2. Strengthen the immune system

--Eat healthy foods
--Take essential supplements
--Avoid yeast, mold and fungi

If you keep consuming wrong foods, or if the damage induced by yeast overgrowth has never reversed from the previous use of drugs and antibiotics, the chances of improvement cure are pretty low. Consuming healthy foods is the most important step when it comes to controlling Candida and building up the immune system.

The “Candida Control Diet” is rich in protein and good saturated fat and oil. It is low in carbohydrates, and does not contain any sugars, grains or processed foods. You should eat fresh and natural foods, free of additives, pesticides, heavy metals, irradiation, mycotoxins, and other harming factors.

Good fats and oils are as important as protein, and they play important role when it comes to getting Candida under control. They increase the ability of the body to absorb potent nutrients from the food you eat, and provide the most powerful source of energy.

Healthy fats and oils also provide building blocks for the cell membranes and a wide range of hormones and hormone-like substances. Good fats carry essential fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and turn carotene into vitamin A, participate in the mineral absorption and many other processes. Consume these fats to provide a proper assimilation and utilization of vitamin D.

You need to consume two types of essential fatty acids – omega-3s and omega-6s. They are called “essential” because our bodies cannot produce them from other fats, and we have to get them through the food we eat. Our daily menu mostly contains an excessive amount of omega-6 fatty acids, but it is important to ensure the you get enough omega-3 rich foods, in order to offset the imbalance.

Do not consume all newfangled fats and oils (trans fats) – If you struggle with Candida, you cannot afford to jeopardize your health by eating toxic oils and fats.

You must also avoid the newfangled polyunsaturated fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils, called trans fats, like margarine, Canola oil, safflower oil, and others. These are extremely toxic, increase the need for vitamin E and other antioxidants, and also affect the immune system. Healthy people should also avoid trans fats found in margarine and shortenings added in commercial baked goods and processed delicacies.

Coconut oil is another healthy saturated fat and it is packed with potent anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, beneficial to people who struggle with Candida. It also stops Candida overgrowth. Coconut oil boosts immunity, provides essential nutrients necessary for the overall health and boosts both digestion and nutrient absorption.

Our bodies can easily digest and absorb the fat contained in coconut oil, unlike the trans fats. It does not take much for the digestive system to process this fat, and it provides an instant source of energy that promotes healing. Coconut oil is absorbed from the intestines into the portal vein and and it is later sent directly to the liver. Other fats cannot be processed without the assistance of pancreatic enzymes that break them into smaller units.

Avoid Soybean and Soy-based foods because they are packed with natural toxins or “anti-nutrients,” including dangerous enzyme inhibitors that may affect the function of the enzymes necessary for the digestion of protein.

Ordinary cooking cannot deactivate these inhibitors completely and they can cause serious gastric distress, improper protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in the amino acid (proteins) uptake.

In laboratory animals, foods packed with enzyme inhibitors enlarged the pancreas and caused other pathological conditions, improper thyroid function and other diseases, even cancer. Soybeans contain haemagglutinin, a substance that causes blood clotting and makes red blood cells clump together.

Soy is in the top foods high in pesticides, and it is 99% genetically modified. Soybeans contain phytic acid, found in the bran or hulls of all seeds. It affects the uptake of essential minerals – calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc – in the intestine. People who deal with Candida must avoid soy and all soy products in order to improve their condition.

Taking essential supplements

People who struggle with Candida should strengthen the immune system by consuming supplementing with essential yeast-free and sugar-free vitamins and minerals, including:

-Chlorella is a whole-food that is packed with a lot of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. It builds the immune system, eliminates heavy metals and other pesticides in the body, stimulates digestion, boosts energy and regulates blood sugar and blood pressure. It is necessary to take two capsules three times a day;

Yeast-free vitamin B Complex, 50 mgs. twice a day;

Vitamin C with bioflavonoids, 1,000 mgs. twice a day;

Vitamin D (with vitamin A) –  1 teaspoon per 50 lbs. of body weight per day of a high-quality cod liver oil or fish oil;

Vitamin E, rich with natural alpha tocopherol, (d-alpha tocopherol is synthetic), never from a soy source, 400 IU twice a day;

Calcium/Magnesium Citrate, enriched with “elemental amounts,” 800-1,200 mgs. of calcium and an equal ratio of magnesium.

3. Kill off Candida overgrowth

Raw garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive leaf extract and Pau d’arco are some of the most powerful anti-fungal agents that will help you control Candida overgrowth.

