Yeast/Mold Control Diet

Hi everyone, I was curious to see opinions on this.

First a little background: I've been following something between paleo and the zone for awhile and eating pretty clean. I've been exercising and stretching a lot too and losing weight. A big motivation for me is to feel more wellbeing and have stronger knees. I started off at 157 at my heaviest and am now am 134.5.. halfway to my goal weight!

I've been seeing a Shiatsu practitioner for awesome massages that have been very helpful both to my stress level and helpful to the weakness and pain in my knees. I've come to trust this practitioner as he really knows his stuff with Shiatsu and has made me feel tons better. Yesterday he gave me some dietary recommendations that he feels will further help my achey joints and will also help with how I react to stress. He says a diet that eliminates yeast and mold containing foods is what I need to help my adrenal glands function better and have less aches and pains, diets high in yeast and mold foods create achey joints and irritability.

The recommendations are not too far off from the way I was already eating, but I do have to give up some of my favorites (black tea, honey, mushrooms, wine) but he says even if I just do it for 6 weeks and see if it makes a difference, then I can reintroduce some of the banned foods and see if they bring symptoms back.. and if so I'll know which foods are causing me issues.

This is close to what they call the "Candida Control Diet" although his version is a little different as he allows some things that I see elsewhere are banned on Candida Control. He says if I had different issues like glycemic problems he'd suggest a different diet without the whole grains, but here are the recommendations he's made to me personally:


FOODS YOU CAN EAT:

Beverages: Water, sparkling water, veggie juice, coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened hemp milk

Meat: (Organic, local and grass fed are best) fish, duck, chicken, cornish hen, turkey, lamb, rabbit, pheasant, pork, beef, eggs, (all seafood) tuna, fresh fish, clam, lobster, shrimp, crab, oysters

All fresh or frozen veggies including but not limited to: aparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, greens (collards, mustard, kale etc) cucumbers, eggplant, legumes, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, radishes, red potatoes, tomatoes (fresh), squash (acorn, summer, winter, zucchini, etc) okra, parsnip, peppers (green, hot, etc), spinach, sweet potatoes, turnips. (The only "veggies" to avoid are sprouts and mushrooms)

Whole Grains: quinoa, amaranth, spelt, wild rice, rye, millet, barley, brown rice, corn, oats, wheat, ezekiel bread, plain corn tortillas, and (sparingly) pasta made from quinoa, brown rice and kamut

Fruit (avoid fruit the first 2 weeks then can add back but only one serving of fruit per day, all fruit eaten by itself without other foods present. Best are granny smith apples, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries (any berries) pineapple, coconut, grapefruit, avocado, mango, banana, nectarine, peach, orange, pear, papaya, apricot

Nuts, seeds and unprocessed oils: almonds = first choice! brazil nuts, cashews, filberts, pecans, pumpkin seeds

Oils (cold pressed) almond, apricot, avocado, coconut, olive, butter, safflower, sesame, grapeseed

Sweeteners (try to avoid totally if you can) Stevia or Xylitol only otherwise.


FOODS TO AVOID:

Fruit Juices: either canned bottled or frozen

Coffee and Tea: regular coffee instant coffee, decaf coffee and black teas

Processed foods: packaged and processed goods containing yeast and refined sugar. Also avoid enriched flour products

Processed and smoked meats: pickled and smoked meats or fish, including sausages, hot dogs, corned beef, pastrami, ham lunch meats and pickled tongue

Melons: watermelon, honeydew melon, and especially cantaloupe

Edible fungi: all types of mushrooms, morels, and truffles.

Cheeses/Dairy: milk (cow or goat), cheese (ALL types including cottage cheese, cream cheese, powdered cheese etc), No buttermilk, sour cream or any other sour milk products

Yeast: brewer's yeast, baker's yeast, vitamins, minerals, unless labeled "yeast free" and "sugar free"

Antibiotics: avoid ALL antibiotics if possible

Nuts: peanuts and pistachios usually contain mold which feeds yeast

Sugar: avoid all sugar containing foods and sweeteners including honey

Alcohol, avoid fermented liquors and liqueurs, brand beverages such as cider and root beer also. Alcohol is pure sugar which feeds yeast.

Malt products: milk drinks, cereals, and candy

Condiments, sauces, and vinegar containing foods: mustard, ketchup, worcestershire, MSG, steak sauce, BBQ sauce, chili, cocktail sauce, soy sauce, pickles, pickled veggies, relishes, green olives, sauerkraut, horseradish, mince meat, tamari. Freshly squeezed lemon juice may be used as a substitute for vinegar or soy sauce.

Dried and candied fruits: ALL dried fruits including apricots, dates, prunes, figs, and pineapple

Leftovers: minute amounts of mold grow quickly in left over food unless properly refrigerated, freezing leftovers is better.

Pasta: Avoid all pasta and macaroni products including those made from wheat and spelt.


A good typical meal would be a palm sized portion of lean meat with a generous portion of raw and cooked veggies, a small portion of whole grains, and a handful of nuts (not peanuts or pistachios) and an herbal tea.


Interested to hear the group mind's opinion. Thanks in advance!