Same case with me being to alkaline seems to make my candida worst. Diet alone makes candida more tolerable but doesnt seem to eliminate it. We have to supplement with anti-fungals that weaken the cell membrane of candida to give our immune system a fighting chance to eliminate the candida. Coconut oil, undecenoic acid, certain fatty acids etc... Then once candida is down to a minimum we have to find a way to somehow repopulate our gut with good bacteria. Probiotics are not effective until the candida is down to the absolute minimum. This has been my experience and the protocol of some candida experts. When i can do some anti-fungals and have minumum to no die-off reaction is the time i will pound some probiotics and do a fecal colon implant. I already did a fecal implant and it caused a war in my colon. Still have too much candida in my colon so the implant will not be successful. Going to have to do sodium bicarbonate enemas to get the numbers down. Might have to do some other anti-fungal enemas before i can do a probiotic enema.
Quote: "Did u beat your candida?! If so, PLEASE give me all the 411 on how u did it! Did u drastically modify your diet? Are u still following a form of "candida diet?"
Or is the cure to just eat healthy (and not drastically cutting out carbs and grains) and to flood yourself with good bacteria? Did u take herbs or coconut oil?
Would u recommend Sacromyces Boulardii, too? (I cannot do kefir or yogurt bc of severe reactions to dairy. Even raw dairy causes me issues. ugh)
If you truly beat your candida and are now living a "normal" life, you ought to publish what u did...u could make millions!"
Reply:
When I contracted Candida, I identified the problems I was having almost immediately and started the treatment; however, as I went along I discovered a lot of the information that I've written about on this forum and others as I experimented with different ideas. For example, the information available in books and on websites stated that an alkalizing diet was necessary to cure Candida, and the facts I knew of seemed to make sense with this theory. However, with my personal situation it made no sense because I was sure that I had contracted Candida by eating too much fruit which would cause an alkalizing effect. So for a while I assumed that the cause was the amount of sugar in the fruit, and continued to work towards alkalizing my body making no progress towards a cure. I eventually decided to take a chance and work towards creating a more acidic environment in my body. The best way I knew to do this quickly was adding huge amounts of beneficial bacteria to my system because I knew they would produce large amounts of fatty acids along with other acids, so this seemed to be a perfect way to create an acidic environment in which to (hopefully) control the Candida. It worked, and very quickly.
Keep in mind that I identified my problem quickly, and wasted no time in going strictly on the diet, so in that respect I stopped feeding the Candida. Most people with Candida have no idea what they have, and therefore waste valuable time, sometimes years, going to various doctors hoping they'll tell them what the problem is, continually without results. Meanwhile they're continuing to feed the Candida, thus allowing the infestation to multiply and often developing several additional problems such as Leaky Gut Syndrome with various allergies, drained adrenal glands, etc. Fortunately I stopped the progress of the infestation before reaching that stage.
I've been on the diet (minus fruit until a few months ago) for about eight months; however I was on the diet for several months before I found the cure I was searching for. The diet and antifungals will never cure the infestation, but only lower the numbers of Candida as they continue to multiply creating a cycle. The reason for that is that the diet and antifungals do nothing towards changing the type of environment in which Candida thieves. That's what you have to change.
Concerning how many months it took to be completely symptom free; that's very difficult to say exactly as you'll discover eventually. One day I just realized that it had been probably several weeks since I had experienced the last mild reaction to something (don't remember what), and then later I realized I had forgotten all about the way I used to feel.
Actually the Candida diet can be a healthier way of eating than what many people were having before the Candida took hold.
You need to eat kefir and organic Greek yogurt. Eat plenty of fresh green vegetables, and depend mostly on organic eggs and occasionally fish or chicken as your protein source. Leave out all other dairy, starch, wheat, and sugar products.
Check your table salt for Dextrose (sugar). You can use pure Himalayan Sea Salt instead.
Check your toothpaste for added chemicals and sugar alcohols which can feed Candida just the same as regular sugar. The ingredients in Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste should be alright for Candida sufferers. Amazon carries this brand.
As far as what I eat now is concerned; keep in mind that I've only changed a few things from before I contracted Candida (mainly the fruit). The reason being I've been into health issues for about as long as I can remember. As I stated before, the reason that I contracted Candida was because of the huge number of fruits I ate each day which eventually led to an over alkalizing of my digestive system.
