Today, I am dedicating this to my sweet grandma, Irene Mae Nugent.  Today is the day that she died one year ago… one day before her 98th birthday.  I was very close to her.  I spent many summers with her…. so many good memories. Those memories are treasures to me now… riding horses, eating Wheaties with sugar heaped on them, helping grandma in her yard, grandma teaching me how to drive her blue pickup truck, watching basketball games in the summer evenings and her love of animals and geography.  She was a very independent and spunky little lady!  It is so bizarre to think that she is not here anymore… but I know that she is young again (with red hair) and she is riding horses and having a blast with my grandpa, Hap, and my aunt Laura.  She is also with the Lord!  She is full of joy and peace and no more anxiety.

About six months before she died, she was having trouble sleeping.  I brought some Lavender to her and asked if I could put this on her feet.  I also told her to put it on before bed.  The Lavender essential oil started helping her sleep and when she ran out she said, “Angela, I just need that Lavender.”  Well, we made sure that grandma had more Lavender!   Grandma was able to live independently (with the help of my mom) up until the last week of her life (and she was still sharp as a tack!)

In the hospital, she was surrounded by everyone that loved her… she could not respond anymore but she could hear us.  I brought my Lavender and Frankincense and put some on her feet… you could see her body immediately relax.  It happened so quickly, which I am so glad that she did not have to suffer a long time.  My mom, my sister and cousins — we all got to surround grandma and love on her.  That was so special.

A few days after she died, I was reading about Spikenard.  Spikenard is a form of Lavender and this is also the oil that Mary used to put on Jesus.

John 12:3
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard (Spikenard or also known as Lavender) an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

I used Frankincense because it is a spiritual oil and it helps with stress and despair. Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God.  (Exodus 30:34) Frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. The gift of frankincense to the Christ child was symbolic of His willingness to become a sacrifice, wholly giving Himself up, analogous to a burnt offering.

I thought this was so cool… I was able to put these oils on grandma right before she went into heaven… the same oil (Lavender) that was used to put on Jesus to prepare him for his burial.  And Frankincense… a pleasant offering.

At the time, I had no idea what these essential oils symbolized, but He knew.  I love that she went to be with the Lord smelling like Lavender and Frankincense!

I am so grateful that we had this little lady in our lives.  And I want to give you hope today… Jesus is real.  He is the kindest person I have ever known.  He loves you today.  I know grandma is looking down today and smiling.

Here is a poem that she had clipped into one of her journals:

“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish enough “Hello’s” to get you through the final “Good-bye..”

I am really psyched to be writing this article tonight… if this can help someone like it helped me– that makes me very happy!  I was in the dark for so long… I probably have been dealing with Candida on and off for the last 18 years.  Once you figure out that this is what you are dealing with… you can then start the process to kill this nasty stuff.

What in the world is Candida?

Candida is a fungus, which is a form of yeast, and a very small amount of it lives in your mouth and intestines. Its job is to aid with digestion and nutrient absorption but, when overproduced, candida breaks down the wall of the intestine and penetrates the bloodstream, releasing toxic byproducts into your body and causing leaky gut. This can lead to many different health problems, ranging from digestive issues to depression.

Here are 10 major symptoms of Candida:  (there are more… including the inability to lose weight!)

1. Skin and nail fungal infections (such as athlete’s foot or toenail fungus)
2. Feeling tired and worn down or suffering from chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
3. Digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
4. Autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis
5.Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, lack of focus, ADD, ADHD and brain fog.
6. Irritability, mood swings, anxiety, or depression
7. Vaginal infections , urinary tract infections, rectal itching or vaginal itching
8. Severe seasonal allergies or itchy ears
9. Strong sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings
10. Skin  issues such as eczema, psoriasis, hives, and rashes.

I had many of these symptoms for a long time and had no idea that Candida was the culprit. I did go to the doctor (she was great) but misdiagnosed what I had.  I had terrible fatigue, but I shall spare you the rest of my symptoms… let’s just say that they were not fun.  As I love to do research, I happened to read some good articles on Candida.  I had a light bulb moment!  Finally.

