Moving on

We are always moving on, in the sense of time passing, phases of the moon, tides, seasons, day and night, our cells renewing themselves, getting older. Nature and evolution is never stationary. Life is dynamic.

MOVED ON

At the end of October 2021 my wife and I moved on from Durban, and are now resident in Morgan Bay, Eastern Cape. This is a coastal village about 90km north of East London and 7km south of the Kei river and the village of Kei Mouth. We overlook the estuary and see the moving of the tides as the estuary fills and empties. We wake to the dawn chorus of birds. We see the cows grazing on the commonage on the other side of the estuary, and notice the butterflies fluttering from blossom to blossom of the wild flowers and trees in our garden. The eco-system and the people that we have met here, are beautiful. We are grateful for the healing and the nourishment that we have found. I now invite you to share this space and experience healing and nourishment through the consultation process.

Anti-Candida Diet

Candida problems are thought to be caused when the beneficial yeast form of Candida albicans mutates to it's fungal form. As it grows out of balance it is said to produce toxins which affect the mucosal lining of the intestines leading to leaky gut syndrome and a whole host of problems. The list of suggestions of how to deal with the effects of candida is as large as the list of numerous symptoms that are said to be associated with the problem.

The candida diet is an elimination diet, foodstuffs that contribute to the candida problem are either eliminated completely or removed from the diet for a time until their contribution to the problem is evaluated. This diet is recommended as a guideline for someone who has never carried out an elimination program before. Those with mild candida symptoms may want to try it for 3 months to evaluate if it helps, those with severe symptoms should seek the help of an expert with a case history of success with long term candida sufferers.

Step 1. Elimination

Sugar: All foods containing processed sugars should be eliminated. This includes cakes, sweets, jams, sodas etc.

Fruit (except apples), fruit juices, and honey are also eliminated at the beginning of the diet. (These can be gradually introduced after 2 weeks and the impact of their introduction monitored.)

Processed Foods: White Flour products, such as breads and pastas and white rice.

Simple Carbohydrates: Potatoes, Chips, crisps, crackers.

Fermented Products: Removal of products that have been fermented or contain yeast i.e. bread, alcohol, soy sauce, vinegar.

Fungal Products: Mushrooms and strong cheeses.

Step 2. Cleansing & Food Choice
Drink plenty of water to help your body detoxify.

Start the day with a cup of hot water and lemon juice (there is no need to eliminate lemon juice even though it is a fruit).

Eat plenty of salads with raw salad vegetables such as celery, peppers etc to help detox and to help energy.

Stock up on vegetables that inhibit the growth of Candida: raw garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli, turnip, kale

Get your protein from fish and fowl. Cut out red meats for first four weeks as they may strain a weak digestive system.

Step 3. Repopulate
Add probiotic (pro-life) bacterial flora back into the system. A good probiotic supplement is a must. Also use natural no sugar plain yoghurt to help repopulate intestines. A mixture of yoghurt and two tablespoons of linseed can be a good way to start the day. Some dietary practitioners think the linseed can help 'scrape' the sticky residue from processed foods from the intestinal walls.

see http://www.synergy-health.co.uk/articles/anti-candida_diet20040627.html

10 Anti-Candida Foods

1. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a potent Candida killer, and one of the most potent antifungals there is. It contains Lauric acid and Caprylic acid, which both help prevent Candida overgrowth and strengthen your immune system.

Coconut oil is very heat stable, so it’s an ideal oil to use for frying and cooking. It is also cheap to buy and has a much longer shelf life than other oils, so there’s no excuse! You can 2-3 tablespoons per day.

2. Garlic

Garlic has powerful antifungal properties to attack Candida, while also preserving and boosting the good bacteria in your digestive system. Garlic stimulates the liver and colon, giving it a potent detoxifying effect on the body.

If you love garlic, then use it liberally to flavor your food. You can also drink 2-4 cloves per day, crushed and mixed with water as an anti-Candida tonic. Avoid taking it on an completely empty stomach, and try it with a tablespoon of coconut oil to cut down on the stomach burn.

3. Onions

Onions have strong anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic properties. They also help to flush excess fluids out the body – this is useful because many Candida sufferers experience water retention. Onions along with garlic can give you breath issues, so a handy tip is to eat them with a bit of parsley to counter the smell.

4. Seaweed

Seaweed is a nutrient-dense healing food that will help the body in the fight against Candida. It is rich in Iodine to help balance your thyroid gland – Candida sufferers often experience hypothyroidism and its many symptoms. Seaweed flushes toxic pollutants and heavy metals from the body, and cleanses your intestinal tract.

Kelp extract supplements are one of the most potent sources of Iodine, but you should also try eating lots of different types of seaweed.

