Q:
I have recently lost 15 pounds due to candida, hypoglycemia, adrenal fatigue Every time I eat ANY sugar I get completely exhausted within minutes and it feels like my blood  sugar plummets. I have been eating brown rice and chicken okay however. Has anyone here had this ultra quick reaction to sugar which is very scary?

I did not lose the weight on purpose though I need to lose about 50 pounds. I have had panic attacks waking me from my sleep and I think my adrenal glands are shot. I actually licked a sucker only about 4 times and within minutes felt like I was going to pass out. I have no idea what to eat except for meat and some complex carbs. This is scary for me indeed.

A:
I used to have terrible panic attacks and anxiety. About a year and a half ago I read this book called The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. It is about how to get rid of anxiety, depression and panic attacks using natural methods. It totally changed my life, and the concepts go well with this plan. Since I completely gave up sugar 3 months ago, I have had zero anxiety and no panic attacks at all which is shocking because I have suffered with this for 20 years. Up until I gave up sugar 3 months ago, I have had some level of anxiety every single day, even when on vacation and even when things were going really great.

Meat and vegetables and healthy fats are probably best for you now.
You should also get some Virgin Coconut oil and take at least a teaspoon with each meal. It keeps your blood sugar stable which helps prevent anxiety and panic. Fish oil is really good too. I take Carlson’s liquid. I like it because it is completely flavorless and because it is a liquid it is easy to take a high dose without taking a million pills.

If you feel like you must have sugar, get some Stevia. It has no carbs or calories and does not elevate your blood sugar whatsoever.
The brand I use is Stevia Canada and has no bitter aftertaste like most of them in the US.

Q:
I want to do a meat fast over the weekend. I really want this monthto be a big weight loss month and I want to get off to the right start.
What exactly do I do?

A:
The nice thing about meat fasting is that you don’t usually have any rebound weight gain, like with a regular fast. The bad thing about it is that it can give you some very serious candida die-off. I don’t recommend you do it unless you’ve been on MOVES at least 2-4 weeks.

I just want to make sure you are aware that you may experience nausea, headache or worse from the die-off toxins. You will probably also experience loss of appetite, but you should force yourself to eat all of your food.

To do a meat fast, start with calculating your calories. Multiply your current weight by 10 minimum to 12 max. So for example if you weigh 200, your calories would be 2000-2400, which ever will make you full.

Next get your protein gram calculation by dividing your weight in half. So if you weigh 250, protein grams would be 125. Increase by 10-20 grams if you lift weights or are pretty active. This is not a super scientific way of doing the calculation, but the way that I know that is more accurate involves knowing your body fat percentage and lean body mass, which I’m not sure if you know or not.

OK, now pick a meat you are going to eat, and it’s best if it’s fatty. Say ground beef or chuck roast.
Then add the amount into fitday until you hit your protein grams. If you need more calories still, add fat into protein until you hit your calorie benchmark.

Coconut oil is your best bet for additional calories as it boosts the immune system and metabolism as well.
Then just cook up your meat and oil, and eat only that as long as you can stand it.

I wanted to talk a bit about food and values, and doing a cost benefit analysis. Many people can see that the diet we recommend makes sense scientifically, but struggle actually following it. I know I sure did for a long time. I wanted to talk a bit about the shifts that I had in being able to eat this way consistently.

The diet information is pretty irrelevant if you don’t follow it because of personal challenges. Most people have several personal challenges, like food addiction, cravings, emotional eating, boredom with food, too much value on food, the wrong technical information and more.

Each person has to work on those challenges, and even “tweaking” the diet we recommend for themselves, and therein lies the challenge. I had mentors to guide me, and looked to others who were successful to see what behaviors to mimic.

I read lots of books, shared on newsgroups, did a lot of self-reflection. Simply put, there is no magic answer, it’s just a lot of hard work and some creative solutions. I had to figure out how to change my values with food, to change my attitude, to put my food as a priority, to really face how if I fell off the wagon, how hard it would be to get back on and
more.

