Candida - I HATE you!

MissKittyCaroline
MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
in Food and Nutrition
I recently found out that I have Candida overgrowth... At first it didn't seem like that big of a deal, and that it would be an easy problem to fix... Well after two months in I am realizing not so much...

I was PERFECT on the no sugar diet for 7 weeks, and I was actually starting to feel better and have good days... So I decided it was time to slowly add in sugars again (berries, etc...) Well that was not a good idea I spiraled out of control.. I wanted sugar again so bad again... now I am eating bad again and feeling terrible… I know I need to go on the strict diet again, but I need to know that there is light and the end of this dark tunnel…

If like me you read about this on the internet you get 1M opinions on what to eat and what not to eat.

So I am reaching out to my MFP friends... Has anyone beat this? and please tell me HOW - :cry:
«1

Replies

  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    How did you find out you have Candida?
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
    a live blood test :(
  • strongmindstrongbody
    strongmindstrongbody Posts: 315 Member
    I had to look up what candida was. I vaguely thought it was some made-up condition used by low-carb dieters to stick with their diet. :laugh: From what I read, it sounds like it's a real ***** to deal with; hope you can beat it. Interestingly, I found this tidbit of info below. I thought going low carb was a good treatment for the overgrowth, but that's not the case?
    Avoid very low carb.

    Paul Jaminet, who suffered from candida overgrowth, argues that since candida (being eukaryotes) have mitochondria that can feed on both ketones and carbs (as opposed to prokaryote bacteria without mitochondria), going very low carb or ketogenic will only provide more fuel for the overgrowth. Furthermore, since ketones are water-soluble and pass easily through cellular membranes, ketones will actually be a more accessible food source for candida.

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/candida/#axzz2c95rwmBm
  • MommyisFit
    MommyisFit Posts: 139 Member
    Have you tried probiotics? Also - if you get rashes as a symptom, please try calendula cream. Calendula cream was the only cream that completely eliminated my rashes from candida.
  • SandraJN
    SandraJN Posts: 305 Member
    Probiotics have made the world of difference for me.
  • FerretBuellerr
    FerretBuellerr Posts: 468 Member
    When I first glanced at this, I thought it said CANADA not Candida and I was like WHAAAAAA :brokenheart:

    Haha, my mistake. I hope you find a solution!
  • Blitz_40
    Blitz_40 Posts: 110 Member
    I have eaten a tablespoon of coconut oil everyday for 6 years. Had overgrowth with flares for several years prior. My dr suggested it and it's kept it down. I also recently started probiotics, but for other reasons.
  • SyntonicGarden
    SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
    Probiotics, watching the sugar, and at the risk of someone handing me my rump on a platter for merely suggesting it, I went wheat-free. Not completely gluten-free, but wheat-free.

    The wheat, for me, was the biggest culprit. I know EVERYONE'S on this gluten-free kick, but do some of us, it helps with other symptoms. Paleo might help too. I found that my body was especially responsive to something in the wheat and that when I stopped eating it, the "issues" went away. Trial and error, cause and effect.
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
    I'm sorry I can't offer any tips, but I sure hope you beat this.
  • CharleneG_Barnes
    CharleneG_Barnes Posts: 25 Member
    Its more than sugar you have to watch out for. Also vinegar is a big one. I had this early on in my MFP journey, and although it took me more than 2 months of strict diet control I did beat it. I followed the health food store recommendation and went 4 months on the very strict diet and then slowly, very slowly re-introduced one item at a time. I did not start with fruit....and although that was a year ago fruit is now only something I am comfortable eatling again on a regular basis. Remember your carb veggies count too. All the information out there is very confusing and everyone has an opinion, I did what worked for me.
    One of which was accidopholous (however you spell it) which I took daily, two each morning and two more after every BM.
    IT is not an easy task ridding your body of this. Good luck.
  • BathtubBadger
    BathtubBadger Posts: 217 Member
    For a second I thought this was a thread about candidiasis.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Have you tried probiotics? Also - if you get rashes as a symptom, please try calendula cream. Calendula cream was the only cream that completely eliminated my rashes from candida.

