Everybody has Candida. Even you! Candida Albicans lives in our body, in the mouth and in the intestines, along with other bacteria. When you are healthy, your gut flora is balanced and all the healthy and unhealthy bacteria share the gastrointestinal track, helping you digest the food you eat.
Candida is yeast that eats all sorts of sugar. When it starts multiplying and mutating into a fungus, that’s when we have a problem. This overgrowth is called Candidiasis. It can be caused by a diet that is rich in processed food, refined sugars and white flours, the abuse of alcohol, a stressful lifestyle or the use of antibiotics.
Candida is yeast that eats all sorts of sugar. When it starts multiplying and mutating into a fungus, that’s when we have a problem. This overgrowth is called Candidiasis. It can be caused by a diet that is rich in processed food, refined sugars and white flours, the abuse of alcohol, a stressful lifestyle or the use of antibiotics.
Food that kill candida
Following a candida diet is recommended in order to kill candida. That involves avoiding ALL sugars for an extended period of time. Well.... eliminating all sugars is not quite possible, since pretty much all the food is made of carbohydrates. It is more accurate to call it a low-sugar diet. Since the favourite food of candida is sugar, it is essential to deprive it from its fuel.
To do so, it is recommended to eat predominantly raw and steamed vegetables. You must avoid sugars, refined and natural, along with all processed foods. White flour, alcohol and caffeine are also prohibited. Does it sound too hard? Think of it as a whole food plant-based diet, which is a natural and clean way of eating. Your body will thank you for that. Who knows, it might be the beginning of a new era for you.
Following a candida diet is recommended in order to kill candida. That involves avoiding ALL sugars for an extended period of time. Well.... eliminating all sugars is not quite possible, since pretty much all the food is made of carbohydrates. It is more accurate to call it a low-sugar diet. Since the favourite food of candida is sugar, it is essential to deprive it from its fuel.
To do so, it is recommended to eat predominantly raw and steamed vegetables. You must avoid sugars, refined and natural, along with all processed foods. White flour, alcohol and caffeine are also prohibited. Does it sound too hard? Think of it as a whole food plant-based diet, which is a natural and clean way of eating. Your body will thank you for that. Who knows, it might be the beginning of a new era for you.
Natural remedies for Candida
Kill candida with an antifungal treatment. There are many natural supplements available that will help you break down the cell walls of the Candida. My favourites supplements to kill candida are black walnut, caprylic acid, garlic, grapefruit seed extract, oregano oil, pau d’arco and turmeric. You can use them in your food or take them as supplements.
Another natural treatment to get rid of candida and its toxic by-products, is a cleanse with fiber and bentonite. Nothing fancy, just these two ingredients mixed in water. This cleanse can be followed for a few days or a few weeks. With the help of a fiber supplement like psyllium husk, your digestive system will start moving again and create regular stools. The fiber will scrape clean the intestinal wall, while the Bentonite clay will bind to unwanted substances and absorb them like a sponge, carrying them out of the body through the bowels.
Kill candida with an antifungal treatment. There are many natural supplements available that will help you break down the cell walls of the Candida. My favourites supplements to kill candida are black walnut, caprylic acid, garlic, grapefruit seed extract, oregano oil, pau d’arco and turmeric. You can use them in your food or take them as supplements.
Another natural treatment to get rid of candida and its toxic by-products, is a cleanse with fiber and bentonite. Nothing fancy, just these two ingredients mixed in water. This cleanse can be followed for a few days or a few weeks. With the help of a fiber supplement like psyllium husk, your digestive system will start moving again and create regular stools. The fiber will scrape clean the intestinal wall, while the Bentonite clay will bind to unwanted substances and absorb them like a sponge, carrying them out of the body through the bowels.
You can do this cleanse while eating a clean, plant-based diet, or while following a fasting program. Fasting is popular among cleansers, since it is the best way to starve the bugs living in our guts, like candida, parasites and worms. Other benefits of fasting include:
- Weight loss
- Reducing inflammation, back pain and joint pain
- Clear skin
- Stabilising blood sugar levels
- Lowering blood pressure
- Regulating hormonal system
- Mental clarity
Why Is It So Hard To Kill Candida?
Getting rid of Candida Albicans is not an easy task. To understand why it is harder to kill candida than a common bacterial infection, we need to know why candida overgrows in the body. First, Candida is a yeast that lives in our digestive track with other bacteria, and is a part of a balanced ecosystem. Candida is not a virus that you can catch like the flu. It is a yeast that can evolve into a fungi and overpopulate the gut and spread into the body. That is what we call Candidiasis.
