For those of you who may not know me, I carry a bit of a secret with me everyday. It's something that used to be visible to any passerby or anyone who took closer look. I've been carrying this secret around with me for the better part of 6 years and when I first met my now husband it was basically at it's worse.
I have a Candida overgrowth.
I know I spoke about this when I first started blogging but for those of you who don't know what a Candida overgrowth is, it's essentially when your gut bacteria is way out of wack and it can take years to correct. It has taken diligent consideration of what I put into my body, forgoing a lot of things I was used to consuming in the beginning and learning so much along the way.
At it's worst I had a permanent skin rash on my inner thighs, torso, breasts, armpits and neck and if I were to have any sugar, alcohol, coffee or bread it would immediately become raised and itch like no other. I didn't have any idea what I had or how to get rid of it. By the time I was told what I had, from a woman who has become a very dear friend of mine, it had spread to around my eyes which meant I couldn't hide my secret any longer but through this revealing factor, I will be forever grateful.
Everything I read about how to completely balance my gut flora back to it's normal, healthy state was strict, lengthy and incredibly daunting. I was told to eliminate fruit and a list of certain vegetables and to really focus on lean protein. Meat and eggs. As a vegan this just wasn't going to happen. If I had to work harder or longer to balance this out and keep my morals in check - I was going to do it. The other real kicker was that you were guaranteed not to find your balance if you were on birth control. Thanks gut.
I didn't cut out fruit because this just seemed so inconceivable to me but I definitely limited it, I cut out any kind of sugar - refined, maple syrup, organic - alcohol, bread and yeast, coffee and caffeinated teas. I incorporated juice cleanses, supplements including probiotics and I drank a lot of Chaga tea in the process. It was hard at first but I also think it helped to shape some of my creativity not just as a vegan but as a food blogger too. It was a long battle but I eventually started feeling better and reintroducing certain foods to see how my body would react. Sometimes it was okay but more often than not it wasn't great. I felt defeated a lot and wasn't sure I was ever going to get it under control.
It wasn't until the other day while getting ready in front of the bathroom mirror that I realized how far I'd come. While I still limit my intake of the Candida triggers, I do occasionally drink coffee, and use maple syrup and enjoy toast for breakfast but the other morning I realized that I hadn't had a flare up in my immediate memory. While 95% of the rash that used to cover my entire body has disappeared, if there was any slight flare up, my face had become it's location of choice - and it hadn't happened in a very very long time.
In nearly five years I have healed my body through proper nutrition and patience. I don't panic about having a cupcake now, or a nice glass of wine and I will be forever grateful for that. Nutritional yeast was also a big issue when it came to Candida but now that I'm in a better and healthy place - 'cheese' balls are back!
I whipped up this 'cheese' recipe yesterday and am so excited to share it with you all! It's gluten-free, vegan, nut-free and soy-free! I know - how is such a thing possible? Well let me just tell you.
Cauliflower & Sunflower Seed 'Cheese' Ball
Ingredients
1/2 head of cauliflower, steamed until soft
2/3 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for 3-4 hours or in hot water for 30 minutes
1 tsp potato starch (or starch of your choice)
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
salt and pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley for rolling (optional)
Blend until smooth and let chill in the fridge for about an hour to firm up. If you find the consistency too thin you can squeeze some of the liquid out with a cheesecloth but enjoy it however you like!