Just Shoot Me Now
After ten years of unexplained extreme fatigue, joint inflammation, sleep disruption (among other issues), I finally found a Western doctor who thinks he can help me. After analyzing the results of the 30 blood tests he ordered, he diagnosed me as having a low thyroid and a candida problem. I won't bore you with the specifics, but if you want to learn more about candida, click here.
So now I'm on a ton of supplements and have to follow a strict anti-candida diet, which makes the Weight Watchers seem like sheer gluttony. No caffeine, no alcohol, no simple carbs, no fruit for the first few weeks, no sugar or artificial sweeteners (though stevia is ok), and no dairy except for plain yogurt containing probiotics. I wanted to say, "Just shoot me now and put me out of my misery," but I am willing to stick to this diet if it's going to help me feel better.
As a result, I am having to be a bit more creative than usual at meal time. I am trying to look at it as a fun challenge, my personal Top Chef episode. Can I come up with a tasty meal using a limited list of ingredients?
Breakfast time seems the most daunting. No coffee--of course I like mine doused with half and half and raw sugar--and no bread, no fruit, even! Sadly, I can't have oatmeal, either, which has been my go-to morning meal of late. Only the following non-glutinous grains are ok to eat: buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, wild and brown rice.
I love quinoa, so that was the first thing I tried to find a breakfast recipe for.
Warm and Nutty Cinammon Quinoa
Ingredients:
1 cup organic 1% low fat milk
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, (hs note: rinse quinoa)
2 cups fresh blackberries, organic preferred
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar, such as Madhava brand
Directions:
Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.
Serves 4.
*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Recipe credit: Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, via 101cookbooks.com
Photo credit, Quinoa: 101cookbooks.com
Of course once I altered this recipe to anti-candida specs, all I was left with was quinoa, cinnamon, and water, but I am looking forward to trying it in it's full glory in a few months. I'd have to say I prefer quinoa savory rather than sweet, though.
Next, I opted for amaranth, which I had never even heard of.
Amaranth for Breakfast
1/2 cup amaranth
1 cup water
6 tablespoons coconut milk
2 tablespoons honey or 2 tablespoons agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
1. Cook the amaranth (this may be done the night before): Mix the water and amaranth in a saucepan and heat to boiling.
2. Turn heat to low, and let simmer for 20-25 minute Most of the water should be absorbed. Take care at the end of the cooking time, because it may get too dry and burn. You should still see the individual grains of amaranth, although they will stick together a little. Overcooking will turn the amaranth to mush.
3. Cooked amaranth will keep in the refrigerator overnight, if necessary.
4. In the morning, reheat the amaranth in the microwave, if necessary. Drizzle the amaranth with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon, and pour the coconut milk on top.
Recipe credit: Miss Linguist on Food.com
Photo credit, Amaranth: StellaCadente*
Now, of course, I couldn't use most of the condiments in this recipe, either, so what I was left with was pretty much amaranth and stevia. The first time I cooked it, I don't think I cooked it enough--it was a bit crunchy. The second time I cooked it, I let it go for about 40 minutes. It was softer, but also soupier, and had a glue-like texture with a hint of Cream of Wheat taste. At this point, I can't say I'm a fan, but I am sure it would taste better with that coconut milk and honey on top. Even a little fruit. That way, you wouldn't taste the amaranth at all.
Millet is the actual seed they use in bird seed, so I think I will hold off on that one for now. I think I'll try buckwheat next. It seems like the closest thing to steel-cut oats--at least visually.
If anyone has a breakfast recipe friendly to my anti-candida diet, I'd love to hear from you.
--StellaCadente*
Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista
marco on February 17, 2011 at 01:18 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candida_(fungus)#Alternative_medicine_therapies
No studies have proved that having intestinal candidiasis causes any symptoms of illness.
To treat what they refer to as Candida, some alternative medicine practitioners have recommended avoiding antibiotics, birth control pills, and foods that are high in sugar or yeast, ostensibly to "eliminate excess yeast" in the body. However, there is little clinically valid evidence that these "candida cleanse" treatments treat intestinal candidiasis effectively, or cure any of the symptoms claimed by the proponents of the hypothesis.
StellaCadente* on February 17, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Hi Marco, I have read that, but I have also had these symptoms for ten years. The only time I have noticed any marked improvement in ten years is when I significantly restricted my diet. So I am willing to try it again. At the time I thought it was a fluke, but looking back on it, I am not so sure.
StellaCadente* on February 17, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Also, my doctor is not a naturopath. He is an MD.
StellaCadente* on February 17, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Also, my doctor is not a naturopath. He is an MD.
Pet Meds on February 17, 2011 at 07:39 PM
These all recipes which you can share is really very good to know about it. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes.
HopeSew on February 17, 2011 at 09:01 PM
Bacon & eggs, breakfast of champions. Put a salad on the side for fiber.
Experiment with some smoothies that use avocado, raw nuts, and veggies (not necessarily all at once).
