Friday 15 August 2014

Candida/ Yeast infection.


Candida is a fungus, which is a form of yeast, a very small amount of which lives in your mouth and intestines. Its job is to aid with digestion and nutrient absorption, but when it is overproduced it breaks down the wall of the intestine and penetrates the bloodstream, releasing toxic by-products into your body and causing leaky gut. This can lead to many different health problems ranging from digestive issues to depression.
The healthy or ‘good’ bacteria in your gut typically keeps your candida levels in balance. However, the Candida population can get out of hand if a course of antibiotics kill too many of those friendly bacteria, you have a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar (which feed the yeast), high alcohol intake, are taking oral contraceptives or any number of other factors including a high-stress lifestyle.
Common Candida Symptoms
Skin and nail fungal infections such as athlete’s foot and toenail fungus.
Feeling tired and worn down or suffering from chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
Digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
Autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis
Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, lack of focus, ADD, ADHD and brain fog
Skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, hives, and rashes
Irritability, mood swings, anxiety, or depression
Vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, rectal itching or vaginal itching
Severe seasonal allergies or itchy ears
Strong sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings

Getting rid of the Candida overgrowth requires a change in diet to a low carbohydrate diet. Sugar feeds yeast, so eliminating sugar in all of its simple forms like sweets, desserts, alcohol and flours. A 2011 research study -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21513811 looked at how Candida Albicans uses sugar. It found that carbohydrates were ‘indispensable’ both for cellular growth and for the conversion between the yeast and fungal forms. This is just one of the studies that make it very clear that a low-sugar diet is a necessary part of your Candida treatment.
Reducing to only a few cups a day of the more complex carbohydrates such as grains, beans, fruit, bread, pasta, and potatoes will prevent the Candida from growing and eventually cause it to die.
To boost your good bacteria you should take pro-biotics on a regular basis. Eliminate inflammatory foods that can harm your digestive tract and introduce foods that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption, this will aid to  prevent Candida from working its way through your body, and will help to dramatically improve your overall health.






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