Do I Have Candida?

Woman with Candida Overgrowth in Bowels

What Information is On This Page?

On this page there are two simple food tests to determine if you have a candida infection, candida overgrowth, or chronic candidiasis.  There is information here about what kind of foods currently in your diet are conducive to feeding candida and increasing any symptoms you are having. As well a few anti-fungal foods will be mentioned. I personally suffered candida overgrowth for many years for a variety of reasons, starting when I was younger, to getting on stomach drugs when I was in University. So I know what works and what does not. I was quite entrenched. I know how far it can get to make you very, very sick. I got better seeing a Naturopath, got off my stomach drugs, but then I got fatigued, and worse seeing the same N.D. I got chronically depressed, and then found out my heavy metal cleansing didn't work. I saw other people who thought they could help. Becoming a practitioner gave me the tools to get better with the right supplements.

In reality Candida overgrowth is somewhat difficult to diagnose medically because there is no definitive medical blood test, and the symptoms of candida are so widespread. Medical doctors do not understand the serious long-term health implications of an imbalanced flora environment in the gut and therefore cannot understand candida overgrowth. Many strides have been taken in modern times however to understand the diversity of the human microbiome. Functional medicine practitioners may use organic acids test, but these however, may not tell you what the root cause is, and how to treat.
Caution is in order to not let your symptoms get worse:The worse symptoms of Candida overgrowth that can lead more detrimental health are multiple chemical sensitivity. Are you area of scents that make you feel worse. Carbohydrate intake which makes you more sensitive to scents around you?

General Symptoms of Candida Infection

The general symptoms of candida are of malaise -- that constant or intermittent feeling of ill health, lethargy, lack of excitement in life, fatigue, lack of appetite, and sometimes even slight depression.  There is also almost always digestive and bowel trouble: bloating after meals, indigestible foods, even sometimes after eating fruits.  These symptoms seem harmless enough but they often manifest in a person's life inconspicuously over some time. People who do not know they have candidiasis may actually have a medical diagnosis of IBS: Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The diagnosis of IBS can be a catch all false medical diagnosis.

The diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome may be given when the bloating and bowel trouble is noticed over several visits. The results of bona fide gastroenterology tests are not remarkable and inconclusive. Doctors are not inclined to understand candidiasis because it cannot be treated or even healed with a pharmaceutical. Many times consuming pharmaceuticals can make someone much worse. 

Heartburn, Acid Reflux A Sign of Chronic Candida

The constant ebb and flow of growing candida in your gut can cause chronic heartburn. Heartburn or acid reflux is when your stomach's natural acids go up the esophagus and burn the esophagus' lining causing pain.  People with chronic candida can have heartburn shortly after or later in the night following a meal.  Often times the acid-reflux can cause poor sleep.

Two Kinds of Candida Fungal Infections

There are two kinds of candida.  The acute kind where your tongue gets all white, or whitish, and the chronic candida kind.  What makes the chronic candida difficult to diagnose is the fact that it's all over the body (systemic), and it can ebb and flow, with a corresponding increase and decrease of symptoms.  The symptoms can have gone on for so long that life just seems normal.  But its not!

Yeast infections are an acute kind of candida.  When they occur over and over again, you need to suspect chronic candida.

Remember that symptoms can be very subtle, and especially difficult to notice when you have had them for so long.

Simple Food Tests To See If You Have Candida

Candida feeds on simple carbohydrates and sugar.  So, if you had an unhealthy diet earlier in life, or did not have an adequately healthy diet in your adolescence or in adulthood you could have chronic candidiasis later in life.

If you have some symptoms of Candida you need to trust yourself that you have chronic candidiasis.

Below I give more information and detail two foods which you can eat (for only a short period) and can help unmask candidiasis.

Eat Potatoes To Test For Candidiasis

Eat potatoes by themselves.  If you eat potatoes by themselves, sometimes even once you may end up with considerable symptoms or a temporary mood swing.  Something may begin to bother you that did not bother you previously.  Something seemingly mundane.  You may become lethargic, unmotivated, anxious, or even depressed.  Many people who have chronic depression have chronic candidiasis.

