How to naturally treat Candida Overgrowth without using medication. I share the tips that helped me get rid of my candida naturally, plus how to prevent candida overgrowth from occurring again in the future.

I’ve had candida a few times, and for me it was very uncomfortable.

I developed thrush and a fungal ear infection each time it would flare up. But for some, candida overgrowth can develop without them even noticing.

Candida is naturally found in our digestive and genital tracts, and when kept under control, it’s completely fine.

It only becomes an issue when it gets out of control and takes over the gut. This can happen after taking antibiotics, as candida is a fungi, antibiotics have no effect on it. Once the antibiotics have run their course, large portions of the intestinal tract are left vacant due to the mass die-off of bacteria (both good and bad), so candida seizes the opportunity and begins to repopulate in all these vacant areas, causing candida overgrowth.

Other reasons include an impaired immune system, biofilms, toxicity, eating a diet high in sugar and processed refined foods, consuming too much alcohol and coffee, chronic prolonged stress which depletes the immune system, C-section deliveries, birth control pills, and according to Marla Pietruszko HD BSc RHN, mercury is a causative, too. ‘Mercury increases candida overgrowth and is also a non-competitive enzyme blocker in ATP formation. This means that if you have too much mercury in your body, you will have difficulty fully clearly candida overgrowth from the system! You will also most likely experience extreme fatigue as your body is not able to produce enough ATP for energy.’

According to Wellness Mama, when candida overgrows it causes major problems and symptoms such as:

• Persistent constipation, bloating, or gas
• Mental fog
• Debilitating chronic fatigue (or exhaustion)
• Intense sugar cravings (candida feeds off sugar)
• Chronic sinus infections
• White coating on the tongue
• Excess mucous
• Recurring vaginal yeast infections
• Persistent food or environmental allergies
• Depression and anxiety
• Hypothyroidism (candida inhibits thyroid conversion)

If you have a candida overgrowth in the higher areas of your digestive tract or throat area, you may develop white sores in and around the mouth area which are “cottage cheese-like” in appearance, and really sore and inflamed (they can have a burning sensation). If left untreated, these sores can become so severe that you’re unable to eat or swallow.

If you have an overgrowth in the middle of your digestive tract, you may not notice any of the usual symptoms.

A book I highly recommend reading for information on gut health, how to heal the gut naturally, and the best foods to eat for candida and other gut-related problems, is the book, GAPS: Gut and Psychology Syndrome, by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.

I followed a lot of the protocols outlined in this book while healing my gut and treating the candida overgrowth in my body, and it was extremely beneficial in my healing journey.

How to Test for Candida

I had my naturopath test me using a bioresonance machine which quickly diagnosed my mild case of candida.

There are other ways to test for it; things like stool, blood, and saliva lab tests, or a DIY free candida spit test you can do at home.

To do the spit test, over a time-frame of six days, monitor your saliva. Keep a pen and paper handy, and when you wake, before eating or drinking anything, fill a glass halfway with water and spit a small amount of saliva into the glass.

Leave it to sit for 45 minutes, coming back every so often to check on it, and record your results each day for six days.

Your saliva will do one of three things; stay floating on top, sink to the bottom, or it will grow ‘legs’.

If it stays floating, there is likely no candida overgrowth. On the other hand, if it grows legs or sinks to the bottom, then candida is likely a problem.

The reason you test your saliva over six days is to rule out any variables that are likely to interfere with results. Make sure to keep to your normal diet while testing.

How to Get Rid of Candida Naturally

To treat my candida, my naturopath gave me some strong herbal supplements and put me on the Candida Diet until I got the all-clear.

I ate a diet that consisted mainly of meat, fish, eggs, yoghurt, sauerkraut, and low-carb vegetables like pumpkin, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini. I aimed to keep my carbohydrate intake to under 50 grams each day, to prevent the spike in blood sugar that can arise as a result of a high carbohydrate diet.

I followed this regime for over three months until my symptoms had cleared and I no longer showed signs of a candida overgrowth.