    I was going to suggest this, i.e. probiotics and lots of them, rather than restrictive diets. your body's not supposed to be sterile, if you don't have enough of the "good" bacteria you can get overgrowth of all kinds of undesirable microorganisms, including candida.
  • m0ll3pprz
    m0ll3pprz Posts: 193 Member
    Its more than sugar you have to watch out for. Also vinegar is a big one. I had this early on in my MFP journey, and although it took me more than 2 months of strict diet control I did beat it. I followed the health food store recommendation and went 4 months on the very strict diet and then slowly, very slowly re-introduced one item at a time. I did not start with fruit....and although that was a year ago fruit is now only something I am comfortable eatling again on a regular basis. Remember your carb veggies count too. All the information out there is very confusing and everyone has an opinion, I did what worked for me.
    One of which was accidopholous (however you spell it) which I took daily, two each morning and two more after every BM.
    IT is not an easy task ridding your body of this. Good luck.

    What do you mean by vinegar is a big one too? I was reading that it helped kill the yeast because it's an acetic acid and it helps to alkalize your body/ PH. Uh uh, have I been misinformed? :noway: After I just polished off a huge glass of water with ACV with the mother. Bummer.
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
    Thank you everyone - this has been so hard and yes.. my Dr. did put me on probiotics... He also suggested no sugar and them moving to the paleo diet.... I am just so frustrated!
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    personally I wouldn't do paleo because in my experience the best source of probiotics is dairy products, i.e. ones like yoghurt and laban that are naturally probiotic (but check how they make it as most yoghurt the bacteria they use to ferment it get killed... if it doesn't say on the pack that it's probiotic assume that the bacteria all died).

    I'm sure this isn't the case for everyone, because not everyone can tolerate dairy, just that personally I feel a lot better and healthier for eating naturally probiotic dairy on a regular basis. It's also a good source of protein and fat soluble vitamins.
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
    I dont want to go dairy free and thats what I dont like about paleo...but something has to give. I have been gluten free for 4 years. Doing that fixed a lot of my gut issues... but now this has come up and I feel lost.
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
    Its more than sugar you have to watch out for. Also vinegar is a big one. I had this early on in my MFP journey, and although it took me more than 2 months of strict diet control I did beat it. I followed the health food store recommendation and went 4 months on the very strict diet and then slowly, very slowly re-introduced one item at a time. I did not start with fruit....and although that was a year ago fruit is now only something I am comfortable eatling again on a regular basis. Remember your carb veggies count too. All the information out there is very confusing and everyone has an opinion, I did what worked for me.
    One of which was accidopholous (however you spell it) which I took daily, two each morning and two more after every BM.
    IT is not an easy task ridding your body of this. Good luck.

    What do you mean by vinegar is a big one too? I was reading that it helped kill the yeast because it's an acetic acid and it helps to alkalize your body/ PH. Uh uh, have I been misinformed? :noway: After I just polished off a huge glass of water with ACV with the mother. Bummer.

    I have heard that ACV is the only one that is okay.....
  • CharleneG_Barnes
    CharleneG_Barnes Posts: 25 Member
    I havent heard about the effects ot the ACV with Mutter (athough I hear its good for acid reflux) but I had the candida so bad I avoided all vinegars out of fear mostly.
    I used asidopholous in pill form with the live cultures from the health food store (should be stored in the fridge or will soon become ineffective.
    I dont ofen think to come back and recheck so if you have any questions that I might be able to help with please feel free to inbox me and put candida in the re line
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    I dont want to go dairy free and thats what I dont like about paleo...but something has to give. I have been gluten free for 4 years. Doing that fixed a lot of my gut issues... but now this has come up and I feel lost.

    what's the reason you were given for giving up dairy? I would have thought that probiotic dairy would help a lot.
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
    I dont want to go dairy free and thats what I dont like about paleo...but something has to give. I have been gluten free for 4 years. Doing that fixed a lot of my gut issues... but now this has come up and I feel lost.

    what's the reason you were given for giving up dairy? I would have thought that probiotic dairy would help a lot.

    Things I was reading online said dairy is hard to digest and can cause more issues than help.... I started to eat just plain yogurt and plain kefir... and I could go back to that...
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
    I had to look up what candida was. I vaguely thought it was some made-up condition used by low-carb dieters to stick with their diet. :laugh: From what I read, it sounds like it's a real ***** to deal with; hope you can beat it. Interestingly, I found this tidbit of info below. I thought going low carb was a good treatment for the overgrowth, but that's not the case?
    Avoid very low carb.

