Deep South Remedies Helpful Information about changing your food in your diet to change your life.
As we get older our physical and mental health starts to have a different meaning to us all. Some of the people I have grown up with have children now, and are worrying about their children’s health, along with their own. Most people I know try to live and eat healthy but no one succeeds all the time. Life today is very busy for most people and to try and exercise and eat right has become really difficult. You have to be absolute and specifically carve out the time to do so to be really successful and to get into a routine. It seems if you are an active adult the children in your life will be pretty active too unless the television or newest game for entertainment is raising them for you.
After doing a lot of research about health, recipes, food and diet I have started realizing there might something more to all the new health issues such as the climbing rate of type II diabetes, and all of the new allergy symptoms. They may be be a reason behind this and it has been eyeopening to say the least. I learned a lot in Culinary School about food, health and about the importance of a sustainable food chain, and where our food comes from. My first couple of jobs did not have a very large salary attached to them and I was not able to afford very much so I skimped on my food purchases most of the time.
I have bought many different foods feeling like I was doing the right thing and switched to all natural foods for awhile, more than likely some still have GMO aka Genetically Modified Organism= A genetically modified organism is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques foods in there too. Over the past few years I have had more allergies some severe, and have had physical issues too. I have been fairly healthy most of my life but have noticed a difference over the past 3-5 years. Every time I have been to the doctor which is not that often because I am not very fond of paying, even with co-pay. Their solution has been antibiotics, or some type of steroids.
All of this has led me down a path of investigation and trying to find out why! I think I have always been pretty healthy for the most part. However I have a sweet-tooth that a candy store might have a hard time satiating. I feel that there is a reason for this too. I am not sure how many people are aware of Candida Fungus Candida is a genus of yeasts and is currently the most common cause of fungal infections worldwide. Basically what I have found out about the candida yeast is that it makes you crave sugar and cause many more problems that over time will really damage your body. It will more than likely lead you down a road to the possibility of diabetes, and having obesity issues with the possibility of many more.
GMOs on the other hand are a totally different subject too but it is directly affecting the health of Americans. The companies in charge of our food sources are trying to manipulate our food sources for many reasons. They are trying to control the yield to meet the supply and demand, to help with pests eating the crops, and then there is the whole patent issue for their seeds. One of the largest companies is Monsanto and they make round-up and are one of the largest seed manufactures in the wold. Do you really want the people making weed killer to be responsible for making your tomato plant. Think about that for a moment and let it set in before you start judging me, and many others for not wanting that so much. There are many people trying to put pressure on our government to make the labeling of GMO foods be stated on the label. Take a look at the boards for all of the companies that manufacture the seeds for the masses and look to see which former or current congressman/woman are on their board of directors. Every time there has been legislation to try and let the American people know what they are actually buying it has been shot down.
Same with the sugar issue. I have done much research on this but if you start doing your own it gets really scary. Look into how they got aspartame into the American diet. Study after study found that it cause tumors and cancer in laboratory rats time after time, and yet they eventually spent enough money to get it approved. I am sure there was much back door dealing and buying votes to get that one through, but they are laughing all the way to the bank. I used to be a smoker and that was the hardest thing I had to give up because the addiction was so strong. The same is happening with sugar. Candida yeast is basically “Bad Belly” in my terminology. You will have many issues in the long run once the “sugar hooks” are in. Some of the symptoms are of course sugar cravings like wanting ice cream, pasta, sodas, breads or anything high in carbs. The information below will be very helpful if you want to know how to get on the road to recovery from the candida beast/yeast.
Candida
Candida albicans is a fungus, which is present in everybody. It is found on the skin and mucous membranes. In small amounts it is harmless but when its growth increases drastically it can be devastating. The imbalance of excessive candida is called candidaisis. It is considered one of the most prevalent yet unrecognized conditions of modern man.
The candida fungus releases wastes into the bloodstream that have a profound effect on the nervous system and immune system. This creates a variety of symptoms, including such common complaints as: food cravings (for sweets, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, etc.), excessive allergies, diaper rash, vaginal infections, depression, food sensitivities, exhaustion, headaches, irritability, memory loss, obesity or excessive weight loss, gas and bloating, diarrhea or constipation, PMS, earaches, numbness, MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity), leaky gut and many others. Candida affects physical, mental and emotional well-being. Thinking becomes unclear and irrational and often is unnoticeable to the victim.
