Thanks peteranac!!!

It may be a long road ahead still, but at least I'm FINALLY on the right track after years of health problems with candida that were undiagnosed.

Hi Manboy, to answer your question, "very low" and "a long time". The problem is, eveyrone is different. It is usually recommended to eat no high carbs at all, especially anything containing yeast (no croissants, breads, cakes, sweet rolls etc).

Starches are also a big problem for candida, so again, no sugars (hidden sugars in prepared foods or sauces count too, not just the sugars you might add to drinks etc). No white potatoes, baked potatoes, wheat starches, refined flour etc either.

Mostly you can have carbs, at least according to the book I am following for this, but only whole grains and only those which your already-injured gut can stand. Some people find grains a problem, while in my case I was fine on all but gluten types, since I had developed gluten intolerance due to the candida issues.

Quinoa is ok, along with wholegrain brown rice, wholegrain millet (not refined millet flakes, btw, but the proper millet which looks like little balls of grain when you buy it in the shops), and some books allow wholegrain Scotch porrige oats (again, not the refined flakes but the little oats which look like little pinwheel balls of grain).

Sweet potatoes and yams are actually allowed, at least by both my book and doctor, because although they are called "sweet", the sugars in them are not too heavy and balanced by a lot of fibre. Also, butternut squash is also allowed which can make a nice, sweet breakfast taste too.

Some people takes only a few weeks to heal, but it really depends on each person. If you have only got a touch of candida inflammation due to having just come off antibiotics, for instance, you may have mild symptoms and just need a month or two on the diet, plus probiotics and mild antifungals.

If you have had symptoms for years (bloating, bad breath, constipation, diarrhoea, colitis, IBS, migraine headaches, bad blood sugar swings etc), figure a lot longer. In my own case, my symptoms started not long after the birth of my daughter, but because no one could work out the root cause (it started mainly with heavy periods, hair loss and female hormone type symptoms) it took a long time to get a correct diagnosis and begin proper treatment.

I have been on the diet since September and started antifungals then too, so it's been about 5 months. My doctor says the candida is now testing as "under control" but this is after 5 months of heavy antifungals AND heavy probiotics. He also said I am not ready yet to go anywhere near a "normal" diet and to continue what I am doing for at least another 6 weeks, at which point he will see me again for an assessment.

Most people with candida also have food allergies and intolerances which often clear up once the candida issues are better. Many also have parasites which may also need identification and, in some cases, treatment, so all of these are issues which you may need to consider if you think you may have candida.

Anyway, hope that helps. Welcome to the forum!

Candida albicans Is Exquisitely Sensitive to Glucose, so as dietary glucose enhances C. albicans colonization and invasion, I think people who have had serious problems with Candida albicans (oral candidiasis and vaginitis) will be at risk of reinfection if they return to a "normal" diet containing refined carbohydrates.
With inflammation and damage from gluten sensitivity it generally take at least six months for the internal tissues to be restored to prime condition. Sure after a couple of weeks, and you've got over the die off stage you should feel better but if you go back to your previous diet the problem will return.

Don't forget that vitamin D3 is a powerful anti inflammatory agent and improving your vitamin D3 levels enables your body to upregulate cathelicidins and initiate their potential Anti-fungal activity in Candida albicans infection.

HI Hutchinson!

Just to second what you said, my practitioner agrees with you. He has said that, although my candida is now considered "under control", it will still be several months before I am able to effectively absorb micronutrients again, hence I will be on nutritional supplements for quite some time.

Gut damage takes a very long time to properly heal and even once healed, it can take even longer to go back to being able to reabsorb anything at good levels.

Having said that, in manboy's case, it may depend on how long he's had the infection, how severe it is etc. I'd like to think that some are luckier than I was with that and that they might be able to recover more quickly.

I'll check out that D3 link too. I've also heard a lot recently about Vitamin D in particular, with many doctors believing that the usual recommended amounts are too low for many people.

Wow, thanks for this information. I have severe candida and I started drinking green tea like 4 cups a day and got severly ill with stomach reflux and GERD. I stopped taking it as I thought it was making me worse.
I didn't know that green tea was antifungal.

