When I’m studying or working, I need an extra energy boost. I’ve found that the Mineral-Chi Tonic full of Chinese herbs really helps my energy levels. I take about a tablespoon of it, then wash that down with water. The taste gets some getting used to, but it works. I like taking things that make me more focussed as opposed to revved up.

I’ll also sometimes take a couple Adaptamax capsules. This product supposedly boosts your adrenal glands (the glands that create adrenalin) and contain ginseng. I don’t know if this product works as well as the Mineral Chi, though. I don’t know if I need to take it more often or just take more of the capsules, but I like that I can take the Mineral Chi just when I need it.

I love when you tell people that you’re stressed and tired, and they tell you to reduce the stresses in your life. I don’t know how to reduce the stresses in my life when I don’t have a choice. I have to raise my son. I have to go to school to get a better job and new career. I have to work to pay my bills. What do you do to reduce stress or to increase your energy?

I’m currently in school as a single mom going through a divorce. I can’t afford to get sick now because I can’t miss any school. Besides, getting sick is no fun. My toddler son, unfortunately, picked up a cold from somewhere, and he became the sickest I’ve ever seen him. I didn’t want to get his phlegmy cough, runny nose and lethargy, so I went to the store and picked up some olive leaf capsules. I didn’t know what kind to get, so I just picked a bottle and took 3 or 4 with a meal. I also ordered a bottle from Nature’s Sunshine since I was running out of products and it was time to place an order anyway.

The Nature’s Sunshine product (Olive Leaf Extract Concentrate) ended up having nearly twice the amount of listed ingredient as the one I bought from the local store, and I know that the quality is excellent. When my package arrived, I took 3 or 4 of those a day during the week my son was sick.

So, how did I do? I had a sore throat for most of the week, and my nose started running just a tad (never so much that I had to carry tissues), but the symptoms never went beyond that. I was amazed. Four-year-olds love to climb on you and snuggle and pick their nose and then hand you food, and I didn’t get sick. I was BEAT last week, too, between all of my responsibilities. I’ve become a believer.

How does it work? Supposedly, olive leaf is good for the immune system. More importantly, it has antimicrobial properties, so it’s helpful for fighting viruses and fungal infections. Most of the products I take when I feel a cold coming on only boost my immune system, but they can’t actually fight the bug that’s attacking me and trying to make me sick. It looks like olive leaf extract is different from immune system vitamins and minerals and mushrooms.

If you give this a shot, please comment and let me know what your results are. Be sure to take it as soon as you begin noticing symptoms.

I started this website because I knew that there are other people who suffer from the same digestive issues as me. It’s such an embarrassing thing that we don’t usually talk to anyone about it. I searched on the internet and found 42 pages of forum postings from people who didn’t know what to do. There were people who suffered even longer than me, and people who had only suffered for a few months. But still, I knew that it wasn’t “normal.” I knew that it wasn’t just gas that could be solved with a few digestive enzymes or some indigestion medicine. I knew that these symptoms were caused in part by my head. I’m self-critical, hard on myself, and I expect too much from myself, more than I would expect from anyone else. This criticism created stress manifested in my digestive system.

I did the strict Candida diet after my nutritionist told me that Candida yeast was present in my body. (It’s present in everybody’s body, but it was an overgrowth in mine.) After doing the diet and taking some recommended herbs, I still wasn’t feeling the way I was hoping to feel. I decided to attack my nervous stomach with all of the products Nature’s Sunshine carries to combat nervousness. And after only a week on these new products, I noticed a huge change in my body. However, school wasn’t going to start for another week or so. I didn’t want to start celebrating until I put myself to the test. Until I was in a situation that normally caused my stomach to act up and it was calm, I didn’t want to tell anyone how good I was feeling.

On my first day of school (after being out for 12 years), I went to the bathroom about five times before leaving the house. I didn’t feel great, but I hoped that I would be fine once I got to class. I had a rough morning bringing my son to his first day at preschool and wasn’t relaxed. (If you’ve had a toddler going to school, you know that it’s not always easy those first few days…or weeks.) My stomach was nervous, but I was surprised to find that once I was in class, I was fine. No noises for two hours of chemistry lecture. I couldn’t believe it! I was relieved and excited — elated. No being distracted by a gurgly stomach; I could pay attention to the lecture rather than worrying and sweating about people hearing the noises my stomach was making.

