What is candida and why do I need to know about it?
According to WebMD, Candida Albicans is a (typically) harmless yeast infection which can be most often found in the intestinal tract, vagina, or mouth regions. A fungus called Candida “causes an infection called Candidiasis, which is most often of the Candida Albicans variety. Candida infections are rarely serious in otherwise healthy people. In rare cases, it may spread through other parts of the body if the patient’s immune system is not functioning properly. In most severe cases, it can affect the blood, the membrane lining of the heart muscle (called endocardium), or membranes around the brain (called meninges).” Although Candida Albicans can normally live in small numbers in the body without problems, as it is well-regulated by other healthy bacteria, certain situations can result in an overgrowth of it, with issues to follow. Symptoms can be anything from itching to aching, bloating and gas, skin breakouts and/or rashes, strange hormonal cycles, and fatigue.
But what causes it?
Although many causes are named in creating this imbalance of the gut’s microbiome, some are consistently to blame. Prolonged use of prescribed antibiotics, poor digestion, heavy stress or emotional upsets, impaired immunity, overconsumption of sugar, C-section deliveries, overconsumption of alcohol and/or coffee, mercury exposure from a variety of sources, antibiotics in the meat supply, and extended birth control use are a few of the main culprits, but don’t fret — most of these can be effectively treated with natural remedies. Follow along!
Step One:
The first step to overcoming any bout of Candidiasis is to stop consuming sugar — completely. Wellness Mama says sugar, being as addictive as it is and so very well hidden in our food products, is not easily avoided — but it must be. In addition, the infected person must avoid milk, cheese, flour (especially refined, white flour), fruit of all kinds, yeast-containing foods (like peanuts, melons, and alcohol), as well as any foods to which the individual is especially sensitive. This is how you starve the yeast, as these items are their “food.”
Step Two:
The next step is to kill off the yeast. Yep – we need to kill it. A number of antifungal herbs may be used in an alternating fashion, including berberine, olive oil leaf, and grapefruit seed extract. These are typically combined with caprylic acid which is effective at killing off the fungus. This step in the process may end up taking months sometimes — try to be patient and stay in good contact with your doctor, especially if things should happen to worsen.
Step Three:
After that, Maura Henninger, N.D., recommends “repopulating the gut.” Probiotics, rotated monthly, should be introduced as “good bugs” to the gut in order to scare away the “bad bugs” causing the infection.
Make Sure You Poop Regularly
Says Henninger also, probiotics encourage healthy and regular bowel movements, which also helps eliminate the bad bugs. In order to further ensure good BMs, Dr. Maura suggests taking additional fiber in the form of flax seed, chia seeds, guar gum, and psyllium husks in salads and smoothies, as well as increased fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, acidophilus capsules, coconut water, kefir and kimchi. (In the case of vaginal infections, some women have had good luck with inserting plain yogurt into the vagina as well — but be sure to consult your physician before trying it yourself) You may also want to try taking enteric-coated capsules of oregano oil, peppermint oil, enteric-coated garlic, or others.
Step Four:
Support the liver as it works hard to detox your body over this time. Drink plenty of water and try some liver supporting biotherapeutic drainage or milk thistle.
Step Five:
Support yourself emotionally, as some think emotional upsets can contribute to prolonged illness of many varieties, this included.
Some practitioners warn of a phenomenon some have endured during these steps called a “die-off”, while others doubt its very existence. The believers warn that as problem bugs die off, they can release “protein fragments and toxins which can trigger an antibody response in the body” and a possible worsening of symptoms. For those who are concerned, or who worry of the possibility, a more gradual approach to the steps may be taken, or in individualized program of diet and supplements.
As with all articles presented here, please consult your physician for any and all health ailments before attempting to treat it at home with our suggestions.
