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Shaving and skin rashes

queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

I didn’t find this discussed yet so I am posting new topic.

This is probably more of a question for the ladies than the guys but men can answer too.

I shave my bikini area in the summer mostly (even though I usually go to the nude beach to sunbathe but in case I have to wear my bikini). The last few times I have shaved their I got a weird red ‘blotch’ – It isn’t razor burn as I have had that before in the past. It looks like a rash but it doesn’t hurt, had no little ‘pimples’ that you normally get from razor burn and it doesnt it itch. It is just ‘there’. It showed up almost immediately after I shaved the last two times (It got larger the second time around). It doesn’t happen on my legs or underarms which I usually just shave in the summer now too.

It kind of looks like a light brownish-red colored port wine stain. In natural light I can see a little dryness of the skin on the area. I have tried coconut oil and MSM lotion to get rid of it but nothing is working. It is more just ugly looking than anything as like I said it doesn’t burn or itch or anything. I tried to dry brush it and it didn’t help. I also tried scrubing a little sea salt on it too but that did nothing either.

I also have something similar on my left side below my underarm going a little under my breast (away from the shaving area) – in the form of small ‘spots’ that won’t go away. They have a little dryness on the skin too. Again doesn’t bother me – just ugly looking. I don’t have it on my right side.

I did try some lemon on the underarm rash once and it seemed to help but it came back after a while.

My guess is it is a fungus of some sort? But how to get rid of it? Anyone have any remedies for a “mystery rash”?

FYI: I don’t use soap on my skin. And this is something new just recently – I didn’t have any problems like this before. And I don’t like pain so I don’t want to wax or use an epilator. I tried those before. OUCH!

Thanks all!

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Comments

  • spiritedmamaspiritedmama Raw Newbie

    If it is a fungus, I would try getting rid of your current razor. Also, you could try using tea tree oil on the areas, as it is an excellent anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, etc. I don’t shave so I am not as much help as I could be I guess.

  • jenny2052jenny2052 Raw Newbie

    Yikes! Sorry to hear about your skin irritation. I rub fresh cut pineapple on pretty much any skin problem I have, and it seems to at least help a little with just about everything, whether it be dry skin or oily patches or blemishes. I haven’t had anything like what you’ve described, but I have used it on these weird bumps that I get on my arms, and it made a really dramatic improvement. Maybe it’s worth a try next time you have pineapple around?

    You can also make a soothing paste out of pulverized oatmeal and water. I used to use that for razorburn and it seemed to help—-sometimes I’d just add it directly to bath water. If you’re using it as a paste, you can add honey and/or coconut oil, too.

    Finally, I’ve also heard of using ACV or ACV/honey on skin issues, whether they be blemishes or dry patches. I think you just dab it on and let it sit. I haven’t tried this myself, but perhaps the acidity would help kill a fungus or bacteria, if that is what it is?

    I don’t know if these will help you, but I hope you find a solution!

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Spiritedmama – Yes, I think I will change the blade on my razor. I don’t shave there that often and don’t need to right now. I thought I had changed it right before I shaved last time but I think my bf has been using my razor and not telling me (grrr!). I am wondering if got this from him has he had the same sort of thing (not from shaving though) and his gone – now, he has passed it on to me! Blah! I might have to hide my razor.:)

    The tea tree oil always tends to GIVE me a rash and dry out my skin horribly but I do have a diluted one that I used to use on my pimples that didn’t give me a rash but it never worked really well on those. Maybe I’ll give that a try. I have to “two sides” I can treat so I’ll try it on one side and see how it goes.

    Jenny – Pineapple! I LOVE pineapple! (my fave fruit) so I always have some around. Just bought a fresh one. I’ll try this on one of my “sides”. If that doesn’t work, I’ll move to the acv.

  • Hi queenfluff..=) I am sorry to hear that, and intrigued. I would initially say put liquid vitamin e on it and see if it helps. I used to go to the beach a lot and “got” something like that. What I was told at the time was that there are some little bugs that live at the beach and people can catch them. Since you had just shaved it could be that those areas were the most tender and appetising if a teeny bug is involved. At the time I think I put clear nail polish on it- but that was a long time ago. Next to that I would say eat more zinc, and vitamin b. good luck! =)

  • Queenfluff; Could be what’s called “shifting clouds,” or Pityriasis versicolor. The interesting solution is using a dandruff shampoo like Selsun blue. Just apply it to the affected area twice a day and let it dry. A lot of the strains of this affect hair follicles, too, so perhaps that’s what you have. Try the Selsun Blue—it won’t hurt. :)

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    writeeternity – I don’t think it is a beach bug because the rash appeared very soon after shaving BEFORE I actually even hit the beach. I probably get more than enough zinc since eat alot of cashews. :) Not sure if I get enough Vitamin B though? Have to look into that. Thanks!

