Candida- Do You Have It????

What is it?

This is a form of yeast that lives in our mouths and intestines. It’s part of our natural flora and helps with digestion and absorption of food. Sometimes candida is overproduced, due to a reduction in the population of the good bacteria, breaking down the intestinal wall and escaping into the blood stream and releasing toxic by-products, which can lead to many different health problems.

What causes it?

A reduction in the number of good bacteria in the gut will lead to the overproduction of candida. This can be caused by any of the following:

·         Taking strong antibiotics that in addition to getting rid of the bad bacteria, also get rid of the good ones that keep the candida growth in check. ( so always a good idea to take probiotics after a course of antibiotics)

·         Consuming a lot of alcohol

·         Taking oral contraceptives

·         Stressful lifestyle

·         Eating a lot of fermented foods

What does it look like?

·         Chronic fatigue – if you have fatigue or exhaustion that you cannot shake regardless of how much sleep you get.

·         Mood disorders – Not all irrational behaviour is due to your period. You may experience dramatic mood swings, anxiety, irritability, depression and even panic attacks. (don’t know about you but that kinda sounds like me just before my period)

·         Recurring urinary tract and vaginal infections and also rectal and vaginal itching.

·         Oral thrush

·         Sinus infections – this can present as persistent cough, increase in congestion, seasonal allergies, itchy ears and general flu-like symptoms.

·         Intestinal disturbances -  like persistent flatulence, burping, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea, and stomach cramps. ( I’m thinking this could explain a lot about my husband’s toilet habits).

·         Brain fog – candida overgrowth can cause lack of focus, poor physical coordination, difficulty in concentrating on tasks and poor memory.

·         Skin and nail fungal infections – recurring athlete’s foot and fungus toenail infections, eczema, psoriasis and rashes may be a sign of systemic candida infection.

·         Hormonal imbalance – leading to early menopause, PMS, loe sex drive, migraines, endometriosis, water retention, mood swings and inability to lose weight.

How do I get rid of it without meds?

To successfully treat candida, you need to do two main things:

1.      Stop the yeast overgrowth- you can achieve this by switching to a low-carbohydrate diet and staying away from fermented foods. That includes palmie for those of us that like to indulge in the local alcohol.

2.      Build-up the friendly bacteria – you can achieve this by taking probiotic yoghurt.

However using diet alone could take up to 6 months before the candida population is brought under control.

I have tried without meds but it’s still there…..

·         Taking anti-fungals such as diflucan (fluconazole) or nystatin for at least a month should cut down the candida population by killing them.

·         Caprylic acid, a supplement made from coconut oil will help kill the candida by destrying the protective wall around them.

Taking probiotics capsules such as Biokult regularly will help increase the population of the good bacteria especially after a course of antibiotics.

Copyright June's Secrets 2015