Candida Overgrowth

Could it be Candida Overgrowth?

We moved into our home, years ago, during the early spring with snow still on the ground. It was kind of exciting discovering our yard as the snow receded. As the green (mostly weeds) began growing we soon discovered we were infested with a weed known as puncture vine or goat heads (Tribulus terrestris).

 These weeds have the sharpest, nastiest thorns! They go right through your gloves, puncture your bike tires, and embed in the soles of your shoes (and yes – you must always wear shoes!).  I would pull out these noxious weeds and throw them in the garbage can – no composting for them.  Try as I diligently did to pull and eradicate every last one of these, next season they all seemed to come back seeking revenge for disposing of their forbearers.

About the third year into this, as I agonized over this situation (cause I’m a barefoot kinda guy), something came to my mind – (it had to be from God or one of his more compassionate angels) – “Kyle, plant Red Clover”.  "Humm", I thought, Red Clover is a great medicinal herb, a soft ground cover and has beautiful purple flowers (not red).  So I did and guess what happened? 

That blessed Red Clover came up first and so filled the ground that the darned old goat head got crowded right out. The root system of the Red Clover allowed no room for the puncture vine to germinate and come through.  Goat Heads defeated!

As I have pondered this experience, I understand that this same issue plays out in each of our bodies. We all have in our bodies the noxious weed known as Candida.  This yeast is in all of us to a greater or lesser degree.  Candida is a selfish creature who will take more and more of our body’s real estate resulting in a myriad of symptoms and demanding sweets and carbs to fuel it.  That is why the person suffering from chronic candidiasis craves sugar, is overweight and is usually insulin resistant.

Like ridding the yard of prickily weeds by crowding them out, so, too, we must crowd out the candida to truly heal. Because of this, most candida programs are both difficult and ultimately unsuccessful.  As you eliminate foods that feed the candida, you diminish in number, but the most virulent are the last to die.  When you slip up on the diet (and you will) – the strongest of the strong candida will come raging back intensifying the problem.

Candida Albicans is the most common type of a yeast infection that is found in the mouth, intestinal tract and vagina. It can also affect the skin and other mucous membranes. If the immune system is functioning optimally, this type of yeast infection is rarely serious. However, if the immune system is not functioning properly, the candida infection can migrate to other areas of the body, including the blood and membranes around the heart or brain.

Candida is not all bad, because it is a fungus that aids with nutrient absorption and digestion, when in proper levels in the body. When it overproduces, the typical candida symptoms may appear. In the digestive tract, left unchecked, it breaks down the walls of the intestinal lining and penetrates into the bloodstream. This releases by-product toxins and other toxins from your system, causing what is known as a leaky gut syndrome.   

When you body’s natural acid/alkaline or pH balance is upset, the candida can grow out of control, creating a systemic problem. Good healthy bacteria and a properly functioning immune system are essential when fighting this stubborn infection.

Candida Overgrowth Syndrome, or COS, is the term used when candida has grown out of control in your body. This is a chronic health condition that can last for years and even a lifetime. Individuals with a candida yeast infection (leading to a leaky gut) often find they develop food sensitivities, allergies or intolerances. The most common foods include dairy, eggs, corn and gluten.

Common Signs of Candida Overgrowth

Do you ever experience any of these health issues?

·      Cravings for sweets – You tend to NOT have a stop button when it comes to sweets

·      Exhaustion

·      Mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, bi-polar and seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

·      Inability to lose weight – no matter how much dieting and exercise

·      Bad breath

·      Crave cold foods

·      White coat on tongue

·      Brain fog, forgetfulness, and inability to maintain focus

·      Hormone imbalance – thyroid, PMS, Menopausal symptoms

·      Joint pain, arthritis

·      Loss or diminished sex drive

·      Chronic sinus and allergy issues

·      Digestive problems (gas and bloating)

·      Weak immune system

·      Urinary Tract and Vaginal Infections

These are just some of the signs that you may have Candida Overgrowth. Candida has also been classified in stages that may help you gauge where you are.

Of course, candida is not solely responsible for every symptom, disease or health complaint (as some authors suggest), but it can be a contributing factor. Candida albicans is an opportunistic organism, which means it is ever ready to take advantage of a weakened situation in your body.