    RawVee – Oh my gosh! I think this is what I have! I looked online for Pityriasis versicolor and bam! – the pictures of people with this is pretty much exactly what my “blotchy” looks like! (although mine is not nearly as large as some of the blotches other people had – whew! I guess I should be grateful mine isn’t super huge!). So, it just a yeast infection? Unbelieveable! I guess it would make sense to get in your bikini area than – even though, I haven’t had a yeast infection for a while.

    Isn’t Selsun Blue mostly work because it is made from sulfur? Weird because I have been taking MSM powder for the last two months and you would think that would have helped it? Hmmm. interesting. I was trying the MSM lotion on it a few times but I admit not religiously enough. One site said it is hard to get rid of this (just great! darn!).

    I am not too comfortable about buying or using Selsun Blue on my skin but I read that I need something anti-fungal so I think I am going to try the tea tree oil (in the diluted form since full strength severly dry out my skin) and see how it goes. I am not going to shave that area until I get rid of this. I read that the tea tree is good at keep it away too so when I do end up shaving their again I will dab on tea tree afterwords.

    If that doesn’t work, then I will try the Selsun Blue. I also read that honey and olive oil works too. Sounds like I have to give it at least four weeks though. I also think I might get some raw shea butter for some ultra moisturing (super heavy for my skin but read it was also good for rashes).

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you RawVee! I think you solved my “rash mystery”. :)

  • Hi- that’s cool rawvee figured it out. My brother had that about 5 years ago and initally thought he caught it at the gym but it isn’t catching. He had to take oral meds to get control of it. Here is info from 2 sources on it- one traditional and one alternative. Naturopathic physicians like me often use papaya (pawpaw) to treat ringworm, pityriasis versicolor and certain other parasitic fungal skin infections. First, mash up green papaya in vinegar and apply this to pityriasis versicolor once a day for three days (Steinmetz E,. Codex Vegetabilis, Amsterdam: Steinmetz, 1957).

    Pityriasis versicolor and other fungal skin conditions:

    Topical and oral antifungal agents are used to treat active pityriasis versicolor. These may include:

    Propylene glycol Sodium thiosulphate solution Selenium sulfide Topical azoles including clotrimazole, miconazole, econazole and ketoconazole in various formulations Terbinafine gel Ciclopirox cream/solution Apply the medicine widely over the affected areas before bedtime for as long as directed (usually about two weeks).

    Patients with extensive or persistent pityriasis versicolor may be prescribed ketoconazole tablets or itraconazole capsules for a few days. As few as two tablets will clear many cases for several months. Vigorous exercise an hour later may help the medication to work as it comes out in the sweat. Do not shower for a few hours.

    Just in case you hadn’t seen this. =) It seems like applying yogurt to the area could help reestablish natural flora and fauna of the skin.

  • Queenfluff, Glad I could help. I’d advise against shea butter and olive oil. What the rash needs is to be drawn out. It tends to occur when people have yeast inside their bods (I’ve had Pity Vers quite a few times in my life). I know you want to stay natural—believe me, I would prefer to at all costs. But using Selsun Blue isn’t going to harm your skin or dump a load of evil chemicals in your body. It’s a topical use and it’s a fast fix if the tea tree doesn’t work. I’ve also found that in the last few days since going back to all raw, my Pity Vers (I get it on my neck) is gone baby gone. And in the past, raw has eliminated my yeast issues. So hopefully combining the tea tree with raw will help you out. In the meantime, I don’t know if you’re 100%, but if you’re not, stay away from refined sugar and any dairy and wheat/flour products when you eat. And when you put on the tea tree oil or the Selsun, go work out and get really sweaty, and then let the sweat sit for an hour or two. Gross, I know, but the yeast comes to the surface and then is wiped out as you’re sweating. Good luck!!!!

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    writeeternity – Thanks for the tip on the payaya! You are a naturopathic doctor? Great to get advice from the doctor in the house! :) I did read info similar to what you posted on the net yesterday – I have to admit I have NOT been exercising. I thought I read that being hot and sweaty can actually CAUSE this too. But I don’t think that is my problem.:) I have used yogurt in the past to treat internal yeast infections but I am a vegan and would prefer not to buy the yoghut so I switched to the ACV which worked well.

