Diet Guidelines and Instructions

Anti-Candida Dietary Guidelines

FOODS TO AVOID

Additives, preservatives, artificial colorings and flavorings: Avoid consuming chemical preservatives and additives that are tough to pronounce. These are typically found in processed foods such as canned foods, frozen foods, prepared foods, and fast foods.  

Alcohol: Alcohol is high in sugars that feed the yeast, so wine, beer, and spirits should all be avoided.

Caffeine: Caffeine gives the yeast a “boost” just as it does for you! Avoid caffeinated beverages and foods (including soda drinks, coffee, non-herbal teas, energy drinks, chocolate, etc.). Many of these products contain sugar and/or other sweeteners, which are not advisable when trying to rid the body of yeast.

Dairy: Aged cheeses are the worst culprits, although all dairy products should be avoided when trying to eliminate yeast. Avoid all margarine, milk products, and cheeses. Butter, ghee, and whey protein can be used in limited amounts (see “Foods to Eat in Moderation” for details).

Fermented and cultured foods: Avoid all fermented foods, including miso, tempeh, tamari/shoyu, sauerkraut, kimchee, coconut aminos, and Braggs Liquid Aminos. (These healthy foods can be introduced back into the diet when the gut is in a more balanced state.)

Fruits and fruit juices: Dried fruits should be completely avoided, because the sugars become more concentrated when the water content is removed. Avoid eating melons, strawberries, and grapes, which are very susceptible to molds. Canned and candied fruits are also not recommended, as they often contain added sugars, syrups, dyes, and preservatives. Avoid all fruit juices, including coconut water.

Gluten-containing foods and grains: Many people are sensitive or intolerant to gluten, without being aware of it. Consuming gluten-containing grains diverts the body’s resources from combating an overgrowth of Candida because it is busy trying to manage the gluten overload. The main gluten-containing grains are wheat, barley, and rye, although spelt, kamut, amaranth, millet, and oats also tend to contain some levels of gluten. Avoid all wheat products, white bread, bleached flour products, and white rice. 

Mushrooms: Mushrooms are a type of fungi. Candida albicans loves to feed on molds and fungi, which is why all mushroom products should be avoided during initial stages of treatment.

Non-organic animal products and eggs: These often contain steroids, pesticides, and hormones that disrupt the normal gut flora. 

Nuts: Some nuts (especially peanuts and pistachios) are high in mold content. Nuts that were cracked a long time ago (e.g., bulk food products or prepackaged nuts) are also more susceptible to developing mold, which is particularly detrimental when Candida albicans is abundant in the body. Avoid all roasted and salted nuts, and peanuts and pistachios. 

Spices and seasonings: Some spices can destroy the healthy bacteria in the gut, providing an environment for Candida to flourish. For this reason, pungent spices such as curry and hot peppers should be eliminated during initial stages of Candida treatment.

Sugars and sweets: Sugar feeds the yeast, therefore all products containing sugars (whether refined or natural sugars) should be avoided. This includes glucose, fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, etc. Avoid all refined sugar and candies.

Vinegar: Both white and apple cider vinegar should be eliminated because they are made in a yeast culture. All pickled products, commercial salad dressings, and other vinegar-containing foods should be removed from the diet.

FOODS TO EAT IN MODERATION

Dairy: Organic/grass-fed butter is okay every few days. Organic ghee can be used daily. High quality (low heat) pure whey protein is fine for those who tolerate it well.

Eggs: Limit to 2 organic or pasture-raised eggs per day. Best way for cooking is poached, hard-boiled, or soft-boiled.

Fruits: Limit fruit consumption, especially tropical fruits (mango, pineapple, papaya, etc.) which are high in natural sugars. If you continue to consume fruit, choose organic/unsprayed fruits. The best choices are green apples, pears, berries, pomegranates, avocados, lemons, and limes. You may also have apricots, cherries, guava, nectarines, papaya, peaches, plums, pineapple, and tangerines on occasion. Limit to 1 serving of fruit per day during initial treatment.

Non-gluten grains: Brown or wild rice is preferred as a substitute for wheat, rye, and barley-containing products. Quinoa and buckwheat are also good alternatives to gluten-containing breads, cereals, and pasta. Limit to 1 serving daily. If you eat gluten-free bread, limit to a maximum of 2 slices daily. Potatoes, corn, and tapioca flours are gluten-free; however, these foods are fairly starchy and should be limited or they may feed the yeast. Keep these limited to 1 serving only every few days. You may have organic sprouted corn tortillas or brown rice tortillas every few days. Also, almond flour, coconut flour, and quinoa flour are allowed as a substitute for gluten-containing grains/flours. 

