Candida Infection
Treatment
Being that the topic of Candida is a very complex one, the information written here can only serve as a very basic introduction to the topic.
I would highly advise anyone who suspects that he suffers from Candida, to become educated on the topic by reading the two best books that are currently available on Candida. They are: The Yeast Connection Handbook by Dr. William Crook, And Feast Without Yeast by Dr. Bruce Semon. Or read the following comprehensive review titled: The Chronic Candidiasis Syndrome: Intestinal Candida And Its Relation To Chronic Illness.
What exactly is Candida infection, medically known as Candida Albicans?
Candida is a natural fungal yeast that is found in the intestinal tract.
In a healthy person it does little harm because it is kept in check by natural beneficial intestinal bacteria. Friendly bacteria are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection against agents that could cause disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients.
Each person’s mix of bacteria varies. Interactions between a person and the microorganisms in his body, and between the microorganisms themselves, can be crucial to the person’s health and well-being.
These good bacteria protect us from damaging "bad bugs" such as Salmonella, Shigella, and many other potential harmful bacteria.
Only when it gets out of hand and grows disproportionately in the intestines does candida begin contributing to various health problems such as appetite loss, belching, and an overabundance of stomach acid.
Candida infection symptoms include infections of the mouth, vagina, nose, and respiratory System. Besides vaginal infections, severe urinary tract infections, body rashes, acne, and oral thrush. Other candida infection symptoms include allergies to foods, dust, molds, fungus, yeast, inhalants, and chemicals.
Dangers of Candida Infection Overgrowth!
Candida fungi create toxins that block normal nutrient absorption. They grow into Rhizoids that take deep root in your intestinal walls causing symptoms similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Eventually, Rhizoids inflame and cause Leaky Gut Syndrome. Once their toxins get into your blood, it is called Systemic Candida infection, a fungal invasion that affects virtually every organ and tissue. Later stages develop into bowel disorders, food intolerances, environmental sensitivities, allergies and even asthma. Auto-immune disorders develop as your body begins attacking itself at the cellular level.
Candida yeast assists in the production of nearly 100 toxic substances that, if left untreated, can poison your body.
The two biggest toxins that candida yeast produces – canditoxin and ethanol – can negatively affect brain functions and your nervous system … as well as significantly interfere with the biochemical processes in your body.
Small wonder Candida infection makes you feel so bad!
Not treating your Candida infection effectively can lead to candida overgrowth, which releases canditoxin and ethanol into your blood stream. When injected into rats, these dangerous toxins can paralyze and kill.
These two killer substances are known to be the cause of many of the symptoms associated with candida infection, including vaginal yeast infections, eczema, blotchy skin, dryness, itching, oral thrush, sinus problems, constipation, diarrhea, restless sleep, bloating, lack of energy, mood swings, cravings for sweet food, food allergies, and much more…
A great number of Americans suffer from this wide spread condition. However, it is often overlooked due to the refusal of mainstream medicine to fully acknowledge candida overgrowth as a cause of more serious health issues.
How Do I know If I suffer From Candida Overgrowth?
A great way to determine if you are suffering from a candida infection is to take the candida self-test by clicking on www.drsalzarulo.com/candida-self-test.html.
Common Candida Infection Symptoms Are:
- Severe itching sensation of the skin
- Dry mouth and tongue, cracked tongue, bleeding gums
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Painful and frequent urination
- Vaginal burning, itching, or painful intercourse
- Vaginal discharge with a “white, cheesy” appearance
- Unusual menstrual cramping
- Difficulty swallowing
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Abdominal pain, bloating, or gas
- Constipation, diarrhea, or mucus in the stool
- Depression, anxiety, sudden mood swings, lack of concentration, headaches, drowsiness, or fatigue
- Muscle and/or joint pain and swelling
- White patches in the mouth and fissures at the corners of the mouth (i.e. thrush)
- Skin irritation in the folds of the skin, such as in the groin area or under the breasts; white pustules may be present
- Ulcers
- Fever
- Retinal abscess (As a defensive cellular reaction to a Candida yeast infection within the eye’s retina, pus collects inside an inflamed tissue pocket, which may permanently damage vision.)