Garlic is high in sulphur containing compounds that provide potent anti-fungal properties. Allicin, alliin, alliinase and S-allylcysteine are the most thoroughly studied compounds.

Fresh garlic is more potent against Candida Albicans than its other forms like tablets, oils and pills. Raw garlic is a great alternative to medications for severe systemic yeast infections in patients with poor immunity. Add fresh garlic to your meals (raw and crushed), or crush and swallow a raw clove – this is the cheapest and most powerful anti-fungal treatment. Garlic boosts immunity, improves circulation, decreases high blood pressure, destroys intestinal parasites. It is also a powerful antioxidant and antibiotic.

For optimal results always buy organic garlic from trusted sources and crush it. By crushing you break the cell membranes and garlic releases its beneficial compounds. Take 4-5 average-sized cloves per day to control the Candida overgrowth. You can add the cloves to your meals or combine them with other foods. Drink 3-4 cups of garlic tea per day if you do not like eating raw garlic.

Candida does not like raw apple cider vinegar that much. Stir a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drink it before your meals. The apple cider vinegar fights off intestinal Candida overgrowth by literally killing the yeast and creating a die off reaction. Raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar creates unfriendly conditions for the yeast, and creates a good environment for beneficial gut flora.

Olive leaf extract kills invading fungi rather than just affecting its growth. This extract contains oleuropein, a phenolic compound, with strong antiviral, anti-fungal, antiprotozoal, and antibacterial properties. Follow the instructions on the product label.

Pau d’arco is the bark of a rainforest tree also known as Taheebo or Lepacho tea. It has strong anti-fungal properties, and you can take it in a capsule or a tea. Drink 3 cups of tea per day or follow the instructions on the label if you go for the capsule.

4. Plant beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract

Once the anti-fungal agents kill off the yeast overgrowth, it is important to consume great amount of probiotics. These are actually the ‘friendly’ or ‘good’ bacteria, or micro organisms, that live in the digestive tract. Destroyed yeast colonies provide more free space available for the friendly bacteria. The most numerous bacteria that live in the small intestines are species of Lactobacilli. Bifidobacteria live in the colon.

Cabbage Rejuvelac is the easiest and cheapest way to plant beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Probiotic supplements can also plant friendly bacteria in the digestive tract.

Unfortunately, you cannot just buy the first supplement and hope it will do the job. It is not that simple. The most efficient probiotic supplements contain specific strains of bacteria that have been tested and verified as effective. The specific strain is identified on the bottle as a series of letters or numbers after the name of the bacteria.

Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 and Lactobacillus GG are the most studied strains. The supplements should be at least 500 billion organisms per gram, packed in dark bottles in order to avoid deterioration by heat and light. They are always kept refrigerated, even in the store. Follow the instructions on the bottle.

5. Deal with the healing crisis

The Healing Crisis is the phase when the body is overcrowded with waste and toxic byproducts. Cells and tissues throw off the waste and transport it from the bloodstream to the organs responsible for its elimination, including the bowels, kidneys, lungs, skin, nasal passages, ears, throat, and genital organs.

These organs are then congested and irritated, followed by symptoms such as cold, boils, kidney and bladder infections, headache, open sores, diarrhea and fever.

The die-off symptoms occur as a result of the yeast that has been killed off and has released a high number of toxins into the organism. In medicine this condition is known as the Herxheimer’s reaction, or yeast die-off phenomenon. Die-off symptoms are actually flu-like symptoms and and can be very unpleasant and uncomfortable. Check these tips to alleviate the die-off symptoms:

-Take 1,000 mgs of Vitamin C (use powdered form and dissolve it in filtered water) several times a day or whenever you need it;

-Enjoy Epsom salt baths; These draw toxins out through the skin and minimize the die-off symptoms (add 500 grams of Epsom salt to your warm bath water)

Remember, you should never go to extremes when it comes to introducing changes changes to your dietary habits or lifestyle choices. This is the best advice you can get. Gradually introduce the changes, one at a time, and allow your body to adjust itself. There are three key-steps of successfully overcoming Candida: 1) stick to the Candida Control Program, 2) be patient, and 3) be persistent.

Source: www.realfarmacy.com
(Obtained permission from the content owner)

Karen Foster is a holistic nutritionist, avid blogger, with five kids and an active lifestyle that keeps her in pursuit of the healthiest path towards a life of balance. 

Other included sources:
www.mindbodygreen.com
nourishedmagazine.com.au
www.thecandidadiet.com
preventdisease.com