Busy,Busy!

Been Busy! Sorry we haven't posted for a little while.I have been very busy with preparations for my 19 year old son John's high school graduation.Has any one else heard of  Candidia  yeast elimination diet ? I have decided just as a part of getting healthy to do this.It is a 60 day process.The goal is to remove bad bacteria from your intestine and replace it with healthy bacteria.

Candida albicans is a yeast that normally resides in the body in the digestive tract and vagina. Candida levels are kept in check by the immune system and beneficial probiotic bacteria in the body.
If probiotic bacteria are killed by antibiotics or if the immune system becomes weakened, Candida yeast may grow unchecked.
Local infections, such as oral thrush, skin infections and vaginal yeast infections in women can result.
People with severely weakened immune systems, such as those with cancer or AIDS, may develop widespread Candida infection, a serious medical condition called systemic candidiasis.
Some alternative practitioners believe that overgrowth of candida albicans yeast in the intestines is responsible for a yeast syndrome that results in symptoms such as fatigue, headache, mood swings, sinus congestion, depression, poor memory and concentration, and cravings for sweets.
The excess Candida yeast in the intestines is then thought to penetrate the intestinal wall, causing yeast and other unwanted particles to be absorbed into the body. The absorbed yeast particles are believed to activate the immune system, resulting in an allergic hypersensitivity to Candida.

Contributing Factors

• Use of oral contraceptives, steroids, antacids, anti-ulcer medications, or frequent or long-term use of antibiotics
  
• High-sugar diets
  
• Pregnancy
  
• Smoking
  
• Food allergies and intolerances
  
• Diabetes
  

  The Candida Diet

  Some alternative practitioners use diet to address Candida overgrowth. For example, Dr. Crook recommends people with Candida overgrowth follow certain diet guidelines:
• Avoid sugar. According to Dr. Crook, sugar promotes the growth of yeast. The total carbohydrate intake per day is often limited. For example, during the initial two to three weeks on the diet, the carbohydrate intake may be restricted to less than 60 grams per day, depending on age, health, activity level, and the extent of food sensitivities. Low-carbohydrate foods such as meat, chicken, turkey, shellfish, non-starchy vegetables, and certain nuts are emphasized instead. As symptoms subside, the carbohydrate total of the diet is often gradually increased.
  
  
• Avoid foods containing any type of yeast. This includes fermented foods such as bread made with yeast, cheese, tomato paste, mushrooms, and beer. Although Dr. Crook believed that people with Candida overgrowth would also be allergic to other fungi, not all practitioners believe this restriction is necessary.

The length of time on a Candida diet depends on the length of time one has had symptoms and the severity of the symptoms. The general level of health is another important factor to alternative practitioners when recommending a treatment plan.
People who do respond to the diet often report that it takes a minimum of four weeks before any improvement is noticeable. For many, it may take months. Once there is sufficient improvement in symptoms, practitioners suggest slowly reintroducing foods from the restricted list back into the diet.

Here is a sample list of foods to temporarily avoid while on a candida diet.

Sugar

Refined sugar is thought to encourage the growth of Candida yeast.
Foods containing refined sugar include: white sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, maple sugar, molasses, date sugar, turbinado, raw sugar, demerrara, amasake, rice syrup, sorghum.
Read labels carefully because there may be hidden forms of sugar. When reading the label, words to watch out for include: sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, glycogen, glucose, mannitol, sorbitol, galactose, monosaccharides, polysaccharides.

Fruit

Fruit contain natural sugars that are thought to support the growth of yeast. Fruit that are typically eliminated include fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruit and juice.

Yeast

Foods that contain yeast are typically eliminated. Yeast-containing foods include: Baker's yeast, Brewer's yeast, Engevita, Torula, and any other types of nutritional yeast.
Baked goods raised with yeast such as breads, rolls, crackers, bagels, pastries, and muffins are not permitted.

Foods Containing Gluten

Gluten-containing foods include wheat, barley, and rye. This includes products made with these ingredients such as bread and pasta.

Vinegar

Includes all types of vinegar, such as white vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, and balsamic vinegar, and any food made with vinegage, such as mayonnaise, commercial salad dressing, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, BBQ sauce, shrimp sauce, soy sauce, mustard, pickles, pickled vegetables, green olives, relishes, horseradish, mincemeat, and chili sauce.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are typically not allowed on Candida diets.

Cont'd...

This sample candida diet food list is continued on page two
Don't forget to also read the list of foods to limit (but not eliminate entirely).



A detox diet is recommended by some alternative practitioners to promote the elimination of unwanted chemicals and environmental and dietary toxins from the body for optimum health.
This is a sample list of foods to avoid on a detox diet.

Sugar

Includes sugar, products containing sugar, and hidden forms of sugar, such as sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, brown sugar, and turbinado. Artificial sweeteners are usually not recommended. Stevia and erythritol are allowed natural sweeteners.

Dairy Products

Milk, butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and other dairy products.

Wheat

Wheat and products containing wheat, such as pasta and bread.

Gluten

All gluten-containing grains: wheat (including spelt, triticale, and kamut), rye, and barley.

Sugar

Includes sugar, products containing sugar, and hidden forms of sugar, such as sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, brown sugar, and turbinado. Artificial sweeteners are usually not recommended. Stevia and erythritol are allowed natural sweeteners.

Dairy Products

Milk, butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and other dairy products.

Wheat

Wheat and products containing wheat, such as pasta and bread.

Gluten

All gluten-containing grains: wheat (including spelt, triticale, and kamut), rye, and barley.

Coffee

Although most detox diets recommend avoiding coffee, both regular and decaffeinated, one cup a day is usually acceptable and may reduce the occurrence of caffeine withdrawal headaches.

Other Foods to Avoid

• Yeast
  
• Alcohol
  
• Food additives and preservatives
  
• Chocolate
  
• High-Fat Foods
  

The Candida Immune Complex test is used by some alternative practitioners. It costs approximately $100. Labs that perform this test include Immuno Sciences, Great Smokies Diagnostic Lab, and Antibody Assay Laboratories.

Scientific Evidence

There is very little scientific evidence showing that candida yeast overgrowth is common, or that diets, herbs, and supplements can help.[/]
One clinical trial looked at the use of the antifungal drug nystatin in 116 people who were thought to have candida yeast overgrowth. After four weeks, treatment with nystatin improved symptoms compared to placebo. Some people in the study also avoided dietary sugar and yeast and reported an even greater improvement in symptoms.
Another study, involving 42 women, didn't find any benefit on symptoms with nystatin use.