Don't Touch

I had a follow-up visit with Dr. Firshein this morning. He was so happy to hear that I was feeling better and that my body wasn't reacting to everything I ate. He said he felt like this was his Richard Simmons moment and that we should hug and cry over the good news. I of course almost cried. But somehow held it together. The doctor said it's become evident that my body has a difficult time with fungus. Fungus isn't like an apple a day. He said for me to continue on the Fluconazole for another two weeks. Then I'll take the medication every other day for a month or even just once a week, depending on how I'm feeling.

He said I'll have to be forever vigilant with my diet. I must try my best to avoid yeast and fermented foods  to avoid a recurrence. While abstaining from champagne, bread and beer is no fun, I'm happy to say I was able to eat tahini-free hummus last night without a sinus meltdown. The world of food is opening for me. I think I'll be able to eat almonds and other nuts again.

The doctor also said I have to really watch my sugar intake. Sugar feeds fungus. Sugar is an ingredient I've pretty much eradicated from my diet. I use a little agave when making my gluten free vegan muffins and on my morning oatmeal. Otherwise, it's been kicked to the fungus curb.

The last bit of advice he said is for me not to touch my face, since this is one way sinus infections can easily take hold. If I do, then I should rinse my sinuses as soon as possible. I honestly didn't think I touch my face that much. Seems that I'm a face-touching fiend. I've caught myself doing the deed at least ten times today. I managed to stop myself a few times. I rinsed my sinuses after one incident. It's amazing how itchy my face is. Any advice for decreasing facial itch?

In closing, I came across a recipe for a chickpea tart. I can't wait to give it a try.

Purple Zing

The other day I picked up Rejuventive Foods' Vegi Delite. I couple weeks ago I tried their raw sauerkraut which I loved as a side to foods, on g-free rice bread and crackers. The purple color is a fun splash to any plate. However, I think I preferred the taste of the straight up kraut. I"m eager to try their kimchee next. I love spice.

Overall, adding this raw, probiotic food to my daily meals is really helping my overall health. I have so much less bloating and gassiness, which is caused by the candida yeast overgrowth, which is caused by the over consumption of antibiotics and steroids as well as a lack of eating fresh greens and whole foods. These days it's just my husband and son who are bringin' on da noise.

I love the Rejuvenative Foods brand. However, their packing and logo lacks shelf-appeal. The design is kind of chaotic and messy. I imagine that's how people's guts are before they start eating the raw, probiotic foods. I think they could really benefit from the expertise of a skilled designer and copywriter. I'd welcome this raw challenge!

Saliva Alive

I'm always reading if not two then three wellness/candida/sinus/vegan-related books at once. Right now it's In Defense of Food and The Yeast Connection and Women's Health. The latter of which has an accompanying website, where I found a candida saliva test. Wa-hoo!

The test requires that first thing in the morning, before you eat or drink anything, simply spit some saliva into a glass of water. This morning I poured a short glass of purified water from my Brita pitcher and then proudly spit into it.

The test says to wait any where from 1 to 30 minutes. Then look in the glass and:

(from the website)
If there are strings coming down from your saliva, or if the water turned cloudy, or if your saliva sank to the bottom, YOU MAY HAVE A CANDIDA CONCERN!


While I waited, I went about my business cleaning up the kitchen. I was terrified to look in the glass and find a tiny colony of creatures holding a sign that reads, "PLEASE HELP US" Or find that my spit had turned the water a radioactive green. 


Instead when I checked, I found the aforementioned strings. Kind of like the tails of jellyfish suspended from my spit that sat on the surface. Is this the yeast? Looks like the test may have confirmed exactly what I already know. Just to be sure, I'm gonna have my healthy, yeast-free husband take the test too. Results coming soon!