Can anyone suggest a diet book or recipie book to help me know what to eat to controll yeast overgrowth I am lost and hungry and confused.

[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 09-29-2002).]

I've heard garlic is good for yeast overgrowth. Maybe do a search on candida http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif not much help am I? Also do a search on Apple Cider Vinegar, thought I read something about this in there. Diana

Have you ever read a book called "The Yeast Connection"? It is not a cookbook or anything, but it has a lot of great information on candida and yeast. My doctor is a frequent contributor. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

My sister just got back from a doctor in Florida for Candida, although I cannot remember EVERYTHING about her diet here are a fewthings.

She cannot have
*wheat (try millet bread.. avalaible at health food stores.. Wild Oats, if you have one)
*corn
*dairy
*sugar (the only sugar she can have is called splenda... its like a sugar replacement like nutrisweet, but its made from sugar, so its good for you, and won't give you cancer like nutrisweet)
*acidic fruit (she can have apples)(no tomatoes)
*most red meat (if you just LOVE meat and can't like without it, you can eat fish, and a little chicken try to go meat free if possible, but i know its hard, so its okay to have fish, and chicken ocassionaly)

Can have
*Vegtables
*brown rice
*oatmeal
*apples
*avacodos are GREAT
*chicken and fish
*and MOST every other thing not listed on the cannot eat list

This diet sounds very bland but try looking for some vegitarian cookbooks (veegan is the best because the don't eat dairy either) Try a cookbook called Very Vegitarian (sp?) It is vegan, but mostly remember to stay away from wheat and dairy are the most importent.

*** Remember this is just a temporary diet, once the candida is gone, of course you can start adding these things back. After 3 weeks you can start adding fruit back! yay!! Try doing this for 6 weeks and see what your results are... I'm not quite sure exactly how long you should continue this, but you should just shed pounds!
*** I know this sounds like a challenge, but if you really want to get rid of it, this is the only way!
*Now remember, this is the diet that a DOCTOR (MD) gave her, so its garantied to work...

I hope this helps!!! -Madeline
P.S. of you have anymore questions just post again, or if you have a ceratin food you are wondering if you can eat or cannot, just ask!)

[This message has been edited by Xanthic411 (edited 08-11-2002).]

Hey, if anyone wants to try a really really really really really strict diet to rid themselves of candida and yeast as well as a lot of other things, this is what my allergist has just put me on. It's a total cleansing. I am not having a very good time with it though. Its not fun AT ALL!


Drink only water or seltzer, 8-10 glasses per day. Eat only the following foods:

Vegetables: Asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chicory, escarole, okra, parsley, radish, young string beans, squash (summer and zucchini) watercress, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, collards, kale, chard, alfalfa sprouts, and any green leafy vegetable.

Lean Meats - beef, veal, lamb, pork, etc...
Poultry - turkey, chicken, duck, cornish hen, etc...
Fish - no shellfish

Fruits: 2 portions daily: 2 bananas or 1/2 pineapple, or 2 grapefruits, as much lemon as needed, or 2 pears.

NONE of the following are allowed: Eggs, sugar, sugar substitues, sugarless gum, toothpaste (use baking soda), vitamins, medications (unless prescribed by a dr). If you have an allergic reaction or withdrawl symptom please try the following: one alka-seltzer gold with water, OR one teaspoon of baking soda with 7oz of water.

NO BREAD NO POTATOES NO GRAINS NO MILK PRODUCTS

Foods are to be purchased fresh or frozen. They may be eaten raw or cooked (of course, don't eat meat or chicken or fish raw! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif) Broil, boil, bake, fry, or roast but use no seasonings or oils. Sea salt or Diamond Crystal Rock Salt may be used if you are not on a sodium restricted diet. No charcoal grilled foods. Only use fresh green herbs. No onion or garlic.

I've reproduced the diet exactly as it appears on the sheet my dr gave me. He says that if I follow this diet I will not feel so tired anymore, I won't need anti-depressants (we'll see about that - this diet alone is making me depressed!) and I won't have as many allergy symptoms (again, we'll see about that). Right now I am a disbeliever, but I am willing to give it a try.

