are carbs the key? (candida, emotional health and more?)
Carbs. Carbohydrates. Givers-of-energy. Love ‘em? Scared of them?
Carbohydrates have had so much “bad press” in the food (well, diet) realm. Carbs make you fat! The Atkin’s fad (high protein, low carb = weight loss) the “low-carb lifestyle,” good carbs vs bad carbs. Where do you stand on this whole debacle?
A lot of people don’t think of fruits/vegetables as a form of carbohydrate…. when someone says “carbs,” you sort of instantly think of bread, rice, pasta, am I right? At the moment I am experimenting with the 80/10/10 lifestyle which maintains that the way to optimum health is to get 80% of your daily calories from carbohydrates (sweet fruits/vegetables in particular) 10% protein (from dark leafy greens) and 10% fat (nuts/seeds/avocado/oil etc). Fruit as your main fuel? Yip, that’s it in a nutshell – but does it work?
I have been eating this way for about 3 weeks, and I must say it has been effortless apart from the multiple trips to the greengrocer/market to replenish our produce supply. I’m feeling really good, so I don’t want to stop – I have more energy, no stomach issues after meals (usually bloating/pain) and my digestive system is working a treat (in the bathroom sense). If I feel a little lacking of motivation/energy I simply eat some fruit, and I’m on my way again – it’s the quickest way to pick yourself up, believe me. I’m sleeping much more soundly, which apparently is a sign of being appropriately “carbed up” before bed – puts that whole “NO CARBS at night!” premise to shame.
Interestingly, after my trials and tribulations with the Anti-Candida diet, I still had an on going issue with thrush. (Sorry if you’re squeamish, but I like to take the honest approach here, and feel it is an issue a lot of women suffer from and could use the advice). Following a few (unavoidable) heavy courses of antibiotics during my pregnancy, I have suffered from this on and off constantly – never quite being able to kick the nasty stuff. After cutting sugar totally (including all fruit) for months, and upping my healthy fat intake, I managed to get rid of all of the candida systems EXCEPT the thrush. I was under the impression that the fruit from sugar would feed the yeast imbalance in my system, but after eating SO much fruit these past few weeks- and limiting my fat- the thrush has gone completely(!) If you are interested in this topic, then this video explains the theory that FAT aggravates candida really simply and clearly.
My emotional health has also taken an upward turn…. I’m feeling a lot more balanced, and feel like I have the ability to focus better. I think it all boils down to having the energy to keep going throughout the day. Sweet fruits give you almost instant energy, which in turns makes you WANT to do things like exercise or tick things of the “To-Do List.” These kind of things (exercise, being productive) produce feelings of satisfaction, pride and achievement, am I right?
I’m not really into all the science-y descriptions or anything (I’m not the smartest in the “book-smarts” sense) but what I take from my research on the topic is that the body uses the energy from sweet fruits really easily (and quickly) plus (carbs) are optimum brain food. So a diet high in fruit & vegetable based carbohydrates promotes healthy digestion, sound sleep, and feeds the brain with it’s favourite fuel consistently? Could this be a ticket to stable emotional health too? Is this way of eating sustainable? I’ll keep you posted…..
Thoughts?
39 Responses to “are carbs the key? (candida, emotional health and more?)”
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Vegan. Stay at home Mum of Misty. Yoga teacher in training. Passionate about REAL food - creating it, eating it, sharing it. I can never stick to a recipe.
When I first looked into raw foods a few years back, I remember reading a lot of topics about Candida and many doing extremely well eating raw foods. Happy that this is working for you. Sometimes I think it is good not to know all of the science or book sense behind things, but knowing what works for you
It’s TOTALLY all about knowing what works for YOU, Lindsay I agree
I think a lot of people tend to go waaaay overboard with the fats in a raw diet (I know I did – mmmm raw nut based desserts!) even though it’s healthy there can still be too much of a good thing, no?
I find this all so fascinating, it’s great to experiment on oneself I think
Aha yes, raw nut based desserts are yummy! I have always loved my raw vegan cheesecake
.
Yip, I think keeping a balance is always a good thing. Although I love making raw foods, I think there is a balance between this and simply eating fresh fruits and veggies as they are. Plus, what works for some, doesn’t work for others.
Definitely – there’s no “one-size fits all” with diet, is there? It’s all about balance!