I'm basically still on the Candida diet (for the purpose of retaining good health). The foods I typically eat in a normal day are below. They may vary by count and type, but this is basically my diet:
Breakfast:
2-3 boiled eggs
2 slices of coconut bread with ghee
Avocado
8 oz of organic non-sweetened Greek yogurt blended with condensed cream of coconut
Chicory coffee & vegetable juice
Snack: Millet & Flax chips with 8 oz vegetable juice.
Lunch:
Either chicken, fresh fish or seafood (mostly shrimp, flounder, or white fish)
Two of the following; green beans, turnip greens or kale, steamed cabbage, steamed broccoli, spinach, or asparagus.
Snack: Pear, blueberries or Granny Smith apple with Greek yogurt and sometimes almonds.
Dinner:
Spinach salad tossed with field greens, peppers, tomatoes and chopped boiled eggs.
Either (2) black bean patties or some type of cooked dried beans.
Coconut bread
Yogurt with avocado
Snack: Coconut bread or millet and flax chips with vegetable juice
As a maintenance program, I still take 2 teaspoons of coconut oil after meals and an 80-billion count probiotic daily, oregano oil, Grape Bitters and the same various vitamins I've always taken. I also drink 6 to 8 bottles of water a day depending on my activity level.
As you can see by what I eat, I still obtain very few carbohydrates compared to most people. But the human body can adapt to a no or low-carb diet in a few weeks if no other factors are present (such as Candida). After adding the high doses of antifungals and probiotics, my body had completely adapted to the no-carb diet, and I literally didn’t need the carbs any longer. Of course, I was reducing the infestation by huge numbers the entire time with the antifungals and probiotics, taking a chance on strong die-off symptoms, which I don’t advise anyone else to attempt. I’m still basically carb-free today with no fatigue, hunger, or weakness of any type (gym workout and tennis 3 to 4 times a week).
People believe that the carb-free diet causes the fatigue and weakness that they constantly feel, but one of the most common symptoms of a Candida albicans infestation is incapacitating fatigue brought on by the fact that the Candida drains us of both energy and stamina, not to mention that the body is using all the energy it can manage to take care of the body’s needs during that time.
As far as S. boulardii is concerned, I was a little pessimistic about Saccharomyces boulardii when I first heard of it, but once I saw the research studies it sounded promising. Various studies were preformed on both humans and mice. In one study five different groups of mice were injected with Candida albicans and then later given either S. boulardii or other treatments.
The group given S. boulardii resulted in the number of Candida albicans colonies formed in the gastrointestinal tract being significantly lower than groups given other treatments. The studies also indicated that S. boulardii can affect the adhesion of Candida albicans cells to the intestinal walls.
In addition to these studies, in a placebo-controlled study patients with diarrhea caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) showed a significant reduction in the number and consistency of bowel movements when treated with S. boulardii.
In yet another study, it was shown to induce the secretion of Immunoglobulin in the small intestines, providing protection against invading microbes in the gastrointestinal as well as the respiratory tracts.
Do you know exactly what S. boulardii is? It's a strain of yeast/probiotic discovered by a French scientist by isolating it in a freeze-dried form from a China-grown fruit called lychee.
Thank u so much for such a detailed response, Helmax!
I know my problem is that I am too alkaline, too. I have been tested. I even take HCl with my meals, but I'm still alkaline. Ugh. My dysbyosis is a wreck after being on vacomycin IVPB for a MRSA infection in 2005...but I had symptoms before that (from being vegan???).
Your diet looks pretty awesome. What is coconut bread? Is this something u make yourself? Could u provide the recipe? Do u have a recipe for the bean patties?
For the "active" candida-diet phase (as opposed to the maintenance phase u are on), how would one tweak a diet like yours? Would I just cut out the fruit? Or also the chips and beans?
During the Active candida-diet phase, how much VCO are u consuming (you said u now do 2 teaspoons after each meal...are u also doing them after your snacks)?
I worry about the high fat content. Being a former athlete who was trying to work towards a bodybuilding/figure competition before I got sick, I've been conditioned to eat low-fat and high protein (generally, a 40/30/30 diet). At the risk of sounding superficial, will suddenly increasing my fats and dropping my carbs result in "softness" and/or an undesirable body composition? I am underweight, but I don't want to gain "soft" weight...I want to regain my muscle. (I'm a female, by the way).
In terms of nut butters, are raw or roasted nut butters better? I know that usually raw is better due to the effect that heat has on plant oils, but with our propensities to develop fungal/mold issues, would roasted be preferred, since the roasting process hopefully destroys the mold?
Do u also think rotating antifungals is a good idea?
