On TikTok, women are changing their diets to address candida overgrowth; these are all with different rigidities and habits, three nutritionists explain: news week How to effectively deal with candida with dietary change.
Hundreds of videos of women doing candida cleanses are circulating on TikTok; These often involve eating only unprocessed foods, cutting out sugar, gluten and alcohol, and adding so-called healthy foods like apple cider vinegar, bone broth and herbal teas.
“Fungal overgrowth, fungal candida albicans“What’s normally found in the body becomes excessively large,” said nutritionist Layla Gordon of Layla Gordon Nutrition. news week. “This can lead to symptoms such as vaginal yeast infections, oral thrush, skin rashes, and digestive issues.”
Nutritionist Kirstie Lawton of You Nutrition said Candida overgrowth can occur due to certain medications that disrupt the gut flora, particularly antibiotics, a diet rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates, high alcohol intake, a weakened immune system or stress. Newsweek.
Nutritionist therapist Rakhi Lad of Healthology Hub also explained that “frequent use of antibiotics destroys beneficial bacteria, allowing candida to take over.”
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t use antibiotics, but it’s important to pay attention to their effects on gut health,” Lad said. news weekHe added that oral birth control may also promote candida overgrowth. “Research shows that estrogen increases the ability of candida to attach to cells and grow.”
Candida is perhaps most famous for being the yeast that causes thrush, and Gordon said it’s most likely to affect women “due to hormonal changes, such as fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels, particularly during pregnancy, menopause and menstrual cycles.” “It’s a favorable environment for Candida growth.”
Lawton said candida overgrowth symptoms often include feeling bloated, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, cramping and itching.
For some, other symptoms may be present, such as confusion, difficulty concentrating, fungal infections anywhere on the body, skin changes such as acne, inability to lose weight, fatigue, migraines and joint pain.
The women on TikTok who go on special multi-week diets to combat candida overgrowth are all doing slightly different things, but they all tend to focus on eating whole foods, eliminating overly processed foods, cutting out alcohol, and minimizing sugar and carbs. nutritionists news week I spoke in large agreement with this advice.
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“A candida-fighting diet involves cutting out foods that nourish yeast, such as refined sugars, simple carbohydrates, and alcohol, as these all provide the perfect environment for candida to thrive,” Lad said. “Refined sugars in foods such as cakes, pastries, desserts and soft drinks quickly break down into glucose, which feeds candida and stimulates its growth. Simple carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta and white rice have a similar effect, as they feed candida and stimulate its growth.” . quickly turns into sugar.”
That’s why it’s “imperative” to focus on whole, unprocessed foods, non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats to support a healthy gut environment and starve candida of sugar, she said.
Some people may consider supplementing with prebiotics and probiotics to encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and “nudge” candida, Lawton said. Bifidobacterium And Saccharomyces boulardii It might work.
“In more extreme cases, we can use antifungals such as caprylic acid and monolaurin from coconut and other antimicrobials such as grapefruit extract, thyme oil, black walnuts and allicin from garlic,” Lawton said.
But Lad cautioned that this type of diet “is not a stand-alone solution for everyone,” adding that “there may be other factors to consider” and that “any specific dietary changes should ideally be tailored to your individual needs.”
Gordon agrees: “An anti-candidae diet can be very effective, but should only be used with the advice of a registered dietitian and only for a certain period of time, as the diet is focused on weight loss and excludes food.”
Additionally, nutritionists have said there is a danger that some TikTok creators are pushing their candida diets too far, specifically those that purport to exclude sugar, carbs, dairy, gluten and caffeine.
“While it is true that refined sugars, simple carbohydrates, and processed foods can trigger candida overgrowth, such extreme restrictions on all carbohydrates, gluten, and dairy may not be necessary or sustainable for everyone,” Lad said.
He said he preferred a “more moderate and balanced approach” that could still be effective. For example, complex carbohydrates in whole grains and vegetables, as well as dairy products such as yoghurt and kefir, may be beneficial to intestinal health.
“Additionally, strict elimination diets can be difficult to maintain and can lead to nutritional imbalances and even disordered eating patterns,” Lad said.
Gordon added that “we need to be realistic” and that “restricting for too long can also cause eating anxiety and weight loss,” so a sense of balance is essential.
She suggested focusing on beneficial anti-candida foods that someone might enjoy, such as eggs, red meat, beans, onions, garlic, coconut, olive oil, fish, lemons, limes, almonds, sunflowers, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. ginger.
“Everyone’s body is different, even if they have similar health issues or symptoms,” La said. “Understanding what causes someone’s health problems is an art and science. Because we are such complex beings, it is rarely just one thing. Working with a qualified professional, such as a registered nutritional therapist, can help ensure that the diet is both effective and safe.”
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