Great to hear you are feeling so good Lou. Carbs are the most accessible form of energy out body can utilize, followed by fat and protein only accounts for as much as 5% of our total energy (it has other purposes in the body which are important such as he building and repair of muscle and bone).
The following foods will give you the best kind of energy:
legumes, sourdough bread, breads made with stone-ground whole grain flour, whole-grain pasta, Basmati rice, barley and quinoa. Veges and fruits;
eggplant, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, bell peppers, cabbage, mushrooms, leafy greens or onions, plums, apples, pears, grapes, prunes, berries, peaches, kiwifruit, grapefruit. (These foods are categorized as Low GI which provides slow release energy for sustained energy throughout the day and not a big ‘sugar’ crash).
The ones that are high GI and will give you a very quick energy boost follows by a crash include:
Beet root, potato in almost any form, papaya, bananas, mango, pineapple watermelon and dates (dates are ridiculously high GI!)
Sorry for the long post! Hope you find t interesting to try this or for yourself. Happy to discuss other info if you want (I studied nutrition and sport science!)
Yes yes all good info there Katie – I have experimented a LOT with the way I eat – from low carb-high protein-high fat to vegetarian eating eggs and dairy to this whole raw vegan high carb thing…. it’s really quite fascinating how different we can make ourselves function from different food. For me personally, I feel best when I stay away from gluten/yeast products and most grains (except for quinoa, buckwheat and millet) – they cause stomach discomfort and digestive issues so I try and avoid them usually.
I found on a “high-protein” (vegan) diet I would just go overboard on legumes/beans and that just wasn’t best for me either. It’s funny you mention the whole GI thing, I know it’s very beneficial for people who are sensitive to blood sugar issues (diabetics etc) but even high GI foods (dates, bananas, watermelon) make me feel better energy-wise then any of the slow release carbs…. so I’m sure that it’s all a personal trial & error thing as well – what works for one person may not for another!
It’s definitely all very fascinating though, and the quest for good health is always going to a bumpy journey
Definitely will have to have some foodie-health discussions soon!
Absolutely Lou the thing to so is what works for you! And of course what we ‘know’ about nutrition is most often for the general public. The thing with GI also is that you can combine high and low and they become medium (in Avery crude explanation) so maybe that’s why the dates etc work for you.
Wht I do know is that low carb combined with low protein is very very unhealthy – puttin your brain into a state if ketosis thus feeling crappy, low energy and not able to think. Also fat can only be used as energy wen you have carbs in your body too. ‘Fat only burns in the flame of carbohydrate’. Any which way, sounds like you are feeling great and THAT is the most important thing. Whatever works – keep doing it
Ha, low carb AND low protein sounds like a big plate of NO FUN to me
I also heard that combining any sort of acid (say vinegar in salad dressing, or a squeeze of lemon) will lower the GI slightly of any food, which is a good thing…. I used to work in a “Low-GI” cafe which specialised in meals for diabetics etc so it was a good learning curve in the realm of GI that’s for sure!
Yeah I’m a bit odd and like to play around with the way I eat – low boredom threshold me thinks – I will probably move onto trialling something else in a few weeks, who knows? However as long as I’m feeling good (and covering all of my calorific/nutritional bases) I will continue
Oops. I meant high protein. Geez – as if this stuff isn’t confusing enough!
Oh yeah – the whole atkins thing, yes? Ick!
Hi,
I think this is pretty interesting-
http://30bananasadaysucks.com/
i also have done 80/10/10 it kind of made me crazy with the inflexibility and impracticality.
Would love to see if you can make it work for yourself!
With so much conflicting information it is hard to know what is actually ‘healthy’.
Best of luck with your experimentation.
K
I agree that the inflexibility of this lifestyle makes it not so sustainable – I am lucky in where I live as there is SO much cheap, fresh produce – but I don’t know about eating this way in winter…. too cold!
There is SO much conflicting info out there – that’s why I do these little experiments on myself to try and work out what suits ME
Thanks for the input Kristy – totally appreciate it
this totally makes sense, plus you are getting int way more water to flush out the system. I hate the diet world, like LOATHE it because it makes us fear such natural foods. That’s a bugger! but each of us works differently and it’s all about trial and error, right?
Had no idea about the fat and candida relationship either.
Yeah man, I totally hate the diet world too – it’s just full of marketing ploys and false claims to benefit the big food companies…. evil. Trial and error is what it is all about that’s for sure
hey beautiful lou, it’s been so long since we spoke but i think of you often!
