Low Carbohydrate Foods
The foods that we list in this section of the plan are still relatively low carbohydrate foods. However, they are also possible triggers for a Fungus Overgrowth Die-Off reaction. That’s why we recommend that you introduce these foods slowly, one at a time, and with a minimum of three days separating each new introduction of different foods. This is the best way to avoid a Die-Off reaction, to know for sure which food (if any) bothers you, and to minimize the chance of your intestinal fungus overgrowth returning.
Start with one food from the list and eat a moderate amount with your first meal of the day. You should eat this with each meal of this day and continue to do this for a couple of days following. This will provide your body ample time (and enough volume) of this potential ‘aggravator’ to demonstrate whether it is a trigger for you or not. If you have not seen a reaction after three days, you can consider this to be a ‘safe’ food and move on to the next food that you would like to introduce. If you haven’t already included them, berries and green apples are a particularly good fruit to reintroduce at first because they have very low sugar content. The same goes for beans, which are also an excellent source of fiber.
If you continue in this way you should have added back most of the foods that you want within three to four weeks.
If you experience a reaction to a certain food, don’t worry! Just stop eating that food for the next few weeks and consider doing another reintroduction about a month later, after you’ve introduced most of your other foods. Once you have added back all the foods from this list then you should be in a position to eat a pretty normal diet. Try to avoid refined foods for as long as possible, and only eat them in very small portions when absolutely necessary. We know that it is almost impossible (and unrealistic) to stick to a totally healthy long-term diet without any junk food or treats, so just make sure that you eat them in moderation when you do!
A good rule to guide your nutritional choices for the long-term is the 85/15 rule. If you eat healthy foods 85% of the time, your body can usually handle the remaining 15% ‘less healthy’ foods. Make sure that your diet is heavily weighted towards foods that are nutritionally dense and away from foods that are refined, processed, or ‘junk’ foods.
That said, although the 85/15 rule is a helpful guide, you should always try to keep your refined/junk food to a minimum. A 90/10 or 95/5 ratio is even better if you can manage it! Keep a long term perspective and remember that a healthy diet will keep you in balance, healthy, and vibrant for many years to come.