I was in my local health food shop; Honest to Goodness (which is amazing - I spend a small fortune in there every week). I’d got to know the owners really well and we were have a good old chat and candida came up in the conversation. I told them I was on a three week no sugar, no yeast challenge and I was struggling by not being able to get my chocolate fix and how much I missed the taste of chocolate in my mouth. I think I was delirious just thinking about it!
He mentioned to me that they did a chocolate bar, which didn’t contain sugar and that as a candida suffer I would be able to eat it.
At first I was sceptical, no - that can’t be right! I didn’t believe him! I wanted proof!! He found the chocolate bar, and it was true.
There was very little sugar and the sweeter used was Xyitol. It was a mint flavoured chocolate bar - my favourite type!
I think my willpower disappeared at that point. (Note to self - stay away from temptation!). I had to have one. I wanted one right there and then. I was so excited… I was like a kid in a candy shop!! I bought my chocolate bar/none sugar chocolate bar and managed to control myself by not ripping into it straight away. I headed home were I would be able to enjoy and savoy every single bite.
Here it was, the fix I needed and the fix I was allowed. I was allowed to eat this. It would not affect the candida growth at all.
It was delicious… I savoured every bite and devoured about three quarters of the bar. I was in heaven, it tasted of chocolate, to all intents and purposes it was chocolate. But a healthy, allowed version of chocolate that would have no negative impact on my candida. Perfect - just perfect! My mind obviously started going a million miles an hour. I could eat this every single day if I wanted and it wouldn’t be a bad thing. I could have my chocolate and eat it…
Let’s just say my body was having other ideas. At this point I was well past the three week mark and my body was totally clean - no sugar and no yeast had passed my lips. I was eating loads of vegetables, lots of fish and lean meats. I had not been bloated and I was regular as clock work. My blood sugar levels were stable and my craving were mostly under control.
After a few hours of eating my stomach started to get huge. I was bloated and rock solid. You have never seen anything like it! I wish I’d taken a photo. I looked like I was five months pregnant. No matter where you pressed on my stomach it did not budge. It was solid all over. It was un-believable.
When it first happened, I was like, what the hell. What is this. But then I started to join the dots together. The only thing I’d eaten was the “chocolate bar” so this had to be what was affecting me in such a negative way.
As random as it sounds I was actually really pleased this occurred. It proved to me for once and for all, that everyone was different and for me, my body could not stand a replacement sugar that was meant to have no affect on me. It was being rejected in no uncertain terms. My body was telling me and showing me by the bloating, to never ever eat anything that contained Xytoil again. My body was right (as it always it) and I needed to listen to what was being said.
Key take away from this post, is to listen to your own body. Your body will know what’s best for it. You just need to be aware enough of it to take notice.