Causes of Candida
The two primary causes of Candida infection are the overuse of oral antibiotics and bad diet.
1. Antibiotics
Candida infection was virtually unheard of before 1940. It is since the introduction of antibiotics at around that time that candida has become the widespread problem that it is today.
Antibiotic use kills a percentage of all types of bacteria throughout the whole body, but it does not kill the yeast.
Taking antibiotics on any recurrent basis, plus eating foods that contain significant amounts of antibiotics (e.g., non-organic meat, eggs and dairy products) may cause a significant reduction in the normal amount of intestinal bacteria causing intestinal yeast (Candida), to grow unchecked. This disturbs the normal ratio of yeast to bacteria in the intestinal tract.
The flora in our intestinal tract is commonly known as our "second immune system." These friendly microbes will attack dangerous bacteria that shouldn’t be there; but they are killed off inadvertently by antibiotic misuse.
Birth control pills, steroids, antacid, and anti-ulcer medications such as Tagament, Zantac, Pepcid, and Axid interfere with normal hormonal balance and encourage undesirable yeast overgrowth.
The fact that millions of people suffer from the effects of Candida should not surprise anybody, being, that the overuse of antibiotics has developed into something of a national crisis. People take these drugs for the smallest ailment without giving a second thought to the ramifications of their actions.
Many physicians increasingly and liberally prescribe oral antibiotics, often unnecessarily. It is therefore not at all surprising that intestinal Candida proliferation is becoming an ever-increasing problem.
In the United States alone, an estimated 133 million antibiotic prescriptions are given out a year according to the Government Accounting Office. About half of these are inappropriate or not needed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the overuse of antibiotics has exploded in the past 10 years, with the public mistakenly taking the medicine for colds, flu and coughs. These types of illnesses are caused by viruses and cannot be helped with antibiotics, which fight bacterial infections.
2. Bad diet
The typical American" or "Western" diet that is high in fat and low in fiber is a major contributing factor to the cause of candida. High fat/low fiber has a tendency to stick to the inner walls of the intestinal tract. The body responds by forming a mucous layer over materials that impact the intestines.
Over a period of years a buildup can occur to the extent that there is a decrease in available binding sites for friendly bacteria, a decrease in nutrient assimilation and an increase in risk for colitis, diverticulosis and colon cancer.
What is the Key to Eliminating Candida?
To the surprise of many, it’s not the anti-fungal or probiotic you take. It’s doing a candida cleanse first with a high-quality candida/colon cleansing program such as Ultimate Colon Cleanse Produced by Nature’s Secret inc. If you start taking anti-fungals you will not get better, because your colon is full of mucoid plaque and toxins. This is such a crucial first step.
To first eliminate candida, you must first clean your colon through bowel cleansing. Think about it: if your colon is clogged, and full of toxins, how will any anti-fungals reach your intestines efficiently? Cleanse your colon first… then kill that candida with a anti fungal product such as Fungal Defense Candida and yeast cleanse .
Treating Candida – Diet
The most common natural approach to treating Candida is an anti-candida diet in conjunction with some form of anti-yeast supplement.
Dr Bruce Semon outlines the best diet that I would recommend in his book Feast Without Yeast: 4 Stages To Better Health.
What Does The Anti-Candida Diet Involve?
Basically, the candida diet involves eliminating all foods that contribute to yeast growth, and at the same time do not harm the beneficial bacteria that are found in the intestinal tract. In other words, to clear the yeast from your system, you will have to abstain from ingesting all products that contain any yeast and all foods that encourage the continued growth of yeast.
The following is only a very basic list of the most common foods that should be avoided. For more details, visit Dr Semon’s website at: www.nutritioninstitute.com/yeast_info.html.
AVOID:
- Mushrooms: any kind.
- All refined grain products.
