Candida albicans is a type of yeast found naturally in the human intestines. When candida populations suddenly spike, you may experience fatigue, gastrointestinal distress or joint pain. This condition is called candidiasis. Alternative medicine practitioners recommend controlling the candida population by adjusting your diet. Carefully plan your meals while on an anti-candida diet to ensure that you receive enough nutrients.
Significance
The purpose of an anti-candida diet is to reduce candida populations through starvation. The yeast feed on sugars in the digestive system, so eliminating sugars from your diet may control the candida population. When most of the candida yeast are dead, the gut is repopulated with beneficial bacteria to restore balance and promote normal functioning.
Features
An anti-candida diet consists of three major phases. The first, most restrictive phase is a strict cleanse in which dieters eliminate all fruits, processed foods, aged cheeses, alcoholic beverages, caffeine, glutinous grains and starchy vegetables. Restrict your diet for three weeks, focusing on eating plenty of vegetables. In the second phase, dieters slowly reintroduce banned foods and complete a four-week course of anti-fungal medication. Some dieters take prescription medication, while others use anti-fungal herbs such as goldenseal or black walnut. The final phase is a long-term maintenance diet that limits your consumption of sugary foods while introducing probiotic bacteria into your gut flora.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a low-starch vegetable, meaning that it does not cause a rapid spike in blood sugar after you eat it. Pumpkin is an acceptable food in the first, most restrictive phase of the anti-candida diet. In addition to containing low amounts of sugar, pumpkin fills your stomach to prevent cravings. Modern Herbalist reports that pumpkin seeds have anti-parasitic properties, although they may cause gas. Eat baked or steamed pumpkin seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon, but avoid sugary pies or other baked goods.
Benefits
Dieters report reduction in gastrointestinal distress, less joint pain, increased energy and reduced fatigue after following an anti-candida diet. The diet restricts intake of high-calorie, fatty processed foods, promoting rapid weight loss. Staying on a diet high in vegetables, whole grains and lean protein also decreases cardiovascular risk and boosts overall health.
Misconceptions
Some doctors dispute the validity of the diagnosis of candidiasis. Fatigue, gastrointestinal problems and weight gain may be due to eating unhealthy, processed foods. Following an anti-candida diet reduces these symptoms because it replaces unhealthy foods with low-calorie, low-fat alternatives, not because it reduces yeast populations, reports MayoClinic.com. Before beginning an anti-candida diet, talk to your doctor. Your symptoms may be due to an underlying medical condition that could be exacerbated by a restrictive diet.
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