Although alternative medicine practitioners sometimes include conventional or natural antifungal medications in severe cases of yeast infection, diet is always an important part of the cure. While the dietary dose does not kill yeast, it makes it more difficult for harmful bacteria to thrive.

Traditionally, Candida diets are based on avoiding all sugary items, as yeast thrives on sugar, alcohol (made up of fermented and refined sugar), white flour, fermented and aged food items, and anything else that contain yeast. Because meat, poultry, and dairy products may contain trace amounts of antibiotics that are commonly administered to conventionally raised farm animals, eating organic (no antibiotics or hormones) meat and poultry is recommended. For allergy sufferers, it’s prudent to avoid foods with yeast-stimulating molds (cheese, grapes, fermented foods, and mushrooms), as well as environmental molds to which you may now be more susceptible.

The following program has been found to be helpful in the treatment of candidiasis and easier for patients to follow than some of the more restrictive diets.

Beneficial foods: chicken, turkey, lamb, cold-water fish such as salmon, halibut, and mackerel; all kinds of beans, lentils and dried peas; unsweetened live culture yogurt, milk substitutes such as rice milk, nut milk, and soy drinks; white potatoes, sweet potatoes; brown rice, tapioca, buckwheat, gluten-free products made with millet, corn, soybeans, and arrowroot; fresh or frozen fruits without sugar, canned fruits packed in water; almonds, cashews, pecans, and walnuts and butters made from these nuts; pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and spreads made with these seeds; unrefined, expeller-pressed canola, flaxseed, and olive oils; all freshly prepared vegetables and vegetable juices.

Foods to Avoid: Beef, pork, luncheon meats, hot dogs, sausages, canned meats; eggs; milk, cream, cheese, ice cream, non-dairy creamers; all products made from wheat, wheat gluten, wheat flour, oats, spelt, kamut, rye, barley, amaranth, quinoa; coffee, black tea, cocoa, Postum, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, citrus juices, sweetened fruit juices, strawberries, dried fruits, citrus; misery; margarine, vegetable shortening, refined oils; bottled salad dressings and spreads and spreads, butter (unless cleared); canned or creamed soups and vegetables; and fried foods.

Herbal Supplements: Also helpful in eliminating yeast is a formula called Candacin, which contains grapefruit seed extract, black walnut, goldenseal, and bearberry leaf. Chlorophyll tablets can chemically create an internal environment that is not conducive to the growth of Candida. The herb pau d’arco has also been shown to be helpful in fighting Candida, as have aloe vera and biotin, a B vitamin (take with the other B vitamins).

Some doctors give their yeast patients caprylic acid, a fatty acid found in coconut oil, before relying on conventional antifungal medications. However, many alternative medicine practitioners find that pharmaceuticals like Diflucan are the best treatment for primary overgrowth. If you are taking antifungal medications, it is recommended to supplement with the probiotic cultures Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium befidum.