Major Causes of Candida

Research from the Journal of Medical Microbiology suggests that Antibiotics may promote yeast infections, including gastrointestinal Candida overgrowth, and penetration of the GI mucosa.

Once conditions are right, candida will thrive and your general health will suffer. There are various causes that trigger or feed a yeast infection.

Common triggers are:

1.     Overconsumption of processed and sugary foods

2.     Refined flours and commercial (GMO)yeast

3.     Alcoholic beverages

4.     Corticosteroids and NSAIDs or any drug that may suppress the immune system

5.     Stress – from emotions and lack of sleep

6.     Exposure to candida via the womb and breastmilk if the mother has an overgrowth

7.     Heavy metals (via tooth fillings, vaccines, food, tap water)

8.     Artificial colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, and synthetic odors (i.e. perfumes, scented candles)

9.     Preservatives and synthetic ingredients in personal care products

10. Insufficient vitamin D

11. Chlorine (namely from swimming pools) & fluoride

12. Pesticides and herbicides

13. Anger, grief, frustration or any other negative emotion that you can’t shake

14. Consuming conventional animal products laden with hormones, antibiotics, etc. typically what you get by eating fast foods

15. Surgery, including dental and cesareans (a trigger for both mother and child) often accompanied by antibiotic use

16.  Oral Corticosteroids – asthma inhalers

17.  Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

18.  Weakened Immune System associated with chronic disease or in infants or the elderly

All these create an acidic environment that encourages yeast growth and the presence of candida. Many people will use over-the-counter anti-fungal creams, but they only treat the symptoms, not the environment that allows candida to flourish. You need to eliminate the underlying cause in your diet or medication, restore your body’s pH balance and boost the presence of good bacteria.

Stage 1 Candida Overgrowth

Affects the mucous membranes of the body: Mouth,Nose,Vagina and Respiratory System.

1.     Cravings for sugar and/or alcohol

2.     Infant Colic, childhood and adult unexplained anger/rages

3.     Vaginal Yeast Infections

4.     Severe PMS

5.     Urinary Tract Infections

6.     Body Rashes

7.     Difficulty falling or staying asleep

8.     Eczema

9.     Acne

10.  Oral Thrush

11.  Allergies to: foods,chemicals,dust,fungus,yeast and/or molds

12.  Recurrent bouts of bronchitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, strep or staph infections

13.  Gas (infant or adult)

14.  Bad breath and body odor

15.  Bladder Weakness

16.  Sun spots or liver spots

17.  Belching

18.  Heartburn

19.  Unexplained tooth decay

20.  Asthma – respiratory problems

21.  Mastitis – cracked nipples

22.  Rectal itching

23.  Persistent cough – more than weeks

24.  Nausea during fasting – or fasting causing headaches

Stage 2 Candida Overgrowth

Involves more generalized and chronic reactions. The symptoms that belong to Stage 1 are also present in Stage 2.

1.     Unexplained weight gain or inability to keep weight on

2.     Inability to lose weight no matter what

3.     Ear Infections or Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

4.     Chronic Pain, Muscle Pain, Joint Pain and Arthritis

5.     Headaches (including migraine)

6.     Fatigue

7.     Fibromyalgia

8.     Infant or Adult Reflux

9.     Endometriosis

10.  Dizziness/Vertigo

11.  Bladder Infection/UTIs

12.  Jock itch

13.  Nail infections

14.  Gluten intolerance

15.  Dairy (casein) intolerance

16.  Athletes' foot

17.  Celiac Disease

Stage 3 Candida Overgrowth

Stage 3 affects an individual on a behavioral and mental level. All symptoms that belonged to Stages 1 & 2 are also present in Stage 3.

1.     Inability to concentrate

2.     Serious forgetfulness

3.     Memory Loss

4.     Mental Confusion

5.     Not being able to think of words to say something

6.     Switching around of words and letters when trying to speak and/or write

7.     Loss of previous skills (such as:how to type or play piano)

8.     Irrational thoughts,Unusual fears, Phobias and Panic/Anxiety attacks.

9.     Muscle twitching

10.  Violence, Depression and Aggressive behaviors

11.  Epileptic seizures

12.  Infertility

13.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Leaky Gut or Crohn’s Disease

14.  Insulin Resistance and/or Diabetes

15.  Hypoglycemia

16.  Thyroid disorders – Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Stage 4 Candida Overgrowth

Also known as systemic yeast. It is possible to suffer from a complete shut down of multiple organs when you reach this stage. The symptoms that are present in Stage 1-3 are also present in Stage 4, but they will be more severe.

