Time—what a funny concept.
Some days stretch on forever—like the ones on a juice cleanse or those long hours waiting for the final bell in grade school. Other times, you blink and two weeks vanish.

For me, it feels like yesterday was January 1st, and now somehow, it’s May 7th.
The day before my birthday, February 21st, I started a new project—and it’s become the love of my life. It’s a bringing shade of joy i have yet to know. 

That being said, cooking and blogging have been on pause for a bit. But now that we’re heading into construction for the new project, Scape, I finally have the time to blog, cook, and play pickleball. My goal is to savor every moment of this before we launch. Along with the new project, I’ve also finally started the candida diet I had been hesitant to try.

Candida Diet: A Self-Experiment 

About a month ago, I began the Candida Diet after receiving some blood work that gave me a wake-up call. My cholesterol was high, and several markers pointed toward a possible autoimmune disorder. The same tests a year ago showed light autoimmune markers and no other negative results. So, what changed? 

As I tend to do, I decided to run a bit of a science experiment on myself to see how I could get back to feeling my best.

What the Candida Diet Involves

The Candida Diet is strict: no sugar (not even fruit), and very low starch. It’s designed to reduce inflammation, balance the gut, and starve off excess yeast.

The first week? Pure hell.
I felt like I had the flu, my moods were all over the place, and I was beyond exhausted. It forced me to confront a habit I hadn’t fully acknowledged: I had been using sugar as an emotional crutch—reaching for it whenever I felt discomfort.

What I’ve Learned

I remembered something my chiropractor, Dr. Avedi, once told me about the effects of sugar on our mood and energy levels. Now that I’ve removed it, I’m experiencing firsthand just how much it was affecting me.

Before starting this diet, I was getting sick almost every other week and I was unable to bounce back from high emotional situations. That’s no coincidence. High sugar intake is known to:

  • Weaken the immune system
  • Increase inflammation
  • Slow recovery from illness or physical stress
  • Interfere with emotional regulation

Sugar may give a quick dopamine hit, but the crash that follows often brings anxiety, irritability, and even depressive symptoms. The constant blood sugar spikes and dips mess with your neurotransmitters—your mood’s messengers.

What Ive noticed during the diet: 

I’m not reaching for sugar as a crutch anymore—but I’ve noticed I still try to soothe discomfort with other foods. Lately, I’ve been practicing sitting with the feelings instead of masking them. It’s brought a quiet kind of peace into my daily life. I’m learning how to simply be with myself.

For a long time, I rolled my eyes at phrases like, “The more we practice self-love, the more we feel love for ourselves.”  But now, I get it. I’m still finding my balance—some days are easier than others. It really is one step, one choice, one moment at a time.

I recently bought a hat from Mexico that says, “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” It’s such a sweet reminder to let go of perfection. Just begin. Just try.

Sometimes, I catch myself slipping into the mindset that I need to have it all figured out. Perfectionism at its finest. But life doesn’t work like that. Growth takes patience. Whether it’s healing, learning how to play the ukulele (which is humbling), or picking up something new like pickleball—it’s all practice. So I remind myself: use what you have, do what you can, then do it again. It’s all day by day.

On this topic, a friend once sent me a quote that has stayed with me:

“Whenever the experiment of and on my life begins to draw to a close, I will return to the place where I was held and be held. It’s okay. I think I did what I could. I think I sang some. I think I held my hand out.”

Those words echo in my mind during the moments I need to remind myself: just do what you can. (and don’t forget to have fun and sing!)

Rituals that’ve been boosting my mood lately:

– Every morning, as soon as my feet hit the floor, I say, “This day will be amazing.” I move slow in the mornings—make some tea or whatever I’m feeling that day. Lately, I’ve been into rosemary for its detoxifying properties. Rosemary is one of the first herbs i learned to identify in my grandma’s garden.

– Something active every day: yoga, weights, pickleball, golf, or just a walk. 

– Make at least one meal with intention. Slow down. Be present with it.

– Take a breath. I’m naturally a very excited person, but that excitement can burn me out. When I feel that jolt, I pause and take a breath. It zaps me back to the present.

5 things i’m reading

5 Things I’m Using

xx

Megan

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