“What is coconut bread? Is this something u make yourself? Could u provide the recipe?”
Ingredients:
9 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup + 3 oz coconut flour
Method:
Preheat your oven to 350.
Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.
Then mix the oil and eggs together. Slowly blend this mixture into the flour. Once it is thoroughly mixed together, you can knead the dough with your hands getting the lumps out and forming into the shape of a loaf pan.
Use a glass loaf pan and grease the pan with olive oil and place batter in.
Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until golden brown on top. Test with toothpaste for doneness.
This bread is a great addition to a diet containing lots of eggs. Who wants to eat plain eggs without some type of bread? You can even make egg salad to go with it by using organic apple cider vinegar mustard (sold online) and leaving out the mayonnaise.
“Do u have a recipe for the bean patties?”
Reply: I’m afraid not, but I’m sure they are all over the internet. I work in a large building with its own cafeteria which serves these several times a week for the benefit of the many vegetarians who work in the building.
“For the "active" candida-diet phase (as opposed to the maintenance phase u are on), how would one tweak a diet like yours? Would I just cut out the fruit? Or also the chips and beans?”
Reply: Leave out the fruit, the beans, the chips, and the almonds for the time being.
“During the Active candida-diet phase, how much VCO are u consuming (you said u now do 2 teaspoons after each meal...are u also doing them after your snacks)?”
Reply: I was taking 16 teaspoons a day. No, I don’t take it after snacks now. Just three times a day.
“I worry about the high fat content. Being a former athlete who was trying to work towards a bodybuilding/figure competition before I got sick, I've been conditioned to eat low-fat and high protein (generally, a 40/30/30 diet). At the risk of sounding superficial, will suddenly increasing my fats and dropping my carbs result in "softness" and/or an undesirable body composition? I am underweight, but I don't want to gain "soft" weight...I want to regain my muscle. (I'm a female, by the way).”
Reply: Physical activity is what prevents the ‘softness’ weight gain, regardless of what you’re eating, it all depends on how many calories you're using compared withe how many you're taking in. At least that's what I've found with my own eating habits.
“In terms of nut butters, are raw or roasted nut butters better? I know that usually raw is better due to the effect that heat has on plant oils, but with our propensities to develop fungal/mold issues, would roasted be preferred, since the roasting process hopefully destroys the mold?”
Reply: I never ate nut butters on the diet, and I wouldn’t recommend any type on the diet. Only now have I added a few almonds occasionally.
“Do u also think rotating antifungals is a good idea?”
Reply: I didn’t rotate the antifungals. If you’re using the ‘good’ ones which the Candida can’t adapt to them, then you won’t need to rotate. I’m talking about coconut oil, oil of oregano, and garlic, which I forgot to mention that I cooked with an awful lot.
The Probiotic:
I also took Ultimate Flora Critical Colon BifidoMAX 80 Billion 14-Strain Probiotic; taking one capsule a day for about two weeks, then moving up to two capsules, one morning and one at night on an empty stomach works well. I ate kefir and organic non-sweetened Greek yogurt for the bacteria which the probiotic could not supply.
I didn’t mention that I ate rutabagas at least once a week on the diet, and still do occasionally. The first time I ate a rutabaga, which is a natural destroyer of fungus, I experienced the worst die-off experience of my entire treatment. So be careful if you eat this and start with only a few bites.
You asked what I thought about protein powders. I didn’t take these either as I ate a LOT of organic eggs for my protein source. Just be sure to read the ingredients very carefully.
If you do all of this, you'll probably experience more die-off symptoms, and there are products which I used that greatly reduced the symptoms of die-off. Candidate from Native Remedies and Molybdenum are the two products.
Start taking the Molybdenum for 2 or 3 days prior to starting the treatment I described. You can take the Candidate, which is in a liquid form, any time as an 'instant' cure when you think the die-off symptoms may be starting, when you feel fatigued, or experience brain-fog or sickness. Of course the Molybdenum does this as well.
Go by the instructions on the Candidate bottle, and you can take the Molybdenum up to three times a day, 250 mcg per dose. The pill form is better.
Helmax, u ROCK! U ought to set up your own practice and/or write a book...u could help a TON of people!
I thought ACV was to be avoided when dealing with candida? The egg salad sandwich on coconut bread sounds good, tho!
I can't remember if I asked this, but how long do I stay on the Active Diet phase before moving to Maintenance?
I'm reading a lot about Coconut oil and it sounds like it speeds UP the metabolism. People who dont change their diet tend to lose wt by adding it. Interesting. Sounds too good to be true!
