FIRST OF ALL, SORRY ABOT TYPING IN ALL CAPITALS; M.S., NUMB HANDS, YADDA YADDA YADDA

RIGHT, HERE I AM ON ATKINS, HAPPY AS A CLAM, WHEN MY DOCTOR SUGGESTS TO ME THAT I MIGHT HAVE CANDIDA. WHAT? THE LOCAL CANDIDA SUPPORT GROUP SENT ME A TEST TO TAKE. IT SAID IF YOU SCORE 140, YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE *POSSIBLY* CAUSED BY CANDIDA; IF 180 OR MORE, THEY ARE *PROBABLY* CAUSED BY CANDIDA. WELL, I GOT 269, SO I GUESS THAT IS ME.

I WENT ALONG TO THE CANDIDA SUPPORT GROUP'S MONTHLY MEETING AND EVERYONE HAD BROUGHT FOOD. COULD I EAT IT? GUESS. A LOT OF THEM ARE LOW ON THE MEAT SIDE OF THINGS IF NOT COMPLETELY VEGETARIAN. OOPS. LUCKILY, EVERYONE SEEMED VERY OPEN-MINDED AND NOT CONDEMNIG. I GUESS THEY FIGURED WE ALL HAVE ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT JUDGING EACH OTHERS' DIETARY CHOICES!

THE ANTI-CANDIDA GUIDELINES I WAS GIVEN, WHEN COMBINED WITH ATKINS, AND MY SENSITIVITY TO EGGS (IF I EAT ANYTHING WITH EGGS IN IT MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK, I GET *REALLY* HUNGRY AND FEEL *TERRIBLE*) LEAVES ME WITH A *LARGE* HOLE IN MY LIST OF FOOD CHOICES!

BREAKFAST IS THE WORST; WHO CAN FACE TUNA EVERY MORNING I AM ALSO GLUTEN-FREE FOR THE M.S. (HOPE IT HELPS!), BUT ATKINS PRETTY MUCH RULED THAT OUT ANYWAY

BASICALLY, I GUESS I AM JUST NEEDING A BIT OF SUPPORT. EVERYONE THINKS I AM MAD, BARRING MY DEAR HUSBAND WHO HAS SEEN ATKINS RID ME OF MY PSYCHOPATHIC NEED FOR CARBOS!