Candida: A Diet You Can Live With
Candida Diet
Now that you have made the commitment to deal with your yeast problems, you're going to find that this diet is one that you will be able to stick with. And most likely you won't be perfect.. not many of us are.. that is the human side of us. But this is about consciousness.. knowing what affects you and what doesn't.
When you begin your yeast diet, there are two ways it can affect you.. you may begin to feel better right away.. or if you are full of toxins, you may feel worse for a few days before you notice improvement. Either way is the right way for you. As you begin to feel better.. you may decide that it won't hurt to cheat a little here and there. And it may not. But it may. This is where you come in because only you know how you truly feel. And after you cheat, if you find that you feel awful, you will at least know what it is that made you this way. And then you can consciously make a decision if it was worth it or not. And you may decide that cheating once in awhile is not so bad. That's okay too. But you may decide that you like feeling good and that's even better! In any case, your healing will rest on your shoulders, and that is exactly where it needs to be.
Eventually, you will learn that you are in charge of how you feel by what you eat. And that's the beauty of this type of healing. It all comes back to being responsible for yourself.
So as you partake this new journey, let yourself know that it is a new adventure.. one that can be a truly enjoyable one. Because the better you feel, the more you'll do and the more you do, the more you'll experience life. And isn't that really all that its about.. one experience after another.. we can choose to have them be good or bad. It's up to us.. My advice to you is sit back and enjoy the journey..
The Foods That Feed Yeast
With over 25 years' experience with candida clients and nutritional kinesiology, I believe that there are only certain foods that feed yeast. They are very specific and I have listed them below. That is not to say that some people cannot be allergic to other foods; you might be one of those people. But as you eliminate the yeast foods and pay attention to your body, any allergies to other foods will be revealed to you over time. Pay attention to your body language; it is your greatest ally when it comes to healing you.
Avoid all fruits (fresh, frozen or dried), EXCEPT you can eat grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerines, strawberries, cranberries, kiwi, currants, mangoes, bananas & fresh pineapple. Oranges used to be a part of this list but I have found that they cause digestive problems in the stomach in many people, so I suggest you avoid them as well.
Do not eat walnuts or chickpeas. Any other nut, bean or seed is okay to eat. The only vegetables to stay clear of are mushrooms and sweet potatoes, so eat lots of fresh veggies (remember, organic is always better for the body). Try to keep fresh and steamed vegetables separate from one another. If digestion is compromised, they may cause digestive problems if consumed at the same time.
No chocolate or caffeine. Very important! Small amounts of natural chocolates from the health food store are okay on a very limited basis to get over the cravings, but carob would be better. Water processed decaffeinated coffee is okay, but limit to one cup per day. Even better would be a coffee substitute that can be found at the health food store, such as Kaffree Roma. And stay clear of regular sodas, teas & city water.
The best things to drink are grapefruit juice or a natural lemonade. Well or bottled water is important as you will need to flush your system! Stay away from city water! Herbal teas are good as long as they don't contain the fruits that are not allowed on the diet. Echinacea tea and Pau D'Arco tea are good for the immune system. For a treat, a natural soda such as one from the health food store is allowed, but again, don't be abusive and watch the fruits! Mineral waters are fine, but again watch the fruits! One of my favorite morning ritual drinks is a decaf chai tea (Roobos) with a little pure maple syrup, topped with Silk soy creamer. It doesn't get better than that!
Your sugars of choice are pure maple syrup, barley malt, rice malt, molasses, agave, & stevia. For those who do not have a history of sugar abuse, organic cane juice crystals and sucanat are also allowed. Very small amounts of honey are allowed - make sure they are last in the ingredient listings. Stay clear of refined white sugars!! They serve no purpose.
Meats, poultry and fish are allowed, excpet for pork which aggravates digestion. Keep your meats to small portions, no more than 4 or 5 ozs. per meal.
Yeast of all kinds must be avoided! Read labels - it's in lots of ingredients including breads and crackers. Your bread of choice will be whole grain sourdough bread such as Baldwin Hill or French Meadow - up to 2 slices per day. Whole grain sprouted breads, such as Alvarado and Ezekial are also permitted - 1 slice per day.
Look for crackers that are whole grain and yeast free. You must avoid enriched foods, such as crackers, pastas, etc, as they usually enrich with yeast. Stick to whole grain or semolina pastas.
Avoid cow cheese. Instead, substitute with soy, rice, goat or sheep cheese. Soy & rice cheese now come in a variety of flavors, including mozzarella, Swiss, American, parmesan, sour cream & cream cheese. And more and more markets are offering a variety of goat and sheep cheese. Experiment and find the ones that suit your taste buds! Many people have dairy allergies, so be conscious of this if you use cow milk. Allergies to cow milk may include bloating, colon issues, sinus problems, bronchial problems, and ear infections. Real butter is usually acceptable unless you are dealing with severe dairy allergies.
Eating a goat yogurt daily is often helpful but do not combine it with fruits. Instead use plain, maple or vanilla flavors.
Remember that anything that weakens the body will make the candida stronger, including artificial flavors, colors and especially artificial sweeteners, chemical preservatives and additives. Beware of BHT, MSG, etc. If you can't read it, you probably can't eat it!
Look for condiments that contain the good oils, such as safflower, sunflower, or canola oil. My preference is to use mainly extra virgin olive oil. Tamari (a naturally fermented soy sauce) is okay to use in cooking, but not its chemical counterpart (regular soy sauce). Spices and herbs, especially fresh, are wonderful for the body!
Beer and wine are definitely not allowed! Of course, no alcohol would be best, but with yeast, if you are going to drink, drink intelligently. Limit to two drinks a night and include those fruits that will not feed yeast. Therefore, a gin and tonic with lemon or lime would be acceptable, along with a vodka and grapefruit juice. I am a realist. We are not prefect beings. I'm hoping with this information, you will make better choices.
There are some people who can be perfect on this diet; most cannot. Don't guilt yourself when you cheat. It's almost expected. Instead, see how food affects you. Become aware of your healing and how you react. It will do you much more good than wasting your precious energy on negative stuff.
When you cheat and you don't feel well, you will at least be able to make a conscious choice the next time. This healing process is about you and how you feel. Get in touch with yourself. As you begin to feel better, note this as well. Be honest with yourself. So many of us are disconnected with our feelingsthat it becomes difficult to recognize changes when they do occur.
Learn to enjoy each shift you experience. As you become aware of changes taking place, recognize them and enjoy the ride. Appreciate each small step you take in the right direction. Every cell in your body will eventually become aware of how delightful you are, and they will become delighted as well. Always strive to think in a positive manner. It's essential to your healing process.
Good luck and feel free to write us for help or advice!
Important to Know:
Refrigerate your acidophilous supplement after opening it and always ensure that you buy a well known brand. An inexpensive brand may not have anything you really need in it. You're worth the few extra pennies, and as you heal, you will become more and more aware of this fact every day.
Even more important... yeast cannot live in a body that digests properly. My experience has taught me this is the reason why so many people cannot heal their yeast. So heal your digestion! Our section on glands and organs can help you to understand how to begin this process.