Hi phylis,

Actually, green tea is not necessarily a good idea on a candida diet. My book and doctor have both said "avoid it" during candida treatment.

The reason for this is just that it has caffeine which can throw your blood sugar levels into imbalance, which feeds the candida.

Green tea is not necessarily antifungal. I have not read that it is, and in fact, it is fermented (or "post-fermented") and candida sufferers tend to be sensitive to fermented foods.

A better drink during treatment might be herbal, non-flower teas (e.g. peppermint, fennel etc) which don't affect your blood sugar levels and which have no caffeine.

Green tea is thought to be generally better than black tea, but it is not recommended on a candida diet. "Die off" symptoms in candida are sometimes noticed as IBS type symptoms, but more often are noticed in muscle weakness, feeling "flu-like" or "under the weather", lack of energy etc.

Hi everyone. not feeling to badly but I have been having slight headahces. We have had a horrbile time. my 2 year old came down with a bad cold and then a high fever which turned into sinus infection then ear infection. then my middle daughter came home with the norwalk which ripped through my household. So far I do nto have it but time will tell!!! My stress levels have been elevated due to the illness in my house and am hoping that things start to settle down so I can get back in the swing of things. have to admit though that I havebeen very stricted during the week and not so much on the weekends. Have to see my naturopath Feb 26th so will let everyone know what my levels are!!! Hopefully I can move into the miantenance stage o this fight and never have to return to this part of it!!..

Keep fighting everyone!!!!!

Thanks for this, peteranac! I am REALLY relieved to know your sister in law got her taste back afterwards. My doc says I'm expecting too much too soon (I always do that) and it is better than it was before treatment, but only about half way to "normal". I am also taking licorice root and ginseng alternating days now to help with the very low blood pressure I've had since the candida (ok, I do also exercise and I know athletes have lower than other people, but 98/53 is LOW for first thing in the morning, even for athletes!!!)

That's improving too now.

I'm finding it hard to stick to the diet over Valentine's day though, since it is usually a chocolate and sugar and champagne type of day. My husband kindly found a hotel with a menu online (we check all the menus online now before we go anywhere, since some are easier to fit with the diet than others!) and it looked like there would be at least some dishes which would work ok with the diet.

Is anyone else finding the diet restrictive?

Sorry to hear that you're stressing out. Life with sick kids does it to me too. My daughter had a bad sinus infection in December just before we were meant to fly out to America and the stress + candida combo is a bad one.

I don't know if it would help, but if you can try to let a few things go and try to get a little extra rest (even a 15 minute "head down" period in the afternoon?) it might help. It usually helps me, and sometimes I end up locking the door and sitting in with a magazine and a cup of tea (licorice or fennel) and closing my eyes for a few minutes. It won't fix everything, but it might help a little with the stress.

Hang in there. Kisses from England XXXXX

PS I know you wrote that awhile back about the sense of taste thing, but I re-read it when i'm freaking out.

Hi Annajen,

I too find the diet very restrictive ESPECIALLY when eating out. Now I know that I am limited to salads!!! Pretty boring but they are my favourite food. I can not say that I understand your pain around Valentine's Day as I grew up with a nut allergy. Chocolate at that time was not nut free and therefore banned for me. Never developed that love affair!!!

However I did develop a love affair with chips....but seem to be able to findhealthier version with not wheat included for my binge days!! I have been doing fairly well but when your son will not let you be put down it is difficult to make anything so you can only grab what is already there!!!

I am glad to hear that your taste is starting to improve...going in the right direction is always the best route!! I too suffer from instant satisfaction and waiting out the results is too time consuming for me!!! I feel your pain there!!

I am heading back to my naturalpath on feb 26th so Ic an keep you guys informed. I think I may stay on this life style of eating for a buit longer even if it does come back in balance. I like the structure of it but think I'll let go of it for the weekends.

Keep up the fight and you'll only benefit from it!!!!

