Systemic overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans is believed by many naturopaths and other health care practitioners to be a significant factor in many poor health conditions. The following dietary guidelines are recommended by John Smothers, N.D., to be used with special anti-fungal agents to help combat Candida Albicans. Try to follow these guidelines for approximately 4 to 6 months, after which you should feel incredible and the effects of Candida albicans will likely have disappeared. Remember that these are only guidelines – don’t feel discouraged if you don’t eat this well everyday. The important thing is that you’ve made a positive change to cleanse your body on the way to optimum health!
Note: It is very important to make sure you are having two to three bowel movements everyday to assure that the yeast is being removed from your body. To help facilitate this, get plenty of fiber and exercise and remember to drink 8 to 10 glasses of purified water daily.
A Typical Day on the Anti-Candida Diet
The following is an example of a typical day following these dietary guidelines. Remember to always eat a variety of healthy, fresh foods. Get creative with your diet!
Before Breakfast
Glass of lemon water with 1 Tbsp Fiber Formula.
Breakfast
Steamed vegetables and a cup of Pau d’ Arco tea or cooked grain (from the previous list) flavored with cinnamon and /or nutmeg.
Mid-Morning
Green vegetables, juice (not beet or carrot) and/or one cup of Echinacea or Pau d’Arco tea.
Lunch
Fresh green salad with lemon/olive or flax oil, green vegetable juice or steamed vegetables, and one of the following: beans, millet, pea soup, organic chicken, turkey, or fish.
Mid-Afternoon
Raw sticks of celery, or other vegetable wedges, or a Granny Smith apple.
Dinner
Steamed vegetables or vegetable soup and a small bowl of millet, buckwheat, Quinoa, amaranth, or a hearty and healthy stew made from all of these ingredients.
Before Bed
Another glass of lemon water with 1 Tbsp of Fiber Formula.
Foods to Eat & Drink Freely
Feel free to include any and all of the food items on this list in your daily diet:
- All fresh vegetables (except carrots & beets) and vegetable juices
- All fish (except scavengers and shell fish). Deep-sea white fish and salmon are particularly good!
- Free range of chicken and turkey
- Eggs
- Lemons, limes, cranberries, and Granny Smith apples
- Well-cooked whole grains: millet, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. NO WHEAT!
- Pasta made from any of the above grains
- Essential fatty acids-1 Tbsp per day (conveniently available in Essential Oil Formula and Olive Oil)
- Clarified butter
- Grits
- Beans (in conjunction with the Digestive Rebuilding Program)
- Raw almonds and seeds
- Chamomile, peppermint, and Pau d’ Arco tea
- Green super foods (such as found in MedaGreens/Oasis)
- Stevia (used as a sweetener)
Foods to Avoid!
To combat Candida albicans and promote optimum health, try to avoid the following foods (as much as possible):
- Sugars – sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, glucose, mannitol, sorbitol, galactose, maple syrup, maple sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, date sugar, corn syrup, and honey
- Artificial sweeteners (such as Aspartame and NutraSweet)
- Yeast containing foods (such as breads or pastries)
- Alcohol, soda, coffee, and fermented beverages (like cider)
- Malt containing products (such as malted milk drinks, cereals, and some candies)
- Condiments, sauces, and vinegar containing foods (such as mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, MSG, pickles). Try to use fresh lemon instead
- Dried and candied fruits (raisins, dates, pineapples, etc)
- Fermented foods (such as soy sauce, tofu, tempeh, and sauerkraut)
- All fruit juices
- Fruit (except for Granny Smith apples and cranberries)
- After approximately 20-60 days you can begin adding in grapefruit and kiwi
- After approximately 4 months on the program you can add in such fruits as bananas, berries, and melons
- Cheese and sour milk products (such as buttermilk and sour cream)
- Mushrooms and other fungus. Remember, yeast is a fungus!
- All nuts (except raw almonds)
- Packaged and processed foods; including enriched flour products
Understanding Yeast
What is Homeopahty?
It is estimated that over 90% of the U.S. population has some degree of Candida overgrowth. What is Candida albicans? It is yeast organism that normally lives in your mouth, on your skin and in your intestinal tract. If you are a female, it can also live in your vagina.
In a normal healthy body, the immune system and the “friendly bacteria” that inhabit the intestinal tract keep Candida overgrowth under control. However, in today’s polluted and stressful environment, and with are less than perfect dietary habits, most of us do not live at our maximum health potential. When our immune system is weak, or we have taken a series of antibiotics, the natural balance of our body is disturbed. Antibiotics are prescribed to eliminate unhealthy bacteria in the body. However, they also eliminate healthy or “good” bacteria enabling the Candida organism to multiply unchecked.
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