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Long Term Benefits of a Natural Candida Diet

By Tess Thompson

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Candida is a general name given to Candidiasis, an infection caused by fungi of the genusMonilia or Candida (especially Candidaalbicans). The disease manifests itself in numerous symptoms and therefore is difficult to diagnose. Some of the most noticeable symptoms include bladder infections, heartburn and fatigue, cravings for food, inflammation, itching, migraine, thrush, rashes, sore throat, and insomnia. Genital Candida is the most common form of Candidiasis in women.

Antibiotics, birth control pills, chemotherapy, common street drugs, alcohol and junk foods kill the friendly bacteria in the body that are responsible for fighting Candida albicans, the most significant member of the genus Candida. Once the level of Candida albicans increases in the body, it takes over the digestive system. The most vulnerable people are those with a weak immune system.

Like most of the yeast infection treatments, conventional Candida cures also involve the use of topical creams containing anti-fungal agents. In severe cases, the treatment module may include oral or intravenous medication. The problem with most of the Candida treatments is that the condition resurfaces even after total remission. A natural Candida diet is the best preventive measure that you can take to avoid resurgence. It is also a healthy tool to treat Candidiasis or enhance the effect of any other Candida cure that you may have opted for.

The goal of diet treatment of Candida focuses on eliminating the foods that the yeast Candida albicans is known to feed upon. If you are resolute and stick to the plan, diet treatment usually gives promising results within 2 to 4 weeks, depending upon the severity of the condition. However, in the case of immunocompromised patients, the condition may require additional treatments, including hospitalization.

Before starting on a Candida diet, it is crucial that the system is cleansed and toxic byproducts of Candida are removed. You can achieve this by fasting or using an enema, detox herbs and drinking lots of liquids, especially water and fresh vegetable juices.

Yeast feast on sugar and simple carbohydrates. Large amounts of sugars and simple carbohydrates supply the yeast cells with the nutrients that they need to grow. Once the growth crosses a certain limit, the friendly bacteria in the intestinal flora are unable to counter them. It is then that the symptoms of Candida start appearing.

Limit your diet to less or no sugar and restrict your carbohydrate intake to 20-60 grams per day for at least three months. You may gradually increase your diet as the symptoms disappear. Continue to control the amount of sugar that you intake. All carbohydrates are not equal, so choose the best out of them by preferring complex rather than simple carbohydrates. Fructo-oligosaccharides are carbohydrates that yield only afew monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis. This kind of carbohydrate can be found in many vegetables. After digestion, the undigested portion promotes the population of friendly bacteria in the digestive system. They also help in easy elimination and keep the stomach healthy, indirectly providing protection against Candida.

Eat enough raw garlic, vegetables, proteins, (preferably from poultry, eggs and fish) fresh yogurt, whey, nuts, seeds and green algae. Avoid aged cheese, alcohol, chocolate, dried fruits, mushrooms, vinegar, and all sugars, including honeys and syrups. Eliminating your chances of getting Candida infections requires a change in your long-term eating habits.

References:
http://www.annecollins.com/guide-to-candida-diet.htm http://www.everydiet.org/candida_diet.htm http://www.candidadiet.com/treatment/treatment_diet.shtml http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/candidadiet_1.htm http://www.yeastinfectionadvisor.com/candidadiet.html