Yeast Free pt. 2: My Story

If you missed Part 1 of my yeast free discussion, go here! Today I simply want to tell you a little bit of my experience with the 30 day yeast free cleanse and why I never plan on going back to how I used to eat just 6 short weeks ago.

gluten-free, dairy-free biscuits

If you read my very first post on the yeast free cleanse, then you know that from the start I experienced a lot of positive changes; increased energy and alertness, weight loss, and a much reduced urge to snack. Getting these results after just one week was motivation enough to keep me going for the remainder of my 30 days! In those 30 days I ended up not cheating even once and losing 8 lbs. (That averages out to 2 lbs a week, people!) But there was an even greater benefit for me than all those combined.

Ever since middle school I've suffered from what I always thought was PMDD, but was never diagnosed because (a) my cycle was extremely irregular, and (b) it is simply something doctor's have been hesitant to diagnose until very recently. Without going into too much detail, this basically means that about a week before my period I experience intense emotional symptoms ranging from uncontrollable crying, to anger, to listlessness, to anxiety, etc., and then when my cycle does begin the pain is so intense that I vomit, pass out, or, on a good day, simply take enough painkillers to allow me to sleep through the cramps. Every month it's the same thing -- the tears and/or angry/anxiety before my period and then when it begins, spending the day shaking/sweating/vomiting from the severity of my pain. 

Obviously, this is not normal. But the crazy, most amazing thing happened while doing this cleanse....my period came and went with no emotional breakdowns and absolutely no pain! For the first time in 11 years, I experienced a normal, healthy menstrual cycle.

After that, I immediately made an appointment with a local, Naturopathic doctor to help me get to the bottom of this. She contradicted thoughts I've harbored for years. Turns out, I'm not weird, my body is not broken, and I don't have to live with the pain. I have a gluten and/or dairy intolerance that causes inflammation as well as disrupts the folic acid levels in my system. My body wasn't working correctly because of what I was putting into it, not because something already inside of me was broken.

That knowledge is overwhelming comforting.

Doctor's in the past always treated my symptoms rather than the underlying cause. You have irregular periods? Take birth control to regulate you. You experience severe mood swings? Let's change that prescription to Yaz. Your period causes you a lot of pain? Here's some extra strength ibuprofen. No one ever recommended a simple, lifestyle change such as adjusting my diet.

It's been two weeks since the conclusion of my 30 day cleanse and I feel better than ever. My energy levels are still up, my cravings are down, and I'm 11 lbs. lighter. To say the cleanse was a huge success for me would be an understatement, it was a life changer. As of now, I plan on sticking as closely as possible to my yeast free guidelines and when there is a special occasion, or I simply need a sweet treat, I will strive to create healthy, satisfying desserts and breads that are gluten and dairy free.

And, if those recipes turn out to be especially yummy, I'll share them with you.   :)