I wanted to write about my success right away, but I thought it might be a fluke. I went to lab two days later. I was nervous, but less than on the first day. And I was fine, even though I had to sit between two people. I sat in the back by the hood, which had a fan that’s on all of the time. That was calming, but I was still surprised that I was doing okay. I then went to lecture. And another lab. And another lecture. And my stomach was fine. Hooray!

Okay, here’s my secret. I want you to try it if you think you may have the same problem as me. Of course I’m an affiliate of Nature’s Sunshine. But after what the products have done for me, I’m a convert. I’ve tried other products, and they didn’t help. I even tried other Nature’s Sunshine products with far less success. If you don’t want to try these products that have helped me because you think I’m just keeping this website to make some money, then that’s fine. You can try something else. I only want to share what has worked for me. And because it’s worked for me, I want to share it. I want you to get better and to not suffer from a noisy gut. I know how debilitating it is. I was afraid of going back to school — not because the classes would be too hard, but because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to make it through lecture without worrying about my stomach.

I did the Candida diet and the Para-Cleanse. The diet definitely helps, but I cheat much more now that I’ve found these different products and have no adverse reaction. Although, it helps to eat gluten-free and to avoid alcohol and ice cream. You can do the cleanse or not. You may want to follow the Candida diet and just try the products I’m going to recommend for nervousness. If it works for you, please let me know. If you don’t think that the products are enough, you could try doing the Para-Cleanse (two boxes: 10 days on, 10 days off, 10 days on, and start about three days before the full moon) and being strict with the Candida diet like I did. I also take several products, but I’m going to pare this down to the ones I think are doing the most good for me. I don’t want you spending hundreds of dollars unless you have to. Let me be your guinea pig.

So we’re at gluten-free diet…. Avoid sugar, alcohol, dairy (except raw goat milk cheddar and good yogurt) and preservatives. I also take the Nervous Fatigue Formula, Chinese TCM Concentrate. I take one in the morning and one in the evening. I think this is the product doing the most good, but it’s probably a combination of things. I also think the Intestinal Soothe & Build is really helping, so I’m going to keep ordering that one. I also think the GC-X does good. GC-X supports the intestine and may help with gas and bloating. I take Psyllium Hulls Combination every day and haven’t found another product as good as this one. On the days when I have class, I take Nutri-Calm. I don’t know if this product helps or not, but sometimes it helps me to take something so that I feel like I’m doing something. This product may not be necessary for you.

I take several other products, but these are the ones that I think really help my gut. I also take four of the Probiotic Eleven every morning, and this must help, too. I like that there are several kinds of probiotics in this formula. The things I take nourish my gut or keep it from spazzing out when I’m under stress. I was taking digestive enzymes for awhile, but I didn’t find that it made much of a difference. I don’t think I can eat a plate of spaghetti and feel good afterward, no matter how many enzymes I take.

I hope that this post helps you. I’m extremely satisfied with the way my health is improving and in the changes I’ve already seen in my well-being. I’d forgotten how it felt to not feel gassy and bloated after eating. It’s amazing to eat and just feel satiated. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment. But remember, I’m just like one of you guys; I’m not a doctor or nutritionist or anything like that. This information is only meant to inform and not to cure any disease.

This formula of Chinese herbs is the one that I think did the trick, but it’s hard to know since I’m taking several products. Because I don’t know which one is helping me the most, I’m going to continue taking the ones my instincts tell me are helping the most. I’ve been taking the Stress-J three times a day for the past couple months, but I don’t think it was strong enough to ease my fussy nervous stomach. When I read the description for the Nervous Fatigue TCM Concentrate (“Nervous Fatigue TCM helps relieve stress and helps support digestion and promote sleep.”), I knew that I should try this formula. I’m going to continue taking this one for as long as I can afford it. I’ve been taking one in the morning with breakfast and one after dinner.

