Edit: I have added a post on supplements that helped me in my recovery process, you can check it out here: c. diff recovery supplement guide.

So, I’ve been wanting to put together this post for a while. While, I understand that 99.9% of you who read this blog do not have active c. diff (THANK GOD!), I thought this post could be extremely beneficial and helpful. I wish I could have found information when my family and I had been struggling to figure out how to overcome c. diff, not relapse, and somehow feel human again. Given that 500,000+ people develop c. diff each year, there is a good chance a lot of you guys will unfortunately know someone who acquires c. diff. Since being diagnosed with c. diff last year, I’ve had countless and countless emails from readers who had acquired c. diff. Or people who have stumbled through my site after searching for c. diff help. And this number keeps growing– to the point where I now receive multiple emails from people each week. And the age just keeps getting lower and lower. This is hard for me– it’s scary. We’re at the point now where I’ve seen children who have not been on antibiotics acquire c. diff. THIS IS NOT GOOD. I never, ever want anyone to have to deal with c. diff. But as long as we keep over-prescribing antibiotics and creating superbugs, this problem will unfortunately keep growing and getting harder to treat. Oh and if you didn’t know, a big cause of continuation is not just through human to human, but also through the unsanitary conditions of animal farming. The meat you’re eating could potentially be c. diff filled (40+% of all meat in the US tested positive for c. diff contamination)— gross. Only we can stop this problem from getting worse…

Now, I have to go into this post reminding you guys that I am in no way a doctor. You guys know this. This post is not intended to diagnose or treat your condition. If you have a true medical emergency— especially one like c. diff, then I highly recommend finding a (nutritionally trained) doctor you feel comfortable with, who has your best intentions in mind to help you. What I can offer in this post is advice on what I learned through my process and experience of treating c. diff and the foods I learned would help heal my body– and the foods I knew would exacerbate the problem and cause possible reoccurrence.

During my hospital stay for c. diff. I asked multiple doctors they’re suggestions for diet changes and food tips. The ONLY suggestion offered was that I should consider avoiding dairy because it would be likely that I would now be lactose intolerant. Well, thanks for nothing doc— I was already lactose intolerant to begin with. I was then handed hospital menus with such wonderful options such as hot dogs, burgers and fries, pepperoni pizza, and crystal light. Those things are NOT REAL FOOD. They are processed garbage. They are full of toxins that will further damage your body and not actually heal your body or your newly destroyed gut. Those items are actually things that feed the c. diff and not fight the c. diff.  It’s not new news that doctors know little to nothing about nutrition— that doctors receive no actual education on nutrition— with the exception of some who receive (at most) a few hours of classes in their whole academic career.

Luckily, I had spent the last ten or so years really diving into the world of food, cooking, and health. I was constantly curious on what foods could really heal and what couldn’t. And given that I had already had to cleanse my body of candida from antibiotic use some years prior, I already knew that certain foods would feed the c. diff and other foods would starve the c. diff. And I was on a mission to learn more. Some things worked for me and some didn’t. A low fat and/or candida diet or is ideal for anyone who has put their body through antibiotic use– which was a wonderful jumping point for me. Unfortunately for those of us who have suffered or are suffering through c. diff— many of the candida diet recipes wont work given that both those diets include many raw vegetables and nuts that are incredibly hard, if not impossible for someone with a serious case of c. diff to digest.

I knew a good bit, but still needed to learn more. At no point was recovering from c. diff easy. Especially given that there were other problems I was dealing with at the time– but other problems or not, c. diff is hard, really hard. And it whether you like it or not, it can change your diet, for a long, long time, if not forever. Before getting into my recommendations, I want to remind you that c. diff damage varies from person to person depending on prior health, diet, and microbiome problems, age, the strain of c. diff, and the length in which you went undiagnosed and untreated. I went WEEKS with 15+ trips to the bathroom and multiple trips to the ER and doctors office before someone finally tested me for c. diff. It was BAD. The quicker the diagnose, the quicker the recovery time, so please don’t hesitate to demand a stool test if you experience long bouts of diarrhea, especially after an antibiotic. I also want to remind you that everyone is different and what works for some people may not work for others.  While some people might do well getting extra protein, some people will find themselves unable to tolerate nuts like they could before. Go forward gently, be kind to yourself, and get to know and trust yourself. If you really listen to your body, you will know what is working for you and what is causing more problems.

So lets start with,
FOODS YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY AVOID WITH C. DIFF & WHY:

sugar and yeast: sugar feeds yeast and bad bacteria. If you have a bacterial or fungal overgrowth of any kind you MUST avoid sugar. This unfortunately means all sugary drinks and even extra sweet fruits (in high amounts and especially in combination with a high fat diet) as well. While something like a mango is packed in vitamins C and really good for you— you must eat fruits carefully, and with a plan to not cause more problems in your gut. I would suggest reading this book to understand the best way to eat fruits for your gut healing.  If having fruits, try to have low sugar ones, such as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, kiwi, or papaya. Otherwise I would only recommend eating fruits on a low-fat diet, as to not spike your blood sugar. Sodas, desserts, anything with added and processed sugar, is very bad for you, especially now. And yes, diet soda too— for a few reasons. But the most simple reason is because it’s toxic. A bit of fruit can be okay on an empty stomach, but do not eat fruits after a big meal. This is terrible food combining for your gut. More reasons to come—>

white starchy foods: for the same reason as above. White rice, white breads,  pastas, all those yummy high starch foods will also feed bad bacteria.

