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How do I Start the Candida Diet?

The Candida diet, also known as the yeast diet, is a detox diet to rid the body of Candida albicans yeast. According to Candidadiet.com, it is an opportunistic fungus that causes symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, joint pain, and gas. That's because as the fungus grows it releases a toxic substance that affects your immune system and leaves you with uncomfortable symptoms. Certain foods high in yeast are known to cause this problem. To rid your body of the fungus, the Candida diet usually lasts about three weeks and requires a commitment to get started, beginning with an initial, strict detox.

  1. Analyze your Lifestyle

    • To start the Candida diet you'll really need to analyze how you eat and any other lifestyle factors. In addition to foods high in yeast, the number one cause of Candida are antibiotics, so it's important to talk to your doctor about using only the antibiotics you really need. Also talk to your doctor about any other medications you take that may cause a problem with the Candida diet.

    Cleansing

    • You'll want to start by doing a colon cleanse, which consists of drinking a vegetable broth only for seven days. Some people choose to do a colonic irrigation. You may want to check with your doctor about whether that is right for you. You could also purchase drinks at your local diet and nutrition store that help you detox or flush your liver.

    Dietary

    • After you've cleansed your system, you have to focus on a new, strict diet for two weeks. You'll have to eliminate fruit, nuts, chocolate and caffeine from your diet right away. For example, fruits have a higher sugar content and feed on the Candida fungus and help it grow. The same is true for alcohol. Caffeine is known to kickstart Candida also. The good news is that you can eat tons of vegetables from broccoli to cabbage, and dairy like yogurt. Vegetables help absorb the Candida fungus and carry it out of your body, and yogurt puts good bacteria back into your stomach. You can also eat non-glutinous grains like brown rice that help absorb the fungus.

    Side Effects

    • During your initial detox you may experience symptoms like headache and nausea. This is completely normal during this phase of the diet. It's actually known as the die-off part of the diet. According to Candidadiet.com, the die-off is when yeast cells are killed at a rapid pace and metabolic by-products are released into your system. This die-off period can cause these uncomfortable symptoms. To help, drink lots of water and increase your intake of vitamin C.

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