What’s the Candida Diet? Who Should Follow it?

We’ve discovered that diets can do quite a lot for us. Manipulating your diet can help with anything from losing weight, to reducing your carbon footprint, or lessening your depression. To no one’s surprise, diet can also do quite a bit to harm us if we’re not careful.

Gaining weight is only the beginning of what can occur if unhealthy foods are consumed long-term. Illness and infections are common issues associated with a poor or inadequate diet. One diet that shows some signs of promise for improving health, specifically for yeast infections, is the candida diet.

What is Candida?

Candida is a type of yeast that’s found in the body. It lives on the skin, mouth, throat, digestive tract, and vagina. While it exists in harmony with the body, too much of it can cause an infection.

This overgrowth is referred to as candidiasis. Candidiasis most commonly occurs in the mouth, vagina, or in the bloodstream, which can affect the heart, kidneys, and brain.

What Causes Candida Overgrowth?

An overgrowth of candida yeast can be caused by a variety of factors. While there are different species of candida, the most common to cause infection is Candida Albicans. Things that cause overgrowth include:

• Antibiotic use
• Diabetes mellitus
• Birth control pills
• Pregnancy
• Heightened stress levels
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Weak immune system
• Gut imbalance
• A diet high in sugar and refined carbs

Those Who May Benefit from the Candida Diet

Those who may benefit from a candida diet are those with present symptoms. The symptoms of a candida overgrowth vary depending on where the infection is present. Candida yeast may travel throughout the body if left untreated. Those who may benefit are those experiencing symptoms such as:

• Vaginal infections
• Genital itching
• UTI’s
• Digestive problems
• Severe seasonal allergies
• Sugar and carb cravings
• Skin problems

Can the Candida Diet Really Help?

At the moment, there’s limited data concerning the efficacy of using dietary practices to combat the overgrowth of candida. However, there is some evidence that it may be able to help. Changes to your diet may improve candida overgrowth. But, the evidence mostly supports a higher likelihood of improvement for those with diabetes or digestive issues.

Candida Diet Do’s and Don’ts

Modifying diet for candida would include avoiding foods that would feed the yeast and support further overproduction of candida such as:

• Processed meats and farm-raised fish
• Lactose-heavy dairy products
• Grains that contain gluten
• Starchy vegetables
• Processed fats and sugars
• High fatty fish
• Coffee, alcohol and sweetened beverages
• Simple sugars
• Moldy nuts and seeds

Foods to incorporate in lieu of those to be avoided are those that support a healthy production of beneficial bacteria:

• Probiotic dairy products
• Probiotic fermented foods
• Natural sugar-free sweeteners
• Low-sugar fruits
• Essentials fats
• Lean proteins
• Non-moldy nuts and seeds

A Note from GR8NESS

So far, the verdict on whether or not the candida diet is helpful is yet to be determined. However, some of the parameters of the candida diet seem to be beneficial in general.