Do you suffer from regular fungal infections in the nails and skin? Are occurrences of hives, rashes and psoriasis quite common to you? If so, it is quite possible that you have an overgrowth of Candida.

If you do not know what we are talking about, here is all that you need to know about Candida and how to keep it at bay!

Candida – An Overview:

Candida is a type of yeast that resides in your mouth and gut. You might be knowing that these micro-organisms help with digestion and metabolism in your body. However, if there is an overproduction of Candida, it can break down the intestinal wall and release its toxins into the bloodstream. This causes rashes, and affects your digestive system as well. The Candida diet is a specific diet that helps in bringing the Candida population back in control.

Why Follow The Candida Diet:

Your diet could be one of the biggest factors fuelling an imbalance to Candida production. Eating too much of processed foods and refined foods that are high in sugar content can uncontrollably increase the Candida population.

Starchy vegetables like potatoes and tubers, complex carbohydrates like pastas, breads and pastries are also responsible for Candida overgrowth.

Candida not only causes skin problems, but sometimes also mimics the symptoms of other diseases. As a result, it is difficult to assess or distinguish symptoms of Candida overgrowth from fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome or even depression.

Also, with our increasing reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics, Candidiasis often becomes exaggerated. The antibiotic kills bacteria – both good and bad – and in the relatively depleted microbial colony, Candida population increases exponentially.

Foods To Eat:

Non-starchy vegetables are good for you because they deprive Candida of sugar. You can also eat yogurt as it contains lots of good bacteria that can repopulate the intestinal flora. These bacteria encroach upon Candida and kill them by hoarding nutrients. Eat fresh organic meat and eggs. Grains that contain lots of fiber like quinoa, buckwheat and millet are good for eliminating Candida toxins from your body. Antifungal and antioxidant-rich herbs like black pepper, cinnamon and basil are good for fighting Candida. Herbal beverages like peppermint tea, ginger tea and cinnamon tea have antifungal benefits.

Foods To Avoid:

The first and foremost food group on this list is anything with sugar – this includes sugar (artificial sweeteners too) itself and honey, syrups, chocolate and so on. Any condiment high in sugar (like ketchup, mayo, mustard or relish) or soft drinks are off the table too. Check food labels to ensure you are not consuming any hidden sugar. Any sort of alcohol is bad for Candida because of the carbohydrates present in it. Highly glutinous grains like wheat, rye, barley, and oats should not be in the diet as well. Almost all fruits are banned from this diet because of their high natural sugar content.

You can add a dash of lime to your food, though. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, beets, parsnips tend to increase the activity of Candida. Processed meats contain dextrose and sugars, which is why they should be avoided while taking this diet. Foods containing additives and preservatives tend to suppress good bacteria in the gut, and the Candida utilizes this opening. So, avoid these at any cost. Sugary beverages are off the table too. Mushrooms and some nuts like cashews, peanuts contain mold, which can cause inflammation if you are already suffering from Candida.

A Few Recipes:

Here are some recipes you can follow during your Candida diet.

For Breakfast:

1. Muffins:

1. Mix 3 eggs with 2 tablespoons of cold pressed coconut oil with ¼ cup of Stevia.
2. To that add ¼ cup millet flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder and 3 tablespoons of unsweetened, dried coconut.
3. Mix them well and bake in a muffin tin at 400F for 20 minutes.

2. Green Smoothie:

1. Chuck spinach, kale, egg protein powder, cinnamon with crushed ice and add to a blender.
2. Blend well to get a green smoothie.

For Lunch And Dinner:

1. Chicken And Cabbage Soup:

1. Sauté some garlic and ginger in a pan.
2. To that, add homemade chicken broth.
3. As it comes to a boil, add cabbage strips, diced chicken and onions and tomatoes.
4. Cook until everything is tender and serve warm.

2. Spicy Lime Chicken:

1. Mix salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme and parsley and coat strips of chicken breast in the spice mix.
2. In a pan, lightly heat virgin olive oil and sauté the strips until cooked.
3. Serve with a dash of lime and an accompanying salad.

3. Salad:

1. Add all the leaves you love (kale, spinach, basil) and toss them with tahini salad dressing.
2. Tahini dressing can be made by blending four tablespoons of organic, raw tahini, a clove of garlic and the juice of half a lemon and salt.

If you are absolutely craving spaghetti or noodles, you can try Japanese soba noodles that contain buckwheat. Cook this and eat with herb seasoning and fresh tomatoes.

As ketchup contains added sugar, you can make tomato paste yourself to use during this diet. Simply blanch tomatoes and remove the skins. Now chop the tomatoes and blend with your favorite spices.

Snacks:

1. Hummus:

Puree boiled chickpeas and add tahini, lemon juice, cumin powder and garlic paste to get a smooth hummus. Eat it with celery sticks or bell peppers.

2. Guacamole:

2. Scoop out avocados and mash them with salt and garlic.
3. Finely dice a tomato and add to the mix.
4. Squeeze in the juice of a lime to get the perfect guacamole.
5. You can eat this with quinoa crackers.

These are some of the recipes that you can try. But, of course, there is no way you can eat the same thing for 60 days (which is usually how long a Candida diet lasts). So, the best thing to do is go online, write down the ingredients and foods you can include in this diet and come up with your own recipes. If you already have some recipes, substitute and replace certain ingredients and make it Candida diet-friendly. It is not a very restrictive diet, so go on and have fun making your own food!

How has this post helped you? Do let us know by commenting in the box below.

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by Renold Rajan via STYLECRAZE