1.     Adrenal gland failure

2.     Endocrine system failure

3.     Severe Constipation

4.     Total Muscle Weakness

5.     Hives

6.     The Circulatory System may be swamped with so much yeast that the capillaries are clogged, causing HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, NUMBNESS OF EXTREMITIES, and EASY BRUISING.

7.     The person may run a low-grade fever, but the hands and feet will often be very cold

8.     Tachycardia (palpitations, irregular beats, mitral valve problems or heart murmur)

9.     In the Respiratory System, the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs may be packed with yeast so that the person cannot get adequate breath AKA asthma

10.  Boils

11.  Vomiting

12.  Neuropathy – numbness in hands or feet

13.  Autoimmune Diseases – Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis

14.  Cancer

15.  Alzheimer’s Disease, Senility, Dementia, Pre-senile Dementia

Stage 5 Candida Overgrowth

1.) Death

Sadly, Candida Overgrowth can spread throughout the entire body affecting every last cell. It causes all the organs to shut down.

Getting Rid Of The Candida Overgrowth

Candida Overgrowth is very easy to get rid of, it just takes some time. Depending on what stage you are in will tell how long you should continue with the treatment. There are many treatment options to choose from. You can choose to do one, or all of them. The more treatments you take part in, the faster you will get rid of your Candida Overgrowth.

How to Fight Candida

Just as we were able to get rid of the goat head weeds by crowding them out, so, too, candida must be killed and immediately replaced.  The digestive environment must be made healthy so that the good bacteria – the probiotics – can be established.  Most people who have had candida related health problems also have a leaky gut, which must be repaired.  As a result of the leaky gut, food allergies develop and must be treated and eliminated.

There are many candida cures that can be found, however, for lasting success and a return to good health, you must adhere to true principles.  Simply avoiding the foods that promote yeast growth as is outlined in many programs is not enough.  As soon as you cheat (even just a little) the candida will rage back with a vengeance.  This is what I recommend:

Goals of the Candida Cleanse Program

1.     Rebuild the Digestive Tract

2.     Kill the Candida

3.     Repopulate the gut with the good bacteria

4.     Detox the body, getting rid of the toxins from the freshly killed candida

5.     Ancillary Therapies: Allergy Elimination treatments, Far Infrared Sauna, Sweaty Exercises, Biologic Dentistry to remove heavy metals.

6.     Avoid Candida promoting foods and drink

7.     Eat nourishing heatlhy foods

The Candida Cleanse

Rebuilding the Digestive Tract

If you are in any of the advanced stages of Candida Overgrowth (2+), you are also suffering from a leaky gut and must heal and rebuild it.  This is accomplished by following principles set forth by the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) and the GAPS diet (Gut And Psychology Syndrome). The concepts taught help to rid the body of excess candida by providing the nutritional building blocks to re-knit the matrix of the intestinal lining which will provide the fertile ground as we introduce the healthy candida fighters (probiotics) found in fermented vegetables and probiotic rich foods.

Bone Broth

Start by making a bone broth made with added vegetables. [ If you are opposed to bone broth, which is by far our first choice, you can substitute a homemade vegetable broth from organic onions, garlic, celery, kale, kombu seaweed, sea salt and pure water.] Let simmer at least 12 hours and strain. God has blessed you with a crockpot for making broth! Discard the vegetables and bones and refrigerate the broth. Bone broth is high in collagen, minerals and L-Glutamine which will heal the gut.

Throughout the day, sip on warm broth. It’s imperative that you drink lots of water to help your body expel all the toxins in your system.

Continue drinking bone broth or soup made from bone broth as you heal the gut.  Bone broth is so healing and nutritious (and delicious!), you will want to add this to your families regular diet.

Steamed Vegetables

Mostly, eat fresh, organic vegetables that have been steamed. Keep away from any starchy vegetables like carrots, radishes, beets, sweet potatoes and white potatoes, which may contribute to sugar levels and feed the candida. Continue to drink plenty of pure water, a minimum of 64 ounces per day, to help flush the candida and by-products from your system.