Last time I did VCO, I reacted badly. I hope that was a die-off and not a reaction.
How do Candidate from Native Remedies and Molybdenum help with die-off?
Sucks about the nut butters. I mix my rice protein powder into my almond butter with a smidge of water for a fudge-like spread for my rice cakes (or just to spoon into my mouth...it's really good).
What's your opinion on coconut Butter? (If I asked this, I'm sorry...I have so many questions running thru my head that I can't recall what I asked, lol). I like that it has 5g of fiber and a bit of protein. I also like that it is more of a "whole" food than the oil. Is this good to use?
I just got back from my chiro... man, I feel like I knew more than him. it was very frustrating and IDK if my new TX Plan is good... here is the new plan:
-continue with MMS and get to 15 drops BID and stay there for about a week, then lower
-Add in Silver 1 tsp BID(He had be buy "SmartSilver from DesBio http://www.desbio.com/database.html?id=SIL01&s=Smart%20Silver).
It is not colloidal silver, but purified silver, 10ppm). Is this a good product or should I get a Colloidal Silver (which brand)???
-New liquid multivitamin (this one looks awesome!)
-Coconut Oil 2TBs per day
He knew nothing about the diet and I had to explain it to him. He felt that diet didn't really have that much of an impact, especially since I already eat pretty low carb. He said my case is difficult due to all the food and GI issues I have (gastroparesis, GERD, food intolerance, constipation, etc). He felt that brown rice (whole grain, not processed foods like my rice tortillas I eat) are beneficial for the B vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients. Plus, it gives variety to my meals. He said I can have 1/2c of brown rice and 1-2 organic brown rice cakes. That is less than 60g carbs, so that's considered very low carb. I remember when I totally cut out grains before and it was hell. I got very depressed b/c it decreased my serotonin. Plus, grains are ACIDIC, and because I am ALKALINE, the grains will help me lower my pH. Plus, rice has nearly NO sugar...veggies have more sugar than whole brown rice. I'll limit my intake AND I'll cut out the rice tortillas.
He said the rice protein powder was fine, but to maybe limit the nut butter due to mucus.
We muscle tested Green Valley lactose-free dairy yogurt and Okio's plain Greek yogurt. To my surprise, they both tested strongly (even though I have reacted BADLY to dairy in the past). SHould I chance it? I don't see how yogurt is better than brown rice....the yogurt has WAY more sugars, no fiber, and the amount of probiotics in it is nothing compared to my capsules. WOuld this be more harm than good?
I felt like I had to explain a LOT to him. it was frustrating. He is a very nice man, and the only doc I've been to who is empathetic and will talk TO me and not DOWN to me. However, I don't think metals and candida are his specialty.
As for the metals, he doesn't feel EDTA-IV is a good idea anymore and thinks I should do DMSA orally. I asked about adding ALA to it (since the protocol is usually DMSA and ALA), and he said "sure, I guess u could add that." LOL. Ugh. Is DMSA + ALA a good metal protocol?
Think this is better than colloidal? I'm new to silver, so I have no idea...
Here is a quote from the website:
"Smart Silver is an engineered nanoparticle, not a colloidal silver. It is manufactured using 10,000 volts of current, energizing the entire waterbase, enabling Smart Silver to work as a catalyst to kill bacteria as it draws energy from its environment and emits energy at wavelengths that are measured at 890 to 910 terahertz. This is the same frequency at which germicidal ultraviolet light resonates and is deadly to bacteria. Therefore, Smart Silver, due to the patented revolutionary process of its manufacture, does not deal with bacteria on merely a chemical level, as do colloidal silvers, but also works on a measurable energetic level.
Work completed thus far indicates that Smart Silver is distinguishable from every other silver product tested. The work was headed by the leading materials Science laboratory in the world at Pennsylvania State University and was personally led by Professor Rustum Roy, who is regarded as one of the top materials scientists in the world. Also under the direction of Professor Roy, testing was performed by distinguished scientists at Arizona State University (and other locations). They determined that Smart Silver is much more effective as an antimicrobial at very low concentrations of silver when compared to other products, some of which contain many times greater silver concentrations."
Interesting post. Glad you got the bull by the horns. When I had the problem, I had eaten high carb diet for years, but felt in balance due to the animal proteins I ate. It's when I went vegan for 8 months that my colon pH got too high and made bad bacteria thrive.
Now I need to find out how to correct that. I'm making my own yogurt and sauerkraut and eating the animal proteins I need to correct the bowel pH.
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