Candida is a yeast-like bacteria that lives in your mouth and digestive tract. Certain conditions allow candida to flourish. The use of antibiotics, birth control pills, or a diet too high in sugar can cause a candida overgrowth leading to oral thrush, canker sores, diaper rash, jock itch, vaginitis or athlete's foot. You can treat your yeast infection with anti-fungal creams and you can prevent future candida overgrowth by changing your diet.
Candidiasis
Candida albicans is the type of bacteria most likely to cause a yeast infection. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 75 percent of woman will experience a vaginal yeast infection at some point in their lives. There are many different types of bacteria living in your digestive system, and normally they keep each other in balance. But when an outside force upsets the balance of good and bad microorganisms, candida can take over. Antibiotics kill all bacteria, both bad and good; unfortunately candida repopulate at a much greater rate than healthy probiotic bacteria.
Carbohydrates
Candida thrive on sugar, so one of the most important dietary changes to make is to eliminate as many forms of sugar as possible. This includes simple carbohydrates such as starchy vegetables and refined flours that your body can quickly convert to glucose. However, there is no candida diet plan that recommends eliminating all carbohydrates. Vegetables are featured in most candida diets and vegetables are complex carbohydrates. There is a big difference between simple carbs that are immediately turned to sugar and complex carbs that are high in fiber and nutrient dense. Any diet that eliminates all types of carbohydrates is not nutritionally sound.
Candida Diet
There are many variations on the candida diet, but most follow the same basic principles. Eliminate sugar to starve the yeast and repopulate good gut flora with probiotics -- beneficial bacteria found in foods such as yogurt and fermented vegetables. Avoid both added and natural sugars, refined flours and starchy vegetables. Some plans eliminate all grains, and some only eliminate grains that contain gluten. You should also avoid foods that contain yeast or mold such as peanuts, aged cheese, mushrooms, vinegar -- with the exception of raw apple cider vinegar -- smoked meats and alcoholic beverages.
Safety
There is some debate about whether a candida diet is effective. According to the Mayo Clinic, "there are no clinical trials that document the efficacy of a candida cleanse diet for treating any recognized medical condition." Although the Mayo Clinic does note that avoiding sugar and simple carbs may help people feel better because you're replacing empty calories with nutrient-dense healthy foods. Eating vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, whole grains such as quinoa or millet, cultured dairy products and good fats such as olive or coconut oil instead of processed junk foods will help you to feel better.
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