Studies indicate that at least 70% of people have Candida albicans present in their gut.
When candida overgrows and outnumbers good bacteria in your gut, your body may light up with a “check engine immediately” sign in the form of multiple systemic symptoms. The list may include fatigue, joint pain, skin eruptions, mood swings, digestive issues, frequent and recurring infections, such as sinus and urinary tract infections, weight gain, the list goes on.
Anti-fungal medications can be harsh on your liver and cause a multitude of side effects. Candida can also become resistant to anti-fungal medications, causing them to recur with a vengeance.
The best way to manage a chronic candida overgrowth is the natural way—starve it, kill it, replenish it.
Starve It:
What you eat either is feeding disease or helping to manage it. Candida feeds off sugar, so eliminating sugar is the key to starving a systemic overgrowth.
This includes eliminating refined sugars, carbohydrates and dairy from your diet. Even some fruits and vegetables should be off limits during your “Starve It” phase.
While on the candida diet, you should avoid the following foods:
Starchy Vegetables: white potatoes, corn, beans, and peas.
High Glycemic Fruits: bananas, mangos, figs, and raisins.
Processed Meats and Farm-Raised Fish
Gluten-Grains: wheat, barley, and rye.
Dairy products
Processed Oils: canola oil, soybean oil, and margarine.
Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners: aspartame, agave, maple syrup, corn syrup
Certain High-Mold Nuts and Seeds: peanuts, pecans, pistachios and cashews
Certain Beverages: caffeinated tea and coffee, sugar sweetened beverages and alcohol.
While on the candida diet, you should eat the following foods:
Non-starchy Vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, tomatoes, onions, etc
Low Glycemic Fruits: citrus fruits, berries, in moderation.
Lean Grassfed Proteins: chicken, eggs and wild-caught fish.
Healthy Fats: coconut and avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil
Fermented Foods: sauerkraut, Kimchi and yogurt.
Gluten Free Grains: quinoa, oat bran, buckwheat and rice, in moderation
Low Mold Nuts and Seeds: almonds, coconut, flaxseed and sunflower seeds.
Certain Dairy: butter and ghee, products that contain live active cultures, such as kefir and yogurt.
Sweeteners: monk fruit extract and xylitol.
Kill It:
Some other natural anti-fungals include:
Apple Cider Vinegar: This is the only vinegar that should be consumed if you have candida overgrowth. Apple Cider Vinegar is unique in that it kills candida and helps alkalize the system, preventing future overgrowth if consumed regularly.
Garlic: Garlic contains plant constituents that actual fight candida and have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Cook with garlic as much as possible.
Oregano: Oregano oil is nature's antibiotic, containing antibacterial, antiviral and anti fungal properties. Taking oil or oregano in tincture or capsule form (1500 mg-3000 mg daily), as needed, can help kill candida colonies and manage systemic overgrowth. Because it is a "hot" oil, it should be used with caution to avoid internal burns and digestive upset. Always take with a meal.
Coconut oil: Studies indicate that coconut oil has anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties and can be utilized both topically and ingested to help manage candida infections.
Curcumin: Turmeric fights candida overgrowth and helps manage systemic inflammation, according to research. Turmeric contains anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties.
Aloe vera: Aloe vera naturally inhibits candida growth in mucous membranes such as the mouth and gut and may help prevent future infections from occurring.
Lemons: To help detoxify your entire system, drink lemon water. Lemons naturally are anti-fungal and help alkalize the system.
Ginger: Ginger helps with digestion, has anti-inflammatory properties, is a potent detoxifying agent, purifies the blood and helps fight viruses, fungus and pathogens.
Licorice: Licorice root has been used for thousands of years to help combat yeast infections. Lichochalcone-A is a natural compound found in licorice, which helps stop the growth of pathogens, such as candida.
Cloves: Cloves are anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic. They can also be used for thrust/mouth sores.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, radishes, brussels sprout, cabbage contain glucoraphanin and myrosinase which convert to sulforaphane, a powerful natural anti-oxidant that fights candida.
Even simply removing sugar from your diet may begin to kill off colonies of bad bacteria and candida overgrowth. As they “die off” in your system, they release a multitude of toxins that may make you feel worse before you feel better.
Thankfully, these symptoms are temporary and are a sign that you are winning the war. Die off symptoms may include fatigue, headaches, mood swings, brain fog, diarrhea, constipation, joint and muscle aches, skin eruptions and more.
Just know that on the other side of detox symptoms, is better health—more energy, a youthful glow and the relief from symptoms that may have been plaguing you for years.
For ways to combat "Die Off Symptoms" click the picture:
Supplements that help stave candida overgrowth include:
Saccharomyces Boulardii: S. boulardii releases a chemical called capric acid, which stops the growth of C. albicans as well as prohibiting its adhesion to the gut and mucosal lining in your system.
Leaky Gut Defense: Containing Aloe Vera, licorice root and arabinogalactan, this product kills invading pathogens while also soothing the gut lining, creating an optimal environment for good bacteria to take residence.
OncoProtect ES: Rich with the combination of glucoraphanin and myrosinase, our OncoProtect ES is equivalent to eating 4 lbs of broccoli per capsule. The sulforaphane conversion is increased with the addition of radish seed extract.
Nrf2 Boost: Helping to open the detox pathways is key to the detoxification process. This formulation contains glucoraphanin and myrosinase along with detoxifying compounds such as turmeric, green tea extract and resveratrol.
Replenish It:
Taking probiotics daily is the easiest way to replenish your microbiome, meaning providing your system with good bacteria that helps maintain balance and support optimal immune function. The benefits of taking probiotics daily can be seen and felt systemically, from better digestion to glowing skin to a stronger immune system.
Power Probiotic Daily: Good bacteria helps keep pathogens in check, such as candida overgrowth. Our four-strain formulation has been clinically proven to increase gut transit time as well as support immune function. After combating systemic candida overgrowth, be sure to replenish your gut microbiome with health-positive strains that will continue fighting against invaders.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/candida-symptoms-treatment#section9
https://goop.com/wellness/health/the-insidious-yeast-infection-we-all-have-and-how-to-treat-it/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13693780701523013
https://www.patrickholford.com/advice/how-to-beat-candida
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2919387/
https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/candidiasis/index.html
https://www.thecandidadiet.com/the-candida-forum/
https://globalhealing.com/natural-health/licorice-root-benefits/