Getting a Handle on Candida Overgrowth
You may or may not have heard of candida but I’m sure your familiar with the term yeast infection. Candida is basically yeast overgrowth and it can manifest as many symptoms in the body that you would typically would not think that candida is the issue:
- fatigue
- brain fog
- anxiety
- cancer
- lack of concentration
- strong sugar cravings
- acid reflux
- bloating
- stomach cramps
- acne, cysts
- eczema, skin rashes
- nail fungus, athletes food
- sinus congestion
- frequent colds, respiratory infections
- itchy eyes
- frequent UTIs, yeast infections
Okay, now you may want to learn more about candida so here is a very informative guest post from my friend Stu Lieberman.
Candida albicans is a fungus that normally inhabits the mouth, vagina, intestines, and urinary tracts in small amounts. This form of yeast is typically harmless. However, when there’s an imbalance in the body and Candida begins to grow out of control, it can cause problems.
Vaginal candidiasis, also known as a yeast infection, is the most common form of candida overgrowth. Three out of every four women will experience a yeast infection as some point in their lives, and fifty percent of women get more than one. Common symptoms are vaginal itching, burning in the vaginal area, particularly during urination, and white discharge from the vaginal area.
Oral candidiasis, also called thrush, is the second most common form of candida overgrowth. It is typically found in people using asthma and COPD inhalers with corticosteroids. Steroids encourage candida growth, which is why it is recommended that users of these inhalers rinse their mouths with water after inhaling. Oral thrush is also common in breast-fed infants whose mothers are taking antibiotics.
The most common symptom of oral thrush is white spots on the tongue or inner cheek. These slightly raised spots may also be found on the roof of the mouth, gums, tonsils, or back of the throat. When brushing your teeth, these spots may be painful and start to bleed if you scrape them.
To naturally reduce your risk of Candida overgrowth, and help ease your symptoms once they appear, here are a few steps to follow:
1. Cut back on the sugar. Candida albicans thrives in a sugar-rich environment. By limiting your sugar intake, you naturally starve the yeast and inhibit its growth.
2. Add fermented foods to your diet. You can help counter the effects of the yeast by repopulating your gut with good bacteria. Fermented foods, such as yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, sauerkraut, kim chee, and miso, are loaded with good bacteria. Note that if you do opt for yogurt, be sure to select a low sugar variety. Otherwise, you’re just giving the yeast more fuel for growth.
3. Take probiotics, especially if you are prescribed a course of antibiotics. Antibiotics do not discriminate. They not only knock out the “bad bugs” that can cause infection, but the good ones, as well. And in that environment, Candida can flourish. Research has found that taking a probiotic along with an antibiotic like tetracycline helps to fortify the body’s natural resistance to Candida yeast overgrowth.
4. If you have an inhaler, rinse well after use. To rid your mouth of non-inhaled medication, be sure you rinse with water, swish, and spit after you use your inhaler. That way, you’re reducing your risk of the steroids hanging around your mouth and encouraging the Candida growth.
This article is written by + Stu Lieberman the writer for Nutri-Health.com, an online High Quality Probiotic Supplements and Health Store. Assisting people and helping them find quality natural health supplements online is what Stu has been doing for over 3 years. Nutri-Health.com carries Digestive Supplements to Probiotics to Joint Health.
