Tuesday 22 December 2015

Does the Candida Diet Really Work? Candida Diary Day Seven

I was quite bolstered by some signs in my health after being on a low carb, high protein and fibre diet with anti fungals and probiotics for seven days now. My trial to see if the Candida diet really works is still under question, as I dislike rash claims and health quacks telling me such-and-such only to find it doesn’t work.

Causes of Phlegm Throat

I have always had phlegm at the back of my throat for no apparent reason and feel I always need to cough. Some say it is probably due to ‘nerves.’ I don’t suffer colds or sore throat often. And I am not aware of allergies. The phlegm throat persists regardless of time of year or location. I also have a stale taste in my mouth at various times and feel the need for (sugar free) mints if near others. I am fastidious with oral hygene (electric toothbrush and flossing every day). Yeast can cause bad breath which is something I loathe.

Candida Growth Causing Coated Tongue

However, I took a pic of my tongue on day 1 of this diet and again on day 7. As can be seen here, there is quite a thick coating toward the back of the tongue on day 1. Today, it seems to be receding and getting a little ‘thinner’. The back of the tongue is still quite thickly coated though and phlegm persists there.

No matter how fastidiously I brushed my tongue with an (electric) toothbrush or scraped at the coating with the edge of the spoon (ugh) the white coating remained. There is no ‘fixing’ in the photos here. I took the pics first thing in the morning before breakfast and brushing my teeth. The light was a little poor, as winter mornings are dark in the UK. But I did not use a flash. However, I managed to get an accurate comparison.

Healthy Low Carb Breakfast for Candida

Porridge and milled seed breakfast
On a bleak morning I decided to have a hot breakfast of porridge, a little almond milk with a sprinkling of milled nuts and seeds. Asda stock Linwoods milled nuts and seeds, which is cheaper than in the health shops. Today, I used flaxseed, almonds, brazil nuts and walnuts. I sprinkled a little Stevia on top.

Anti Candida Drink

After looking up what yeast don’t like, I have found an array of spices, including cloves, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, garlic and onion. With this in mind, I created a blend of dried ingredients to create an ‘anti fungal drink’. It might not sound too palatable, but mixed with a little warm water and lemon juice or tea is really not too bad. I will drink a cup sometime in the day and before bed. It is also much cheaper than buying anti fungal agents in health shops. So here is what I added to a glass jar in equal amounts to be spooned out for a drink:

  • Dried cloves: said to be no. 1 on the anti candida factor, containing eugenol, a yeast killer.
  • Turmeric: anti parasitic and powerful anti inflammatory.
  • Ginger: Supports the liver that detoxifies candida byproducts.
  • Cinnamon: Supports digestion and the immune system.
  • Dried garlic granules: contains ancillin anti-fungal agent, a natural antibiotic and probiotics.
  • Dried onion granules: contains ancillin anti-fungal agent, a natural antibiotic and probiotics.
  • Cayenne pepper: Supports digestion and boost immune system.
  • You could add a little coconut oil: coconut contains caprylic and Lauric acid, which yeast do not like. Alternatively, Virgin olive oil, also good for the Candida diet.
  • Lemon juice to taste.
Spices that Kill Candida
I will put a level teaspoon into a cup, add a few drops of lemon juice and warm water. Don’t drink before a social gathering as you might have garlic breath.

Candida Symptoms

I am a little tired today, with dryness in the nose and phlegmy throat as always. My eyes are a little dry with itching around the ears and scalp. So not a top par health-wise today. As ever, I am using the sceptical approach on this experiment. There have been some encouraging changes here and there, but I need more before I am convinced.

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