Earlier this summer I began to suspect that I have a yeast problem. More specifically, my symptoms led me to believe that I may have some form of Candida-Related Complex , which means I have a yeast problem, a sugar problem, a vinegar problem, and a whole host of other food problems. I came to this conclusion through many hours of researching the subject of Candida and taking several online multiple-choice questionnaires where I could rate the severity of a wide range of systems and count up the corresponding point values at the end. Yes, I am aware that online questionnaires are not quite as reliable as a Doctor’s test, but since I am not a big fan of western medicine, and lack health insurance, they will just have to suffice.

Of the numerous tips and suggestions on the internet for “curing” Candida problems, I decided to try a detox period of dietary restriction combined with a daily dose of my favorite vitamin company’s probiotic. I would supplement that with 2-3 cups of Pau D’Arco tea, which has anti-fungal properties. The only problem with this method of treatment is the lack of consistent information available. Essentially, it’s a highly restrictive guess and check diet followed for an undetermined amount of time.

I immediately eliminated all foods containing sugars, both natural and artificial, and began checking food labels for hidden “ose” sugars like fructose and lactose. I bid farewell to dairy; no more rendezvous at Maggie Moos, or “Pizza Sundays” featuring cheese pies from Bronx Pizza. I also had to give up all fruit and fruit products, which was especially painful since I had been waiting all year for dinosaur egg pluots to come back to the farmers market. Rounding out the list of forbidden foods were yeast, and yeast products i.e. anything tasty and delicious from the bakery department, all alcohols, anything fermented such as vinegar or soy sauce, and any food that might be moldy, like mushrooms, peanuts, and most cheeses.

Needless to say, Phil was not very interested in following my new dietary restrictions. The timing was also unfortunate since it coincided with a full month of family vacations. I knew that with the abundance of locally grown produce that San Diego has to offer I could make it work, but it would take some effort. My nourishment for July consisted largely of refreshingly light salads dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, Lundberg Farm brown rice cakes, chicken “street tacos” in corn tortillas, and Straus Family Creamery plain organic yogurt. I had read that the sprouted grains in Ezekiel bread allowed it to be the one exception to my strict no bread policy. I was also lucky enough to discover the mouthwatering vegan slices from Zia Gourmet Pizza, completely altering my conception of what a pizza should be. I had plenty of protein, lots of fresh veggies, and very few carbohydrates. It worked well enough, and was certainly an improvement over the refined sugars of my usual diet, but I knew I needed to compile some better information that would be more useful for the long term. Once my family had returned to PA, I went back to my computer for another diet overhaul.

I stumbled across wholeapproach.com, a website dedicated to helping people overcome Candida. While I have opted not to follow their protocol, it has proved to be a valuable dietary resource. They offer extensive lists of foods that are okay, foods to limit, and foods to avoid. They also have a three-stage plan for reintroducing foods into your diet. I now have a more clearly defined set of guidelines, and best of all, access to the WholeApproch recipe forum. It is a real community of people who come together to answer the big question…what can I eat now? I learned that brown rice and corn are both foods I should limit, so I have cut back on the rice cakes and the corn tortillas. I also learned that wheat is a food to avoid, so sprouted or not, the Ezekiel bread along with the whole wheat crust of Zia’s pizza will have to be special occasion splurges for the time being. Fortunately I have learned about alternatives to fill the void, so eating is getting to be less stressful. My new favorite treat is almond milk that I make at home. It is tasty on it’s own, or with a few drops of stevia, which is one of the few approved sweeteners.

So far my plan seems to be working. I now have fewer digestive problems, headaches, and concentration issues, and have had the added bonuses of clearer skin, and effortless weight loss. I have already lost 9 of the extra 25-30 lbs I gained through poor eating habits in my early twenties. I have felt deprived a few times, but if I must suffer a little while watching my loved ones sip a local amber ale, or eat a tantalizing desert, it seems a small price to pay for better health.