If anybody can come up with any palatable recipes using only the foods that I have mentioned, please let me know! So far the best I can come up with is chicken patties with parsley and herbs, and steak/hamburgers with sea salts. Oh, and pineapple is great if you freeze it. Tastes just like an ice pop.

I've heard of people following the anti-candida diet who really did get better. If you can just get through the initial stages! I'm relating what I've heard about this. Apparently you get worse before you get better because of die-off. This must be very difficult. Good luck.

everybody.....go to your local health store or seach online and order GrapeFRUITseed extract. NOT grapeseed extract. There's a difference.

Grapfruitseed extract has very very high antibacterial,antifungual,and it's very effective against parasites such as candida.

Brands that I would suggest taking is...soloray,twinlab,and solgar.


Ryan

[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 01-01-2003).]

Try the Yeast Busters diet. It is a kit that you can buy in your health food store. You must follow a strict diet like what is listed above, but also must take a "tonic" that you mix together. It is rather disgusting, but it helps clean out your system better than anything else. I am on this diet right now, i have severe candida overgrowth. I noticed a change within a few weeks. Its hard but worth it. Also on this diet you will need to be strict for 2 or 3 months, then you can gradually introduce certain things back into your diet, making it easier after awhile. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

[This message has been edited by Double J (edited 02-04-2003).]

The "no garlic and onion" part sounds really, really weird.

Garlic it is one of the main foods and supplements recomended in the combat of candida. Most natural medicine books prescribe this. I would take this "great" diet with a grain of salt if it says don't eat garlic to kill candida.
It's the exact opposite. Yet, pears (which are very sweet fruits) are included. How's that?....

From what I read from many many sources, if you really want to get "tough" on candida, nothing that tastes sweet should be included (which means most fruits, minus maybe the least sweet ones such as kiwis and cranberries).

The logic behind the candida diet is "sour diet with no fermentation, no sweets and no carbs".

I heard sourkraut does wonders.

Oh, well...as long as the conventional medical community will insist on NOT even recognizing candida as the culprit for a lot of health problems, studies will not be done, nothing will be "scientifically proven" and everybody will continue to come up with their own anti-candida "diets".

I have had my share of health problems in the past two years, and the more I deal with the conventional MD-s, the more I realize that they have formed a ferocious establishment (along with pharmaceutical companies that sponsor them) whose interest have way more to do with maintaining huge incomes for themselves than to actually relieve people from the suffering that comes along with illness.

When I first went on the candida diet 15 years ago it was put to me quite clearly "don't eat anything that comes in a can, a jar, a bottle or a package." Yikes! I tried it for a week and just couldn't do it. I guess I wasn't sick enough yet or questioned the whole idea of the candida diet. A year later I went back to that Doctor and ready to do whatever it would take to get well. When I started the diet the second time I didn't think of it as a "diet" which I think of as something temporary, but rather a choice of new eating habits for the rest of my life because my well being depended on it. I have a chronic and reoccurring systemic yeast problem and am alergic to mold, fungus, yeast in food and the environment.

I just wanted to give you a few ideas of things I did that kept me happy enough to stay on the diet long term. I couldn't be perfect so I decided to "pick my poisions" if you know what I mean, so I wouldn't binge or abandon the diet altogether.

Once a week I make a big pot of beef stew, small piece of beef, few potatoes, lots of fresh vegtables and use real tomatoes, not canned. Other than in stew, I've given up red meat forever. I bake fish once or twice a week.

I bake a lot of chicken breasts, sometimes smother them with diced onions, celery, garlic and cheyenne pepper. The left overs I use to make a chicken, diced tomato and avacado burrito or chicken fried rice (my version)

I eat yogurt everyday.

I cook all my vegtables and many times fix two for a meal along with a small baked potato or yam.

I really miss the yeast breads and rolls....instead I make cornbread and chop up apples and mix into the cornbread before baking. I also make cranberry bread use that for a bread sustitute. (No yeast) Baked apples with cinnamon are great.

If I get the cravings at night I fix myself a bowl of oatmeal and it seems to fill me up and satisfy me and my cravings are gone.

