So.
You guys have obviously been introduced to the talented, Annie Lawless ( co-founder of Suja Juice ), many times on my blog before…& welp, it’s because I absolutely adore her.
I literally can’t say enough nice things about Annie. She’s become the sweetest, most supportive friend…ever.
Not only is she an amaze friend, she’s sooooo ( like, soooo, sooo ) knowledgeable when it comes to food and wellness. Be sure to check out her mediation tips and food diary.
And when Annie came to Blog-Doo ( a blog design/consulting company TSC co-founded with Erica from Fashionlush ) to build her a blog, BLAWNDE, I was F-ing ecastic ( & flattered!!! ).
Anyway, today she reviewed Blog-Doo’s services so I figured it was the PERFECT time to talk to her about what’s been on MY mind:
CANDIDA.
Ya ready?
Here we go:
Hi Skinnies!
I’m super excited to be visiting TSC today because we’re talking about Candida which is a topic I am pretty passionate about because many people I encounter have a Candida issue and don’t know enough about it! So, WTF is candida? In short, Candida is a yeast, or fungus. Sounds nasty, but we all have it and it has beneficial role in digestion when balanced properly by the good flora in the intestines. The problem occurs when Candida outnumbers the friendly bacteria and becomes overgrown, causing all sorts of bugger symptoms like yeast infections, brain fog, fatigue, skin rashes, autoimmune disorders, depression, and anxiety. Even scarier, it’s estimated that 80% of Americans have some kind of Candida overgrowth! Ahhhh!
Ok, don’t freak out. The cause of Candida is pretty simple and there is a lot you can do to prevent and get rid of it. Sugar is the main culprit in candida overgrowth because it is a bacteria that feeds on sugar. When you eat too much sugar, the candida thrive and multiply. You may be thinking, “I have the symptoms of Candida, but I don’t eat many sweets?” Interestingly, Candida feeds off any form of sugar, even the healthy kind from fruits, starchy vegetables, fermented foods, and whole grains. Another culprit is antibiotic use because they kill the good bacteria in your gut allowing the candida to reign supreme.
If you think you may have candida, there are three tests you can have your doctor do to find out (blood, urine, or stool). The best way to ditch it is to follow a sugar and yeast free diet for three to six months until the Candida is starved and the good bacteria is replenished. Here’s a helpful cheat sheet of foods that are safe and foods that are scary when fighting Candida:
I know, I know. This seems like it eliminates tons of foods. I promise, it’s not that bad! Here are some delicious meal and snack ideas so you don’t feel starved while starving the yeasties:
Breakfasts:
A grapefruit drizzled with coconut oil and sprinkled with cinnamon and stevia
Eggs cooked the way you like ( scrambled, poached, sunny side up ) with salsa and guac over a bed of greens
Lunches:
Kale salad with avocado, olive oil, garlic, & apple cider vinegar
Sashimi or rice free sushi rolls
Dinners:
Bun-less turkey or grass fed beef burger with onion, avocado, tomato
Steamed or baked fish with steamed spinach or asparagus
Snacks:
An all green juice ( like this one – Suja Twelve Essentials ) & a handful of almonds
Kale chips and a handful of pumpkin seeds
Now that we’ve broken it down, I hope you guys have a better understanding about candida and how to treat it! For more information, talk to your doctor and find out if a Candida diet is right for you!
– Annie
{ Don’t forget to check out Annie’s Insta & blog, BLAWNDE }
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I used to get yeast infections when I would take antibiotics. I haven’t taken antibiotics in years so no infections. 🙂 But when I did take them, I learned to eat plenty of plain yogurt, and stay away from things that had yeast in them. interesting to read that fruits can cause it too. Thanks for the info.
To avoid yeast infections on antibiotics you can also take a Probiotic or drink Kombucha or Kefir! Maybe I’ll do a post on this? X.
Wow, she is seriously an inspiration to me! What a cutie + what a BAD ASS CHICKN running the world with her love of helping others! Thanks for sharing her! Lots of Love C
: ) she inspires me too!! xx.
LOVE this post! It is so true that diet and medications (such as antibiotics) really play a role in Candida overgrowth. I would like to point out that Candida is a yeast not a bacteria though (see below)! 😉
“Sugar is the main culprit in candida overgrowth because it is a bacteria that feeds on sugar.”
I am so glad you made a post on this! My boyfriends aunt has candida and she had to do a complete life overhaul by COMPLETELY changing her diet! She is an inspiration as I do not think I could personally live such a strict sugar-free life but she manages wonderfully. She is always making yummy sugar free treats which I eat a bit much of .. hehe
She’s so inspirational! Love all her tips. Must follow to get a killer body like hers 🙂
Thanks for the info! If you’re vegan and can’t eat beans, legumes, or especially cashews…that eliminates most foods besides greens. Sniff
How come legumes are bad for you?
Namaste
Just really have started looking into this and I found a cheap test you can do yourself to see if you have an over growth of yeast. Take a clean glass and fill with water first thing in the morning do a normal spit in the glass if you see things hanging from your spit that is live bacteria. I do a food grade hydrogen peroxide spray and drink Kefir and I can fell the difference in my mind and body. I had been to my Doctor trying to find out what was wrong. I haven’t felt this good in a Long time.