Anybody else experience trouble breathing from antifungals? I've been having a pretty rough time ever since I started taking coconut oil and grapefruit seed extract in December and it's only getting worse now that I've been prescribed an antifungal medication. Can this be die off?

Tom, yes I had/have terrible breathing problems. I call it "air hunger" more than shirt of breath though. I have done tons and tons of research on this candida. It appears as if this candida affects the thyroid functioning. Research thyroid/air hunger and candida.
I belong to a group that has been instrumental in me getting better and support.
I am going through a healing crisis now and I am very fatiqued with abdominal pain .

Try this yahoo group:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/candidasupport/

There ar eover 6000 members. Very very active group.

Hi guys!

Yes, I have also had bad problems with die off and breathing. Even before the candida was diagnosed, I noticed that if I tried to do any exercise, or if I took an iron tablet (which also increases blood oxygen temporarily if you're anemic), I would struggle for breath the next day.

I came to the conclusion it is part of die-off. I found that a few things helped though. One was Green Drinks (barley grass powder mixed with water is one) and chlorella, both of which increase your oxygen from your gut and seem to help with the breathing thing somewhat.

Candida does affect thyroid functioning, and it is REALLY hard on the whole endocrine system generally. One of my first symptoms (again, years ago before the candida was diagnosed) was subclinical hypothyroidism (low thyroid function without an obvious cause, like autoimmune hypothyroidism or some disease or something).

Abdominal pain and colitis are also really common with this, and, taken together, the whole of these symptoms are a sort of "yeast syndrome" type thing.

I am REALLY relieved, in a way, to hear that other people have had or are experiencing these same symptoms with candida treatment, since when they first happened to me, I had absolutely NO idea WHAT was going on. Sometimes at the height of the candida before treatment, the die-off from things like iron tablets or any attempt at exercise like swimming meant that the next day I was gasping for breath at points.

I was terrified for awhile there, and so while I now think "Ah . . this is all part of the candida die off" and I know what causes it (e.g. antifungals, iron tablets for anemia, exercise, increased oxygen levels etc), it is still really great to hear other people's stories.

I don't know if it helps, Tom, but now my die-off is not as bad as at first, plus if it is (for example, if I went running the previous day which I can now do!!! ) then I take a green drink or a chlorella tablet which really helps. You can try those.

Anyway, thanks, peteranac for your support! I appreciate the problems of fighting candida with a young family, since the kids when they are little can be so demanding that you barely have any time for yourself, let alone to try to focus on ideal eating.

Actually, when I'm out at restaurants, I opt for salad and usually ask them to leave off cheese or dressing and use plain olive oil instead. It's not too bad. I also usually have it with a steak or grilled salmon or some dish that isn't breaded and coated. Even if it has some meat, at least it's low carb and starch-free.

I'll let you know how the weekend goes and what I managed to eat (or avoid eating). The place has a gym and pool too, so hopefully that part will make me feel a bit better about having to give up the sweets.

All the best to everyone and keep up the good work!!!!

Well I am a week away from my retest I can not wait I am so hopeful that I am going to be in balance and my vitamin levels are increased!!!!!!!
I figured out my headache situation. It was the coffee I was drinking. So I have eliminated that. Funny because it never bothered me before. Will be sure to tell her everything.

I'll keep everyone posted. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!!

My fingers are crossed. Good luck and let us know what's going on.

So I went for my testing and she told me that I came up clean. No more Candida and my vitamin levels were higher so my guts are starting to work properly!!!!! YEAH!!!!

Not so good news, I apparently have picked up a parasite. Gardia lamas (sp???) so I have traded in my antifungals for a para cleanse. She asked me if I was tired or dizzy, nauseous to which I told her no but that I had been getting headaches lately. The more sever the headache the more tummy upset. She said it was the parasite and I needed to kill it. So I am taking PARA for that.

She said it was a good idea to follow the diet during the week and indulge over the weekend but not to stress about it anymore. Also to try to stay in tune with my body and any symptoms similar to before to eliminate everything at the onset to ensure healthy life style.

I will be checking in with everyone and routing for your successes!!!!

Wiki on Giardia lamblia