how to heal candida overgrowth the natural + vegan way
right off the bat, this is not gonna be a feel good, super sexy post. we’re talking about yeast overgrowth. hot, right? i’m going to be talking about vaginal yeast and literally shitting strings of candida, so if you’re gonna be weirded out i give you permission to click away.
now that i have all my people who aren’t grossed out (or are grossed out but are committed to healing) welcome. y’all are my kind of people.
my candida overgrowth problem as been apparent since i was 12 when i started getting consistent yeast infections, but didn’t become terrible until i was living in florida. if you’ve been following my instagram you know that florida caused a lot of problems for me. candida overgrowth was one of them.
when i moved back to colorado, i had a whole host of problems i really had no idea the source to. brain fog, weight gain, constipation, sugar cravings, general fatigue, the list goes on and on. on a whim, i decided to do a spit test to see what my candida looked like. and h o l y s h i t. right then, i knew i needed to commit to cleaning all that shit out.
over the course of three months, i committed to the candida protocol and completely turned my symptoms around. i lost 10 pounds and became 100x healthier than i was. plus i was able to maintain a vegan diet!
just as a warning: you can (and probably will) shit out stringy pieces of yeast. it was probably the nastiest thing to ever happen to me.
what is candida overgrowth and causes
candida is a form of yeast fungus that naturally occurs throughout your body, from your gut to your reproductive system. there are multiple different strains, but the one that causes problems most often is candida albicans. put simply, candida overgrowth is when your candida fungus grows larger than normal levels and it can cause a whole host of issues.
you may have heard that candida overgrowth is a new “fad”. in many ways, yeah, it has become popular. in my experience, it’s popular because so many people have candida issues. that’s because it is directly related to lifestyle choices and let’s be real, most people don’t live the healthiest lifestyles.
some of the more common causes are:
high sugar diet
antibiotic use
stress
birth control use
overconsumption of alcohol
candida overgrowth symptoms
the symptoms vary from person to person, but there are the most common:
brain fog
weight gain
reoccurring yeast infections
oral thrush
digestive issues
strong sugar cravings
again, you could have a bunch of other symptoms related to gi tract health that could be related to candida. the best way to tell is to test for candida.
how to tell if you have candida overgrowth
besides comparing your symptoms to the ones above, there are a few ways to test for candida overgrowth. you can visit a doctor, who might take a stool sample. you can take an at home test like this one i found on amazon, or you can do a spit test, outlined here, which is what i did.
the candida diet
once you’ve concluded candida is your problem, on to the solution! the most effective way to cure candida naturally is to follow the candida diet and a few other protocols.
include:
leafy greens. you already know why. there’s never a bad time for greens. get in those micronutrients. plus the low sugar/high fiber content is ideal to such the life out of candida.
non starchy vegetables
garlic. garlic is a lifesaver here. as well as being tasty as hell, it’s anti fungal properties will help speed up the healing process.
lemons and limes. neither are high insular, plus they help the digestive system.
berries. berries are the one form of acceptable fruit. they’re low sugar and high in vitamin c and other micronutrients to support healing. they’re a nice desert option, since sugar is a no go for the candida diet.
healthy fats. whole foods fats and some refined oils are gonna be your best friends here. you’ll be eating relatively low carb, so filling up with fats is ideal. enjoy all that guac, you deserve it.
tofu. soy is generally discouraged for the candida diet, but it’s an essential protein source for many vegans and has shown to have little effect on candida.
avoid:
starchy vegetables. starch is digested into sugars, which feeds candida. leave the potatoes alone for awhile.
most fruits. again, fruit = sugar = candida. stick with berries, as i stated above.
alcohol. alcohol consumption is one of the causes of candida overgrowth. plus, most alcoholic drinks are filled with added sugar. sober is best.
caffeine. caffeine can cause inflammation in the gut lining which can prolong the healing processes. if you need it to survive, try green tea, or just one cup of coffee a day.
processed sugars. i’ve already told y’all about sugars, i’m not going to repeat myself again. don’t do em.
refined grains. refined grains are either a. high in sugar, or b. hard on the gi tract. i understand it’s a staple in most vegan diets, but it may slow down the process.
gluten (optional). this really varies fro person to person, but many people have gluten intolerances that can disrupt the gi tract. you can play around with taking it out, but at the end of the day it’s your call.
animal products. wouldn’t be a vegan candida diet if animal products we’re allowed. beyond my personal reasons for being vegan, many animal products cause (you guessed it!) inflammation in the gut, which we’re tryna avoid.
other protocols
take a shot of apple cider vinegar each morning. candida is a fungus, and abc is a scientifically proven antifungal. if you hate the taste (like i do) you can take it in pill form to make it slightly more bearable.
get some exercise in. yeast needs oxygen, and will starve if you’re doing some good ole aerobic cardio.
sleep is always important. your immune system is a huge factor in yeast growth. getting proper sleep is important for immune function, and thus for getting rid of ye olde yeast.
i hope this helped shed some light on the issues surrounding candida, and i would love to hear if this information helped you!
up next: 10 ways to stay healthy at home.
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