What I Did for Systemic Candida
[Note: This article is by a woman who is successfully treating her candida. Ms. Feldman and I share her narrative for educational purposes. Her article is not offered as diagnosing or prescribing. -- Chet Day]
Bravo! If you've gotten this far, it's likely because you have either been shunned or ignored by the traditional medical community and have thoughtfully decided that if you don't take your health into your own hands, no one will. Consider this a re-evaluation of your entire being and the first giant step you'll take onto the road that leads directly to optimal health.
The first thing to realize is that no matter what you do, your health will not improve unless you start eating well. You can pop as many Diflucan or squirt as much yeast infection cream as you want, but the fungus will reappear if you do not eliminate certain foods from your diet and add others that are missing.
With this in mind, it is also necessary to remember that each and every person is different, just as many of the symptoms vary to a certain degree among people with candida overgrowth. You can (and definitely should) go out and buy as many books written about yeast/candida as you can, but understand that the diets touted as anti-candida may not work for you. You may or not be able to handle fruit (I have had no problem with low sugar fruits) and you may or may not be able to handle dairy. If you have had significant dairy allergies in the past, I would immediately cut out all dairy products. There is no reason to eat dairy products, since you can receive ample amounts of calcium from dark, leafy greens. Remember that we are the ONLY mammal on earth that ingests the milk of other creatures.
The most important thing to cut out is sugar. This includes all cookies, candies and anything else of that nature. Yeast feeds off sugar and the only way to keep it at bay is to starve it. This might be hard, considering that your body has been feeding off of it for so long, but it's the only way. If you cheat and have a candy bar, don't expect to feel alright ten minutes later.
Also note that a shot of your average alcoholic beverage contains about 8 teaspoons of sugar, so stop drinking the booze....no more!
Caffeinated items are also very strenuous on the bladder, the stomach and the prostate. This not only goes for coffee, but black teas, sodas (regular and diet) and chocolate as well.
All refined white flours and grains should be removed from the diet, too. You may have whole grains (brown rice, millet, quinoa, teff and amaranth are all good choices) every day if your body can handle it.
The only way to tell is to do a taste test. By eating one thing at a time, you'll have a much easier time figuring out what negatively effects you and what is ok.
Vinegar must also be avoided as it is depletes the stomach of acids and can cause inflammation. The only vinegar that has been known to successfully combat yeast is apple cider vinegar and it can be used as a food or as a wash. It's a little odd, but it appears to have an alkalining effect inside the body and out.
Mushrooms must also be avoided for obvious reasons. They are the most common fungus among us!
The next group of items is a little tricky. Some say no way and some say eat up. As I earlier stated, many foods that books and alternative doctors recommend to eliminate may not cause you any problems. This is especially true of yeast products, wheat products and soy. Each of these items should be considered on an individual basis. If they upset you before, they are probably aren't a good choice to continue with. Do some testing and evaluating and see how you feel. Start keeping a journal to note what foods effect you and which ones don't. This way, you'll have a clear understanding of what's best for you.
So, you're probably thinking, "Great! What the hell can I eat, then?" I admit that it's going to be tough at first, to say the least. You must be strong and you must resist temptation, or you'll pay the consequence.
Eat plenty of vegetables (raw or lightly steamed) and invest in a juicer if you can. Juicing your veggies is a delicious way to get tons of nutrients in one sitting.
If you eat meat, try avoiding it for a little while. The same goes for those who are vegetarians. It has been said that strict diets lasting for more than two years are not healthy for anyone. Every vegetarian diet is included in that group.
If you haven't eaten certain things for a long time, your body might have created an intolerance. Your best bet it to eat a wide variety of foods that DON'T feed the yeast or hurt your stomach, since you are so limited already.
All kinds of fish should also be included for their essential fats and remember, only choose organic products when possible! It makes all the difference in the world.
As for herbal supplements, there are many choices and some you'll find to be worthless and some superior. Many have to be taken for an extended period of time before benefits are recognizable. Here are some suggestions:
- a good acidophilus/bifidus probiotic combination
- garlic
- multi-vitamin (I recommend the antioxidant formula by Rainbow Light because it contains whole foods)
- biotin
- a good anti-fungal (choose between caprylic acid, cinnamon, oil of oregano but remember to rotate your anti-fungals every so often)
- grapefruit seed extract (I recommend NutriBiotic's organic liquid concentrate)
- pau d'arco tea
- echinacea
- buffered vitamin c in large doses
- flax seed oil
- Sonne's bentonite
- an herbal colon cleanser
Undoubtedly you'll have what is known as the die-off period when you first start your treatment. Also known as the Herxheimer Effect, die-off can be uneventful or it can make you feel as though you have a mild case of the flu. Be happy with the knowledge that this is a sure sign that you are starting to kill copious amounts of yeast from within and it's being expelled at a fast speed. If it makes you feel really terrible and you can't bear it, you can cut back on the anti-fungal supplements for a week. It has been said that using one anti-fungal for an extended period of time can cause the yeast to become resistant. For this reason, try and rotate them.
Use the grapefruit seed extract for one week and the oil of oregano the next. I truly believe that each anti-fungal works differently for every candida sufferer, so realize that it might take some time before you can create a successful schedule for yourself. If you are not a patient person by nature, become one now, or the candida will surely get the best of you.
Throughout your life you have been led to believe that every illness can be blasted with a quick remedy. There is nothing further from the truth. If you take the time to work on your body from the inside to heal the entire being rather than mask symptoms, you'll be healthier than you could ever imagine.
Even though it might not be much comfort to you now, having this yeast overgrowth and successfully combating it will give you a new lease on life.
I wish you all the luck in the world.
If you have any questions or need some guidance, you can reach me at Efeldman@4anything.com
Note: If a diet or a natural yeast infection treatment didn't work for you, don't give up on trying to naturally cure candida and yeast infections. A plethora of natural treatments can be found in Yeast Infection No More, a comprehensive how-to book on naturally curing yeast infections and preventing them from occurring in the future. - Editors
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