I've been doing a lot of reading on candida and I think I may have it. I'm planning on ordering some oil of oregano and acidophilus tomorrow. I have already bought some Pau d'arco tea and just started using it a couple of days ago.

I also need to eliminate additional things from my diet-- coffee (not sure how THAT'S going to go!), vinegar, dairy, mushrooms etc. Problem is these are all of my favorite things to eat! I've decided to go slow and eliminate things one by one over a period of time. Coffee will be the last thing to go because it's by far going to be the HARDEST thing to give up.

My question is this: I know that sugar alcohols and Splenda are bad news. However, is the bulk Splenda in the packages worse in effects than something containing the commercial liquid Splenda? Does the bulking agent in the powder contain something non-yeast friendly that the liquid does not?

Reason I'm asking is because of the coffee. Like I said, it's going to take me a while before I can bear to get rid of that completely! I bought a bottle of Torrani syrup a few weeks back and used it in my coffee instead of the powdered Splenda i always use. During that time I felt much better and actually dropped 4 pounds (I've been on a pattern of stalling for 6 weeks and then losing a pound or two from months upon months). I also inadvertently made a few other slight changes during that time that I think helped my symptoms too. Perhaps I could also replace my heavy cream with a LC soy milk? I'll surely cut down on my coffee immediately and eventually eliminate it.

I know I could use Stevia too but if I have a choice I don't really prefer it (especially if I'm switching to soy milk instead of cream-- yuck!). I'd like some flavor if I can get away with it.

All and all, this is going to be a HARD process! My symptoms have been much worse lately and now in retrospect I notice a pattern with the non-yeast friendly foods I've been eating lately. I thought I was being a good girl and got rid of my beloved blue cheese dressing and replaced it with no carb Italian. Then I find vinegar is the main ingredient and it's off limits. I agree-- I just had some for lunch and I feel HORRIBLE! Looks like I'll be experimenting with olive oil and lemon juice . . . .

Also, if anyone has any suggestions for food toppings/yeast friendly fats it would be appreciated. I'm also sensitive to eggs so homemade mayo without vinegar is out of the question. I usually top my meats with blue cheese dressing, a sauce cooked with heavy cream or melted cheese. All that is out now. I know oils work, which would be fine on a salad but something about squirting oil all over a burger seems wrong! What about butter? That's a dairy too, right? Most of my fats come from dairy so I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to replace them.

No eggs, no dairy-- I'm at a loss here. I just can't see eating an oil covered salad (no mushrooms ) with a dry meat for every meal for the rest of my life! My staple, on the go pepperoni and cheese stick breakfast is now out too!

Sorry for the rambling-- I'm just kind of in shock about the loss of my favorite foods. It does not leave me much else to eat . . . .

Any suggestions would be wholeheartedly appreciated!

I would also be interested in answers to the above questions.

I use a liquid Splenda product in my coffee: Sweetzfree. I guess this won't matter too much if I can't have coffee, tea or heavy cream any more (which I am researching now)

I think gettign enough fat will be a challenge -- mayo is a favorite. And if butter counts as a dairy food we have to eliminate I am sunk! And it sounds like olive oil is out, too!

But if that's what it takes to lose this weight I will do it!

Sunspine - I am as confused and frustrated as you are. Good luck!

Sorry about the coffee. When I did the candida diet, I gave it up and had Essiac tea every morning and peppermint tea other times both sans sweeteners. Olive oil & lemon juice dressing is good. 3 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice and add your favorite herbs. I like sea salt, thyme & tarragon. You can make gravy for your meats if you don't like them dry. Just take drippings from the pan, skim off extra fat and thicken it with a small amount of corn starch or other thickening agent. Season to taste. You don't really need anything else in it as long as they are tasty pan drippings. You could also try making a homemade salsa. I love it on my burgers. Then there would be no vinegar in it and there could also be fewer tomatoes. And no, I don't think butter is really dairy. It's milk FAT. I don't think there is any lactose in it, which is what you're not supposed to have. If you want to ween yourself off the coffee, try taking it with just a little heavy cream. It has the highest fat content so you don't need but a little and it tastes great without added sweetener. There is a lot of stuff at the beginning of my journal, feel free to look. Candida is what brought me here a year ago. Here's a good site too: http://www.candidapage.com HTH!!

Hi Everyone,

I was diagnosed with Candida with parasites by a private clinic....my doctor thinks it is all rubbish and won't believe in it. But I have suffered with IBS for 20 years now, either constipation or bloating, nausea and diarrhoea. I have been stuffed full with high fibre cereals and bread and made to feel more ill every day. I now have so many different illness and take so many drugs that I am a walking miracle according to my spine specialist.

I suffer with asthma, emphysema, arthritis, ostoarthritis, IBS, underactive thyroid and spinal stenosis for which I am awaiting an operation sometime soon, I hope.

My daughter visited this private clinic and there has been such a miraculous recovery in her symptoms, not as many as mine but she never really felt well and had gained an enormous amount of weight, which she is now losing easily, over 2 stone in 2 months, that she persuaded me to go along with her the next time she went.....I hought that I would go, what did I have to lose?

First I was hooked up to a computer and then held a wet metal bar while she found the pulse points with another probe, then the reading just flew up on the screen in front of us, it was unbelievable. I was told that I have to avoid all yeast products, cheese, but I am ok with milk and butter, all wheat and gluton and all sugar....I also have metal in my body and a herpes virus, which we sussed was a dose of shingles that I had two years ago and had forgotten about. It has been very difficult trying to find something that I can eat because I really hate meat. I still don't feel well, but I think that I am on the right track at last. There are alternatives to wheat in the shops but they are very pricey and they take some getting used to.

I am now doing my own research and hearing about so many people with all the same problems as me has been a real eye opener. I am just starting my journey and I have to do it with no doctors support, but I am going to succeed with web sites like this one and reading all the stories that you have all written...thank you so much for such an informative site. I will let you all know how I get on in my journey, I am determinined to carry on without my doctors support.

Take care,
love Lyndy. x undefined