<3 and always say to Tom that if we ever move to Aus, my friend Lou lives there so I would be happy, lol! 
I'd love to hear your story about all that, and what you tried…I've never had this partiicular ailment before and it took me by surprise! sending you so much love, my dear! so glad you are feeling better + healed in that department! 
xyx
dude, i saw your post said candida, and i got really excited (weirdly) because i've been on antibiotics for a wisdom tooth issue, recently, and about 3 weeks ago got a horrible dose of thrush…never had it before, and it sucked! I've tried so many medicines, and I can't seem to kick it to the curb. But the funny thing was, I was upping my fats to try and make it go away, and then I read this and I was like eeeek! So confusing. But you know what? It's so lovely to know that I'm not alone in suffering with silly thrush, I feel much better knowing you've had to deal with it too. Not fun, eh? So you really felt that low fat helped?
Beautiful Yolie! Oh how I miss you and your lovely comments – hope you are well and loving life as an engaged woman – how awesome! Thrush is so nasty – I had NEVER had it before, and when I was pregnant I just got slammed with it, and haven’t been right since – over 2 years, ick! The low fat thing definitely worked for me – after months doing NO sugar/high fat/high protein I STILL had the thrush issue…. and then within a week of high carb/low fat it was gone! I mean, it worked for me – but I highly recommend playing around with your diet to try and heal yourself – try and avoid ALL yeast containing products though, and definitely take a strong probiotic supplement to up your intestinal flora. Also drink LOTS of water
xxxx
this actually makes total sense to me because in the past anytime I have attempted a low carb diet I sleep lousy, have less energy and am CONSTANTLY hungry/feel like I am lacking needed nutrients. I think it all comes down to choosing carbs wisely… fruit, veggies and whole grains obviously aren’t the same as downing white bread/refined processed foods. The more I delve into healthy living the more I truly believe what works for one person may not work for another. I think as long as you are eating REAL food you are on the right track. Only you know what variety/how much of those real foods work best for you and your body! Keep up the good work
Totally agree, Ami – we all have to find out what works for us each as individuals – there can be all the scientific studies in the world done on diet, but each of us is SO different, it’s a truly personal journey. I’m just happy you like to read about mine
By cutting back on legumes, beans and grains you are also consuming far fewer antinutrients which tends to make people feel great. I’m not sure about the 80/10/10 diet for the long term. I think it would be great as a cleanse and I’m sure you know how to look out for signs of deficiencies – soft nails, falling hair, that sort of thing.
Also, I have seen Doug Graham ‘in the flesh’ and… if 80/10/10 works, um, it doesn’t work for him.. just saying. The guy looks ill.
Ha!
It’s definitely not something I would do for a long period of time for sure – I need more variety, plus it’s pretty inflexible in terms of eating out – and that is no fun! I’m thinking smaller amounts of beans/legumes (I tend to go overboard!) and quinoa/buckwheat, plus my skin requires MORE fat than 10% (and it’s yummy!)
This is so great Lou! I’ve been really interesting in the 80/10/10 diet for a while, mainly because of the digestive benefits I’ve read about and that’s so great you’re having such a positive experience! I’m interested to hear your thoughts on the sustainability of it because that would be my issue with it- it seems like it would be hard to maintain for an extended period of time, especially when it’s cold out.
Anyway, YAY for feeling better, emotionally and physically
That IS probably the downside to this style of eating Gabby – you’ve got to eat a LOT to cover your calorific and nutritional bases. I guess I’m really lcuky where I live (sub tropical) in that I have access to all sorts of high calorie fruits (bananas, mangoes, jackfruit, dragon fruit etc) throughout the year (although mangoes are seasonal). It’s actually cheaper for me to eat this way!
I’m really not sure about Winter though…. but I suppose I could start stocking up on seasonal fruits now and freezing them? The digestive benefits are AWESOME!
It does always amuse me (in a sad way) that people say they avoid carbohydrates but eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. And my perspective is that yes, carbohydrates are rather essential to mental health and indeed just to health
Glad to hear things are going well for you (and I like the new top menus / header too!)
