You are here

candida/no yeast diet. (girlie stuff)

i'm not sure if this is too much information, but, whatever.  i went to my midwife today because i've had a yeast infection for the past 15 months.  um.  yeah.  it sucks.  i've gone to three doctors, paid lots of money for lab work, medications, and doctors visits, but it just keeeeeps coming back.  ANYWAYS!  she put me on, what seems to me, a strict diet.  this is my first diet and saying no to foods is so very sad : (  I wanna hear stories of anyone else who has had to do a diet like this and what helped them through it.  here are my no-nos

no...
fruit!!! : (
sugar
yeast (this includes nutritional yeast, which is an absolute staple in my normal diet)
dates
alcohol
wheat/flour
greasy foods (my boyfriend who often cooks for me is a deep fried type vegan)

The good thing is that shes so very supportive of my vegan lifestyle and even suggested things like tempeh bacon and tofu scrambles for breakfast.  mmmm.

I did this many years ago (before I was vegan, sorry not much help there)  It really works.  At least for me it did.  It cleared up allergies, tiredness, headaches, and other "womanly" troubles...

I followed a book called "The Body Ecology Diet".  It is pretty severe (no flour or fruit!), but after about 6 weeks I felt freaking awesome and slowly started adding back normal foods.

I should probably do something like this again.  I have been eating way too much pasta and sweets! 

I would suggest sticking with ethnic cuisine, Indian or any oriental type dish with grains.

At first, you will probably go crazy when you realize how much your body craves sugar :help!:

It's awesome that you have someone supportive to help you with this!

0 likes

ive had candida too. i didnt go on a strict yeast free diet though, but i had begun to avoid   the really bad trigger foods, many of which you mentioned, but also fermented products, mushrooms, tomato products, vinegary things...even ketchup, i couldnt even eat lettuce.
i ended up just taking some oral diflucan like 2 times and it quickly got better and soon after i was able to eat my fave foods again. it was really really simple actually. maybe she didnt mention this b/c she is more holistic?
did she mention that this diet would be temporary? and that your system should improve in time?
i would also recommend taking pre and pro biotics.

0 likes

Try Woman's Bread- it's yeast free and delicious! 

0 likes

many many many years ago, my chiropractor was very into holistic and alternative medicines. He did a series of accu-pressure (using pressure points vs. needles w/ accupuncture) "tapping into" the points that caused wellness in that area. I also took a series of herbs for several weeks.  I honestly haven't had a yeast infection in over 10 years.

I'm sure he's not the only person to ever use this method, perhaps you can google it?

0 likes

The thing that helped me with my beastly 2-month infection years ago was to force myself to completely eschew soap on the relevant parts of my body.  Just water, or water treated with a little baking soda, and friction.  I was stripping away the healthy bacteria that protect the system and that allowed the yeast beasties to flourish, I guess.  (Also beware of bathwater -- it holds additives and/or body soil or water impurities right up against you where they should not be.  Shower instead.)

Best of luck. 

0 likes

ive had candida too. i didnt go on a strict yeast free diet though, but i had begun to avoid  the really bad trigger foods, many of which you mentioned, but also fermented products, mushrooms, tomato products, vinegary things...even ketchup, i couldnt even eat lettuce.
i ended up just taking some oral diflucan like 2 times and it quickly got better and soon after i was able to eat my fave foods again. it was really really simple actually. maybe she didnt mention this b/c she is more holistic?
did she mention that this diet would be temporary? and that your system should improve in time?
i would also recommend taking pre and pro biotics.

i've taken diflucan 5 times, with no luck.  i've tried several over the counter medicines and several perscriptions from 3 different doctors.  but nothings worked, i told her thats why i went to her.  hopefully this helps!

i'm gonna look into the body ecology diet.

do any of you know where i can get a list of fruits that are ok with this diet?  i know avocado is ok to eat, and its a fruit, i'm wonering if i can have squash and cucumbers as well.
thanks everyone for your suggestions!!

0 likes

ive had candida too. i didnt go on a strict yeast free diet though, but i had begun to avoid  the really bad trigger foods, many of which you mentioned, but also fermented products, mushrooms, tomato products, vinegary things...even ketchup, i couldnt even eat lettuce.
i ended up just taking some oral diflucan like 2 times and it quickly got better and soon after i was able to eat my fave foods again. it was really really simple actually. maybe she didnt mention this b/c she is more holistic?
did she mention that this diet would be temporary? and that your system should improve in time?
i would also recommend taking pre and pro biotics.

i've taken diflucan 5 times, with no luck.  i've tried several over the counter medicines and several perscriptions from 3 different doctors.  but nothings worked, i told her thats why i went to her.  hopefully this helps!

i'm gonna look into the body ecology diet.

do any of you know where i can get a list of fruits that are ok with this diet?  i know avocado is ok to eat, and its a fruit, i'm wonering if i can have squash and cucumbers as well.
thanks everyone for your suggestions!!