gluten and most other grains and legumes: I tried brown rice from time to time in the beginning and learned my body did much better without most grains* In general, you’ll find it’s best to avoid all grains (for a while) after you’ve had c. diff. Grains, while are okay in moderation (if you have no intolerance) before c. diff are not at all suggested in your c. diff recovery time. Gluten and grains can both cause a ‘leaky gut’– or make your leaky gut worse if you already have it. If you have symptoms like brain fog, extreme tiredness, shakiness, irritability, or joint pain then you’ve got to be extra careful to avoid foods that will irritate your gut lining any further. Pay attention to your body and what you feel after eating each item.

raw foods: I mean, you can and should eat raw foods, they’re really good for you and it won’t feed the c. diff– but I added this on here because you might be in for a pretty painful experience depending on the condition of your gut. Raw foods are very hard to digest after the c. diff has just worked its way to destroy as much of your colon as it can— be gentle to your colon, eat soft and cooked foods in the beginning and add raw foods in, as you can.  While raw foods are incredibly nutrient dense and good for you, they will be very hard to digest for a bit of time after c. diff. When choosing to eat raw foods, chew your food well, very well– into mush so that your body had a much easier time digesting. You can absolutely try green juices (*without fruits– lemons are okay). This will give you a quick nutrient boost and your body won’t have to digest it like it has to break down a raw leafy salad. If your body approves, then yay! So again, raw foods: GOOD, but proceed with lots of caution and they’re better pureed to not be bent over with digestion pain.

nuts: this is tricky one— you’ll have to listen to your body on this one and see how it reacts. 1. most nuts are high in mold— which will also feeds the fungus in your body. Almonds are typically the only nuts recommended after candida and bacterial infections. 2. nuts are very hard to digest. 3. this won’t apply to everyone, but even if you tolerated nuts in the past, you may find that they don’t agree with your body anymore. I actually developed a mild nut allergy after getting c. diff. I ate a huge assortment of nuts before c. diff, but after my infection I would feel ill and have a terrible sore throat after eating nuts! (*tear*) While it doesn’t happen to everyone, it’s not uncommon for new allergies to develop after c. diff. If you do plan on eating nuts (they are a great source of fat and protein), I’d recommend to have them in butter/pureed form (as is, in smoothies, in sauces) so they are easier on your gut– and only in moderation, as nuts are really high in fat which is terrible for blood sugar levels.

dairy: if you’re lucky a doctor may have warned you to avoid dairy after c. diff. (though he probably didn’t explain why). Pasteurized dairy doesn’t really have any health benefits anyway so you’re going to live a much healthier lifestyle cutting it out anyway. Yes, there’s calcium, but you can find calcium in loads and loads of other food items. But reasons not have it: 1. you probably didn’t know you had issues with it prior to c. diff, but chances are you did. most people don’t realize how lactose intolerant they were until they’ve given it up for a minimum of two weeks. 2. casein (milk protein) and milk sugars are very bad for you and they feed candida/bad bacteria. 3. pasteurized milk doesn’t contain any beneficial bacteria for you gut. 4. any microbes you had left in your gut to digest dairy are now gone. The c. diff has killed them as well as the antibiotics. This is what causes people to be lactose intolerant. Don’t mess around with this— it’s hard, but skip the dairy.

processed foods: this may not seem like an obvious one to avoid, but you should avoid processed foods as much as possible. Besides the sugar, salts, (unhealthy) oils,  and whatever flavor enhancers are pumped into the processed foods– you’ve also got a large array of chemicals and preservatives added in there. Chemicals and preservatives shouldn’t be ingested in general, but especially now. Your body is going through a very serious time trying to 1. fight off the c. diff. 2. detox your body of all the bacterial die off and toxins. Your liver is struggling, please don’t make it work harder by having to process extra chemicals!

alcohol: this should be a pretty obvious one, but I figured I should mention it just in case. It’s loaded with sugar and also difficult on your liver.

factory farmed meat: most meat (but not all) is very hard to digest and colon clogging, not cleansing. But even easier to digest meats need to be careful chosen or avoided all together. Factory farmed meats are packed with hormones and antibiotics. You know what kills your healthy gut microbes, but not c. diff? The antibiotics being given to factory animals– which then end up in your body, killing your healthy gut flora. The same way that even one dose of antibiotics can alter your gut flora for a year+, think about the effects of what years of eating antibiotics from meat eating is doing to your gut. Every day you’re harming the beneficial bacteria in your gut— that you NEED! Other reasons to avoid factory farmed meats? They are mostly fed GMO-laden corn and soy— which also does terrible things to your body. The hormones injected in meats are another (very obvious) reason to avoid these meats– all the time, but especially now. You need your body in tip top shape to fight the c. diff and ensure a quicker recovery. And if thats not reason enough, because C. diff is found in over 40% of factory farmed animals and the meat on grocery shelves. Not only that, freezing and standard cooking does not kill the c. diff in your meat. Want to read more? Here are a few articles: one, two, three, four, five. If you’re going to eat meat, make sure it’s pasture raised, grass fed, and hormones and antibiotic free. It’s not worth it to have any other kind of meat. And make sure your fish is wild caught, so that it’s eating its natural diet.

