A common concern when people hear a change in diet is needed to combat candida is whether it's going to be bland or restrictive. So, do anti candida cooking recipes need to taste like they have been made from wet cardboard?
The simple answer is no, but it is clear that a person does need to forfeit some of their "comfort" foods to adhere strictly to a anti candida diet, and this is often why many people slip up allowing the candida yeast infection to gain a new foothold.
The key to a successful anti candida diet is to make the food interesting and varied, so that the sufferer dos not feel that they are left out from eating "the good stuff".
So, let's start with a little bit about why a diet can be effective against candida.
Candida normally exists benignly in the warm and moist parts of our body, this includes the gut, the vagina, the oral cavity and in the folds of our skin.
It is believed that everyone has some candida on or in them at all times, but an overgrowth cannot happen unless the immune system is functioning poorly, or the gut flora is not in balance.
The immune system can be compromised in a number of ways, including through taking medication, illness and stress, and when it is, there is a greater chance that the immune response will not be able to suppress a candida growth.
Also, the destruction of probiotics (friendly bacteria) in the gut from the prolonged use of antibiotics or other medication, or from eating a poor diet, can effect the levels of candida in the gut and allow it to overgrow and flourish.
If the candida is allowed to attach itself to the gut lining in sufficient numbers then there is the possibility of the candida breaking through the intestinal wall and releasing spores into the blood stream, allowing the candida to become systemic. This can also cause, what is often referred to as "leaky Gut" syndrome, where bits of partially digested foods and feces can leak out of the intestines.
The symptoms of candida can be varied, they can range from minor irritation, to severe systemic problems that can even be life threatening.
So, where does an anti candida diet fit in?
Candida needs to eat to continue to thrive, and if you starve it of its nourishment, and eat foods that strengthen the immune system and improve the levels of friendly bacteria, then it is clear that this will have a beneficial effect on combating the candida overgrowth.
Therefore, this means your diet needs to eliminate foods that nourish the candida, which include sugars and sugary foods, yeast products including most baked goods, foods that contain fungus or have been fermented, like alcohol.
There tends to be a disagreement about whether fruit should be removed from the diet, and this is because although it is high in fructose (a natural fruit sugar), it is has many beneficial effects that support a healthy immune system. So, the only fruit eaten should be whole fruit, not packaged or pre-prepared fruits, and fruit juices should probably be avoided.
Try to ensure that all food is cooked from fresh, and avoid all processed foods. Processed foods can contain many "hidden" ingredients, including sugars and yeast, and they are normally highly processed and have lost much of their nutritional value in the preparation and packaging process.
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There are a number of foods that are both acceptable, and will help suppress a candida overgrowth. These include:
Herbs
Garlic and Onions
Fresh vegetables, although those high in sugar like carrots should be restricted
Rice mike and Soya milk
Eggs
All meats, although choose only fresh organic meats whenever possible.
Cottage cheese and yogurt
Brown flour
Brown rice and oats
Cold pressed oils
Fish, but preferably oily fish
Pulses and beans
As you can see there is a pretty large selection of available foods that can be included in your anti candida cooking recipes, so there is no reason that your taste buds should be left out by following this kind of diet. Remember to consult your doctor before making radical changes to your diet.