Grapefruit is usually ok because it's low in sugar.

0 likes

just curious... how is eating yeast (and digesting it --> dead yeast) supposed to affect yeast growth down there?

I thought some yeast (cells) were normal, but a yeast infection is when they go craaaazy and populate like... humans.

Yeah?

0 likes

Kelsi-  Did you happen to catch these links at GoneRaw.com?

from "MtnRubies" on Candida Cleansing thread:  http://goneraw.com/forums/7/topics/4552
"I have been on a candida diet since the end of December 07 and I definitely can tell all candidiasis sufferers that it does get easier. I launched myself into the no sugar thing as soon as my symptoms got so bad I couldn’t even stand and cook without having an asthma attack. I couldn’t function anymore. The first step of letting go of all sweeteners except stevia is definately hardest. Have faith in yourself and know that even if you do cheat and feed it a little now, you’re going to kick its a very soon. Not having sugar is detrimental to your health – your brain needs it to function. If you get more foggy than normal, I suggest eating some almond butter (if you have the $) or maybe some grapefruit. I’ve been cheating here and there with Eden soy rice milk, sweetened with amazake (fermented rice) but it works for me. Test your own results with it. Dry symptoms (like ringworm or yeast infections itching but not being moist) mean die off, wet symptoms mean candida triving!! I researched at least 15 to 20 different ways to attack it and I’ve found is that “The Body Ecology Diet” is the best and hardest diet. Kim Chi is the best way I’ve found to heal yourself while at the same time killing candida. However, the BED is kind of odd in that it pushes products and doesn’t exactly accept veganism. I personally have supplemented my protein with spirulina and that helped a lot. I only started the BED about a month ago, after already going through the antifungals (every color of the rainbow), it seems like it kicked everything that was left!!!! I finally feel free!!! Words of wisdom, propolis (though not vegan) has antifungal properties equivalent to nystatin (F* presciption drugs, they’re what messed me up in the first place!!), caprylic acid and oregano oil always worked for me, and keeping my liver healthy is something I should have been doing this whole time. I woke up with jaundice one day and have been cleansing and toning my liver and colon since. Now that my toxins are free to go, all lethargy and breathing problems are going away!!!! Best advice I can give is read as much as you can about this and love yourself! Know you are strong and beautiful and can conquer anything with your heart behind you :) You know what’s best for you and what got you into this mess in the first place and you can get your way out again (not to say don’t go to a naturopath. I didn’t but that’s cause I find it silly that doctors were paid to give us this imbalance and now we have to pay different doctors to fix it?? Find one you really trust if you do go to one.) Know there’s millions of sufferers out there and we’re all trying to find our way back to our bodies and suceeding!!!"


from "Dain5000" on another thread: http://goneraw.com/forums/3/topics/2197

"You may also have a yeast infection, which is candida, which people do try to get rid of. You will not be able to get rid of natural lubrication. An overgrowth of yeast often appears as a whitish, thick mucous which has a texture like cottage cheese. It is more clumpy than smegma is during your non-fertile times.

If you have yeast overgrowth, you will also have other symptoms including but not limited to: vaginal itching (which can get quite severe), a warm discomfort when urinating, itchiness around your anal opening, small bumps and/or itching inside your mouth, and cravings for sugar. If you have cravings for sugar, you might just have a sweet tooth so that isn’t proof you have a yeast overgrowth. Candida can overgrow in any moist and warm opening in your body, including your rectum, mouth and in rare instances even your nose and throat.

Here is a link for a saliva test that is suppose to help you determine if you have an excess of yeast: http://www.ninazu.com/ests1.html. If you have candida, many people chose to do a candida cleanse or take other action, such as visit a doctor. I am not a doctor but if I have or think I have a yeast infection, I always just take about 15 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract in water 3 times a day for one to two weeks. This is a natural remedy and works fine for most people but that is no guarantee it works for everyone. Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) is a anti-microbal product that kills a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, etc. It tastes very bitter and many people prefer taking it in orange juice instead. You can get it at most health food stores and a little goes a long way and it will store for quite some time. The concentrate is a thick, clear liquid. GSE is non-toxic and, if you choose to take it, I am unaware of any side effects other than the bitter taste. I actually spent a good deal of time trying to learn about GSE some months ago when my son’s wife, who was pregnant, had a systemic fungus which was driving her crazy. The doctor said it could only be cured by prescription but the prescription was dangerous to the baby so she had to live with the fungus until she gave birth. The GSE got rid of it completely.

Candida feeds on sugars and alcohol. If you need to treat yourself for candida, it would be a good idea to avoid as much of these as possible during treatment."

Sounds like Grapefruit Seed Extract might be worth trying?   

0 likes

firefightress, thanks so much for posting those!  after posting this thread, i did find one of those threads on goneraw, but it kind of turned me off to the body of ecology thing.  Maybe i'll just go to my library and see if they have something like that there. 