SO WHAT LEFT?! THERE’S STILL SOME GOOD STUFF.



vegetables, lots of them: feel free to fill up on as many veggies are you can. they will be your main source of nutrition (and should be in general). Roast them, sauté them, blanch them, steam them, however you prefer them, just eat them! Pureeing them in soups is an amazing option, as it’ll be easier for you body to absorb all the nutrients in it. All vegetables are wonderful— and the more variety you can include, the better. Dark leafy greens are wonderful, but definitely harder to digest– but adding them to soups (blended) is a great option. While things like cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage are wonderful (especially cabbage because of all its natural probiotics), they do cause a good amount of gas in your intestines, so eat those with care and caution!

fermented foods: I can not emphasis the importance of fermented foods enough! Fermented foods might be the most important food when healing your gut. This is how you will get your good gut flora alive and thriving again. By eating fermented foods you are introducing all sorts of new and beneficial bacteria back into your gut! Try things like: non dairy yogurt, kombucha, kvass, and other probiotic drinks, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, and miso. Eat a little bit of any of these with every single meal. Even just a tablespoon will help at each meal will help.

C. diff friendly miso soup recipe  //  Easy Kimchi Recipe

protein: if your body will let you have blended nuts, do that. You can also buy nut flours to cook with. Another great option is organic tempeh. Tofu has a lot of debate on whether or not it feeds candida or not. I eat it very sparingly, and only organic tofu to ensure it’s non-GMO. Seeds (blended think seed butters/tahini) are another great source of protein (in moderation as they are high in fat like nuts). I’m not usually one to promote protein powders, as they are highly processed and filled with a lot of junk, but if you protein stores are really low (as mine were), then I would suggest adding some to your diet. Be sure to check the labels! Make sure your protein powder is dairy/whey and grain free. And be sure to stay away from soy protein isolate, as it is incredibly bad for you. And of course make sure it’s sugar free or at least has no added sugars in it. So far I’ve found this brand and variety of protein powder to be one of the better options. I also like to add a scoop of hemp protein powder to my smoothies or breakfast bowls for extra protein. And hemp is rich in omegas too win/win.

healthy fats: in general, having healthy fats in your diet is important. It’s what feeds your brain and keeps you fully functioning. But stick with WHOLE fats, not processed ones. Your body doesn’t need processed oils in it’s system. There hard to digest. And having a lotto fat in your system raises your blood sugar. No one needs high blood sugar in the process of healing.  Avocados or coconut are bet.

some grains: as mentioned, it’s better to avoid all grains, but I do know how highly restricting that can be (as if all that^^ isn’t restricting enough)— so if you do plan to include grains into your diet, I would recommend millet, quinoa, or buckwheat. As these don’t feed yeast and bacteria like other grains. Also millet and quinoa are incredibly high in protein! They’re very good for you. Best of all you can have these in many forms— as is, puffed (for cereal), noodles, as a flour for cooking, etc etc. But I do recommend to soak your grains prior to cooking if possible! At least a few hours, but overnight is preferred. This will help break down some of the phytic-acid on the grains for easier digestion. I don’t really recommend eating legumes/beans right away, as they are far too starchy and turn too sugar too quickly, but if you choose to have them in moderation, then make sure you soak these too.

steal cut oatmeal: this one is a bit debatable. Steal cut oatmeal is a prebiotic meaning it feeds your bacteria. But on one hand, this might include yeast and bacteria. But prebiotic foods keep your gut flora healthy and happy, just as healthy foods keep your body nourished and healthy. There have been a few studies done on the benefits of steel cut oats and c. diff and all show to be good. Just be sure you soak your steel cut oats overnight first and cook them well (in new water) for easier digestion. I eat a bit of steel cut oats every single morning since having c. diff. and I find it a really good and nourishing way to start my day.

Body Cleansing + Gut Healing Oatmeal / Protein Packed Oatmeal

spices and herbs: spices and herbs are SO good for you! 1. they will increase the deliciousness of your food by 100%. 2. they have so many health benefits! They even fight off and kill a lot of the bad junk in your gut. Load up on things like oregano and garlic (bacteria/microbial killers) coriander, fennel, star anise, peppermint (gut soothers) all the spices and herbs you can in your cooking. Fennel is especially beneficial for easing your gut issues. And turmeric and gingers are superfoods, especially for all the inflammation you’re experiencing.

Turmeric Tonic

probiotics and other things: by now, you probably (maybe) know that Sacharomyces Boulardii is super helpful for fighting off c. diff. It is! And if you’re not already taking it, you should! Also, having a probiotic with a lot of different strains is super important with c. diff and after any antibiotic use in general. There are loads of different kinds out there now, and some will be more tolerated than others for each individual. For me, I really liked this probiotic blend after c. diff. I saw a noticeable difference in how I was feeling and my stool too (gross) after a few days of taking it. And it has S. Boulardii in it so you get a bogo with it! I was recommended by a doctor to take glutamine in the beginning of my c. diff experience (for protein/restore gut lining), but after learning that excessive glutamine intake actually feeds cancer tumors, I don’t feel comfortable suggesting it to others anymore. But do your own research and weigh out the risks. On one hand, you need some glutamine in your body (you find this in healthy eating) and it helps heal the gut lining, on the other, excess in glutamine (whether by food intake or in supplements) enhances tumor/cancer growth. If you’re like me, with a tumor sitting there in your body, then maybe avoid. I plan on doing a follow up posts with other supplements I found helpful through my c. diff recovery– but those are the main things to keep in mind for now.

