What is Yeast/Candida?
Yeast (fungus, candida, candida albicans) is a microorganism which is naturally present in healthy bodies – however, an overgrowth of yeast (“yeast infection”) in your intestines can cause fatigue, digestive problems and malnutrition.
Intestines are populated by hundreds of beneficial bacteria and enzymes. It is their job to digest food, breaking down nutrients and delivering them to your bloodstream. Candida is just one of these enzymes. It thrives in an environment that the modern American diet caters to: low fiber, high carbohydrates, refined flours, sugars and fermented foods are candida’s “favorite foods.”
The more of these very acidifying foods you eat, the more your milieu grows acidic… which is the perfect storm for fungus to grow rampantly.
Candida can grow out of control, causing the different bacteria in your intestines to go off balance. It attacks you from the inside out, imbalancing your bowel flora. The walls of your intestines are supposed to be absorbing nutrients from your foods. When there aren’t enough beneficial enzymes and bacteria to digest your food, it passes through, barely digested, without absorbing the nutrients into your bloodstream.
What causes yeast infection?
- Sugars and carbohydrates in your diet
- Antibiotics which are often over prescribed
- Copper toxicity
- Mercury toxicity/poisoning
- Weak and/or toxic or congested liver due to reduced bile secretion.
- Mineral deficiencies – among the most important of these are zinc and selenium
What are the symptoms of a yeast infection?
Symptoms of a yeast infection:
- Chronic fatigue, especially after eating
- Adrenal dysfunction
- Depression
- Bloating, gas, intestinal cramps
- Chronic diarrhea
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Rectal Itching
- Allergies
- Lowered Immunity
- Severe PMS
- Impotence
- Memory Loss
- Mood Swings
- Brain Fog
- Jock Itch
- Athlete’s Foot
- Extreme sensitivity to chemicals
- Recurrent Vaginal Infections
- Prostate Problems
- Low tolerance for alcohol
What are the foods that cause yeast infections that I should stay away from?
Candida/yeast infections grow in a blossoming tidal wave effect. When you consume the foods listed below, the candida/yeast infection blooms exponentially to digest the sugars and then forms cravings which entice you to eat more of the wrong foods.
- All cheese
- Dried, smoked or pickled meats
- Cured bacon
- Malt
- Corn
- Potatoes
- Packaged herbs and teas
- Canned tomatoes
- Fruit juices and dried fruits
- Soft drinks and drink mixes
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey and maple syrup
- Chocolate
- Mushrooms, peanuts and pistachios
- Soy sauce, miso, tamari and tempeh
- Processed sugar (granulated, confectioner’s, brown)
- Grapes, raisins, dates, prunes, figs and citrus fruits
- Breads, rolls, cookies, pastries, pretzels and other bready foods
- Vinegar and foods that contain it, such as mayonnaise, salad dressing, barbecue sauce, mustard, pickles and pickled foods
- Wine, beer and spirits
- Fermented foods and beverages such as sauerkraut or cider (except Apple Cider vinegar, because it’s alkaline)
How do I stop fungal infections from recurring?
Often, biological changes occur within those phases.
The list of “symptoms of a yeast infection”, above, are what to look for, they will be present, start to occur or be amplified intensely by the “die off” effect. Do not worry, do not stop your protocol. Continue to stay on the proper diet and medication during the very uncomfortable and inconvenient process.
Changing the diet to eliminate the foods that candida feeds upon is the most effective way to treat the problem. However, one of the side effects of an overgrowth is craving these foods. Abstaining from foods you crave can be difficult. Adding probiotic enzymes to your diet, reducing your intake of sugars and carbs and increasing your consumption of living, fibrous foods is an approach that works best with many patients.
Treatments Dr. Rachel West may prescribe:
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Intravenous medicine (in the office)
- Probiotics
- IV Diflucan
- IV Glutathione / Phosphatidylcholine
- MCT oil
- GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract)
- Uva Ursi Leaf
- Candicid Forte
- Caprylic Acid
- Undecylenic Acid
- Colloidal Silver
- Biocidin
- Sanum Pleo Remedies
What normal symptoms can I expect to experience during my healing?
- Insatiable cravings for sweets, breads and all things on the DO NOT EAT list.
- A fungal odor coming through your pores.
- Adrenal dysfunction
- Tired / fatigue
- See above list symptoms of yeast infections…
What foods are great to balance a yeast infection?
You should do your own research for ethnic foods and all foods you do not find on these lists.
If they are alkaline, it is likely safe to consume on your candida diet, if it is acidic you should avoid them.
- Fresh vegetables and freshly made vegetable juice
- Salad dressings made of olive oil
- Braggs apple cider vinegar
- Water and lemon juice
- Black olives (not aged in vinegar)
- Coconut, olive, grape seed, and flax seed oils in a cold-pressed formula
- Raw nuts including pecans, almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds
VEGETABLES
- Alfalfa
- Barley Grass
- Beet Greens
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chard Greens
- Chlorella
- Collard Greens
- Cucumber
- Dandelions
- Dulce
- Edible Flowers
- Eggplant
- Fermented Veggies
- Garlic
- Green Beans
- Green Peas
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Mustard Greens
- Nightshade Veggies
- Onions
- Parsnips (high glycemic)
- Peas
- Peppers
- Pumpkin
- Radishes
- Rutabaga
- Sea Veggies
- Spinach, green
- Spirulina
- Sprouts
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watercress
- Wheat Grass
- Wild Greens
- Daikon
- Dandelion Root
- Kombu (kelp)
- Maitake
- Nori
- Reishi
- Shitake
- Umeboshi
- Wakame
- Apple
- Apricot
- Avocado
- Banana (high glycemic)
- Berries
- Blackberries
- Cantaloupe
- Cherries, sour
- Coconut, fresh
- Currants
- Dates, dried
- Figs, dried
- Grapes
- Grapefruit
- Honeydew Melon
- Lemon
- Lime
- Muskmelons
- Nectarine
- Orange
- Peach
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Raisins
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Strawberries
- Tangerine
- Tomato
- Tropical Fruits
- Umeboshi Plums
- Watermelon
- Almonds
- Chestnuts
- Millet
- Tempeh (fermented)
- Tofu (fermented)
- Raw Protein Powder
- Calcium: pH 12
- Cesium: pH 14
- Magnesium: pH 9
- Potassium: pH 14
- Sodium: pH 14
- Chili Pepper
- Cinnamon
- Curry
- Ginger
- Herbs (all)
- Miso
- Mustard
- Sea Salt
- Alkaline Antioxidant Water
- Bee Pollen
- Lecithin Granules
- Mineral Water
- Molasses, blackstrap
- Probiotic Cultures