November is a celebration of sorts for myself. This past year has been one big roller coaster ride. Last October, I cleansed myself of a negative relationship, bad thoughts, and my chronic, incurable illness, Interstitial Cystitis. Little did I know, it would completely change my life (for the better!). I've transformed my mind, body, and soul, and feel like I am finally on a positive healing path, taking more steps every day.
The raw food diet has provided me with so much relief this past year. I am so happy to see how far I've come. I used to be in pain, 24/7, depressed, miserable, and alone. I used to be scared of food, not wanting to eat anything. I avoided social interactions due to pain, depression, or difficulty of explaining my situation to others. I've come a long way since then. When I switched to raw foods, my pain decreased dramatically. So I stuck with it. I added green smoothies to my morning routine and big salads for lunch. Dinner was sometimes raw. The changes didn't happen all at once, I gradually adjusted to this new way of eating. My detox symptoms were not as extreme this way. Over time, I noticed more and more positive health changes. My weight was evening out (I was sickly skinny before because of my condition). I wake up energized, I have more energy and it lasts through the whole day. My mind is clearer. I'm more sensitive and aware of my environment. My skin is clearer and softer and it glows. My constant pain is gone. I get excited about foods now! Making a tasty, vibrate, fresh, organic, whole food meal is lots of fun. And I know I can eat lots of it and not feel sick after. My acid reflux has subsided. My digestion is becoming more regular. No more allergies. No more headaches. I don't remember the last time I got sick with a cold or something of the sort. I feel healthier and stronger every day.
Now, I know I'm not cured. I still struggle with my health issues. As I said, it's been a crazy roller coaster ride. I've gone long periods of time where I felt no IC symptoms, but I've also had times where it's still there. It's definitely never as bad as it used to be though. Through this past year, I've learned so much about health, nutrition, and my body, that I feel much more equipped with the knowledge I need to heal myself. And I definitely have come a long way in this past year. I would consider my quality of life to be through the roof compared to where I was one year ago. But I still have more to go. I'm still in this healing journey, just like we all are. Will I ever be completely cured? I don't know. But I know I feel a lot healthier than ever and I can't wait to see what comes next. How good can I feel?
I still struggle with candida overgrowth issues. While I've been doing really well, I do cheat sometimes, with some alcohol or sweets or a cooked dish here or there. If I cheat too much on the wrong things, I can definitely feel it. I've experienced a few yeast infections the past few months and have felt my IC symptoms coming back to haunt me. I have read a lot about candida overgrowth and how it can cause or mimic symptoms of IC. I know that candida is one of the parts to my IC puzzle. Currently, I am on a strict anti-candida diet. This means no sugar, yeast, alcohol, and a whole list of other things that feed candida. It's been a struggle to come up with delicious dishes without any fruit, but it's pushed me to get creative in the kitchen! And no matter how much I struggle with my health, I still manage to keep a smile on my face. I can't help it...eating living things makes me feel ALIVE. I am so grateful to be in this moment, despite how difficult things may be at times. I'm making it through the best way I know how and it will all work out in the end. "I trust, I accept, and I let go, knowing that when I do, everything always works out perfectly for me."
I'm also eating candida fighting foods, like garlic, ginger, and onions, and trying to work them into my recipes. I work with stevia as a sweetener to carb those sugar cravings. I'm also taking probiotics, grapefruit seed extract, aloe vera, kelp. Drinking lots of Kombucha and eating Kimchi. Covering all my stops.
I believe I still have issues with leaky gut syndrome, so I will be continuing to research this topic to see how I can improve upon this.
The future looks exciting... I have plans for recipe books and look out for some vlogs soon. If you have any questions about what I'm doing or how to heal candida, IC, or anything else, don't hesitate to contact me.
And come check out our support group on Facebook, Healing Interstitial Cystitis Naturally. We're always welcoming new faces! :)
When I was told that IC was incurable and I would have it for the rest of my life, I was devastated. But I discovered that nothing is permanent and your body will heal. Your body has the natural ability to heal itself. Just like when you fall and scrap your knee, your skin naturally heals itself. The same happens with your insides! But it needs the right environment and tools for the job. And it all takes time, hard work, and a little bit of faith.
Let's take this journey together.
love & light.
melissaintheraw.