I definately take vitamins, "Optivites" have no yeast, no sugar fillers in them. I'm sure there are others.

I love "Fruit & Fiber" cereal and have that every morning with a sliced banana or lots of blueberries on it. Now here's where I need to have my teaspoon of sugar...and Fruit and Fiber definately comes in a package.

I drink a lot of cranapple juice and grape juice, fill the glass full of ice, fill half with juice and half with purified water. It seems watered down at first but my doctor suggested it and now I prefer it that way.

Are you just cooking for yourself or do you have others to consider? When I was living alone it was real easy, I couldn't eat what I didn't buy. Now my son is staying with me for awhile and he has to have a few comfort foods around....temptation. I can pass up the chips, pop, and pizza....uuugghhh! But the ice cream is another matter. So I do one scoop of ice cream, ice cubes, banana and yogurt or pour in a can of Strawbery Ensure. (oh oh, did I just say can)

I don't feel deprived at all. My weight stays the same, my tummy is flat, I'm regular, I don't get stomach or bowel upset or bloated or gassed up, ever, and it keeps my yeast level down and I feel better. I hope I gave you a couple ideas and that you can find some others so you aren't so "lost, hungry and confused." Personally I'm lost and confused most of the time, but never hungry..Good Luck.

Are these diets helping any of you guys feel ALOT better? I have chemical allergies I believe that is from Candida, but am skeptical about the diets. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

As far as a candida cleansing diet is concerned,it can be challenging but does not have to be as painful as some may think.The most important thing is to get the sugar out...all sugar in all it's forms.You really have to read labels because sugar is in just about everything.The best source of sugar free foods is going to be an organic grocery.Even natural sugars such as honey and molasses should be eliminated.As far as artificial sweeteners are concerned,it's best to avoid them.Candida really compromises the immune system and chemical additives are not going to help the situation.Most candida sufferers already tend to have allergies and chemical sensitivities.The best diet for clearing candida is one that is close to the earth.You can eat all animal protein as long as it is organic and free of antibiotics,same goes with eggs.Dairy is best avoided the first 4 weeks.You can try to add it back in,small amounts only,and watch how your body responds,but I would deffinately go without it for the first month of your candida cleanse.Plain yogurt is allowed and very beneficial.I have also found that you can usually do ok with 2 fruit servings a day if they are of the low glycemic variety such as,strawberries,lemons,limes and oranges in small amounts.Yeast only needs to be avoided for the first 7 days to determine whether or not you have a sensitivity to it.Some don't and do fine with small amounts of yeast containing foods.After 7 days of eliminating yeast,purchase a Brewer's Yeast tablet from your local health food store and take half.Watch how your body resonds over the next 48 hours.If you don't have any negative reactions,you can add a couple servings of yeast containing foods daily to your cleanse.As far as the debate over potatoes,I've found that as long as you avoid sweet potatoes,you can consume small portions of red potatoes(lower glycemic index),and do ok.Just make sure if you eat them you do so with the skins on and add a little fat.This will prevent a surge of insulin in your system which can trigger cravings for sweets and we all know that it's difficult enough to go without them! Why make the process more uncomfortable? You want to limit your carbs to whole grain choices only and maybe just a couple small servings a day getting the rest of your carbs from non-starchy vegetables.Oatmeal,bulgar,amaranth and brown rice are a few good choices.Avoid wheat as most candida sufferers have a gluten intolerance.Drink lots of purified or bottled water to flush the toxic wastes that the candida produce out of your body.Herbal and green teas are also good choices.No alcohol,coffee,sodas,or juices however.You can also have nuts and nut butters.Just stay away from peanuts and walnuts as they are known to carry a certain mold.So it's really not that bad.Just more about healthy eating.You may have to go without sugar,coffee,sodas,juices,most fruits,and simple carbs for awhile,but it's only temporary and it really makes a difference.I've seen this program really help people.I'm one of them and the best part is that I didn't feel totally deprived.You may falter sometimes with the diet...it's human.Just keep trying and remember the most important thing is to get rid of the sugar.You don't have to starve.Probiotics are also very helpful as are some of the herbal remedies out there.Garlic is great! The more the better.One exceptional product is SF722.It is truly a life saver and you can find it at many health food stores and some of the supplement sources on the net.Just do a search and it will easily be located.Oh...and get in some exercise.Candida can not overgrow in an oxygenated environment.It's really all about a healthy lifestyle change and should be viewed as such.Good luck! I hope this information helps!