By eliminating grains, sugars, fruits, starches and alcohol from your diet for three to five days, you can make great headway in your fight against candida overgrowth. Eating only steamed vegetables and drinking broth for the first 3-5 days (or longer if you are really sick or really serious) will give you a great boost in your battle towards health.

During this time, no more than once a day, you can eat salads made from leafy greens (like romaine) or bitter greens (like chard) and topped with just a bit of coconut oil (you can use fractionated – it is a liquid and will pour) and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (both of which have an alkalizing effect).

Use bentonite clay to help surround the toxins and efficiently remove them from your system. Drink 1 teaspoon mixed with water.

Killing the Candida

There are many effective ways to kill candida. Candida is easily killed off, but it immediately comes right back. You may purchase a commercially prepared product such as those made by Garden of Life – Fungal Forte, Fungal Defense or Raw Candida Cleanse. These are all excellent products that contain herbs to kill the bad guys, as well as, provide the needed probiotics.

Other products to consider (you may use all or some of the following):

Herbs to crush and kill candida:

Garlic- Nature's antibiotic, but, it is also nature's anti-fungal, so the garlic will not kill the friendly bacteria like prescription antibiotics do. Consider cutting a clove into pill size pieces and swallowing. Work up to two fresh cloves daily. That is usually plenty.

Olive Leaf - Inhibits further growth of Candida.

Turmeric – best taken in capsule form with 16 parts turmeric and 1 part black pepper. Black pepper greatly magnifies the effectiveness of turmeric. According to the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, turmeric is a more potent anti-fungal agent than the anti-fungal drug, fluconazole.

Pau d’arco – Probably the most powerful herbal deterrent to candida.  Made into a tea with cinnamon is delicious.  Work up to 3 cups per day. Try a delicious combination of 6 parts Pau d’arco, 1 part Cinnamon, 1 part Spearmint.

Milk Thistle – this herb will help to detoxify the liver and ease the ability of the body to get rid of killed candida die-off toxins

Candida Recovery Formula – This is my own Herbal Remedy that can be made in our workshops or on your own at home.  The advantage here is you will make about 2 quarts of the tincture for about 20% of what it would cost to purchase at a healthfood store. This remedy contains Pau d’arco, Oregano, Basil, Lemongrass, Ashwagandha, Sage and Olive leaf. You will take 3 dropperfuls of this formula 3 times daily. There is not enough alcohol in this to cause any concerns.

Foods that fight Candida:

Coconut Oil- Contain an ingredient called Caprylic Acid. It is very effective. Work up to consuming 4 Tablespoons per day.  Coconut oil can and should also be used topically on areas of skin irritation.

Apple Cider Vinegar- Contains a natural anti-fungal ingredient called Malic Acid that is not found in other vinegars.

Carrot Juice- Has great antifungal properties.

Nuts, seeds, wild-caught fish and other foods high in healthy fat and protein will all fight candida. Soaked and dried nut are best - see our Crispy Nut recipe in our Healing in the Kitchen Manual.

Cultured dairy or fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, kvass. These foods will provide the good bacteria.  Be cautious with commercially made Kombucha because of it’s high sugar content. Good quality store-bought kefir and yogurt are fine. Read the labels for undesirable chemicals.

Green drinks – Green vegetables will help improve your immune response. Groundbreaking experiments conducted at Oregon State University reveal that chlorophyll, the plant pigment that's concentrated in green leaves, binds to mycotoxins, highly acidic waste products made by fungi and yeast, to block these toxins from entering the bloodstream.
Ground flax and chia seeds – Flax and chia seeds are anti-fungal. Grinding releases the healthy oils.
Unsweetened cranberry juice – Cranberry juice creates an acidic environment, which is unpleasant for yeast in the urinary tract. This is okay as far as acidity and candida are concerned, but only if it is unsweetened.

Clean Meat and dairy – organic, grass-fed is the best.

Essential Oils For Candida

The best essential oils for candida have anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.  These oils include clove, oregano, tea tree and myrrh essential oils. These oils can be rubbed on your tummy once or twice daily.  You may also use a blend such as Butterfly Express’ Candila. Lavender oil also inhibits the growth of candida and is effective at preventing the spread of the infection. Also, for oral thrush, use three drops of clove oil with one tablespoon of coconut oil and swish in the mouth for 20 minutes.