My gut (excuse the pun) tells me that this product also added to the noises being calmed down. The description for this one reads, “Ingredients in the formula help relieve occasional bloating pressure and soothe the intestinal tract.” I could definitely use that. A friend told me that she takes this product when she’s under a lot of stress. I’m under a tremendous amount of stress right now with being a single mom, going through a divorce, trying to make a living freelancing, moving to another city and going back to school. I thought that now was a perfect time to try Intestinal Soothe & Build. Actually, with the way things are going, I’d probably be taking it for quite awhile.

When I told my nutritionist about the bloating and gas that I was still suffering from, even after getting the Candida under control, she told me that I could take one of two products for gas. She said that the GC-X is stronger and is good if you have anger or bitterness as well as stress. I immediately said that I needed to take this one (since I’m going through a divorce) and don’t even remember what the other product was. (No, actually I think it was called “Anti-Gas Formula” or something.) I took two of these three times a day, and I think it does help with the bloating.

I also started taking Small Intestine Detox. I don’t know how much good this one is doing, but I made a deal with myself to attack my nervous stomach with as much ammunition as possible. I know that if I stop taking it after I run out, I’ll find out that this was the answer to all of my digestive problems, won’t I? This product may help to soothe the digestive tract tissues, and pepsin is also created naturally by the body to help digest protein.

Because I went to see a homeopath a few years ago at great expense and little results, I was skeptical about trying this homeopathic remedy. I decided to try it anyway since it doesn’t cost much and is easy to take. I took this on my first day of school and carried it in my backpack so that I could take it when I got to school, too. You just put a few drops under your tongue as needed. I’m not sure if it helped, but it didn’t hurt. Sometimes it helps me when I think I’m doing something rather than not doing anything. Many people swear by homeopathic remedies. If you’re one of them, you might want to try this one. [Note: This product is no longer available.]

Over the next 12 years, I went to the doctor, who said that I had IBS and prescribed Prilosec. It ended up being expensive and a waste of money. I went to a homeopath, which was really expensive and didn’t work. I tried taking liquid nutritional supplements and digestive enzymes and food combining, but it didn’t help much. I took Immodium before every work meeting, drank lots of green tea to soothe my upset stomach, avoided promotions which would force me to go to more meetings, was content with being a working drone alone in my cubicle so that I wouldn’t have to be near anyone else, and I generally avoided social situations where I’d be inside where it was quiet.

My life was ruled by my noisy stomach. This was no way to live.

I thought that a large part of my problem must be psychological since my body sensed when I was going to be in a historically uncomfortable situation. I could feel fine and then have to go to the bathroom three times before leaving the house for a Mommy Support Group at the local hospital. I had tried nutritional solutions, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, homeopathy and hypnosis, and nothing gave me significant relief.

In the fall of 2006, I went to see a therapist, It was my first time in therapy, and I was skeptical about it helping at all. My son was a year-and-a-half, my marriage was near its end, and I was miserable. My ex fortuitously found me a therapist who was exactly what I needed. She was kind, understanding, supportive and showed me how destructive my marriage had been to my self-esteem and self-confidence. She helped give me the strength to leave my unhappy marriage. she said that when I first went to see her, I looked like a battered woman with my shoulders hunched over–I looked small. When our time was over a few months later, I walked straighter and glowed. I had become stronger.

Right after I left, my stomach improved a bit. I was happier and felt more independent. Unfortunately, I was laid off from my job (my fifth layoff) three months after I left my husband. Things became more stressful for me as money got tighter, talking with my ex became more strained, I struggled to make enough money through my freelance web design business while trying to stay home as much as possible with my toddler son. My health quickly got worse again as I worried about the divorce and surviving and being a good mom.

A few months ago, I got out of my divorce-induced depression and decided to get my health back on track. I went back to my nutritionist and became dedicated to getting better. She said that the Candida was present in my body, and I started taking measures to get it under control. I went on the strict Candida diet, did the parasite cleanse, psyllium, probiotics and other herbal supplements, and the bloat went away. However, I would still get an upset stomach when I had to go into certain social situations. My stomach was still not better, although my energy was up, and I was less bloated and gassy.

