Diet For Candida Treatment

The word candida is used to describe a type of fungus that is found in the human body. Generally speaking, candida is referred to with respect to the condition of candidiasis. Candidiasis is a condition where there is an overgrowth of candida yeast in the body due to various reasons. Normally, there is some amount of this micro organism present in the human body. This is true of many other micro organisms like various forms of bacteria.

The human body actually depends on these micro organisms to help it perform various functions such as digestion. The balance of micro organisms is maintained in the human body when an individual is healthy. It is when this balance is affected that things start to go wrong.

There are two aspects to a candida diet plan. The first aspect of the candida diet plan includes foods that should be added to the diet to fight candida. The second aspect of the candida diet includes foods that should be avoided because they may either promote the growth of fungus or hinder the processes that the body applies to neutralize such fungi.

List of Foods For Candida

The candida diet food list must include foods that have anti-fungal properties. There are many such naturally occurring substances that hinder the growth of fungus and actively tackle fungi. Given below is an anti candida foods list, which can help control the growth of candida in the body:

Dry black eye peas, garbanzo beans, lentils, split peas.
Plain yogurt with acidophilus culture or almond milk.
Certain nuts and seeds like macadamia nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, brazil nuts, pine nuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.
Vegetables like beans, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cucumbers, kale, radishes, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, celery, green pepper, lettuce and onions.
Fresh ginger, garlic as well as other fresh herbs.
Select meat varieties such as turkey, pheasant, mutton, guinea fowl, goose meat, fish, duck, quail, peafowl, partridge and antelope.
Unsweetened bread and baked products, such as whole wheat flour, unsweetened rice cakes and corn chips.

Items like onions and garlic are also potent anti-bacterial agents as well. Another spice that should be used is turmeric. Turmeric health benefits are many as it is an anti-septic, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial spice that also adds a distinct flavor to the food. Turmeric powder can be added to several candida diet recipes to provide these services to the body, thus reducing the prevalence of candida fungi across the body.

Foods To Avoid In Candida Diet

The foods to avoid in a candida diet include foods that contain yeast, excessively sugary foods, fruits, gluten based foods, vinegar and all other fermented foods like yogurts and cheese. At the same time, there are several types of foods that increase the chances of candida infection in the body and therefore, they should be avoided or at least consumed in limited amounts. Candida foods to avoid generally encourage the growth of the yeast, which could lead to an overgrowth within a short while. Not only do these foods cause the body to become more prone to the infection, but they can also interfere with the treatment of the condition. Hence, if you do consume such foods it could take you much longer to recover from a candida infection. Given below are some of the most commonly recommended candida foods not to eat, by health experts:

All sweets, which could also include hidden sweeteners that are present in fruit, fruit juice, soup, breakfast cereal, instant oats, granola, corn meal, pear barley and so on.
Sprouted grain cereals like wheat, rye, millet, buckwheat, spelt, rice, corn and amaranth.
Bread and baked goods, like pastries, cakes, doughnuts and other similar bakery products that contain sugar. This could also include white bread, wheat bread, pita bread, tortillas or sourdough bread.
Pasta made from white flour, durum flour, semolina or ramen noodles, as well as other varieties of noodles.
Legumes, peas, beans, sprouts, tofu as well as textured vegetable protein.
Nuts like pistachios, walnuts, peanuts and coconut.
Dairy products such as soymilk, buttermilk, cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream.
Dry fruit, or other fruits that are high in sugar.
Alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, chocolate, sweetened fruit juice and soft drinks.
Condiments and sauces like ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, pickles and chutneys.
Meat products that are high in protein like chicken, beef, pork, bacon, sausage, salami and pepperoni.
Certain vegetables such as beetroot, carrots and mushrooms.

Symptoms:

When candidiasis sets in, the individual will begin to suffer from a number of related conditions. These conditions include rashes such as diaper rash, vaginal rash and jock itch. Other common manifestations of this condition include muscle pain, joint pain, conjunctivitis, oral thrush, athlete’s foot, ringworm, nail infections, kidney infections and bladder infections. As one can see, candidiasis is something that affects the entire body. This is because the condition begins to get serious once there is an overpopulation of candida. This overpopulation tends to lead to the spread of the condition from one part of the body to another through the blood stream. Candidiasis often explains why an individual is prone to many different health conditions all of a sudden. This happens when the fungi spread across the body because they have proliferated.

Causes:

There are many different causes of candidiasis including low immunity, an imbalance of bacteria in the intestinal system, and poor diet. When it comes to diet, there are several changes that an individual can make to ensure that his or her diet is healthier and thus less likely to cause or aggravate the condition. Thus, we arrive at the candida diet which is a diet designed to help avoid such a condition or help with the progress of recovery from such a condition.

Treatment:

As with all medical conditions, it is important to refer oneself to a doctor when suffering from candidiasis. The doctor will take the appropriate steps to treat the condition with various different medications. The candida diet is something that can help to supplement this treatment effort. The candida diet also helps to promote general wellbeing as it is mostly made up of healthy foods that are good for the body under any circumstance. Fungal infections should not be taken lightly as they do have the potential to cause serious health problems. For this reason, formal treatment is of paramount importance for an individual who suffers from a candida infestation.

Submitted on October 11, 2011