The Candida Cleanse
What is Candida?
Candida Albicans is a form of yeast infection that can be found in three different places in the body: the mouth, the intestinal tract and the vagina. If you are experiencing symptoms in one of these three locations, you have candida overgrowth.
Candida is actually a fungus in our bodies that help us digest and absorb nutrients. It is good to have some candida in the body but it is when there is too much (overgrowth) that it becomes a problem.
According to Dr. Axe, ” When it overproduces, the typical candida symptoms may appear. In the digestive tract, left unchecked, it breaks down the walls of the intestinal lining and penetrates into the bloodstream. This releases by-product toxins and other toxins from your system, causing leaky gut syndrome.“
What are symptoms of Candida Overgrowth?
- Insomnia
- Difficulty looking at lights
- White on your tongue (this would be overgrowth in the mouth)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Cravings for sweets
- Hormone Imbalance
- Brain Fog
- Chronic sinus and allergy issues
- Weak Immune system
- UTI’s
- Exhaustion
- Bad Breath
- Check out TheCandidaDiet for more information
Candida Cleanse Vs. Candida Diet:
The Candida Cleanse is what you should start with in order to flush your colon and eliminate toxins in your body. I always start with a two day fast drinking only this detox vegetable soup. After this, you go by strictly eliminating fruits, caffeine, and alcohol for two weeks. The majority of your foods will be organic meats (not including red meats) and vegetables. You can read more about the foods you can eat here.
Things you must cut out: All caffeine, sugar (natural and refined), and alcohol (highly recommended to cut out red meats). It is all about increasing your veggie intake and eating organic free range meats.
The Candida Diet is more of a lifestyle where you cut all refined and processed sugar out of your diet. The majority of your meals still consist of organic meats and vegetables but you can begin to include fruits and some carbs. This is the lifestyle phase, where you change your diet to a sugar-free approach. More information on the foods you can eat here.
Things you must cut out: You’re able to start introducing fruits into your diet but sugar, caffeine, and alcohol should be avoided.
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My story: How it can improve your health and change your life
The candida cleanse is one of the most powerful cleanses I have ever done in my life. To be honest, I feel as though I’ve tried every single cleanse/diet/detox that there is and nothing compares.
Since I was in high school I was looking for anything to help me lose weight (Yes, unfortunately back then that’s the only reason why I wanted to become “healthy”). I would cut certain foods out or fast or do whatever that specific cleanse required and nothing would change. Mentally, physically and emotionally – I stayed the same. It felt as though the detox or cleanse I had just gone through really didn’t do anything at all.
Once in my second year of university, I started really researching health and becoming extremely interested in the dimensions of ‘being healthy’. How your physical appearance doesn’t prove your level of health; how the foods you eat can damage your gut and thus, negatively affecting your mental health. Everything started to feel so new to me. My whole life I believed that if you were thin- you were healthy and what you ate didn’t affect your moods or thought process at all. But, I was wrong.
So, in that second year, I had one of the most motivating professors of my life. Professor Irwin. She was incredible and made me want to not only be healthy but change myself for the better. Prof. Irwin spoke of sugar as if it was a drug and explained that heroin stimulates the same part of the brain as sugar…
After later learning I had severe digestive issues and my mental health was seriously at stake, I spoke to her during her office hours and she suggested going sugar-free. I felt as though it would be something completely impossible. After a couple weeks of research, I decided that come June that year I would start the Candida Cleanse. Oh me, Oh my… did it EVER change my life.
Withdrawl Symptoms
When starting the cleanse, I never thought anything about withdrawal symptoms. Before starting the cleanse, I did everything I could. I bought probiotics, I bought the necessary pills for the cleanse and everything. I thought it would be a breeze.
After my fourth day, I had broken into sweats and was having horrible nightmares. I was waking up depressed and having anxiety all day long. It felt as though I was a drug addict coming off a serious drug like heroin or cocaine. My muscles were sore and I didn’t feel right. I knew that this cleanse was killing what was destroying me: the candida.
Around a week and a half of the candida cleanse, I finally felt better. There are two specific things that I remember from this time period and both of these things have changed my perception of sugar.
First, I remember sitting on my sofa in my living room around 1 pm in the day and just naturally taking a nap. Never had I EVER been able to take naps before. My mind would always be racing and I just couldn’t seem to get myself calm.
Second, I remember sitting on the bed in my friend’s room and looking outside at the sun, shining in my eyes. For the first time ever, I could look at the sun without it hurting my eyes. In that moment, I also realized that I was finally able to think one thought at a time. My mind felt clear and I felt incredible!
From this point on, I knew that sugar was not good for my body and that I shouldn’t consume it at all. Of course, I have since had some sugar and after traveling for over a year and a half I have reverted back to my old ways.
As of January 1st, I have re-started the candida cleanse. I am so excited to share my new recipes with all of you and explore this new journey! Making sure to follow my Instagram (you can find down below) and sign up for my newsletter for daily recipes and updates!
Here is what I took during my cleanse:
Pro-20 Probiotic Liquid Drops – Probiotics with Lactobacillus Acidophilus. Digestive Enzymes supplement for Constipation & Digestion – With Prebiotics for Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Leaky Gut Repair
- During the cleanse it is best to take as many liquid/powder form supplements. Your gut is trying to heal and it is much easier to absorb when it is not in pill form.
Spectrum Essentials Organic Ground Flaxseed, 24 Ounce
- I always took about 1-2 tablespoons every day. During a cleanse, some people experience constipation and flaxseed is the perfect way to keep you regular along with healing your gut.
Bragg Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, Raw, 16 Ounce – 1 Pack
- Apple Cider Vinegar is great for a candida cleanse. It is great to put in teas or to use for dressings. It will help you fight off the candida.
Wow! An interesting and informative read.
Thanks Natasha 🙂 Gad you enjoyed it!
Your post has been so helpful to me. After the cleanse, did you immediately resume normal foods? Or did you eat the candida diet approved foods?
Hi Lennie, after the cleanse I continued the candida diet and started to introduce foods to see how my body was reacting to them. It was a challenge, but the cravings were still there but I knew I needed to hold back. After a very difficult week, I tried dairy (which is probably the worst to try..) and found it really didn’t agree with me. At the end of the day, the purpose of this cleanse isn’t just a temporary change, it’s a lifestyle change. That being said .. I allowed myself to start eating a lot of good and healthy foods but made sure I didn’t go back to my ways. As thats when you get in a trap and the candida comes fighting back. Happy your finding my posts useful 🙂
THANK YOU. For taking the time to make this content, to share your experience, to be vulnerable as heck with your health journey. I share a similar background to yours. I found Dr. Axe’s book a year ago, and it has been absolutely life changing. I finally did the food intolerance and allergy testing… ahhh!!! It’s like I was born for a plant based life. Haha. Thank you, again! I look forward to reading your content!