Curing Candida, How to Get Started

"Food is Medicine!"

© Copyright Bee Wilder

It can be very overwhelming to be so sick with candida related symptoms and diseases, and also to have to face the amount of information on what you need to do to cure it. Therefore it is very important that you approach your healing, and eventual cure, one step at a time. Not only is it easier on you, but it also will not overwhelm and confuse your body, causing more die-off or healing symptoms than is necessary. Your body needs time to adjust to each change, at it's own pace and as it sees fit. Believe in your body's marvelous healing capabilities.

Do Not Push Your Body, because it will interfere with your progress and you will experience more symptoms if you try to push your body too fast or too hard by:

  1. Changing or adding too many things at one time.
  2. Taking supplements that are not recommended – the diet plus supplements provides all that your body requires.
  3. Taking supplements in doses higher than recommended.
  4. Not starting at a low dose and gradually increasing them.
  5. Doing harsh and unnecessary treatments, such as cleanses, fasting, taking too many different supplements or taking complex supplements that contain too many different ingredients, etc.

Diet is Most Important

The Candida Diet is the most important aspect of curing candida. First, by cutting off candida's food supply and second by giving your body the nutrients it needs to do its job of healing and maintaining health. However, candida is not cured by "killing it off" - it doesn't work that way. Candida can only be cured by building up the immune system so it becomes strong enough to "make" candida "change back" into the friendly organism it is supposed to be in the body. This is mainly done with the candida diet and supplements, however antifungals will assist by lowering the numbers of candida.

Unrefined coconut oil is included with the diet, as the main antifungal, since it also provides many other health benefits. When a person is able to take 6 tablespoons of unrefined coconut oil without getting severe die-off symptoms, one other antifungal can be added. Probiotics can be added as the last step of the program but they are very unimportant compared to the diet and supplements.

Major steps towards overcoming candida overgrowth:

  1. Eliminate foods and toxins that feed candida.


  2. Build up the immune system with the candida diet plus supplements, and by eliminating foods and toxins that are damaging to your health.


  3. Kill off candida overgrowth with antifungals.


  4. Plant good bacteria in the digestive tract with probiotics (good bacteria).

It is recommended that you work on Steps 1 and 2 at the same time, so you are eliminating foods that feed candida and at the same time you are increasing proteins, good saturated fats, and lowering carbohydrates (all foods that are not classified as protein or fat).

It is important to make changes slowly. Your body needs time to adjust to each change. Trying to change too much at once will only make you sicker, causing more die-off/healing symptoms and it overwhelms you and your body.

Example Program for Making Changes:

  1. Start taking unrefined coconut oil, which is the main antifungal on this program, at the same time as you start on the diet and supplements. Always start with small doses of coconut oil, i.e. 1 teaspoons 3 times a day (or less; some people must start with 1/4 teaspoon 3 times a day), and gradually increase it so your die-off symptoms aren't so severe. Slowly increase it until you are able to take 6 tablespoons a day without getting severe die-off symptoms.


  2. Start eliminating some A. Sugars that feed candida (below), and at the same time start to increase good fats, i.e. butter, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil, and protein (if your intake was quite low), Do not increase proteins more than you increase good fats – try to keep a balance of 20% protein to 60% fat. If your protein intake was high you might need to lower it temporarily until you can increase your fats enough. If you do not consume enough fats in ratio to proteins it will cause constipation.
    If you increase protein without "good" fats you can also get an upset stomach. It is more important to get your fat ratios up to the recommended levels than to increase protein too fast. Maintaining a correct ratios of fats to proteins will become more important as you lower your carbs.


  3. Start taking supplements. Start with low doses and gradually increase them. If you have problems taking some of them cut back on the dose a little and increase them more gradually, or spread out the amounts taken throughout the day, i.e. taking smaller doses more frequently. Ensure you take all supplements with complete meals, and also take hydrochloric acid supplements (HCl) to help digestion. When you start on cod liver oil or fish oil add them to your total fat intake.


  4. Continue eliminating A. Sugars and start eliminating B. Dairy Products (below), as well as continuing to increase good fats and protein (if required). Also start eliminating unnatural vegetable oils and fats (except extra virgin olive oil).


  5. Continue eliminating A. Sugars, B. Dairy and work on eliminating some foods listed under C. High carb foods. Since it is more difficult to increase fats than proteins, concentrate on increasing good fats, even if you have to eat it by the tablespoon with meals.


  6. At this point you should have eliminated all of A. Sugars, and B. Dairy. Continue eliminating more foods listed under C. High Carb Foods (below) and continue increasing good fats. If your fat intake is lagging do not increase protein until you are able to consume enough good fats. Also eliminate all soybean or soy products of any kind and start eliminating all processed foods.


  7. At this point you should have eliminated A, Sugars, B. Dairy and C. High Carb Foods. Now start eliminating D. High carb/sugar vegetables. At the same time work on increasing good saturated fats and continue eliminating all processed foods and also eliminate all sources of yeast, fungi and molds.


  8. At this point you should have eliminated A, Sugars, B. Dairy, C. High Carb Foods and D. High carb/sugar vegetables. Eliminate D. Yeast, Mold & Fungi in Foods and Drinks. At the same time work on increasing good saturated fats and continue eliminating all processed foods.


  9. At this point you should have eliminated all foods that feed candida and all unnatural oils and fats, soy, and most processed foods. Hopefully you are now getting enough fats so you can eat the amount of protein recommended.


