The Truth About Candida - Is Fruit The Enemy?

Fungi (Candida Albicans) belong to the parasitic family. The parasite family are generally considered as organisms that feed on the waste matter and weaknesses in a living (or dead) organism. With this understanding, it should become clear to us that although fungi/parasites thrive in toxic conditions, they are also aiding the body in breaking down waste matter. Candida aids in the digestion of living nutrition. This should always be considered when taking the proper course of action to resolve these issues.

The body is never working against itself. Unlike the outdated allopathic understandings of "disease", the body is following natures law: when there is waste, organisms will come to clean it (break it down). The body does what it needs to survive and live as best it can with the tools it has been given. This is just something to reflect upon whilst working on restoring your body to good health. Of course, we're supposed to have a natural balance of bacteria/yeast/parasites and other organisms within the body and it's when there is a disruption in homeostasis where we begin to see problems in our health appear.

According to Dr. Robert Morse, here is a list of common symptoms of fungal infestations:

• Uncontrollable cravings for starch, sugary foods and fermented food (but generally never fruit)
• Brain fog (sometimes severe)
• Listlessness (lethargy; unmotivated to engage in activity)
• Fatigue (periodic and chronic)
• Itching (especially following carbohydrate meals) (note: acids can also cause itching)
• Uric acid crystal formation in joints
• Moles (and “beauty marks”) appearing liberally on skin

Remember, nature is not out here to kills us all because if this was true, there would be nobody left to tell the stories. It is also true though, that we can deviate from natures laws and create serious harm to our body which is very indicative of the amount of people today suffering from serious bacteria/fungi overgrowths. Even then, these non-desirable strains of bacteria/fungi can be eliminated fairly easily if we act fast.

In order for us to determine whether fruit feeds candida, we must first look at the causes of fungi overgrowth. This involves the process of fermentation within the body. The body, in it's natural and healthiest form, will have a balanced amount of candida already present. Existing in the mouth, skin and intestines. Candida helps digest and absorb nutrients (mainly sugars). When there is excess sugar within the body caused by the process of fermentation, a large demand for fungi is present to help clean up the mess. The body, in it's natural and healthiest form, will also have other bacteria (lactobacillus acidophilus) to help keep a check on the balance of bacteria/fungi/yeast, ensuring that there is homeostasis between different bacterial strains.

So here, we are presented with 2 keys factors for what makes the terrain of the body conducive to Candida overgrowth. These are:

1. What is creating the excess fermentation of sugars within the body? Here, we'd consider a few factors such as the quality of foods one is consuming, the combinations of foods and the health and integrity of key digestive organs and glands (pancreas, adrenal glands and thyroid).
2. Do we have a have a healthy gut flora. Here, we'd consider the amount of lactobacillus’s acidophilus we have in our gut and we would pay close attention to our entire GI tract and how food is being digested. A poor gut flora will exacerbate bacterial/fungi overgrowth.

Let's start with fermentation.

“Most people live on fermentation.” ~ Robert Morse, N.D.

Fermentation of sugars happen in a few ways within the body. One way is through the consumption of excess starch. Starch is a polysaccharide.

Poly = many (chain) Saccharide = Sugars

A chain of simple sugars make up a polysaccharide. Although complex carbohydrates (starches) are prevalent in many cultures, i believe them to be sub-optimal foods, especially when they take up most of your daily macros. When we consume complex carbohydrates, the body first has to break the chains until the complexity is diminished. In other words, the polysaccharide chain has to be broken down into singular monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, fructose) before the sugars can be metabolised. This complexity not only lengthens the time in which digestion and absorption is completed, but it puts excess demand on the digestive organs and adrenal glands to secrete the necessary digestive juices/chemicals to help digest and metabolise the sugars.

You can clearly see why the body would favour simple sugars - like the ones found in fruit. 

Starches tax the pancreas and adrenal glands, to produce enzyme-rich fluids and glucocorticoid steroid production that starches demand to be broken down (and then much of that sugar to be metabolised).

The issue here is the body does not like and struggles to cope with the demands of metabolising this excess sugar load. As a result, much of this sugar ends up being fermented instead. This calls upon the fungi class to come in and help ferment and decompose this excess sugar/carbohydrate that the organs and glands were unable to do. This then creates an environment within the body in which there is an ongoing demand for this fungi and thus we end up with high fungal loads if this issue is persistent. This process of fermentation is strengthened if we consider that most people have adrenal weakness and pancreatic (digestive) weakness too.

Lets now consider digestive and glandular weakness and how that might play into the excess fermentation and thus high fungal loads (Candida).

The process of digestion starts within the mouth. The mouth contains amylase which is the first place in which complex carbohydrates are broken down. Chewing our food helps mix amylase with the food. Chewing also helps release the natural enzymes in raw foods by way of rupturing the cell walls via mastication. Inadequate chewing or a weak mouth-flora will hinder this first crucial step in digestion.

The pancreas releases enzyme-rich digestive juices into the duodenum (small intestine). When the exocrine portion of the pancreas is hindered, we will see insufficient digestive juices being released from the pancreas resulting in sparse carbohydrate digestion.

Remember: this doesn't mean to stay away from fruit and vegetables, rather we must limit starch intake. 

Weak adrenals will result in insufficient glucocorticoid production which are essential for many things including carbohydrate metabolism. If we do not metabolise sugars fully, it will result in fermentation which increases the likelihood of high fungal loads (as they are drawn upon by the body to help ferment and decompose the excess sugar).

Let's now consider The Law of Fruit Combining.

