What Is The Correct Diet To Fight Candida Yeast?

Candida albicans stands out as the most common species of yeast that causes pathogenic infections in the body. Dr. Leon Chaitow, a naturopath and the author of "Candida Albicans," says that the organism can cause a surprising number of common health problems, both physical and mental.

Candida

Chaitow says that candida albicans exists in every person, normally in small amounts. After infection, antibiotic use or a high-sugar diet, susceptible individuals may find that this organism becomes overgrown and colonizes the intestinal walls before moving into the bloodstream and causing a systemic infection. Symptoms can range from headache to fatigue, an inability to concentrate and digestive discomfort.

Carbohydrates

Yeasts derive their nourishment from sugar. Therefore, the diet to fight candida features the exclusion of sugars to starve the organism, plus a reduction in carbohydrates overall that can convert into sugars in the digestive tract. Jonny Bowden, a board-certified nutritionist and the author of several books on natural health care, recommends removing sugar, grains, alcoholic drinks, yeasted breads and fruits during the die-off phase.

Anti-fungal Foods

Bowden suggests using a range of anti-fungal foods to help overcome the yeast organisms, which can otherwise offer strong resistance. He points to olive leaf extract, which contains the anti-fungal compound oleuropein, together with a range of other easily obtained foods, such as coconut oil, garlic and pau d'arco tea.

Probiotics

Killing off candida can be a challenge to some, so ensuring that it does not re-emerge remains a wise step. In this regard, The Henry Spink Foundation highlights the importance of probiotics to re-establish a beneficial bacterial balance in the intestines. According to the foundation, Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifido bacterium stand out as the most important in this regard. These helpful species can colonize the intestinal wall and crowd out their undesirable rivals.

Adverse Reaction

Most individuals with candida issues who undertake the diet will notice unpleasant symptoms in the first few days of the regime. Chaitow says that the increased rate of death of the organisms causes a wave of fungal toxins to enter the bloodstream, causing an adverse reaction known as the Herxheimer response. This die-off reaction normally dissipates within 48 hours.