Candida cleanse diets claim that by changing what you eat, you can change the conditions inside your body that yeast thrive upon and thus ultimately cure yeast infections and other common ailments, such as fatigue. Whether these diets work is up for debate. "There are no clinical trials that document the efficacy of a candida cleanse diet for treating any recognized medical condition," says Brent A. Bauer, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic. Still, many natural health professionals prescribe them and stand behind claims of their efficacy. If those changes don't cure your yeast infection, you'll still reap the overall health benefits of a nutritious diet.
Eliminating Gluten
Food allergies may be the culprit, especially if you have frequent yeast infections. Gluten, dairy and preservatives are a few examples of allergies that may contribute to yeast infections, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Stick with gluten-free foods, such as vegetables, fish, lean meats, brown rice and millet, recommends Phyllis A. Balch, Certified Nutritional Consultant and author of "Prescription for Natural Healing." If you notice your symptoms improving, see your doctor to get more specific food intolerance tests to identify which foods to avoid long term.
Reducing Sugar & Starches
A high-sugar diet feeds yeast and encourages their growth, according to Balch. Cutting all sugar from your diet, including sugars from fruit, may be beneficial. Check the labels on the packaged foods you buy to determine their sugar content. Other foods you may consider skipping until you get your yeast infection under control include starchy, refined carbohydrates, fermented foods, and alcoholic beverages.
Restoring Nutritional Deficiencies
"Many people who have recurrent yeast infections don' t get enough calcium," states the University of Maryland Medical Center. Improving your calcium intake to make sure you get at least 1,000 mg per day may help clear up or prevent yeast infections. You can get calcium from non-dairy sources such as spinach and broccoli. Talk to your doctor about adding a supplement to your diet if you have a hard time getting enough calcium.
When yeast dominates the the natural bacteria in your body, you may also experience a vitamin K deficiency, according to Balch. She recommends eating whole grains, green leafy vegetables and sugar-free yogurt to restore vitamin K levels when you're battling a yeast infection.
Fighting Back with Bacteria
Probiotics, specifically Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium, may help you tackle a yeast infection by helping balance the yeast-to-bacteria ratio in your body. An army of healthy bacteria can help get a yeast overgrowth back in check. Food manufacturers add probiotics to juice, yogurt, cheese and even energy bars. You can also take them in capsule form. Aim to ingest 1 to 10 million live Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria or 10 million bifidobacterium per day, recommends the University of Maryland Medical Center.
References
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; Avery; 2000
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vaginitis
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Candidiasis
- Mayo Clinic: Candida cleanse: What does it treat?; Brent A. Bauer, M.D.; September 2009