Although there are many laws to proper food combining, we're going to speak on the main ones. Many people don't consider food combining of much importance because this is something that isn't highly understood. We'll talk about the 2 major catastrophes when people mix their foods: mixing proteins with starches and consuming liquids with solid foods.

Mixing potato with protein seems to be the one exception to this rule - this may have to do with how quickly the body is able to breakdown potatoes.

When we eat a meal of starches and proteins we create a grave disturbance in digestion. First, the starches release alkaline enzymes within the mouth (ptyalin). This alkaline enzyme is mixed in with the food to help facilitate carbohydrate digestion. 

Now, once the food has entered the lower portion of the stomach, hydrochloric acid (HCL) and pepsinogen are released to help break down the proteins. These are acids and the environment in the stomach deactivates the alkaline enzymes (acids neutralise alkaline environment). Carbohydrate digestions ceases to happen during this period, and it picks up later when the food is released into the small intestines. However, first the proteins must be broken down (partially). A heavy protein meal can sit within the bottom part of the stomach for 2-3 hours. This means fermentations of sugars ensues.

Most people consume a beverage with their meals and in this case, it will further dilute the digestive juices/enzymes meaning food isn't digested optimally and fermentation ensues. 

Here are a few basic rules to go by:

• Separate proteins from starches
• Don’t mix fresh fruit with anything else (dried fruit can be mixed with nuts/seeds)
• Eat melons by themselves (can squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice to enhance flavour of watermelon)
• Separate solid food and liquid (if desiring soup, prepare it as you normally would, then add to a blender to liquefy the solid items; the soup will be a thicker consistency)

There is more to the food combining laws than one can think and it's a great area of research for those with already compromised digestive disorders.

Gut-flora: Lactobacillus Acidophilus 

Now that we've talked about the the primary concerns relating to the first factor for why someone may have high candida overgrowth. It's time to briefly consider the role of Lactobacillus Acidophilus which is a powerful strain of bacteria that keeps candida in check and regulates the ph of the intestines/gut.

Lactobacillus bacteria are a group of aerobic, long, slender rods which produce large amounts of lactic acid in the fermentation of carbohydrates. Lactobacillus acidophilus helps maintain the pH level of the intestine by producing lactic acid from carbohydrates thus preventing an increase of pH which could then allow the proliferation of sensitive microbes which could produce various toxic substances harmful to the health of the body. This beneficial bacteria can be wiped out by use of antibiotic pharmaceuticals (or any sulphur based pharmaceutical drug). The consumptions of inadequate foods that have been processed and skeletonised may also wreak havoc on the gut flora.

By eliminating refined carbohydrates (white sugar, white flour) from the diet and consuming a liberal amount of lacto-fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, beet kvass, fermented ginger ale etc, will help supply this lactobacilli and will help keep yeast at bay in the intestinal tract.

This is something that isn't often considered by "alternative health" influencers/coaches.

Now that we have built on our understanding of the root causes of candida and fungal overgrowth, it's about time we tackle the original question.

Do fruits feed candida?

Firstly, we must recognise the power of fruits. Fruits are full of antioxidants, biophotons, bioflavanoids, tannins, saponins and astringent compounds that make them a complete food and wonderful detoxifiers. These are the exact qualities we look for when we want to cleanse the body and initiate better lymphatic circulation (as the lymphatic system is the system responsible for disposing waste material and that which does not serve the body).

Fruits, coupled with powerful lymphatic herbs, as well as deep breathing exercises, can help rid the body of parasites/fungus/yeast through the process of detoxification and cleansing. Let's put it this way, ask yourself, do you want to actually cleanse the body and work on the foundation or do you want to do an easy anti-fungal cleanse and just clear the symptoms?

Understand that fungi deals in FERMENTATION of carbohydrates, as well as the decomposition thereof. So fruit wouldn’t “feed” fungi UNLESS something interfered with its proper digestion or the metabolism of sugars. 

Instead of saying "fruit doesn't work!!" consider that the terrain of your body and the weaknesses of your digestive organs, adrenals and thyroid are allowing the fermentation of sugars to happen which is feeding the fungi. By thoroughly working on strengthening your body, you fix the root causes instead of masking the it by just removing the symptoms.

Also, here is another angle to look at it. Fruits are full of monosaccharides. So, if monosaccharides "feed" fungi, then what do you think happens when you eat vegetables (which also contain monosaccharides)? I see many people are okay to be recommended vegetables instead of fruit but this doesn't seem too logical to me.

It's highly recommended that if you want to get rid of candida, going on a sustained herbal protocol with your diet being primarily fruits, could serve to be beneficial. Although, one may experience symptoms doing this, and if this does happen, don't panic, just slow down by coming slightly off the detox (introduce more vegetables) but as you cleanse the body and create an environment in your body that facilitates healing to your digestive organs and glands, you'll be able to handle more fruit. Do whatever you need to but don't try to avoid the truth about your own weaknesses by turning to some "anti-candida diet". Stay true to yourself and fix the root (because it's not just fungi you're dealing with, it's a problem in multiple areas). 

The use of herbs are amazing and can really stir up the lymphatic system and facilitate greater elimination. 4 main herbs i'd use during a protocol would be:

1. Dr. Robert Morse's Parasite M Formula

2. Pau d’Arco

3. Calendula Flower 
4. Cats Claw 

Whatever you do, be sure to activate your lymphatic system to help clean out the fungi/yeast/parasite - as this is the system that will dispose the waste. Not only that, by activating the lymph system and cleansing the body of toxins you purify your terrain which makes the terrain of your body conducive to healing and regeneration. That's exactly what we want because if we can strengthen our pancreas and adrenals, we can indirectly resolve the problems that are causing us health issues.

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