Water – try for 8 glasses (1/2 gallon per day of purified water). Some of this can be coconut water (high in caprylic acid which is highly anti-fungal – that’s very good!)

Repopulating the Gut with the Good Guys

Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that probiotics can use to multiply their growth and fuel activity, akin to taking 2-3 times your probiotic dosage. The top common prebiotics are:

·      Bone Broth: by far the most effective and important prebiotic

·      Dandelion Greens

·      Garlic

·      Leek

·      Onion

·      Asparagus

·      Wheat bran

·      Whole Grains, including oatmeal

·      Banana

·      Flax and chia seeds

·      Soaked almonds. Soaking almonds in water in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours will remove their phytic acid (an enzyme inhibitor), making the nutrients more bio available. Sprinkle sea salt / Real Salt on them.

What Probiotic Should I Take

Certainly, you can do all of this without purchasing any manufactured supplements.  But most will do better taking some.  Mentioned early are the Garden of Life’s Candida products, which I highly recommend.  I would take an additional probiotic as well.   Taking a probiotic supplement is one way to insure you are getting enough and the right quality.  Choose a probiotic that has a minimum of 15 billion active cultures (also known as CFUs – Colony Forming Units) and at least 15 different strains of bacteria and one that is refrigerated. (One really good one is "Garden of Life Raw Probiotics, Women 50 & Wiser", which has 85 billion live cultures and 33 probiotic strains. There's also an equivalent "Men 50 & Wiser" one, and one for kids – the womens and mens are almost identical.). Find these at your health food store or you can purchase them from us.

I recommend getting probiotics from 3 different sources each day. For example, 1) Your quality supplement, 2) yogurt or Kefir – at least a mouthful, 3) Fermented Vegetables. We need an abundant and diverse array of probiotics to build a strong and healthy digestive tract.

Additional Supplements to consider

·      Vitamin C (1,000mg 3x daily)
Boosts immune function and helps fight off infections.

·      Vitamin D-3 (5,000 IU’s daily) – most people are severely depleted

Detox the body and get rid of toxins from freshly killed candida.

When the candida yeasts are killed, they are messy.  Cellular walls are broken and the innards or guts of the now deceased yeast are spewed all over.  It is important that the debris is cleaned up quickly and efficiently in order to minimize symptoms of “die-off” or what is known in the literature as a Herxheimer Reaction. When large numbers of yeast cells and parasites die in a short period of time, quick detoxification is difficult. As a result, yeast toxins enter circulation and can cause die off symptoms almost anywhere in the body.

Each person’s die-off reaction is different and can be unpredictable.

In some, preexisting symptoms are exacerbated; in others, new symptoms appear. For

those whose elimination pathways are clear and open, there are no die off symptoms at all.

Symptoms can last anywhere from several days to two weeks, often not starting until the third day of balancing yeast. Typical die off symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, greasy hair, stomach upset, gas, burping, vertigo, fatigue, brain fog, low grade fever, headache, sore throat, body itch, muscle and/or joint soreness or pain and feeling as if coming down with a flu as well as other symptoms.

To Reduce or Eliminate Die Off Symptoms

·      Doing a daily ORGANIC coffee enema gets rid of the yeast as quickly as it is dumping. A coffee enema should definitely be on your list of go to treatments if you experience die off. Green unroasted coffee if preferable, but roasted coffee also works to detox.

·      Drink 4-6 fluid ounces of warm or hot water every forty-five minutes

·      Take measures to have more bowel movements with herbal laxative supplements

·      Epsom salt or a baking soda bath (1-2cups of Epsom salt or ½ cup baking soda)

·      Probiotics and Enzymes: There are specific enzymes and strains of probiotics that assist with eliminating dead yeast cells. Garden of Life: OmegaZyme and Primal Defense are good choices.

·      Rest

·      Far InfraRed Sauna – 30 minutes daily if you have access to one.

·      Peppermint essential oil internally ( 1 or 2 drops in a cup of warm water)

·      Chlorophyll drops as needed – Nature's Sunshine has a good liquid chlorophyll.

·      ½ cup cooked brown rice daily. Try brown rice in a pressure cooker - Yummm!

·      Dry skin brushing before and after a shower stimulates your liver and helps your elimination pathways to open.

