Candida-Help!

[LindsayO]

Hello!

Okay so I'm trying to transition from a hardcore sugar addiction (like cupcakes for lunch) to a Whole30 and I know I have a severe candida/yeast overgrowth issue from obviously heavy sugar consumption. My problem is that many Whole30 foods cause bloating and vaginal itching, like nuts, undercooked/roasted cruciferous vegetables, and olives. I'm aware of raw veggies and nuts being disruptive to the gut, but I really enjoy olives and it's frustrating that some healthy Whole30 foods are off limits for me, at least for now.

Can anyone share their experience and advice for doing Whole30 with candida? I've seen my doctor several times on the issue and she just tells me to quit sugar and I've taken many rounds of Diffulcan which helps only in the short term.

Lastly, does anyone know if sweet potatoes are okay if I have candida? Many resources say that Candida thrives on sugar, which makes sense but that also potatoes turn into sugar too and therefore should be avoided if you have candida. I just worry that with some Whole30 foods being off limits for me, that as a result I won't be eating enough. Thanks!

[ladyshanny]

Hi @LindsayO - I think if I were you I would try and stick with as calm of foods as I could. I know you like olives but for now you may have to come to terms with prioritizing healing your body over eating something you generally like. I'm not sure about sweet potatoes, a google search will probably help there.

As for eating enough - you have all the protein options, all the non-starchy (cooked) veggie options and all the fats except nuts and olives. You can absolutely do this. If you are unable to include starchy veggies,  make sure you up your fats and protein as the non-starchy veggies tend to be low on the caloric load and you could end up undereating.

[LindsayO]

This is super helpful. Thank you LadyShanny!

[bahlin]

I'll be doing a Candida cleanse for the first week of this round. I'll be miserable for the first week probably due to sugar withdrawal symptoms and my body fighting off the yeast overgrowth but I'm hoping to feel better in the long run.

[Diana128]

Sweet potatoes are definitely out on an anti-Candida diet. Personally if I were aware my main issue is candida overgrowth, I would do the candida diet, rather than W30 (or after- but doing them at the same time would be very limiting). Disclaimer- I am not an expert, just someone curious about this subject and working on it for myself. The two diets are similar in eliminating all added sugars, bread, white rice, and most dairy. However candida diet allows plain yogurt (probiotic), butter, and pseudo-grains like millet and quinoa, while eliminating most fruits and starchy veggies like potatoes- it's all about eliminating what feeds the overgrowth. There are also various stages of the candida diet, starting more strict then gradually allowing more fruits, etc. I haven't tried it personally but am trying whole 30 instead for now, since my symptoms aren't clearly a candida issue, but I'm considering trying candida diet next, as a comparison. Layering both diets at once, like you said, might result in an overly limited diet without enough options to stay fed, I would think.

By the way, congrats on doing ANY kind of no-sugar diet, coming from serious sugar addiction! That's gotta be a rough transition. I'm about a year and half into a no refined sugar rule, (with Nov/Dec holiday exceptions), and it's the best decision I've made for my diet. It's easy enough to follow, especially when I allow natural sweeteners like honey, and it keeps me away from all the candies and donuts, impulsive food choices and processed foods with added sugar. It's the world's simplest diet and makes a big difference. 

[Liza_Beth]

On 1/16/2021 at 2:10 PM, Diana128 said:

Sweet potatoes are definitely out on an anti-Candida diet. Personally if I were aware my main issue is candida overgrowth, I would do the candida diet, rather than W30 (or after- but doing them at the same time would be very limiting). Disclaimer- I am not an expert, just someone curious about this subject and working on it for myself. The two diets are similar in eliminating all added sugars, bread, white rice, and most dairy. However candida diet allows plain yogurt (probiotic), butter, and pseudo-grains like millet and quinoa, while eliminating most fruits and starchy veggies like potatoes- it's all about eliminating what feeds the overgrowth. There are also various stages of the candida diet, starting more strict then gradually allowing more fruits, etc. I haven't tried it personally but am trying whole 30 instead for now, since my symptoms aren't clearly a candida issue, but I'm considering trying candida diet next, as a comparison. Layering both diets at once, like you said, might result in an overly limited diet without enough options to stay fed, I would think.

By the way, congrats on doing ANY kind of no-sugar diet, coming from serious sugar addiction! That's gotta be a rough transition. I'm about a year and half into a no refined sugar rule, (with Nov/Dec holiday exceptions), and it's the best decision I've made for my diet. It's easy enough to follow, especially when I allow natural sweeteners like honey, and it keeps me away from all the candies and donuts, impulsive food choices and processed foods with added sugar. It's the world's simplest diet and makes a big difference. 

Thanks. It was always a tricky part to me since, well, I wanted to ask - the main recommendation for anti-candida diet is to consume more yogurt and such products (at least, that's what my OB-GYN said). On my program (near day 17) I'm feeling itchy even though I'm staying out of sugar and all natural sweeteners.
Should I add a cheat-day to W30 program with plain yogurt to keep my microflora safe and sound or that's strictly prohibited? Maybe there are other options? I know this is not a place for a medical advice, so I wanted to ask how do you deal with this?

[SugarcubeOD]

14 hours ago, Liza_Beth said:

Should I add a cheat-day to W30 program with plain yogurt to keep my microflora safe and sound or that's strictly prohibited?

As you are an adult and there are no Whole30 police, you can do what you feel is best for your body, understanding that should you have yogurt, you would not have completed a Whole30 as dairy is not compatible with the program. With a quick google of 'Anti Candida Diet' I got a list of principles that ARE compatible with the Whole30 including eating fermented foods (kimchi, saurekraut), low sugar fruits, mostly non starchy veg and minimizing caffeine.

See if you can spend some time researching other things that are recommended for anti candida that also fit into the rules of the Whole30.