Candida?

[rutland]

I recently picked up a book I had in my bookshelf called the diet cure. One of the board members had mentioned it being a good one, so I read it again to refresh my knowledge. The book has many questionaires about different symptoms and what could be the cause of them. My scores were super high for the likelyhood of candida.

The book gives resources for places to get tested but I figured rather then spending $$$, I would just go and do the diet and take antifungal, antiparasitic, sups.

I went to the healthfood store and was told and also read in the book that in order to fight candida you have to remore all fruit, sugar of any kind, most starches, vinegars, etc. from the diet. As it is, I feel restricted enough and I question the need to remove so many things. Ive been doing the diet just for a few days, and I notice that when Im to strict in my diet in regards to things like apples, applesause, some gluten-free bread, I dont feel right. My blood sugar feelsl low and I get very weak. I guess its because carbs directly give a serotonin surge, and I am depressed right now.

Anyway, what Im wanting to know is... has anyone ever dealt with candida? Did you have to rigidly adhere to a strict diet? Did you need a nutritionist? What sups did you take if any?

Steph

[CarlaB]

Yes, I stuck to a very rigid diet, even more rigid than gluten-free. Whenever I cheated, I had symptoms!

I took garlic, caprylic acid (it was a yeast cleanse), and probiotics. I also used lots of coconut oil. I still take garlic and use coconut oil. I always seem to forget the probiotics.

The symptoms you feel may be the candida dying off. If the symtoms get too bad, then eat a little bit of carbs or eat a piece of fruit to slow down the die off. The sugar/carbs feed the yeast, which is why you start to feel better.

[Rachel--24]

I did the Candida diet/antifungals/supplements etc. I didnt need a Dr. to help me although I did have an N.D agree with me on the diagnosis.

I spent alot of time on Candida message boards and I was really strict with the diet. All I ate was organic veggies (not the starchy or sweet ones), organic meat, eggs and fish. I was on the diet for 4 months. I ended up getting intolerant to most of these foods and also the supplements.

The reason I stopped the diet and treatment is because in all my research and time on candida boards....I came to the conclusion that candida is a "symptom"...so when you have it.....theres a reason behind it. Candida overgrows when the immune system is weak....you can do the diet forever...everytime you try to get off of it....your symptoms will return.

Basically you can *control* candida and its symptoms but you cant keep it from coming back unless you find out why its there to begin with. Like I said....I spent alot of time on the Candida boards and still check in occassionally....I havent seen a single person "cure" themselves of Candida.

I had a Dr. who said basically the same thing. He used to treat candida but found that once the patient was feeling good and tried to stop treatment....the candida symptoms would inevitably return. Then he found that when he looked for the reason "behind" Candida...and treated it...the Candida would no longer be an issue. The immune system itself would keep the Candida in check.

Anyways this Dr. looked for my "hidden" illness for more than 6 months and was not successful in diagnosing me. We did not bother treating my Candida and I'm already on a very restricted diet due to major food intolerances. I'm not on a candida diet though....I eat ice cream.

The Dr. sent me to someone more knowledgeable and on my first visit with my "new" Dr. I was finally correctly diagnosed. That day the new doctor suspected Lyme Disease and I was tested and it came back positive. So thats the real reason I have candida and food intolerances.

I'm telling my story so that you might not waste as much time as I did trying to "kill" Candida. For one thing....everyone has Candida...its a part of us so you cant really get rid of it anyway. It only grows out of control when the immune system is weakened by other factors.

In my opinion you would do better trying to find out *why* you have candida issues.

I think the diet is beneficial and it doesnt hurt. I felt tons better getting away from processed foods, chemicals, pesticides etc...it actually may have saved my life. My body was already accumulating too many toxins from having Lyme...and then candida....high levels of mercury, etc. Its a cascade of events but it all starts somewhere.

[CarlaB]

I agree with Rachel, there is a cause of Candida. If you were on anti-biotics for some time, that might be the cause-- or else it might be another underlying health issue. I am going through the testing for Lyme Disease as well, so for me it was another health issue as it was with Rachel. I did feel better when I was on the candida diet and have been thinking of incorporating more of that diet now to help with symptoms -- I think that is because some of the symptoms are actually from the Candida.

