Candida diet for intestinal health and overcoming mold

Candida is a type of yeast fungus that actually exists in the human body, mostly in the intestine. However, if an excess amount of this fungus will cause its own health problems. This fungal infection is called candidiasis, aka fungus.

Candidiasis most commonly affects the mouth, ears, nose, toenails, fingernails, gastrointestinal tract, and vagina. Candidiasis symptoms vary depending on the area of infection. You may have red or white skin patches that cause itching and irritation. Other signs include difficulty swallowing or pain.

What causes someone to get candida?

Anthony Salzarulo as a health practitioner in New York, quoted from Health, said that the body actually has a balance of natural yeast that functions well for health. However, as mentioned above, an overgrowth of yeast can be harmful to the body.

The causes of candida to multiply include overuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics can basically kill some good bacteria and upset the balance between bad and good bacteria.

Cynthia Sass, RD, from Health also says that a weak immune system and poor food intake, especially high sugar intake, can also cause candida to overgrow in your body. Therefore, there is a candida diet whose function is to control and normalize the microbiome bacteria in the gut.

How is the candida diet done?

Salzarulo believes that candida overgrowth in the stomach is often caused by excess sugar, wheat and dairy products. Therefore you should avoid some foods made from these ingredients in order to restore the balance of yeast in your body.

Salzarulo recommends focusing on what's allowed in the candida diet, not on limits on how much to eat.

Foods to avoid on the candida diet

1. Sugar and sweet fruits

Any food that contains sugar can worsen mold overgrowth in your intestines. Be careful to eat artificial sweeteners, because they can change the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut.

Fruit also contains fructose sugar which, if consumed in excess, can trigger fungal growth. Better, consume fruits such as lemons, strawberries, and kiwi that do not contain too much fructose.

2. Foods that contain yeast

Alcoholic drinks are also prohibited on the candida diet because they contain yeast. Alcoholic beverages such as wine are made by using yeast in the process. Other foods that contain yeast include aged cheese, vinegar, bread, baked goods, bacon, mushrooms, and leftover food that has been reheated many times.

Food must be added

1. Foods that contain probiotics

Eating more probiotics to increase the number of good bacteria in your body is one of the important points in the candida diet. In theory, these good bacteria will help suppress fungal growth in your body. You can eat yogurt or other foods such as kimchi and oncom as a source of probiotics. Another option is that you can take a probiotic supplement.

2. Green vegetables

Green vegetables do not contain too much yeast and contain vitamins and iron to help boost immunity. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with increasing the intake of green vegetables in your daily menu. Whether it is made into vegetables or juiced and processed sosmoothies.

Has this diet proved to be beneficial?

According to the Mayo Clinic, reducing consumption of sugar and processed white flour can make a person feel better in general. However, this is thought to be due to dietary changes that shift towards consuming more fresh foods and whole grains, not because of prevention of yeast growth in the digestive tract.