Last Notes:

blood sugar/food combining: as mentioned, you need to be kind to your liver at this time, it’s working hard to detox your c. diff (and candida) toxins. Eating too many fat and too many starchy foods even if its with healthy vegetables) can really spike your blood sugar and make you feel off.  Limit fats and have healthy proteins (greens, broccoli, etc) in your meal plan. Adding good amount so healthy greens/protein slows down the absorption rate of the sugar into your body.

think well balanced, always: in general, it’s always a good rule to aim for as well-balanced as possible. With your protein and your veggies, you’ll find it helpful to add a healthy fat for absorption of vitamins, and a bits of greens too. And don’t forget your fermented foods!

salt: a good healthy sea salt or pink Himalayan salt is key! it helps add back in minerals to your body. Raw celery is also a great source of natural salt minerals.

detox: as mentioned a few times, your body is heavily detoxing– and you’re feeling it. New probiotics might make you feel worse, before you get better. This is normal. I wrote an e-book on detoxing a while back– while the recipes may not be useful for someone with c. diff (many raw recipes), you may find much of the detox information helpful. Check it out if you’d like, and pay whatever price you want. As mentioned here, you might spirulina a useful tool during your detox time.

listen: pay attention to your body and how you feel after what you eat. Your gut is now different than it was before, especially if it was antibiotic induced c. diff. If something doesn’t make you feel right, take it out of your diet. Try it again later, if you’d like. Just listen to your body and your gut.

So the reoccurrence rate for c. diff is high, really high, right? (1 in 5). The idea of relapsing into c. diff again gave me anxiety alone. But as long as you’re feeding the good bacteria and detoxing the bad, you should be on your way to recover, without the relapse. It’s hard, I get it. I still have lingering symptoms (from the c. diff, but also from a whole slew of other issues that came about at the same time) and I still have to be quite careful with what I eat, but it gets better. Just remember, these changes are good changes— you’re nourishing your body with healthy and whole foods. It’s a good thing.

If interested, you can see a all posts about c. diff and my food experience here and journal of all my fighting c. diff thoughts here. I know I definitely would have loved to have some help when I got c. diff a year and a few months ago. If you found this to be a useful tool, please share it– especially with anyone who might be struggling with c. diff. Also, this did take time, and while I considered making this an e-book to sell— I know how terrible c. diff can truly be and the information needs to be out there for everyone, but if you’ve found this to be helpful, please consider donating to this site as these articles do take a lot of time to write! Thank you 🙂

ps. to all your caregivers out there, helping your family and friends out with c. diff, thank you.

27 Comments

  1. Hi everyone,
    Thank you for sharing all your experiences. I am fighting a 2nd CDiff. Cannot believe it. You are right about ERs. When i drag myself there, after having painful cramps all over my stomack and flushing diarea for 2,5 weeks, the doctor just said that it was a simple food poison . What a waste of money! I knew it wasn’t. So, i insisted on my doctor’s ordering different tests. Finally, stool sample showed CDiff. 2 weeks of Vancomycin. What a torture pill ot is. I was ok for a week, then diarea and cramps came back. More Vancomycin 😎.
    Thank you, Drea, for your nice writing. I will try to follow this diet.
    Wish everyone feels better soon.

  2. Trish Demchuk

    And I should also say, I am still weak and tired a lot. But like this article says, it’s takes a long time for your body to recover after having it.

  3. Trish Demchuk

    I can’t love this post enough! Sounds like you and I had a similar case of CDIFF. Went to the emerg several times. The last I was so lethargic, lost 30 pounds in 4 weeks. No veins in my hands, and could barely stand. They finally took me serious. Tested positive after having it u knowingly for 5 weeks!!!!!!! It was antibiotic induced from treating an elbow infection. Anyhow. Been done metronidazole for 2 months and still struggle with what to eat and get stomach pains daily! Haven’t gained any weight back. Thank you for this post!

  4. Leslie Kling

    I am a two time sufferer of c diff. Mine stem from antibiotic over use from sinus infections. I developed c diff 4 yrs ago got horribly ill and went to ER they filled me full of fluids and sent me home was on flaygl for 10 days and was cured. It was a mild case they said. Well I ended up in ER again recently with this nasty infection again by over use of antibiotics for sinus infection. This time ER dr filled me full of fluids sent me home and I was back in ER within 1 1/2 days and stayed in hospital for 2 1/2 days. I was on flaygl drip, fluid drip and vancomycin liquid by mouth. Now I home taking vancomycin 250 mg 4xs a day till this Friday. Also take florastor and metimucil. I have had the worse nite sweats,, heartburn and total weakness from this newest infection. My stools are formed now, no more smell, and slowly feeling better. Just weak and tired a lot. Going to take time. Hoping I’ll be back to myself by Xmas. I am eating bland diet, soy milk, yogurt, and whatever I can get down. Red meat turns me off right now so just eating chicken, veggies and potatoes.

