Diet for Systemic Candida

The human digestive tract is naturally full of beneficial microorganisms that aid in digestion. At normal levels, these bacteria, or gut flora, help break down food and guard against certain diseases. Other types of bacteria in the digestive tract, however, can lead to health problems if they become overgrown. Candida albicans is a type of yeast or fungus that can cause headaches, sinus problems, digestive problems, sore throat, acne, irritability, cognitive impairment, and many other symptoms if it is allowed to grow out of control. A proper diet can help resolve symptoms and eliminate systemic candida overgrowth.

Foods to Avoid

• Candida feed on certain foods, which should be eliminated from the diet if you are suffering from candida overgrowth. The No. 1 food to avoid on a candida diet is sugar. Sugar not only feeds the yeast, but it also weakens the immune system. When combating candida, it is important to read labels and remove all forms of sugar from your diet. This includes ingredients such as dextrose, maltose, high-fructose corn syrup, and honey. It also includes refined foods broken down into glucose by the body, such as pasta and white bread. It may be difficult to remove sugar completely from your diet due to its presence in many foods, but making a serious effort to eliminate sugar is important in combating candida overgrowth.

  Other foods to avoid include alcohol, caffeine, and dairy (except for yogurt). Avoid all processed and refined foods. Avoid fruits high in sugar such as oranges and bananas. As your symptoms begin to resolve, you may be able to add fruit back into your diet.

Foods to Eat

• A candida diet should include large amounts of proteins and vegetables. You may eat meat, eggs, yogurt, and a small amount of complex carbohydrates. Vegetables such as cabbage, zucchini, avocado, cucumbers, bell peppers and leafy greens are especially effective in starving out the candida yeast. Onions and garlic, which are anti-fungal, should be eaten as often as possible. If you do not eat meat, you may use beans as a source of protein, but only in small amounts as beans are high in carbohydrates. Try grain alternatives such as quinoa, which is high in protein.

Supplements

• You may want to take a daily herbal supplement formulated to kill candida. Look for a supplement with anti-fungal ingredients such as garlic bulb, oregano leaf, and goldenseal root. Many anti-candida supplements also contain ingredients that help repopulate the digestive tract with healthy bacteria, such as cabbage leaf. A probiotic, which contains beneficial live microorganisms, can also help combat candida growth. Yogurt also contains probiotics, which is why it is allowed on a candida diet even though other dairy products are not recommended.