Ok, this is weird. I was at the store the other day looking for a more natural version of Caesar dressing (I ended up with Brianna's brand which is quite tasty) and I ran across a selection of calorie free salad dressings. That is just a bit disturbing to me, calorie free? How can food, made from you know - real food, be calorie free? Everything has calories, minus water - but anything that you would need to make salad dressing will have calories. So then what is this dressing made of???
I looked it up: Walden Farms makes everything from spreads to sauces to dressings and they are all calorie free. Though that might seem like a great idea, I'm here to tell you to stay away - it's NOT real food! And what was even more disturbing is that some of the ingredients on their nutrition labels are foods that have calories, so what did they do to them to make them "lose" their calories? Hmmm..
Here is a sample ingredient list for their Caesar dressing:
Triple Filtered Purified Water
White Vinegar
Cellulose Gel (cellulose is an indigestible fibrous substance found in plants - the reason it has "no calories" is simply because we can't digest them, and does anyone really know how they make it into a gel?)
Salt
Anchoives (which have calories)
Parmesan Cheese Flavor (non-dairy)
Romano Cheese Flavor (non-dairy)
Garlic (which has calories)
Onion (which has calories)
Black Pepper
Natural Spices (?)
Natural Flavors (?)
Lactic Acid
Xantham Gum
Food Color (made from fruits or vegetables)
Sucralose (Splenda)
Sodium Benzoate
And if that wasn't enough to raise an eyebrow, read over the list from their Calorie Free Mayo:
Triple Filtered Purified Water
Cellulose Fiber
Cellulose Gum
Salt
White Vinegar
Corn Starch (has calories)
Egg White (even dried versions have calories)
Xantham Gum
Beta Carotene
Egg Flavor (what's that made of?)
Mustard (calories)
Lemon Juice (real lemon juice has calories)
Food Color (made from fruits and vegetables)
Sucralose (Splenda)
Sodium Benzoate
Come on, people! Are you really comfortable putting such a product into your body?
My purpose in this message is not to say that the people at Waldon Farms are bad people. They understand there is a need for foods that don't add to the average American waistband and want to provide people with options. My purpose, however, is to say "WAKE UP" - this is not what our eating habits should look like. We are so focused on eating whatever we please that we give into temptations that offer us "delicious taste" without the consequences (though there are still consequences for feeding your body chemicals).
Your body is is pleading for you to make some changes. Stop eating the crap and start eating real food. Food that comes from the earth is food your body was meant to digest and from which it receives the greatest benefits. Yes, some of those foods are high in fat and high in calories but they also are full of necessary nutrients - so just choose to eat them in moderation.
But don't be fooled by chemically processed look alikes. In the end, it's just not worth it.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Quick Note
Last night I experienced some awful stomach pains due to gas, therefore something I ate was not digested well.
Menu:
3 Chicken Tenders (baked) with buffalo sauce (Louisiana hot sauce, olive oil, cayenne pepper)
Feta dipping sauce (greek yogurt, buttermilk, red wine and apple cider vinegar, feta cheese, green onions)
Quinoa with butter (less than 1 tb), salt, and pepper
Spinach salad with tomatoes, carrots, avocado, and organic Champagne viniagrette
My guess is the dairy was the culprit. I think I'll recreate this meal next week without the dipping sauce and see how it goes.
Menu:
3 Chicken Tenders (baked) with buffalo sauce (Louisiana hot sauce, olive oil, cayenne pepper)
Feta dipping sauce (greek yogurt, buttermilk, red wine and apple cider vinegar, feta cheese, green onions)
Quinoa with butter (less than 1 tb), salt, and pepper
Spinach salad with tomatoes, carrots, avocado, and organic Champagne viniagrette
My guess is the dairy was the culprit. I think I'll recreate this meal next week without the dipping sauce and see how it goes.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Pour Some Sugar On Me....