I had to realize that there was no “end” where I would be able to eat pizza and ice cream and maintain my weight and health. I had to accept that I have to eat the way I do for life. The physical and emotional go hand and hand.

If you avoid the “alcoholic foods” (the ones that just make you want more and more) completely, then you are really able to have a physical peace with food. The diet we recommend will likely give you that peace.

Then there is the emotional and behavioral aspect of it. I find that if I deviate, I get cravings big time, and I really get set back, and I lose the peace I normally have. To avoid that, I have to always have my food cooked and ready to go, so I always have something appropriate to eat.

Many people hate this aspect, having to plan things out. But when you really get that just a little preparation makes everything easier, and puts your mind at ease about being able to stay eating the way you know works for you, it really helps.

Then there are lots of situations where it is really tempting to give yourself excuses to eat off plan, like parties, holidays, birthdays, etc. I look at this like I am an alcoholic with certain foods. Just like an alcoholic, I abstain from certain foods completely.

Just like a recovered alcoholic, there are no breaks, no holidays, no excuses. I have not cheated on my diet in almost 3 years. Not even a taste or a bite or a lick. Because I know, and have FULLY accepted that I can never have just a bite.

Just a bite will always lead to a binge, I’ve proved that over and over to myself. Just like an alcoholic can’t have just a drink. But many people will set themselves up over and over again with this scenario.

Oh I’m just going to have a little chocolate. Oops, I ate the whole bag. Well I am so ashamed of myself.
But you know it’s only XX number of rewards points, or I’ll exercise more next week, or I didn’t gain weight, or I don’t feel that bad, or it was my birthday, or <insert other reasoning here>.

Then the same thing happens over and over again..
lather, rinse, repeat.

I know, because I did this dance myself for a long time. Until my mentor really showed me, got me to take a good long hard ugly look at my self destructive pattern, and showed me how beautiful it was to stop that dance.

How I could make consistent good choices, see consistent good results, and get off the emotional roller coaster with food for good. I can still remember my own dance with those foods. Oh I’m just going to have one piece of chocolate.

It’s low carb, it’s not that bad. I am PMSing, and I really need chocolate. Chocolate is not that bad for me. Oops, I ate the whole box. Well, I’ll just do better next week, can’t beat myself up over this.

So yes, I have never been perfect, will never be perfect, and have danced the dance with food. I’m just done being in denial over my issues with food. I’m done expecting it to make me feel better when it never does.

I’m done trying to have a party in my mouth because I’m bored because I’m too fat and sick to have a real life. I’m done feeling guilty because I ate too much or I made bad choices with my food.

So what does it take to have lasting success with this IMO?
The right candida diet that is going to take away your cravings and your health issues and give you good results.

Combined with being *done* with your expectations and values with food, and having consistent behavior with food that is devoid of backslides the vast majority of the time.

When you realize and understand and accept that chocolate (or other unhealthy food) is only going to be enjoyable for a few minutes, but that the emotional and physical impact of that choice (guilt, weight gain, getting sicker etc.) are going to last days, weeks, or longer, then making good choices consistently is going to be a lot easier.

Food is for fuel, to make your body healthy. Not for entertainment, soothing, socializing, etc. It does not do the things we want it to do, as much as we wish it did. Do your own cost benefit analysis of food and you’ll probably see what I’m trying to say.

Q: Don’t we need to have antioxidants to improve the immune system? I feel like all I am hearing in the candida diet section is saturated fat, saturated fat, saturated fat. What about antioxidants? If we are not eating fruit or berries and we are not supposed to eat a lot of vegetables, how are we supposed to get enough? I thought these were supposed to be great for the immune system? I understand that the fats in omega 3 fish and olive oil are healthy, but I am just finding it hard to believe that the fat in butter and red meat can actually be healthy. I am sure it is, but it is just so hard to believe. Also, there was this naturopathic doctor who was really big on coconut oil and he died suddenly of a stroke at a young age. I just have to wonder whether or not it was from all the coconut oil. How can I be absolutely sure that all of this saturated fat is really good for me. I would really hate to go on believing this and then drop dead in a few months of a heart attack.

