Candida is a type of fungus that is present in our body at reasonable levels to aid in digestion as well as absorption. Unfortunately, when there is an overgrowth of this fungus, it can cause some serious health issues. Candida overgrowth can affect both men and women and this fungus can appear in different parts of the body too. Most of the time, it is found in the mouth, toes, vagina, and the gastrointestinal tract too just to name a few. The symptoms can range from having bad breath, to arthritis, to heartburn and others. And because the symptoms of candida are similar to other infections, we often dismiss it. The good news is that fighting this infection is possible by following the candida diet.
There are three factors that you need to have in order to beat back candida and these are antifungals, probiotics, as well as a good diet. The probiotics can help regulate the presence of good bacteria in your stomach while the ones that fall in the anti-fungal category will kill any fungi present. The diet part, on the other hand, eliminates problem foods to help cleanse your system. So what foods belong in the Candida diet? Here are a few to consider.
Fermented foods
Adding fermented foods to your diet can actually help provide protection to your intestines because of the microflora that they have. With regular intake, your immune system will actually become stronger to the point that it can make your body’s environment bad for candida overgrowth. Among the fermented foods that you can include in your diet are kimchi and sauerkraut just to name a few.
Coconut oil
The antimicrobial properties present in coconut oil can actually destroy candida when they are mixed with caprylic and lauric acid both of which are present in this type of oil. You can either apply it topically on the infected parts of your body or you can ingest it. Both have the same effects when it comes to dealing with candida overgrowth plus it is safe to use.
Garlic
There is no denying that garlic is such a powerful ingredient when it comes to fighting off candida overgrowth. This is because garlic has sulphur compounds that can actually kill off all types of bacteria that may be growing inside of us. It is recommended that you chew on raw garlic as much as possible, but if the taste is too strong, you can mix it with your food. Taking garlic supplements can also be used to help deal with candida in your body.
Apple cider vinegar
Another food that you should include in your diet to fight the overgrowth of candida is apple cider vinegar. The acidic nature of this vinegar can actually eliminate bacterial growth caused by too much candida in your body. You can take a teaspoon of it or add a tablespoon to your water and drink as is to reap its nutritional benefits.
Green drinks
For those who are not big fans of eating vegetables, making your own green drinks may be more palatable. Well, what’s great about adding green drinks to your diet is that they contain nutrients that can actually eliminate the presence of bacteria and fungi in your system so that you will be able to reduce the presence of candida.
Chia seeds and flaxseeds
When it comes to fighting candida and other fungi, you might want to add chia seeds and flaxseeds to your diet. The polyphenols present in these two can actually boost the amount of probiotics in your gut so that they will be able to eliminate the growth of yeast as well as candida in the body. You can eat them as is or add them to your drinks and food.