I decided that I should attack my nervous stomach. It seemed like all of my stress (and I had a lot of it) was being held in my stomach. I wasn’t going to let my health hold me back any longer. I asked my nutritionist which herbal supplements I could take that would improve my digestion and calm my nerves. After a week on the additional products, I noticed a huge difference in the amount of gas and nervousness I felt. I started feeling “normal” again. Now that I’m seeing an even greater improvement by taking the nervousness/digestive health supplements, I’m thinking that the root of my problem is how my body handles stress more than it is the Candida. I’m still going to follow the Candida diet and try to stick to a gluten-free diet because I feel a lot better and I’m able to maintain a better weight when I reduce my carbs. But it’s the newer products that I’ve added that are really making a difference in my noisy gut, which was my biggest complaint about my health.

I’m looking forward to continued improvement and becoming a stronger, more self-assured woman after I get through all of this stress. I know there will be new stresses ahead, but I think I’ve finally found the answer to my digestive health problems after 12 years. Woohoo!

I was raised on rice. Our family used the rice cooker almost every day. The only times we didn’t have rice was when we had spaghetti or S.O.S. (creamed ground beef over mashed potatoes). All other times, we had rice. If we had pork chops and applesauce, there was rice. If we had meatloaf, there was rice. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I get stuffing and rice with gravy over it.

I gradually made the transition to brown rice this past year or so by mixing half white rice with half brown rice. I still got the sticky consistency without the dryness of the brown rice that I was used to having in the Santa Cruz hippie restaurants. I finally changed to all brown rice when I started getting more serious about getting my health in order.

When I saw Pat for the first time in several years, she told me that the Candida was present in my body and that I’d have to give up all grains, including rice. I said, “Do you know how big it was for me to change to brown rice? That was huge!” She said that I could have brown rice two to three times per week, but I would need to cut down my portions.

I thought that I could do that. At least she was allowing me to have a little rice. When I started on the strict Candida diet that day, I made baked chicken with lemon, garlic, rosemary and olive oil with a side of veggies and needed rice, too. I made a stir fry and needed rice on the side. I made a coconut milk curry and needed rice to soak up the sauce.

It was hard to stick to the two to three times per week.

I then decided that I should make soup so that I wouldn’t miss the rice. If I made a curry with lots of sauce, I would think that I needed rice. If I made soup with lots of meat and veggies, my head would think that that was a meal.

The first couple weeks on the diet were hard. I missed bready things. I missed rice. I would sneak gluten-free snacks like rice crackers (the ones by Lundberg are good!) and still ate breaded chicken breast in my salad. But then I decided that I needed to get serious about my diet so that I could get better. I wanted to feel better. I didn’t want to cheat and didn’t want my health to hold me back anymore. I cut out rice altogether, checked labels and stayed as close to the diet as I could.

Do you know what happened? I didn’t crave carbs as much after taking the cheats out of my diet. The less I had it, the less my body would crave it. The more I stayed with the diet, the less bloated I felt, I started losing weight (11 lbs. in about a month), my stomach looked almost flat (after a C-section!) and I had more energy. I was seeing results that made me even more determined to stick with my new lifestyle.

Because I was losing weight and it wasn’t plateauing, Pat told me to add root vegetables, like cooked carrots and sweet potatoes, to my diet. I was able to add more carbs to my diet because I had been so good the previous six weeks. Having Candida overgrowth doesn’t mean that you will be giving up carbs forever. It just means that you’ll have to stick to a Candida unfriendly diet most of the time. I even cheat every once in awhile by having a drink or something without adverse effects.

If you’re looking through this site thinking that you won’t be able to do without carbs, think of me. I’m a Japanese American who gave up rice. There’s a bag of brown rice sitting on top of my fridge, and I haven’t eaten any in awhile. I can now eat a meal without rice. I can eat stir fry without rice (as long as there isn’t too much sauce). I make taco salad and eat yellow tail cooked in a grill pan with a fresh salad on the side. I love the food I make now, and I love the difference it’s making in the way I feel.

