Mold/yeast elimination challenge: This is a protocol to determine if you are reacting to foods that cross react with molds/yeasts. These foods are not "bad" and we are not removing long-term, it's just to see if temporarily removing them will help your immune system as we treat you. There are 2 ways to do this protocol. The first way described is its own elimination and challenge before starting any other herbal protocols. The second way is to simply remove these foods for the first 2-3 weeks of the herbal protocol if you are starting on a protocol.
FIRST WAY: The protocol is: remove following yeast/mold related foods for 5 days: yeast, vinegar, dried fruit, peanuts/peanut butter, mushrooms, alcohol, sugar, fermented vegetables, kombucha, black tea/fermented teas, coffee (unless organic, freshly ground), aged meats, bottled juices, anything aged/fermented.
Then after 5 days, add back some of these foods for a day or two as a test to see if you react to yeast/mold related foods. Some good foods to use to add back for this challenge are any of the following: yeast or vinegar or fermented vegetables or any other fermented foods. And see how you feel, as far as if any symptoms are worse for the next 1-3 days after adding back these foods. If symptoms are worse, you will want to remove these foods for the first 2-3 weeks at least of any gut protocol. If symptoms are not worse, no need to keep these foods out for any future protocols, except we do still recommend removing added sugars, dried fruit and alcohol when we start a gut protocol.
SECOND WAY: Another way to do this protocol is to simply remove the above foods for the first 2-3 weeks of doing any gut protocol that we start, after 2-3 weeks you can add back any of the yeast/mold related foods (except for sugar, dried fruit and alcohol) and OK to keep them in your diet if you don’t react to them.
We generally recommend keeping sugar, dried fruit (because it has a lot of sugar) and alcohol out for at least 1-2 months, but if you need to have alcohol for a social event, etc. then you may tolerate hard liquor in small quantities in club soda as opposed to fermented alcohols like beer and wine.
OVERALL SUMMARY OF ABOVE PROTOCOL: When we start a gut protocol, we will always recommend removing added sugars, dried fruit and alcohol for at least 1-2 months. But, if you don’t react to yeast/fermented foods, there is no need to keep those out. Whether or not you react to yeast/fermented foods will be determined by the above elimination challenge.
Here are some resources for baking/cooking without sugar
FAQs:
What do you mean when you say remove sugar? We mean remove all added sugars including sugar, coconut sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, maple syrup, honey, dried fruits. If you are eating out, we are not worried about small amounts of sugar that may be present when eating out in a salad dressing, thai curry, etc. Do your best to avoid added sugars whenever possible, but don’t worry about small amounts that maybe present when eating out.
What can I have instead of sugar?
-Fresh and frozen fruit are fine
-Dried fruit is high in sugar so it’s best to avoid initially, but may be tolerated in small quantities once your symptoms are better.
-Stevia and monk fruit are fine.
-Erythritol and xylitol are sugar alcohols that cause bloating/gas and digestive symptoms for some people, but if you tolerate them then you can consume them.
Do I really have to remove sugar, maple syrup, etc. from my diet? No, this is up to you. This is our recommendation based on experience working with patients. Once your symptoms are improved, many people tolerate smaller quantities of added sugars like dark chocolate, etc. and occasional desserts. Everyone has to determine their own tolerance over time
Do I really have to remove alcohol? Alcohol is hard on the digestive tract and other organ systems. Most people do better removing alcohol fully at least until they are doing better. If you react to yeast/fermented foods, you may do better on an occasional drink of hard liquor and club soda as opposed to beer/wine. You will need to determine if your body tolerates alcohol over the long term as everyone is different.