Hi Carrie
I agree with everything you said. It sounds like we both went down the same
road of Candida overgrowth. Which is often just a stones throw from chronic
fatigue type problems. Candida overgrowth is impossible to test for, and
can give different symptoms in different people. Which gets it blamed for
every disease around by some new-agey therapists and dismissed by most
doctors. Candida can be removed is some cases by good diet etc but in more
serious cases the candida spores can lodge in the intestinal tissue and
flower after all the living yeast has been removed. So the symptoms keep
returning. There are lots of good drugs around now that can kill off all
the yeast easily with no side effects. But getting a doctor to prescribe
them is another matter :)
Did you find you had a craving for yeast and mould products? Bread, rolls,
dried fruit, blue cheese... I even got a job near a yeast factory and
enjoyed the smell all day!
One thing I found was the importance of balancing mineral intake. Due to a
large intake of calcium from soy milks and supplements, I was low in
magnesium, zinc and manganese. Most people esp men in western society are
low in these too, but I was ridiculously low. I read somewhere that ideally
for bodily functions like bone growth, a ratio of something like 7:5:5:2 is
preferrable. Something you would be close to with a mix of fruit,
vegetables and legumes.
Another major factor I found was stress. High stress levels played havoc
with intestinal flora, the ability to digest food, mineral balances etc.
Slippery Elm is a powder that helps settle inflamed mucous membranes. I
found it helpful in getting things to settle down and get back to normal.
It helped with my intestines and sinuses too. Just a couple of teaspoons
(preferrably more) on meusli seemed to help alot.
Like you I have reduced a lot of food sensitivities especially casein to
the point where I can now get away with a pizza occasionally :)