What is a Candida Cleanse?
A Candida Cleanse is a form of fasting.
The idea behind this fast is to give your digestive system a rest so that your body gets a chance to detoxify.
Now you might wonder why anyone would choose not to eat for days…
Why detox?
It’s simple. If you don’t feel tip-top it’s a sign that your body is struggling with something.
Detox Boosts Your Immune-System!
Helping your body detox, letting go of what is no longer needed, is one of the best ways to boost your immune system, and feeling on top of things again!
Heal while You Sleep
Your body does a lot of its healing and restoration work at night when you are asleep or rest deeply – Now how well do you sleep?
I think we both know the answer – not as well as you used to. Not as long as you used to. Let alone power nap during the day – there’s no time for that! And when was the last time you got out of bed in the morning with a spring in your step and a song on your lips?!
So if your body is having a hard time keeping up with all the internal shenanigans…
Why not make it easy and focus the energy that you normally spend on getting, preparing, eating and digesting food – onto healing?
Flush the Candida out!
Not to forget that simply by doing a Candida Cleanse you can get rid of a fair share of Candida in one fell swoop. That’s why it is very beneficial to do a Cleanse before embarking on the actual Candida Diet.
3 Step Cleansing Process – How does it work?
1. Fasting – taking the strain of your digestive system 
2. Relaxation
- Focus your energy on healing
- Re-energise your mind
- Re-align your values
What is really important to you? Do you spend enough time doing the things you love? With the people you care about?
3. Aiding your body’s elimination process
- Drink 3 liters+ to flush out toxins
- Exercise to pump oxygen around your body
- Massage to get your lymph system working
- Sauna & steam baths to sweat out toxins and build up your resistance to infections
- Body brushing to improve circulation
The 7 Day Candida Cleanse I followed
Here’s the exact 7 day plan I followed:
(Adapted from the Candida Cleanse regime over at thecandidadiet.com)
On Awakening: glass of water with 1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
Morning:
– Colon Cleanse Drink with 1Tbsp Psyllium Husk + 1 Tbs Bentonite Clay
– 1 large glass of water straight after to flush it down
Warning:
If you decide to drink the Colon Cleanse Drink do this instantly after mixing it as it goes rock-solid and becomes undrinkable, yuk!
The way the drink works is it bulks up as it moves through your Colon, like a pipe cleaner basically.
Personally I would NOT ever drink the Colon Cleanse Drink again. I’d rather take magnesium or Sauerkraut juice to encourage bowel movements.
Mid Morning:
– Green Goodness Juice
– Candida Cleanse Tea
– Vegetable Broth for Fasting
– Water
Lunchtime:
– Colonic Irrigation (twice a week, preferably on the first day)
– Water + Probiotic afterwards
– 1 hour later 2nd Colon Cleanse Drink
Afternoon:
– Vegetable Broth for Fasting again
– Camomile & Peppermint Tea
Evening:
– 3rd Colon Cleanse Drink
– 2 hours later Liver Detox Drink (glass of water mixed with chopped fresh ginger, garlic and 1 tbsp of virgin olive oil – yep, get ready for a lonely night 
– Camomile & Peppermint Tea
My Verdict of the 7 day Candida Cleanse: 
- Easier to do than I had thought. Felt noticeably better afterwards.
- Wouldn’t follow this exact plan again though – A bit too extreme for my liking.
- Would probably do 2-3 days fast and then 3-4 days just raw & steamed veg and brown rice.
- Can’t recommend Colon Cleanse or Liver Detox Drink – didn’t notice any benefit from taking it; just made the candida cleanse harder to do.
NOTE: Since writing this I have done another Cleanse – if you want to read the exact outline and how I got on with it – click here. And for more info about my previous detox experiences and and what to watch out for go here.
Candida Cleanse Snack Tip: You know as well as I do – You can’t go through an entire week without eating ANYTHING! Have some avocados handy to snack on when you get starving or drink a Green Goodness Juice.
