Yet Another Person With A Yeast/candida Question

[Dru]

I have been reading the candida thread and trying to figure out what I need to cut out my diet to cope with my current yeast problems.

I have been on 3 different antibiotics and a week of steroids over the past month and a half (trying to get rid of a sinus infection that will not go away but does get better while I am on an antibiotic). I will be taking the last pill of my current 10 days of Levaquin tomorrow and then I need to try to undo the yeast side effects of all of these meds.

I have already had one dose of a drug my Dr prescribed to help with the yeast problem and he will prescribe me one more pill when I ask him to. I forget the name of it, but it is one of the ones commonly used for fighting fungal/yeast problems. I also take a probiotic daily. I do not eat (due to intolerance/allergy) any gluten, soy, dairy, corn, yeast or coconut and I generally avoid large amounts of peanuts and potatoes. I also can not eat and citrus fruit (unless you count strawberries).

I do eat (and am guessing I need to give up) sugar, aspartame, chocolate, vinegar, and mushrooms.

My two main questions are:

1. What other supplements can I take that would help that do not contain coconut or lemon? I keep reading about people drinking lemon water and using coconut to help but citrus triggers my migraines and coconut give me hives.

2. What other foods should I not be eating or what should I be eating? I have read the book "feast without yeast" and it says that I can still have rice, potatoes and other starches and legumes but I seem to see those things on the "no" list in the candida thread. Where can I find a good solid set of rules for the diet aspect of this?

Thanks for any help you can give me in getting this sorted out. I was finally doing so well and this has totally destroyed my digestive system all over again.

[dbmamaz]

This site was recomended by somone here, and is very thorough

Open Original Shared Link

I'm not personally up for trying it yet

[RiceGuy]

What I did was to avoid all sugars and yeasts, and take caprylic acid capsules. I also avoided all vinegars, mushrooms, and fruit. I got amazing results in just weeks. The suggestion of coconut oil is because it has caprylic acid. This particular fatty acid kills candida.

Yes, you will need to avoid the items you've mentioned. I would suggest Stevia in place of sugar. The pure powder from Stevita is what I'd recommend, as it has no discernible aftertaste IMO.

Though I still do not eat any forms of yeast, vinegar, or processed sugars, I was able to eat regular amounts of fruit again without problems, though it took time.

[psipsina]

  RiceGuy said:

What I did was to avoid all sugars and yeasts, and take caprylic acid capsules. I also avoided all vinegars, mushrooms, and fruit. I got amazing results in just weeks. The suggestion of coconut oil is because it has caprylic acid. This particular fatty acid kills candida.

Yes, you will need to avoid the items you've mentioned. I would suggest Stevia in place of sugar. The pure powder from Stevita is what I'd recommend, as it has no discernible aftertaste IMO.

Though I still do not eat any forms of yeast, vinegar, or processed sugars, I was able to eat regular amounts of fruit again without problems, though it took time.

Capryilic acid is the active ingredient in coconut so the OP might not want to even try that if he is having an anaphylactic reaction (hives) to coconut.

This is the website I found most helpful Open Original Shared Link

There is no definitive way to go about doing this diet which is why you are reading contradictory opinions. The website above is the one that jives the best with my scientific understanding of candida infection (I'm studying for my MD) and with what I was taught by a naturopathic doctor I saw. Basically don't feed the candida anything it likes (fermented things/molds/fungi, carbs/sugars) and take things that kill the candida (oregano oil, coconut/caprylic acid, garlic, pau d'arco etc). Also take a good probiotic (Natren's trinity is the most agreed upon) to repopulate the gut with the good bacteria who will keep the candida in check from here on out.

I followed the above website and had great results within three weeks. I'm staying on it for a few more months to give my gut time to heal and to make sure everything is balanced. Other people find they have to stay on it forever so thats a whole other issue which is really going to come down to personal experience via trial and error.

[Dru]

Thanks for the responses. I checked out the websites that several people listed and they are good. It is also helpful to know that there is some general disagreement as to what is and is not allowed on the diet, that clears up that confusion.