  5. What is the best thing to eat to help fight off the bacteria

  6. I’m on my second bout of c diff. This time, as last time, odd stools (blood and mucous and possibly tissue) and headache, slight nausea, chills and sweats, and fever. Stools got runny after 12 hours. Went ER knowing what I had, doc was surprised I was right. Was told “if it isn’t runny, it isn’t c diff” which is not true. Anyway, last time, the antibiotic for c diff made me feel better quickly–what no one told me was the constipation that could follow the diarrhea. So this time, I’m not getting all excited to eat again. Plenty of water. Organic beef broth, baby food of low fiber/gassy vegetables, and organic yogurt with raw honey. Probiotics between doses, and multivitamins. At least I don’t have cramps, bloating, or low energy. Working for me. Also, load up on baby wipes, paper towels, bleach wipes and new toothbrushes. C diff can kill you, don’t let docs push you into antibiotics unless you are already afraid for life or limb. Clean your home like you never have before, bleach or UV light. Some strains of c diff are airborne. Doorknobs, switches, faucets, handles, buttons, remotes, YOUR PHONE, tablet, power cords… bleach wipes from Amazon. “Kills 99.9% of germs” does not cover c diff, it IS the other 0.1%. I went a year and a half between CDI infections. Remember you carry you own c diff, antibiotics let it run wild. I let my doc push me into antibiotic for a small surgical wound infection that could have done just as well with prescription topical antibiotic, which the ER doc gave me. If you think you have it on a Friday, go to the ER get diagnosed and get what is hopefully the last prescription for antibiotics you will ever have.

  7. I am currently on month 3 of fighting c. diff. The doctor has had me on the BRAT diet. After reading your blog, Im going back to plant based. I have never been so sick in my life.

    Helpful tip: If you can get your doctor to prescribe vancomycin to be compounded, it will cost anywhere from $150-$350 (depending on the pharmacy, checked several in the DFW area) vs. $750.00. That savings is huge when you have to take multiple rounds.

  8. Thank you so much for this blog! I followed the link above to your preferred probiotic, but the Garden of Life one you linked does not have Sacharomyces Boulardii as you said it would. Is there a different probiotic that should be linked? Thanks so much!

  9. I just contracted c.deficile through 3 different prescriptions of antibiotics. I was having gut issues for a month and a half. Firstly, I have chronic bronchitis so they gave me antibiotics, then it moved into a cold and my bowel movements became worse. I was in and out of the hospital for 2 weeks with all this antibiotics. I was going to the washroom 20X a day,loss of appetite (weight loss), severve stomach pains where I couldn't even function and vomiting. I was first diagnosed with a yeast infection in my gut (candida) and once that went it was an overflow of white blood cells. More antibiotics to fight it, blood and stool tests later, I was diagnosed with c.deficile. I live in Indonesia but I'm Canadian, so there is quite a difference in health care. Let's just say I didn't realize until I was released from the hospital after 4 days how serious it was. Plus there are more protocols back home for isolation and treatment, like wearing gloves and being in your own hospital room. When the doctors saw me, no gloves and in a room with three people, so who knows if they got it. I'm still on meds and was taking flgyl as well. I feel 95% but it's still my bowl movements that are not normal. And like most doctors they are not detailed in what kind of diet. I was told: no spicy, no diary, no processed or fried foods, not too many veggies or fruit, no sugar. This has really woken me up with what I put in my body and how I nourish it. It's been quite difficult socially because I can't drink alcohol but I feel like this has been a blessing.
    One I thing is that it helps me be more educated in nutrition and how food really helps or hinders your gut. Now I really taste my food and enjoy eating, I also eat more slowly than I used to. I've lost 15lbs in a month with c.deficile but that's only one benefit. It's forced me to wake up.
    I'm a teacher and in the past when I was in Canada I had an internship with an organization that promotes healthy whole foods and how food helps in all areas of education, nutrition, socialization and a healthy lifestyle. It promoted healthy living for all people by sending food boxes to schools of locally grown organic fruits and veggies, we did workshops in elementary and high schools on healthy eating. It really made me think about how amazing food truly is. The downside was that I never changed my way of eating and I was still eating poorly. Fast forward three years and now I'm wishing I changed at that time. Now I'm really looking into a certificate in nutrition and how I can learn more about food and it's healing benefits along with educating my family and schools. But this will be in a few years because I'm still in Indonesia.
    Thank you so much for this article, I can now dig even further into what I've been eating and cut out what I don't need. Thank you as well to all the other people that posted, it's helpful to know that I'm not the only one.(edited)