- All yeasted bread products. You may eat homemade breads using wholegrain flour with baking powder/soda for leavening. Examples: muffins, biscuits, pancakes.
- Any type of sugar, even so-called natural sugars such as honey or maple syrup. Keep in mind that Candida loves sugar. Exceptions are Xylitol and Stevia. Xylitol not only does not feed candida, it actually has been proven to have anti candidal effects. Stevia, called stevioside, does not feed yeasts in the intestines like sugars.
- Artificial Sweeteners. These have been found to feed candidajust as well as sugar.
- All dairy products except yogurt.
- All vinegars: even so called natural vinegars such as wine or apple cider vinegar.
- All malted products: again; even products that contain natural malt such as barley malt.
- All alcoholic beverages.
- Fruits: due to their high sugar content. These include strawberries, cranberries, kiwi, currants, mangoes, bananas & fresh pineapple. Exceptions are grapefruit, lemon, lime and tangerines.
- Nuts: Unless freshly cracked, because of mould.
- Peanuts and peanut butter: again, because of mould.
- Brewers yeast.
- Commercially produced fruit juices. Freshly made fruit & vegetable juices are allowed and strongly recommended.
- Raw eggs. Cooked eggs are fine.
- All antibiotics unless absolutely necessary.
- Aged cheeses: due to the presence of natural mold.
Avoid drinking tap water that contains chlorine, and coffee. Chlorine and caffeine both kill the good bacteria living in your intestines.
Avoid leftover food that has not been immediately refrigerated, due to the possibility of mold growth.
To summarize, avoid any food products that encourage yeast growth and irritate your intestinal tract, and eat foods high in natural fiber that will be easily assimilated by your digestive system.
How long do I have to stay on this candida diet to successfully get my Candida under control?
The length of time on the candida diet will depend on the length of time one has had symptoms, symptom severity, and overall health. Many people notice improvement after strict adherence to the candida diet for two to four weeks: But it can take upwards to one year to rid yourself of all symptoms. Once symptoms are gone, whole foods from the restricted list can be slowly incorporated back into the diet. Begin by reintroducing foods back into the diet. Introduce one food per week and note the effects. If a food disagrees then eliminate it. Keep processed sugars to a minimum.
Foods to include as part of a anti-candida diet plan
Essential Fatty Acids
Increase your intake of natural saturated fats and essential oils, especially omega-3 oils, which are very lacking in the Western World’s diet. These include free-range organic meat, fish, fish oils, and oily fish, like salmon, mackerel, tuna-in-oil, sardines-in-oil, etc.; Flax-seed and borage oils. One tablespoon of flax seeds or its oil, or one 1000mg capsule of each of these, twice daily, should suffice.
Fresh greens
Eat plenty of salads with raw salad vegetables such as celery, peppers etc to help detoxify and to help build up your energy. Stock up on vegetables that inhibit the growth of Candida: such as: raw garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli, turnip and kale.
Get your protein from fish and fowl. Cut out red meats for first four weeks as they may strain a weak digestive system.
Yogurt
Consuming yogurt that contains live cultures such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, can be beneficial in maintaining the proper intestinal bacteria.
Live and active cultures provide a variety of health boosts, including, helping to keep intestinal tracts healthy by deterring the growth of harmful bacteria, and encouraging the proliferation of beneficial organisms.
Researchers have found that live and active yogurt cultures can give a health boost to the cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems. Be aware though, that not all brands of yogurt contain these beneficial cultures because many producers pasteurize the yogurt after culturing, destroying the bacteria in the process.
Click on the following article to become more informed on the topic of Candida.
Treating Candida – Supplements
Many different types of anti-fungal medicines are commonly prescribed to treat Candida, including Amphotericin B, fluconazole, nystatin and ketoconazole. Like many other prescription drugs, these often come with unwanted side effects…..
Common-sense would dictate that one should take natural anti-Candida supplement products that don’t cause any side effects.
Click here to read my list of highly recommended Candida supplement products.