I still stick to a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, keeping within a 50 gram limit of carbohydrates most days, as I feel my best when following this diet plan. I eat mostly meat and other animal products, like yoghurt, butter, and cheese now, but I always source these products from an organic butcher and my local health food stores, where I know the animals grew up on pasture, free to roam as they pleased, and that no ill treatment occurred.

Following a ketogenic-type diet has really helped improve my fatigue, and kept my symptoms of candida at bay, along with clearing up my ear infection that I’d had for over four years.

The Candida Diet

The following list shares foods to avoid as well as foods that are okay to eat to help the body naturally fight candida overgrowth. For more information on the foods and supplements to eat (and avoid) to treat candida, see here.

Foods to Avoid

• Sugar. This counts for all forms of sugar like fructose, sucrose, glucose, malt, corn syrup, desserts, honey, jams, sodas, juices, fresh fruit, dried fruits, etc.
• Fermented foods and yeasts. Things like breads, soy sauce, pickles, vinegar (apple cider vinegar is okay to have), alcohol, ketchup, Vegemite, etc.
• Simple carbohydrates. Like white rice, white flour, white pasta, etc. (Any refined carbs).
• Alcohol.
• Starchy vegetables. These include potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, beetroot, peas, parsnips, and any other starchy root vegetables. These foods are to be avoided while on the candida diet as they have a high carbohydrate content.
• Peanuts: This is because some peanuts can grow a fungi or mould on them, and this can trigger a reaction in Candida sufferers who are particularly sensitive to mould exposure.
• Mushrooms.
• Cheeses. Blue and hard types especially.

Foods to Eat

• Fish, poultry, meat and other quality animal protein.
• Goat’s cheese, mozzarella, feta, and Gouda.
• Eggs.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Vegetables, especially green, leafy raw vegetables. Avoid high-carbohydrate vegetables like potatoes.
• Plain live yoghurt and other cultured dairy. High in beneficial probiotics. Great for gut health. Ensure you choose raw, unprocessed, organic and biodynamic dairy products where possible, as these come with beneficial enzymes to help the gut better digest the dairy.
• Coconut oil. One of coconut oil’s many benefits is being a natural anti-fungal. You can rub coconut oil on topically to irritated or affected areas, as well as consume in liberal amounts.
• Spices. Like turmeric and cinnamon.
• Bone broth.
• Apple cider vinegar.
• Drink plenty of water.

As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.

Have you had Candida before? What worked for you in helping to treat it? Share below.

Lots of love,

🖤 Vanessa

Sources:

Wells, Katie. (January 23, 2019). What is Candida? (and How to Tell if You Have It). Wellness Mama. Retrieved from https://wellnessmama.com/2430/what-is-candida/

Myers, Amy, M.D. 10 Signs You Have Candida Overgrowth & What To Do About It. mbg health. Retrieved from https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-8376/10-signs-you-have-candida-overgrowth-what-to-do-about-it.html

Oral Thrush. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/oral-thrush/symptoms-causes/syc-20353533

Enloe, Autumn, MS, RD, LD. (October 21, 2018). The Candida Diet: Beginner’s Guide and Meal Plan. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/candida-diet

Richards, Lisa, CNC. (April 10, 2019). Foods To Eat On The Candida Diet. The Candida Diet. Retrieved from https://www.thecandidadiet.com/foodstoeat.htm

Pietruszko, Marla, HD BSc RHN. (July 22, 2021). Mercury Toxicity. Instagram. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CRmQFn_LsjA/

Pietruszko, Marla, HD BSc RHN. (July 22, 2021). Dysbiosis is Not the Root Cause of Disease. Instagram. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CEkYQ7RjkUk/

Axe, Dr. Josh, DC, DNM, CN. (January 25, 2019). 9 Candida Symptoms and 3 Steps to Treat Them. Dr. Axe. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/health/candida-symptoms/

Axe, Dr. Josh, DC, DNM, CN. (March 25, 2021). Candida Diet: The Foods & Supplements to Eat (and Avoid) to Treat Candida. Dr. Axe. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/health/candida-diet/