So, what we're saying is, try to figure out why you have the Candida.

[i canary]

I had a medical doctor who was into alternative medicine. She diagnosed the candida. I followed the diet that Dr. William Crook suggests in the Yeast Connection for 18 months. Got rid of the candidia and all my food allegries. I was extremely strict and didn't cheat - I did this in addition to the gluten free diet. It was tough, but I'm glad I did it. I also took olive leaf caps. and probiotics.

I got candidia because I had been given too many antibiotics. I had sinus infections constantly for nearly 2 decades. I was on antibotics for months at a time.

[Rachel--24]

I got candidia because I had been given too many antibiotics. I had sinus infections constantly for nearly 2 decades. I was on antibotics for months at a time.

Were you on the gluten-free diet for all of those years before treating Candida or did you go gluten-free around the same time as the diet?? It may have been the elimination of gluten that helped your body recover from candida and its symtpoms.

I've seen people who responded very well to their candida treatment and diet but only because on the diet they were gluten-free. After a year or 2 of treatment they were told by their Dr. or N.D. that they were "cured" but once they went back to normal diet....they became sick. It was actually never really the candida they needed to be treating....they just were undiagnosed Celiacs. Anything that weakens the immune system can cause Candida.....including Celiac Disease.

If you have a "healthy" immune system and are on antibiotics....you most likely will *not* develop Candida. If you have a supressed immune system due to illness and you take antibiotics....then you will further encourage Candida overgrowth.

[burdee]

I've read on candida boards that the discomfort people experience after taking herbal supplements (like caprylic acid) or meds (like Nyastatin) are due to candida 'die off'. However I took caprylic acid for Klebsiella bacteria. The symptoms I experienced were due to the antibacterial/antifungal supplement (CA) killing off all my GOOD bacteria, as well as the bad bacteria. I suspect that also happens when you use meds to treat candida. (CA also treats candida overgrowth.) After I stopped the caprylic acid and took high dose probiotics for awhile, the 'die off' symptoms disappeared and I felt 'normal' again.

Other candida board members say how they crave all the foods which feed the candida (sugars, carbs, etc.) aand also describe those cravings as 'die off' symptoms. During my experience with 3 weeks on the Candida diet from a candida site, I did NOT crave sugars excessively, because I ate a LOT of proteins and fats to keep my blood sugar level. I suspect cutting out foods without changing the rest of your diet will cause those cravings. However some may be psychological "deprivation", if people don't really want to abstain from certain foods to get well.

BURDEE

[i canary]

Same doctor found both problems at the same time. I don't think I have had a healthy immune system since childhood - if then. Trouble is I don't look sick, so no doctor would believe me when I said I was sick. I've been off the Candidia diet for about the same length of time I was on it - 18 months. No re-occurence.

Were you on the gluten-free diet for all of those years before treating Candida or did you go gluten-free around the same time as the diet?? It may have been the elimination of gluten that helped your body recover from candida and its symtpoms.

I've seen people who responded very well to their candida treatment and diet but only because on the diet they were gluten-free. After a year or 2 of treatment they were told by their Dr. or N.D. that they were "cured" but once they went back to normal diet....they became sick. It was actually never really the candida they needed to be treating....they just were undiagnosed Celiacs. Anything that weakens the immune system can cause Candida.....including Celiac Disease.

If you have a "healthy" immune system and are on antibiotics....you most likely will *not* develop Candida. If you have a supressed immune system due to illness and you take antibiotics....then you will further encourage Candida overgrowth.

[bluejeangirl]

I've been through the strict diet your talking about and the nystitin along with other antifungals. This was when I was younger and could survive on 5 hrs of sleep. Thats all I would sleep. I can't do that anymore. I didn't like feeling like i had the flu 24 hrs aday either.

It depends what you want to do but when I feel like its getting out of balance I just remove high carbs and go down to a basic low carb diet maybe allowing 10 to 20 carbs a meal. I try to make those carbs fruit for breakfast otherwise where are you going to get your vit. C. I buy those low carb gluten free tortillas and have that if I want a sandwich type meal. And for supper lots of veggies and meat.