    RawVee – Ok, I won’t try the shea butter or olive oils. Those were going to be my “backups” in addition to the Selsun Blue too. Would you happened to know if having the yeast inside you means you have Candida? That is what I was reading on the net last night. I am a strict vegan (not so much for honey but never any dairy or anything like that). I have been 100% raw for the last two months and than kinda fell to 80% in the last week or so but I have had this for a while even while being 100% so I don’t think my eating some wheat/flour products made it worse since it has kind stayed the same for the last several months (probably since February).

    I am trying to go back to 100% again while I do the tea tree and I am going to try and get to the gym (and maybe into the sauna!) right after I apply the tea tree oil. The only bad thing is that even when I work out really hard I tend to not sweat alot – so I’ll definatley have to get into that sauna too! My bf sweats easily – maybe I should let him sweat on me! (Ha! Ha!) Yuck!

    I wonder if sitting in the sun after I apply the tea tree will help too – I guess only if i am sweating? I have been doing a lot of sun bathing I was trying to exposure the “spotty” areas to as much sun as I could but nothing seemed to happen. I didn’t have any tea tree on though.

    I think I’ll give the tea tree a few weeks ( I am going to apply twice a day) and see what happens – otherwise, I’ll try the Selsun blue in a few spots and writeeternity’s suggestion of papaya/ACV in some spots too and see what works better.

    One of my worries with the Selsun Blue was that I was afraid their company did animal testing but I just did a search and it appears that they don’t! Which is good news – so I’ll feel alot less guilty about buying it if I end up using it. :)

    Thanks so much!

  • Hi I’m not a dr.- I copied that from a dr.’s site! Good luck. I hope it works!

  • QF,

    Yes, usually Candida is present when you have the shifting clouds rash. Everyone has yeast in their systems. It’s when the good flora gets out of balance that it becomes a problem. Try taking a probiotic every morning before you eat, stay away from flour, sugar (whole fruits are great but stay away from dried until the yeast clears up), alcohol, and peanuts. Sunshine is actually a known aid to battling candida; yeast hates the sunlight. So yes! :) Good luck!!

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Thanks RawVee!

    I am trying to limit those things esp the flour (which I have had a bit more of than I usually do this week). I love raw peanuts – that is gonna be a hard one but I will try. I do eat some probiotics as I make a raw sour cream with probiotics in it – maybe I should up it a little than.

    I don’t eat dried fruits so that is not a problem. Weird as I have gotten ALOT of sunshine lately but hasn’t done anything to make the yeast clear up. I am going to give the tea tree about two weeks if nothing changes at all than I am going to do the Selsun. I would think after two weeks I would see SOME sort of improvement. What do you think? Also, how long did it take the Selsun to work for you? I just noticed I have a little bit of the yeast rash on the back of my neck too – very light colored so not as bad as my bikini area but I am going to start treating that too. I normally don’t see that because my hair is long.

    This will be interesting to see what works! Maybe I should do one of those EJUVA cleanses for Candida.but I definately can’t afford to buy one right now – they are so expensive! :)

    I just wanted to add that I took a little Candida test online – and I tested on the averagey high end but some of the questions were a bit iffy to answer – like antibiotics – I have taken long term treatments of antibiotics in my life but it was such a long time ago (were talking over 10 years) that I am not sure whether yes is an appropriate answer. I answered yes anyhow because i know long these things can stay in your body! Another thing that I was surprised at was a list of the problems that could be connected to Candida esp. ear problems which I have – I have hearing loss in both ears cause by some bad ear infections around 8 years ago and I can often hear a ‘swishy’ in my left ear which is where I have tinnitus that I can’t get rid off! This is so eye opening! I am going to take the saliva test tomorrow. I am now sure I will test positive. But at least now I can work at getting rid of it. I thank you again RawVee!

    Here is the test I took and one the pages I was looking at with some of the symptoms on it:

    http://www.candidasupport.org/candidatests.html…%20TEST http://www.spiritofhealing.com/articles/html/Ca…

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Just wanted to say that I did the spit test this morning and my spit streamed to the bottom pretty quickly.and the water is cloudy. :( I wasn’t surprised though.

    I was doing bunch of research on candida yesterday and it was pretty depressing. Some people were saying it can take 5 years for a woman to get rid of it (only takes guys a year or two – grrr!).

    So far, I am confused about the diet restrictions. Some say no fat at all (as fat is the real cause), some say no sweet fruit. Most say you need up your greens (esp green smoothies which i don’t normally drink). Many did say probiotics and fermented items which I am all for. Also a tea called Pau d Arco which I know David Wolfe recommends and I going to buy today and Cat’s Claw. Also spirulina which I have some but haven’t been regular about taking it. It seems that many sorts of nuts that are my favorites are big no-no’s – cashews, peanuts and walnuts. WAH! At least almonds seem to be OK.

