Effects of Antibiotics on SCD

So yesterday I failed to mention that along with the pain and agony accompanying my wisdom tooth removal my dentist also wrote a prescription for me to take an antibiotic for ten days, Amoxicillin 500 to be specific. I did some research online about antibiotics and SCD and came to the conclusion that if your doctor says to take it, take it, but if you can get out of taking them, try to avoid antibiotics at all costs because you are basically taking a bulldozer directly to the mansion you have been trying to build since you started the diet. So I figured it would be way more terrible to have this tooth socket get infected and potentially lead to my death (worse case scenario, yes) than the pain of having to rebuild by gut flora.
I took three antibiotics, six hours apart, and you guessed it- I was right back on the toilet having pains I hadn't felt in quite a while. I got crampy, depressed, and tired. Some of which I am still feeling. So I called my dentist and said, "long story short, I have Crohn's and am on a special diet trying to cure it. This medicine is making my stomach very upset. Is there anything we can do?" The dentist was understanding and said the antibiotics are preventative so it was my choice to stop them or not. If I did there were just some things to keep an eye out for and if I noticed anything I am to start taking the pills right away again. After I hung up the phone I had the biggest sigh of relief! I can't believe the strong effect that I felt from just a few pills. The SCD keeps your body at such a high that it is hard for me to imagine that it's necessary to ever have to take antibiotics because of illness other than something like what I described above. I hope I never have to. Lesson learned- stay off antibiotics unless you are going to die without them, because when you take them, you'll be back to feeling like you are dying. (note: I'm not a doctor, so if you are looking for medical advice, I cannot help you. This is just my personal experience)

Bad Day for My Mouth

Today I had a wisdom tooth extracted. Yes, it was terrible; and will remain to be so for the next week at least. At the moment (four hours after the procedure) my mouth is still numb from the local anesthetic which I think is half because I got 4 shots of it and half because the rest of my body realizes that when it completely wears off tears may literally just fall from my eyes and my legs will collapse due to the sheer shock of pain. But enough whining. Lately I have been making some pretty tasty stuff (even my husband says so) which I would not have thought would be true five months ago when I started SCD. One of the things that apprehended me from initiating the SCD was the fact that I though from day one forward all of my meals were going to be banal and tasteless, consisting of the same few ingredients that would all one day just blend together and I would really only need one taste bud. But quite the contrary has happened. I have actually become an even better cook than I was to begin with, and yes I tend to use a lot of the same ingredients and spices over and over again but each time, with each cooking method and combination there is a new flavor born. I'm also finding that many recipes I once loved I can still enjoy with just a few tweaks. A recipe doesn't have to be listed as SCD friendly in order for me to make it so, and for it to still taste good. For instance I made broccoli cheese soup last night and it was good. Here is what I did:

boil 2 florets of broccoli until just tender-crisp, do not cook until mush.
Put one cup of yogurt into Vitamix
Add one cup shredded cheddar cheese
Add one tablespoon of chicken stock
Add spices to taste (I use white pepper, salt, and dried onion)
Add the broccoli

And blend for about 7 minutes. The machine will start to steam and voila! I had fresh, wholesome soup that tasted divine. Next time I will save some broccoli and just blend for about 15 seconds on low speed to make it a little chunky.

Best Healthy Diet Purchase Ever!!

Reconditioned Vitamix With 5 Year Warranty ***Use My Affiliate Code 06-006499***

I am so excited because earlier this week UPS delivered my Vitamix! Yay! It's always nice getting little presents in the mail but this one was especially great. I have only had it for a few days and I have literally used it dozens of time. I have made 5 or 6 different kinds of smoothies and juices, soup, and homemade sorbet! And it's only day 3. Normally I'm not big on pushing brand/items to "help make your life simpler" but this machine is great. Can you sense my excitement? The great thing about the Vitamix is that it uses all of the food you put into it (unlike juicers, which leave the majority of your fruits and veg to be pitched in the form of pulp) so you get all the nutrients that the food has to offer. I even borrowed a friend of mine's Jack LaLane juicer and after one use I gave it back. So glad I didn't buy one. Don't waste your money on a juicer! You end up throwing away more of your produce than what is used! Big waste of nutrients not to mention money! I did a lot of research before making this purchase, because, let's face it, a Vitamix is an investment, but as I was reading through their online brochure I really appreciated the research that was done that showed the Vitamix acually breaks down food more than just chewing and therefore we get more antioxidants and nutrients out of the whole food. Now obviously I am doing this whole food diet for health reasons (Chron's- btw I am feeling great!) but I realize that EVERYONE can benefit from this way of eating. It is hard to make the transition from mainstream fast-food-mentality but after the first month you realize how much better you feel and that anything is worth the price. Processed, packaged foods now disgust me (I never thought I would say that) and I rarely have any cravings. The sorbet I made last night had 3 ingredients- frozen strawberries, yogurt, and honey, and it was the first frozen treat I have had in months. It was so good. I could taste the freshness and so appreciated that I knew every single thing that I was eating. The Vitamix comes with a 30-day money back guarantee if you do not like it, but that is not going to apply in my house. I think if I had to choose a few items to bring with me if I knew my house was on fire, I would probably grab this machine. I read you can even make eggs in it. Handy if for some reason my stovetop doesn't work. And earlier when I mentioned that it makes soup- I mean that sincerely (any blender can mix up some already made soup) my Vitamix can take ingredients from raw to cooked in six minutes (the blades produce heat after that long). Also heard this machine makes wonderful hummus, pesto sauce, ice creams, breads, waffles/pancakes, assorted nut butters, (nut and grain flours if you get the dry blade container), salsa, margaritas (ice doesn't stand a chance- I honestly think Starbucks uses Vitamixers for their frozen drinks). Also grates, grinds, shreds, pulverizes, beats, and mixes all veggies and fruits. Check out Vitamix.com for more info. Also if you have any any any questions please leave a comment or call! I am sincere in telling you that this Vitamix is helping me so much with my whole foods way of life and in improving my health! I honestly have a friend that cured her breast cancer by eating only fruits and vegetables and her Vitamix was a key component to that recovery. That is actually the first time I had ever heard of the company. If you do decide to buy one please use my affiliate code listed below for free shipping. Consider it $25 off, since Vitamix does not give out discount codes or coupons. And if a new one is too pricey look at their refurbished ones (that's what I did). They have a company-backed 5 year warranty and 30 day money back guarantee! Can order online follow my link below:

***06-006499 ***
GET FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ($25US/$35CN)
USE ABOVE CODE : 06-006499

Call and mention above code with ANY questions! Seriously!
1-800-848-2649  

Click HERE to Purchase Your Vitamix Machine & Get Free Shipping With My Code 06-006499 

To Find the Reconditioned Vitamix Machines can be tricky on the Vitamix.com website- Do the following:

1. Click on one of the above or below links to go to the official Vitamix website

2. Click on the picture in the bottom right corner that says "Specials"

3. Select your color and click "Purchase"

[if you follow the above steps the free shipping code will already be entered, if you did not click one of my links, though, you will need to copy and paste "06-006499" and hit "Apply"]