5. Rutabaga

Rutabaga is one of the most potent antifungal foods that you will find. Although you might think it falls into the same category of foods to avoid as sweet potatoes and yams, it actually has some very strong antifungal properties. Try it in small amounts first – if you find that it causes Die-Off symptoms then you might want to try a milder antifungal like turnip instead. Rutabaga is a versatile vegetable – you can make a rutabaga mash, cut up some rutabaga fries or mix it into your vegetable soup. 

6. Ginger

Ginger has a detoxing on the body by increasing circulation and detoxifying the liver, in addition to stimulating the immune system. It has a positive effect on the digestive system and helps reduce intestinal gas. It also has a soothing effect on any inflammation that the Candida overgrowth may cause in your intestinal tract.

Ginger tea is incredibly easy to make – here’s how you do it:

Ingredients:
1 square inch piece of fresh Ginger root
Squeeze of lemon
2 cup of water

Cut off the outside of the ginger root, then grate it and add to boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes. Strain and serve with a slice of lemon.

7. Olive Oil

Olive oil contains a plant chemical named Oleuropein, which is found in both olive oil and olive leaf extract. It contains powerful anti-fungal properties and stimulates your immune system response to Candida. It has also been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels – this is important for Candida sufferers because elevated blood sugar levels can feed your yeast overgrowth.

8. Lemon and Lime Juice

Lemon and lime juice stimulate the peristaltic action of your colon, increasing the efficiency of your digestive system.
Both lemons and limes are great options for seasoning your vegetable, fish and meat dishes.

9. Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-parasitic properties. ‘Omega-3′s also help combat depression and symptoms of Candida inflammation such as pain and skin conditions. It is a well established fact that most of us do not get enough Omega-3 oils in our diet to maintain optimum thyroid health. Deficiencies in this fatty acid have been linked to lower thyroid hormone levels. For an easy Omega-3 boost, add these pumpkin seeds to cereal, smoothies, salads or even use them as a portable snack.

10. Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper gives natural support to your digestive system and immune system. It helps to digest food and reduces constipation by cleansing the bowel of Candida and other toxins. Cayenne also increases metabolism and circulation, which will help to reduce one of the most common Candida symptoms, fatigue. Use cayenne pepper liberally to spice up your favorite foods.

see https://www.thecandidadiet.com/candida-fighting-foods/

Nutrition and Depression

Results from a study of more than 10,000 initially healthy Spaniards shows that those who followed the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) — rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and fish — were less likely to develop depression during the next 4 years than those who ate more meat, meat products, or whole-fat dairy. The risk for depression was substantially lower in participants with higher adherence to the MDP – depression rates were about 30% lower in those with the highest consumption of fruit, nuts, legumes, and monounsaturated (e.g. olive oil) vs saturated fats. The authors state that healthier food habits may lead to an improved brain function and consequently to a greater resilience to better face the frustrations of every day, to control stress, and to overcome personality deficits.

see https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/710145?src=mpnews&spon=34&uac=41877BX

Anti-Inflammatory and Immune-Boosting Tea

1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup of warm water

see http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/healing-turmeric-ginger-cinnamon-tea-for-numerous-diseases/

and:

2-3 thin slices of fresh turmeric

2-3 thin slices of fresh ginger

½ stick of cinnamon

Place in a mug, add hot water (off the boil), let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain, or leave in the mug as you drink.

Option: add a few cloves, add 1-2 teaspoons of raw honey after tea has steeped.

RS

Nutrition Basics

Eat like our ancestors. Eat food as close to its natural state as possible i.e. as few steps as possible between the food in its natural state and how it appears on our plate. Eat many colours of foods – colours carry the anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory content.

Trees, breathing

Trees absorb carbon dioxide which is toxic to humans, and emit oxygen which is nutritional to humans. Symbolically speaking, when we touch or look at a tree (even through a window, at a distance) we can release toxicity/stress from ourselves which is then absorbed by the tree and cleansed by the earth.

Trees are working all the time to absorb carbon dioxide, and working all the time to emit oxygen. We can visualise and participate in that cycle – breathing out the trees absorb our toxins, breathing in we absorb the tree’s oxygen. Visualise the stress being drawn down to the roots and being cleansed by the earth. Visualise the fresh nutrients being drawn from the earth, up the roots and trunk and being released into the atmosphere for us to breath as oxygen to be nourished, refreshed, energised. Breathing out, breathing in. Breathing out, breathing in.

Trees also show us how to deal with stress. Trees cannot control the weather conditions to prevent themselves from being injured. They can prepare themselves to “weather the storm” by putting down deep strong roots linked to the solid soil, and by staying flexible so as to sway with the winds then come back to upright and central again in due course.

We cannot always control the circumstances and conditions we find ourselves in, but we can strengthen ourselves through a combination of being solid below ground and flexible above ground.

Feel Well Again

Feel – emotion, sensation, touch, experience

Well – wellness, wellbeing, a deep hole or shaft sunk into the earth to obtain water

Again – another time, once more, often