A:
Antioxidants are CRUCIAL to the immune system. Vitamins C and E really help to keep us (or get us) healthy. Saturated fats play a huge role too though. You can’t have one without the other.

And lets define “a lot” here when we’re talking about veggies. There were times when I’d eat several pounds of veggies a day because I thought I needed all that to be “healthy”. My antioxidant nutrient values were quite high when I did this, but like I said, I could easily eat 3lbs of veggies in one day, and that only added up to about 70-80 carbs.

If you choose nutrient-dense veggies and you supplement well, you’re getting superior nutrition and not just adequate nutrition. How many of us ate that many veggies and fruits in a day before we tried to be healthy? Most of us didn’t. Most of us had a diet based on grain/legumes/unhealthy fats with the occasional pieces of fruit and servings of veggies thrown in for color. So even eating “not a lot of veggies” on MOVES still has a lot of us better off than we were when we were much sicker.

And with respect to fruit, we do allow some “fruits” like tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers. And of course there’s lemon and lime for those who can tolerate it. While some foods are higher in certain enzymes than others, you can have a perfectly varied and nutrient-dense diet if you limit your foods to the ones we recommend.

It IS hard to believe that fat consumption is necessary, because we’ve been conditioned by this whole “low-fat” thing that started in the late 70s. Did you know that the incidence of heart disease has gone up significantly as we’ve reduced our fat intake?

Bruce Fife, N.D. is considered one of the most prominant experts on saturated fats and coconut oil, and I haven’t found anything saying that he died. And remember that a lot of things can cause a stroke that have NOTHING to do with how you eat (even if someone DID eat coconut oil and then died from a stroke.) This sounds like some kind of urband legend to me — the same kind that was stirred up when Dr. Atkins died. (He fell on ice, hit his head, and ended up dying 10 or 11 days later, but the people who wanted to discredit him said he died of a heart attack and he was
“obese”. He wasn’t even overweight when he went into the hospital after his fall, but he gained something like 50lbs from fluid in those 11 days of his coma before he died.)

My results speak for themselves. My cholesterol looks great, my blood pressure is perfect, and I’m losing weight. Best of all, my Candida symptoms are improving every day. No doctor in their right might would argue with the results (even if they can’t wrap their minds around HOW I got them.)

I’ve done enough research over the past 10 years and I’m quite confident in the way I eat. It’s hard to sort out the brilliance from the BS sometimes though, and I understand. The initial leap of faith was tough, but when I started digging and finding information that appealed to my scientific nature, the information was impossible to ignore. It’s a
learning process though. I learn EVERY day.

There are a lot of things that are great for the immune system. Things like lauric acid, found in coconut oil, and garlic, are also great for the immune system. Antioxidants are also found in meats.

I have read in the ‘Harvard Health Letter,’ Vol 32, #11, Sept 2007 the following (brief):

There are four varieties of saturated fat in our diet:
lauric acid
myristic acid
palmitic acid
stearic acid

Their effect on LDL cholesterol levels varies, so among the saturated fats, there are degrees of bad. Stearic acid seems to be the least bad because it’s rather quickly converted into a healthful monosaturated fat & doesn’t increase LDL levels very much, if at all. THAT’S GOOD NEWS FOR STEAK LOVERS: Half of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid.

There’s a great chart in the newsletter showing the specific types & percentages of fat in common oils & fats: saturated, trans, monosaturated, & polyunsaturated fats.

From the looks of the chart, coconut oil doesn’t appear to be a good option over other oils like canola, olive, safflower, & sunflower oil.

Here’s an interesting twist:
The tropical oils in small amounts are okay, & they’re certainly an improvement over trans fat. Americans were scared away from them because of their saturated fat content. But REMARKABLY, COCONUT Oil & OLIVE OIL HAVE SIMILAR EFFECTS ON THE RATIO OF LDL TO HDL.

