I once had a lovely expected two-hour hospital stay turn into two days because of food poisoning. Even though the poison was gone and I’d stopped throwing up after the first day, my heart was weakened. I couldn’t eat my normal diet for a month after, and certain foods were nauseating to even consider for up to a year. My point is, even after the poison was gone from my system, a full recovery took much longer. The same concept applies for candida cleanse, except we’ll focus on the positive attributes.
Benefits During and After Cleansing
Let’s start with the good. An effective cleanse can lead to better digestion, mental clarity, a stop to chronic yeast infections, reduced allergies, and more. Many people have talked about being able to lose weight after a cleanse, having more energy, or seeing their skin improve. I haven’t experienced any migraines since my cleanse, and I am less prone to bloating (I just need to chew slower). I can even sneak in a slice of pizza or light snack with wheat and not experience allergic side-effects. While on the cleanse, by about day six, I no longer felt that food and cravings owned me.
During the Cleanse
When beginning my candida cleanse, the first two days were uncomfortable but tolerable. Days 3-4 were another experience completely, as I succumbed to sugar cravings and hunger pangs as if my favorite childhood blankie had been grabbed away from me and was just out of arm’s reach. I was nearly bedridden over the weekend as I was fatigued and dizzy by candida die-off (known also as Herxheimer response). At least I caught up on some TV shows! Many people will get external yeast infections such as ringworm or athlete’s foot as candida is expelled from the body. I had a few rashes, but I slathered some tea tree oil mixed in with aloe gel in the areas and they disappeared within a couple of days. By the 5th day, I started to feel better. I couldn’t move around too fast, but was able to function cognitively.
What is die-off? Yeast releases toxins into your body as it dies, causing side-effects that stop many from following through with the cleanse. Dizziness, muscle pain, fatigue, worsened sinuses, and itchy skin are just a few reactions to candida die-off. Some products, which will be discussed in the next section, like molybdenum, can be taken to reduce die-off effects. Reducing antifungals and probiotics and building them back up is another option. I picked up canxidaremove in part because it helps reduce (and for some people, can outright prevent) symptoms. Extra fiber and water can flush out the toxins, as well. Depending on the candida overgrowth, some people experience die-off for up to two months, but one day to a week is average.
Building Awareness After the Cleanse
I have to be that nagging friend who reminds those I care about of this fact: just become you lost a few pounds doesn’t mean you get to celebrate by no longer exercising and resuming your old eating habits. The same concept can be applied to candida cleansing. Just because it’s over doesn’t mean it’s done.
Depending on how long and extreme the candida has been in your system, a 7-10 day cleanse isn’t necessarily going to clear all the excessive candida up. A full cleanse may take 4-9 months. There’s a common myth that every 7-10 years, your body has completely regenerated itself. While this is not entirely accurate, consider all the cells in your body: colon cells live and regenerate about every four days, skin cells last 2-3 weeks. Taste buds regenerate every ten days–the perfect excuse I give myself for resisting sweets and carbs. Red blood cells live an average of four months, while white blood cells are toughies, living on for over a year. My point is, with the varying lifespan of cells, any bodily intrusion can have lasting effects and take awhile to clear up. Only time can truly heal and repair the damage.
The candida cleanse did help to reevaluate my diet, cravings, and provide some healthy permanent changes. When I was through with my cleanse, I was cautious about reintroducing foods into my diet. I only had one serving of fruit a day, and had to politely decline cake at my brother’s birthday. I can now drink coffee black when it’s a good quality brand (I personally love Costa Rican organic blends), and I limit my coffee to twice a week, and caffeinated tea to twice a day. Room temperature water is my new favorite beverage. Even though they’re not as economical, I started buying sample bite-sized chocolates instead of full-sized bars, and kept them downstairs in the kitchen so that I couldn’t freely snack on them at my desk drawer. Still to this day, I only tear off one bite of free pastries at work, and the gummy bears don’t really satisfy my stress or hunger. One slice of bread is enough to accompany my poached eggs, and pasta is just as good in smaller portions with several veggies and pine nuts added.
Click here to read Step 5 – Products You Need For Cleanse.