While I agree with most of the recommendations, I have to put my 2 cents worth in here.  If you have Candida albicans overgrowth DO NOT AVOID real lacto-fermented foods.  I'm talking about living foods such as kefir and kombucha.  Candida albicans is even in the air you breath.  You absolutely cannot eliminate it from your body.  Candida is normally a round bud that causes no harm.  As you feed sugar/starch it grows crowding out not only the good bacteria in your colon, but crowding out itself.  When there isn't enough food for the Candida, it morphs from the nice round harmless bud into a pointy stick.  In this state, it can penetrate the bowel wall and get into the blood stream and thus to the rest of the body.  (leaky gut syndrome).  This overgrowth also occurs in the vagina and any warm, moist tissue such as skin folds.  It also migrates into the small intestine in this form.  It is this overgrowth and form of Candida which causes illness.  There is no magic bullet to permanently control Candida, but eliminating all sugars/grains/potatoes etc will go far.  Another thing that will speed it is ingestion of lacto-fermented foods like kefir, raw sauerkraut and other lacto-fermented vegetables and Kombucha tea.  Yes, these ferments contain yeasts BUT the yeasts and bacteria in these things are actually able to displace Candida from the bowel wall and "plug" the holes.  The bacteria and yeasts in LIVE ferments are extremely beneficial to the body.  You want a quick cure for a vaginal yeast infection?  Insert real live kefir grains into the vagina.   If you want more information on how ferments actually resolve Candidiasis, go here:

No-one has talked about the posssible causes of candida - why are so many people getting it?

I suffered from candida for years, on and off, without knowing it. Bloating, flatulence,nausea, unable to eat many foods. I eventually saw a naturopath, who  put me on a very restrictive, sugar-free diet plus a variety of medications -the whole process was very expensive.

It did improve, but  came back as soon as I ate any rich food, at Christmas, for example.  I finally saw a homeopath who gave me a zinc test (takes about 2-3 minutes) and told me I was severely lacking in zinc. If you don't have enough zinc you don't produce enough hydrochloric acid, which you need to digest your food ( hence the fermentation).  If you don't have enough hydrochloric acid, you can't absorb zinc. Catch 22!

This was overcome by taking both for about a month, until my system was more in balance, then just continuing on with the zinc. (Our soils here in Australia are very lacking in zinc).I can now eat anything I like, and have not had candida for about 10 years, so I feel I tackled the cause, rather than the symptoms..

I hope this helps someone.

Do not use Tea tree oil, because it only kills the bacteria on the surface and drives the rest deeper into the body. Always heal this from the inside to the outside, not in reverse.

I had systemic candida for years before I contacted a naturopath who quickly diagnosed my problem. Unfortunately, I had an extremely stubborn case and it took years to get rid of. Staying away from carbs totally  finally rid me of it. But I know my diet will have to be more strict re carbs as a long term measure.

I had read somewhere that vaginal infections, jock itch, athlete's foot are probably symptomatic of a deeper candida invasion, so if one has recurring infections  one should take more drastic and long term measures by way of permanent dietary changes.

For a free recipe on how to get rid of yeast overgrowth, which I've shared with customers at the health food store where I work, go here:

www.squidoo.com/foodcravings

I've seen people lose 90 pounds, completely eliminate painful "geographic tongue" (the tongue looks like a map, hence the name), etc.

I mention a product called PB-8 for the probiotic, but Dr. Mercola's probiotic would be a good one to use in its place.

The best to you.

Kelley Eidem, author