Because I just moved and my kitchen is still half in boxes, it’s been difficult to cook (let alone find the ingredients I need. Also, because I’m near family, they want to go out to eat. It’s difficult to eat out when you have Candida because the dishes usually have something that’s forbidden, whether it’s vinegar on the salad or wheat flour on the breaded fish (the only fish on the menu). Going out to eat with friends and family is challenging. I also went to my best friend’s house for dinner, and she served spaghetti. I had to eat it because it was the only thing served.

I was raised to not be a picky eater. If you’re a picky eater, you make things difficult for other people. It’s rude and inconveniences your hosts. So now when I got somewhere, I have to cheat. I try to eat the least offensive thing that I can and don’t complain. Of course, I felt bloated after eating the spaghetti, as I do when eating food with gluten. My stomach was nearly flat when I was following the diet, and my digestion felt much better. Now I’m back to feeling bloated, and I’m trying to get back on track.

My mom brought me some home-grown Japanese eggplant, basil, tomatoes and zucchini yesterday. I made us chicken satay skewers with the almond butter sauce with a side of eggplant cooked in ginger, garlic, coconut oil and basil. (You can find the recipes on this website.) It was yummy. I need to continue eating like that. My three-and-a-half-year-old ate everything on his plate. He liked dipping the chicken in the sauce.

I realize the importance of the diet after straying from it for a few days at a time (first at Disneyland and again when I moved). I feel much better when I follow the strict diet. I love eating these gluten-free, dairy-free (soy milk), sugar-free (Xylitol) blueberry-almond muffins that I made. I love the texture of eating something bready again while knowing that I’m putting something good into my body.

I’m taking all of my herbs and attacking my nervous stomach issues. I know that the Candida diet and cleanse helped, but they didn’t help 100%. I’m trying to support my digestive health as much as possible. I’ll report back on my results since I just started taking the new herbs a couple days ago. Too many changes are driving me insane…

Organic baby bok choy
3/4 lb. organic chicken, cut into 1” pieces
1 carton organic chicken broth
2 Tbsp. wheatless soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp. oil
1-2 eggs, beaten
Chili oil

Heat pot and add oil (not chili oil). Add diced chicken and brown. Pour in chicken broth and soy sauce and simmer until chicken is cooked through. I peel the baby bok choy off that center thingy, then cut them in half lengthwise. Put the bok choy in the pot and simmer 1 minute, until bok choy is cooked but still bright green. While stirring soup slowly, drizzle in the beaten egg in a steady stream. Serve with a little chili oil drizzled on top, if desired. Serves 2-3.

1 lb. boneless, skinless, organic chicken thighs
Bamboo skewers
Salt and pepper
Satay sauce

Put bamboo skewers in a glass dish and soak in water while preparing the chicken and satay sauce. Cut chicken into 1” pieces. Put onto skewers and place into hot grill pan. Salt and pepper and cook until chicken is cooked through. Pour Satay Sauce over the cooked chicken.

Satay Sauce
1/2 c. almond butter
1/2 c. water
Juice from 1 lime
2 Tbsp. wheatless soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Add all ingredients in Pyrex measuring cup and stir until blended. You may have to let it sit a few minutes to make it easier to stir. Serve with chicken skewers. There will be more sauce than needed. This sauce is great on tofu and veggies, too.

2 Japanese eggplant
2 handfuls fresh basil (Thai basil is best but not necessary)
Coconut oil
1” Fresh ginger, finely grated or minced
4 cloves garlic
Chili flakes, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Water

Cut eggplant on the bias while turning eggplant. Heat pan on medium heat and add coconut oil into pan. Add enough coconut oil to coat pan (about 5-6 Tbsp.). The eggplant will soak up the oil, but you won’t have to keep adding more. Add grated ginger, press garlic into pan, and add chili flakes and sea salt to taste. Saute for a minute and add 1/4-1/2 c. water. Cover and cook until eggplant is done, about 5 minutes. Serves 2.