Hi Diane,

Either way, it sounds like the eruption and release of toxins. Possibly from both withdrawal from the pill and candida die off. I remember my face breaking out when so many toxins were being released at once. It is one way the body is able to eliminate them. Via the skin. This can be in the form of rashes/itching and/or breakouts.

Quitting all sugar and fruit and other high carbohydrates like grains, honey, potatoes/corn/peas/beans/carrots, etc can be more than enough to cause quite powerful die off in the beginning. That plus quitting the pill.

The pill encourages candida. So it's just one more thing you've eliminated from creating a worse candida condition. Now that these things are gone, then the die off is able to start. I hope that you can keep this up and not give in. Sticking to the plan is crucial if you want results. Cheating will usually result in relapse, particularly in the first few months where healing is taking place.

There may come a time when enough healing maybe done for you to try yourself with natural higher carb foods and check for reactions before adding them back into the diet on a daily basis. I'm not sure how long it takes to "cure" candida (or have it under enough control), before a person can start to experiment. It also depends on what other issues a person maybe dealing with.

Ironically it is often candida (and mercury) and other toxins/chemicals that can actually CAUSE hormonal imbalances and early menopause.

Make sure you get enough proteins and animal fats in your diet. These helped me a lot and do much to heal. Eggs, meat, butter, lard, fat on the meat with the meat etc. These are good for hormones! They have helped me quite a bit. I am on a strict diet too and cannot eat fruit, grain, milk/cream, coffee, high carbohydrate vegetables, etc. I make it up by consuming enough low carb vegetables, meat, eggs, butter/extra virgin olive oil/lard/fat on meat with the meat etc. It has enabled me to have a more normal weight.

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to start noticing changes in my experience. Recovery isn't always fast and yeast is persistent, particularly if you have low immunity and are battling other problems at the sametime. It's different for everybody. Some can notice differences pretty rapidly, even after about 2 or 3 weeks (maybe even less in some cases). Some may take a couple of months or more.

Hang in there and resist the cravings. Consider it a battle. Fight it out if you have to and go with it. The cravings are not easy, but they are a big sign that your body is battling and excessive yeast is being reduced. When this happens sometimes you will experience a craving for the very things that yeast thrive upon. High carbohydrate containing foods. I remember nearly tearing my hair out with cravings when I first went on such a diet and paced the kitchen crying. It was like an addict. I was a mess and I kept opening cupboards over and over and then I'd shut them.

I had headache and everything. I stunk from so many toxins that were coming out, that my clothing, even after being washed still had a chemical odor to it. It isn't just yeast toxins that are released through die off, other toxins can come out as a result of the better diet also. It is amazing! Even a certain amount of metals can start being released. Though I found exercise helped that process along and started unleashing them from fat cells and everything.

But if you can't exercise through being too tired during this process? That's ok. It is more important you rest and heal. But if you can do some walking? Great. Especially when you start feeling better, walking is probably the best. I use my treadmill regularly now and it's just been a total GODSEND. The best piece of exercise equipment I've gotten. I walk without worrying if I don't feel ok, or it's raining, or I want to listen to my music.

I put it on a slight incline (not too high) and it just gives me extra work out. The treadmill was a bit part of helping me with mercury too. I found when I first started using it, I started making even more progress with detoxing. I was very surprised at the changes it made.

Rebounding on a mini trampoline (rebounder) is also great.