Nutrition

CANDIDA ALBICANS

If your doctor tells you that your symptoms are caused by the common yeast germ, Candida albicans, then there are changes you can make in your diet that will improve your symptoms.  Diet plays a major role in the successful management of yeast-connected illnesses.

The first step is to find out if you are allergic to foods by doing an elimination diet for 2 - 3 weeks.  It is recommended that you see a nutritionist to assist you with this process.  The most frequent food offenders in individuals with candida are milk, corn, wheat, yeast, eggs, citrus fruit, and sugar.  However, any food may cause an adverse reaction.

To control candida through diet, follow the dietary guidelines listed on this handout.  Be sure to avoid foods that cause allergic reactions.  If you find you have multiple food allergies, then you may want to try rotating foods in your diet.  In rotating your diet, you eat an offending food only once every 3 - 7 days.  For example, if you find that you are allergic to dairy, yeast, and corn, then you may be able to tolerate eating dairy on Monday, yeast on Tuesday, and corn on Wednesday.  Then on Thursday you can eat dairy again.

Most individuals with candida-related illness find that as they improve, they can follow a less rigid diet, especially if they are following other measures to regain their health.  Included are the use of medications (prescribed by your doctor), taking nutritional supplements, exercise, and avoiding exposure to environmental chemicals and mold spores.

Foods you can eat freely . . .

Low-carbohydrate vegetables
asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green pepper, greens (spinach, mustard, beet, collard and kale), lettuce, okra, onions, parsley, radishes, soybeans, string beans, tomatoes (fresh) and turnips

Protein foods
chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb, fish, shellfish and eggs

Unprocessed nuts, seeds and oils
almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, linseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, soy oil, walnut oil, corn oil

Foods you can eat moderately . . .

High-carbohydrate vegetables
corn, lima beans, English peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, winter squash, acorn squash and butternut squash

Whole grains
amaranth, barley, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, teff, rye and wheat

Protein foods
beans and legumes

Fruits
fresh, whole fruits and freshly prepared juices

Foods you must avoid . . .

Sugar and sugar-containing foods
sugar includes sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, glucose, galactose, mannitol, sorbitol, honey, molasses, maple syrup, maple-sugar, date sugar, turbinado sugar, and corn syrup

Packaged and processed foods
most canned, bottled, boxed, packaged and processed foods contain refined sugar and other hidden ingredients

If you are allergic to yeast, you must avoid all foods that contain yeast or molds. . .
•    Brewer’s yeast
•    Breads, pastries and other raised bakery goods
•    Cheeses and prepared foods that contain cheese
•    Milk, buttermilk, sour cream, and sour milk products (some individuals tolerate fruit-free, sugar-free yogurt)
•    Condiments, sauces and vinegar-containing foods (mustard, ketchup, monosodium glutamate; steak, barbecue, chili, shrimp and soy sauces; pickles, pickled vegetables, relishes, green olives, sauerkraut, horseradish, mince meat and tamari; vinegar and vinegar-containing foods such as mayonnaise and salad dressing)
•    Malt products (malted milk drinks, cereals and candy)
•    Processed and smoked  meats (sausages, hot dogs, corned beef, pastrami, smoked fish)
•    Mushrooms and other edible fungi
•    Peanuts and pistachios
•    Dried and candied fruit
•    Melons (watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe are prone to being contaminated with mold)
•    Fruit juices (canned, bottled or frozen)
•    Fermented beverages (alcohol, root beer and cider)
•    Coffee and tea
•    Leftovers

Reference:  The Yeast Connection, by W. Crook, M.D. (1994)
Bastyr University clinical handout

The cleanse diet may be used as a foundation for getting healthy, clearing the body and preparing it for scientific experiment with the allergy/elimination challenge.  It is a VERY simple diet.  It is difficult only in that one is not accustomed to it.  Therefore, recipes are available to help one do it.  The rewards are plentiful.  I have seen many chronic illnesses alleviated by this change alone.  I saw a man completely cure himself of psoriasis (an inflammatory skin disease like eczema) using such a simple diet.  Like all therapies I recommend, I have done it myself, so I can speak from personal experience of its effectiveness.

Basicly, the cleanse diet includes ample amounts of all vegetables.  They are best eaten raw, but they may also be steamed.  Fruits are also included in moderation, 1-2 pieces per day is sufficient.  Whole grains including brown rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth are also included.  Raw nuts, seeds, and oils are included, except peanuts as they are highly allergenic and often contain mold.  Meat is also permitted in moderation only if it is wild or organic.  Celtic sea salt and spices may be added to create delicious, vibrant meals.  With these ingredients, one can create heavenly feasts or simple snacks to get them through the day.

Beverages include plenty of filtered water, tea (except black), and juice made from fresh vegetables or fruit.

The diet leaves out the most commonly allergenic foods including dairy, wheat, eggs, corn, soy, and peanuts.  It also avoids caffiene, alcohol, and one of the most destructive substances, refined sugar.  There are no food additives, preservatives, coloring agents or other neurotoxic chemicals.  It also has no room for partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats which are also highly destructive to the body.  Simple.