(This isn’t so bad either–When it comes to chicken, go ahead & leave the skin on. Because of the polyunsaturated fat content, says Dr. Willett, ‘a little bit of chicken fat isn’t such a bad thing.’ Besides, he says, ‘cooking chicken with the skin on makes it taste a lot better.’

I’ve just been back to see my GP to get the prescription for the Anoheal (diltiazem). He said further to my call yesterday, the pharmacy had been trying to get hold of some and couldn’t get any locally so they had to do a special order direct from the suppliers which could take a while to be delivered. He said they don’t normally prescribe this because it is more expensive than GTN (nitro) but are willing to in my case because of my small children etc etc. Has anyone else been told it is more expensive? how does the diltiazem work in comparison to the GTN?

A:
Diltiazem is a calcium channel blocker, Nitro is a vasodilator. I would call around and compare prices- availability and not rely on the doctor or pharmacy especially if you need it now.

I had LIS in october and my fissure finally healed but the area still can be tender at times.
I tried the diltiazem and I find it burns and irritates the most. I’ve used nirto and nifedipine and I think the nifedipine is the least irritating and works the best but that’s just my opinion.
I had other issues besides the fissure, scar tissue from an old hemorrhoid surgery and ibs and some pelvic floor problems so I think the area where the fissure was and some of the old skin tags stay tender for quite a while. The only thing that seems to help me when things do get tender are sitz baths. Of course eating more fiber and keeping bms strain free are a must. If the diltiazem is irritating you tell your doctor and see if you can try something else.
If you have a health food store close by try pure aloe vera, you have to store it in the fridge but that’s even better. It feels cool and soothes the irritated skin.

I’ve been dealing with this ass demon for almost 2 yrs and I also noticed that my intimacy has been subpar at best. Sometimes I felt like I had ED, but I thought the cause was due to aging (40yr old). I didn’t have ED before AF. Now my questions to you anal sufferers are as follows: Do you have the same condition as mine? Would taking the blue pills promote healing of the anal fissure?

A:
The pain and discomfort from my butt problems has certainly affected the libido and has from time to time seen ED rearing its ugly head!

However, many health problems have the potential to affect the little fellow’s ability and performance . You should speak with a doctor to ensure there isn’t any other health problem that could be the root cause of the erectile dysfunction e.g. kidney, heart problems, vascular disease, etc.

It is important to be checked out by a doctor to ensure the blue pill isn’t going to cause you any problems.

The doctor has seen this all before and should be reassuring that a normal life can be resumed! Don’t allow any embarassment put you off going along to one. Goodness, if you’ve been along with the AF to a doctor then you should hopefully be through the embarassment stage with any doctor and “down there” problems.

I have now been dealing with this fissure issue since September 08.
Although I think that I have healed(to be confirmed with my sigmoidoscopy coming up)it still gets sore at the site when I sit for extended periods of time and I still get tailbone spasms from time to time but this is usually later on in the day, again if I have been sitting for long periods of time.
How long before these residual annoyances subside and I can feel normal again(relatively speaking)?

A:
I had my fissure for about a year.
I too thought I was healing and almost canceled my LIS surgery twice but thank god I didn’t back out. I had the surgery and when I woke up the CRS told me my fissure was very big and deep, it was highly unlikely it would have healed on it’s own.
The reason I was experiencing less pain was because I kept my stools relatively soft and easy to move. I can’t tell you how many things go through your mind when you decide to have surgery.
First and foremost the incontinence issue sticks in your mind. I had tried everything else first though, I did all the ointments, I had the colonoscopy and that tore the fissure a little more (but they told me up front that might happen).
My doctor didn’t recommend botox for me because it was only temporary and because I’ve had spasms for a long time and the sphincter was very tight.
The chance of retearing was greater. As for the sensitivity of the area, it remains.
I don’t have the terrible pain of the fissure but if I have too many bms in a row the area where the fissure was gets a little irritated. If you don’t clean thoroughly after a bm (because of the skin tags) that can irritate it too.
I can tell you the one thing that sticks with you after an experience with a fissure is the thought that it could happen again. That fear remains. I’m hoping in time it will go away, but it’s hard to forget being in pain for almost a year.