Nuts and seeds: Although some nuts and seeds should be avoided because of their high mold content, these foods are generally high in protein, which starves the yeast. It is best to crack and remove the shells from the nuts and seeds just before you intend to eat them, as this helps to preserve freshness and avoid molds. Alternatively, soaking them in water or spraying them with grapefruit seed extract or veggie wash may help to minimize the mold content. Eat only nuts and seeds that are raw, soaked, and/or sprouted. Examples are almonds, pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds.

Sweets and sweeteners: Unpasteurized honey, raw coconut sugar, organic pure maple syrup, and unsulfured black-strap molasses may be used VERY OCCASIONALLY.

These vegetables should be limited to smaller portions:

• Corn
• Carrots
• Beets
• Peas
• Sweet potatoes
• Potatoes
• Yams
• Parsnips

FOODS TO EMPHASIZE

Beverages: Mineral water, herbal teas, green teas, white tea, dandelion tea, and fresh vegetable juices (from green leafy vegetables only).

Oils: High quality organic cold-pressed oils, preferably olive or coconut oil. The best oils for cooking are coconut oil or organic ghee. Flaxseed oil and olive oil are used unheated (great for salads or added to already cooked foods).

Proteins: A diet rich in lean proteins helps to starve the yeast and restrict its growth, while providing essential nutrients and a sense of fullness. Organic animal sources of protein are recommended since non-organic products contain hormones and pesticides that create an extra toxic burden to the body. Processing these toxins diverts resources from combating yeast overgrowth. Emphasize organic/pasture-raised chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, wild game, and smaller sized low-mercury–containing fish.  

Spices and seasonings: Chives, garlic, onion, parsley, laurel, marjoram, sage, thyme, savory, cumin, oregano, sea salt, kelp salt, and fresh herbs.

Sweetener: If a sweetener is desired, stevia can be used frequently. 

Vegetables: Except for those listed earlier, vegetables should be eaten abundantly. Eat a wide variety to provide a balance of nutrients. Vegetables generally starve Candida of sugar and help to remove toxic yeast byproducts from the body. Those that are especially good at inhibiting Candida include garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli, Brussel’s sprouts, and kale. Other great vegetables to include are artichoke, asparagus, cauliflower, celery, chives, eggplant, endive, green pepper, leeks, radishes, spinach, zucchini, and tomatoes. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and other roots should be eliminated during initial stages of treatment, as they tend to have high sugar content that feeds yeast.

FOOD PROPORTIONS

40% Vegetables – As a rule of thumb, the vegetables on your plate for lunch and dinner should cover about half of your plate. This can be in the form of stews, salads, and steamed or sautéed vegetables. 

40% Healthy Protein – This includes organic animal meats, fish, and eggs. If you are a vegetarian, your protein will come from beans, nuts, seeds, gluten-free grains like quinoa, plant-based protein powders (rice, pea, hempseed), and/or high quality whey protein powders if you tolerate them.

10% Carbohydrates (root vegetables, legumes, beans, grains) – A rule of thumb is no more than 3 servings per day (½ cup each serving) of these types of foods.

10% Nuts, Seeds, and Fruit – Limit fruits to 1 serving daily. Nuts/seeds should be limited to about ¼ cup daily.  

Note: Always include plenty of healthy fats such as organic coconut oil, olive oil, and organic ghee.  

Coffee Enema Instructions

Talking about coffee enemas is a sure way to make people feel uncomfortable. “You want me to put coffee where!?” is the typical response. However, once we get past the unsavory thought of putting perfectly good coffee into our rectum, we can start to realize how useful these enemas can be. Whenever I need to help patients detoxify more effectively, coffee enemas are at the top of my list. The reason coffee enemas are effective is that when we retain coffee in the rectum for 5 to 10 minutes, the coffee goes directly to the liver via the portal vein, and once there, it triggers a powerful detoxification reaction. By performing coffee enemas, we not only rinse out the contents of the large intestine, which is cleansing in and of itself, but we also increase liver detoxification. This is an excellent tool for anyone who gets negative reactions when they try to detox or clean up their gut. Coffee enemas are also essential for anyone dealing with cancer.

For the equipment needed to perform coffee enemas, the list is pretty short. You need filtered water, coffee, and an enema kit. You can find enema kits at your local pharmacy, but there are better options online. The kit we recommend to our patients can be purchased online at the following web store: http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/product/enemaequipment.aspx. This kit is nice because it is easy to clean, is made from stainless steel, and the hose is a large diameter, medical-grade silicon. Other kits will do but this is the best. You can find the Organo Gold® coffee we recommend back in appendix C.

PREPARING A COFFEE ENEMA:

• Put 1 quart of filtered water in a pan and carefully warm it up to body temperature. Water should be filtered, purified, reverse osmosis, etc. Tap water is not ideal because it contains plenty of toxins itself. Water that is warmer than your body temp will be uncomfortable and potentially seriously painful. Better to have water a little cooler than warmer than body temperature.
• Open and mix into your pan two sachets of Organo Gold Gourmet Black Ganoderma Coffee.
• (Optional) Add one tablespoon of unsulfured molasses since it helps in retaining the enemas and also increases the efficiency of detoxification.

