So between my current dealings with candida and my history of anorexia, I have alot of questions (and alot to think about).

I've been dealing with candida since March, have been following a traditional candida diet since May (with vegan modifications). Have had to eat an obscene amount of fat to keep my weight up, as it got so low that my period stopped and my hair started falling out.

On the upside, my symptoms - or should I say, symptom, as the red flag for me was a three month period of chronic vaginal yeast infections - are starting to recede. I was actually symptom free, while sticking to the diet, about three months in. After a setback a few months ago, triggered by increasing the amount of grain/pseudo-grain in my diet, I recovered from the full-blown infection quickly. However, I had become more sensitive to carbohydrates and have been dealing with the chronic pain/itching again since (though it is slowly starting to fade).

In the meantime, I've been reading more about raw foods and other alternative approaches to healing myself.

So far, there are several sources that claim to cease candida overgrowth:

- the traditional cooked low-carb, high fat
- Gabriel Cousen's Rainbow Green diet, which is raw low-carb, high fat
- Jinjee Talifero on her interpretation of the raw diet (fresh foods only)
- the 80/10/10 high-carb, low-fat raw diet
- Victoria Boutenko's high-carb, low-fat approach with an emphasis on (blended) greens


I have no idea which is "right", or at least right for me. Although I certainly DON'T look forward to any consequential flare-ups, what concerns me most is my history of anorexia. While I hope to follow a mostly-raw diet after this is resolved, I do NOT, under any circumstances, want to go to extremes.

Perfectionism is not my friend. I never want to experience guilt or shame when it comes to food again, or feel deprived. Even if I choose to eat raw in my home, I want the freedom to choose to have a bit of cooked food in the winter or enjoy dinner with my friends. I don't want to worry about what oils may be in my food, fat content, etc -- I do not want food to rule my life.

My fear is that, in order to do the above without consequence, I will have to follow a dietary extreme long-term.

As many of you may know, candida is not the ROOT issue -- it is the effect of a greater issue, which is not the same in everyone. I have yet to identify my own with certainty, which increases my anxiety, though I will note that I tend to stress easily. This is another aspect I am working on.



Though I am open to (and appreciate) all comments, my specific questions, to those relevant are:

- How did you treat your own candida infection?
- What were your symptoms?
- How long did it take to resolve your symptoms?
- How are you certain that you had candida?
- Were you able reintroduce "forbidden foods" after healing?
- Which cooked foods could you tolerate, if any, while healing?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2014 08:56PM by Manta91.

Never had candida but I can try and help you get through it.

Probiotics, chlorella, systemic enzymes, extra-virgin coconut oil, garlic, oregano oil, curcumin, pau d'arco, 10-undecenoic Acid, apple cider vinegar and olive leaf extract should help out a lot. Chlorella will help multiply healthy gut flora as well as cleansing the intestines. Maybe limit fruit consumption to 1-2 cups per day and eat more sprouted nuts/seeds, green salads, green juices, and algae's. I would go 2-3 days without any fruit at all eating the aforementioned foods and then see add some fruit and see how you feel. If you notice a regression after adding fruit it might be a good idea to cut it out completely until healed.

A delicious sprout salad with broccoli sprouts, kale sprouts, garlic, kalamata olives and red bell peppers with an extra-virgin olive oil/apple cider vinegar dressing and some curcumin/cayenne/oregano mixed in would not only be delicious but beneficial for candida. Honey can also help fight candida.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2014 09:29PM by jtprindl.

Manta91 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
This happened to me a long time before I ever heard of the raw vegan diet I'm on now so I went more with the vegetarian protocols which were used then, in alternative medicine, in the 1980's. With that in mind I found pau d'arco and apple cider vinegar worthless. The things that worked best for me were lots of raw garlic, almost no grains, no meat or dairy, the 4 day rotation diet, probiotics, and powdered Nystatin.

It took a few years to get better and I was able to add only rice back to my diet after 7 year. Candida wouldn't stand a chance with the raw vegan diet I'm on now which includes many more fungus killers, like those mentioned above, in it.

You may also benefit from ginger and/or ginger essential oil, which possesses significant anti-candida properties, and medicinal mushrooms to boost the immune system. You may have heard that mushrooms are bad for candida but there is no need to worry. Medicinal mushrooms are some of the most potent immune-boosting foods on the planet and can help give your immune system even more tools to fight off candida.

I don't think you need to go to "extremes" - but you may need to redefine your definition of "extreme" wish you much luck.

