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Is Candida Overgrowth Caused By a High Fruit Raw Food Diet?

October 29th, 2010

I get soooo many emails from people wondering how in the world they can eat so much fruit when they have Candida.

The fact that this question is so often asked tells me that the majority of people are ignorant as to what candida actually is, what it does, what causes candida overgrowth, and how to fix it.

And since I’m just plain sick of replying to the same question over and over again, it’s time to settle the issue here and now!

Let’s start with the basics, shall we?

What Is Candida?

Candida, or Candida albicans, is a bacteria present in the human body’s intestinal tract.

What Is Candida’s Job?

The candida colony feeds on glucose and serves to keep blood sugar levels in check.

So…Candida Is Normal?!

I have made it a point in this article to distinguish between “Candida” and “Candida overgrowth.”

Why?

Because the presence of candida in the human body is completely normal. In fact, if you did NOT have candida, you would be in some serious trouble.

From Dr. Graham’s 80/10/10 Diet:

The size or population of the candida colony in the blood is directly determined by its food supply. If blood-sugar levels are always at a normal level, so is the size of the candida colony that lives in the blood. When the sugar we eat leaves the blood to be distributed and used by the cells of the body, any excess yeast quickly dies off, as it is supposed to.

Sounds pretty normal, right?

So it is not the presence of candida that is the issue. Like so many other dietary issues, it is the presence of TOO MUCH Candida that presents a problem.

What Causes Too Much Candida?

The commonly held belief is that candida overgrowth is caused by an excess of sugar in the body. Raw and cooked foodists alike, as well as modern medicine as a whole, all point to simple sugars (refined in pastries or fresh in fruit) as the culprit.

On a shallow examination of the facts, this conclusion is understandable. Since we know that candida feeds on sugar, simply limiting your sugar intake makes sense.

Except for the fact that when consumed under healthy circumstances, the simple sugars do not remain in the bloodstream long enough for any overpopulation of the bacteria to occur.

After consumption, the fruit is almost immediately (within minutes) converted into glucose and transported out of the bloodstream and into the cells.

Of course, that’s sugar consumption *uninterrupted*. So then what would cause an UNhealthy, INterrupted circumstance?

*Fat*

Here’s the deal:

When a person consumes too much fat, the excess fat in the bloodstream blocks insulin sent out from the pancreas; the insulin has a hard time reaching the sugar and transporting it to your cells.

Not only does the pancreas become fatigued from producing extra insulin, but the blood-sugar level becomes elevated because the sugar cannot be transported to the cells.

In order to get rid of the sugar – since too much glucose in the blood is a serious threat to the body – the candida multiplies and eats it away.

If the fat is then reduced, the excess candida will quickly die off (Candida’s lifespan is less than 24 hours) and the colony will return to a normal size.

If the individual continues to overeat on fat, then the excess sugar will remain in the bloodstream, providing continual fuel for the candida and starving the cells.

Now this explains why so many raw foodists are still experiencing (or perhaps just recognizing) candida issues such as yeast infections and chronic fatigue.

If you are consuming a diet high in fat (like so many raw foodists do), while also eating simple sugars such as fresh and dried fruits, agave nectar, or even honey, it is likely that you will experience candida overgrowth.

And it does not matter if the fat is raw or cooked. Too much fat is too much fat and there will be consequences to consuming such a diet.

How to Stop Candida Overgrowth

Now that we know the cause of Candida, the “cure” becomes quite clear.

Since the cause is merely a presence of too much fat in the body, the cure would simply be to reduce the fat intake.

If the body is not overrun with fat, then all of the sugar and insulin problems listed above will no longer occur.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure your diet is not only high in fruit, but LOW IN FAT as well. As long as you limit your diet to around 10% of calories from fat, you will have no problem eating all the deliciously sweet fruit your heart desires.

We All Need Candida!

I want to end by quickly reiterating not only the importance of candida, but the importance of candida *overgrowth*.

Here’s another quote from Dr. D:

The candida microbe in our blood is actually a life-saving organism, one that we do not ever want to eradicate. It functions as another backup system – a safety valve that helps to bring the blood-sugar level back down to normal in the event that the pancreas and the adrenals fail at doing so…

Outbreaks of candida are your wakeup call – warning that your system is rapidly approaching diabetes, and that you would do well to drastically curtail your fat consumption or face dire health consequences.

So thanks, candida, for keeping me alive when I so naively thought that a diet of fatty meat and refined sweets was good for me.

And always remember…

Blame the fat, not the fruit!

For more information on the best raw vegan diet, be sure to visit Fit On Raw and subscribe to Swayze’s newsletter Peachy Keen Ezine. By subscribing, you will also receive the free report The 4 Principles of a Healthy Raw Diet as well as the 5-week mini-course The Fool Proof Transition to Raw.
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