I'm still not sure which of the supplements I need to be taking, if any. I take my probiotic daily (currently taking the 50 billion strength) and I have a yeast and other allergen free multi vitamin and calcium.

I have a question about B vitamins since I think I read somewhere that they are grown on or derived from yeast. My vitamins are pink ribbon nutrition brand and they state "no added yeast", does this mean that I am still getting yeast in the vitamins? Are there any that are yeast free completely. I am allergic to both bakers and brewers yeast so it is important to me to make sure I am not triggering an allergy response as well as in doing this diet.

I bought a supplement from the health food store called "Nutrition Now Yeast Defense". It contains 41 mg calcium, 300 mg caprylic acid, 200 mg pau d' arco, 200 mg deodorized garlic (bulb), 20 mg grapefruit extract, and 10 mg chlorophyll concentrate. I found out that caprylic acid is coconut when I reacted badly (skin rash) to the first capsule and looked up each ingredient on google. Is there anything else I could take? Do I need the caprylic acid enough to risk the coconut (I don't think its enough to give me full on hives but one capsule definitely gave me my typical allergy rash reaction).

Also, my Dr just called in another single dose of Diflucan for me. I know that it is best to take these pills for several weeks or more, but he only offered me the option of one more dose for now. I just took my last dose of my antibiotic tonight. Does anyone know when the best time to take the Diflucan would be? Should I wait a few days to get more of the antibiotic out of my system or should I take it ASAP to get it working? I took the other dose about a week and a half ago and it really did help a lot but things are starting to get bad again (and I did not start the diet with the last dose).

Thanks for reading all of that. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I really just want to get this over with so I can start feeling better again.

[tom]

I wanted to add my 2 cents about not eating citrus vs using fresh lemon juice.

While I was quite frustrated in not being able to get a real answer as to why from my N.D., I was told by her & and have read SO many times that eating citrus was off-limits but using lemon juice was encouraged.

So, unless it's already been tried, I say don't rule out fresh lemon juice based on what happens when citrus is eaten.

Personally, eating ANY fruit used to cause problems for me, but fresh lemon juice never has and I've often read of the benefits of fresh lemon juice, including - paradoxically to me still - its ability to reduce the intestinal acidity which allows candida to thrive.

[RiceGuy]

Check out NOW Foods and Source Naturals for gluten-free, yeast-free supplements. Both are really good about labeling. I haven't looked for a B complex, but those two companies would be my first to check.

As for reacting to caprylic acid, I'm wondering if it's the yeast reacting, and not your immune system. Or if the yeast are starting to die, releasing their toxins all at once, thus causing the reacting. If so, perhaps the reaction is temporary. That's just a thought - I haven't read anything that would indicate this.

If the caprylic acid is out, then I'd take a look at a product called Florastor. Apparently this is actually a type of yeast that kills candida, then dies within a week or so. That's what they say anyway.

[aprilh]

I didn't have time to read everyone's replies so forgive me if I overlap!!"

Rice Guy,

The BEST thing you can do is cut out aspartame. This is a neurotoxin and can contribute to your headaches. Aspartame properties turn to formaldahyde at about 80 degrees. Being that your body is warmer than that you may as well just inject the formaldahyde in your veins. It also can cause MS and fibro symptoms. I am a HUGE advocate for NO fake sweetners. If you want to find more info on this one and splenda, do a search on mercola.com.

I like the www.wholeapproach.com/diet because it kind of gives you a guide to what to eat.

Caprylic acid is a lot of times derived from coconut so you may just avoid that one altogether. Is the pill your doctor prescribed Diflucan? The one pill at the time approach doesn't work on bad yeast problems but go ahead and take it because it might help a little.

Other antifungals are oregano oil, olive leaf extract, pau d'arco.....and many more.

Your sinus infections will probably clear when you deal with these yeast issues. I now use XLEAR sinus spray which contains xylitol which is antifungal. I haven't had a sinus infection in over 2 years now. And I used to have them ALL the time. I highly recommend this product. YOu can get it for 1/2 the price at www.vitacost.com

You could start with something like oregano oil and go from there. Don't kill off more than your body can handle at one time. Support your liver and kidneys.