Useful further reading material for you:
Check out this site for some sound information about juicing and juice fasting.
Also: I came across an E-book called ‘How And When To Be Your Own Doctor’
by Dr. Isabelle A. Moser with Steve Solomon.
It’s freely available as far as I know, just google it. Chapter 4 gives interesting advice about Colon cleansing. Seeing that the colon is the number 1 area where candida loves to reside, it helps to get clued up on this usually not spoken about territory.
Are there any side-effects when embarking on a Candida Cleanse?
Unfortunately there might be. And I don’t mean your tummy rumbling sounds out of hunger!
If you kickstart your metabolism with the candida cleanse it can happen that more candida gets killed than your liver can break down.
And you’ll feel ill because of that. This is called Candida Die Off. Here’s what you can do about it:
- You can avoid harsh die off symptoms by taking things slowly.
- By easing yourself into the fast and carefully monitoring your body’s response.
- Plus you can take herbs, vitamins and minerals that aid your liver’s ability to break down toxins.
So even if you feel ill you can make yourself feel better again quickly. Drinking dandelion & burdock tea for instance really helps.
If you prefer an already prepared herb formula this is the one I’d go for this product. It has been voted “Best cleansing product” by 1 million customers for 9 years running. (This is a US product. I haven’t tried any other herbal cleanse formulas yet.)
You can read more about ‘die off’ here.
Can I not just skip the fast and start the Candida Diet?
Fasting is the last thing on your mind when you are feeling poorly. But it’s what’s most needed.
When you have Candida the excess yeast is impairing your normal bodily functions anyway, which causes an extra strain on your immune system.
Don’t forget, Candida is already getting killed in your body every day! The broken down candida by-products that are floating around in your bloodstream are what is making you feel ill all the time. Break this cycle!
No better time than now to do something about it.
What if I don’t do the Fast?
If you don’t follow the candida cleanse regime, you’ll still heal. You’ll just be ill for longer. This can add months to your recovery time.
So you might as well give the cleanse a go – What have you got to lose?
Besides, what’s not to like about Your new Detox Activities?
- Lounging on your settee with lavishly expensive mags (go on, treat yourself – you’ve saved it on food bills!),
- Watching your favourite series
- Chatting to your friends on the phone
- Listening to some cool chill out tunes
- Spending a day at a Spa
- … and musing about your life
You deserve a time out. Take it!
Big Advantage of the Candida Cleanse – Quicker Recovery
Fasting takes a load of your digestive system. The Candida toxins in your bloodstream can be flushed out more easily. This in turn will make you feel better than you have in a long time.
A candida cleanse is also a good way to ease food intolerances you might have. Cow’s milk, soya milk, wheat and oats are such typical culprits.
How to Prepare Yourself for the Candida Cleanse?
You’ll have a smooth transition into your Candida Cleanse if you follow these simple guidelines for 4-6 weeks before embarking on the actual fast:
- Eliminate everything from your diet that you suspect doesn’t agree with you.
- Consume less coffee, sugar or fast food.
- Pick 1 day a week where you only eat salad, steamed veg/ veg soup and whole grain rice.
Book 2 Colonics, stock up on water and cancel family do’s
- Get ready for the fast by booking at least 2 appointments with a colonic therapist for the first day of the fast and towards the end (or every 2 days if you can).
- If possible do the cleanse under the supervision of a qualified medical professional.
- Make sure you’ve got plenty of quality water to drink, pleasant teas, comfy clothes, relaxing music, books and movies.
- Try to arrange for no work and family commitments to be held within your candida cleanse and fast times.
- Make a list of the food you can eat on the first week of your candida diet and go shopping before the fast so you already have the essentials there. Nothing more stressful than having to go shopping after you’ve been starving yourself on a fast.
What’s the next Step?
You’ve decided to give it a go – excellent!
