by JaneEllen Sexton
I want to bring up a bit of info about Candida Albicans because it seems that there are many people in this country who are carrying around undiagnosed symptoms that the medical community doesn’t always catch. Now, I’m no expert on diagnosing anything and I have no desire in this blog to sell anyone on anything. I only bring this up because there are countless food allergies floating around in the U.S. and elsewhere and sometimes the A.M.A.only follows what it knows and doesn’t look deeper, but, looking deeper is our job…yours and mine. We have to do our homework to research whatever it is that’s going on in our bodies to come to a conclusion that creates healing.
You know your body better than anyone and if you don’t think you do then you’ll want to take a look at what’s up with that. It is true that most people put off taking care of themselves until the proverbial sh@* hits the fan and then humility sets in because fear takes over, but what a way to get information! Why wait until you’re so scared that you give your physician the power to decide what’s happening in you. If you pay attention to the nuances and messages your body gives you you’ll probably never end up in the emergency room.
I had this weird bumpy texture on one of my thumbnails a few years ago and I asked a pal of mine who is a nutritionist/herbalist what it was. She responded with “that’s Candida” and she told me about an online test I could take to answer a group of questions to see if the information fit. I took the test and it turned out I was below the minimum grade for Candida with a very, very mild version going on.
For the next 10 months I let go of all sugar, including fruit. It is suggested that the time necessary to test your body for any possible food allergy is to eliminate anything you question for six weeks. So, for me it was no pasta, no rice, no bread, not even whole grains. No meat (my choice) and no dairy, because of the lactose (sugar). At the end of 10 months (my choice) I started to add back the foods I had let go of and I was able to feel the reactions my body had immediately because I had a clear read on what worked and what didn’t. Now I know that bread, pasta and ½ & ½ in my coffee don’t work for me because I get indigestion (bloat is the 1st sign of a food allergy) & I put on weight in a heartbeat. But that doesn’t always stop me from doing what I know is in my best interest! I’m no different than anyone else with a desire for “the good stuff”. The trick is to be smart about what you know and use your wisdom so you never overdo it.
What counterbalances Candida tremendously are fermented foods….BUT…naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut and cultured vegetables. Pickles and miso are great too. Make sure that the fermentation process doesn’t involve a boatload of salt. Salt leaches energy from the body because it pulls on all the organs to have to work overtime to keep balanced. If you do buy something that’s processed with a lot of salt make sure to rinse it well or soak it and then rinse it in filtered water. There are sites on the web where you can find loads of information on Candida.
Candida Albicans is one of those silent trouble-makers in the body. There are many symptoms that can easily be misread because Candida is so often hidden. Some of the symptoms are called things like: depression, leaky-gut, irritability, brain-fog and fatigue. Fatigue is the most obvious symptom but there are many, many more. If you find some of these experiences going on in your body do the research and ask questions so that you don’t fall for the quick answer. Too many times in the medical world doctors are overwhelmed and don’t have the time or don’t take the time to look past what they know. Don’t give your power to someone else to decide what’s happening in you. None of us will ever get away with a dang thing in this life and the good news in that one is that somewhere we know we don’t want a half-assed existence. Do the WORK….you decide….take care of your own action because doubt subsides with self-care and self- esteem will always win!
Food thoughts: Cultured vegetables are naturally fermented and are really helpful when Candida is present in the body. You can find recipes on the web. I make them in big batches because I eat them everyday when I have them around. By the way, cabbage in any form is great for intestinal balance. The possibility of gas comes from “die-off” which is a good thing. Look it up so that you can get a sense of how die-off translates in your body.
You’ll want to have a large glass jar with a rubber gasket available to put the vegetables in or a glass jar with a tight fitting screw-top. These veggies will live in your refrigerator for up to two months. One quarter (1/4) cup with every meal does wonders because what you’re eating is a natural probiotic. And, just so you know, there is NOT an overwhelming taste to homemade cultures. This is not at all like store bought sauerkraut; you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the flavor!
Cultured vegetables my way: 1- large head (about 2 ½ to 3 lbs.) of green cabbage, ½ – (about 1 lb.) of a red/purple cabbage. Keep a few of the outside cabbage leaves to use at the end to completely fill the glass jar after you’ve put the cultures in the container you’re using. Next, 2- whole daikon, 6- medium carrots, 2 Tbsp. juniper berries, 2 Tbsp. dulse flakes, 1 Tbsp. dill seed, 1 Tbsp. yellow and/or black mustard seeds and ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional). The first step is to cut the cabbage in wedges (remove the core) that will fit through the feed tube of your food processor. I have made these vegetables by hand with a good sharp chef’s knife, so that can be done if you’d rather. You’ll want the size of the vegetables to be comfortable to chew. Then peel the carrots and daikon & get all your spices together. Use your largest bowl to put everything in because you’ll want to add the vegetables in stages. All the cabbage first, then all the daikon, then all the carrots and finish with the spices.
Now, this part is important….put about half of a quarter wedge of cabbage in your food processor with the bottom blade in place. You need to finely chop a small amount of the cabbage first, which starts the fermentation process. The juices released from the finely chopped cabbage start the “science project” that starts the culture. Put the chopped cabbage in your bowl making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, remove the blade and add a slicing (julienne) blade for the rest of the veggies. Slice the cabbage by feeding it through the tube of your food processor…add it to the bowl. Use either a grating blade or the same slicing blade, cut up the carrots & daikon…add them to the cabbage and toss the vegetables together. Next, shake the spices over the top of vegetables and toss everything together to combine well.
Put the cultures in your glass jar and pack them in as tightly as you can because you want them to have minimal air space. Top the cultures with those whole pieces of cabbage you held onto filling the space well and put the jar in a pantry closet (in the dark) for three days. You’ll start to notice a slight smell from the jar but don’t be concerned, that’s supposed to happen. The cultures will keep in your refrigerator for up to two months. These vegetables are a great breakfast or lunch with a squirt of Braggs (liquid amino acids), some toasted pumpkin seeds and a fried egg on top. Don’t be afraid to experiment with these…I’m telling you, your intestines will be very happy!
JaneEllen Sexton is an Intuitive Life Coach and freelance chef specializing in Spiritual empowerment with a focus on personal accountability.
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