A Sample Candida Diet

Changing a diet is not hard, it is simply a commitment. The commitment comes in finding the stores that meet your new life style and the little shops or restaurants that offer high quality foods that can meet your needs. You simply have to think before you eat; and as this becomes a way of life, it will become second nature to just expect top quality food to nourish you physically, emotionally and spiritually. So search out the health food stores and the gourmet markets. Look for little restaurants and cafes that bake their own breads or are known for their quality of food. The search is almost as exciting as the rewards.

Listed below are some our favorite foods to begin a candida diet with, but that is not to say this list is complete by any means. There are many choices out there and depending upon where you live and as your taste buds become more enhanced, we hope you share some of your favorites with us in the future.

• Our favorite yeast-free sourdough and sprouted grain breads:
• Baldwin Hill Bakery - a wonderful assortment
• French Meadow Bakery
• Alvarado sprouted grain breads
• Food for Life sprouted grain breads

You can also find sprouted grain burger buns for use with sandwiches and organic burgers.

There are a number of tortillas that we use that are yeast free. They are great for sandwiches, burittos and quesadillas. Some of our favorites include:

• Rustics Spelt Tortilla
• Cedarlane Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Alvarado Sprouted Wheat Tortillas
• Maria And RicardoTortilla Factory makes an assortment.. two of our favorite in this line are the Spinach Tortilla and the Tomato Tortilla.

French Meadow also makes yeast free sprouted grain bagels. Enjoy!

Breakfast:

This is the time to take your supplements with a cup of pure spring water. I don't believe we should take supplements with juices as it could interfere with proper digestion. (Personally, I don't think juice is a necessity although America might disagree with me). If you choose to do juices at breakfast, I would prefer organic and no more than 4 ounces per day. For yeast, organic grapefruit juice would be my first preference or some spring water with fresh organic lemon in it. Both are body cleansers.

Suggestion #1:(Organic) Oatmeal or Oat Bran topped with a few sesame seeds, currants and some pure maple syrup. A piece of sourdough toast with real butter (yes you can have butter - just don't abuse it). A cup of Kafree Roma or other coffee alternative or a cup of herbal tea.

Suggestion #2:Two poached or hard boiled eggs (my preferences) served on top of two pieces of sourdough toast or sourdough bagels with home fries if you like.

Suggestion #3:Fresh organic vegetable juice.. whatever is your liking.. just make sure it is organic...I believe this is important for juicing. Combine any of the following in the amounts that make your taste buds happy.. Carrots, celery, parsley, broccoli... Of course there are a number of other vegetables, but these are my favorites.

Suggestion #4:A piece of sourdough toast topped with organic almond butter, organic strawberry jam and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. What's better than this?

Lunch:

I don't believe that it is in our digestion's best interest to combine meat proteins with carbohydrates when you are trying to heal yeast and digestion (breads, pastas, rice, etc..). So if you want to eat meat, chicken, turkey or fish, try not to put it on a sandwich.. serving it with a salad or roasted organic vegetables would be a much better choice.

Our favorite mayonnaise:

• Hain Safaflower Mayonnaise
• Spectrum Canola Mayonnaise
• Follow Your Heart Veganaise Grapeseed Oil Mayonnaise (in the refrigerated section) Nasoya
• Tofu Mayonnaise

Our favorite oils:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Expeller Pressed Safflower Oil
• Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil
• Expeller Pressed Sesame Oil
• Organic Grapeseed Oil

Make sure your salad dressings and marinades contain the good oils and vinegars such as balsamic. You can make your own salad dressings using pure olive oil and balsamic vinaigrettes or fresh lemon juice.

Our favorite Pasta Sauces:

• Organic Muir Glen
• Organic Seeds of Change
• Annie's Organic Pasta Sauces

Look for the ones that are organic and seasoned to your liking. (Josh's tip.. the better quality sauces will use olive oil instead of canola oil for their preferences. You should too!)

If you are not adverse to eating meat, consider chicken, turkey, and fish as well as venison, lamb and bison for protein meat choices. Avoid meats with hormones and antiobiotics. Whether you choose to eat meat or not, remember that beans daily are essential to every diet as well as a little nut and seed.

