about Louise

[Guest guest]

I am Louise, live on Vancouver Island, am 63 years old, overweight since menopause, and have been ill for 36 years with food sensitivities, candida, hypoglycemia, inhalant allergies, MCS, FM, and ME/CFS. I also had amoeba antibodies when I had tests done 11 years ago.

I had malaria, mono, and undiagnosed illnesses while living in the Philippines late 60s and early 70s. I got ill while there and I've not been able to recover since then, although I've gone through many stages of illness and healing.

I lost 15 pounds over the past six months, which has been encouraging. I want to lose another 20 to 30 pounds this year.

I don't have Autism or Asperger's, as far as I know, but I mostly live in silence. I have difficulty using the phone or talking with people very much. I communicate mostly through e-mail and a few phone appointments. I avoid most stores and buildings as well as people who wear clothes washed in detergents/fabric softeners, or use fragrant personal products

I'm creative and relational and I'm a Creativity Coach via e-mail. You can receive my free monthly newsletter here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CreativityChallenges. I teach workshops and retreats, as well as coaching one-to-one. I'm a writer and an artist. I love to stitch dollhouse furniture and you can see my photos here: www.flickr.com/photos/coach_louise

I'm starting the SCD diet this week. I'm in an MCS group with Carol.

Although I don't have the usual diagnoses, I know that I have digestive problems. Once in awhile diarrhea. Sometimes stomach cramps or nausea. Once in awhile constipation.

In the past, I've been sensitive to almost all foods. I think I still am sensitive to dairy, grains, sugar, honey, potatoes, tomatoes, and oranges.

I have brain toxicity, extreme fatigue, and react to minute amount of chemicals, fragrances, smoke, etc. I have not been able to find healthy housing.

What I want to see is if working some more on my "second brain" (gut) might help, because I think foods affect pain, cognitivity, and central nervous system symptoms.

I talked to my Naturopathic Doctor in January about SCD and he said a few of his patients are on it. I go back to see him on Wednesday and I intend to ask him about tests to update where I'm at regarding candida and maybe a couple of other things. I guess I could ask him if he could get one of his patients to phone me or write me an e-mail. Then I'd have contact with someone around here regarding shopping issues.

I mostly eat turkey, chicken, and fish plus a variety of veggies, and sometimes fruits. I do best on zucchini, carrots, broccoli, squash, snow peas, asparagus, and chard. I like mushrooms but they are likely not good for me, if I still have candida. I've recently been enjoying well cooked onions.

In the summer I enjoy fruit and seem to do best with blueberries, apricots, watermelon, nectarines, and peaches. During the winter I used to only eat pears, but this winter I've started eating small apples and 1/2 ripe banana. What a treat! I also like mangos and papaya. Once in awhile, strawberries or raspberries.

Since last summer I've re-introduced eggs into my diet once in awhile. I use acupressure when I eat them.

As I've been reading your messages and studying up in prep to go on SCD, I've been getting used to squash instead of sweet potatoes. I've cut out soy milk; however, when I'm muscle tested, I do well on soy milk. I've eaten banana loaf made with almond flour and macadamia butter. Yummy. I can only eat a little and I think I'd do better if I used a different nut flour. I've hardly eaten any baked goods for many years, although there was a time when I ate some sourdough bread.

I've been cheating--my fav snack is dried fruit, nuts, and one square of bitter dark chocolate (85% or 99%). Likely the dried fruit isn't good for me.

Once in awhile I eat potatoes, popcorn, rice pasta, or something with tomato in it. The odd time I'll eat a Quizno wrap with chicken, olives, mushrooms, tomato, and lettuce or an Amy's organic roasted veggie pizza with no cheese (I add shrimp and rice cheese).

I haven't drunk coffee, milk, or even tea for many years. I drink glacial water.

I find rice cheese, rice protein powder, soy milk, and sweet potatoes very helpful to include in my diet, so I may return to them in the future.

The only nut butter I use is macadamia butter. I prefer to eat walnuts and pistachios, but once in awhile I'll eat cashews or pecans. I may still react to cashews. I rarely eat almonds. Never peanuts.

sorry for the length...it has been helpful for me to summarize my diet for myself.

thanks for being here

Louise

Vancouver Island

food sensitivities and candida

ME/CFS, MCS, FM--severely ill since 1973

scd--Feb. 25/08 (I think!)