PERFORMING A COFFEE ENEMA:

Next, carry your pan or pot and the enema kit into the bathroom and lay an old towel on the floor or bathtub. You may also want to bring a pillow and/or something to read. 

Carefully pour the coffee from the pan into the measuring cup. Put your enema container in the sink with the catheter clamped closed.

Transfer the coffee from the pot/pan into the enema container. Loosen the clamp to allow the coffee to run out to the end of the catheter tip and re-clamp the bucket when all the air has been removed from the enema tubing. 

Set the container on the counter or close the toilet lid and place it there. If you place the enema kit too high, there is excessive force of the enema and it can be very uncomfortable. I prefer putting the enema kit on the toilet seat because it causes less discomfort. Your results may vary.

Lie down on the floor/tub and gently insert the catheter. Always avoid petroleum products like KY or Vaseline, etc. If you need lubrication, either food-grade coconut, olive, or avocado oil will work fine. Gently insert the tube into the rectum a few inches and then release the clamp and let the first ½ of the quart (2 cups maximum) of the coffee flow in. 

Clamp the tubing off as soon as there is the slightest amount of discomfort or fullness. Some prefer to roll to the right side and then to the left side a couple times, staying a few minutes on each side. Then lie flat and gently massage the abdomen.

Try to retain the enema for 10 minutes. Sometimes there will be an immediate urgency to get rid of it and that is fine. It helps to clean the stool out of the colon so that the next time around you can hold more of the enema. Never force yourself to retain it if you feel that you can’t. 

After you have clamped the tubing, remove the catheter tip and void when you have to. If you can hold it 10 minutes each time, fine. After you have emptied the bowel, proceed with the remaining ½ quart and likewise hold that for 10 minutes, if able, and then void. 

The goal is to have two enemas, not exceeding ½ a quart (2 cups) each, that you are able to hold for 10 minutes each. After expelling the first enema, repeat another ½ quart enema, holding for another 10 minutes. One session consists of two ½ quart enemas, each held for 10 minutes. Your goal is to hold the enema for 10 minutes each time, but don’t get discouraged if you are unable. 5 minutes of enema retention is still better than none.

At first, you may feel slightly jittery, although most patients find the enemas relaxing. Usually, the jitteriness lessens after about the third enema. If the jitteriness continues, this means you are making the coffee too strong. If you feel “wired” or hyper, or have palpitations or irregular heartbeats after a coffee enema, you should reduce the amount of coffee, usually by half for a few days or weeks. If you never experience the feeling of a squirting out up under the right ribs, and you can hold ½ of the quart enema easily for 10 minutes, you may need a slightly stronger solution of coffee or larger volume. 

If a person is unable to get on the floor, the enema can be done in bed (with a bedpan and plenty of waterproof pads for easy clean-up). Or, it may be done as the person is semi-squatting or seated on the toilet. Merely insert the tube while seated and attempt to retain 10 minutes for two times per session as above. In this natural position of elimination, however, it is usually more difficult to retain it for 10 minutes. 

Always discontinue the enemas if there is any adverse reaction whatsoever, and discuss it with your doctor.

Low Oxalate Diet Information

To get the most up-to-date information on oxalate levels in foods, the Trying Low Oxalate Facebook group is your best bet. This group is run by Susan Owens, who is your best source for all oxalate-related research and info. Any Internet search you perform will give you some useful information. The following is an incomplete list of other websites that have useful information for those seeking to understand which foods contain high levels of oxalates:

http://www.lowoxalate.info/

How To Eat A Low Oxalate Diet

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=48

HCl Challenge

When using supplemental hydrochloric acid (HCl Support) for the first few times, please be sure to follow these directions carefully. 

Always take HCl Support immediately after the meal when your normal digestive processes have started.

Day 1: Take one HCl Support tablet at the end of each meal all day long.

Day 2: Take two tablets at the end of each meal all day long.

Day 3 – Day 7: Continue increasing by one tablet per day, at the end of each meal, until you feel warmth in your stomach, or until you reach seven tablets per meal. Do not take more than seven tablets per meal.

When you experience the warming sensation in your stomach, reduce your dosage by one tablet.

NOTE: Drink 8 ounces of water with one tablespoon of baking soda if warming is uncomfortable.

IMPORTANT: This test should not be undertaken for those with gastritis or any recent history of gastric ulceration (stomach ulcers).

SIBO Diet Information

The best resource for an appropriate SIBO diet is the FODMAP/SCD diet guide created by Dr. Allison Siebecker. Her website, http://www.siboinfo.com/, is packed with useful information. You can find a free copy of her FODMAP/SCD diet on her website in the “Diet” section under the “Treatment” tab.