The last week has been a rough one around here for us. Jeremy started his anti-candida medicine and so has been feeling very foggy, tired, and easily run down from the die-off reaction. Today will be his first day at the full strength dose. The course of treatment lasts for three months but hopefully a week or two from now he won't hardly notice any ill effects from taking it once the initial die-off finishes at this strength.
I've been having trouble with him taking the medicine. Odd as it sounds, it seems to be triggering MCS problems for me - likely from the toxins he's expelling when he breathes. I do better when we are not in the tent together. Even with the windows and door open 24/7 there isn't enough air exchange to clear out what he puts out.
On top of all this, we had some solvents from the neighbors roll through briefly a few days ago though thankfully nothing as strong as they normally do. All in all, a hard MCS week.
<img src="http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1987/cutepuppyface1.jpg" alt="sad puppy" />
<strong>I was a sad puppy this week.</strong>
All of which seems to have left me in a real funk of a mood. The last few days I have felt like I haven't the energy to be anything but down, happy is just more than I could muster. Its been very frustrating because I've done so well the last several months. Then last night we hit on exactly what I need to feel a whole lot better.
Chocolate.
Yes, the food of gods is exactly what I needed to pick me back up again, albeit a temporary effect of a few hours. We mixed some organic cacao powder (chocolate comes from cacao beans) with a good amount of heated coconut milk for a very delicious cup of hot chocolate. The coconut milk sweetens the otherwise bitter cacao powder and also provides a lovely rich and creamy texture.
<img src="http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/94/cacaotreewithredfruit.jpg" alt="cacao pods on plant" />
<strong>Cacao fruit on the cacao tree.</strong>
Chocolate is well known for its mood enhancing properties. It alters brain chemistry through boosting serotonin levels, and low serotonin is something I've come to learn over the years is the cause for many of my funks. Getting a boost in this area certainly has a very positive effect and seems to help get my chemistry out of the rut it finds and back in line much sooner than if left on its own.
The coconut milk while providing a good base for the cacao powder, also helps to serve in boosting mood by providing an influx of fat and some natural sugars. These give my brain some extra power to run off because it seems one drawback I'm finding to this lower carb paleo approach is that when plagued with MCS I tend to need more carbohydrates to burn than otherwise is the case.
<img src="http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/121/chocolatefaqs3main.jpg" alt="inside of the cacao pod" />
<strong>Inside of a cacao fruit pod- the beans where chocolate comes from.</strong>
I've boosted my carb intake today with extra veggies and will likely have another cup of hot cocoa later. Feeling so much better already, just needed some easy fuel.
I have been coming to the conclusion that the detox pathway that uses glucose to help turn toxins to harmless substances passed out of the body, often times when it is stressed (like with Jeremy's toxin expelling from candida die-off) I tend to have troubles if I do not up my carbohydrates. It burns too much of my easier fuel, which apparently this time was stuff I've been needing to keep my brain chemistry inline. Life gets much better if I simply eat more of the right stuff.
My friend Grant summed it up well this afternoon upon hearing of my chocolate loving improvements when he said it was fuel for happiness! I also like to think of it as 'better living through chemistry' but that's me just showing my true nerdy roots.
<img src="http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/4006/cacaofruitbeans.jpg" alt="bag of cacao beans and pod" />
<strong>Bag of cacao beans and fruit pod.</strong>
I've been having trouble with him taking the medicine. Odd as it sounds, it seems to be triggering MCS problems for me - likely from the toxins he's expelling when he breathes. I do better when we are not in the tent together. Even with the windows and door open 24/7 there isn't enough air exchange to clear out what he puts out.
On top of all this, we had some solvents from the neighbors roll through briefly a few days ago though thankfully nothing as strong as they normally do. All in all, a hard MCS week.
<img src="http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1987/cutepuppyface1.jpg" alt="sad puppy" />
<strong>I was a sad puppy this week.</strong>
All of which seems to have left me in a real funk of a mood. The last few days I have felt like I haven't the energy to be anything but down, happy is just more than I could muster. Its been very frustrating because I've done so well the last several months. Then last night we hit on exactly what I need to feel a whole lot better.
Chocolate.
Yes, the food of gods is exactly what I needed to pick me back up again, albeit a temporary effect of a few hours. We mixed some organic cacao powder (chocolate comes from cacao beans) with a good amount of heated coconut milk for a very delicious cup of hot chocolate. The coconut milk sweetens the otherwise bitter cacao powder and also provides a lovely rich and creamy texture.
<img src="http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/94/cacaotreewithredfruit.jpg" alt="cacao pods on plant" />
<strong>Cacao fruit on the cacao tree.</strong>
Chocolate is well known for its mood enhancing properties. It alters brain chemistry through boosting serotonin levels, and low serotonin is something I've come to learn over the years is the cause for many of my funks. Getting a boost in this area certainly has a very positive effect and seems to help get my chemistry out of the rut it finds and back in line much sooner than if left on its own.
The coconut milk while providing a good base for the cacao powder, also helps to serve in boosting mood by providing an influx of fat and some natural sugars. These give my brain some extra power to run off because it seems one drawback I'm finding to this lower carb paleo approach is that when plagued with MCS I tend to need more carbohydrates to burn than otherwise is the case.
<img src="http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/121/chocolatefaqs3main.jpg" alt="inside of the cacao pod" />
<strong>Inside of a cacao fruit pod- the beans where chocolate comes from.</strong>
I've boosted my carb intake today with extra veggies and will likely have another cup of hot cocoa later. Feeling so much better already, just needed some easy fuel.
I have been coming to the conclusion that the detox pathway that uses glucose to help turn toxins to harmless substances passed out of the body, often times when it is stressed (like with Jeremy's toxin expelling from candida die-off) I tend to have troubles if I do not up my carbohydrates. It burns too much of my easier fuel, which apparently this time was stuff I've been needing to keep my brain chemistry inline. Life gets much better if I simply eat more of the right stuff.
My friend Grant summed it up well this afternoon upon hearing of my chocolate loving improvements when he said it was fuel for happiness! I also like to think of it as 'better living through chemistry' but that's me just showing my true nerdy roots.
<img src="http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/4006/cacaofruitbeans.jpg" alt="bag of cacao beans and pod" />
<strong>Bag of cacao beans and fruit pod.</strong>
