So, last month we decided (well, okay *I* decided and the rest of the fam grudgingly went along ;-) ) to give up yeast breads for a month. We've battled yeasty issues forever, so I wanted to see if this would help. I'm not interested in a doing a complete yeast free diet, as that requires us to restrict our food choices to an extreme that I'm not comfortable with for our family. However, I was confident that giving up the yeast breads would be very helpful in a variety of ways, so we gave it a whirl.
I noticed some changes. First, I've battled yeast infections since I was pregnant this last time around. I didn't get it to go away completely and have dealt with itchiness off and on over the months. This past month, not at all. That's cool.
I also noticed a couple of weeks ago that my skin was looking great. I don't have major issues with my complexion, but I have breakouts every so often. I hadn't had any for quite awhile.
So, last weekend was my ds's birthday. We splurged and enjoyed yeast breads for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, some breads that we were going to deliver to a friend weren't needed, so we ended up keeping them and eating them all this week. It was sort of like going back our normal habits of having toast with breakfast, sandwiches a couple of times a week, rolls with dinner. Just normal for us. Now, these are "healthy" breads. All whole grain, expensive brands that we are blessed to receive free. So, I don't mind our family enjoying them, and they sure make life easy when I need to serve something fast and easy.
But, guess who broke out this week? Me AND my oldest dd. In fact, I've never seen her have such a breakout on her face.
Guess who's starting to notice a bit of itchiness? Me.
Guess who's NOT going to be getting more yeast breads on a regular basis? ;-)
I'm grateful we don't have allergies or intolerances. Because of that, I don't feel the need to restrict our diet with "Nevers" and "Not Allowds". However, I'm more than willing to keep those things that I know affect us negatively out of our regular diet.
So, Yeast Breads and Sugary Sweets...You Are Outta Here!! We'll enjoy your company if we meet while we're out or visiting or possibly invite you again for a special occassion. But, we're just never going to be Close Friends again. :-P
Wow! No doubting the effects of yeast on you and your family! I am wondering if yeast isn't causing a problem with us, as well. Not in the meaning of yeast infections and such, but my 6yo son and I both break out in what seems to be "Cycles"... we've not been eating many breads since starting this challenge(but for homemade wheat-spelt biscuits and tortillas...) we've both cleared up... but I'm not so sure it's yeast or not. I'll still occasionally have a sandwich from Panera or something... I'm going to have to watch it more closely and see... Your post gets me thinking. Hmmmm....
ReplyDeleteGreat job on figuring that out. Hope you keep on feeling better without the yeasts and sugars! :)
Brany Lynn, I'm not convinced that the yeast was the only culprit in this, but I know that it is part of the problem. Because we have yeasty issues (cradle cap, dandruff, eczema, and other skin irritations) I know that this is a good decision for us. However, I think the acne is probably more connected with the sugar that the yeast breads introduce. Not only do the grains turn into sugar, but what we eat with the grains tends to be sugary as well. So, the yeast breads open the door for us to enjoy other sweets (like syrup on french toast or sugary rolls) that we would otherwise avoid. So, it becomes a double whammy at our house. When we stick to tortillas, flat breads or chips we eat them with proteins or vegies, thereby eliminating the offending sugar that creates it's own issues and feeds the yeast problems we face.
ReplyDeleteIt's all a crazy cycle. But, avoiding the breads helps us avoid the sugar and that's good around here. It was so interesting to see our bodies react that way. It's fun to be your own science experiment. :)
And yes, an occasional sandwich or even pizza out doesn't seem to create immediate issues. But, when I see that after removing it from our system for a time and then binging the way we did, brought obvious effects, I am ready to take action.
I hope you are able to figure something out soon!