Shannon, How long have you been on the candida diet? I've been on it for 10 weeks. I've also been taking nystatin and acidophilous. It has really helped my problems. I had alot of problems with bloating and digestive problems. After only a week on the diet and nystatin, the digestive problems were gone! Most of my other symptoms are almost gone. I had the coated white tongue, acne, itching and many other problems that are just about completely gone. Did a doctor diagnose you? I've been to so many doctors and had so many tests, with no answers. There are no naturapaths around here. I diagnosed myself after reading about it. Then took that information to my family doctor and convinced him to give me nystatin.
NY01, I wrote to you on another post in the allergies board and recommended that you check into candida. Its weird that I found you here discussing it! Good luck guys!

Hello There!

I have been on the diet for about four or five months.Just diet and natural herbal supplements have done wonders for me.After taking Undecenoic Acid,I went into die-off in just a week and a half! I strongly recommend taking some kind of supplement with this ingredient as it has been effective for people who have not been able to find relief elsewhere.Though,rotation of anti-candida supplements and medicines is key.Candida is extremely resistant,so it will build up a defense to your treatments.If you follow a rotation protocol,say 5 different anti-candida supplements that you rotate every five days...this is much more effective at clearing out the problem.I heard Nystatin can be a problem in that it requires long-term use and the body can become dependent on it.I have taken Diflucan and it was very helpful...but again,it stresses the liver,which is already taxed in candida sufferers.I have found natural treatments to be just as effective a prescription meds,without the nasty side effects.Some great ones are - Undecenoic Acid,Grapefruit Seed Extract,Oregano Oil,Pau D' Arco,and Biotin.I use one of these supplements for 5 days,then switch to the next and continue the rotation until I've gone through all 5 supplements,then start over again.This is the only effective way to use supplements for killing of the yeasts.I was diagnosed by a doctor.I am a massage therapist in the medical field and have chosen to work with doctors trained in natural/holistic medicine.They have been very helpful and actually were the people who suggested I begin an anti-candida protocol.Since then I have done an exhaustive amount of research,have tried many things and the current protocol I'm following has worked the best.There is a simple candida test you can do at home.First thing in the morning,before you eat or drink or brush your teeth,get a clear glass of water and spit into it.Allow it to sit for up to an hour.Go back to check on it repeatedly.If you have candida,you will see strings,like legs,dangling from the surface of the water down towards the bottom of the glass.Sometimes it will also look like little beads sinking towards the bottom of the glass.If the spit stays on the surface and has nothing stringing down from it...you are candida free.For a more dagnostic test,though the latter is effective,try contacting some of the naturopathic laboratories.They should have testing available.As far as a search for an understanding doctor,I can relate to your plight.Do you have any accupuncturists in your area? They are just about everywhere and very sympathetic to candida issues.That would be a good place to start.Any OMD(Oriental Medicine Doctor)would be helpful.Keep in touch and let me know how you're doing.Good luck in your search for a compassionate health care provider! -Shan

Shannon, Do you get alot of die-off from switching antifungals that often? I'm going to be switching to some of the natural antifungals now that I'm at least 80% better. What would be your top 3 of them? I feel that I've come a long way in just 11 weeks. It is really tough in the beginning because you do feel deprived, but then it just comes naturally. It is nice to know that I am eating healthy and my body rewards me for it! There aren't any natural doctors around here. I'm not sure about accupuncturist. I did call some chiropractors and was told about a doctor an hour away. I'm still thinking of going to see her. Thanks for replying and take care!!

Hello Again!