You may also want to find a probiotic supplement to help the process of fixing the balance in your digestive system. Yogurt is kind of a slow way to get it if you're already sick. Be careful of any thyroid treatment; it can be very tricky to find the right dosage if you have to take medicine. If your condition isn't life-threatening, maybe you can put off thyroid treatment until after you've used your new diet for awhile? It might fix itself.
Sorry to hear you're not well. It's good that you finally got a diagnosis though. Hope you'll recover quickly.
J.T. Wenting on February 18, 2011 at 01:31 AM
Just because the whole candida thing may be a scam (or misrepresentation of other things), doesn't mean the diet they propose is bad or that it won't help with at least some of the symptoms presented.
It just means that it works in different ways from what they claim it does :)
Moving from a diet high in processed carbohydrates to one high in natural fibers and proteins is always a good idea, and can indeed cause your body chemistry to change in such a way that you feel a lot better.
I've been looking a lot at curing the same symptoms presented here (chronic fatigue, weight gain on a diet that would have most people loose weight, arthritis like pains, etc.), and it's certainly worth a try adopting some of the things they recommend to see how and if it does anything.
I'm wary of any "detox" treatment though, especially if not prescribed and administered under active medical supervision, as most of those tend to leech the body of a lot of things it does need as well (vital minerals especially, sometimes vitamins too).
If the diet works as advertised, just following that should cause the toxins to leech out of the body over time as they get removed faster than they are replaced. It just takes longer.
Elena on February 18, 2011 at 08:06 AM
I read your column in amazon daily yesterday and decided to find a way to post.
Your story reminded me where I was couple of years back when a doctor suggest I do candida diet. It was painful to switch, but I am still on a modified diet 5 years later! Though, all my symptoms got worse over the years. It sounds like you might have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). That's what I was eventually diagnosed with. I am not sure if you looked into that...
But yes, get some probiotics to take as they are so much better than yogurt. B12 shots are really good for fatigue. Thyroid is tricky, make sure to do more testing to see for sure. But a lot of people with CFS have those underlying problems like thyroid and adrenals especially. So you might want to look into that as well.
I don't have any recipes to add s my diet is pretty strict. Everything is cooked with no sauces/spices/herbs, so it's all bland. I do lots of steaming :-(
Good luck!!!
StellaCadente* on February 18, 2011 at 01:03 PM
@HopeSew @J.T. Wenting @Elena: Thanks so much for your comments. @HopeSew, I have been eating a lot of eggs! Just need to mix it up a little. It's getting monotonous! I am taking a probiotic in addition to the yogurt @J.T. I don't care what it's called as long as this diet help me. @Elena, I am sorry to hear you've had some of the same challenges. I am working with a doctor very closely on thyroid, adrenals, etc. He's taking a pretty comprehensive approach, for which I am greatful. I am hopeful that I will be able to return to a somewhat "regular" diet down the line. But if I can't, and I am feeling good, so be it. Hang in there.
StellaCadente* on February 18, 2011 at 01:03 PM
@HopeSew @J.T. Wenting @Elena: Thanks so much for your comments. @HopeSew, I have been eating a lot of eggs! Just need to mix it up a little. It's getting monotonous! I am taking a probiotic in addition to the yogurt @J.T. I don't care what it's called as long as this diet help me. @Elena, I am sorry to hear you've had some of the same challenges. I am working with a doctor very closely on thyroid, adrenals, etc. He's taking a pretty comprehensive approach, for which I am greatful. I am hopeful that I will be able to return to a somewhat "regular" diet down the line. But if I can't, and I am feeling good, so be it. Hang in there.
marco on February 18, 2011 at 02:03 PM
@StellaCadente best of luck to you! Do what ever helps in your case.
I just felt that there should some scientific information to balance all the claims made in that thecandidadiet link.
Katie on April 11, 2011 at 05:14 PM
Hi Marco,
I don't have problems to this extent, but simple carbs were KILLING my stomach. I found a recipe that works as an alternative to oatmeal. You thin a bit of ricotta with water, then add an egg, stir until it is oddly enough the consistency of oatmeal and then add whatever you want -- nuts, fruit when you can have it again, cinnamon and anything else you like.
Good luck! These things are definitely hard.
nintendo 3ds pink on May 17, 2011 at 12:46 AM
I don’t wish to be everything to everyone, I would like to be something to someone--MJ.
4rx on January 17, 2012 at 11:16 PM
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It is indeed a good way to treat certain diseases. Warm and Nutty Cinammon Quinoa will surely cleanse the body giving you a healthy and fit body.
anti candida dijeta on January 22, 2012 at 12:39 PM
Great article full of usefull information. Thanks.
http://anticandidadijeta.blogspot.com
sangram234 on January 27, 2012 at 09:18 AM
Hi
I used Pure Vegan B12 spray.There is also a cheaper version that does not advertise vegan but says so on the label called Pure Advantage B12. The ingredients are identical.http://www.naturalhomeremedies.com/Pure-Vegan-Vitamin-B12-Methylcobalamin-Spray-1oz/productinfo/71001/