80% of candida infections happen in consequence of the use of antibiotics, oral contraceptives or other medication. Medicines, especially antibiotics, have the ability to kill harmful bacteria, but also the ones that are beneficial, destroying the balance of the gut flora. Killing friendly bacteria results in a weaker immune system and allows the candida yeast to quickly overgrow the small intestine and mutate into a fungi, producing toxic waste called acetaldehyde. This quickly damages the intestinal wall and leads to leaky gut syndrome, a condition where tiny holes let undigested food particles enter the bloodstream before they are supposed to, provoking allergic reactions.
80% of candida infections happen in consequence of the use of antibiotics, oral contraceptives or other medication. Medicines, especially antibiotics, have the ability to kill harmful bacteria, but also the ones that are beneficial, destroying the balance of the gut flora. Killing friendly bacteria results in a weaker immune system and allows the candida yeast to quickly overgrow the small intestine and mutate into a fungi, producing toxic waste called acetaldehyde. This quickly damages the intestinal wall and leads to leaky gut syndrome, a condition where tiny holes let undigested food particles enter the bloodstream before they are supposed to, provoking allergic reactions.
This also gives a free pass to candida traveling through the wall and populating the body. The fungi can colonize other organs that are already weak. Strengthening the immune system is essential if we want to kill candida. Natural supplements, probiotics and conventional medication might be able to kill a bunch of candida, but it will not fix the problem. Candida will only overgrow in an unhealthy and acidic environment. So it is the inside of the body that needs repair, not candida. Herbs and home remedies such as bentonite clay, psyllium husk, caprylic acid and L-Glutamine must be taken during and after a complete body cleanse.
The toxins that are produced by candida can make us feel like we have a hangover. While the body becomes more acidic and toxic, the immune system slowly gets weaker and unable to eliminate toxins. This is how candida creates the perfect environment to live and multiply. Headaches, digestive problems, skin rashes, allergies, persistent cough, brain fog, depression, fatigue, abdominal pain, weight gain, yeast infections, inability to focus, irritability, low libido, cravings for sweets and mood swings are common symptoms. If we do not change our diet and other unhealthy habits, candida will not be stopped.
A detox diet must be followed in order to change the body’s pH to alkaline, and to boost the immune system. A whole food plant based meal plan is recommended, with no refined sugars, animal fat or processed food. Natural antifungals like oregano oil, turmeric, garlic and wormwood can be taken at the same time to help control the candida overgrowth. A 7 day detox and colon cleanse might be helpful to complete the healing process and get rid of the candida toxic by-products.
The toxins that are produced by candida can make us feel like we have a hangover. While the body becomes more acidic and toxic, the immune system slowly gets weaker and unable to eliminate toxins. This is how candida creates the perfect environment to live and multiply. Headaches, digestive problems, skin rashes, allergies, persistent cough, brain fog, depression, fatigue, abdominal pain, weight gain, yeast infections, inability to focus, irritability, low libido, cravings for sweets and mood swings are common symptoms. If we do not change our diet and other unhealthy habits, candida will not be stopped.
A detox diet must be followed in order to change the body’s pH to alkaline, and to boost the immune system. A whole food plant based meal plan is recommended, with no refined sugars, animal fat or processed food. Natural antifungals like oregano oil, turmeric, garlic and wormwood can be taken at the same time to help control the candida overgrowth. A 7 day detox and colon cleanse might be helpful to complete the healing process and get rid of the candida toxic by-products.
The 5 mistakes we do when treating Candida overgrowth
Candida albicans is a yeast-like fungus, and is part of a healthy digestive system. It works with other gut bacteria to keep us in good health. However, Candida can overtake the good bacteria when the environment allows it. When there is an overgrowth, it causes symptoms like weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, sugar cravings, gas, bloating and yeast infections. Yeast activity also produces toxins, mostly acetaldehyde, which creates free radicals in the body.
We can blame our Western diets for fungal overgrowths in the digestive tract, as well as antibiotics, birth control, drugs, alcohol and stress. Candida can quickly become resistant to anti-fungals or antibiotic herbs, and can be very hard to kill off. Here are some of the biggest mistakes people make when they attempt to kill off candida.
1. Trying to kill ALL candida.
It is important to understand that candida is part of a healthy system, so it is absolutely normal to have some in your digestive tract. Don’t try to kill it all. What you need is a balanced gut flora. When people take strong anti-fungals (like diflucan), they kill all the candida but they also kill beneficial bacteria, which keeps bad bacteria in check. Candida can return quickly and even worse than before.
