Candida-Free Phase 1: The Candida Program

part2_strawberryBelow is a brief over-view of the Candida cleanse. It consists of a dietary lifestyle change, and herbs/supplements to remove yeast and fungus from the body. The diet (without herbs/supplements) is safe for almost anybody, and can be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women as well. The herbs and supplements are generally safe for healthy individuals; you may wish to discuss them with your Healthcare Allies (naturopath, herbalist, MD).

   Get Back to Life Through Eating

The dietary restrictions are based on avoiding simple carbohydrates (sugars, starches) and focusing on an abundance of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. Complex carbs take longer to break down into glucose, and provide a steadier supply of blood sugar and less fuel for bodily yeasts.

part2_roastvegWhile avoiding simple carbs will starve candida, we are not interested in starving you. Eating until you are full and staying satisfied is important, and snacking is encouraged. Eating a wide variety of foods from plant and animal sources is encouraged. Enjoying diverse and plentiful proteins and healthy fats is also encouraged. Try to buy whole fresh foods (vegetables, fruits, grains and meat) so you know exactly what you’re eating, and always check the ingredients of processed foods for the following items.

What to avoid: Especially for the first 30 days, it is imperative to avoid these foods entirely.

– All flour and products containing flour
– All dairy and dairy-containing products, with the exception of butter
– Sugar or sweeteners of any kind
– All yeast or food containing yeast/yeast extract, including foods and beverages fermented with yeast
– Peanuts, citrus fruits (except lemons), melons, tropical fruit, grapes and mushrooms (except medicinal mushrooms), dried fruit- Wine, BeerLimit these foods:

Handful-sized amount of non-tropical fruit daily (peaches, plums, berries, apples, pears)

Up to 2 cups of coffee with no cream or sweetener

Up to 2 ounces of hard alcohol (distilled 40% or greater) per week

part2_grainsWhat to Eat:

About 20% of the diet is protein foods, the other 80% complex carbohydrate foods. The exception to the rule is fish, which can be eaten as often as you like. This ratio creates an alkaline environment, undesirable to yeast.

Protein Foods Complex Carbohydrate Foods
Animal proteins which do no contain additives (preservatives, colors, added flavors or sugar)Plant proteins (beans, legumes, grains) All nuts and seeds except peanuts
All vegetables and root vegetables (limit potatoes to 2 potatoes per week)
All leafy greens (salad-type vegetables)

For a list of possible food choice suggestions in each category, I found this webpage helpful.

What happens if I slip up?part2_fish

Some websites try to scare you, saying it is all over if you slip up just a little! This is so unfair; don’t let it discourage you from trying a candida program. If you slip up by accidentally ingesting the wrong food, or through giving into a moment of craving, don’t stress about it. Just go back to the diet, and do your true best. Remember, you are doing this for your own well-being, and not to prove anything to anybody and not as a form of self-torture.

The length of your candida program will be decided by your healthcare practitioner and you based on your progress. The more you stick to it, the quicker it will go by, and the more you will learn to love the foods that make you feel so good!

Herbs and Supplements to Enhance and Comfort

The easiest way to do a Candida cleanse is with the pre-boxed kits they sell at health food stores. I recommend this for first-time cleansers because it takes all the dosages and guess-work out of the equation; it makes it easy to choose between the hundreds of combinations of herbs you could take if you decide to make your own formulas. You will want to stick to a program for at least 1 month, so make sure your cleanse kit lasts that long – you may need to buy 2. Always read the instructions on your kit! Below is a brief guide to many common ingredients and approaches to removing yeast/candida.

Common Components in a Candida Cleanse:

1. Antifungals: Herbs/Supplements to speed along the die off process

For this, I am using  the supplements provided in a pre-boxed Candida kit, plus the Easy Anti-Candida Potion Tea recipe,  and Candida 30x homeopathic

2. Antioxidants & Protectives: protect your body from toxins as they are released.

  A combination antioxidant is best, with Vitamins A,C,E and flavonoids from fruit. Milk Thistle is a supportive hepatoprotectant and antioxidant for the liver.

3. Carminatives & Digestive Aids: make the process more comfortable, they soothe the mucous membranes of the digestive system, prevent excessive gas, bloating, and cramping, and increase the breakdown and absorption of food nutrients.

I will be using a wide-spectrum digestive enzyme (1-3 capsules before each meal), and taking probiotics in whole foods form (home-made sauer kraut and kim-chi) as well as an acidophilus-bifidus probiotic capsule (strength 24 billion) before bedtime. Ginger is my stand-by for stomach upset or cramping, taken as a strong tea of the fresh root.

4. Support your liver and other eliminatory organs in their task of sorting and removing the waste – milk thistle, dandelion, nettle, diuretics, tonic laxatives

  I am using andrographis, a bitter digestive / general tonic, 1 capsule before meals. CL  herbal extract is a kidney-supporting tincture I will use, as well as LBT3 (a bowel tonic), to keep things flowing smoothly.

WholisticWorkSheet5-3smallest5. Provide physical and emotional support for your personal needs:  blood sugar balancers, mood relaxers, and enzymes (ie Candizyme) that breakdown acetylaldehyde, the toxin commonly released by the die-off of yeast (reduces symptoms such as fatigue and headache).

    For my blood sugar (to reduce cravings) I’m using 200mg Chromium, twice daily. I take a Rhodiola root capsule (500mg) twice daily to keep my mood up, and I have Candizyme on hand in case I feel a headache or brain fog coming on.

I hope this information is helpful to you in setting up your own cleanse, however you choose to do it. Please take a moment to tell us about it in the comments section below, or share on facebook in our Candida-Free New Year cleanser’s group. Cheers!

Written byKalyn Kodiak, ClH