An update - period week came and went as usual. Nothing reallly changed that I noticed, other than less spotting the week before. I still experienced Day 1 cramping and clotting as usual. I felt miserable for a good few days and then was back to normal. All that to say - I don't think yeast is my problem. I mean, it likely is a part of the problem but my month without sugar as an attempt to kill them off did not work as hoped.
After I realized it wasn't working, I went a little overboard on the sugar and gluten front. I ate cookies, cake, sandwiches, and more cookies this past weekend (we were traveling which did not help). It was an extreme amount, just more than I'd been used to. My sugar intake has definitely increased - TB of maple syrup in morning tea, kefir (sweetened with cane juice), maple syrup in afternoon tea, granola with yogurt... those kind of things. So not bad things, and I'm trying to use only natural forms of sugar - but certainly more sugar than I had in the last month.
Today it all hit me though, I feel pretty awful. My bowel cycles have been the same so there's still pressure and bloating there. But right now I feel like I have a rock on top of my pelvis. My stomach, hips, and lower back all hurt from the pressure. I can't understand the biology of it and what exactly is going on - but it does shake me a bit as if to say, "Hey, I can't handle this crappy food you're eating - so STOP it!"
Where do I go from here? I would like to say I'm done with crazy elimination diets, but I'm not 100% sure of that yet. I just want to eat well. I want to eat foods that my body was designed to digest. I want to take note of those things that cause a reaction and minize them - but maybe not completely eliminate them unless the reaction is that bad. I'd like to just create my own list based on what I have been learning and what my body has been saying. I will create my own list, and though I may never find complete healing, I will at least know that I'm doing my best.
I guess that leaves me to say - food list and meal plans to come...stay tuned.
After I realized it wasn't working, I went a little overboard on the sugar and gluten front. I ate cookies, cake, sandwiches, and more cookies this past weekend (we were traveling which did not help). It was an extreme amount, just more than I'd been used to. My sugar intake has definitely increased - TB of maple syrup in morning tea, kefir (sweetened with cane juice), maple syrup in afternoon tea, granola with yogurt... those kind of things. So not bad things, and I'm trying to use only natural forms of sugar - but certainly more sugar than I had in the last month.
Today it all hit me though, I feel pretty awful. My bowel cycles have been the same so there's still pressure and bloating there. But right now I feel like I have a rock on top of my pelvis. My stomach, hips, and lower back all hurt from the pressure. I can't understand the biology of it and what exactly is going on - but it does shake me a bit as if to say, "Hey, I can't handle this crappy food you're eating - so STOP it!"
Where do I go from here? I would like to say I'm done with crazy elimination diets, but I'm not 100% sure of that yet. I just want to eat well. I want to eat foods that my body was designed to digest. I want to take note of those things that cause a reaction and minize them - but maybe not completely eliminate them unless the reaction is that bad. I'd like to just create my own list based on what I have been learning and what my body has been saying. I will create my own list, and though I may never find complete healing, I will at least know that I'm doing my best.
I guess that leaves me to say - food list and meal plans to come...stay tuned.
Monday, June 28, 2010
It Is Time
Alright folks, time to see if my hard work paid off. It's period week! The first thing I noticed was less spotting. Typically I'll have spotting for the entire week before I start, but I didn't have that this time. However, Day 1 already isn't looking so good. I'm not bedridden with pain, but I'm definitely uncomfortable and so far have not noticed much of a difference. We'll see how the rest of the day goes.
As far as my diet is concerned, things have been ok. I was able to control my sugar craving by adding a teaspoon of maple syrup to my morning tea. I've also been drinking Kefir for the past week which, in addition to helpful probiotics, does contain a lot of sugar. I could probably make my own and just sweeten it naturally with fruit. I'll try that once I add fruit back in.
Still no fruit. It hasn't been too hard, I don't really crave fruit. But it is harder when I think about how good fruit is for you, full of vitamins and antioxidants. I do believe it will be safe to add fruit back in soon, and just keep it to a minimal intake.
