My Elimination Diet

The past 12 days I have been eliminating many foods and drinks from my diet to rid my body of toxins holding too much yeast, more specifically, candida.  Coffee and black tea were my hardest to eliminate, but after the fifth day it got easier and now I don't need them anymore.  Funny how caffeine truly affects the body.  In fact, I almost took my french press, coffee bean grinder and coffee maker out the storage shed to be put away for good.  All items in my arms, door open the thought popped up, "maybe you are being too irrational Byrnes."  It is like to me to do a house cleanse as I am doing a detox/elimination cleanse.  Not sure if I will go back to coffee or black tea so perhaps I ought to have taken those item into storage. 

Other items I have eliminated are chocolate, red vines, fruit, crackers, croutons, potatoes, pasta, vinegar, alcohol. anything with excess sugar.  Limiting myself on carbohydrates greatly, even though I should not eat them at all.  Eating Clinton's Jack Spratt bread and Great Grains Bakery marble rye bread.  I would like to say I have not had wine the same time as caffeine, but Friday I had Sake and loved it!  Saturday morning I woke to red, puffy eyes again. 

I hear you asking, "What do you eat?"  Veggies of course, Greek Gods plain yogurt, lean protein like chicken and fish, I do throw in a red meat here and there.  The meat we buy is raised without hormones and that is where I make my excuses for red meat. I have been making mean smoothies with kale, spinach, cucumbers, lemon, mint, coconut oil, Garden of Life's Super Seed, and a splash of water, I call this smoothie The Hulk, it is nothing but green and packed full of nutrients. 

Saturday I read about the oil pulling method and have tried, excited to try it again and again.  From my research, results will not be immediate for my symptoms but are a sure fire within 90 days.  I weened myself from caffeine, I can do this!  There are more benefits to oil pulling then balancing yeast in the body, it is said to help/eliminate gum disease, cavities, arthritis, warts, the list goes on. Of course this is what I have read and do not know for certain but I am giving it a try with coconut oil since this oil has tons of antibacterial benefits! 

A stricter diet is necessary for my results to show, but please, a handful of things at a time. 

Living It!

Reading through my LinkedIn activity, I came upon this quote by Jake Ducey:

There's a difference between learning it and living it. "Learning it"  means knowing what's possible but never testing the limits. "Living it"  means courageously stepping toward your wildest dreams. ~ Jake Ducey

Isn't it odd how some quotes, some words of wisdom hit you in the head and make you stop and think?  This quote did if for me, a part of me wanted to shout out "Yes!  What the hell am I doing right now?" as visions of what I want to do, need to do and hope to do race through my mind; life is too short to sit, watch, and read about what others are doing.  I need to step back and re-evaluate where I am and get back on track where I need to be.  Sitting down to write out my goals for the next six months, year, five years and ten years will help me get back on track!  Time to undo what has been happening and get back to LIVING! 

Here's to living and getting out there!

                                                                                                         















                                                       
                                                                                                                                                                 photo by officialtherefromhere.com 
         

Getting Back On

A while ago I saw a chiropractor/kinesiology doctor where I learned I had a yeast infection throughout my body, started in my ears, possibly from the ear surgery I had as a kid.  He sent me home with a bottle of Zymex and Spanish Black Radish tablets and a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with a list of foods to eat and not to eat; basically, anything with sugar or caffeine I have to avoid, like coffee and wine (can you hear my tears hitting the floor and a low moan crying "Nooooooo"?). 

The list of foods I can eat is not much of a compromise for me but limits me greatly, I still get my smoothies every day but I have been trying to put in less fruits and add more vegetables, also switching to plain, nonfat yogurt and away from the strawberry and honey flavored yogurt I was addicted too.  Obviously I quit for a long time and since then have had tremendous happenings with my body, like what my face is going through right now.  Doing more research about my condition it sounds like a bad case of candida. 

So here I am trying to get back on the list of foods to avoid which means no wine, no caffeine, no excessive cheese (I can eat my Swiss cheese) no carbs like pastas and breads, no sugars, ah, what else can't I eat? 

