Your body supports a wide range of microorganisms. One of the most significant organisms in your microbiome includes yeasts like Candida. Candida is a type of fungus that is typically found in small amounts in and on the body. It grows and multiplies in moist, warm areas (think: the inside of your mouth, throat, genitals, and anus), but it is kept in check by good bacteria.
However, when there is a Candida overgrowth, it can cause skin, mouth, and vaginal infections. In fact, Candida is the most common cause of fungal infections in humans. When this happens, you need a Candida cleanse to help you restore your gut health and put the Candida under check.
WHAT IS CANDIDA OVERGROWTH?
Although Candida is a common yeast that lives in the gut and on other mucous membranes, it can cause health issues if it becomes overgrown and begins to spread beyond its normal range. This can happen when a change in your body's environment—like taking antibiotics or a diet rich in sugar—creates an imbalance that encourages Candida growth.
Good bacteria in your microbiome keep Candida in check, preventing it from becoming overgrown or spreading beyond its normal range. However, if you have a disrupted microbiome, Candida can overgrow, causing digestive problems, fatigue, inflammation of mucous membranes, and more. Factors that can disrupt your microbiome include antibiotics, sugar, stress, alcohol consumption, diabetes, chemical exposure, and a sedentary lifestyle.
TYPES AND SYMPTOMS OF CANDIDA OVERGROWTH
While there's no standard set of symptoms for Candida overgrowth, some of the more common ones include:
• White patches on the skin and tongue
• Vaginal itching and/or discharge
• Itching around the anus or a rash on the skin
• Oral thrush (white coating on the tongue)
• Sore throat
• Sugar cravings
• Digestive issues like bloating, feeling full after eating very little, gas and burping, constipation, or diarrhea
• Skin and nail fungal infections like athlete's foot or nail fungus
• Chronic fatigue or brain fog
• Recurrent vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Skin issues like eczema or psoriasis
• Depression and mood swings
• Weakened immune system
• Waking up at night and not being able to get back to sleep
• Mental fogginess or difficulty concentrating
If you're experiencing symptoms of candidiasis, you should consider trying a Candida cleanse to get rid of Candida naturally.
WHAT IS A CANDIDA CLEANSE?
A Candida cleanse is the removal of toxins and excess yeast from your body while restoring balance to your intestinal flora.
The best way to treat candidiasis and prevent recurring infections is to address the underlying cause with a natural approach, by reducing the amount of Candida in your body through dietary changes, targeted supplements, and herbs. This approach encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut while removing foods and other substances that enable Candida to continue growing.
Essentially, a natural Candida cleanse gradually kills the Candida by starving it of the bacteria it thrives on. While this can take some more time, it has its advantages in preventing you from having a Herxheimer reaction, also known as Candida die-off. When Candida dies, it releases toxins into its surroundings and into your tissues. This can cause flu-like symptoms like a slight fever, headaches, fatigue, a congested nose, and even brain fog. While these symptoms will usually diminish within a week or so, supporting your body’s detoxification pathways will help flush out those Candida toxins and prevent a die-off reaction from occurring.
This method of cleansing also helps you prevent further bowel disruption that often results from prescription anti-fungals. And that's where the Candida cleanse diet comes in.
The most effective Candida cleanse consists of three parts:
1. Dietary changes
2. Supplements
3. Herbs
DIETARY CHANGES
CANDIDA CLEANSE DIET: FOODS TO AVOID
Sugar
On the Candida cleanse diet, you should restrict your sugar intake. Sugar is not only bad for your blood sugar levels, but it can also make Candida grow faster by providing excess glucose to the gut. Cutting back on sugar will help starve the fungus.
You should also avoid eating artificial sweeteners while getting rid of Candida naturally, as they may also feed the fungus. Instead, try natural sweeteners. Some sugars are beneficial for your gut health and can even help reduce Candida overgrowth. These include:
- D-mannose: a naturally occurring sugar that can help prevent Candida from adhering to the gut and digestive tract walls. This makes the yeast slip away from the walls of the gut.
- Xylitol: a type of sugar alcohol found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Your stomach views xylitol as fiber, so it quickly gets to the lower digestive system, where it feeds healthy digestive bacteria, leading to improved gut health and better absorption.
Simple carbohydrates
Simple carbs are easily digested and converted into sugar once ingested. While following this diet plan, limit or avoid simple carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, gluten-containing grains like wheat germ, crackers, and cereal. You should also avoid legumes, soy, and beans because they can irritate the gut. You don't want to add extra stress to your gut so that the good bacteria can thrive.
Alcohol
Alcohol is considered a toxin by the body because it weakens the immune system and inhibits the absorption of important nutrients. You should avoid alcohol during any Candida cleanse as Candida can use ethanol as a quick fuel source. In addition, Candida makes toxic metabolites from alcohol that can distress the gut and disrupt the microbiome.
Dairy products
Dairy products are another food to avoid or severely limit on while on a Candida cleanse. Dairy contains lactose (the naturally occurring sugar in milk), which feeds the growth of yeast in the body. Even dairy products that are advertised as "sugar-free" should be avoided since they still contain lactose that can feed the yeast.