The spit test isn’t a valid test for candida. That could be positive for a lot of infections, dehydration, allergies, etc. Nuts are too high in fungus, mold, and enzyme inhibitors. Stevia probably wouldn’t work as it stimulates the Cephalic reflex and promotes inflammation. Apple cider vinegar would be too high in histamine and can contribute to inflammation as well. A candida diet should be more like an autoimmune diet to reduce levels of inflammation. Candida is related to over 125 different conditions due to the inflammation it creates – http://candidaplan.com/blog/568/120-common-candida-symptoms/
Thanks so much for posting this. I have had a bad case of Folliculitis for about a year now and I was wondering if this would help to clear up my symptoms?
Thanks!
although I find this article interesting, the food list is SO WRONG. I battled with candida for years…didnt know it….till my skin broke out in such eruptions that I could only drink water for 2 weeks or I would get another breakout. There are more things candida feed on than sugar. Nuts for instance whether they are raw and/or organic carry molds. The one I found most disturbing was apple cider vinegar. Vinegars are yeasts. Yeast is a mold…therefore, candida will THRIVE on it
Thank you all for your posts! I’ve had candida issues most of my life. Many years ago, my mother researched and learned that sugar was the culprit in a book called The Yeast Connection.
A great Dr. (John Wilson of The Great Smokies Medical Ctr.) in Asheville, NC turned my life around and gave me a new understanding of yeast, as well as, being responsible for my health. [Check out the numerous posts on the GSMC website.] Immediately I began a regimen of dietary changes and also probiotics. The first probiotic that I took (1993) was FOS (FructoOglio Saccarides) in powder form. I don’t recall the actual brand. The die-off that I experienced was challenging (3 weeks of itching and misery), but I remained steadfast in the prescribed diet. Later I used a probiotic by DaVinci; now I take a combination of probiotics by Xymogen and also Apex Energetics). I have been starch free for years, absolutely no fast foods; same with sugar, but I still have to be extremely vigilant with food. Even with high dollar probiotics, these still need to be rotated for different strands of friendly bacteria when no longer effective.
Someone mentioned Kombucha. I absolutely LOVE kombucha, but I absolutely can’t have it–too much sugar and fermentation.
I’ve consumed grass fed bone marrow beef broth for a year now (for leaky gut) and have done well until recently (but then I needed a break from the bone marrow broth). I eat non-starchy vegetables and drink lots of alkaline water with added trace minerals (nothing else except for an occasional cup of medicinal herbal tea). I was told many years ago that Pau d’ arco tea is also good for yeast (I don’t love the taste, but that’s a minor complaint). Pau’ d’arco won’t cure the issue, but I’m sure it helps stave off the yeast once you have your diet under control.
Also there is a product by NutriBiotics called GrapeFruit seed extract. My Dr. recommended that I put about 15+ drops in 8 oz. of water and drink. He also had me cleaning my bathroom with the same solution–then interjected that it would be a great day when we could drink our cleaning supplies.
I also drink Sun Chlorella algae powder mixed in water (great for leaky gut and many other maladies regarding absorption).
My diet is extremely limited (already tall and slim, but lost 30 lbs.; have gained back 15-ish). So if you have yeast overgrowth, address it right away. Save your health.
Thanks to everyone for contributing information on this topic.
If I had only known the downside of sugar when I was a teen, my life would have been different.
OK…please continue the conversations. Your comments will help someone.
Do you have any idea why I have such tingling in my head,and face. The first few weeks on the diet my whole body was itching like crazy. I KNOW what goes on in the gut effects the brain,is this die off? Or more yeast? With this comes anxiety! I AM following the diet closely, i,very been eating berries in smoothies,and a little veganaise on chicken and fish!
Very good the post helped me a lot
Hi,am so great when reading your comments.guess what guys am in Africa kenya and it happend that i feel sick,lost ma breath was in oxygen then with lots of test.mind me all that didnt work when i was in alots of Antibiotics.After sometimes i felt better but the headeach was not going aways.used oil in ma head try to rub,but still nothing,was felling dizzy,sleepy,weak,itchy,then i told ma Dr pls check ma stool may b i have Amoeba.then After the result come he told me u have stool yeast infection which i went ahhhhhhhh,what is that.so he explain alot that was confusing.i come home opened ma computer and started searching.i searched and searched that i was just restless with ma body.but God made me open ur page and am glad that am going to follow it up.with alot of ideas from the comments.am only two weeks of knowing this issue.thanks
Healthy eating brings countless benefits to health. With regard to candida, it can restrain the appearance directly influencing the immunity and maintenance of balance.
Candida is not a bacteria, it is a single celled organism in Kingdom Fungi. It is a yeast that causes fungal infections. There is little science evidence that shows that changing your diet can do anything to affect the growth of the candida organism. Eating more foods with probiotics can help promote growth of the bacteria that keeps Candida in check, but you don’t need to avoid bread and such because that’s a different kind of yeast. This diet isn’t bad for you, but it likely just makes people feel better because they are eating better foods. There is no scientific evidence that shows a direct link between eating sugar, grains, and some of the other foods on your list and a decrease in Candida populations. If you’re going to make a blog post on this, you may as well understand the topic and do scientific research on it before you give advice on it. The Mayo Clinic and Scientific American are good sources on the subject.
Love the infographic on what to eat and not eat! I suffered from chronic yeast infections for years before learning about all the natural ways to treat candida….10000% wish I would have known sooner!
Was she banging jeff when he was still married?