·      Grind a small amount of flax seeds in a coffee grinder until fine, light and fluffy, then stir a heaping tablespoon into a glass of lukewarm water, let stand for about ten minutes, stir again and drink on an empty stomach.

·      Increase your greens – Garden of Life: Perfect Food (Alkalyzing & Detox)

·      Go for a walk – breathe deeply and sweat.

·      If you do not effectively rid the yeast as it is dying off and dumping, it can possibly settle in other areas of your body, such as your joints and cause arthritis type symptoms. Yeast die off symptoms are a sign that the system’s eliminatory pathways are overburdened or as oftentimes happens, blocked. Individuals with elevated heavy metal levels may have special problems with yeast die-off reactions.

Herbs and Other Supplements to Reduce Die Off Symptoms:

Bentonite/Redmond Clay – 1 teaspoon mixed with water – 1 -2 times daily

Slippery Elm – 1 teaspoon mixed with water – 1 -2 times daily

Marshmallow Root - 1 teaspoon mixed with water – 1 -2 times daily

Taking a mixture of some or all of these herbs and supplements BEFORE you start your Yeast Herbal Regimen is recommended in order to prime your gut. Taking this mixture during and after the cleanse is very effective in treating die off symptoms.

NOTE:

If you do not effectively rid the yeast as it is dying off and dumping, it can possibly settle in other areas of your body, such as your joints. If you experience yeast die off symptoms and refuse to do an enema, I would recommend backing off of your herbal dosage.

This would mean that your road to yeast balancing will take longer and may be more difficult than had you done enemas. (Coffee enemas are the most effective, and you can look up online how to do those. They open the liver to dump toxins into the intestines.) You can order green, unroasted coffee online from Amazon.

Additional Therapies

1) Allergy Elimination – Much of how I help my patients is by performing a treatment to eliminate the body’s allergic response to foods or toxins that they are exposed to.  We tend to become addicted to the foods we are allergic to.  For example, the Candida within our bodies absolutlely craves and demands sugar.  As the candida breaks down the lining of the intestinal tract, we develop a leaky gut allowing greater sized particles of partially digested food into the bloodstream.  The immune system in the blood will after time begin to label these foods as allergens.  Once a leaky gut is developed, our immune system can become very good at labeling foods and chemicals as allergens.  Soon, not only are we allergic to sugar, but we are addicted to it.  We don’t have a stop button. Instead of enjoying one cookie or a small piece of pie, we crave more and more.  By treating to eliminate allergies, not only can we break the craving – giving us a stop button, but makes it easier to avoid those foods which are unhealthy and promote your feeling of ill health. 

Go to our YouTube Video to learn how to do these treatments at home.

2) Far InfraRed Sauna – Candida likes the cold and damp. By sitting in a far infra red sauna you can not only assist the body in detoxifying the body by mobilizing and  sweating out the toxins, but the warmth will assist in killing these bad boys.

3) Exercise and deep breathing – Circulation and movement are important.  Exercise and deep breathing – particularly for those of us who live in the dry deserts is very beneficial. Remember candida like cold and moist.  Dry and hot are not candidas friend.

4) Biologic Dentistry – for those will metal (amalgam fillings) in your mouth.  It may be necessary to have those fillings removed and replaced by a dentist trained and qualified in Biologic Dentistry.

5) Reduce Stress – Consider the Christ-Centered Meditation taught in previous email and on our Blog. Out of control stress, anxiety and depression create acid in the body, which promotes candida overgrowth.

Foods to Avoid that cause Candida

Sugar – Feeds yeast, so you should avoid it at all costs.
Fruit or fruit juice – Even though fruit is generally healthy, it can be high in sugar and can make candida worse. Fruit should only be eaten as a prebiotic (bananas) or with a meal (yogurt/fruit smoothie) but not alone on an empty stomach.

Junk foods and foods that contain artificial additives, colors, sweeteners, etc.

Soda pop (the elixir of Babylon). There really is no reasonable justification for consuming liquid candy. And yes, diet soda is FAR worse than the sugary stuff.
Alcohol – produces more yeast and should be avoided.
Food intolerances – Some yeast infections are due to food allergies. Try to avoid foods that cause negative reactions of any kind. If you think you have a food allergy or sensitivity, try an elimination diet to figure out what foods are causing intolerances.
Limit Grains – Gluten rich grains such as wheat, barley and rye should be avoided for now. Carbohydrate rich grains break down into sugar and can feed candida, yeast and bad bacteria. You may only need to get off the grains for a few weeks.