    Lots of people are promoting the Doug Graham 811 which I am NOT a supporter of – I like the approaches of Gabriel Cousens, David Wolfe or the Bouentkos better.

    RawVee, sounds like you have had this problem before so if you have any other advice for me, I would be most grateful, because everything I read on line was so conflicting (sounds like there is not just one way to heal this).

    One question I had was how do you take your probiotics – do you make a drink with yours or do you just swallow a pill? I would prefer to make the drink as I have difficulty swallowing pills. I have Country Life Power Dophillus which I use to make raw sour cream which is fermented – that is the only thing I have right now which is fermented and has probiotics and even though it has cashews (which are a big no-no apparently) I am going to finish it up anyhow. I hate saurekraut which is also recommended – so I will have to think of something else fermented to make. I also read rejuvelac was good too.

    And oh! If you have any book recommendations that would be great also! I read a lot of reference to Rainbow Cuisine by Gabriel Cousens and Sunfood Success by David Wofle and only one of the Boutenkos books. Thanks again for your help!

  • Queenfluff,

    If you want to send me an e-mail, too, we can continue this off the board if you like. I had MAJOR problems with Candida (and by that I mean systemic, not yeast infections alone), and have found that eating 100% raw eliminated all of my symptoms, just like that. To put it simply, our bodies get overly acidic and it makes for a more hospitable environment for the Candida overgrowth. Add to that any other factors like antibiotics, birth control pills, too much sugar, and even high stress, and it can get out of hand.

    Do NOT freak about getting rid of this, QF. The people who are saying it can take 5 years are either pessimists or don’t know about raw. :) And even before I went raw, I got completely rid of my Candida, which was basically causing me a slow erosion, in six months. It’s my own dumb fault that it ever came back.

    I take a probiotic capsule. If you have difficulty swallowing pills you could cut it in half-the one I take isn’t that big. Taking fermented stuff isn’t necessary to kick it-in fact, some nutritionists claim you should stay away from vinegars, mushrooms, etc. Frankly, I think if you stick to a totally raw diet you’ll feel better. And don’t worry about this, hon. Most of us are walking around with Candida issues, trust me. I worked with a holistic nutritionist and about 80% of the people, men and women, who walked in her door had yeast overgrowth.

    Another suggestion? Stop reading books. You’re going to basically overwhelm yourself with information, and you’ll find much of it contradicts. Go 100% raw. You’ll feel a HUGE difference in just 2 weeks. I think we get too hung up on all the information out there and we need to get back to basics. Our bodies are incredible machines. They are self-healers. All you have to do is give them a chance to heal. If you take the strain of digesting garbage off of them, they take on healing as a top priority.

    V

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Hi RawVee,

    I had sent you an email with a couple questions but I didn’t hear back so I guess it got spammed or never made it you.

    Anyhow, the tree tea oil seems to be kicking it a bit as the rashes are getting lighter in color. So, we will see what happens after a few weeks! :)

    One of my questions was about detox and its relation to the rashes: I was wondering if the rashes are actually my body detoxing the yeast out of my system? I just found it odd that I never had this before and if so many of us have it, why it didn’t show up when I was on a cooked diet with many breads? I know that people can’t detox out much when they are on a cooked diet and I know that going raw releases lots of toxins and you get detox in lots of forms like rashes. I am guessing if I stay 100% for a very long time and didn’t even use anything on the rashes that they might clear up by themselves. But my guess is also they will probably get worse before they get better.

    One reason I was wondering this is that even if those the rashes I am treating seem to lessening – I am noticing a few new ones (at least they look like the same thing). They are on back my so I can’t get a super close up look at them it see if they have the scaley patch on them – it could just be that my skin is very freckly and blotchy from the sun too. They are more of a lighter color like the ones I have under my arm than the ones near my bikini area which are the darker colored ones.

    I am praying that this doesn’t move to my face! It doesn’t bother me so much on my body but my face – eekkk! I guess I am vain. Ha Ha! :) I do have two rashes on my neck which I have been treating.

    I am now drinking the Pau d’Arco tea (I made a sun tea of it yesterday) with some Cat Claw’s. Trying to up my greens and including more probiotics in my foods. I just might start taking the capsule or just mixing in my smoothie in the morning.

    Also, would you happened to know if a clay detox bath might help out at all? I have one I am planning to do for mercury any how and i was wondering if it might speed this along.

