The Candida Link

I was first diagnosed by a friend whose daughter was in my son's cooperative preschool. I divulged my current symptoms through a litany of limitations, "Can't go to the zoo today, every step I take is painful." "Can't leave the house today, have to stay close to a bathroom." I was at my all time worst during those months and one day this friend said to me, "You have IC, you need to kill off the Candida." Because all I was getting was Vicodin from the medical community (And I don't knock it, but it wasn't the solution I was looking for) I put all my eggs in the Candida basket and did EXACTLY what she told me to do. I went off sugar and potatoes and all simple carbohydrates. No white rice, no pizza, no peanut butter, no fruit, no food of any kind with sugar or any variety of sugar listed in the ingredients. In addition to that, I was taking a supplement called Yeast Free and drinking Pau D' Arco tea. I also did a lot of research. Sugar is an inflamatory, in addition, sugar feeds Candida and Candida waste is acid. So when out of control, Candida is acidifying your system. It is also linked to bladder infections, which I was having frequently. I did the diet for two weeks and never felt better. The initial withdrawl from sugar was very difficult. I could stop eating any one food without noticing much, there would always be a substitute, but stopping sugar is such a struggle you have to respect the addiction and wonder why the body is so attached to it. I believe the body is attached to it because Candida has taken over the body. When the Candida is under control, the sugar cravings actually stop and the diet becomes easy. When I have flare ups with IC, sugar is the first thing I nix. It is always hard. I strongly recommend you find a naturopath or other health care professional who can test you for Candida and provide you with the tools you need to change your diet to reduce Candida overgrowth. It is imperative to have a lot of healthy food available at all times that you like and can eat. The recommended diet for IC is bland and starchy and when you reduce acid and starch you will need a lot of resources at hand to be successful. For example, if you are away from your refrigerator you might want to have some fresh veggies at hand as they are alkalizing to the system and can take the edge off an appetite without sending you to the more challenging snack food options such as chips and sugar foods.