Candida Albicans

Hello,

In recent months there have been many articles about the link M.E has with gut health. As I have intolerances to many foods I started to pay attention. In my early twenties, I visited a Kinesiologist to help with various, non-M.E. related health issues. She immediately said I had Candida and put me on a very strict, short-term, diet to eradicate Candida from my body.She explained Candida Albicans to me as a sort of candy floss that spreads like wildfire within the body clogging up bodily systems and stopping the body from functioning correctly. Weight fell off very quickly and my health issues cleared up. I am a convert. However, such a strict diet is impossible to stick to at the best of times, let alone when I was a student with no money! Vitamins and probiotics are not good for those on a tight budget.

I have attached a link to the Candida diet information. Mine wasn't as strict as this but the concept is the same. http://www.thecandidadiet.com/

I had an endoscopy about 2 years ago, results were inconclusive but doctors said there was an

inflamed part of my colon that they couldn't explain. My decision to revamp my diet came about because my M.E. symptoms have been steadily worsening due to nearly a year of constant stress.

Candida Albicans

There is nothing I can do about the stress until my circumstances change and so I looked to gut health and diet to see if I can improve my symptoms.

I am not saying that a Candida diet will get rid of M.E. I am simply seeing for myself if improving my gut health reduces my symptoms. Any improvement would be welcome.

I stopped eating sugar initially. I had a horrific headache for the first 5 days. I was surprised because I don't eat a lot of processed food because of the intolerances I have and I don't drink tea/coffee with added sugar either. I also, like many sufferers, don't drink alcohol often. However, the sugar withdrawal made me feel dreadful. A bit of research showed me that this is 'normal' so I wasn't worried. Next I took a course of VSL3 - Uber strong probiotics for 10 days. My body was absolutely wiped out by this probiotic. I personally feel this is because it was causing changes in my body that my body needed energy to deal with. I started to feel slightly healthier by day 8.

At the end of the 10 days, I went onto Acidophilus probiotics and started the Candida diet I had been on years before. Candida 'die-off', when the Candida dies off and leaves toxins in your system, has made me feel rough for the past couple of weeks. I am planning on being on the diet for a while to see if my health improves. I feel I have to try SOMETHING.

Even if the diet doesn't help my M.E. I will be eating healthier by cutting my sugar intake and not eating processed food. I have already lost 8lbs in a fortnight. Less weight for my energy-lacking body to lug around! I am eating a lot before anyone says a strict diet means I am not getting energy/fuel from food. I simply eat seeds for snacks instead of chocolate and am eating veg by the bucket load. I think it may take about a month for my body to settle down into some kind of routine. I am hoping that my settled body will be slightly less frazzled and a bit healthier.

I wrote this blog to show that people with M.E. will try ANYTHING to see if symptoms improve. Healthcare providers don't help so we have to help ourselves.

Love,

Sally
(and Foggy OBVIOUSLY)
xxx