Need food suggestions - MC and yeast infection

[Carole]

After a full five year hiatus I'm back with MC. Had emergency surgery last Nov, then developed pneumonia and plural effusion (water outside the lungs) - hospitalized for 3 weeks with loads and loads of antibiotics. After I got home I got a yeast infection (surprised? NOT). Two courses of anti-fungal pills did the job and all seemed well at first, but slowly the symptoms of MC came back and it's had a firm grip since first of June. Then last week the candida expressed itself again - I suspect it's been there all along just not bad enough to notice until now. I'm on Budesonide 3x and ZenPep (similar to Creon). Can't manage fresh veggies or fruits, but can eat cooked carrots, spinach, zucchini, cooked apples, bananas, most any meat, rice and homemade pumpkin bread. I was intentionally eating lots of carbs to keep up my weight so I guess the candida was bound to happen (in retrospect). Problem is, with out carbs, what do I eat? The list of things that don't bother me is pretty small already!
Btw, I read an article recently in which they addressed UC and Crohn's that said "if the wrong diet is constantly consumed, or if damage (i.e. yeast overgrowth) is never reversed from previous antibiotic use, a cure can almost never be achieved. We feel the 'infection' in the intestines in Crohn's patients is caused by fungi and their mycotoxins." I'm thinking this might be true for MC as well. Their approach is to boost the immune system, consume a low carb diet and take antifungal supplements or medication. Any thoughts?

[tex]

Hi Carole,

I'm sorry that you needed to return, but welcome back. I agree that with all the antibiotics and candida, it's not surprising that you had a relapse of your MC.

As a general rule, the carbs in fruit and vegetables are much healthier than the carbs in grain. And most natural fats are healthy, also (despite what many so-called "experts" claim). Of course you may have to wait until you have been back in remission for a while before trying to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Regarding the article you read, that wouldn't be surprising, if it's true. I've said all along that MC and other IBDs and autoimmune-type diseases are caused by an underactive immune system (not an overactive immune system, as claimed by most "experts". I even made that argument in my book. The fact that a vitamin D deficiency is associated with the development of IBDs and other autoimmune-type diseases is pretty strong evidence that my position is correct, because a vitamin D deficiency is known to weaken the immune system.

Are you avoiding gluten, even in tiny amounts? If not, that would be the first thing that I would eliminate from my diet if I were in your situation.

Tex

[Leah]

Just so you know. Diflucan is an extremely safe drug. I took it EVERY DAY for months! Now, I rarely get yeast problems. maybe you just need to have an extended period of time on antifungals. Yeast takes a long time to completely stamp out.
Good luck
leah

[robinc2525]

This is very interesting to me because I too recently have tested very high for yeast (though not Candida, a different kind marked as "taxonomy unavailable" on a Genova Diagnostics test). I don't have what I thought were typical symptoms (yeast infection, thrush, etc) but I was told by my Naturopath that an overgrowth of yeast can cause D. She put me on Diflucan every other day and that will be followed by Nystatin and I got the feeling there will be more antifungals after that. She also wants me to follow a yeast free diet. Leah, did you follow a yeast free diet while on diflucan and how long do you think it took to get rid of the yeast?

Thanks-
Robin

[Leah]

I am not even sure I had a yeast problem to begin with. I was being tossed from one doctor to another for my auto immune vaginitis, and nobody knew what to do woth me, so they put me on this regimen along with an anti yeast diet. I was on it for about two months, but didn't see a difference in symptoms, so I stopped the diet. but i have to say that it turned out that I finally got to a specialist that dx me with DIV - which is autoimmune and bacterial in nature) and has nothing to do with yeast. Many naturopaths tend to point to yeast, so just be aware. If you go through all the anti-fungals and things still aren't good, then it's probably not yeast. Nystatin is an antibiotic..... which can GROW yeast. be careful/

leah

[ObsessedMrFixit]

There are some diets out there that purport to be "anti-candida" diets. That is, they feed the yeast as little as possible, while feeding the host (you) as much as possible. Two I'm aware of are SCD and GAPS. They're slight variations of each other. But they both emphasize that they are not "no carb" diets, but "specific carbs". My son is following SCD, mostly, for his horrible yeast overgrowth. I think it's working, but it's a long, slow process.