    Thanks so much! queenfluff

  • kauaigirlkauaigirl Raw Newbie

    YES! This was my initial thought when reading this post. Esp. since you have been taking MSM. It detoxes out through the skin esp. in weird places like the legs. I remember have hard, cyst-like pimples on my thighs while taking MSM. I never had any problem on my face, fortunately.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Hi kauaigirl,

    Well, I have actually got the rashes BEFORE I started taking the MSM but I supposed it could be making my rashes worse. From what I know on information from RawVee these are rashes that are caused by yeast. They are basically a “yeast fungus” but, horrah! if the MSM is makes my body detox the yeast out faster. I would rather just get it over with! :) The Pau d’ Arco tea is supposed to do a hard yeast die off and cause detox. I noticed that I drank a whole glass of the sun tea I made this morning and now I have an upset tum-tum which is supposed to one of the symptoms of the tea working. Hope that is some yeast dying off!

    I had a few cyst like pimples on my neck which is where I have a few of a rashes but the bad rashes are on my bikini area. I sure do hope I don’t have to worry about my face! Thanks!

  • QueenFluff,

    I’m so sorry I haven’t answered your e-mail!! I wanted to sit down and give it the attention it deserves, but I’ve been on crazy deadlines all week and haven’t had time. If you have the Pvers, it’s more than likely not detoxing, but just a sign of yeast in your system. It can come and go, too, with heat. You shouldn’t worry about it getting on your face. And as for the Selsun question you asked, just put a very thin layer on and you won’t have to worry about it going anywhere you don’t want it to—let it dry fully before you put clothes on.

    Also, Pvers is not something that always accompanies yeast. When I said a lot of people have “it,” I meant an overabundance of yeast. Also, there’s not always a scaly patch on the Pvers—sometimes it just looks like a splotchy rash, usually pinky brown. One thing I forgot to tell you is not to wear the same shirt twice. For instance, if you wear a t-shirt to bed and usually wear the same one every night, don’t. Wash between wears, because it just keeps the fungus cycle going.

    I would DEFINITELY take the probiotic, as it’s a more direct route of getting the good flora in your system. Also, you can pick up Caprylic Acid in capsule form; it’s a really good way to get yeast out of your system. Eat as much garlic as you can, and if you like cayenne, do it up! Both are natural anti-fungals.

    I didn’t use the Selsun Blue. I actually got a tube of Xolegel from my dermatologist (I happened to be there to get a skin screening and she noticed the Pvers). It took care of it in 2 days. And yeah, I’d rather go natural, but I know that tea tree won’t work for me, and I was impatient to get that crap off my skin. :) Plus, she told me that it wasn’t toxic. Go for the Selsun, sister.

    Just remember—yeast thrives on damp conditions. So what you’re putting in your body needs to be non-dampening. Stay away from dairy, definitely stay away from peanuts (they carry TONS of mold), mushrooms, dried fruit. Also, stress. Stress multiplies candida.

    Sorry again for the delay. I’m around more this weekend, so please email me if you have any other questions.

    Big hug!

    V

  • Hi Queenfluff! I saw this and thought of you:

    Hesperidin: Best Bet Food Sources-- NutriBiotic's Grapefruit Seed Extract. Note: Hesperidin is in the bioflavonoid family and is thought to stimulate the immune system and fight yeast infections.

    I hope you are doing ok. How is it going?

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Hi writeeternity:

    Thanks so much for asking! RawVee has been giving me advice through email -she is very helpful – and I have been learning so much online.

    Basically, my dark spots are pretty much gone! I was doing tons of tea tree oil treatments and they are fading. The tea tree oil was starting to irritate my skin a bit so I had to stop for a while and replaced with coconut oil which has a good acid in it for these types of rashes. I am also taking a lot of anti-fungals.

    Just last week, I started getting more spots though but these are white one and they are in the places (chest area) where I am very tan. I can’t really “fade” these. But I found a very interesting product online called Saprox http://www.torfspa.com/saprox.html. It is all natural and full of organic sulfur and comes from deep in glacial lakes.I am still waiting for it to arrive but it is supposed to be very good for the white spots. I am excited to try it.

    Lately, I have been trying to follow a fruit free diet which is recommended for candida suffers along with staying 100% raw. It was going OK for the first week but this week I have felt very horrible and I believe that I experience some yeast die off (like a yeast detox) and today I believe my blood sugar dropped too much as I almost passed out. So I had my bf make me a green smoothie with some pineapple and blueberries and I feel better. They say if you “masked” the fruit by blending it with some greens it is not as bad. Plus you do need sweet fruit after a while or your body gets out of balance. I definatley experienced that today – I believe that part wasn’t die off or detox. I have had detox symptoms before that wasn’t it.