I'll certainly ask my midwife about the grapefruit seed extract thing.

0 likes

I did this years ago.  No vinegar, sugar, artificial sweetners, honey, HFCS.  No yeast, no soy sauce, ketchup, mustard.  No pickled anything.  No yeast risen breads.  No white flour, white rice.  No dairy.  No dried fruit or any fresh fruit prone to molding like oranges and grapes.  No veggies that are prone to mold and no nightshade veggies like tomatoes, eggplant and peppers.  I ate some flesh at the time, but all I could have on the diet was lamb and salmon and eggs.  No cheese at all, nothing aged.

Now you want to talk about having nothing left to eat!  The goal is not to eat anything that is going to promote fermentation in the gut because these are the conditions where Candida proliferates. 

Now, when it comes to vaginal yeast infections...they are not really vaginal in origin, they are caused by Candida present in the urine.  You'd know systemic Candida by the presence of diarrhea, fatigue, oral thrush and skin rashes, not just 'cuz your kootchie is itchy.  All I had was an uncomfy kootchie, BUT the diet fixed that.  I have not had an infection in 13 years and given my every other month vag infection, this is like a miracle.  It should also be noted that this when my sinus infections also cleared up because they were fungal and all those antibiotics I had taken only make my yeast infection worse and so it goes.

I think it is worth it, as I ramble on here.

0 likes

that sucks kelsi.

did anyone mention if your bf could be contributing to the yeast infections?
also, like duckalucky said, soaps and detergents can also give you yeast infections. you really shouldnt use anything, soap-wise, but in general, tea tree soap is gentile and good for the yeasties.

0 likes

did anyone mention if your bf could be contributing to the yeast infections?

I was going to post something like this. I think that could be a major factor. If you're still having sex...it will aggravate it, and he could just be propagating the infection. ??

0 likes

did anyone mention if your bf could be contributing to the yeast infections?

I was going to post something like this. I think that could be a major factor. If you're still having sex...it will aggravate it, and he could just be propagating the infection. ??

he actually treated himself for it in the summer, but now that we use condoms (i'm using FAM now! yay!)  then it seems like that would cut out that possibility.  maybe while i'm doing this big cleanse, he could treat himself again.

0 likes

This may sound like a stupid question because you've already been to a doctor, but are you sure it's a yeast infection?  In college, I had what I thought was a yeast infection for several months.  I treated it with otc stuff then went to my school doctor who gave me several different medications and nothing helped.  When I was able to get home and go to my GYN he told be that it was a bacterial infection and not yeast.  That's why none of the medications worked.  He gave me something called Metro Gel and it cleared up in no time.  Like I said, I know you already went to a doctor but my infection was misdiagnosed by a doctor so I didn't think it would hurt to bring this up.  I hope everything get better soon. 

0 likes

Bless your heart, a 15 month bout with a yeast infection sounds horrid! When I was in high school, my mom had the worst yeast infection I can ever recall. She literally had it spreading all over her body and had to lay under lamps to try to dry it out! Anyway, the antibiotics she had been on is what caused it, but she also did the no sugar, fruit, yeast, etc. and that really did help! There are many Candida-free cookbooks available, which may be helpful to you. I sure hope you feel better soon!

0 likes

This may sound like a stupid question because you've already been to a doctor, but are you sure it's a yeast infection?  In college, I had what I thought was a yeast infection for several months.  I treated it with otc stuff then went to my school doctor who gave me several different medications and nothing helped.  When I was able to get home and go to my GYN he told be that it was a bacterial infection and not yeast.  That's why none of the medications worked.  He gave me something called Metro Gel and it cleared up in no time.  Like I said, I know you already went to a doctor but my infection was misdiagnosed by a doctor so I didn't think it would hurt to bring this up.  I hope everything get better soon. 

i've certainly wondered about that.  luckily i'm able to keep in close contact with my midwife, so if it's not working, we can change things around and try something else.

0 likes

If you haven't already... stop wearing deodorant or antiperspirant. 

I think I may become annoying like a broken record, because I keep saying the same thing over and over... but really it make a huge difference for me.

K^2

0 likes

If you haven't already... stop wearing deodorant or antiperspirant. 

I think I may become annoying like a broken record, because I keep saying the same thing over and over... but really it make a huge difference for me.

K^2

i wish!! i never used deodorant until i started teaching in the fall.  but the reason that i stopped is that i got in trouble when i student taught, and i would get in even more trouble now.  eek.  i'm certainly going to stop using soap down there though, that sounds like a good tip.

0 likes

i wish!! i never used deodorant until i started teaching in the fall.  but the reason that i stopped is that i got in trouble when i student taught, and i would get in even more trouble now.  eek.  i'm certainly going to stop using soap down there though, that sounds like a good tip.

Use baking soda! It's great..you'll still sweat..but you won't stink. Just use a little and mix with a little water..pat it on! Use more if you'll be sweating more.

0 likes

Pages

Log in or register to post comments