Summer is here and the Texas heat is in full swing. You’re probably ready to have a cookout in your yard, attend pool parties and have a good time.  But if you’re someone who is susceptible to allergies, you can’t help but worry about the mold spores acting up in the atmosphere. Mold is a common fungus  that requires heat and humidity to grow and brings a myriad of allergies with it. While most of the mold allergies you hear about are respiratory allergies, some people with sensitive immune systems might also be allergic to certain fungi or food that is prone to mold.

You don’t have to worry too much though, because there is such a thing as an anti-fungal diet.  If you want to take some precautions this summer or just want to try a new diet, the experts at RestoPros have prepared a quick guide on how to reduce mold allergy symptoms with an anti-fungal diet that you’ll enjoy!

What is The Anti-Fungal Diet?

The anti-fungal diet is also known as the Candida cleanse diet. Some practitioners believe the overgrowth of Candida albicans, a fungus in the intestines, leads to fatigue and headaches. While some Candida is normal in the human body, excessive levels of Candida can aggravate gastrointestinal disease. A Candida cleanse diet offers a preventive solution to this problem by creating a diet that cuts out sugar, yeast, and cheese. Like many diets, it might not work for everyone. There is also very little research on Candida overgrowth as a medical issue. However, cutting out processed food and excess sugars, like this diet suggests, might make you feel healthier. Plus, it will reduce mold allergy symptoms as this anti-fungal diet avoids foods prone to molding. So, why not give it a shot?

Foods to Avoid on This Diet:

• High-Yeast Breads like Pumpernickel and coffee cakes.
• Cheese
• Sour cream, sour milk and butter milk
• Fruits high in sugar such as bananas, grapes, and mangos  
• Processed, smoked meats such as salami, bologna, and pastrami
• Mushrooms
• Nuts suspected to be high in mold such as walnuts, pistachios, and cashews
• Beer and Wine
• Soy sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise, and white vinegar
• Starchy vegetables such as squash and potatoes
• Refined and processed fats and oils such as margarine, canola oil, and soybean oil
• Fruit juices and energy drinks

Foods to Eat:

• Yeast-Free Breads such as tortillas and flatbread
• Consider gluten-free options such as buckwheat and quinoa
• Organic, pasture raised animal products such as beef, veal, poultry, eggs, and wild-caught seafood.
• Seeds such as chia, flax, and pumpkin seeds
• Low-Mold nuts such as almonds, pecans, and Brazil nuts
• Coconut oil, flax oil, sesame oil, and olive oil
• Organic fruits low in sugar such as berries, apples, lemons, limes, and avocados
• Garlic, onions and ginger
• Cinnamon, turmeric, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar
• Vegetables low in starch, such as kale, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and cucumber
• Filtered water and herbal tea
• Sweeteners without sugar such as stevia and xylitol

Make it Delicious:

When most of us hear the word diet, we think of a restrictive regimen that forces us to eat foods we don’t like. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some easy, delicious recipes that incorporate foods from the anti-candida or anti-fungal diet.  

• Coconut Smoothie
  • Ingredients
    • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
    • 4 unsweetened coconut milk ice cubes
    • Flaked coconut
    • 2 tablespoons almond butter
    • 1 teaspoon chia seeds
    • 1 teaspoon alcohol free coconut extract
    • 4 drops liquid stevia
  • Directions
    • Place all ingredients except for flaked coconut in a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth
    • Top off the smoothie with flaked coconut
    • You can also try replacing coconut with any low-sugar fruits and coconut milk with any nondairy milk of your choice!
• Avocado Toast with Egg
  • Ingredients
    • 1 slice of gluten-free bread (try Buckwheat bread)
    • Half of an avocado
    • Salt and black pepper to taste
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Directions
    • Toast the bread
    • Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, slice it and layer it out on the toast. You can mash it a little if you want and season it with some salt and pepper
    • You can either boil the egg, poach it or fry it
    • Gently place the egg on top of the toast and season with salt and pepper
• Mediterranean salad
  • Ingredients
    • 1 large English cucumber
    • 6 Roma tomatoes
    • 15 to 20 grams of parsley
    • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice,
    • Salt to taste
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Directions
    • Dice and chop up the cucumbers, tomatoes and parsley.
    • Place them in a salad bowl, add the black pepper, lemon juice and salt. Give the salad a quick toss and it’s ready!  

While you might reduce mold allergies with this anti-fungal diet, you can take increased preventative measures to limit exposure to mold – and the professionals at RestoPros are here to help! Our dedicated team of professionals will assist you in any way you need to ensure a mold-free home.  Call us today at 855-587-3786 or fill out a service request form on our website.