Now, head on over to the Candida Cleanse Recipes section where you can put together a mini groceries’ list for your fast. Once you’ve finished your fast click here to move on to Phase 2 of the Candida Diet.
And if you add your email address in the box above you’ll get an email as soon as new health & candida diet tips are out next week.
Use the comment box below to ask me any questions you might have about the candida cleanse or share any of your own detox tips & experiences.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
What if you can’t get off work you don’t have a choice but have to keep workin any tips with the fast bein I have to work
If you are super busy or can’t take time off work then I would not recommend a fast (unless you are used to fasting).
Instead eat light and early and get as much sleep and rest as possible. During the week follow a free-form version of phase 2 of the Candida Diet.
Ideally no grains, except cooked brown rice.
Yes, rice contains carbs, but it is nutrient rich, easy to digest and your body needs some energy to focus properly and handle any stress from your work. Candida is still being killed as you are not actively feeding the yeast, so don’t worry about that.
No dairy, no bread. In general I’d opt for big salads, chicken, fish or egg, lots of steamed veg, veggy stir fries with little olive oil, lots of cooked brown rice with or without coconut oil…
It’s best to prepare your lunches – take a warming vegetable broth in a flask or make a mixed salad with tuna/ chicken, or hummus with vegetable sticks is also good.
If you have to work physically hard you can perhaps even get away with some yeast free bread or a salad with beans. But generally it’s best to cut down carbs as much as possible (so follow a mostly phase 2 type diet).
Stay away from coffee and booze. If you need a pick me up drink a green or herbal tea and try any of the following tips to keep your energy levels up:
• Try spirulina & chlorella. It’s a green powder made from a very mineral rich algae. You can just mix it in with water or take it as capsules and it speeds up your metabolism – giving you a little bit more energy and better digestion
• Ginger tea (boiling slices of fresh ginger root for 10-20 mins in water) also has this effect. You can take it with you in a flask.
• Key is to bring your stress levels down and do everything you can to rest and sleep deeply. This is equally as important as following a sugar free diet. I cannot stress this enough.
Also check out my lunch & snacks pages (under candida diet recipes) for ideas how to control your cravings as this is double hard if you are working…
If you can, do maybe a 1 day fast at the weekend, where you simply rest, drink lots of water, herbal teas and vegetable broth – giving your over reactive digestive system a rest (you could also try an enema).
The main thing to remember though is not to force things.
If the cleanse/ strict diet don’t fit into your schedule right now then postpone it.
You are already doing your immune system the world of good by cutting out all sugar, coffee, junk food… and minimising your stress levels.
You are not holding your healing back by following a gentle start into the diet rather than doing a candida cleanse straight away.
Even just skipping dinner one night is beneficial. You don’t have to go 1 whole week without food to achieve results.
Every little helps
Good luck!
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Awesome, thanks so much May! I’m really glad, that you found my page, too
And I am also grateful for your kind words – they made my day!
Hey, would be great to connect with you, perhaps through Facebook? I’ve set up a page just for recipes & other shenanigans here and a private little support group here. Come on over!
Take care,
San
I have been extremely ill for years, the past year has been the worst. My digestion is so bad that one bite of ANYTHING makes my stomach bloat up like crazy. I am thin, but I look about 7 months pregnant form the abdominal distention. I also have terrible constipation. I don’t go unless I take 3 caps of Miralax every evening, followed by caffeine in the AM to stimulate my bowels. I’ve spent so much money on supplements, digestive enzymes, and prescription meds for IBS, sluggish bowel, stomach motility, etc. I have done every test, scans, scopes to see what was wrong, all coming back normal, and the diagnosis of IBS. I’ve become extremely frustrated and depressed because I am so ill most days I can’t even leave the house. I know that I have a candida overgrowth. I have all the symptoms and the white film on my tongue is so thick I can scrape it with my fingernail, gross! I am desperate to get a hold of my health. I’m leery about starting with the fast. I am already underweight, and I typically have to eat every 2-3 hours or I get dizzy. Is it safe to do the fast in my condition? Is there a way to add in more calories? Another concern I have is all the veggies. A couple years ago my Dr put me on the gastro-parysis diet. (no produce). I’m wondering if veggies are actually hard for me to digest, or if the root of my constipation, bloating, and sluggishness is from candida overgrowth. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! I’m desperate to feel healthy and alive for once. Thanks
Hi Elisa,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had to go through all this hardship only now to also have to also go through the diet, ehich isn’t easy at the best of times.
