Detox Symptoms from Kefir

detox drama

So, I’ve noticed my throat has been a little scratchy and my acne has been a little worse. Which begs the question, am I sick … or is it detox symptoms. This is not the first time I ‘ve experienced detox symptoms. When I first changed my diet, I went from eating whatever I wanted to pounding the green smoothies. Although my pain level felt better (for about a week), I experienced a migraine, which is rare for me, and fever-like symptoms. Thanks to google, I was quickly reassured that this was normal. Plus, I only felt awful for a day, so it was no big deal.

I’ve been feeling a little under the weather, and thought I might be getting sick. My throat felt sore, and I’ve been feeling feverish and acne prone, despite my low sugar diet. Since I’ve experienced detox before, I thought I would refresh my memory on what the symptoms could be. Turns out just adding kefir into your diet can bring on detox symptoms, and these symptoms can even mimic the flu: sore throat, swollen throat glands, and/or feeling feverish.With this new knowledge, I’ve decide to proceed carefully with the kefir, drink plenty of water with lemon juice (some extra Vitamin C couldn’t hurt right now), and take some relaxing, hot baths. Flu or detox, eventually this will all pass when you take care of yourself.

12/9/13 Update

I went to a cheese making class with plenty of samples and the same week I bought some grass fed local ghee when I was on a trip to San Diego. I noticed when I ate these foods I got the same sore throat I had when drinking kefir. So I’ve decided that these symptoms are from an allergy to dairy. I still consume fermented sauerkraut, kombucha, and apple cider vinegar regularly and will continue on a gluten and dairy free diet.

Vegan: Roasted Broccolini with Lemon

roasted broccolini

Shameer and I love roasted broccoli. When I was growing up, my mom made roasted broccoli pretty often with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. When I moved to California, I made it pretty often as a side dish for Shameer and I. A couple days ago, I impulsively bought some broccolini when I was shopping at our local Trader Joes. They were restocking them on the shelves, and it looked really fresh and delicious. I’m really glad I did, because they turned out great. I tried to keep the recipe as close to my mom’s as possible, but changed a few things up in the name of health .

As my mom would say, Manja!

Vegan: Roasted Broccolini with Lemon
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 spoon of coconut oil
  • 1 bunch of broccolini
  • 1 pinch of himalayan sea salt
  • 1 lemon
Instructions
  1. Spread foil over a baking pan for no mess (optional)
  2. Spread coconut oil over foil or pan.
  3. Add broccolini to pan, then squeeze lemon over broccolini.
  4. Add a pinch of himalyan sea salt.
  5. Then, bake 450°F for 15 minutes. I like them vegetables really firm, but if you like them mushier cook longer.

Back on Track

I’ve really been enjoying this relatively new found attitude of self-forgiving and low stress healing.  It feels as though my overall  health has improved greatly within the past month or so because of my shift to a desire of and effort towards more self acceptance rather than a forceful control of all the little details.  Although I believe my new attitude has helped me tremendously, I’ve become rather lax about my routine — even experimenting with adding in local, but pasteurized goat dairy and gluten containing products like deliciously addicting sourdough  from the Wednesday farmers market in Santa Monica, and late night snacking on rich honey and date sweetened raw desserts made with high quality organic ingredients– but which none the less promote the growth of Candida and contribute to gut disbiosis.
While my symptomatic health has improved greatly, and I am more than convinced of the integral role our attitude plays in our well-being, I’m still feeling brain fog, breakouts, occasional indigestion, bloating, and other Crohn’s disease related symptoms — which are all signs of Candidiasis according to Donna Gates and other health professionals. I attribute these symptoms to my increased consumption of improperly combined ingredients, pasteurized and gluten rich foods, and over eating natural sugar.  Luckily I picked up some kefir grains from Lauren yesterday, so I can re-introduce live, home-made probiotic rich kefir into my daily diet.
Here is the healing protocol I’m planning on implementing to take my health to the next level:
-Drink at least 8 cups of water daily (including herbal teas and vegetable juices)
-Take a tablespoon of L-glutamine between meals to heal stomach lining and decrease intestinal permeability
-Continue taking Bio-k probiotic supplement at least every three days
-Drink raw kefir, coconut water kefir, or kombucha daily
-Eliminate pasteurized dairy and gluten containing foods
-Eat primarily vegetables, green juices and green smoothies, probiotic rich foods, sprout-fed eggs from the farmers market,soaked nuts and seeds, squash/red potato/beets/root vegetables,wild-caught salmon, lentils, and grains in their whole form.  Limit grains and starches to no more than 20 percent of a meal. Limit sugar sources to low sugar fruits like grapefruit, berries, pomegranate, and try not to combine fruit with other ingredients.
-Continue taking enzymes and acidifiers like Betain or HCL with substantial meals.
-Continue taking New Chapters multi vitamin and iron supplement.
-Don’t worry, be happy/appreciate — if something makes me feel sick, I think of it as an experiment and learning journey rather than attaching guilt to my actions.
-Move everyday! Walk, run, hike, dance, yoga, sweat!

Favorite YouTube Nutrition Lectures

“If you are not your own doctor, you are a fool.” – Hippocrates

I cannot stress the importance of being your own doctor for your healing process. On my journey, I seen many health professionals (western, eastern, and integrative) and some of the information has been conflicting, or just plain wrong. Not that it’s their fault. Many doctor’s are focused in one area of expertise and used to treating a specific type of illness or injury, but many of us don’t fall into to a nice neat category. The same goes for diet, we all have different nutritional needs and those needs should be addressed. Assuming one diet is better than another could be dangerous.

“You should never assume. You know what happens when you assume. You make an ass out of you and me because that’s how it’s spelled.” – Ellen DeGeneres

Furthermore, if you are knowledgeable about your disease you will have better communication with your doctor and get more out of the appointment, as oppose to wasting your time and money. That’s why I’ve put together a YouTube channel for our blog with some of my favorite Lectures so you can begin your own YouTube Education.

youTube lectures

 

Spring Shoe Love

spring keds

Don’t these shoes make you want to go outside and enjoy the warmer weather! It’s important to be active, but sometimes my beat up sneakers aren’t the cutest. These would be perfect for a day trip or an outdoor picnic. I’m trying to spend more time outdoors, and I think these would be practical and pretty. Keds $40.00