Here is what I can eat: veggies, limited fruits, sweet potatoes raw, rice first browned in a skillet, sprout bread, plain nonfat yogurt, and Swiss cheese!  Sure there is more but I have misplaced this sheet and am trying to go off memory. 

Last night and today I have been applying Panolog and applying Red Clay mud to my face in between hoping to reduce the swelling and redness.  My face looked better this morning than the past two mornings; I didn't know who I was looking in the mirror. 

I have noticed my symptoms have increased greatly since I have been not taking birth control pills for almost eight months now, reading about my condition has said again and again birth control pills increase the chances of candida.  Bye bye nasty shit, get outta my body! 

I do want to document my progress through out, and hopefully have that page come up on a search engine for another who is desperate to heal their bodies. 

If you have any food suggestions for me, please pass them over!  I am sure I will be hitting my head against the cupboard not knowing what to make often. 

So far today I have had one cup of tea with caffeine (oops), a cup of plain yogurt with Super Seed, a green smoothie with kale, spinach, celery, carrot, lemon, and cucumber, rye bread (oops) and tea without caffeine (yay) and water!  Getting hungry though, lunch time is approaching. 

Green and Tasty!

Today's smoothie was made with 3 kale leaves, a handful of spinach, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot shaved, 1/2 of lemon, 1 cucumber & a small spoonful of chia seeds. Delicious!

Perhaps a 1/4 of lemon for tomorrow's with one more carrot & celery.

It's Time

For the past two months my eyelids have expressed their disappointment in me, red, flakey, swollen.  The symptoms disappeared for a few days but then came back worse than before.  For the past three days now, I have woken up with eyes so swollen its hard to open them and it looks as if someone punched my right eye real good.  Sunken eyes, puffy cheeks, nose and a crooked smile. 

I have been taking Claritin D for three days now and Ibuprofen for two; the swelling went down a little bit last night but this morning has proven that someone truly does need to change. 

My first change is a diet detox!  That's right, no sugar, no caffeine, no alcohol, no carbs.  Basically vegetables, fruit, yogurt, Swiss cheese, and teas.  Smoothies, get ready because you are about to be consumed!  If this doesn't work then on to plan b; haven't thought about plan b yet but when it comes to me and if I need it, then it shall be. 

Here is a scary picture of my face...

The Best Gift Ever

This goes to out to the 3 A's and a B!  You girls are amazing, talented and loving, thank you for supporting me through school and seeing me come to the end of my journey, at least this journey, be prepared for many more adventures I find.  What you did today touched the deepest gratitude of me!

It is so rewarding to give whatever I have, time usually, to those who cannot speak for themselves as I walk, feed, play and clean with the most amazing dogs who are waiting for their forever homes at No More Homeless Pets in Utah (Now part of Best Friends), for their forever family who will never leave them.  I know each dog and several other animals will get their chance and leave their horrible pasts behind them.

I know I have mentioned it a few times to different people throughout the years that the best gift for me will be a gift to an animal rehabilitation organization, and to have my girls listen and remember is remarkable!  Their contributions to Best Friends Animal Society was made today in honor of my up coming graduation!!!  Your lives are forever blessed, like they weren't already with the love of dogs in your homes, karma is good to you.      

Below is the email I received today:

Best Friends Animal Society is the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for homeless, abused or abandoned pets. Nestled in Angel Canyon, the sanctuary looks out over the spectacular red rock country of southern Utah. On any given day, the sanctuary is a healing home-between-homes for about 1700 animals. The majority of these are special-needs pets who need medical care, training, or just time to heal emotionally. Once they're ready for adoption, they move on to new lives and into good homes with caring people across the country.

A tribute gift, such as the one that was made here, helps give hope to animals in need while honoring those we love.

Congratulations Angela! We are lucky to have you in our lives... congrats on your achievement and good luck with your amazing future!

Love you Girl!

Amber
Brenda
Allison

Created by Amber Griffiths

To learn more about best friends, visit www.bestfriends.org

Having a Rough Morning?

 

Having a rough morning? 
Place your hand over your heart.  

Feel that? 

That's called purpose.  

You're alive for a reason.
Don't give up!