In 1998 I first started to show signs of a Candida issue with chronic vaginal, yeast and bladder infections that sent me running to the doctor for heavy doses of antibiotic treatments, along with diflucan to treat the yeast infections. I asked the doctor what was causing it and she said, “Some women are just susceptible”. Thinking for myself, and not feeling victimized or powerless, I did my own research and found my first answer in the book “The Yeast Connection” by William G. Crook, M.D. I learned that antibiotic use was one of the causes of the imbalance of bacteria and what I was eating was feeding the Candida and my symptoms. Cook states that the problem arises because “antibiotics kill ‘friendly germs’ while they’re killing enemies, and when friendly germs are knocked out, yeast germs multiply. Diets rich in carbohydrates and yeasts, birth control pills, cortisone, and other drugs also stimulate yeast growth.”

After reading that book I stopped drinking beer, eating bread, gluten, soy sauce and sugar. Back then I overlooked that all alcohol, birth control pills and sweet/dried fruit also contributed to the problem. I wasn’t ready. So I spent the next 10 years still “treating” other Candida symptoms, such as bloating and sluggish digestion, with natural Candida supplements (anti-fungals) and doing 2-week cleanses. I didn’t fully realize that I had a Candida problem, but I did have a desire to keep cleansing my body. The Master Cleanser/lemonade diet, juice fasting and an Ayurvedic Panchakarma all made it worse. Unknowingly I was feeding my Candida condition with the sugar in the maple syrup, fruit juices and starchy Indian food.

In 2007, after I began my self-awareness work, I started to ask myself questions; such as “Why am I taking the pill, a pharmaceutical drug every day for 17 years?!” That was another thing I would ask the doctor, “Shouldn’t I take a break?”, she would reply “No it’s better for your health to stay on it.”

After coming off the pill and detoxing my old corporate sales career, I start to do some deeper exploring into my subconscious with a daily journaling practice questioning my limiting thoughts and unhealthy behaviors. I also started to listen to my intuition, despite what everyone else was telling me I should do.

That same year I was made aware that my dog, Hudson, a sweet, sensitive, yellow lab, had a Candida problem that was causing him to be depressed, lethargic and have joint problems. Hudson was my first client, I put him on a natural pet Candida detox supplements from Nzymes. Within one month his energy returned, his face cleared up and he was a young pup again. Even my dog walker asked me “What happened to Hudson, he’s like a new dog?!” In reflection, his cause was most likely from picking up my emotional vibration, since he wasn’t on antibiotics and didn’t eat sugars or wheat.

It wasn’t until I was living in Thailand in 2009, after doing a couple 7-day juice fast programs at retreats on Koh Samui, did I connect to the reality of my condition. After looking into my eyes, an iridologist stated, “You know you have systemic Candida.” Yes, I knew, it all made sense, and I was finally ready…to commit to not drinking and eating to numb my emotions, to be more empowered with my boundaries and choices with people, work and in life.

Once I set my strong intention “I will do anything to think clearly, have vibrant energy and good digestion”, the right resources started to fall in my lap. Someone handed me the book “The Body Ecology Diet” by Donna Gates and I read it 3 times in my first 3 months on “The Diet”, it became my bible. Then someone else introduced me to my mentor, Armand, who freely gave me his time late one night in a hotel lobby as I asked him about all the conflicting and confusing information I read online over the years. I had more courage then ever before to prepare myself for the healing journey ahead. Armand sold me a bottle of GSE he brought over from the US and disappeared. One key factor that led me to what I needed was that I didn’t second guess myself and do more research online, where I see the most confusion lies, I trusted my body and intuition to find what I needed.  For example, one morning I woke up and heard/thought “medical intuitive” and wrote it down in my journal. A couple of days later I was talking to a woman about Candida and she had a different view of the various causes from a medical intuitive she works with. That was my next sign and stage of healing and awareness.

Over the next year and half I was on the strict anti-Candida diet, went through many phases of cleansing and rebuilding with supplements and therapies. But it wasn’t until I started to release repressed emotions and unconscious reactions was I able to change my habits and behaviors that had been contributing to an imbalanced, toxic, parasitic health condition.

I spent the rest of my time in Thailand creating, running and supporting detox retreats, specializing in working with those with Candida. Healing from systemic Candida takes more than the physical diet and herbs, it take a commitment to be responsible for everything you think and feel and to let go of the drama and victimization of feeling powerless. It takes staying present and loving to yourself no matter what you fear is in the future and what others are saying about you.

I support and empower you to listen to your body, maintain awareness, feel your emotions, set empowered boundaries, stay out of drama, be sincere and genuine, and honor the sacred truth of yourself and others in order to release the physical and emotional connections to candida and heal yourself.

With Love & Joy! 

Elicia