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The Special Foods Diet And Candidiasis

Dr. Robert Soll, nationally known neurologist, who recommends treatments for food allergies and sensitivities to his multiple sclerosis patients, eloquently described one of the most important principles that links the presence of food sensitivities and multiple chemical sensitivities with reduced resistance to infections.

"There is a biochemical feedback loop between reactions and infections. When the body reacts to a food, in addition to the irritation of mucous membranes that makes them more susceptible to proliferation of opportunistic infectious organisms, the immune system has a feedback mechanism that makes this worse. The biochemical feedback is an attempt on the part of the immune system, to adjust to the reaction, and dampen the overactive state toward a more normal response. Unfortunately although this happens, it is the ability to resist infection that is reduced."

Our observations concerning food-related reactions and infections are in full agreement with this theory. In the case of Candidiasis, the above theory is very important.

Many persons notice a flare-up in their Candidiasis infections when they eat grains, and do better when they eat smaller quantities of grains, thus limiting their carbohydrate intake. They become very concerned about 'feeding the yeast' when we suggest the optimal amounts of carbohydrates they need to consume on the Special Foods Diet.

Since most persons have sensitivities to grains, we find that Candidiasis patients are not directly 'feeding the yeast'. Instead, when they eat grains they are sensitive to, following the reaction and associated symptoms, there is a reduction in a person's ability to fight infection, including infection to Candida, and the result is a flare up.-

Testing this theory was very simple. No diet around recommends higher quantities of carbohydrates, albeit carbohydrates that are very, very high in fiber, and very well tolerated, than the Special Foods Diet. With the higher quantities of carbohydrates, every Candida patient who tries our diet should have severe Candida problems --- but they most certainly do not.

Over 70 percent of Special Foods customers have been diagnosed with Candidiasis. Thus, over the years several thousand individuals with Candidiasis diagnosis have used our foods (high fiber carbohydrates), most of them in appropriately high daily levels. These thousands of individuals have been able to find carbohydrate foods with which they are symptom-free and experience no Candida flare-ups. This is strong evidence; carbohydrates when they are well tolerated do not cause Candida flare-ups.

Candida flare-ups were found to occur with any type of food to which an individual is sensitive. This is fully consistent with the theory of Dr. Soll. Candida flare-ups, we find, can occur as a symptom associated with food allergies and sensitivities when the immune system's ability to fight infection is reduced. The Special Foods Diet with its well-tolerated foods, promotes a healthy immune system and a reversal of the dampening effect.

For Candidiasis patients the Special Foods Diet and its emphasis on symptom-free foods is a very important part of treatment and recovery. The absence of food sensitivities and any associated flare-ups helps a great deal to make treatments more effective and to shorten the time for recovery.

The 7 day rotation recommended by the Special Foods Diet, and the emphasis on optimal caloric intake and nutritional balance, also allows the Candidiasis patient to avoid the common problems of proliferating food sensitivities that can otherwise occur.