I must admit that initially I did get a lot of die-off symptoms,but to me this was simply a temporary inconvenience and I was just happy to know that I was killing the little boogers off! At the very least it was a way to know that the treatments were working.I found that drinking peppermint tea really helped soothe the die-off symptoms,the worst of which lasted for about three days where I felt like I had the flu.The top three remedies I would recommend are undecenoic acid(SF722),oregano oil,and grapefruit seed extract.It is also imperative that you take a good probiotic(acidophilus/bifidus),multi-vitamin/mineral,preferrably with biotin,and an immune booster like vitamin c,echinacea,or goldenseal.I would deffinately investigate the possibility of any accupuncturists or Oriental Medicine Doctors in your area.I know that even some hospitals use accupunturists now,so your bound to be able to find one I would think.If not,it might be worth it to travel to see that doctor who is an hour away.It's hard to find sympathetic doctors,so if you've heard of one through word of mouth,the hour drive would probably be time well spent.If even for just an initial consultation to try to establish a protocol.I'm glad that you have made such progress! It really does make all the difference in the world! It's unbelievable that candida causes such horrific health problems...to get some relief is quite an achievement,because it does take so much discipline and dramatic lifestyle changes.You're right however,it does get easier and the body learns to adapt to new eating patterns.After awhile,I actually discovered that I preferred eating the new way because I feel so much better eating whole,nutritious foods that support the health of my body.Congratulations on how far you've come.Keep up the good work.I'm still on my cleanse as well,but getting better each day.I'll keep you posted on my progress and look forward to hearing about your future successes!

Shannon, I agree with you about enjoying the die-off. If you have it, you know what you are doing is working. Do you have a different type of die-off from the different antifungals? I took nystatin for 2 months and my die-off was alot of aches, pains and headaches. My dentist switched me to diflucan for 20 days, and I just finished it. About the only die-off I experienced from it was some brain fog and a temporary return of my bloating and constipation. I know that diflucan is supposed to be stronger than nystatin so I was prepared for some strong die-off. I was disappointed that I didn't get it. I'm doubting if it helped at all. Is this normal? I just started eating occassional fruit about a month ago. I seem to tolerate it well. I haven't tried the yeast challenge yet. Does it work? I have done the spit test periodically through this and can see the change. It is nothing like it was in the beginning. Thanks for replying. Take care!

[This message has been edited by cantfindoutwhatswrong (edited 04-24-2003).]

Hello!

My die-off symptoms usually consist of nausea,aches...lots of them,headaches,and a general icky feeling...like having the flu.I experience the greatest die-off and the best results from undecenoic acid or SF722 as it's often called.After only a week I went into intense die-off.It's very powerful stuff,so if you try it,make sure that after the first week you have a few days where you can take it easy.If your spit tests are improving,that's great.The yeast test is also very valuable because if you pass with no adverse symptoms,it allows you to include a couple more options in your diet.I had a similar experience as you with the Diflucan.I felt better after 24 hours,but it didn't really eradicate the problem.Plus,with this candida,I didn't want to tax my liver anymore than it already is due to the exposure from candida toxins.I read that Diflucan is really damaging to the liver,so this is another reason I stopped and chose the natural approach as I heard it's a more effective way to deal with the problem.The die-off I experience from supplement to supplement is not really any different in symptoms,just in degree.Like I said,I had the strongest reaction with the SF722,but even that becomes uneffective if I don't rotate supplements.The candida is very tenacious and resourceful and will build up a strong resistance to any medicine/supplement you use too regularily.It's like you have to catch the candida off guard.If you keep switching things up,the candida is not able to build up a resistance to the medicines/supplements and the problem is cleared out much faster.A lot of people don't know to do this,which is why you hear about so many people try to clear this stuff out after being on the program a year or longer! Sounds horrible to me! It really doesn't have to take that long.I think if you get the undecenoic acid and a few of the other supplements and start a rotation protocol,you're going to be very pleased with how rapidly things will continue to clear up.Just be prepared for a more intense die-off initially.Hope that helps.Take care and thanks for staying in touch.It helps me to stay more focused on my cleanse as well. -Shan

[This message has been edited by Shannon Elsom (edited 04-24-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Shannon Elsom (edited 04-28-2003).]

MOVE UP

Is Orange juice ok to drink? I have been just drinking water but want something else to drink. Is there anything else I can have?