Mashed garlic cauliflower, zucchini flax crackers, guacamole.

Completed a week on the anti-Candida diet on Thursday. I’m planning to do it for two weeks at the very least, hoping to see some more signs that yeast is dying off. Had massive migraines Tuesday and Wednesday. Been super itchy the last few days. Positive: I have been getting closer to my calorie goals on My Fitness Pal. At this point, Kettle almond butter and lime seltzer waters are getting me through. On Saturday, Z and I went to the The Chicago Art Girls Pop Up Shop @ Helium Gallery. Such an excellent group of ladies selling there. Then we went to Vegan Mania where I could eat pretty much nothing except for kale salad and some zucchini flax crackers. I did however buy stuff to freeze and eat once this diet ends. Did you know that you can freeze Dandies vegan marshmallows and Upton’s seitans?! When you un-freeze Dandies, let them sit out for one full day and then you are good to go! Sunday, we went apple picking at Kuiper’s with the Shanley’s and LCB. We had no clue it was the last day of the season. The lines were massive. The drought caused the orchards to have light crops and they were extremely picked over as a result.

In crafty news, I was rejected from Crafty Bastards this year. In all honesty, it does not surprise me. The fair is moving inside. The number of artists had to be cut down and they are charging $10 admission. Of course it breaks my heart a little not to be selling at one of my favorite fairs, but these things happen and often they happen for a reason. Still waiting to hear back on applications to Handmade Arcade, Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland, and Renegade Craft Fair Chicago Holiday. The bummer is that HA and BBC are the same day, so if I happen to get into both, I will have to decide between them. Anyways, fingers crossed!

Films watched 39th week of the year:

The Gang’s All Here
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Mary and Max
Model* (Wiseman)
The Cabin in the Woods

*documentary

Watch Cabin in the Woods if you like original, clever, and funny horror movies. Mary and Max was also a winner this week.

This is an example of a meal I ate yesterday.

A few posts back I talked about my skin giving me a hard time. Well, it got way worse this week and all signs lead me to believe it is a Candida overgrowth. Some of the symptoms I have had: cracked and peeling lips, scaly peeling forehead, dark circle under one of my eyes, extreme itchiness in armpits and under breasts, sick more often than the normal person, excessive fatigue, chemical sensitivity (I can’t be around strong chemical odors), crazy sweet/bread cravings, brain fogginess sometimes, migraines sometimes. As I said in the last post, I had a bad experience with a dermatologist, which soured me to going back to one. Yesterday, an acquaintance gave me her naturopath’s card and I am considering making an appointment.

What I am doing to combat: I am on the strict version of the diet. I did not do the Cleanse because I could not imagine doing so. I started taking Candida Clear and Ultimate Flora RTS Women’s Probiotic. I already ate a ton of garlic, but now I am eating even more (much to my fiance’s chagrin). To try to kill the yeast on my face, I am now moisturizing with olive oil with a few drops of tea tree oil. Then I will rub coconut oil on my lips for added moisture. I just shampooed today adding a few drops of tea tree oil added. I am staying on my birth control pills (Desogen generic) for the time being, because I just picked up new pillbacks a month back. I will be talking to my lady doc about another option when I see her later this fall.

Basically, this has been my life since Thursday. I have finished Day 3 of the strict diet and I have been having a hard time getting the 1,880 calories I need, so I have decided that I am going to eat poultry while I am on this diet. I’ll be on it until the Candida dieoff period is over. I just hope I can make it to that happening. I have seen pictures and it is gross. Anyways, hopefully my blog will be back to its normal fun self soon. For the moment, I’ll be eating a ton of vegetables, tsatsiki, duck, and mountains of garlic. Also, I will be pretending that chia seeds soaked in almond milk is “pudding” because I am craving sweets like there is no tomorrow. I have been so good, but I do not know how long I can do this.

Other than this whole skin/diet thing, I did have a bit of a life. I went with co-workers and the founder of the company I work for to the John Howard Association Annual Meeting/Luncheon. The guest speaker last year was great, but Pete Earley was even better. He spoke about his book Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness, which he wrote about his son’s mental illness. We are going to have a book club at work to read the book because his speech was so thrilling. I got teary-eyed because there were moments in his son’s story that truly reminded me of Jeff. He explained how the system is broken in getting the mentally ill the help they so desperately need. Also of note: I went to see Angel Olsen/Cains and Abels/Mount Eerie last night at Co-Prosperity Sphere. Angel Olsen BLEW ME AWAY. She has such a unique and otherworldly voice and very feline features.

Let’s end on some really exciting news: Rhymes with Twee will have selected goods at the SMALL (Small Manufacturing Alliance) pop-up shop that will run at the Chicago Cultural Center from October 12th through January 1st. I dropped off my items to the organizer today. I am so thrilled to be a part of this! I can’t wait for the opening to see all of the other maker’s stuff. This reminds me a lot of DEPART-ment, which I miss so much. Huzzah!

Films watched 38th week of the year:

Father of Invention
Fixation*
Public Housing*
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold*

*documentary

I have only wanted to watch documentaries lately. thought I wouldn’t be into The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, but it was quite enjoyable. I found myself belly laughing a ton. Fixation is a doc about fixed gear bicycle riders. It was terrible; just terrible. Strung together with no rhyme or reason. At least it was a shortie.