If a natural therapist recommends that you go on a candida diet, it is because symptoms of candidiasis have been detected. Candida is an organism that lives naturally in our digestive tract. Normally it is content to keep within its natural boundaries, along with lots of other types of flora that live in the gut. Sometimes though, as a result of overuse of antibiotics or other medication such as birth control pills, a weak immune system, or the wrong diet, candida begins to overstep its bounds.

Why You May Need the Candida Diet

To begin with, many people develop an itchy rash under their arms, between the legs, under the breasts or somewhere else. White spots may appear in the mouth. Athlete's foot is common in people suffering from an overgrowth of candida. Other symptoms of candidiasis may include bloating and cramping, respiratory symptoms including asthma, problems of the central nervous system and more. It is then that you need to seriously consider the candida diet.

When candida transforms itself from a simple yeast living in the colon or vagina into an organism that produces mycelium (which are long, spindly tentacles it uses to invade parts of the body), it then becomes dangerous and can produce any number of symptoms. Because it compromises the integrity of the gut, causing leaky gut syndrome, it can allow food particles and poisons to enter the blood stream causing, among other things, food allergies.

Without stringent steps to subdue candida, serious deterioration of health can result, resulting in a further compromised immune system. An appropriate candida diet usually consists of cutting out all sources of sugar and processed carbohydrates, as these are food for the candida yeast. Some individuals may need to stick to the diet for three months or more in order to return to normal health.