    I have heard of the grapefruit seed extract before and I was thinking about trying but I have found something better that I found out about on rawfoodtalk.com – lots of people on there have candida and are starting colon cleanse. I just order a product called Colonix (www.drnatura.com) and it has Grapefruit seed extract in the Anti-Parasite capsule.. I am not much of person for kits like this but I have never done a colon cleanse before and I have a history of colonoscopies and polpys – I came close to developing colon cancer. I really think this might help me out – and not just with the candida but just other problems as well with my colon and energy level, etc.

    I had gone to a lecture by raw foodist Brenda Cobb a few days ago and she was very informative about this. I was shocked to learn about the truth about colonoscopies.(they don’t really check out your whole colon!) So I figure – I must still have a dirty colon and I gotta clean it out!

  • Hi- I was hoping it had gotten under control for you. Are you able to sit out in the sun? That might help. That is so strange that so many people are getting this. I would say it had to do with a vitamin deficiency but my brother got it and he wasn’t vegan. Have you been eating brazil nuts? They are supposed to help a lot of things because of the selenium in them. I bought my brother the tea tree oil and I don’t know if he used it. What I did notice about his living conditions was that there were some things there that could have made it worse. He lived in a townhouse and the windows were painted shut- so moisture built up in there from the dryer, dishwasher, shower- etc. I went up in the attic and it was so dusty. I cleaned everything out for him, unstuck the windows, did some painting, and even washed his dust ruffle and bought all new pillows, and sheets. This may or may not have helped but he did get over it with oral medication. He didn’t go out in the sun either as he had fair skin. I am just wondering with all of this colon stuff going on aren’t you cleaning out the good stuff that you need to fight this stuff off. I am also wondering about the probiotic- could that be getting in the way. I know it’s supposed to help but what if it’s not. That’s the thing with this diet there is very little else to eat once you start eliminating fruits, nuts, grains.. Maybe a water fast is the only way to go… What I want to know is why so many people are getting this..

    That is really scary about your blood sugar. Be careful! If you really have a bad candida outbreak it can affect your heart and actually kill you. Make sure and take your temperature to see if it is fluctuating. I am worried about you. I hope you get through this soon!

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Hi writeeternity-

    Thanks! That is so sweet that you are worried about me. You are so nice! Yea, I am able to sit out in the sun. Actually, my bf and I went to the nude beach today. :) Even though I didn’t feel great – I dragged myself there anyway because I wanted to go swimming and it was hot out. Needless to say, I felt like crap most of the day esp. on the walk down to the beach (it is a mile from the parking lot to the river area – the beach is on a river). I felt like I had a big rock in my belly and I threw up once on the walk there and had to take a few breaks because I was so nausated and week! ugh!) Once I got in the water I pretty much floated around – it is nice and peaceful there – although my stomach still was killing me. I threw up another time in the water. I finally started feeling better after that – althought still I was still pretty weak. I laid out in the sun for an hour and than we left and picked some wild blackberries and mulberries (well my bf picked – I sat and rested).

    So, my stomach feels better after throwing up but I am still weak – I have decided to include some fruit – although not a ton in my diet. I honestly think all the sickness was from a yeast die off (except almost passing out yesterday).

    My bf was telling me about the selenium too. I have some brazil nuts but don’t eat them on a daily basis. I have to make some of my brazil nut cheeze again. I honestly ate practically nothing today as my stomach could not handle it. I didn’t take any anti-fungals today as they say not to take them for a bit if you start feeling too sick.So I will skip them for a day or two when I feel better.

    Everyone is getting this because so many people take antibiotics and eat bad diets with refined sugars and lots of yeast filled breads. Antibiotics kill good bacteria in your system and when there is no good and the bad ones are free to take over. Women especially – because being on birth control pills get the bacterias in your stomach so out of whack than you end up with a yeast overgrowth. Moldy conditions like your brothers attic don’t help the condition but I don’t think that is the major cause – it starts in your system. Make sure your brother gets some sun. Sun kills yeast. That is why I dragged my sorry butt to the beach today – to detox. (I love going anyhow but it is harder when you don’t feel good).

