[sci.med] Candida and non-yeast diets

eddy@boulder.UUCP (11/29/87)

In article <1051@hp-sdd.HP.COM> andrea@hp-sdd.UUCP (Andrea K. Frankel) writes:
>When I was first diagnosed with Candida problems, I tried the
>nutritional treatment route - rigorous low-carbo non-yeast diet...

I've often heard talk about 'non-yeast' diets, and even saw
a book in a bookstore that advocated staying away from yeast.
My response has been to giggle that Candida (the infection-causing
yeast) and Saccharomyces (includes baker's yeast and brewer's yeast)
are very different beasts.

But often when I have this response it's merely because I'm
uninformed. Why should one expect that a Saccharomyces-free
diet should help a Candida infection?


- Sean Eddy
- MCD Biology; U. of Colorado at Boulder; Boulder CO 80309
- eddy@boulder.colorado.EDU		!{hao,nbires}!boulder!eddy	

andrea@hp-sdd.HP.COM (Andrea K. Frankel) (12/01/87)

In article <3190@sigi.Colorado.EDU> eddy@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Sean Eddy) writes:
>I've often heard talk about 'non-yeast' diets, and even saw
>a book in a bookstore that advocated staying away from yeast.
>My response has been to giggle that Candida (the infection-causing
>yeast) and Saccharomyces (includes baker's yeast and brewer's yeast)
>are very different beasts.
>
>But often when I have this response it's merely because I'm
>uninformed. Why should one expect that a Saccharomyces-free
>diet should help a Candida infection?

Regardless of what the books say, I think that the most important
aspect of these diets is actually the extremely low carbohydrate/no
simple sugars part (since Candida thrives when sugar levels go up -
some of us figured out long ago that cutting back on desserts helped
avoid recurrent vaginal yeast infections).  Avoiding other forms of
yeast is secondary, although avoiding baked goods would obviously cut
out alot of sugar in the diet!

In fact, I found absolutely no ill effects from baker's yeast, or from
whatever it is that is used to ferment vinegar, soy sauce, or miso.  I
do have problems with brewer's yeast, natto, and mushrooms.  Blue
cheese and brie are ok, camembert gives me problems.  Since the
distinctions are pretty specific, my conjecture is that the effects are
attributable to sensitivities to the specific metabolic byproducts or
characteristic proteins of these flora and fauna, since all food
sensitivities (as well as reactivity to solvent fumes, perfumes, smoke,
etc.) seem to be exacerbated during a Candida uprising.


Andrea Frankel, Hewlett-Packard (San Diego Division) (619) 592-4664
                "...like a song that's born to soar the sky"
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anne@macom1.UUCP (A. Brumbaugh) (12/02/87)

>>I've often heard talk about 'non-yeast' diets, and even saw
>>a book in a bookstore that advocated staying away from yeast.
>>My response has been to giggle that Candida (the infection-causing

I have a friend who suffered from seemingly chronic yeast infections.
After cutting out sugar, trying prescription pills and creams, 
eating tons of active-culture yogurt, etc., maintaining immaculate 
personal hygiene, etc., she was put on a yeast-free diet.
It was the only thing that seemed to relieve her condition.  Now
she continued with other treatments, so it may be the total
combination that worked, but it was not until she cut yeast products
from her diet that she felt better.

-- AMB

kevin@chromo.UUCP (12/05/87)

In article <3190@sigi.Colorado.EDU> eddy@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Sean Eddy) writes:
>My response has been to giggle that Candida (the infection-causing
>yeast) and Saccharomyces (includes baker's yeast and brewer's yeast)
>are very different beasts.
>But often when I have this response it's merely because I'm
>uninformed. Why should one expect that a Saccharomyces-free
>diet should help a Candida infection?

Because people who have candidiasis generally experience allergic
cross-reactions to other molds and yeasts, which include not
only environmental molds (the ones in your dirty sink) but those
used in food for fermentation, for making bread, alcoholic beverages,
tempeh, miso, tamari, amasake, vinegar, and those that tend to
be found invisibly on the surfaces of nuts, whole grains, tofu, fruit,
all of which are often problems for mold-allergic people.
-----------
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