photo by Jill Clardy
“Money is the most envied, but the least enjoyed. Health is the most enjoyed, but the least envied.”
- Charles Caleb Colton
A few years ago I embarked on a journey to health and wellness – it all started with a gradual deterioration in health that I experienced back in 2007, which I later discovered was Candida infection. Ultimately though it left me in search of health and opportunities for growth. And gave me knowledge I would like to share…
What I have achieved within 6 months
I’m now symptom free, that means:
- I no longer have to follow the Candida diet rules
- I don’t have to take anti-fungals and probiotics anymore
- My skin problems and fatigue disappeared
- I got rid of the frequent mood swings and can now think more clearly
In fact, once I chose the right treatment strategy, I was able to overcome my Candida infection in only six months, largely by applying a variety of self help coping tips presented on this blog.
My Candida story
My story begins in 2007. I had spent the year generally unwell – I lost 30 pounds, was extremely tired and weak, and had headaches almost every day. Within a couple of months unexplainable digestive problems, anxiety, and other symptoms followed. As my problems increased in duration and severity, I saw a series of family practitioners and internists but although they were mostly sympathetic and I went through many tests (health care in the Czech Republic is free), they could find nothing wrong with me.
I’ve never experienced this combination of simptoms in my entire life and at first, I didn’t handle it very well. My problems went on for about 2 years and I might have remained feeling that way to this day if I hadn’t stumbled upon one website about Candida. It was a shameless advertisement but it helped me uncover the truth about my condition nevertheless. It described exactly how I had been feeling for years , and even told me what I could begin to do about it. At last a ray of light in what seemed like the darkest time of my life.
My treatment regimen and products I used
I then began reading everything I could on Candida and alternative therapies. It soon became clear as to why I had it. High sugar diet, sudden loss of my closest friends, and attending to a demanding school, all compounded by antibiotics. I finally managed to discover what triggered my Candida infection.
I then went online and ordered several supplements to deal with my symptoms. Because I’ve had a number of emails from people asking what products I used, I decided to list them here:
Anti-fungals
- Gse Liquid Concentrate
- Caprylic Acid
– combined with psyllium
- Oil Of Oregano
- Garlic – fresh or in tablet form
Probiotics
Miscellaneous
(Just note that I didn’t buy them all at once – these supplements were used throughout my treatment. Also, these products are listed in no particular order.)
I started on the anti-candida diet and anti-fungal program combined with probiotics immediately after the products arrived and it was just as if someone waived a magic wand over me. Some symptoms (silly cough, pressure on top of my head and rashes that I experienced almost every day for two years) have literally vanished overnight, others (bloating and fatigue) took several weeks.
Six months later I’m calmer, happier, and have the energy and mental clarity to tackle whatever comes my way. A wonderful side benefit of Candida treatment is that my sugar addiction is gone and I’m able to get by with less sleep. I used to need at least 9-10 hours of sleep per night to feel rested, but now I function well on about 6.5 hours.
The supplements I bought, together with dietary and lifestyle changes, have allowed me to maintain a healthy balance for several months now. In retrospect, Candida infection ultimately ruined two entire years of my life and I still have problems getting my head around this. On the other hand, I can see now that it was a time of discovery and learning for me – think positively, keep going against all the odds and never give up.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
You say which antifungals you used, but I’m more curious about if you used only one at a time and how long before you rotated?
I used only one antifungal at a time and gradually increased my antifungal dosage to avoid unwanted die off reactions.
As for the rotation schedule, I rotated the grapefruit seed extract with the oil of oregano on a two week rotation. After I discovered Caproil (liquid caprylic acid) I was taking gse & oil of oregano for a month and the next month Caproil mixed with water and psyllium.