I'm still not sure about dairy. As I said, I've added in Kefir and a bit of another yogurt - didn't notice any changes. So the dairy may not affect me, but I'm still a bit grossed out by what I've been learning about commercially produce cow's milk lately. So I don't know that I will fully go back to consuming dairy. I've enjoyed my coconut milk and almond milk. Cheese is tough but I am going to try some authentic Greek feta (which means it's made primarily of goat or sheep milk). I still can't stomach goat's milk but I want to keep trying. I've heard it is so much better for you, and for babies, plus we could have our own goats right in the backyard (someday)!
I have been very anxious waiting for period week to arrive, mostly so I can see if all my efforts have been worth it. Even if nothing has changed, I have learned some valuable lessons that will help direct my future eating habits. More to come...
As far as my diet is concerned, things have been ok. I was able to control my sugar craving by adding a teaspoon of maple syrup to my morning tea. I've also been drinking Kefir for the past week which, in addition to helpful probiotics, does contain a lot of sugar. I could probably make my own and just sweeten it naturally with fruit. I'll try that once I add fruit back in.
Still no fruit. It hasn't been too hard, I don't really crave fruit. But it is harder when I think about how good fruit is for you, full of vitamins and antioxidants. I do believe it will be safe to add fruit back in soon, and just keep it to a minimal intake.
I'm still not sure about dairy. As I said, I've added in Kefir and a bit of another yogurt - didn't notice any changes. So the dairy may not affect me, but I'm still a bit grossed out by what I've been learning about commercially produce cow's milk lately. So I don't know that I will fully go back to consuming dairy. I've enjoyed my coconut milk and almond milk. Cheese is tough but I am going to try some authentic Greek feta (which means it's made primarily of goat or sheep milk). I still can't stomach goat's milk but I want to keep trying. I've heard it is so much better for you, and for babies, plus we could have our own goats right in the backyard (someday)!
I have been very anxious waiting for period week to arrive, mostly so I can see if all my efforts have been worth it. Even if nothing has changed, I have learned some valuable lessons that will help direct my future eating habits. More to come...
Monday, June 21, 2010
Where's the REAL food?
It's been about two and a half weeks on the anti-yeast diet. I can't say I feel much better - still have the same dilemmas as before, only now I've added intense sugar cravings!
You may be asking... why do this to yourself? The answer is, I don't know! I've thought of quitting many times over the past week. I've actually allowed myself to have a tiny bit of maple syrup every now and then - I just can't stand plain tea. My period is on the way and my hope is to see an improvement in my monthly tragedies. If I don't, I won't worry so much about yeast.
What has been really interesting though is discovering how much sugar I used to eat. I am a fairly healthy eater and tried to stay away from most sweets, especially since I don't eat wheat. But little did I realize, sugar is in EVERYTHING! Really, everything. There's the obvious - cakes, pies, and doughnuts. Mmmm.. doughnuts. But then there are also things like tomato sauce, salad dressings, soups, pretty much any condiment I find delicious. It's everywhere.
It frustrates me how difficult it is to find natural food sources. It's insane that we are ok with putting chemically-made, overly processed foods into our bodies. It also proves to me why there are so many health issues among our society today, and what needs to change.
The past couple of weeks have been really hard and I don't know that I could go completely sugar free. Nor do I believe that is right, our "good" bacteria needs sugar to feed on in order to keep our immune system and digestion balanced. But I will take a harder look at what I am eating. Absolutely no high fructose corn syrup (which is in worchestershire sauce, by the way) and very little white sugar. If I need something sweet, I will stick to what is natural.
I'd also like to read more on raw milk. I watched a pretty disturbing video today about the conditions of some dairy mills. I knew this was the case with most beef and chickens, but for some reason didn't think about the conditions of dairy farms. I've been staying away from cow's milk, for the most part, but when I think about feeding my husband and children someday - I'd like them to enjoy real milk, REAL milk. It's so expensive though, I think that's the hardest part for me. But I have to keep telling myself, it's worth it. Health is worth it.
