Approximately 500 species of microorganisms coexist in harmony in a healthy person's intestines. Alternative medicine practitioners claim that taking certain drugs, making unhealthy lifestyle choices or following a poor diet may promote rapid growth of Candida albicans, a species of yeast. This disrupts the balance in your gut flora, causing joint pain, weight gain, tiredness, mood changes and gastrointestinal problems. An anti-candida diet eliminates sugar, candida yeast's food source, returning the yeast population to normal levels. Consult your doctor before beginning an anti-candida diet.
Stage One
The first stage of the anti-candida diet is a detoxifying cleanse, which lasts three weeks. This phase is the most restrictive, prohibiting consumption of processed foods, fruits, high-carbohydrate vegetables, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco products, aged cheese, glutenous grains, nuts and sweets. The detoxifying diet consists of low-carbohydrate vegetables, including spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and eggplant. Permitted are buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa other non-glutenous grains and most animal protein sources.
Stage Two
Stage two further eliminates excess candida yeast from your digestive system. All foods eaten during stage one are permissible, and some previously-banned foods are reintroduced. Dieters may eat high-carbohydrate vegetables, green apples, berries, pears, grapefruit and beans during this stage. Some people take anti-fungal medications or herbs to reduce candida growth for the four-week duration of stage two.
Stage Three
The third and final stage of the anti-candida diet repopulates your intestines with beneficial microorganisms. Many follow this part of the diet indefinitely to prevent another candida outbreak. This stage is least restrictive, allowing dieters to expand their meal choices and monitor potential ill effects of certain foods. The third stage emphasizes the importance of eating probiotic foods, such as yogurt with live and active cultures.
Misconceptions
The diagnosis of candida syndrome exists primarily in alternative medicine practice. Most conventional medicine proponents believe the anti-candida diet is not based in science and is unnecessary, according to Brent Bauer, a Mayo Clinic physician. While some people experience weight loss or improved energy, these effects are likely due to cutting excess sugars and processed, unhealthy foods. Talk to your doctor about your candida syndrome symptoms before attempting to treat yourself through an anti-candida diet.
References
- The Candida Diet: Foods to Eat
- The Candida Diet: Candida Diet Step One -- Detox
- "MayoClinic"; Candida Cleanse: What Does It Treat?; Brent A. Bauer, M.D.; Sept. 2009
- "National Public Radio"; Gut Bacteria May Cause And Fight Disease, Obesity; Robert Krulwich; November 2008
- Yeast Infection Advisor: The Recommended Candida Diet or Yeast Infection Diet
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