel superficial and dumb. It wasn't until I researched body dysmorphia that I began to understand that my behaviors were quite normal for people with BDD. For some reason, even though I know my body dysmorphia is equivalent to my eating disorder struggles, I have always felt very different about them. BDD feels superficial and embarrassing to explain to others, but anorexia was never something I felt ashamed of.

I think one of the worst parts of the disease has been how ridiculous I feel when I am having an "episode". My eating disorder was more of a constant struggle, whereas my BDD waxes and wanes. I am always self-conscious about the way I look, but only sometimes do I feel paralyzed by my obsessions and rituals. I call these times my episodes. During these times I often find that nothing I do makes me look any better. I feel repulsive before and after makeup, and may spend hours applying and reapplying makeup in an effort to make the sinking feeling go away. During this time I also feel an unhinging amount of anxiety and doom, and often withdraw from others as much as possible. These episodes are debilitating, all consuming and appear endless. Then, just as quickly as they started, they stop for a while. I am unsure why these episodes come and go, but believe they may have a hormonal link. I have been unable to find a solution so far, but am continually searching for a way to break free from these chains.    

Personal Disclosure

Personal disclosure is something I have struggled with for a very long time. I often find it difficult to tell others how I am feeling or ask for help because I do not want to burden them with my problems. This probably stems from my childhood when I was often taught to minimize my problems by comparing them to others with more serious concerns. This type of reasoning was not all bad, and I think would have been helpful had my personality been different. I was never the type to talk about my problems, I usually kept to myself and tried to solve things before anyone knew there was a problem. This type of problem solving, combined with the idea that my problems were never as bad as other's problems, made me feel ashamed of my struggles, and often caused me to further isolate myself. This type of thinking still causes me to withdraw from people today. When I am feeling depressed or struggling with my body image, it is extremely difficult for me to tell anyone. At times I will confide in my fiancé about my issues, but usually I am extremely vague or tell him about the problem after I have already solved it. This is something I am continuing to work on, and still only feel comfortable telling one person. I often am afraid that once I tell someone something, they will forever be able to hold it against me. This might sound paranoid, but in my past experience, others' knowledge about me has come back to bite me later. My trust issues only further the problem. I look forward to the day when I don't feel uncomfortable talking about my problems, and feel comfortable enough to ask for help. I encourage you to find someone trust worthy and close to share some of your personal feelings with. It may be difficult at first, but in time, you may find your problems seem more manageable when you have someone to confide in.

Eating Disorder Isolation

There is a great deal of loneliness that comes with any eating disorder. I have felt this on and off ever since the beginning of my struggles. It is often difficult for me to connect with others, because I have been in my own world for so long that I have trouble relating to others. This realization, along with the fact that I have high anxiety in social situations, has often made me feel hopeless and depressed. This feeling is often alleviated though, by keeping myself busy. Unfortunately, the past couple summers have been slow and slightly boring. The monotony of time has made me question my significance and importance. Luckily the school year will start soon, and my schedule will pick up the pace! In order to get past the isolation, I need to break through the self-doubt and discomfort in order to establish positive and lasting relationships. This will be a continual struggle, but I am looking forward to opening myself up to new opportunities in the near future. 

Normal vs. Healthy

The words normal and healthy are often linked when it comes to diet and exercise. These words are so linked that they are often used interchangeably without hesitation. Unfortunately, these words each represent something different, and equating the two ideas insinuates that what is normal must be healthy, and if something is not normal, it must be unhealthy. This is obviously false when looking at the rate of obesity and health problems in the U.S. today. It is not uncommon to hear that someone is obese or on countless medications, and yet people do not say that these things are healthy, despite the fact that they appear normal.

One of the greatest problems with defining either normal or healthy is that they are socially constructed ideas that often change. One could ask 100 people what each of these words means and receive 100 different ideas. Not only do individuals disagree on what these words mean, but research and science have been unable to come to a consensus either.

Probably the biggest reason that people cannot agree about these words is that they all have different priorities. Health may pertain to physical, social, spiritual, emotional, etc. Depending on what is important to a person, they may place health of one area as more important than another, but may also change their opinion over time. On the other hand, normal is constantly changing as society changes.

Unfortunately, the word abnormal has gotten a bad rap. In many cases, the word abnormal can actually be quite positive. For instance, look at the athletes who compete in the Olympics. These individuals are definitely not normal, they are extraordinary. This may mean that other parts of their lives get put on hold. To the average person, the lives of these athletes would appear extreme and unhealthy in many areas. Even with this knowledge, people do not believe this lifestyle to be negative, because the context makes is socially acceptable. People will often say something like, "of course these individuals sacrifice a great deal, but they are competing for a gold medal". This means that most people believe that sacrificing "health" is only ok when they believe the reward is worth the sacrifice.