  10. I just contracted c.deficile through 3 different prescriptions of antibiotics. I was having gut issues for a month and a half. Firstly, I have chronic bronchitis so they fave me antibiotics, then it moved inot a cold and my bowel movements became worse. I was in and out of the hospital for 2 weeks with all this antibiotics. I was going to the washroom 20X a day,loss of appetite (weight loss), severve stomach pains wherw I couldn't even function and vomiting. I was first diagnosed with a yeast infection in my gut (candida) and once that went it was an overflow of white blood cells. More antibiotics to fight it, blood and stool tests later, I was diagnosed with c.deficile. I live in Indonesia but I'm Canadian, so there is quite a difference in health care. Let's just say I didn't realize until I was released form the hospital after 4 days how serious it was. Plus the is more protocols back home for isolation and treatment, like wearing gloves and being in your own hospital room. When the doctors saw me, no gloves and in a room with three people, so who knows if they got it. I'm still on meds and was taking flgyl as well. I feel 95% but it's still my bowl movements that are not normal. And like most doctors they are not detailed in what kind of dit. I was told: no spicy, no diary, no processed or fried foods, not too many veggies or fruit, no sugar. This has really woken me up with what I put in my body and how I nourish it. It's been quite difficult socially because I can't drink alcohol but I feel like this has been a blessing.
    One I think that it helps me be more educated in nutrition and how food really helps or hinders your gut. Now I really taste my food and enjoy eating, I also eat more slowly than I used to. I've lost 15lbs in a month with. Deficiency but that's only one benefit. It's forced me to wake up.
    I'm a teacher and in the past when I was in Canada I had an internship with an organization that promotes healthy whole foods and how food helps in all areas of education, nutrition, socialization and a healthy lifestyle. It promoted healthy living for all people by sending food boxes to schools of locally grown organic fruits and veggies, we did workshops in elementary and high schools on healthy eating. It really made me think about how amazing food truly is. The downside was that I never changed my way of eating and I was still eating poorly. Fast forward three years and now I'm wishing I changed at that time. Now I'm really looking into a certificate in nutrition and how I can learn more about food and it's healing benefits along with educating my family and schools. But this will be in a few years because I'm still in Indonesia.
    Thank you so much for this article, I can now dig even further into what I've been eating and look at what I've been eating so far and cut out what I don't need. Thank you as well to all the other people that posted, it's helpful to know that I'm not the only one.

  11. I had c. diff 9 years ago and my stomach has never been the same. I still suffer with chronic digestive issues/pains/symptoms. I eat a fairly clean vegetarian organic non-gmo diet filled with veggies, whole grains, fruits, and beans/legumes/seeds. However, if I even eat one thing that my stomach decides isn't okay, I am sick for weeks. Thank you for this information – I have been to countless doctors who have no idea what to tell me, and often just say "eat a balanced diet". I'm heading to a new specialist next week and am hoping for some answers. Your ideas are much appreciated! I'm going to look into adding probiotics and fermented food into my diet.

  12. My mother has CDiff again and it's been difficult to get good food advice. Love this article! I believe this is going to prove to be a very challenging and difficult transition for her where food is concerned. She was just diagnosed yesterday for the 2nd time and I'm trying to find some guidance to gain control over this sooner rather than later… so… I think the no sugar thing may prove to be one of the more difficult aspects for her. What are your thoughts? If she refuses to put down her sweet and low, are there any OK(like honey) alternatives or just no sweeteners period at this point? Also, your thoughts on teas for her at this early stage?
    I think I can fix the food aspect but I'm worried about her beverages… she really only drinks sprite all day every day since early diagnosis number 1! She says she doesn't feel like drinking anything else.

    • well, to give you a bit of insight on my story, my nutritionist said if I didn't have the diet that I had, I would have been dead, for sure. what kept my c. diff from flourishing way too fast was my high probiotic, low sugar diet. processed sugar is a killer in general, bacteria loves to feed and grow on it. I'd stick to a healthy, processed free diet. sugar-free teas are totally okay, imo.

  13. So early this year my amazing friend gave me your book as a housewarming gift. She knew it lined up with how I try to eat and live and she swore by your recipes. Since then I have followed you on Instagram and enjoyed so many of your posts with your daughter as neither of my kids eat meat either. I had no idea you had dealt with c.diff in your journey and I am somehow just know stumbling upon it.
    My father was admitted to our local ICU with severe sepsis on october 16th. He very soon after contracted c. Diff from the wide array of antibiotics they put him on. Unfortunately, it perforated his bowel and he ended up with a total colectomy. He is still currently in the ICU and on and off tube feeds. But I can't help thinking how awesome the universe is that your experiences were given to me just at the right time.
    Thank you for such a great post that can help us on our way to healing him once he is out of the hospital. ❤️

  14. I have been battling with this c diff infection since August 2016. My doctor prescribe 10 days of Cipro and Flagyl because of the flareup of my diverticulitis. 3 to 4 days after I was done with the antibiotics, I started having a fever and diarrhea. I went to see my doctor and my doctor sent me to the ER where I was admitted and put on fluids and Flagyl and Cipro intravenously. CT scan showed that I had severe colitis. Starting having more blood in my diarrhea and jellylike substance also. I was not getting better so they tested me for C diff and it came back positive. They then stop the Cipro and only gave me Flagyl and fluids. I was in the hospital for a total of four days.
    When I left the hospital they put me on Flagyl for 10 more days. Around 3rd or 4th day after finishing this round of antibiotics, my fever started going up again so my doctor put me back on 14 more days of Flagyl.
    Once again on the third/ fourth day after finishing this round of Flagyl, I started throwing up and having severe diarrhea and my fever shot up to 101° even after taking four ibuprofen. My doctor prescribed vancomycin, but my insurance needed to pre-authorize it. That would take 24 to 48 hours or cost me $1700…. which my husband was struggling to find a place that even had vancomycin, just to buy two days worth until my insurance would approve it.
    My daughter, in the meantime, who is an ER nurse came over and assess me, and loaded me up in the car and took me to the ER.
    I was once again admitted this time for 7 days; severe colitis and yes, positive for C diff. IV fluids, Flagyl and now adding Vancomycin to the mix, along with painkillers and fever reducers and eventually meal replacement fluids, potassium and magnesium. My fever reached in excess of 103°.
    My doctor, a gastroenterologist and an infectious disease doctor came up with a strategy (war plan), to help me defeat this terrible bacteria.

