Candida 

 

What is it? 

Candida is a fungal yeast that grows naturally in the body, on the skin, in the mouth, and in  the intestinal tract.  As long as the candida is balanced with healthy bacteria, then candida is in a controlled state and causes no health issues.  Everyone has candida, but some people have candida overgrowth, which can cause health problems.

 

What is candida overgrowth exactly?

Candida overgrowth occurs when the yeast levels multiple and an imbalance occurs in the body, usually the intestinal tract.  

 

 

What problems can candida overgrowth cause?

Candida overgrowth can cause a multitude of problems, including oral thrush, vaginal yeast infections, nail fungus, jock itch, intestinal disorders, fatigue, foggy brain, and more.  

 

 

What are some of the symptoms of candida overgrowth?

Symptoms can be varied but some symptoms are the following:

         stomach is bloated

         red or cracking skin

         mood disorders

         memory 

         fatigue

         inflammatory bowl disease

         itching and burning skin, especially

               with  vaginal yeast infections

 

What natural remedies can be used to help balance candida?

Changing your diet is the most important step to take when trying to restore a healthy microcrobial balance in your body.   Some doctors, like Dr. Kathy Wong, a naturopathic doctor who publishes information on her Verywell.com site, recommend limiting carbohydrates to 20 - 60 grams per day, reducing sugar, avoiding cheese and white flour.  There are several candida diet and recipe books that you can purchase online that help people change their eating habits.

 

Many doctors recommend a combination of diet and supplements.  They recommend starting slowly with the supplements to prevent excess die off of candida, which can trigger excess immune responses.

 

Drinking a lot of water is highly recommended to help flush the dying candida out of the body.  Dead candida excrete toxins, so they must be flushed.

 

Drinking high quality smoothie drinks that are loaded with super greens and nutrient dense foods also helps restore the body.  The more alkaline you can make your body, the better your body can fight the candida.  It is recommended to eat a lot of vegetables and to use nutrient dense supplements, like spirulina, which is a blue-green algae.

 

How long does it take to balance the body and restore health?

It can take two weeks to several months to get the natural flora back to a healthy state.

 

What supplements can help to balance the flora?

Probiotics - must be quality and contain acidophilus

Fiber, like flax seeds and psyllium 

Oregano oil

Peppermint oil

Garlic (can get these in tablet form)

Pau d'Arco