You may be asking... why do this to yourself? The answer is, I don't know! I've thought of quitting many times over the past week. I've actually allowed myself to have a tiny bit of maple syrup every now and then - I just can't stand plain tea. My period is on the way and my hope is to see an improvement in my monthly tragedies. If I don't, I won't worry so much about yeast.
What has been really interesting though is discovering how much sugar I used to eat. I am a fairly healthy eater and tried to stay away from most sweets, especially since I don't eat wheat. But little did I realize, sugar is in EVERYTHING! Really, everything. There's the obvious - cakes, pies, and doughnuts. Mmmm.. doughnuts. But then there are also things like tomato sauce, salad dressings, soups, pretty much any condiment I find delicious. It's everywhere.
It frustrates me how difficult it is to find natural food sources. It's insane that we are ok with putting chemically-made, overly processed foods into our bodies. It also proves to me why there are so many health issues among our society today, and what needs to change.
The past couple of weeks have been really hard and I don't know that I could go completely sugar free. Nor do I believe that is right, our "good" bacteria needs sugar to feed on in order to keep our immune system and digestion balanced. But I will take a harder look at what I am eating. Absolutely no high fructose corn syrup (which is in worchestershire sauce, by the way) and very little white sugar. If I need something sweet, I will stick to what is natural.
I'd also like to read more on raw milk. I watched a pretty disturbing video today about the conditions of some dairy mills. I knew this was the case with most beef and chickens, but for some reason didn't think about the conditions of dairy farms. I've been staying away from cow's milk, for the most part, but when I think about feeding my husband and children someday - I'd like them to enjoy real milk, REAL milk. It's so expensive though, I think that's the hardest part for me. But I have to keep telling myself, it's worth it. Health is worth it.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Too Much of a Good Thing...
We love to indulge; our society is one that pushes the idea of doing anything and everything to satisfy yourself. This comes in many shapes but a very obvious way is through food. We crave tasty treats - high fat, high sugar little (or big) pieces of heaven. What I'm learning through my dietary adventures is that too much of anything can become a bad thing.
The new Paleo fad stresses that we need to eat like the hunter-gatherer people of the cave era. They state that all grains are detrimental to our health. And I agree, but only because we have abused those grains. I believe grains were intended to be good - God made grains and for many of His first followers, bread was a staple item. Then we decided to added hormones and pesticides to crops, not so good. And later we discovered the wonders of sugar and started using it in EVERYTHING, hello diabetes. My question is, would we still be seeing the harmful effects of grains if we grew them and used them as they were originally intended?
I ask this because I've started looking at recipes for desserts and cracker-type foods that I can make while on this anti-Candida diet. Most of them use almond flour, coconut oil, and stevia. The Paleo diet also uses a lot of almond and coconut products. Therefore, I am interested to know what one's health will look like after consuming the same product (almond or coconut) day after day. Is our body going to develop some form of disease from digesting too much almond or coconut?
Right now I can't really toy with it because if my body is indeed fighting off a Candida overgrowth, I need to steer clear of all sugars and refined wheat products in order for the fungus to die. But once I am (prayerfully) feeling healthy again, I'd like to think more about how much and how often should I be consuming each type of food. Every person is different and no diet is fit for all, I am learning that it is about your individual internal system and listening to what your body is telling you. Then you will find the optimal diet for YOUR health. I hope to find the optimal diet for my health soon.
The new Paleo fad stresses that we need to eat like the hunter-gatherer people of the cave era. They state that all grains are detrimental to our health. And I agree, but only because we have abused those grains. I believe grains were intended to be good - God made grains and for many of His first followers, bread was a staple item. Then we decided to added hormones and pesticides to crops, not so good. And later we discovered the wonders of sugar and started using it in EVERYTHING, hello diabetes. My question is, would we still be seeing the harmful effects of grains if we grew them and used them as they were originally intended?