M91, Sorry to hear about your troubles. I had similar issues. It was Candida that led me to raw veganism and then when my hair started breaking off when I moved my head, I realized I couldn't do 100% raw vegan with no supplementation.

I put back some vegan cooked food and added vitamins and minerals. When I did that, my hair stopped breaking off. The Candida didn't completely go away until I cut out all gluten. I found out that I had Celiac Disease and this was why I wasn't absorbing nutrients and had other health issues, too. Another reason 100% raw vegan didn't work for me was because I have TMJ so all that chewing was very painful to my jaw.

I tried the 80/10/10. That was totally insufficient for my dietary needs. My skin was so scaly and papery because I wasn't getting enough natural fat in my diet.

The period does go away with veganism but it's not due to a poor diet (hair falling out). The period goes away and is replaced by a mucus cycle. Read "The Mucusless Diet Healing System" by Dr Arnold Ehret. My periods are still ongoing because I have not stopped eating gluten long enough to show any results. I've only been gluten-free for about 1 year. Also, sometimes, I accidentally get into gluten because I didn't read the fine print: Processed in a factory that processed wheat/gluten. Soy is also another thing that upsets my periods. I avoid that, too.

In my experience, the diet has to be customized based on how your body reacts to what you are eating. When I first came on this forum, no one mentioned Celiac Disease and it was never in my wildest imagination that I might have it and that was why my hair was falling out and thinning. Very few people have Celiac Disease so it's not a problem for most people. Wheat grass is big in the raw vegan community but when I juiced it and drank it, I almost climbed out of my skin. I didn't realize that the severe reaction was an indicator that I should avoid wheat in any form.

I suggest that you supplement whatever nutrients you're not eating on a daily basis. I use Nutritional Yeast to supplement B Complex. I eat seaweed for the Iodine. I take Iron as I tend towards anemia. I once in awhile take a multi-vitamin suitable for vegans.

Hope that helps. Therese

I've been a vegan over 13 years and have had my menstrual cycle that whole time. I have many vegan friends with menstrual cycles. The period does not go away with veganism.

candida - lots of garlic

other prescription - relax

I recently had vaginal candida and I didn't stop eating fruits. I had a 100% low fat raw vegan diet, about 50% fruits - 50% veggies, no overt fats. I took no medication. I used shea butter locally, then raw unrefined organic virgin coconut oil, also locally, and it did wonders.

Btw...my period is great, it still comes heavy and it lasts about 5 days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raw vegan for life. Vegan for the animals. Raw for my health.

A bit late of a response here and a couple Q's as well (and of course, several thank yous for sharing your experiences and your advice):


What is the difference between systemic and digestive enzymes, and where can I obtain them?

As to medicinal mushrooms, what would you recommend?


Looking back at my original post, I may have caused some confusion by stressing that I don't want to go extremes. I have no problem adhering to a medical diet short-term, as I have already been following a traditional candida diet -- what I fear is diet ruling my life in the long-term.

That said, I've been considering giving Victoria Boutenko's approach a try and seeing if it will help. I'd rather have a regression at 3 months into healing than 6 months, by chance it doesn't take, and while I can't deny the appeal of eating so many fruits again (pineapple! bananas!) what I've read so far from her seems like it may genuinely be worth taking my chances.

As candida isn't the root issue here, it would make sense to try and balance my system through good nutrition rather than subdue the symptoms through an imbalanced diet. I'm just not sure how to gradually add back fats (or how much) and if I can still include some cooked foods as well, or should stick to a green smoothie fast for a period of time. (To note, by "cooked foods" I mean steamed vegetables and perhaps cooked millet. A little warmth would be nice during the chilly New England winter!) I'm going to discuss everything with my RD tomorrow.

One more question: If I do go the green smoothie route, will supplementing still be necessary? What about continuing anti-fungals (prescription or otherwise)?


Right now I'm doing the grapefruit seed extract and pau d'Arco tea and am also on a cycle of nystatin and fluconozole. I'm also trying to eat more cayenne and garlic, though sometimes I find myself turned off by the garlic (which is funny, as I never disliked it pre-diet).

As to supplements, I take daily probiotics and B12 daily, plus vitamin C for immunity. I also occasionally add maca to smoothies. I was considering adding zeolite or chlorella to my diet as well, having gone through chemo as a child and years of SAD. My filling fell out with my baby teeth, and I've also heard some talk of mercury being an issue with candida as well (though have honestly yet to look into the details). Have also heard alot positive of talk about Jameth Sheridan's Vitamineral Green, though again, not sure if any of the above is necessary if I'm really adamant about getting my greens.


