My Story

Where do I begin? It started about 7 years ago when I noticed my health deteriorating. I thought the stress of a divorce, the late party nights, and excessive drinking were to blame so I cleaned up my act. Still, getting out of bed and functioning on a basic auto-pilot level was a fight every single day. Worried, I made an appointment with the doctor who ran the basic tests; cholesterol, thyroid, etc. Lo and behold, everything was "normal." Why did I not feel normal? With the recommendation of anti-depressants, I went on a research frenzy. I became my own researcher, guinea pig, doctor, and advocate. The next few years I experimented with what I had control over - diet and exercise. I began an elimination diet and realized I had a sensitivity to gluten. Although I continued to increase my exercise, I gained weight. Hmmm, "normal" thyroid function, more exercise, and less food equals weight gain? What gives?? I've always battled my weight so I'm conscious about calories, portions, natural, and healthy foods. When naturally thin doctors tell me to clean up my diet, I get offended. Can you sense the frustration?

Fast forward to September 2007. In the last four years, I had seen four different doctors and a nutritionist. I was utterly exhausted to the point I could hardly make it through the work day. At this point, I was having my healthy meals prepared for me by a food company that caters to specific diets. I was also taking my two Labrador retrievers to doggy daycare 2-3 times a week, because I had NO energy. By November of that year, I had to take a four month leave of absence from work. At this point I moved in with my parents and began to heal under the care of yet another doctor. I began taking Armour thyroid and a biodentical DHEA prescription and began to regain my life back. After my four month hiatus, I moved back to my apartment, resumed by job, and life was much better - not perfect, but much better.

I married and found out I was pregnant...well, actually in the reverse order! I had a wonderful pregnancy and felt better than I had in years! Marriage and pregnancy proved a healthy combination! Wow - I thought maybe this would jump start my system and I was hopeful to regain my "normal" life - whatever that was. Wait…I think I could still remember what it was like to have energy past four o'clock in the afternoon! Six weeks after the birth of my beautiful baby girl, I was back on the emotional health roller coaster. I know what you're thinking….post partum depression. Now, I'm not a doctor (although I should be at this point), but what I was experiencing was the same as before my pregnancy. So, unless you can have post partum depression before ever being pregnant, this wasn't the health diagnosis that I was going to accept. Period!

Two more endocrinologist and a referral to a psychiatrist - "…..one who can write you a prescription" (Thanks for nothing Dr. Allen!), and I was at my wits end. Over the last three years I had entertained the idea of visiting the Women to Women clinic in Maine, and in June 2009 I made the trip. Thankfully, the patient and understanding staff spoke to me as an individual and offered a holistic and more natural approach to uncovering the cause of my symptoms. Yes, you read that correctly…uncovering the cause! We began with a progesterone prescription which freaks out any "specialist" that hears this, and a gluten free and yeast free lifestyle. In March 2010, a comprehensive digestive stool analysis and parasitology test revealed several strains of bacteria in my intestines, a yeast overgrowth also in my intestines, and absolutely no beneficial bacteria! Since I had fallen off the yeast free diet wagon originally suggested, I jumped back on whole heartedly, complete with a prescription to rid my gut of the bad bacteria, an intensive beneficial flora probiotic to replace the good bugs, and a yeast fighting, over-the-counter supplement called Candex.

The first two and a half weeks proved to be stressful, difficult, emotionally challenging, and in my exact words, "the hardest two weeks I've ever experienced!" I joked with friends that most people recovering from an addiction get to go to rehab and not deal with life's realities of work, family, grocery shopping, food preparation, etc.! Addiction - what a funny word! The intestinal yeast overgrowth was addicted to any yeast foods, including sugar - even artificial, fermented foods, vinegar, and the obvious bread yeasts. So, no wine, cheese, pizza, cake, cookies, honey…just to name a few. Oh, and eating out was, and still is, almost impossible. After the "die-off" symptoms - a.k.a. pure hell, subsided, I began to experience the zest for life that had been suppressed for so long! My skin is finally becoming smoother, the weight is coming off, the sparkle in my eyes is back, and overall I feel like a new person!

Well, it's May 2010, and while I've reintroduced a few foods on occasion, I still follow a pretty strict gluten free and yeast free lifestyle. I still react to gluten and yeast with headaches and mood swings so I tend to stay clear! Needless to say, grocery shopping, meal planning, and food preparation take up a lot of time. I have devised a pretty strategic way of shopping sales while staying within a budget. I'm a fan of clipping coupons to save money; however, I've yet to see coupons for fresh produce. When eating a gluten free and yeast free diet, fresh produce is obviously a huge portion of the grocery budget. So, I've decided to share my story, grocery shopping strategy, tips, recipes, and encouragement for everyone who is fighting to heal their health!