Processed and refined foods create the acidic environment that candida and other diseases need to survive. Replace foods high in gluten, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup with fresh fruit and vegetables.

Peanuts, mushrooms and aged cheese can be avoided.

So What Can I Eat?!!

Your Diet

This is a diet to not just discourage candida; it’s the diet to help you rid your body of candida!  It will be important that you listen to your body as you eat.  You will get a sense if something is not agreeing with you. If you introduce too much starch, carbs or sugar too soon, you will need to back off. 

The first step of the diet is to boost the immune system, the elimination of sugar, alcohol and refined carbohydrates. These items all depress the immune system – 70% of your immunity is controlled or mediated by the digestive tract. These refined carbs are contributing to the growth of the candida in your system. You cannot restore your body to a healthy balance unless you eliminate the favorite foods of candida and yeast.

Eat organic vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and asparagus. According to ancient Chinese medicine, warm starchy vegetables support the spleen in clearing candida from the body. While we don’t recommend these vegetables during the beginning “cleanse” stage (the first two weeks), the regular candida diet includes warming fall vegetables that nourish the spleen, such as sweet potatoes, yams, peas, beans, lentils, carrots, beets, corn, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, zucchini, yellow squash, rutabaga and pumpkin. These should be the main sources of carbs that satisfy your cravings for sweets as well. Avoid canned beans (green bean, black beans, etc.)!

What about grains? Some grains like quinoa, barley, teff, sorghum and amaranth and a starch, like corn can help to dry the overly damp gut, so one serving a day (no more!) of those grains can work for most people with candida. Brown rice can be eaten one half cup per day to help detoxify.  Avoid grains such as wheat for at least the first month. Listen to your body as you re-introduce foods. 

GREENS! Greens will help to alkalize the body preventing and reducing candida’s ability to multiply and thrive. Mold, fungi and yeast attach onto the green's molecules (chlorophyll) and help to sweep them out of the body efficiently, thereby reducing die off symptoms. Raw or cooked greens are good, but you may choose to supplement with a greens product containing  things such as wheat grass, barley grass, chlorella and spirulina.  Garden of Life:  Perfect Food is a great choice to take a scoop 1 to 3 times daily. There is no limits to greens unless you have pre-existing kidney stone problems.

Meat: - you need to stay away from grain-fed animals.  (Grass fed beef, buffalo, lamb, or wild game. Poultry such as chicken and turkey). Fish is good – especially oily fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines sardines. Eggs are good. No lunch meats or processed meat (including bacon and ham unless it is nitrate/nitritie free).

Dairy: Cultured dairy such as yogurt, kefir are good - store bought is okay.  Cheeses should be avoided. Some hard cheeses can be added later, but stay away at first. Processed milks such as rice, soy, and almond are generally loaded with added sugar.  Make your own rice or almond milk but avoid soy in every form.

Nuts & Seeds: Very good, except peanuts. Soaking in brine and drying until crisp are best as they break down the phytic acid, which can agitate the digestive tract. But chances are you will be able to handle the roasted or raw nuts you purchase.

Sprouts: These are wonderful, but only if you sprout them yourself. Grocery store sprouts are known to contain mold.

Fermented Vegetables are wonderful. Make your own or purchase in the refrigerated section. No canned or processed. Check out our YouTube video at KyleChristensenDC on making your own fermented vegetables and sauerkraut.

Apple cider vinegar is good.  Processed vinegar (such as distilled or red wine) create acid and should be avoided.

Try adding some Miso to your bone broth. Super Healthy! Purchase at your Asian Market.

Oils: Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil, ghee, and other healthy cold pressed oils. Canola, Corn, Soy, Safflower, etc. are not healthy and should be avoided.

Protein shakes are acceptable – Try Garden of Life’s Raw Meal.

Cold foods shouldn’t be consumed more than once per day. Don’t have a gut-friendly smoothie on the same day you have a salad. Your candida gut will heal most from warm nourishing foods. Candida likes cold and damp. Promote warm and dry.

