Candida Cleanse: An At-Home Approach

Candida infection can be treated with an integrative approach that involves probiotics, antifungals, nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes. Read on for experts’ advice.

If you’re living with chronic yeast infection, you’re familiar with symptoms like vaginal infections, brain fog and digestive disorders. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to relieve discomfort and reclaim your lost energy and vitality – and this article can be a great resource.

Your first step to better health is dietary modification. Because Candida feeds on sugar and thrives in a high-acid environment, it is recommended to reduce your consumption of carbohydrates, processed foods and dairy. According to Dr. Mercola, “A diet rich in meats, chicken, eggs, seeds and nuts, vegetables, and healthy oils – while avoiding sugars and carbohydrate-rich foods – will restrict the amount of fuel the yeast in your intestine has available to it.”

Don’t be afraid of cultured foods. “After I met Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet, I have become a strong believer in the importance of cultured foods and eat them with every meal to aid in digestion,” explains Dr. Kendra Pearsall in her article on Candida cleanse. Cultured vegetables, miso, homemade sauerkraut, kombucha and plain organic yogurt are all great choices because they provide beneficial microorganisms for the gut.

The main staples of a Candida-fighting diet are fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, gluten-free grains (quinoa, buckwheat), beans, legumes, and high-quality animal products. See the complete guidelines for a yeast-free diet for more information on what foods you should avoid, how to balance your body’s pH, and handy shopping tips.

Replenish Essential Bacteria

The best way to support your Candida elimination program is with a probiotic supplement. As Dr. Mark Hyman explains in his article at the Huffington Post, dietary changes sometimes just aren’t enough to clear up stubborn candidiasis. “Often, I find that patients need extra help and should take antifungal herbs, medications, and probiotics.”

He recommends his patients to choose a good probiotic supplement and take 10 to 20 billion live organisms of bifidobacterium and lactobacillus species a day. No matter what brand you choose, look for one that uses enteric-coated capsules to keep the bacteria alive during their journey through the stomach acid.

Our digestive tract is host to trillions of bacteria that help train the immune system and produce specific vitamins, enzymes and hormones. What many people don’t realize is that once our intestinal flora gets out of balance, we become susceptible to a wide range of health problems, including  allergies, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, weight gain, and most importantly – yeast overgrowth.

Fortunately, recent research has shown that probiotics provide a natural and convenient way to restore the body’s proper bacterial balance; without any harmful side effects.  To put it simply, these little microbes displace Candida albicans (the fungus causing the symptoms) and help us digest food, rather than ferment it. For more information and tips on how to pick a high-quality probiotic supplement, read the comprehensive Probiotic Buying Guide.

Explore Natural And Prescription Antifungals

It’s important to remember that you are unique – and so is your relationship with yeast. While some people recover fairly quickly after changing their diet and adding probiotics, others are not so lucky. Should your symptoms of Candida overgrowth persist, you may want to consider additional antifungal support.

Natural antifungals like garlic and coconut oil inhibit excess yeast by using their fungicidal compounds. “When necessary, effective but strong prescription medications can also be called upon,” writes Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP and cofounder of Women to Women Clinic in Yarmouth. “I sometimes prescribe Diflucan and alternate it with Nystatin if symptoms persist.”

Nowadays you can choose from a wide variety of natural solutions – here is a list of popular antifungals that can be found in most health food stores:

• Oil of oregano
• Garlic
• Citrus seed extract
• Pau d’Arco
• Coconut oil (caprylic acid)
• Candex
• Candigone

After years of poor dietary habits, antibiotics, stimulants, and drugs, many people are unpleasantly surprised at the decline of their wellbeing. If you suspect an intestinal yeast overgrowth, there are several more things that can help, including omega-3′s, digestive enzymes, stress management, and a multivitamin complex, among others.

If you’ve tried conventional medicine searching for reliable treatment, you know that there is none available. Fortunately, while your doctor can’t help you, nature can. 138,000 people in 157 countries credit the elimination of chronic yeast infection to ‘Yeast Infection No More‘ – a program developed by California nutritionist Linda Allen. Read the article Nutritionist Explains How To Cure Candida for more information.