"living candida-free" + giveaway

I have reviewed a few cookbooks over the years, but very much like the last book I reviewed, this one is not just a cookbook - it is a guide. It is a very important guide to living with candida. Candida is a yeast that lives in our bodies - in all of our bodies - but sometimes that yeast grows too big and begins to affect our health.

Symptoms of candida-related illness can range from fatigue, memory loss, brain fog, depression, problems in the bathroom, headaches, to rashes and hives. Ricki Heller, author of Living Candida-Free, details how she herself was diagnosed with candida and her ordeal over many decades to find treatment.

Ultimately, as we all know, the most effective treatment for bodily illnesses is through diet. Your diet determines the health of your immune system among other systems in the body, however, where candida is concerned, it is a  most vital part of the treatment.

Ricki Heller, with Andrea Nakayama, provides a complete three-step program to help you conquer candida  and live as candida-free as possible in this groundbreaking book, Living Candida-Free.

Candida grows in your body based on what you eat. Certain foods, such as sugar, feed the yeast and make it grow. When it grows out of control, it causes an imbalance in your body and results in noticeable and negative reactions.

Ricki covers all the nuances of treatment, offers her three step plan, details the foods that are good to eat and ones that can make the candida flare up and, most importantly, provides us with recipes of delicious food that puts you on the path of health.

You might think that this book has nothing to do with you, but, since all bodies live with candida, there is a chance that your candida is out of whack. To help determine if you are one of the folks with a candida imbalance, there is a Yeast Assessment Form in the book that helps you gauge your risk factor.

If you already know that there is a good chance that you have candida out of control, then this is definitely the book for you. Don't even wait, go and buy it right now. For the rest of us, this is an excellent book to assess just how much candida has grown in our bodies and how to treat it before it gets out of control.

Ricki Heller and Da Capo Publishing have given me permission to share one of the recipes from Living Candida-Free. Get the recipe and enter to win the book at the end of the post.

This is one book I think everyone can benefit from. More than just a cookbook, it is a guide to improved health. Contest open to US and Canada residents. Contest ends Monday, February 23.

"Conquer the hidden epidemic that is making you sick!"

Almost Instant Grain-Free Breakfast Porridge

Good for: Stage 2 and beyond (or all stages if fruit is omitted)

I came across this recipe when I first taught a course with Andrea and it was included in the recipe packet for course participants. It was definitely love at first bite! This porridge is quick and easy, and infinitely variable: use sunflower or hemp instead of the pumpkin seeds; substitute another favorite nut instead of the walnuts; include the coconut or omit it, as you wish. It’s also a great year-round breakfast as you won’t have to heat up the kitchen cooking it on the stove top.

MAKES 1 SERVING

2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut

1 tablespoon (15 ml) raw pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon (15 ml) raw whole flaxseeds

2 teaspoons (10 ml) chia seeds

1 tablespoon (15 ml) raw walnuts (about 6 walnuts)

½  teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon

½  to ¾  cup (120 to 180 ml) very hot water

7 to 10 drops plain or vanilla pure liquid stevia

2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 ml) coconut milk

(page 99), almond, or other milk of choice

½  cup (120 ml) blueberries or other fresh berries, or chopped fresh apricots

In a coffee grinder, grind the coconut, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and cinnamon. Transfer to a bowl and cover with water. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken. Add the stevia, coconut milk, and blueberries and stir well.

Note: You can make a large batch of this cereal in advance and store it in single

servings in the freezer so it’s ready to go when you need it: thaw overnight in the refrigerator and enjoy! It’s also great for traveling. Just bring single servings of the dry mixture with you in resealable plastic bags, empty into a bowl, and add hot water for a quick and delicious breakfast.

From Living Candida-Free by Ricki Heller. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2015.

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