Lifestyle Changes

Once we returned from vacation, we jumped right into Stage 1 of the Candida Diet. Sissy ate bland foods like rice cakes and wheat crackers. I pushed veggies as much as I could (& she pushed back!), along with plenty of onions and garlic, which are said to combat the yeast. We supplemented with a homeopathic treatment and a Shaklee probiotic. Before long I saw many improvements: accidents decreased greatly, spontaneous bruising cleared up along with the dark circles under her eyes, muscle weakness and fatigue decreased, along with her sensitivity to sound. Her concentration improved and moodiness dissipated. I felt like I had my little girl back--except she was so bored with her diet, and felt left out and deprived. After about a month on Stage 1, we started adding fruits back into her diet. After a few months we had seen such great improvement, and I relaxed on the diet. Before long Sis was back to eating what the rest of us ate. I tried to cook nutricious meals, I limited sweets, soda, and most processed foods. And for awhile things were looking up....

Regrettably, by the fall her accidents had commenced. The past few months have also seen a return of her "brain tickling", moodiness, and learning troubles. It is so frustrating to know your child's potential, yet be unable to help them achieve their goals! I knew that we were going to have to try again, yet I was struggling to find the right direction. Then a month ago Sissy started complaining about her white spots, telling me she wanted them to go away so she could look normal, like everyone else. So I started researching vitiligo again, and looked for a possibility it could be connected somehow to the candida issues. This started a snowball effect that I wasn't expecting. I learned that vitiligo is connected to malabsorbtion of key vitamins and minerals, such as zinc, copper, vitamin D, folic acid, and vitamin B12. I found that not only can candida cause malabsorbtion of nutrientes, but it can also be connected to a gluten sensitivity. I read an interesting article about why gluten is excluded in candida diets. I decided we should eliminate gluten from our diets, but wondered if that would be enough. I began searching diets that were high in certain nutrients and gluten-free. Through these searches I was introduced to the GAPS diet and the Paleo lifestyle. The GAPS diet is based on a book by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, explaining how digestive disorders can wreak havoc on the body and brain specifically. The premise behind the Paleo diet is that our bodies were not designed to live off of modern agriculture. Most of the food in your local supermarket is comprised of corn, wheat, or soy--or most likely, a combination of all 3! Even 100 years ago, most Americans were not consuming these products in large quantities. Similar to the Paleo diet is the Primal diet. The Primal diet embraces some foods that are restricted in the Paleo diet (healthy fats such as butter and coconut oil, eggs, and dairy).

So after much research (and this is always flexible, as new research arises), we have decided to develop what I am calling a "modified primal diet" for our family. Out are all grains (including corn & the family favorite oatmeal) and processed sugars. We'll still use some more natural sweeteners (honey, agave, maple syrup) in moderation. We'll be filling up on as many veggies as possible, with some fruits added in. We'll also rely heavily on animal protein (eggs, beef, chicken, pork & seafood)--ideally pastured, grass-fed, and hormone-/antibiotic-free. We're avoiding most beans and legumes (goodbye, peanut butter), but not cutting out dairy. Ideally, we'll primarily consume raw dairy, but most of that won't be implemented until our goats are in milk. I will also be incorporating some GAPS concepts, such as bone broth and eventually some fermentation. This is very new to me, and some of my ideas are sure to evolve in the process. I invite you to join me as I attempt to implement a healthier lifestyle for our family, and hopefully relieve Sissy of her vitiligo and candida symptoms. Later this week I'll share some of the recipes we've tried, and how we're faring with our new lifestyle.

Have you incorporated any similar changes? Any advice for me??