On a yeast-free diet and getting discouraged? Remember to focus on what you can eat, not what you can't and you will succeed. Here's a list to help you survive.

Different eating plans for anti-candida or yeast free diets follow different guidelines. Some are more stringent than others. One of the best ways to tell if your detoxifying or allergen-free diet is working is if you are symptom-free. If so, keep up the good work and add in a few of the “no-no’s” a bit at a time. If you start to feel worse or symptoms return, cut back.

A yeast-free diet isn’t a life sentence. It’s just a matter of getting rid of the most yeast that you can, and balancing your lifestyle. If you over-indulge or the yeast starts to grow out of control, simply go back to the strictest possible way you can live comfortably.

Here’s a list of foods that follow the guidelines for most anti-candida diets:

Allowed foods

Proteins

• Eggs
• Beef
• Chicken
• Seafood
• Turkey
• Pork
• Lamb
• Duck
• Pheasant
• Goose
• Veal
• Cornish Hen
• Nuts, Peanut Butter, Almond and Cashew Butter

Tip: Eat plenty of protein, especially if you eat a carbohydrate.

Vegetables

Vegetables are your best bet to fill up and keep your digestive system running smoothly; fiber is important. Lots of fresh or steamed vegetables, maybe some dip made from plain yogurt or sour cream and you will feel satisfied and healthy! Some vegetables have more sugar than others, such as carrots, so eat them in moderation. If you want to be really strict, avoid them.

• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Carrots (limited)
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Leaf Vegetables (Lettuce, Kale, Collards, Mustard, Greens, Swiss Chard)
• Onions
• Peas
• Peppers
• Potatoes (in moderation)
• Radishes
• Squash
• Tomatoes
• Turnips

Dairy

Another disputed “allowed” food; dairy is permitted on most yeast free diets, but usually in moderation

• Butter
• Cream
• Cheese
• Milk (lower fats are better)
• Yogurt (Plain)

*Tip: Most yogurts have sugar, or worse, high fructose corn syrup added. Don’t consume yogurt containing sweeteners and think that they are good for you while on a yeast-free diet. The digestive additives put into yogurt now really don’t make up for the tons of sugar that are also added in as well. At least, not while you’re moderating your diet.

Beverages

There are a lot of different opinions as to caffeine, tea, and other beverages on an anti-candida diet. Some people do well while still consuming some caffeine. If you are trying to be strict, eliminate most or all of it, if possible.

• Water, water, water
• Vegetable juices (like V8)
• Tea (Decaf is best)
• Coffee

*Tip: Try drinking some iced-green or decaffeinated teas to replace sugary sodas or fruit juices. There are many different varieties and flavors of teas. They give a sense of having something substantial, more than water and tea has other health benefits.

Meals and snacks

Planning meals and recipes in advance is crucial to being successful. Breakfast is tough because we consume a lot of breads for breakfast, although they aren’t necessarily the best food to fuel us and keep yeast at bay.

Instead, try eating some kind of protein, an egg or some turkey lunch meat and a bowl of oatmeal or rice cereal. Grits are good too. Just because you’re eating yeast-free doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your food too. If you're desperate, a piece of toast (spelt bread is best) and some peanut butter relieves those high-carb cravings in the morning. NO jelly, it is loaded with sugar!

Any time of the day:

• Chili, Soups
• Oatmeal
• Hummus
• Vegetable Dips
• Tabouli, Tabouleh
• Rice dishes
• Mexican food (Try to eat corn tortillas, not flour)
• Popcorn
• Rice Cakes
• Nuts
• Sunflower seeds

There are days when it seems impossible to stick to the diet. If you do slip, don't quit. Just begin again the next morning and you will be fine. A yeast free diet can help alleviate symptoms from many illnesses and the benefits of a few weeks of strict eating make up for the uncomfortable cravings that you quickly learn you can temporarily live with.