    For the colon stuff, you need to clean out the bad stuff and than replace it with some good stuff. That is why you have to take a probiotics when you have a candida or are doing a colon cleanse. If you take a good one, you should be alright. No, probiotics do not get in the way – they actually help fight candida – the yeast are the “bad” bacteria in you and the probiotics are the “good” when you wipe out the “bad”, you got to replace them with “good”. You can also get your probiotics if you drink keifers or some feremented items like fermented veggie or rejuvalac.

    I know a girl who did a water fast for 30 days and she still couldn’t get rid of the candida – but it depends on how bad you have it too. For the diet, there are SAD eaters who have this and get rid of it – it just depends on how bad you have it. It can become Systemic (gets into your bloodstream)and cause diseases like MS.

    Yeah the diet is hard. The important fruits to avoid are super sugars ones like dates and bananas. Nuts are OK except Peanuts and cashews apparently. You can eat pretty much all vegetables. Although you can start including more fruits as you get better so you aren’t stuck with this forever. That is why I am doing the colon cleanse. It really kills em off and sends em on its way – along with other wormies that might be hanging out in me!

  • That blotchy rash you have is a fungus, caused from moisture and humidity in those areas of your body. You can easily get rid of it by using an antifungal cream (OTC) or topical Clindamycin (prescription). I live in Miami, Florida and finally figured out what it was after I had it for months, same areas, and it just spread and I thought I had some horrible disease! Now I know what it is. Fungal infections thrive in warm, humid climates like this. Even my dogs have repeatedly suffered from fungal infections in this climate, as have my sister and I. Thank gosh I’m moving to Idaho in 3 days. Goodbye ridiculous heat, humidity, and all those nasty little fungi!! Goodbye Miami, I don’t think I’ll miss you much!!!

  • Hi Queenfluff! I know you feel like you have already diagnosed yourself but it was bugging me that what you have is a symptom of something else. Here is some more info just in case it could have some relavence to you. The stomach issues you are having are a major symptom with copper excess which can be caused by eating too many nuts (cashews especially) high in it, copper pipes, birth control, or a genetic accumulation disorder which can take up to 40 years to surface called Wilsons disease. One way to diagnose yourself is to look at your eyes and see if you see and shiny coppery color accumulating around your cornea.

    From the internet- How Copper Affects Your Health

    Copper is a toxic metal that is ubiquitous in modern America. It keeps our swimming pools healthy and is a primary ingredient in popular birth control formulations. Beer and white wine use it in their production processes. Too much copper can hurt your beauty efforts.

    Too much copper causes oily skin, which can lead to adult acne. Women break out right before their periods because their estrogen levels rise. Copper levels in the body tends to move in tandem with estrogen.

    As many as 30 percent of women on birth control pills develop a dark pigmentation of the skin, usually around the face. Birth control pills can contain copper; if your body retains this copper, it may contribute to the pigmentation problem. Taking zinc capsules frequently solves the problem.

    Do you get white spots on your skin after you visit a tanning salon or spend a day at the beach? Excess copper is the culprit. It combines with the sunlight to create the spots.

    Does you skin sag? Has it lost its elasticity? Vitamin C is essential to maintain skin elasticity. Elevated copper levels reduce the vitamin C content of the skin, causing a loss of normal skin tone. This is one reason why many of the cosmetic companies are adding Vitamin C to their formulas.

    Is your hair falling out? You can thank elevated levels of estrogen and copper for that. This is why hair loss is common during the third trimester of pregnancy; at that time copper and estrogen levels are at their highest to grow the baby. (Men who are balding lose their hair faster if they are toxic with copper.)

    Copper also causes brittle and thin nails. You can make your nails stronger by adding zinc and sulfur supplements to your diet; these will make your nails tougher than using gelatin.

    Grapes, chocolate, avocados, almonds, walnuts, white wine, beer, and soy protein like tofu are high in copper. Birth control pills (which may contain copper) and IUDs (which are usually made of copper) are another cause of copper toxicity. People who spend a great deal of time in swimming pools can become toxic with copper, since the metal is a common algicide.

    Copper pipes can also be the villain, because they can leach the metal into the drinking water. Insecticides and pesticides (do you spray your yard for fleas?) are another common source of copper.

    http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/medical/kayser_fl…

    I was using the cronometer today and was suprised at how much copper nuts have. I hope you can feel better soon!=)

  • Here is a really good article to look at: http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/copper_toxici…

    Also interestingly- Adrenal burnout, characterized by chronic fatigue and other symptoms, is often related to copper imbalance. Although correcting emotional and other factors are necessary, improving the copper imbalance, supporting the adrenals and releasing fearful thoughts go hand in hand to restore optimum health. COPPER AND ADDICTION

    Compulsive behavior may be related to copper and the adrenals. Exercise, for example, stimulates the adrenals. This helps keep copper available and makes one feel better. If one stops exercising, unbound copper builds up and one may feel fatigue, mood swings and depression. In some people, this can create a compulsive need to exercise. Other ways to temporarily control copper toxicity include the use of caffeine or other stimulants. Part of the appeal of cocaine, Ritalin and amphetamines may be their ability to help lower copper temporarily by stimulating the adrenals. Cadmium found in marijuana and cigarettes drives copper back into storage. These drugs may make one feel better by affecting the copper balance.