2. Using the “candida diet” alone.
Candida diets recommend to remove sugar, starchy vegetables refined foods and alcohol. However, cutting all carbs may not be the best, since studies show that yeast actually feed on ketones, produced on a low carb diet. Plus, carbs are the primary fuel of the body and is needed for cell functioning. Lowering your intake of sugar is definetely a good way to treat candida, but do not omit to eat fresh and organic whole foods. Cutting dairy, alcohol and gluten is also essential. But a candida detox diet alone will not kill the candida cells. It will only starve them a little. The best way to treat candida is to take natural anti-microbial herbal supplements and probiotics daily, along with the proper diet.
We can blame our Western diets for fungal overgrowths in the digestive tract, as well as antibiotics, birth control, drugs, alcohol and stress. Candida can quickly become resistant to anti-fungals or antibiotic herbs, and can be very hard to kill off. Here are some of the biggest mistakes people make when they attempt to kill off candida.
1. Trying to kill ALL candida.
It is important to understand that candida is part of a healthy system, so it is absolutely normal to have some in your digestive tract. Don’t try to kill it all. What you need is a balanced gut flora. When people take strong anti-fungals (like diflucan), they kill all the candida but they also kill beneficial bacteria, which keeps bad bacteria in check. Candida can return quickly and even worse than before.
2. Using the “candida diet” alone.
Candida diets recommend to remove sugar, starchy vegetables refined foods and alcohol. However, cutting all carbs may not be the best, since studies show that yeast actually feed on ketones, produced on a low carb diet. Plus, carbs are the primary fuel of the body and is needed for cell functioning. Lowering your intake of sugar is definetely a good way to treat candida, but do not omit to eat fresh and organic whole foods. Cutting dairy, alcohol and gluten is also essential. But a candida detox diet alone will not kill the candida cells. It will only starve them a little. The best way to treat candida is to take natural anti-microbial herbal supplements and probiotics daily, along with the proper diet.
3. Taking the same herbs continually
The anti-microbial supplements and herbs that you choose should be used for days at a time, in rotation. Candida can become resistant to herbs, so it is important not to use the same treatment for a prolonged period of time. Different options are available, such as diatomaceous earth, oregano oil, coconut oil, bentonite clay, psyllium husk, wormwood, Pau d’Arco, caprylic acid, greapeseed extract and aloe vera, to name just a few.
4. Omitting to recolonize the gut with probiotics
This is an important one. Once you are finished killing the fungi overgrowth, don’t skip the most essential part like many people. You need to put the good bacteria back in your gut! You need to rebuild your gut flora to have a strong immune system and be ready for the next invader. That requires daily doses of probiotics, containing various strains of active bacteria, along with prebiotics to feed the new good bacteria.
5. Returning to your old eating habits.
Why spending all this time trying to kill candida, if you go back to eating the way you did, which got you sick in the first place? Why ruining all your work for a pizza? Reintroducing inflammatory and sugary foods will only encourage Candida to come right back again. After the killing phase, it’s not over yet. Recolonize you gut with probiotics, heal your leaky gut with chlorophyl, eat a whole food plant-based diet and take off processed junk from your menu. Only when you are symtom-free should you reintroduce the inflammation promoting foods. If you’re up for it, why not avoiding them forever? It will help you achieve weight loss goals, have a healthy digestion, a strong immune system and a disease free body.
The anti-microbial supplements and herbs that you choose should be used for days at a time, in rotation. Candida can become resistant to herbs, so it is important not to use the same treatment for a prolonged period of time. Different options are available, such as diatomaceous earth, oregano oil, coconut oil, bentonite clay, psyllium husk, wormwood, Pau d’Arco, caprylic acid, greapeseed extract and aloe vera, to name just a few.
4. Omitting to recolonize the gut with probiotics
This is an important one. Once you are finished killing the fungi overgrowth, don’t skip the most essential part like many people. You need to put the good bacteria back in your gut! You need to rebuild your gut flora to have a strong immune system and be ready for the next invader. That requires daily doses of probiotics, containing various strains of active bacteria, along with prebiotics to feed the new good bacteria.
5. Returning to your old eating habits.
Why spending all this time trying to kill candida, if you go back to eating the way you did, which got you sick in the first place? Why ruining all your work for a pizza? Reintroducing inflammatory and sugary foods will only encourage Candida to come right back again. After the killing phase, it’s not over yet. Recolonize you gut with probiotics, heal your leaky gut with chlorophyl, eat a whole food plant-based diet and take off processed junk from your menu. Only when you are symtom-free should you reintroduce the inflammation promoting foods. If you’re up for it, why not avoiding them forever? It will help you achieve weight loss goals, have a healthy digestion, a strong immune system and a disease free body.