There is great difficulty with people who are depressed and have candidiasis because you cannot possibly imagine and make the connection that the foods you are eating and are probably addicted to can cause such mental symptoms. This is especially true when you have been suffering for so long.

Eat several large potatoes, and bake them with the skin on or cook them in water.  Eat them in the morning so that if you have symptoms you can take the rest of the day to get rid of them.  If you are working full time do these tests early in the morning and only on the weekend.  That will give you time to recover during the rest of the day.

Whole Wheat Feeds Candida

Whole wheat has been known to feed candida, so if you eat much of it, you may experience an increase of symptoms. 

White Rice, Brown Rice Feed Candida

These are both simple carbohydrates, and simple meals with them will cause over-growth of Candidiasis and unmask it. Simple meals means meals without protein, or other veggies.

Candida can cause depression, ruin your motivation, and will power to get well.

Jams, Other Foods Feeding Candida

Most commercial jams contain glucose (sugar) or glucose-fructose. Consuming them on a regular basis can cause a significant increase in symptoms. Maple syrup is also probably high on the list of offenders.  Perhaps you are eating pancakes or waffles every other day with maple syrup, and you feel malaise. Then on the weekend when you eat better meals with higher quality proteins you feel better and recover quickly.  "Juice drinks" are also a source glucose-fructose and thus can directly feed candida. These types of juice drinks may contain high-fructose corn syrup. Juice drinks are not pure juices.

Drinking Soda Drinks Causes Candidiasis

If you consume soda drinks with sugar, you may be in for some health problems later in life.  As well as the possibility for diabetes, you can also get candidiasis.  If its not full blown full body, systemic candidiasis, you may end up getting some other health condition such as arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, and probably many others.  Its far better to drink pure spring water flavored with teas.

White Bread Feeds Candida

Not only does white bread feed candida, but white flour products such as cinnamon buns, pastries, muffins you may eat everyday for a quick breakfast can feed chronic candidiasis. 

These types of "white flour" meals are a source of long term health problems.  When you eat white bread with a meal containing meat you can slow down your digestion considerably, even feel full, but you are feeding candida and creating toxins.

Eat Oats to Test For Candidiasis (2nd Test)

The second profound diet test for candidiasis is eating Oats. Eat Oatmeal, preferably slow cooked (and not the quick cooking kind) every morning. Oatmeal is a simple carbohydrate and is enough to feed candida fungus quickly. Eat Oatmeal every morning for a week if you have to.  If you have a significant increase of symptoms you will know you have candida.  Again be aware of any increase of symptoms of depression, anxiety, mood swings, and menstrual irregularities and back off.

Dietary Habits To Reduce Candida

I want to give some dietary advice to reduce the candida after you do some of these tests.

  • Eat Garlic or foods containing garlic (not garlic bread)
  • Eat soups or salads containing onions (not onion soup which has sugar)
  • Eat a diet high in protein

A Diet High In Protein

For more information on eating a high-protein-diet.

Why Does Poor Diet Feed Candida?

People who ate poorly in University, eating noodles with soy sauce, or macaroni and cheese may eventually end up with candidiasis.   What may be needed is taking some antibiotics or if you are a woman having taken the birth control pill for several years.

Eat More Cruciferous Veggies

Most people need to eat more cruciferous veggies such as

  • broccoli
  • cauliflower
  • kale
  • bok choi (baby bok choi)
  • cabbage
  • brussel sprouts
  • collard greens
  • chinese broccoli (kai-lan or gai-lan)
  • rapini
  • flowering chinese cabbage (choy sum)
  • shanghai pak cho
  • napa cabbage
  • turnip root
  • turnip greens
  • rutabaga

Eating these vegetables can be an important part of healing candidiasis or any condition of ill health. Mom was right about eating your broccoli. Note that eating rutabaga may increase candida because of their high glycemic index. Most vegetables on the above list are fine, except that some cabbages may not be appropriate for your blood type diet.

When you loose your health later in life, your body has become imbalanced and you may find it difficult to make the connection between your earlier diet.   Its also very difficult to get your health back.

Good News Healing Candida Overgrowth Is Possible

If you have convinced yourself that candida fungus is causing your health difficulties, you may wish to explore the Candida Overgrowth Treatment web page.