Chronic candida or "candidiasis" is an infection caused by the fungus called Candida albicans, which is commonly known as a yeast infection. The most common form of candidiasis affects the vagina, but you can also have candida fungal infections in your mouth, skin, urinary tract and stomach. Certain dietary changes can help control chronic candida, but you should consult your doctor before trying any diet to help treat yeast infections.
Description
Chronic candida affecting the vagina, also called a vaginal yeast infection, can cause itching, burning and cottage cheese-like discharge, while candidiasis of the skin can cause rashes and blisters, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also called oral thrush, candidiasis of the mouth typically causes cracking skin at the corners of your mouth and white patches inside your mouth or in your throat. The candida fungi thrive in moist areas of the body and can cause infection symptoms when they grow and multiply excessively, explains the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. If you have a suppressed immune system due to conditions like AIDS, you can develop the dangerous condition called systemic candidiasis. Chronic candida is also sometimes called yeast syndrome or yeast hypersensitivity syndrome.
Diet
Following a certain "candida diet" could help reduce your instances of yeast infections, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The candida diet includes a reduction or elimination of foods like dairy, peanuts and cheese, as well as processed foods and simple sugars. The candida diet also discourages consuming alcohol and foods or beverages containing yeast. Developed by Dr. William Crook in the mid 1980s, the traditional candida diet also eliminates consumption of breads made with yeast, tomato paste, as well as mushrooms and other edible fungi, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Also, adding yogurts containing probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus to the diet could help to fight the overgrowth of candida fungi, says the University of Michigan Health System. Talk with your physician before beginning this candida diet.
Effects
People with chronic candidiasis are thought to be especially sensitive to yeast buildup in their bodies, so eliminating all yeast in their diet could reduce the candida-related symptoms, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Eliminating from your diet certain foods and drinks that promote the overgrowth of candida might help in treating chronic candidiasis. Sugars and dairy products are thought to provide food for candida fungi and stimulate yeast growth in the body. Avoiding foods to which you're allergic may also reduce chronic candidiasis, says the University of Michigan Health System. Adding probiotic yogurts to your diet could help to suppress candida growth, because probiotics are helpful natural bacteria that balance microorganisms in your body, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. You could also add certain foods and spices to your diet, such as whole grains, nuts, cloves, sage, oregano, garlic and cinnamon.
Scientific Evidence
A study of women with chronic candida of the vagina discovered that those who had reduced levels of sugar from consuming limited amounts of dairy, artificial sweeteners and sugars also had substantially reduced incidences of candida yeast infections, according to a 1984 issue of the "Journal of Reproductive Medicine." Another 1999 clinical trial in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" also found that a high-sugar diet might increase candidiasis infections, says the University of Michigan Health System. A clinical trial published in the "Journal of Dentistry Research" in 2007 found that consuming probiotics in the diet decreased oral candida in elderly people, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Another study also determined that eating Lactobacillus acidophilus-containing yogurts helped to prevent vaginal yeast infections, according to a 1992 issue of the "Annals of Internal Medicine."
Other Natural Treatments
Although conventional treatments of chronic candidiasis typically include antifungal creams, tablets, oral rinses and internal medications, natural treatments often include supplements and herbal remedies, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. You might take Vitamin C or Vitamin B-complex supplements, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, calcium, bee propolis, and caprylic acid to help prevent yeast infections. Betaine hydrochloride and probiotic supplements could also help. Herbal remedies for chronic candida include barberry, echinacea, garlic, goldenthread and goldenseal, as well as the essential oils of peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, thyme and oregano, says the University of Michigan Health System. No widely-accepted medical research supports the use of any of these natural treatments for preventing or curing chronic candidiasis, however.
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