To anyone who chooses to live an extreme lifestyle, they must believe that the reward is worth the sacrifices they make. This reward may not be apparent to the average person, but is definitely a large part of the individual's life. This is why I believe it is important not to judge others because their lifestyle is not "normal". Anyone choosing to live differently has a higher purpose in mind, just as those criticizing the individual have purpose for whatever lifestyle they choose to live.   

Getting Fit!

A while ago I posted that I was going to start p90x. Unfortunately, this plan fizzled out not long after I started it. I really did not enjoy the workouts, and found the videos quite annoying. Even though this plan failed, I have since begun a new workout regime that I am hoping will suite me better. I have started doing workouts from bodyrock. These workouts are centered around home fitness, and can be found on youtube for free! I love that they are short and to the point, and yet have made me sweat every time I do them. These exercises focus on high intensity and short duration. I have been doing at least 1 workout 5-6 days a week for the last 3 weeks and can already see a change in my endurance/stamina. I am hoping to tone my body and decrease my body fat percentage. In combination with working out, I have begun transitioning to a more high protein diet. I am working to challenge my disordered thoughts, and channel my negative drive into a healthy lifestyle change. This is just one step in my long journey of recovery.

What is "normal" dieting?

Until recently, I believe I was in the dark about what constitutes normal dieting. Because I have had much experience with unhealthy diets, I was surprised when I joined Pinterest and discovered what individuals considered "normal" dieting. Many of my peers have special boards dedicated to weight loss and health, and to my surprise, many of the things they repinned seemed oddly familiar because I have seen them on pro-anorexia type sites, as well as engaged in many of the behaviors myself. This realization saddened me, but helped me better understand the reality of society and eating disorder recovery. Recovery from any addiction is extremely difficult, but recovery in a society that praises sickness is so much more difficult. I believe that recovery does not just pertain to people with eating disorders, but rather to all of society. So many people have disordered thoughts about food and their bodies that treating only those diagnosed would be like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. I believe that "treatment" starts at home with parents. They have more influence usually than they realize, and often their influence stems from what they do, not what they say. I challenge everyone to start questioning these unhealthy ideas about food and body image!

Thoughts on Addiction

Ever since I can remember, I have always been addicted to something. Whether it was music, food, exercise, studying, watching tv or whatever else, I have always felt I needed something. This need has caused me to go to great lengths and do many things that probably seem outlandish or crazy. Unfortunately, the need is driven by a feeling of emptiness which is all encompassing at times. This emptiness has devoured me time and time again, until I become obsessed with finding my next "fix". Part of the obsession is the delusion that once I find the perfect fix, my thoughts will stop racing, the world will seem right again, and the hole inside me will fill up so I can feel complete. This quiet desperation has driven me to lie, cheat, steal and seclude myself from others.

I have often heard others discussing how sad the life of an addict must be. They pity them because they are controlled by an addiction greater then their own will. What many of them fail to understand is that addiction provides a level of comfort that the real world often cannot. Addiction is predictable and explainable. Most do not realize that real life can be so much more terrifying than living in addiction. This is why addicts must work hard to step out of their comfort zones and into the real world. This is something I am currently working on and often struggle with.

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!

Spry Gum

A few months ago I made a decision to quit smoking (again). I have been attempting to quit for quite some time now, and I usually make it a few months and then for some unimaginable reason, start up again. During the process of trying to find an alternative for my habit, I found Spry gum. I was ecstatic because this gum had NO artificial sweeteners in it! I have stayed away from gum in the past because most gum contains these unhealthy ingredients. So after some digging around the internet, I found that Spry gum contains xylitol. I went to my local health food store and bought cinnamon and green tea flavors. I have actually been rather impressed with both flavors. They are unfortunately chewier than I would like, and the flavor does not last as long as one would hope. This gum also runs a little pricier than regular gum. This being said, I would still recommend giving this gum a try if you are looking to satisfy a sweet craving or even quit smoking. If you do not have a health food store around your home, you can order spry products on Amazon.com

Update on Nizoral Acne/Rosacea Treatment

Hey guys! I just wanted to post an update on how my skin has been doing since I started using Nizoral. I have been using it twice daily (leaving it on for 3 minutes in the shower) for almost a week now and I have already seen significant results. My skin has cleared dramatically, and I even think the redness on my face has reduced slightly. I am amazed so far with it! I would totally recommend trying it! I have been using a 1% formula, but some formulas are 2% Nizoral. If you get a 2% formula, I would recommend trying it once a day so you can see how your skin reacts to it. Good luck everyone, and hope this helps you as much as it has been helping me! I will keep you posted.


Nizoral Dandruff Shampoo , up to 3 Months Treatment , TWIN PACK of 60ml Bottles