I ask this because I've started looking at recipes for desserts and cracker-type foods that I can make while on this anti-Candida diet. Most of them use almond flour, coconut oil, and stevia. The Paleo diet also uses a lot of almond and coconut products. Therefore, I am interested to know what one's health will look like after consuming the same product (almond or coconut) day after day. Is our body going to develop some form of disease from digesting too much almond or coconut?
Right now I can't really toy with it because if my body is indeed fighting off a Candida overgrowth, I need to steer clear of all sugars and refined wheat products in order for the fungus to die. But once I am (prayerfully) feeling healthy again, I'd like to think more about how much and how often should I be consuming each type of food. Every person is different and no diet is fit for all, I am learning that it is about your individual internal system and listening to what your body is telling you. Then you will find the optimal diet for YOUR health. I hope to find the optimal diet for my health soon.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Update and New Diet
It has been a while - last month was certainly a disaster! Life got really busy and I was unable to keep up with any sort of diet. I continued to stay clear of gluten and highly processed foods, but even that was a struggle towards the end of the month. We went on a vacation last week and ate A LOT so I've felt awful ever since.
The elimination diet didn't seem to work. I definitely saw improvements during my first two vegetarian weeks (along with new horrible cravings) but I never felt completely healed. That got me thinking about what it could be causing me to fee so sick all the time. Then I remembered reading about Candida overgrowth, that it feeds on sugar and can grow all over your insides to make you sick. While I don't eat a lot of sugar, I've never fully given up sugar. I still always had fruits, honey, maple syrup, condiments containing sugar, etc. There is a possibility this could help.
I've never had yeast infections or fungus on my feet so I thought this diet wouldn't pertain to me. But I have so many other symptoms, and every disease is different for each person, that it could be. The constipation, abdominal pain, pain during intercourse, chronic fatigue, and infertility can be caused by this disease. So I hope to see at least some of those improve over this next period of time.
The hard part - giving up sugar. It's in everything, so I sit here thinking, "what can I eat?" The hardest part is always the planning and organizing of meals. If I don't, I won't stick to the diet. But I also lack the motivation to plan because I'm so tired. There are some books out there about Candidiasis but few have a set meal plan or an abundance of recipes. I am hopeful that I might be able to find some help from the Paleo Diet craze - it's very similar minus the fruit and adding in a few gluten-free grains.
Where am I right now? I am starting to take steps to cut out the obvious foods (coffee being one - so sad) and learn what I can and cannot have. My next step will be creating a meal plan, hopefully I can start that tomorrow since I will be off work. And lots of prayer - oh, I need prayer. This sucks!
The elimination diet didn't seem to work. I definitely saw improvements during my first two vegetarian weeks (along with new horrible cravings) but I never felt completely healed. That got me thinking about what it could be causing me to fee so sick all the time. Then I remembered reading about Candida overgrowth, that it feeds on sugar and can grow all over your insides to make you sick. While I don't eat a lot of sugar, I've never fully given up sugar. I still always had fruits, honey, maple syrup, condiments containing sugar, etc. There is a possibility this could help.
I've never had yeast infections or fungus on my feet so I thought this diet wouldn't pertain to me. But I have so many other symptoms, and every disease is different for each person, that it could be. The constipation, abdominal pain, pain during intercourse, chronic fatigue, and infertility can be caused by this disease. So I hope to see at least some of those improve over this next period of time.
The hard part - giving up sugar. It's in everything, so I sit here thinking, "what can I eat?" The hardest part is always the planning and organizing of meals. If I don't, I won't stick to the diet. But I also lack the motivation to plan because I'm so tired. There are some books out there about Candidiasis but few have a set meal plan or an abundance of recipes. I am hopeful that I might be able to find some help from the Paleo Diet craze - it's very similar minus the fruit and adding in a few gluten-free grains.
Where am I right now? I am starting to take steps to cut out the obvious foods (coffee being one - so sad) and learn what I can and cannot have. My next step will be creating a meal plan, hopefully I can start that tomorrow since I will be off work. And lots of prayer - oh, I need prayer. This sucks!
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