I have to be honest when I tell you that a few weeks after changing my diet and starting my supplements, I called my doctor saying: "I feel worse than I did before!" This my friends, was actually a sign that I was winning. Unfortunately, when it comes to fighting the yeast beast, this is one scenario in life where things can feel worse (as if you don't feel yucky enough already -right?) before they get better. Keep reading to learn more about die-off symptoms and uncover tips on how to survive the punches!
Candida Die-off: Yeast and its Revenge in the Final Hours...
It is no secret that yeast is stubborn and really doesn't like it when you tell it to take a hike. It is comfortable making a home in your body and wreaks havoc when you decide to no longer accommodate its presence.
If you have recently changed your diet to eliminate sugar and/or introduced anti-fungals and probiotics, it is highly likely that new symptoms you feel (such as the ones listed below) are related to yeast die off.
Generally, it doesn't make sense that once you make changes to improve your health that you would feel worse -right? Well, the reason this happens is because as yeast dies it releases toxins into your blood. According to Lisa Richards, in her article on Candida Die-Off, these toxins are hard on your body, resulting in an increase of pain, inflamation, and allergic reaction (I encourage you to check out Lisa's article, as she is very thorough and explains things in much greater detail). All of these things put a high demand on your organs to detox your body. I can tell you from experience that I suffered from almost every symptom on the list and I wont lie, it is not fun. The good news, however, is that these symptoms are not likely to last longer than a week or two, nor do they often reoccur, unless you continually change up your diet or do not stay faithful with your choices.
How to Continue Fighting When You Feel Like Crap
So how do you keep going when you feel so awful? I am the first to admit that when I feel rotten, it is easy to make bad decisions. For example, if I feel yucky eating healthy, then going back to sugar and carbs to ease my symptoms, can seem like a quick fix.....
BUT STOP!!
You WILL NOT get better if you continue to sabotage your efforts. The yeast beast will continue to hang around and flare up if you feed it! Do not quit! Here are the TOP TWO tips that were most beneficial for me:
Tip #1: To ease the symptoms of Candida die off, the BEST thing you can do is DRINK WATER! Drink, Drink and Drink some more! Not only does the yeast need to go, but the toxins need to be eliminated from your body as well. The best way to do this is to flush your system, and rest.
Tip #2: If you are REALLY struggling with symptoms you can also decrease your probiotic or Candida cleanse intake. This may decrease the severity of your symptoms, but it will also slow the process of killing off the yeast. In my case I actually doubled my supplements (under supervision of my Doctor) to counteract the effects. No matter which method you try, take your time and be kind to your body-Fight your battle wisely!
Word for the Wise
It is important to note that Candida die-off specifically follows a direct change in diet or supplement use for the purpose of killing Candida, within the first week or two of any changes. Once the symptoms pass, it is rare to have a re-occurance, unless you begin introducing foods back into your diet and/or change the dosage of your supplements. If you begin experiencing the above symptoms after several weeks on the Candida fight plan, and you have made no changes to your routine, it could be sign of another underlying condition or illness. Same goes if you begin experiencing the above symptoms after you have added new supplement to your routine, following the first few weeks, with no other changes -which could be a sign of an adverse reaction to the new supplement. If you suspect an alternative reason for your symptoms, always consult a medical professional.
So how can you tell the difference? Overall, the most important thing you can do is listen to your body. Pay close attention to how you feel and when you feel it. Get through the first week or two of your Candida fight and you should begin to improve.
Stay in the ring friends. It is hard, it is messy, and sometimes the punches sting. But it is only temporary and the long term benefits far outweigh the short term negatives.
You are strong, you are a fighter.
Let's do this...