    When copper is out of balance, our bodies cannot control yeast overgrowth. This often lead to chronic candida albicans infections that are resistant to treatment.

  • Queenfluff – i noticed that u ordered “colonix” ... just wondering, have u started it yet? if so how is it and how much did u pay for it. ig u havent used it yet .. keep me posted :D thanx!

  • devittlesdevittles Raw Newbie

    what can you do to get the copper problem under control? does taking zinc/vitamin c work or just deal with those particular symptoms?

    how do you know if it copper is the problem?

  • Zinc can help and also eating more sulfur containing foods like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower. Wilsons disease is pretty rare but getting too much copper could actually be pretty easy if your favorite thing to eat is cashew cheese or cashew cheese cake, cashew icing, cashew breakfast scrambles, etc.

    I didn’t know how important broccoli and cauliflower could be!

    I was reading this today and thought niacin could also be a possibility:

    Deficiency Symptoms

    The usual first sign of deficiency is a darkened, cracking, scaling rash that worsens with sun exposure. If not corrected, inflammation of the mucus membrane linings in the body may occur causing particular digestive abnormalities. It is not uncommon to see a swollen, red tongue. It may progress to affect the vagina and urethra of the urinary tract. Here is a pic http://dermnetnz.org/systemic/pellagra.html

    Here is a source of natural niacin- I haven’t tried acai- but I’d like to after reading this!http://www.acaiberryjuice.org/ Also rice bran and peanuts- personally I have never bought rice bran and haven’t bought peanuts for a long time because raw ones are only at a store about an hour from here and I have been focusing on exploring different nuts and nut cheeses.

    This is nothing to mess around with as the final outcome is death if a person isn’t diagnosed correctly.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Hi writeeternity!

    Thanks so much for the extra info copper. The only thing I have on that list are the white spots. Nothing else on their applies to me – I never swim in swimming pools because i hate the chlorine smell – my hair is in great shape as are my nails which are super thick – no sagging skin either – I do eat some of those foods but not on a daily basis. I only drink filtered drinking water. Deficiency or diseases can often mimic other ones esp. if not a lot of research has gone into the them. Candida is actually the cause of SO many other problems that people don’t know is caused by it.I was shocked at the list. Candida is one of those things that traditional doctors won’t always recognize – they write you a prescription for an antibiotic!

    Take the candida test and you will see:http://www.candidasupport.org/candidatests.html#SALIVA TEST

    I have taken SO many different antibiotics in my life I can’t even count. It doesn’t matter how long ago you have taken them either. I was on acne antibiotics all through high school and beyond. I also took Accutane. Antibiotics for a UTI infection. Antibiotics for ear problems. UGH! Birth Control pills for an extended period of time and I was pregnant once. So, I am a prime candiate for a candida. Take the spit for yourself if you don’t pass the questionarie.

    My thoughts on the stomach issues are that if they were really caused by cashews (which I haven’t been eaten for at least a week) than I would have seen this before. There is nothing wrong with my eyes either – my eye color is clearer brigher since going raw. :)

    Here are the symptoms of a yeast die-off:http://www.wholeapproach.com/newsletter/pop200306.html

    Don’t worry about me! I am pretty sure that candida is what I have. RawVee had the same thing as me and she was very helpful in giving me advice. Right now, I am just trying to get rid of it …and they know what you say in the raw food world. You often feel worse before you feel better! I am starting to think that EVERYONE who goes raw should do a colon cleanse or other sort of detox. I have been on and off raw for a few years now and I have never really felt great and now I know why. Alot of times if you have any “worms” in you – they are the ones who are eating up all the great nutritious food you are eating and than you don’t feel the benefits of it! Lots of people say they feel so much better after doing a cleanse.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    madgi:

    Yes, I just ordered mine the other day. It has not arrived yet so I haven’t started it. On rawfoodtalk.com, there are a bunch of us who are doing this together! If you are interested come and join us! (Oh, there are lots of gross and disgusting pictures of bowel movements in the thread so be warned!)

    http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=28700

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