You commonly think of yeast as an ingredient in
breads and other baked goods. Foods associated with yeast (or fungus) sometimes use a
fermentation, aging, or pickling process. Cheeses, alcohols, vinegars, salad dressings,
mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, chocolate, coffee and tea are also sources of yeast. Many
other additives or foods processed with chemicals are typically associated with yeast including citric acid, enzymes, added B vitamins, stabilizers, anti-oxidants, and
flavorings.
An individual who has a Candida or yeast problem, often referred to as Candida
overgrowth, may have a wide variety of health symptoms including but not limited to:
chronic depression, extreme fatigue, severe PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome, dizziness,
weakness, inability to concentrate, headaches, migraine, sinusitis, asthma, colitis,
endometriosis, hypoglycemia, constipation, conjunctivitis and arthritis.
If you know or suspect that you have a yeast overgrowth problem or Candida, one book
that would be extremely worthwhile is The Yeast Connection by William Crook, M.D.
This is considered a classic book on the subject, and if you have this problem, it would
be to your benefit to become educated as you have access to huge relief with your
symptoms by changing your diet, and in many cases by using a pharmaceutical drug to
help kill off the yeast.
Some physicians still tell patients to eat yogurt after they finish a course of antibiotics.
The reason they tell patients that is to replace the good bacteria or “flora” that an
antibiotic kills. Consumers who can’t tolerate milk, yogurt, or dairy can still get the
benefits of the components of yogurt, which is acidophilus through commercially
available dietary supplements. Our family uses a gluten-free, dairy-free acidophilus
capsule that we open up and use in a vitamin shake. So going dairy-free doesn’t have to
remove your access to acidophilus. Read your supplement label carefully to make sure
that your supplement is free of any allergens.
Foods that do not normally contain yeast (or fungus) include fresh vegetables, beans,
meats, chicken, fish, some nuts and glass bottled water. People on a yeast-free or
Candida diet normally avoid carbohydrates that contain sugar or yeast (sugar feeds the
yeast), sweets, and fresh fruits because of the sugar content in addition to the previously
mentioned yeast-containing foods. In this book, I have included several recipes that are
free of sugar, yeast, and other problematic ingredients.
The health condition of yeast overgrowth or Candida can be extremely debilitating,
however there are proven techniques to help a person with this problem improve
dramatically. This issue is more common than people realize. If you have had on-going
health problems that have not been resolved, this may be one area for you to investigate.