  10. Antifungals, When to Start on Them - After you are completely following the entire diet and taking all of the essential supplements, AND you have gotten through some of the worst "die-off" symptoms, you are ready to start on antifungals. Some people must be on the diet up to 6 months before they can tolerate antifungals. Only take one antifungal, other than coconut oil, which is part of the diet, and Pau D'Arco Tea (a mild antifungal that also detoxifies). The best antifungal is raw crushed certified organic garlic, and close runners up are oil of oregano or clove oil.
    Always start at a low dose and gradually increase them. If you experience too many die-off symptoms try taking smaller doses more often during the day. If the symptoms are too intolerable you might have to stop taking it for awhile longer, staying on the diet and supplements; some people need to be on them 3 to 6 months before they can tolerate another antifungal other than unrefined coconut oil. You try again later.


  11. Probiotics, When to Start on Them - Once you are no longer getting severe die-off symptoms after adding the antifungal, you can start on probiotics – see the main article "How to Successfully Overcome Candida" for a full explanation. At this point in time you are doing all 4 Steps of the candida program at the same time, and you would continue doing all 4 Steps until you have cured your candida.

Foods that Feed Candida

  1. All sugars, artificial sugar or sugar substitutes (except stevia), and sources of sugars, including fruits (except lemons), honey, maple syrup and any foods and supplements that contain sugar.
  2. All dairy products, except butter, butter oil and ghee (clarified butter), including cheese, milk, cream, buttermilk, kefir, yogurt, etc. Most candida sufferers do not respond favorably to kefir and yogurt, even when it homemade from raw dairy, so it is best to eliminate them.
  3. High carb foods such as starches, grains and legumes (plants with seed pods, i.e. peas and beans), including breads, cereal, pasta, pizza, cereal, baked goods, potatoes, etc.
  4. High carb/sugar vegetables, i.e. beets, some types of squash, corn, parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, etc.
  5. Yeast, Mold & Fungi in foods and drinks - see Eliminate yeast, mold and fungi.

Please see a thorough explanation of all of these foods in the article How to Successfully Overcome Candida, so you understand why these foods feed candida.

Bee's Candida Diet

The diet consists of 3 food groups:  proteins, fats & carbs (carbs are all foods that are not classified as protein or fat).

  • Consume moderate protein from animal meats, eggs and seafood. Eggs are one of the most perfect foods you can eat, particularly raw certified organic free-range eggs – see Bee's Egg Drink.
  • Consume high "good" fats and oils, such as natural occurring fats in meats, eggs and seafood, i.e. butter, lard, fish fats and oils, chicken fat, tallow, etc., as well as unrefined coconut oil. These "good" fats do not create body fat, however man-made vegetable fats and oils and carbs DO. They also do not cause cholesterol problems – the cholesterol theory is totally false – see How to Successfully Overcome Candida for more information.
  • Eliminate all "bad" and damaging man-made fats and oils, which is all vegetable oils other than extra virgin olive oil, such as Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Safflower Oil, Wesson Oil, Crisco, margarines, etc. – they are all man-made fats and oils which act like plastic (toxic) to the body. You wouldn't melt plastic and eat it, nor should you damage your health by eating these plastic oils and fats. Also eliminate any products that contain these unnatural fats and oils.
  • Eliminate all sources of soybeans and soybean products, which are very damaging to the body - see Soy, More Poisons In It and these articles at the Weston A. Price Foundation: Soy Alert!.
  • Eliminate all processed foods.
  • Consume low carbohydrates, which are all foods that are not classified as protein or fats. Only eat low carb vegetables – see Candida Diet Food List.
  • Eliminates toxic sources as much as possible, i.e. over-the-counter drugs and other medical drugs, hormone replacement therapy (even bio-identical hormones), blood pressure pills, anti-depressants, birth control pills, etc. Gradually cut back taking them as you start on the program.
  • Also eliminate all Teflon cookware, plastics, toxic body care and household cleaning products, household molds, etc. Do not microwave any foods or beverages, not even water. Consuming foods or drinks that are irradiated (zapped with radiation) or microwaved causes damage to the body's cells, and they are also carcenogenic. Synthetic carpets are also toxic and may require many shampoos before getting rid of the worst toxic effects.

Withdrawal Symptoms, Food Cravings & Addictions

When you eliminate foods that feed candida, and other toxic foods, i.e. man-made oils and fats, soy, and processed foods you will experience withdrawal symptoms and experience a lot of food cravings – see Food Cravings & Withdrawal Symptoms for more information and how to help curb your food cravings.

Weight Issues

Some people may lose a lot of weight on this diet, but do not be alarmed. Weight is the least of your problems. It is more important to cure your candida than to be concerned about your weight.

Some people who are overweight may initially lose weight on this program, but as they continue their weight may increase and go up and down. Eventually their weight will normalize.

Die-Off Symptoms

You will experience Die-Off Symptoms on this program, which is part of the healing process. Die-off symptoms are caused by candida being killed off at one time which releases a high number of toxins into the system. Here's Candida Diet Food List. Here's someHelp for Die-Off Symptoms.

Remember that "more is not better" because your body can become overwhelmed or confused. If you do not allow time for your body to adjust to changes or new substances you will feel sicker and become more discouraged. You cannot rush, or push, the body into getting well and there are no quick fixes. Quick fixes, such an antibiotics and other drugs, made us all sick with candida overgrowth to begin with, and they greatly suppress the body's natural healing mechanisms and the immune system without treating the "true" cause. Natural healing takes time, patience and persistence on the program. The main principles of this candida diet will educate you so you can maintain life-long health.

Keep a Journal

It is good to keep a journal, listing: 1) symptoms you started out with; 2) each step you've accomplished on the candida program; and 3) improvements and changes in your health as you go along. When you feel the most discouraged you can review your journal and see exactly how far you have come.

Reward Yourself

Reward yourself for accomplishing each step, such as a new book, a movie, a massage, a day at the SPA, or a new plant for your home. It is best not to reward yourself with foods.