Observation

Getting healthy begins with awareness of oneself physically, mentally and emotionally.  Observe your physical symptoms in as much detail as possible including appearance, sensations, location, timing, and things that make it better or worse.  Similarly, observe your mental and emotional symptoms.  In what thought or emotional patterns are you getting stuck?  When do the thoughts or emotions arise?  How long do they last?  How do they interfere with your life?  This information is helpful to better understand the root cause of your disease.

Other information to gather:

The Diet Diary

I often recommend patients do a diet diary for at least three days up to a week.  In the diet diary, note specifically what foods are eaten each day.  Include your snacks and beverages as well.  If you have physical or mental symptoms, it is helpful to write them down also.  Note the time.  You may also include exercise.  The diet diary is a baseline from which to start the work of getting healthy.  From it, your practitioner can see if there are obstacles to your health, and make recommendations to improve your wellbeing.

FOOD ADDITIVES TO AVOID

Food additives are substances intentionally added to food during manufacturing to increase the desirability of the finished product.  Additives can alter the color, texture and stability of the food or reduce the spoilage time.  There are approximately 2000 different types of additives.  The standard american diet includes 3-5 pounds of these additives per year.  Additives can be toxic chemicals that can give rise to a number of symptoms.  The most common are psychological or neurological such as depression, headaches, mental confusion, mental illness or abnormal nerve reflexes.

Preservatives:  These accumulate in body fat.  The most common allergic reaction experienced is hives.

BHA:
Butylated hydroxyanisole

BHT:
Butylated hydroxytoluene
Commonly found in prepared and packaged foods such as breakfast cereals, chewing gum and oil containing products e.g. potato chips, vegetable oils and shortening.

Benzoates:   
Benzoic acid and benzoates are widely used and are commonly found in shrimp and fish in extremely high amounts.

Sulfites:
Typically used to prevent browning, color changes, or microbial spoilage.  Commonly sprayed on fresh fruit, vegetables, and fresh shrimp.  The average person consumes 2-3 mg per day.  If restaurants are the main source of meals,     then an average of 150 mg per day is consumed.

Sodium nitrites and sodium nitrates:
Nitrite-nitrate toxicity is due to its affinity for the oxygen carrying molecule in the blood, hemoglobin.  Nitrates convert hemoglobin to methemeglobin which causes problems with oxygen transport.  Heating nitrites or their coming into contact with stomach acids converts nitrites to nitromines a substance known to cause stomach cancer.  Nitrites and nitrates are added to meats to prevent the growth of bacteria that causes botulism.  It also gives the classic pink color to processed meats.  They are found in luncheon meats, ham, hot dogs, smoked fish and baby foods.

Irradiation:  This is a type of food additive that kills microorganisms, insects, and inhibits sprouting of potatoes and onions.  It also delays the ripening of fruit.  The type of radiation used is called ionizing radiation which produces URP’s (Unique Radiolytic Products).  Retail food must be labeled with this logo and the word “picowaved”.  The most common irradiated foods are spices, chicken, fruits and vegetables.

Monosodium glutamate:
It enhances the flavor of protein by exciting the taste buds.  It can overexcite the nerve endings and cause symptoms referred to as “Chinese restaurant syndrome”.  Symptoms are reported as a burning sensation in back of neck, headaches, chest tightness, diarrhea, and flushing of face.

Salicylates:
These are aspirin like compounds used to increase or enhance the flavor of foods.  Those allergic to aspirin can experience reactions from eating foods high in salicylates such as curry powder, paprika, thyme, dill. oregano, and tumeric.  It is also found in the following prepared foods:  Cake mixes, pudding, ice cream, gum, soft drinks and most dried fruits and berries.  The average intake per day is 10-200 mg.

Artificial dyes are widely used in foods, beverages and drugs.  The most common coloring agents used are called azo dyes (dyes impregnated with nitrate)  Most are petroleum products derived from coal tar.  Certain tissues in the body are more susceptible to dyes, especially those that have a quick turnover such as the cornea of the eye, tissue in the mouth, tissue lining the stomach and small intestine, and blood and lymph tissue.  Out of 33 known coloring agents, the following are the most commonly used.

Blue No. 2:  Found in high amounts in cat food and soda pop, it is implicated in causing brain cancer.

Citrus red:  Found in Florida oranges

Green No. 3:  Implicated in thyroid cancer.  Found in lime drinks and popsicles.

Yellow No. 6:  Implicated in kidney cancer.  Found in soda pop and candy.

Yellow No. 5:  Tartrazine - highly implicated in allergic responses and attention deficit disorder.  Those allergic to aspirin might react to tartrazine.  Tartrazine sensitivity is common in individuals (around 20-50%).  It is a known inducer of asthma medications (aminophyline) and in some seditives, steroids, antihistamines and antibiotics.  Vitamins can also contain tartrazine.
Other foods containing tartrazine are:
Orange drinks (Tang, Daybreak, Awake)
Geletin desserts (Royal and Jello)
Italian dressing (Kraft)
Cake mixes and icing (Pillsbury, Duncan Hines)
Seasoning salt (French’s)
Macaroni and cheese (Kraft)