Apart from being a fuel source, most adults (about 75% and up to 90% in some populations) have difficulty digesting lactose. This can lead to inflammation in the gut, and Candida thrives in an inflamed environment. Furthermore, dairy can be a source of residual antibiotics (from antibiotics used on the animal), weakening your gut flora but not Candida.
Fruits
Although fruits are a valuable source of nutrients, it’s recommended to avoid most fruits, especially at the beginning of the cleanse. This is because fruits have a high sugar content that Candida can easily feed off once it gets to your gut.
CANDIDA CLEANSE DIET: FOODS TO EAT
The intent of the Candida cleanse diet is to keep your digestive system moving so that the overgrowth of Candida can be eliminated from your body. This diet also aims to eliminate as much sugar from your system as possible so that the yeast cells can no longer multiply.
You don't have to eat boring foods on a Candida diet—in fact, you can enjoy a variety of delicious foods that will help you fight off Candida overgrowth and improve your overall health. Foods that you can eat include gluten-free grains like quinoa and buckwheat, non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, cruciferous foods like broccoli and cauliflower, fruits such as apples and berries, healthy fats such as avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil, protein from lentils or fish and seafood, herbs like garlic and basil, which have anti-fungal properties, and spices like turmeric, which fight inflammation.
You should try to eat at a comfortable pace (i.e. not too fast) so that your food can digest properly without stomach and intestinal issues, which favor Candida.
Here are some of the best foods to eat while on a Candida cleanse:
Fiber
Increasing your fiber intake can help clear the yeast out of your system. Fiber binds with the yeast and toxins in your body, removing them from your body through digestion. Increasing your daily fiber intake will also help keep your digestive system moving, which will reduce constipation and bloating—two symptoms that are commonly found in Candida sufferers.
Some good sources of fiber include:
• Lentils
• Almonds
• Flax seeds
• Nuts
• Quinoa
• Whole grains
• Brown rice
• Vegetables (especially leafy greens)
Fresh, organic meat
Most meats are low in carbohydrates and high in protein and healthy fats. Choosing organic meats will ensure that your meat does not contain antibiotics or hormones. Also, make sure you cook it thoroughly by grilling, roasting, or broiling instead of frying. Some great meat options include grass-fed beef, lamb, free-range chicken, turkey, and wild-caught fish such as salmon or halibut.
Organic, non-starchy vegetables
Vegetables are one of the most important parts of a Candida diet because they're low in sugar and high in fiber. They also provide your body with important vitamins and minerals that may be missing from other foods. Garlic is one of nature's most powerful anti-fungal agents and can be used to help fight Candida infections. Other organic vegetables that you should eat include:
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Kale
• Asparagus
• Cabbage
SUPPLEMENTS
In addition to dietary alterations, a combination of supplements is recommended to help you on your journey of eliminating Candida overgrowth. Between them they will aid in eliminating Candida toxin and restore your gut flora.
Starting with an anti-fungal to help inhibit and reverse Candida overgrowth. Canxida Remove is a unique proprietary anti-fungal and anti-parasite formula that contains eleven of the most well-known natural anti-fungal and anti-parasite ingredients. It is well tolerated by even the most sensitive people and is highly effective for the inhibition and control of several strains of Candida, bacteria, and parasites in both the small and large intestines.
Adding a probiotic will help restore the balance of good bacteria in your gut and support your health while you are riding your body of excess Candida. Your immunity and health can suffer when your body is trying to fight off a gut infection such as Candida, so by adding a probiotic to your routine your body will have a better chance of eradicating the overgrowth.
HERBS
The use of good anti-fungal herbs can help you eradicate Candida and restore gut flora. This is why herbs are part of the go-to natural method of eliminating Candida overgrowth.
Herbs, such as oregano, garlic, ginger, Pau d'Arco, and neem, are excellent anti-candida herbs. Oregano oil is one of the best anti-candida herbs available, clinically proven to fight candida albicans infections. Its anti-fungal properties are largely due to its active constituent, carvacrol, which is rich in concentrated phenols that attack pathogenic fungi. Garlic is another great food while on a Candida cleanse as it contains allicin, an anti-fungal compound. Fresh ginger root or powdered ginger also has powerful anti-fungal properties. Neem leaves are another herb that can help with a candida cleanse diet plan. It helps remove toxins from the body and kill off candida albicans fungus overgrowth in the gut and intestines.
THE BENEFITS OF FOLLOWING A CANDIDA CLEANSE DIET
Following a Candida cleanse diet has reduced inflammation and improved overall health whereby removing the excess Candida from the body, but there are many other benefits associated with following this plan, including:
• Helps to combat sugar cravings and addiction
• Balances blood sugar levels
• Reduces inflammation in the gut and throughout the body
• Improves gastrointestinal health
• Improves concentration and reduces brain fog
DO YOU NEED A CANDIDA CLEANSE?
If you have some of the symptoms of Candida overgrowth, or you have diabetes, consume sugar-rich diets, are constantly stressed, consume alcohol, or have used antibiotics within the past few months, you may need a Candida cleanse. And that's where getting a reliable test kit comes in.
Our test kit helps you identify the need for an anti-candida cleanse and includes information on how to support your body through this period. If you decide to try a Candida cleanse, we recommend that you consult a medical professional about any medication you may be taking, particularly for diabetes or thyroid issues, as these medications may need to be adjusted during the cleanse.