As with any food, it’s always important to monitor how you feel after eating a meal when you have candida. Some people who suffer stomach distress after eating any kind of starch, for instance, should avoid starchy vegetables like corn, peas, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, zucchini and yams. Instead, they should eat non-starchy vegetables — typically the flowering parts of the plant — like lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, spinach, onions, peppers and tomatoes. You may need to take digestive enzymes with your meals to help your digestion.  Many also take enzymes on an empty stomach (1 hour before meals) to reduce inflammation in the body (Enzymes on Empty is an old trick for relieving arthritis).

Also, keep fruit intake low, as well as, natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.

Watch our YouTube Video on making your own Fermented Vegetables – easy and delicious!

Fermented Vegetables contain microflora (probiotics) that help to protect the intestines. Regular consumption can help improve the immune system, making the body less hospitable for candida. Begin with a half-cup per day of sauerkraut, kimchi or other fermented vegetables as part of a new eating plan dedicated to bringing your body back into a healthy balance.

The candida diet helps to provide beneficial bacteria, regulate appetite, and reduce your cravings for refined carbohydrates and sugars.

An Overview of the Candida Cleanse

This sounds like a lot of work. Well, it is.  But for those of you who have struggled for years with your health, this is what you may need to do.  Understand, that once you are healthy, it will be much easier to maintain good health and you will not need to be so strict.  No, you won’t be able to eat junk and uncontrolled amounts of unhealthy sweets, but you will be able to eat whole natural foods and healthy natural sweets. Understand that God gave you taste buds that specifically taste sweetness.  He wired those taste buds to the pleasure centers in your brain.  Because He did this for us, He has provided the perfect sweet foods for us to enjoy: fruits, honey, maple syrup, etc. There is so much in nature that is deliciously sweet.  That will be your future.

Follow a 14-day regimen effective for stage 1 and 2 overgrowth. More advanced stages will take longer.  But you should definitely start feeling better and like you are on the right tract within a couple of weeks.

Here are the basics:

Then:

1.    Bone Broth and steamed vegetables will be a staple.

2.    Herbs: Take Candida Recovery Formula 3 dropperfuls – dropperful equals 30 drops), 3 times per day  AND/OR Fungal Forte (Raw Candida Cleanse or Fungal Defense) 2-3 capsules twice daily.

3.    Take Slippery Elm, Marshmallow and Bentonite Clay to absorb toxins

4.    Take 2 cloves of Garlic daily (cut and swallow)

5.    Work up to drinking 3 cups of Pau d’arco tea daily. A headache will let you know if you've had too much. No headache with 3 cups means your really cleaning the toxins out.

6.    Coconut oil – work up to 4 TBS per day – put it on vegetables and in your food. Use it topically as needed for rashes or skin irritations.

7.    Eat prebiotics – bone broth is not just for the first couple of days, but is a part of a healthy lifestyle.  On the days you can’t get bone broth, use 1 TBS of gelatin powder in water or in your smoothie.

8.    Probiotics: Take at least the recommend dose that's on the label of probiotic, but I typically like to double or triple the dose. Take one pill source and 2 food sources daily.

9.    Take Vitamin D3 (5,000IU’s/day) and C (2,000mg/day).

10. Greens: Take the recommended dosage of a good greens supplement, although again, I like to double it. Eat salad with apple cider vinegar and olive or coconut oil. Also greens in a smoothie with yogurt, blueberries and a banana.

11. Rub on essential oils. Soles of your feet and tummy are best.

12. Follow recommendations for reducing die-off symptoms.

13. Treat for allergies, use sauna, walk, deep breathe, meditate/pray and get the metal out of your mouth.

14. Avoid the food that feeds candida or that gives you symptoms.

15. Eat foods that promote a healthy digestive tract. Eat whole natural foods and pay attention to your digestive tract.  Did you eat something that gives you brain fog or bloats?

This program should give you the tools to rebuild a healthy gut and restore your energy.  One reason you cannot lose weight is because the candida is releasing a constant stream of toxins in your body and the fat we carry is a survival mechanism to insulate you from these poisons. 

This program is infinitely easier than traditional candida diets and programs.  However, as you can see, it requires work and effort. Expect to see results within days to two weeks.

Blessings,

Dr. Kyle Christensen

March 2016