Candida is such a difficult condition to diagnose because it can affect each sufferer in a different way, on a different part of their body, in a way that may even be unique to that person. For this reason, Candida is often misdiagnosed and the symptom is treated instead of the underlying cause, rather like taking a lozenge for a throat infection!

Practically, patients often have to diagnose themselves because the symptoms of Candida are so confusing. But symptoms can range from abdominal pain, fatigue, bloating and flatulence, oral thrush, joint pain, weight gain, dizziness, urinary infections, rashes and itching, depression and mood swings, cravings, and acne. Firstly, its important to realize that everyone has Candida already. It is a microorganism that is naturally present in your gut, part of the balanced system that helps you to digest food and stay fit and well. When people talk about Candidiasis the illness, they are really talking about the excess growth of Candida. So if Candida is not something that you 'catch' like a virus, what are the causes of this excess growth of Candida?

Candida has only recently been recognized by the medical community, so the research so far is limited. However, the consensus is leaning towards a handful of medical and lifestyle factors that seem to be at fault, including your diet. The modern diet is like a feast for Candida, since it is a yeast that needs sugar to thrive and multiply. That includes sugar itself, foods containing sugar and also anything that converts to sugar. Refined carbohydrates, such as processed food made with white flour, and other refined grains and alcohol can all contribute to Candida growth. A healthy immune system should be able to keep Candida at bay. However, a diet rich in sugar actually depresses your immune system, leaving it vulnerable and allowing the Candida yeast to proliferate. Mouldy and yeast-containing foods must also be avoided, as they can aggravate symptoms of Candida too. This means some vegetables, condiments, sauces, coffee, tea, and packaged and processed foods.

Many people don’t really realise how debilitating Candida actually is. The ideal is to follow the diet for 2 months and stay away from anything stressful. For the diet, follow this link. http://www.thecandidadiet.com/foodstoeat.htm

And remember that all your whole foods can be purchased at Wellness Warehouse. Everything from unsweetened soya milk and whole wheat Rye products, to wheat, dairy and sugar free products can be found here.

My philosophy is, that if you suffer from any of the symptoms mentioned above, you have nothing to lose (except a few toxins and some weight), by following a Candida diet for a week or two. To the T!! And if you feel better, well then, what’s stopping you from continuing?