    Yes. Hallelujah! My insurance finally approved the vancomycin, otherwise my prescriptions would've cost me more than $6000. Whew!

    14 days and vancomycin 250 mg 4 times a day.
    Then 7 days of vancomycin 3 times a day.
    Then; 7 days of Vancomycin 2 times a day
    Then; 7 days of Vancomycin 1 time a day.
    Then 1 vancomycin every other day for 7 days.

    They also have me taking probiotics three times a day. I sort of feel like this is a moot point since the vancomycin kills the good bacteria and bad bacteria. I am, however going to do what they tell me to do because I never want to be this sick ever again.
    (I would have eaten a dog turd if they had told me it would have heal me. ????)
    I've been out of the hospital for five days and I am following the plan.
    I'm trying to drink protein smoothies and green smoothies and eat more often because I've lost over 20 pounds in total during this ordeal. No gluten, no dairy.
    I'm very saddened to think that my body will never be the same and that I may not be able to enjoy some of the foods that I so love to eat.
    Thank you Drea, for writing this blog and helping me not to feel so alone. It was very educational in what I can and cannot eat, as I was struggling with that. Thank you to all who have commented, also.
    Best regards to all.

  15. Thank you for posting this and for informing the public about this wicked infection. I don't tell my friends too many details about my illness (unless they ask of course) but I do find it helpful to share articles and posts such as this. Stay healthy!

  16. I have been in same boat . I worked in the hospital and also had surgery in the same hospital that I received c diff . They don't know if it was antibiotics or the surgery but since I worked there I can tell you fifteen people got cdiff within two weeks. One employee died. We shut down the area in the sixth floor for everyone to be away from the rest. Since then I can't tolerate milk or red pepper spices and especially my favorite spice old bay seasoning . Also when stressed out I will have a bout of diarrhea each and every time. I'm trying fluoxetine and buspirol to keep the stress down. Kimchi I've tried but my body didn't like it. Also take probiotics everyday

  17. I have also suffered with C Diff.

    Here is my problem – I am a super picky eater – sensitive to many textures and don't like many veggies. I have been drinking Kefir daily and taking Florastor and Align – and eating less than ever – but eating – and just being careful not to overeat. Been trying to stay away from sugar – however…it is so hard. I have a HUGE sweet tooth. I need a personal chef to help me!

  18. Hello everyone 🙂 I too have suffered from severe C diff. It all started when I had a laparoscopy hysterectomy, I ended up getting an infection inside where they did the surgery. I was re-admitted for two weeks and pumped full of iv antibiotics. When I was released I was put on an additional 2 weeks of two types of antibiotics orally. I must have contracted c diff when I was back in the hospital. I can't tell you how many times I was using the washroom a day for sure at least 30 times, minimum. I started have bowel movements with blood and mucus and then just straight blood. I was admitted back to hospital and c diff was confirmed through testing. I had to meet with our infectious disease who told me I had been on the Flagyl too long. I was on it for 65 days. He decided to try me on Vancomycin and that put me in to anaphalactic shock. They had to rush me to another ward to give me an epi pen. They put me back on Flagyl and had to make a decision quickly because they were worried about me having "mega colon" which is a condition in c diff patients that can happen if the c diff gets bad enough. The doctor made arrangements for me to have a FMT (Fecal Microbial Transplant). I was sent via ambulance to a different hospital because the city I was in didn't offer this procedure. I have had 3 in total because the first two didn't work. I am finding now after 6 months later I am still lactose intolerant since the infection. I have never been this was prior. This is frustrating and it's great to see a site where people can share their stories and get other advice. Thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I will definitely take a look at some of these alternatives. Hope everyone feels better soon!! xx

  19. I am so conflicted with information allover the internet! I am on my 2nd round of antibiotics and if this doesn't work they will put me on another MONTH straight of antibiotics (pulsing method) and if that doesn't work a fecal transplant :/ I was doing kefir, kombucha, cut out booze, and eating pretty clean: wild salmon, brown rice, steamed brocc, oatmeal, bananas, green juices, orgegno oil and s boulaardi along with the flagly. but still feeling weird spasms in colon and pinching pains. My doctor said low fiber diet, I said what? White rice, plain pasta and toast? Canned vegetables and fruits? How can this be ok!? Then I read allover stay away from lentils beans and nuts and fiber becuase it tears up your raw gut with the fibers. And stay away from cabbage so how can I eat fermented sauerkrat? Any advice from anyone would be so appreciated!