Thanks Kari! I can always count on your for a kind word or two
wow – that is so interesting! there are so many diets and ways of eating out there! I am about to embark on the HCG diet – it really is a paring back of your eating and then re-introducing food slowly one by one to see what your body tolerates and what it doesn’t. I am hoping that this will get rid of many of my health problems (yep, candida is in there), improve my CFS and shed some excess weight. I will be so interested to see what inflames my body and what doesnt.
I know – so many ways of eating – it’s quite confusing! The HCG diet sounds interesting, I hope you are planning to blog about the process because I’d love to read about your journey
Seriously trimming the fat has got rid of any lingering candida issues so quickly for me!
Have you heard ‘The Glucose Song’ to the tune of The Archies Sugar Sugar Honey Honey’ on youtube? My lecturer from my nutrition course sent us all the link. It was helpful to remember stuff in the exam! ‘Glucose, ah sugar sugar, you are my favourite fuel, from the blood-bourne substrate pool…’ it’s fun! And tells you a little bit about what glucose, which all carbs get converted into by the body, actually does. Thought you might like to sing it to yourself munching on your beloved fruit!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJvAL-iiLnQ
Ha, that’s hilarious! (and informative!) Thanks for the link Mandy
High fruit, a few greens and some nuts!? this is how Winter (my two year old) live and thrives. We can occasionally get in some grains and beans but he’s all about fruit. Fresh, frozen, dried, of any kind – he’ll eat it.
He’s mega energy boy during the day and a solid sleeper at night (11-12 hours solid). So, for the mother’s who look at me and scorn about “all that sugar” I say, boo to them.
And thrush. Yep. It sucks. Have you ever tried Pau D’Arco tea, you know . . . up there? It just did it after a few unsuccessful rounds with the usual OTC stuff. It TOTALLY WORKED! In one day. And so much nicer and more natural. Highly recommend it if you’re still struggling.
E.
I think Misty & Winter would get on swimmingly – Misty LOVES fruit too
Amazingly (after over 2 years on & off) cutting a bit of the fat I was eating has cleared up the thrush almost instantly (!) That’s a great idea though, with the Pau D’Arco tea though – I drink it, but if the thrush reoccurs I shall definitely get “more intimate” with the stuff, ha
I considered this when Allie was talking about it and did some research of my own and I definitely believe the merits. I just never actually went for it because I LOVE my vegetables and beans and love savory flavors and can never seem to eat enough fruit as is because it’s just too much sweet. And from what I understand, the majority of the calories need to come from fruit with vegetables only providing supplemental calories. I also worry I wouldn’t be able to keep cravings at bay while eating out or eating with other people. Is it ever difficult for you? And what was the transition like? I’d be really interested in seeing a post about a typical day of food for you eating this way.
Yes, well loving fruit is probably a MUST for this style of eating
Although I definitely eat MORE veggies now than ever before because I like to get in some balance – plus leafy greens are the main source of protein/minerals really.
I found transitioning to this way of eating really easy – however I’m not sure if I will stick to it strictly in the long term – I feel I need more fat than a 10% quota – more like 15-20% to keep my eczema at bay… I think ratios of macronutrients are SUCH a personal thing…. some people function well on high fat, others low fat, others somewhere in the middle – it’s all trial and error.
I will definitely do a “day in eats” post soon
Ohh I love this. I need to up my fruit intake, I think my diet is pretty stable with carbs but I do get a lot from breads and pasta. I need those carbs for my running, but I would love to see how more fruit based carbs affects my longer distance runs. I am all for regular BM’s without the morning coffee, and extra crack like energy!
I know a lot of athletes really thrive on this type of diet – especially long distance runners/bikers. I find the extra energy just makes you WANT to exercise which is great as I struggle with motivation!
Such an interesting read!!! As someone who suffers from candida and have cut out fruit to absolutely no effect I think I might try this 80 10 10 diet, I have never heard of it before, thank you do much for sharing. I am always craving the sweetness and freshness of fruit and it makes sense that I should have it!
Definitely give it a go, Jen – seriously after MONTHS on an anti-candida diet I still had thrush (ick) but it took only a few days to clear up eating ALL the fruit I wanted (but low fat) – and I LOVE fruit
Give the video I posted the link to a watch – it explains the concept really well. Good luck!
Thanks Lou! Yeah I watched the video, so insightful!! I know what you mean about the thrush, I have exactly the same problem, tried everything and it won’t go away as well as having a terrible digestive system, definitely giving this a go, starting tomorrow, quite excited! I’ll keep you updated.