    Paul Jaminet, who suffered from candida overgrowth, argues that since candida (being eukaryotes) have mitochondria that can feed on both ketones and carbs (as opposed to prokaryote bacteria without mitochondria), going very low carb or ketogenic will only provide more fuel for the overgrowth. Furthermore, since ketones are water-soluble and pass easily through cellular membranes, ketones will actually be a more accessible food source for candida.

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/candida/#axzz2c95rwmBm

    How do I avoid very low carb? Should I eat things like good grains like Qunioa? and maybe buckwheat and veggies that have carbs and just stay away from fruit and other sugar?
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    I dont want to go dairy free and thats what I dont like about paleo...but something has to give. I have been gluten free for 4 years. Doing that fixed a lot of my gut issues... but now this has come up and I feel lost.

    what's the reason you were given for giving up dairy? I would have thought that probiotic dairy would help a lot.

    Things I was reading online said dairy is hard to digest and can cause more issues than help.... I started to eat just plain yogurt and plain kefir... and I could go back to that...

    how hard dairy is to digest depends on genetics.... if you're not lactose intolerant it's not that hard to digest. If you are, then you can't digest it and it causes all kinds of problems. It depends if your body makes a particular enzyme, lactase, or not. Lactose intolerant people have low levels of this enzyme, and severe lactose intolerance there's none of it at all. However those who make a lot of this enzyme don't have difficulty digesting dairy.

    symptoms of lactose intolerance are bloating, gassiness, diarrhoea, nausea, cramps, digestive discomfort, and similar from consuming dairy... in severe cases there may be vomiting as well. Sometimes people with IBS and similar actually have lactose intolerance and would get a lot better from giving up dairy.... but if someone doesn't have difficulty digesting dairy and doesn't see a change in symptoms from giving it up then dairy isn't the problem and there's no reason to avoid it.
  • MissKittyCaroline
    MissKittyCaroline Posts: 18
    I have never been told that I am lactose intolerant. So I think I will stick with the plain dary.... and go from there.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    I was reading that it helped kill the yeast because it's an acetic acid and it helps to alkalize your body/ PH.


    Acid's don't alkalize. They acidify - the exact opposite.
  • danifo0811
    danifo0811 Posts: 544 Member
    vinegar can be bad because many of them use yeast in their production.

    I had huge problems with it last year. I followed a strict diet for a few months eliminating yeast and things at risk for yeast contamination (like strawberries, cheese, vinegar based products...). Now as long as I take a probiotic and don't eat fresh baked bread, I'm fine. I love fresh bread but it almost cripples me.

    I had no problem with wheat.
  • doronajay
    doronajay Posts: 222 Member
    Dr. Bragg's ACV is good, no yeast in the production. [I'm a fan of most of their products.]

    Coconut oil is great, too.

    As chasingthe_sun mentioned, maybe an elimination diet would be helpful. I know that can be really frustrating, but maybe you could pinpoint some things that are making you feel bad.

    I PM'd you. Good luck everyone.
  • andezz99
    andezz99 Posts: 56 Member
    Check out Paleo and Whole30, it focuses on a "cave man" diet that insures you eat enough of the right foods while elliminating sugar, processed foods, and dairy. It may bring your body into balance but research in light of your condition and consult a doctor.
  • andezz99
    andezz99 Posts: 56 Member
    I only cook with coconut oil or Ghee.
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
    Just stumbled across this old post. The reason you need to avoid dairy is because of the sugar in it - lacTOSE, same as frucTOSE, gluCOSE etc. I have been doing anti Candida for about 3 years (had some time off as I thought I'd cleared it, but think it's coming back so I'm going to get strict again.)

    Hope you're managing to kill the evil stuff!
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
    In addition, yes ACV is the only one you can use, it helps to improve it. Also try Pau D'Arco capsules or tea along with the good probiotic.

    Forgot to add, plain, unsweetened natural yoghurt is good (only dairy you should have) as it's full of good bugs!

Categories