I took the test that this article posted.  Here is a great website about Candida..this test will help you if you are wondering if you have Candida.  Take the test here: http://www.thecandidadiet.com/testingforcandida.htm  In addition to taking this test, you can have your doctor give you a blood test…
There are 3 antibodies that should be tested to measure your immune system’s response to Candida – IgG, IgA, and IgM. High levels of these antibodies indicate that an overgrowth of Candida is present. This is the most reliable test for Candida that you can find.

What causes Candida?

Antibiotic use
stress (stress spikes up your blood sugar and Candida feeds on that)
alcohol consumption
sugar
gluten
contraceptive pills

Well, isn’t that special?  Great…

As I love to do research, I found out what I needed to do and got some information from a holistic practitioner. So, this process is going to take you about 3 months… I know that seems long, but once you get going– it is not bad.  I promise.  I would begin by eliminating gluten, processed sugar and alcohol from your diet.  Candida loves alcohol and feeds off sugar and gluten.  This seems hardcore, but it is so worth it.  Once I was off sugar, I don’t crave sugar anymore.  I really don’t even miss it.  Let your body adjust to this new way of eating before you start the other things.  You might detox a bit once you eliminate the gluten and sugar.  I would do a week of this first.  You don’t want to do too much at first because you don’t want to overload your liver with all the toxins.. toxins being released by the die off from the Candida. Now it is time to move in for the kill… you could take anti-fungal medication, but there are always side effects with medication and it is hard on your liver.  I was able to do this with all natural methods!

Here is what I did:

**Drink lemon oil in your water daily.  This will help your body be less acidic.  Candida thrives in an acidic environment.

**Take a good probiotic.  Probiotics help crowd out the yeast. You can find at your local health food store in the refrigerated section.  You should continue to take this even when you are done with this regime. (take this mid-day)

**Grapefruit Seed Extract– this stuff is
amazing.  (take 3 tablets every morning)

**Candizyme- this is a product that will help detox the yeast out of your system.  If you can’t find this at your local store– you can find on-line.  (take this at night before bed)

Start with this and let your body adjust.  You will probably have some symptoms of the Candida die off… but don’t give up!  They won’t last long.  I think my most severe symptoms from the toxins lasted about 3 days… I had a terrible cold, fever and fatigue.  I also felt like my head was in a vice grip.  It really depends on the severity of your Candida… some people may not experience such extreme die off symptoms.  If you are experiencing very severe symptoms.. just cut back on what you are taking for a while, so you can give your liver a break.  Make sure to get plenty of rest, drink lots of water and take some epsom salt baths. Once you have adjusted to this, you can add in some essential oils!

Here are three good anti-fungal Essential Oils:  You can put these oils into a clear capsule and take daily. Put a couple drops into a clear vegetable capsule.  Pick one of these below.

Oregano– a powerful anti-fungal… don’t take on an empty stomach. Oregano essential oil is packed with constituents that make it a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and immune simulating oil.  Because Oregano is a natural antibiotic– make sure to not overdo it on the Oregano.

Ocotea Essential oil has shown great potential in lowering blood sugar, lowering cortisol, digestive support, and as a disinfectant, antifungal and antiparasitic. (this was my favorite to use)

Mountain Savory Essential Oil stimulates and revitalizes the nervous system. Traditionally, this oil was used as a digestive remedy specifically for diarrhea and colic. It’s antiviral, antibacterial and immune supporting properties make Mountain Savory oil effective against viral infections and urinary and gastro-intestinal infections. It is a natural remedy for vaginal yeast infection, Epstein Barr and herpes as well.

After the three months, you can continue a few of these things to ensure that the Candida does not come back.  I take garlic pills,(garlic is one of Candida’s biggest enemies)  Lemon Essential oil, Ocotea Essential oil, Coconut oil,(Coconut oil is a powerful anti-fungal)  no gluten and Probiotics daily.  I also try not to eat processed sugar and I really am careful with how much wine I drink.  I am thrilled to say that I did kill the Candida beast and I feel good!   No more nasty symptoms.

Good luck on this journey!  You can do it..  God Bless you!

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions.  Please note that I am not a doctor or holistic practitioner.  I am just sharing my experience with Candida and what I did to help heal my body.

*Sharing experiences with essential oils is an effective way of learning to utilize these powerful gifts from Nature.  With this knowledge we can take control of our personal health.  However, we are required by law in the USA to state, “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products and techniques mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”