Avoid foods made from hydrogenated oils and/or cottonseed oils. These will play havoc with your digestive system. Good oils are essential to keep a gall bladder healthy, so your choice of mayonnaise will affect your digestion and healing process as well. So choose one of the best… youare worth it!

Suggestion #1:A bean and/or brown rice burrito (served on one of the tortillas mentioned above) topped with fresh chopped veggies (shredded carrots, chopped red onions, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, with some salsa and guacamole. (This is one of our family's favorites for lunch or dinner. Everything you need to nourish yourself and perfect digestive capabilities as well. You can make a quick burrito using canned Little Bear organic refried beans combined with Amie's Mild Chili. This is easy and you can add flavors as you see fit.

Suggestion #2:White Wave Marinated Tofu (pick the flavor you like) sliced with fresh organic veggie and good mayonnaise served on whole grain sourdough bread with chips on the side (make sure your chips are made from the good oils).

Suggestion #3:Deep Sea Tongul Tuna fish salad made from the good mayonnaise and spices served over a bed of fresh organic greens and chopped veggies with high quality salad dressings.

Suggestion #4:Steamed organic veggies seasoned with a marinade or tamari with herbs & spices served with a baked or roasted potato. You could add a slice of sourdough bread to this meal as it is meat-free.

Dinner:

Good quality restaurants are always in order when you are trying to change your dietary habits. The majority of the fast food chains may have to go.. but there is so much more out there in the real world when you take the time to look. The smaller cafes and specialty shops along with gourmet markets and health food stores can supply a wonderful meal and ready-made food for you to bring home and just enjoy. So go explore and experiment. You'll be glad you did!

Suggestion #1:Omega Deep Sea Salmon Burger served over organic roasted veggies that have been lightly seasoned with a side salad and high quality dressing.

Suggestion #2:Organic Brown Rice with steamed or roasted organic veggies (as many and as diverse as you like - just avoid mushrooms & sweet potatoes).

Suggestion #3:Organic semolina or organic whole grain pasta (the whole grain can be a little gritty)..topped with your favorite organic pasta sauce. Yves makes "Just Like Ground" (which is a meat substitute made from soy). Sautee in olive oil with a your favorite vegetables (garlic, onions, peppers, etc..) Add to sauce and serve over pasta. An organic salad can also be added to this dish if you like.

Suggestion #4:One of our favorite meals is to combine all the organic veggies we have available and roasts them in the oven in a little olive oil, tamari and herbs. A piece of sourdough toast added to this meal makes it complete, nourishing and filling.

If you choose to eat lunch meats, use top quality meats and make sure they are sliced fresh.

Snacks of chips are acceptable as long as they contain the good oils (see above). Cookies can be a treat (not the whole bag), but make sure they contain good oils and the sweeteners that are allowed. My favorite cookie line is Pamela's which you can usually find at a health food store. You may not have all the choices of those who eat anything and everything, but what you do eat will now nourish your body, your mind and your soul.

The sweeteners that you can have to replace white refined sugars are:

• Pure Maple Syrup (we like organic grade B)
• Molasses
• Barley or Rice Malt Syrups
• Stevia
• Agave Nectar
• Organic cane juice crystals and sucanat are also acceptable, but are not my first choice.

Fresh herbs on your food helps fill the void of mineral deficiencies. Sea salt should be added to food while cooking and avoided while eating especially if you are prone to water imbalances.

Pure water is essential to any dietary change. The average person need 4 to 5 cups of pure water daily, unless you work in hot conditions or on days you may be exercising. Otherwise, water should be consumed by the cup, not sipped. So drink a cup of pure water upon awakening to re--hydrate your system and a cup of water before each meal to flush the system and awaken your digestive juices. Of course, when you get thirsty, listen to your body and re-hydrate!

After a while, eating the good foods will become second nature and you'll demand nothing less of yourself. You have to remember that eliminating yeast comes from a digestive system that is working to its highest potential.

Eliminating worry and stress is also helpful, so when you are somewhere that is not conducive to a yeast diet, do the best you can and enjoy the moment. It's really all we are here to do anyway - to learn what makes us happy! And you will learn that as you nourish yourself, you make yourself very happy! Enjoy it, your spirit will love you for introducing all these new experiences and tastes into your life.