I’ve been dealing with a fissure for almost 11 months now. i just had some suergery to remove a skin tag that formed above a fissure. my dr. cleaned my fissure out and stiched it together to help it heal. don’t know if that’ll work but he’s been suggesting LIS since I’ve had it for so long. my biggest concern is the incontinence that occurs after the procedure. has anyone had the LIS procedure done and has had a major problem with incontinence?? He’s also suggested alternative treatments like botox but seems like people who’ve had botox treatments on this board had it come back. this thing has taken over my life and just want it to go away. words of experience after LIS will be be appreciated.

A:
Most LIS procedures today will not cause incontinence. In the “olde days” they cut the entire length of the muscle so you would be incontinent. They now only cut a portion so you still have some muscle to hold the poopies.

Botox has worked for some. It is always worth a try, but it only works for a few months, then you need another shot if you haven’t healed.

Have you tried any ofo the topicals? Talk to your doc about getting Nifedipine that may help you too.

I’m surprised your doctor removed your skin tag with an active fissure. The tag is formed by the fissure to protect it. My doctor said he wouldn’t remove a skin tag unless the fissure was healed because the chance it will grow back is pretty good.

I had LIS and an injection of some kind of steroid into the fissure and it healed in about 8 weeks.
The LIS relaxes the sphincter muscle so things can heal down there. It doesn’t treat any other bowel problem though. I was very afraid of incontinence but my CRS told me the chance of that was very low.
Sometimes people experience a little loss of control when they have gas and that usually goes away in a few weeks. I had my fissure for about a year and just couldn’t stand the pain anymore so I chose the surgery. The area remains tender for a long time but it’s nothing like the pain of a fissure. I wish I hadn’t been so afraid to begin with and had the surgery sooner but it’s a scary decision to make. Just remember even after the surgery it’s important to keep your stools soft and strain free. We all have our own methods for doing that, some take benefiber or MOM or miralax and eat higher fiber diets. If you need some
suggestions just ask.

I have had my fissure for 24 yrs. The pain and discomfort is ridiculous but I am under specialist care at the hospital.
I recently had a bad flare up with extreme pain, bleeding and spasm. I was so desperate for relief I would have tried anything. I used a calendula officinalis poultice (marigold flowerpetals) externally and managed to get some sleep. I found it really worked for me, it brought down the inflammation and relieved the pain. I have also been using the infusion to clean myself after a bm and it is really making a difference, its still sore but its vastly improved and its early days. I recommend trying this (it doesnt interfere with any meds)

 I’ve been dealing with reoccuring rectal rashes and I mentioned this to my doctor. She thought it might be from using moist wipes or dampened toilet paper. Now I’m not sure what to use because dry TP is too harsh on my skin. Did you have experience with moist wipes causing rashes and, if so, what do you use instead?

A:

Have you tried different brands of wipes? Or of TP? (I only use Charmin soft)
Are you using ones that don’t have alcolhol in them?
Do you pat dry or use hair dryer to dry off after wipes or wet TP?
Do you apply anything after wiping? Like lanolin or vaseline? Are you using any prescription creams?
Did you discuss possible causes such as yeast issues?
Try sticking to one brand of tp and wet it for a month and see if anything changes.
If no changes, try wipes – the same brand- for a month.

I used to use wipes a few years ago, but I didn’t like using chemicals.
So I use a spray bottle to moisten TP with water now. I use Charmin soft TP. I occasionally use zinc oxide or yeast creams after, but that’s when I feel the rash flare up. It occurs after BMs and after sitting.

The problem can be even not related to the wipes themselves – it’s just that you need to dry the area after you use them. I just use a hair dryer set on low. It’s fast, easy and dries the area really good.