Candida Cleansing Diets

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN & Amy Coates, RHN, BSc.

Candida is a fungus that thrives on sugar and caffeine. It causes a long list of ailments, including fatigue, PMS, menstrual cramps, muscle aches and depression. Candida is normally kept in check by the probiotic bacteria that occurs naturally in the body, but antibiotics or a diet with too many sugars, too much caffeine, and too much processed food and wheat, as well as taking antibiotics, can cause Candida to grow out of control. Once it takes over, it can be very hard to get rid of.

If you suspect you have Candida overgrowth, here is a simple test you can do at home to know for sure: When you wake up in the morning, before brushing your teeth, fill a class with clean, filtered water and spit into it. Set the glass somewhere it will not be disturbed. Come back in about three hours. If the spit is still floating on top this is a good sign; you do not have a Candida infection. If there are strings coming down from your spit into the water you have a mild to medium Candida infection, and if your saliva sinks entirely, you have a serious, advanced case of Candida infection.

Once you diagnose Candida, it is essential that you take care of it. A diet that cleanses Candida will be low in sugars and refined flours and yeasts. All sugars, including those in fruits, juices and syrups should be completely avoided. Some recommend avoiding wheat and other foods containing gluten and all foods containing yeast.  Alcohol, another sugar, should be eliminated from the diet until the candida can be overcome. The intake of dairy is also excluded.

Instead, a diet of beans, whole grain rice and raw and cooked vegetables, some lean meats, and rice noodles or noodles made from buckwheat are excellent substitutes. Fresh water and herbal tea are great substitutes for soda, juice and coffee. Leafy greens, garlic and onions are exceptionally good at cleansing the system of parasites and yeast. You should also start on a probiotic. Probiotics come in several forms, but should always come from live cultures and be living when they enter the body. Probiotics supply the friendly bacteria that can help keep your digestive system healthy and help you get control over your Candida infection.

The major change in diet can feel very strange at first. You might feel depressed or hopeless, or like you don’t know what to eat, but just consider how healthy you will be when that Candida is finally gone. Although the most popular and abundant foods in our society are the very kind that cause these infections and poor health, once you look, there is a plethora of delicious, wholesome foods available.

While vegetables may seem plain, the truth is that they are delicious and full of flavor and nutrients and your body loves them. The problem is that your body has become accustomed and addicted to sugary, rich foods that provide high taste, high calories and low nutrition. This addiction can be undone, but you have to get past your cravings, break down your food barriers and try new things. If you do, you can be free of Candida forever.

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