Candida may be one of the primary causes of ill health and obesity in the country today because it creates a downward health spiral. As it becomes prevalent in the body, a person craves carbohydrates and sweets, allowing it to thrive even further, thereby impeding the immune system and creating symptoms and excess weight. On and on it goes until the bodyβs immune system is weakened and symptoms are no longer tolerable. At this time, a physician is usually consulted and antibiotics might be prescribed which kill off more friendly intestinal bacteria that keeps fungi under control, allowing further candida proliferation. In this advanced stage, acute depression and suicidal tendencies may emerge.
Candida infection is difficult to diagnose since the fungus is present in every human tested and because it creates such a variety of symptoms. The best way to determine whether you are being adversely affected by this fungus is to look at your diet and your health. If you feel addicted to sugar, crave breads or other carbohydrates, are experiencing any other symptoms as listed above, or just donβt feel well, chances are you are being affected by candida and should consider a change in diet. Candida and Fungus thrive on simple foods like sugar, carbohydrates and fermented foods and cause cravings for these foods so it is best to eliminate them from the diet.
Balancing act
In a healthy body the friendly bacteria (flora) in the intestines compete against fungi to maintain a healthy balance by not allowing the fungus to grow out of control. Antibiotics from drugs, birth control pills, cortisone and foods containing antibiotics, such as meats, poultry and dairy, kill the bacteria population, upsetting this balance, allowing candida and fungus to grow unopposed. Fungi thrives in an acidic environment, bacteria, including intestinal flora, is comfortable in a weakly alkaline to neutral environment. Once the fungi population increases they produce wastes that create an acidic environment that bacteria cannot survive in.
Natural Approach
Over the last twenty years people have become more aware of fungal infections and candida. The symptoms of candida are vast and misdiagnosis is common. The typical medical approach to alleviating these issues usually begins with more antibiotics by trying to treat another illness, which just makes matters worse, followed by an anti-fungal drug which the fungi mutates around and becomes more resistant, thus becoming more difficult to eliminate. Some medical doctors are modifying their methods to take a page out of the naturopathic approach. Unfortunately, candida can be very difficult to control and practitioners of all modalities have their own idea as to what works for candida, although candida correction can have a high failure rate.
What to avoid
Candida and fungi thrive on sugar and carbohydrates, and fermented foods such as beer, vinegar and pickles, also moldy foods like cheese. It is best to avoid carbohydrates, sugars, alcoholic beverages, fermented foods, mushrooms, cheese, bread, wine, beer, and even fruit and fruit juices since they contain concentrated fructose, a natural fruit sugar. Dairy products should be used in small amounts because they contain lactose, a milk sugar. This change in diet is not as simple as it may sound because the cravings for sugar and carbohydrates are extremely strong and may overpower any controlled approach to eating. Since fungi excel in an acidic environment it best not to consume acid forming foods including vinegar, coffee, tea, fried foods and spicy dishes.
What can I eat?
This change involves eating vegetables and proteins such as fish and other lean meats (seek a natural source without antibiotics). Foods to include are fresh steamed vegetables, sea vegetables, natural poultry without antibiotics or hormones, sea foods, unprocessed oils, eggs, tofu and almonds. Once you have been off sugar and carbohydrates for a few days, you begin to feel in control again, as though a fog has been lifted from your brain. After a week or so, you may slowly add fresh fruits. Fruits MUST be eaten alone and on an empty stomach. You can also add natural whole grains like brown rice, millet, amaranth, rice cakes, flat breads (made without yeast) to your diet. Continue to avoid yeast containing foods for awhile (like breads, wine and beer) to maintain control of the fungus growth. Make salad dressing with lemon juice instead of vinegar. Bake, poach, boil and steam your food instead of frying. There are a lot of culinary possibilities.
I suggest that you start to eat organic if possible. Visit your local farmers market and support your local economy and your local growers you and your family will be more healthy for it. My suggestion is to try this for 90 days to see what benefits you see and how much better you feel. If you decide to throw some exercise in the mix you will see much more change. Advise is to do research and get involved, we need to know what is in our food. The change will start when everyone has had enough of illness and when people are made more aware of how they are manipulating our food sources. I have not even begun to start talking about our meat sources, the diets they feed them, and then the slaughter house facilities. Buy local and know your source!
Source:http://www.kroegerherb.com/index.php/learn/article/220
http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/ Want to learn more about GMO here is a good place to start.
Interested in reading labels – http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm Chemical Cuisine -“Shopping was easy when most food came from farms. Now, factory-made foods have made chemical additives a significant part of our diet. ”
Why You Should Stop Eating Processed Foodshttp://www.thecandidadiet.com/stop-eating-processed-foods/
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