 Foods that feed Candida cause inflammation by feeding Candida, but these and many other foods cause inflammation in other ways, too. Some foods have natural, and naturally beneficial inflammatory properties, like many omega 6 fats. But these fats are not 'bad,' they promote the healing process. These days, most people know about sugar and its inflammatory properties (at least those who read these types of articles), but that's not just restricted to white sugar. Sugars feed Candida and almost all other well-known infectious microbes as well, and causes inflammation in other ways too. Almost everyone has too much sugar in their diet. When healing the gut, it's important to cut out sweets, including fruit juices (even fresh, slow pressed), honey (even raw), agave, brown rice syrup, and all other sweeteners with the exception of stevia. Acid Forming Foods (Generally Refined Foods) When fiber and minerals are removed from foods (like table sugar, salt, and white rice), many of the minerals that alkalinize the body and the beneficial fats are also removed. It's imperative to cut out all other refined carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, other refined flours, and any processed starches. GMOs and Pesticide Laden Conventional Foods Pesticides, herbicides, and GMO foods kill good gut bacteria. Candida will bounce back, along with other infectious microbes, because the gut becomes inhospitable to our naturally beneficial flora as the toxic food keeps coming in. Factory Farmed Animal Products Factory farmed animals are raised on genetically modified grains that are already on the inflammatory side of the spectrum, even without being genetically modified. For instance corn, wheat, oats, hay, and certain grasses are inflammatory, especially when they are not balanced with a wider variety of natural foods within the diet. Wheat, Bread, Gluten Today, due to hybridization, there is a new kind of gluten molecule that we ingest. This gluten molecule in our wheat is more inflammatory than previous varieties. It's not the only gluten molecule in bread, but it's prominent, and it's not found in ancient wheat strands. 'Bad' Fats Most informed people know by now that coconut and avocado and plenty of other fats have tremendous healing properties and do not naturally contribute to obesity. The bad fats are commercial, highly processed fats, rancid fats, trans fats, and otherwise unnatural fats. These fats cause inflammation and contribute to every autoimmune disease. Other Toxic Ingredients Soy lecithin, casein, and protein isolates generally have heavy omega 6 profiles and are also very acidifying. Excitotoxins like MSG, and aspartate, glutamates, aspartate, and MSG excite nerves, damaging the nervous system. Inflammation and Free Radicals Free radicals are created by our natural everyday functions, and they play many important roles, including the elimination of the weakest cells in the adjacent area (like infectious microbes). But too much inflammation means way too many free radicals that are overwhelming the body, impeding healing. Specific Nutrient Deficiencies Known To Cause Inflammation Any nutrient deficiency can cause inflammation one way or another. Two common nutrition deficiencies well known to directly cause inflammation include: Vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression, pain, increased overall inflammation, an ineffective immune system, inflammatory bowel disease, many different autoimmune diseases, many forms of cancer, and so much more. Vitamin B deficiencies can cause, exacerbate, and also be the result of inflammation. When the body's digestive system isn't healthy, B vitamin assimilation becomes more difficult, and extra B vitamins often give some almost immediate relief to those suffering from inflammation. This is especially important for anyone dealing with an abundance of stress. Conclusion Whole foods, foods that have no need for an ingredients list, heal the body. There are lots of conditions that cause allergic reactions, sensitivities, or other inflammatory responses from otherwise healthy foods . For instance, someone with severe hypothyroidism may worsen with the consumption of cruciferous vegetables. The problem with eliminating whole, healthy foods in the diet is that the nutrient deficiencies that are at the cause of the problem get worse. Remove all unhealthy foods from the diet. Temporarily remove some healthier foods if you must, but add them back in as soon as you are able. See the first source below for more on inflammation (this is the short version). For more on gut health, check out Understanding Hypothyroidism and Leaky Gut Syndrome . Sources: http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com http://lpi.oregonstate.edu http://lpi.oregonstate.edu http://drhyman.com About the author: Michael Edwards is the founder, owner, editor-in-chief, and janitor for Organic Lifestyle Magazine and Green Lifestyle Market . At age 17, Michael weighed more than 360 pounds. He suffered from ADHD, allergies, frequent bouts of illness, and chronic, debilitating insomnia. Conventional medicine wasn't working. While he restored his health through alternative medicine he studied natural health and became immersed in it. 