If you do the cleanse, you’ll definitely lose more weight, there’s no doubt. So if you are very underweight I would probably take it easy and start with stage 2. Try and snack on a lot of bone broth, chicken and vegetable soup. Simple veggy smoothies, perhaps with a little protein powder might be good, too.
It is incredibly important that you get an abundance of easily digestible vitamins and minerals. Expecially as you are experiencing such digestive problems. I’d look into supplementing with chlorella, spirulina or balrey grass and also take a strong multi vit and mineral complex as well as omega 3 oils.
Raw vegetables can be tough to digest, so I’d stick to steamed or cooked veg. Eating fish would be benecial and cooked brown rice and hummus (and celery if you can stomach that) – all things that help you relieve your constipation naturally so you can wean yourself of the detrimental laxatives.
If you can’t go without try to switch to a natural one like senna or Cascara for the time being.
Gurgle with salt water, sage tea or diluted apple cider vinegar to get the oral thrush down. Look up oil swishing, that’s very effective. But you’ll have to sort out your digestive issues, otherwise the oral thrush will return…
Drink fresh ginger tea (ginger root boiled with lots of water for 20mins) instead of coffee – helps with constipation, makes you more resilient and is stimulating like coffee but much better for you.
There are supplements you can take for IBS, but at this stage I’d probably start with the candida diet first. This is all a lot to take on board. The main thing is that you are taking things slowly, one day at a time. You can do it!!! And you’ll feel so much better for it. Healing digestive issues takes time. So, don’t get disheartened. Focus on being a little healthier every day.
All my best,
Sandra
Hi! I am so grateful for this website. It has taken three years for me to finally bite the bullet and tackle this problem and I have been researching for at least two months now. Until I found your site I just felt like I was missing too many pieces to jump in (doing the cleanse as I type). Thank you for all of the help you offer. I keep expecting to have to pay something! The information you have offered is extremely valuable. Thank you so much.
Jennifer, thank you soooo much for your lovely comment. Only this morning I received a message from a girl saying “I don’t find your content useful”. That’s it, just that one sentence. What a nice thing to say to someone on a Saturday morning! In light of this I am super thrilled that you made the effort to go through my site and found valuable info. And even more so that you reached out to tell me about it! Thank you
With an inquisitive positive mind and the willingness to go into the candida cleanse and diet prepared, as you are, you are setting yourself up for success. It’s a big learning curve, and you have made a fantastic start. Feel free to email me or join the Facebook group so you don’t feel alone in this battle. All my best, Sandra x
I’m going to start the cleanse tomorrow, but I’m a little confused about the colon cleanse drink. Is it 3 times a day only twice during the week long cleanse? Or 3 times a day every day of that week?
Hi Hannah,
I’m afraid it’s 3 times EVERY day
Drink lots and lots of water to flush it down – you have my deepest sympathy.
Hope it all goes smoothly for you and you’ll feel totally rejuvenated after the cleanse.
Thanks Sandra! I got my first glass down by chugging. Looking forward to feeling better. What is the “Colon Irrigation” under “Lunchtime”? I think I mixed that up with the Colon cleanse drink.
It means colonic. Basically your digestive system gets flushed with lots of water. Not the nicest sensation, but heyho. If you didn’t want to go to a clinic or therapist to do it you could get an enema kit and do a mini flush at home. You’ll find quite good instructions if you google it. I only did it a few times. It’s very beneficial if you can get into the habit of doing it though.
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