I think its important to have a good pro-biotic or eat alot of yogurt (plain). Make sure you eat enough or you'll dip to low in blood sugar levels which you probably have too. I have to eat something before going to bed and I'll sleep better and longer.

For fruit I always have berrries.

Gail

[rutland]

Rachel, I agree with what your saying about the underlying cause for candida, It makes sense that candida could only reak havoc in a suppressed immune system.

Ive been gluten-free since the summer, Ive improved quite a bit, I mean... I had MS symptoms, breathing difficulties, and GI issues that have gotton drastically better. I guess I was thinking that if I wasnt completely healed by now that there must be something else that I need to be treating. I know many people report on the boards about the lengthy process towards healing after going gluten free, I guess Im just getting anxious about feeling good again.

I do believe that I need to implement a diet lower in carbs and simple sugars, however I refuse to give up apples, gluten-free bread, berries, and other things because I start to feel way too deprived. Not only that but I feel a lack of balance in my diet by giving up all these things. I will however stay away from sugary desserts, high sugar fruits, candy, and junk food of any kind.

I bought grapefruit seed extract from the health food store the other day and Im going to take that in moderation to help kill off the funky stuff. Hopefully I wont experience too many die off symtoms, that is truely the worst.

Thanks for all the imput.

Gail, I know about what your talking about regarding the long and painful process of being on a strict anti candida diet and the experience of your body feeling like hell for what could seem like an eternity. Ive done this diet before a few years back and I suffered from it. Thats why Im reluctant to do it again. I agree that its just not worth it. Life is too short to feel like hell all the time.

Im just going to take grapefruit seed extract, and do a modified version of the anticandida diet. Im not prepared to suffer again. I refuse to suffer again!

[angst2amity]

Here is what I posted under Recurrent Yeast Infections...

See red for a big surprise!!

Hi

I am going to go do this flush right now and stick to it.

Try it:

Open Original Shared Link

I like this flush because you don't have to buy anything except for some acidolphilus. AND it is supposed to help you not have the bad reactions to removing candida. My problem is that I think I have Candida/Aspergillis in my head - I don't know if this flush will help that! Can't hurt. Try it, tastes gross, make sure you put garlic in it, and let us know if it works. Guess I will do it 3 days this time.

PS you can buy acidolphilus cheap even from local grocery store. Look in the vitamin section. Lactobacillus and Bifidus may be combined with it. Those three bacterias are the ones that keep yeast in check in the body - antibiotics kill the good bacteria and the yeast goes wild. Sometimes infections look bacterial, so they give you another antibiotic when it may be yeast related. They just feed the yeast!

BAD FOR YEAST (or at least not a food source):

Acidolphilus

Bifidus

Lactobacillus (these 3 can be found in yogurt)

Salt

Oil

Yummy to Yeast:

All Sugars (fructose, sucrose, refined, not refined, everything) including honey, fruit, etc.

Splenda

Aspartame (like in Diet Coke) (I just read some studies last night on Splenda and aspartame, yeast thrives

on them. Yeast likes splenda a little less than refined sugar but likes Aspartame more than refined sugar!!

They are calorie free for humans because we can't break them down - but YEAST CAN! Here I thought it

was Safe!!)

Glutens and other grains like soy

Dairy - because there is Milk Sugar called Lactose AND a protien that yeast uses for food - one study said

the only safe dairy is Butter

Plus other stuff I forgot

What is left to eat? If you can...

Nuts

fresh vegetables

cooked vegetables

meat

poultry

fish

eggs

maybe potatoes

I am not an expert, just trying trying trying to learn by researching because I am unwell.

[loraleena]

I did this diet for several months. I wasted away, stopped getting my period, and was depressed. Then I found out about gluten. I gained back the weight, started to improve, and was less depressed. I am good about avoiding sugar, and too much fruit. I know that if I indulge I pay. I also eat lots of veggies and protien, and raw cheeses. It was too extreme and did not help me. You should look into a product called Threelac.