  20. Drea, thank you for all of the work you put into this post! Sadly, you are right about medical professionals not knowing a whole lot about healing diets. I am currently in nursing school (almost done!!), and I have only had to take one basic nutrition class! I have had a few patients in my clinical rotations who had C. diff, but nutrition was never mentioned in how to care for these patients. I am really drawn to natural healing practices, but these are often overlooked in medical education and practice today. I'm grateful for people like you who promote natural healing (rather than rushing to the pharmacy at the first sign of sickness). Thanks for the post! It was very informative, and I will definitely refer to this for use in my nursing practice. Keep doing what you do!

  21. I really appreciate your thorough work on posting this.
    I didn't have C Diff but was on major antibiotics within a 4 year period. I was hospitalized for an infection that spread… ended up with a hysterectomy and appendectomy and an epic amount of antibiotics to kill infection. The second blow came when a student gave me TB – I was on a 6 months INH treatment to kill the latent form of TB. These two epic treatments changed my life (way of eating), lots of pain, symptoms, doctor visits, chemical sensitivities!!! Dysgeusia… it's been awful. Like you, I have good days and bad days. The better I eat (veg. /no grains) the better I feel. Thank you for all that you share, Drea.

  22. Thank you for this Drea! You are such an inspiration and I have started implementing so many of your tips into my family's diets.

    Any update on the lump in your brain? I sincerely hope it is nothing and hope you are doing well. Sending lots of love, positivity, and colorful light your way!

  23. (continued)
    But…now I've had antibiotics several times. The second time was a really persistent throat infection that I knew, after fighting it for a few weeks with various sick days, couldn't just be a virus. So I went to the doctor and was given antibiotics. And they did clear it up. But that happened last year and if I had to pinpoint a time I noticed more unpleasant poos…it would be last year.

    I never had these issues before coming to England. And I realised that the past few weeks of no normal bowel movements and weight loss noticeable enough that other people are telling me I've lost weight: it has to be because I was put on antibiotics again. I have had a keratin cyst on my buttcheek for like five years that never really was an issue besides that I hate it and it's ugly. But I noticed it slowly get a head on it like a zit, and then the entire thing turned bright red and got painful. So I thought, "I'll go to the doctor, I can finally get it taken care of!!" The doctor of course prescribed antibiotics which I was hesitant about, but what are you gonna do? She tried excising it with no luck, so I finished my course of antibiotics. A few days later, the cyst actually became poppable on its own.

    I'm glad it's gone, but I really now believe it took my gut flora with it. I don't think I'm as severe as cdiff, but I had to cave and buy some dairy yogurt drink with cultures because I am desperate for some relief. I don't need to lose weight and I'm sick of these types of bowel movements and digestion being "normal." It's difficult because I think antibiotics were pretty much appropriate in every scenario here, but they've still completely ruined my natural flora and now I'm playing that difficult game of trying to find out what works for me when doctors don't even really recognise this as a problem. I kind of suspect I have small intestine bacterial overgrowth based on how badly I bloat after eating sometimes. I am eating quinoa and sweet potato for the fiber, good carbs, and protein. Also, I think the dairy yogurt cultures drink is helping (lactobacillus I think, the Actimel brand) because I finally had normal, solid bowel movements yesterday. Now I'm just praying they weren't a fluke.

    I already loved your blog but the fact that you know about antibiotic and gut issues is such a relief when it turned out I was gonna have the same problem. Thanks so much for this guide.

  24. I've been struggling with digestive issues that have worsened in the last year, but particularly the last two months. I had a blood test in December to see why I had so much fatigue and brain fog and just thought I'd have them check for gluten sensitivity while I was there because I was having crazy bloat issues and really unpleasant bowel movements most of the time (unless I was constipated for a few days which did happen pretty regularly). I'm sure many with sensitivities know the kind: not very solid, very foul in odor, usually pretty urgent and sudden.

    My blood test showed that my antitransglutaminase antibodies were 14 on a scale of 0-14 so the doctor sent it up for more rigorous testing. But I left that checkup under the impression that I pretty much had celiac disease.

    Fast forward two weeks, and the further results showed that I was "completely normal." I was beyond frustrated because I couldn't get rid of the fatigue and was sick of going through those bowel movements. Like…how could that be completely normal?

    I've also noticed these past few weeks that I've been on a steady decline of losing weight. Yeah my nutrient levels weren't deficient in my blood test, but why was I eating how I was and losing weight? I should at least be maintaining my weight. I'm a vegetarian anyways who ends up eating vegan a lot of days and I have done so for three years so I kind of always pinned it to the fact that I stopped eating meat and dairy. But that doesn't explain why I'm suddenly always weighing less when I step on the scale.

    Cue: antibiotic use.

    I'm studying abroad in England. England has the NHS. Before I came here, I didn't really go to the doctor that often and I didn't really need to anyways. Had a standard diet, was healthy, whatever. Well, I started dating a guy over here when I got here three years ago and I forgot that you're supposed to pee after sex. I got a really persistent UTI that I tried fighting off for two months before I finally caved and went to the doctor (which I was actually relieved I could do as it's free even for a foreign student; universal healthcare is a great thing). I was given antibiotics which cleared up my problem. I was so relieved.

    That was the first time I ever had antibiotics. I felt back to normal after they cleared my UTI up. (continued)

  25. Loved reading this. I just got into NCNM (National College of Natural Medicine) here in Portland for Nutrition, and a big goal of my is to try and jump start some sort of holistic nutrition program into hospitals. It's so needed!