Thanks again!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2014 11:32PM by Manta91.

"What is the difference between systemic and digestive enzymes, and where can I obtain them?"

Digestive enzymes are enzymes that primarily aid in digestion whereas systemic enzymes aid in bodily functions throughout the body, including powerful anti-inflammatory effects, boosting immunity and breaking down foreign material in the blood. I would go with systemic enzymes and large doses of probiotics. For optimal benefit, systemic enzymes should be taken with water on an empty stomach.

For systemic enzymes, [puradyme.com].

"As to medicinal mushrooms, what would you recommend?"

Chaga and reishi.

[www.longevitywarehouse.com]

[www.longevitywarehouse.com]


Medicinal mushrooms, systemic enzymes, probiotics, lots of garlic, and following a similar diet to what I previously mentioned should give you very positive results. Take both the systemic enzymes and probiotics on an empty stomach. You could also make coconut water kefir for much higher doses of probiotics.

jtprindl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "What is the difference between systemic and
> digestive enzymes, and where can I obtain them?"
>
> Digestive enzymes are enzymes that primarily aid
> in digestion whereas systemic enzymes aid in
> bodily functions throughout the body, including
> powerful anti-inflammatory effects, boosting
> immunity and breaking down foreign material in the
> blood. I would go with systemic enzymes and large
> doses of probiotics. For optimal benefit, systemic
> enzymes should be taken with water on an empty
> stomach.
>
> For systemic enzymes,
> [puradyme.com].
>
> "As to medicinal mushrooms, what would you
> recommend?"
>
> Chaga and reishi.
>
> [www.longevitywarehouse.com]
> s-wildcrafted-siberian-chaga-extract-powder-100-g
>
> [www.longevitywarehouse.com]
> s-organic-raw-reishi-powder-250g
>
>
> Medicinal mushrooms, systemic enzymes, probiotics,
> lots of garlic, and following a similar diet to
> what I previously mentioned should give you very
> positive results. Take both the systemic enzymes
> and probiotics on an empty stomach. You could also
> make coconut water kefir for much higher doses of
> probiotics.

Awesome, thank you.

"What about continuing anti-fungals (prescription or otherwise)?"

If they destroy healthy gut bacteria, harm any organs, or have any other side effects that lower your quality of life, I would say ditch them. Chances are they are inferior to natural anti-fungals anyways. Maybe try and find a Naturopathic doctor instead of an RD as well?

[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov] - "Allicin-treated cells exhibited significant reduction in biofilm growth (p<0.05) compared to fluconazole-treated and also growth control cells"



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2014 11:55PM by jtprindl.

While an ND would be ideal, I'm not sure that I can afford one. I'm living off SSI right now so money is tight, though my family has told me they'll consider lending me money, if necessary (I just don't think they realize how expensive seeing an ND can be).

SueZ, would you mind describing your current diet?

Manta91 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SueZ, would you mind describing your current diet?

High fat low carb raw vegan. Tavis Bradley's Conductivity Diet with less fruit.

I had candida. 12 prescriptions for antibiotics in one year. I know exactly what it is. I read about it in the book SICK AND TIRED. I do not like talking about it. It was a very dark time in my life.

Candida made me into a monster. I smelled funny. My skin was a wasteland and so were my body parts. I was a homeless Marilyn Monroe ghost in the toilet of a library bathroom, wondering how I got there. my heart pumped sewage and my flesh was a bed of worms. When I bathed myself I smelled ammonia. I was on the one bagel a day diet, maybe chicken wings from dominos and lots of red wine. Ramen noodles and just garbage. And pills of all sorts. Birth control. Fungus- rot-death and filth. That is what candida overgrowth is. I was so mad when I learned about candida. That was the last time I ever saw a doctor. I no longer trusted them. I cannot believe none ever told me, hey it is candida. I had to find it out on the internet. Once I knew. I was fixed in two weeks of symptoms I had for years. It was the raw food diet that cured me. Within two weeks I had symptoms that plagued me for years. hundreds of dollars in cash to all sorts of doctors. Noone said, hey its candida. They told me I may have to remove my bladder. Liars! 12 prescriptions in one year and none thought that was excessive. I was just a paycheck to these doctors. My insurance was all they cared for.

I had it bad. It is horrible and insidious and you cannot run away from it, its within you, its in your blood. Little funguses. Colonies. Its literally under your skin, in your thoughts. You cannot choose right from wrong. Everything is rotten. Death is the only way out, etc...thats what it is like having candida.







Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2014 06:23AM by coconutcream.