She Laughs, Plum Butter, and YEAST

If you're looking for something to grapple with, please go to Carrien's recent post at She Laughs at the Days. I love this girl.

Meanwhile, I will continue to type out my usual fluff. Today I am making yogurt and plum butter. Squeeze's grandparents came to Southwestern MN for a visit this last weekend [they live in Western WI], bringing a gallon of fruit from their plum tree. The plums are extremely ripe; not necessarily good for munching on, so I thought I'd give preserving them a try. I won't end up with much - perhaps a cup or two - but I know I will still feel proud over my accomplishment. I hope to hone in on my food preservation skills over the years. It is so exciting to me, to know that I will actually have the chance to do this with fruits and vegetables grown on our own land. I don't think I ever felt this level of thrill with bought produce; I'm not sure why. Perhaps because I'd have to buy so much of it to actually do something big with it, or because I wouldn't have the fire under my butt of Use or Lose, or because I didn't work hard to get it, who knows. I can even see myself throwing over-ripe fruit away a few years ago, which my present-self is ashamed to admit. We travel many roads throughout existence, don't we? Always learning and changing...

In health news:
I am currently battling a systemic yeast infection. For anyone who noticed that my face has had a rash-like zit infestation on my chin (and then the bridge of my nose) for the past year, it was the yeast. Can you believe it? I have had virtually no vaginal symptoms, but my face has been a BIG problem. While I have a ruddy complexion, zits have been a rarity in my life until the last few years and extremely commonplace since last fall - especially the rash-like covering over my entire chin. It has been sickening and embarrassing; but because I've never dealt with yeast before, I was completely bewildered as to the cause. Within recent months, I have also had rawness along my upper gum line/inner cheek, with is another sign of a systemic yeast problem.

The last time I saw my mom (in May), she wondered of the potential of a yeast issue. I had been upping my B vitamins and taking acidophilus since the winter (in addition to the incredibly soothing apple cider vinegar baths), when I did have a vaginal yeast infection - which wiped that out, but did nothing for my face or mouth. Then, the last time we met with our midwife, she did a urine analysis that showed my leukocytes were raging - indicating a full-out yeast infection (again, with no vaginal symptoms). So I got serious. I've radically altered my diet over the last month -- zero white sugars [not much of a problem to begin with], virtually no fruit, very little carbohydrates. It has been terrible!! I didn't realize how many carbs I have been consuming: pasta, breads, cereals, corn, potatoes -- endless potatoes! And fruit! I miss fruit!! I can't have vinegar either, which I love. But all I was doing was feeding the yeast in my body. Ack. I am also taking a mondo probiotic -- no more wimpy acidophilus pills from the co-op. I went with a mega producer this time, with a number of strains of good bacteria. It cost a bundle (three times as much as what I was taking), but it will be worth it.

I have been eating a lot of brown rice, vegetables, eggs, yogurt, beans, cottage cheese, nuts, and some meats [I just can't hack too much meat, although I have made a killer buffalo meat loaf twice]. It has been tough, but I am seeing the results. My face is clearer than it has been in many, many months. The rawness in my mouth is disappearing, little by little. Seeing improvement has encouraged me in my daily battle of choosing what to eat. I have caved, but try to severely limit it; the carbs I have eaten have been spouted grain breads or whole wheat flour (in pancakes), and I have eaten some locally grown, stupendously delicious cantaloupe. Oh, and sour cherry jelly (alas, filled with white sugar) made by Squeeze's aunt on sprouted grain toast. It was divine.

I will prevail, you nasty yeast! Just you try to continue to thrive in my body -- you'll suffer a painful death from starvation, because I'm not feeding you. Good riddance!