All those things you mentioned (mushrooms, vinegar, .....ect) are on the no no list. With the exception of Organic apple cider vinegar with the "mother" in it. This has the good bacteria. Be sure you listen to your body because some don't do well on it, but most do fine.

Eat blueberries to help absorb the toxins that will be released. Activated Charcoal is helpful for that as well. And if you start to feel really bad take an epsom salt bath.

April

[tom]

  aprilh said:

Eat blueberries to help absorb the toxins that will be released.

I thought blueberries were far too sweet for someone w/ candida.

I wasn't even eating carrots, as they were deemed too sweet.

[psipsina]

  tom said:

I thought blueberries were far too sweet for someone w/ candida.

I wasn't even eating carrots, as they were deemed too sweet.

This is my take on it too. My ND said NO FRUIT whatsoever. I've started looking up each food on Open Original Shared Link and blueberries have 2g of sugar per ounce. I've only been eating foods with 0g sugar and very low carbs per serving and have had alot of success. It might be overboard but I'd rather go to far then not kill those toxic suckers off.

[Ken70]

  RiceGuy said:

Check out NOW Foods and Source Naturals for gluten-free, yeast-free supplements. Both are really good about labeling. I haven't looked for a B complex, but those two companies would be my first to check.

As for reacting to caprylic acid, I'm wondering if it's the yeast reacting, and not your immune system. Or if the yeast are starting to die, releasing their toxins all at once, thus causing the reacting. If so, perhaps the reaction is temporary. That's just a thought - I haven't read anything that would indicate this.

If the caprylic acid is out, then I'd take a look at a product called Florastor. Apparently this is actually a type of yeast that kills candida, then dies within a week or so. That's what they say anyway.

I think you are right on about the caprylic acid killing the yeast and then causing the skin reaction. Maybe he can get tested to see if he really is having an immune reaction to the coconut. I am eating coconut oil by the spoon full. I rather like the taste now but at first it made me gag. Its like eating straight cold animal fat that tastes like coconut. Cutting out all sugar and eating coconut oil gave me what I believe was a huge die off in less than two days. Took another couple of weeks for the headaches to go away. Feeling good now.....

[HAK1031]

Is peanut butter OK for the initial stages of a candida diet? I know it has some added sugar, but it's also a good fat/protein (not to mention delicious)

[confused]

  HAK1031 said:

Is peanut butter OK for the initial stages of a candida diet? I know it has some added sugar, but it's also a good fat/protein (not to mention delicious)

Im sorry but it is not allowed but u can have almond butter, i have it on celery or apples and my kids even like it. Peanuts are not allowed and neither are pistachios(i learned that one the hard way lol)

paula

[moldlady]

  confused said:

Im sorry but it is not allowed but u can have almond butter, i have it on celery or apples and my kids even like it. Peanuts are not allowed and neither are pistachios(i learned that one the hard way lol)

paula

I happen to agree with Paula here on this one. If you are used to peanut butter with sugar added and extra fat to make it smooth you will need a bit of enhancement to your other nut butter. Almond or cashew butters: add a bit of extra virgin olive oil and some stevia to try and make it palatable. They are great on granny smith apple slices.

ML

[tom]

I found the other nut butters perfectly palatable, tho it may be because I was used to 0 sugar.

Stevia made me dizzy the one time I tried it.

BTW, the problem w/ peanut butter isn't just the sugar. The way peanuts are stored and processed makes them ALL moldy w/ aflatoxins.

[moldlady]

  tom said:

I found the other nut butters perfectly palatable, tho it may be because I was used to 0 sugar.

Stevia made me dizzy the one time I tried it.

BTW, the problem w/ peanut butter isn't just the sugar. The way peanuts are stored and processed makes them ALL moldy w/ aflatoxins.

tom,

I agree with you 100% about the moldy peanuts. They are from the ground and have mold on and in them. NOt to mention the mycotoxins that are contained in there too. Some companies have gone to bleaching the peanuts with chlorine baths in order to kill off the fungus. Hmmmmm... proof that there is mold there!! How good is that chlorine residue for us??

moldlady