Candida Diet

Candida albicans is a yeast that is commonly found in the digestive tract of humans. In most people Candida lives in harmony in the digestive tract along with all the other micro-flora, without causing problems. However in people with weakened digestion or with weakened immunity the Candida population can take over and upset the balance of the digestive system. Symptoms throughout the entire body can then follow, as the body attempts to deal with excess levels of Candida.

Symptoms include:

• Tired or lethargic
• Poor memory
• Feel drained, depleted or exhausted
• Numbness, burning, tingling
• Stomach pain
• Joint pain or swelling
• Muscle aching or weakness
• Constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, or belching
• Bothersome or persistent vaginal itching, burning, or discharge
• Prostatitis
• Erectile dysfunction
• Loss of sexual desire
• Endometriosis or infertility
• Menstrual irregularity or cramping
• Anxiety attacks or crying
• Cold hands and feet, feel chilly
• Irritable or shaking when hungry

Contributing Factors

• Use of oral contraceptives, steroids, antacids, anti-ulcer medications, or frequent or long-term use of antibiotics
• High-sugar diets
• Pregnancy
• Smoking
• Food allergies and intolerances
• Diabetes

Candida, like other yeasts, thrives in an environment with lots of sugar. It is important when attempting to control a Candida overgrowth that dietary sugars are severely reduced - particularly in the initial stages of following the Candida diet. Dietary sources of yeast should also be avoided.

Most people notice an improvement in their symptoms within 3-4 weeks, however others may take longer. We suggest you keep a food and symptom diary whilst following the Candida diet so that you can track your mood, energy levels, sleep patterns, digestive symptoms etc.

It is important to be as strict as possible with following the guidelines below. Even small amounts of foods in the list below can have a significant effect on symptoms in some people - so it's best to remove them completely from the diet. After the initial 3-4 week period, foods can be reintroduced in small amounts one by one to allow for assessment of reaction.

Foods to Avoid

• Aged cheeses
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Dried fruits
• Fresh fruits
• Fermented foods
• Mushrooms
• Vinegar
• Glutenous foods (wheat, rye, oats, barley)
• All sugars, honeys and syrups (that includes any ‘ose’, like lactose, sucrose etc)
• Foods that contain yeast or mold (breads, muffins, cakes, baked goods, cheese, dried fruits, melons, peanuts and pistachios)

Foods containing refined sugar include: white sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, maple sugar, molasses, date sugar, turbinado, raw sugar, demerrara, amasake, rice syrup, sorghum.

Read labels carefully because there may be hidden forms of sugar. When reading the label, words to watch out for include: sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, glycogen, glucose, mannitol, sorbitol, galactose, monosaccharides, polysaccharides.

Fruit contain natural sugars that are thought to support the growth of yeast. Avoid fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruit and juice.

Baked goods, pastries, and muffins.

Gluten-containing foods include wheat, barley, and rye. This includes products made with these ingredients such as bread and pasta.

Any food made with vinegar (mayonnaise, commercial salad dressing, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, mustard, pickles, pickled vegetables, green olives, relishes, horseradish, mincemeat, and chili sauce.

Coffee, Black Tea, Cider, Root beer

Processed, Dried, Smoked, and Pickled Meats (including smoked salmon, pickled herring, sausages, bacon, hot dogs, sandwich meats, salami, corned beef)

Packaged, Processed, and Refined Foods

Canned, bottled, packaged, boxed, and other processed foods containing yeast, refined sugar, refined flour, chemicals, preservatives, or food coloring.

Foods to Eat

• Vegetables (including plenty of raw garlic)
• Protein foods (beef, chicken, eggs, fish)
• Live yoghurt cultures (dairy or non-dairy)
• Acidophilus
• Green algae (such as spirulina and chlorella)
• Nuts, seeds and oils, and non-glutenous grains (like millet, rice, rice bran and oat bran)

During the initial stages of following the Candida diet you have an excellent opportunity to boost your immune system and strengthen and repair your digestion. With your body having a "break" from fighting the Candida, you can start to take preventative measures to reduce the impact of future Candida "attacks". This can be achieved by various methods - taking vitamins and supplements, taking herbal medicines, acupuncture treatments can all assist to repair your digestion and strengthen your immune system. If you'd think you might have a problem with Candida, or would like us to assist you to undertake a Candida diet - contact us now or make an appointment to see one of our practitioners.