Candida Albicans is a yeast microorganism that commonly lives in the intestinal tract of every human being. It shares space in your bowel with a variety of other microorganisms, mostly helpful bacteria, called probiotics. The bacteria to yeast ration in a healthy person is about 10:1, so in a normal bowel everything lives in a nice ecological balance. (National Candida Center) This balance called ‘gut flora’ is a crucial part of your immune system and digestive health. The problem comes when your gut flora gets off balance. Once this gut flora is disturbed, yeast (Candida Albicans) has a chance to proliferate. An overgrowth of Candida Albicans also called a yeast infection often begins in the digestive system and gradually spreads to other parts of the body. For example, by the time someone has a vaginal yeast infection or thrush which is a white coating on the tongue; the yeast has already taken up residence internally .

The first thing that happens internally with Candida is inflammation and irritation of the digestive tract which can lead to: painful bloating, diarrhea, constipation, IBS, fatigue, reduced absorption of nutrients, muscle aches, poor memory and a whole host of other symptoms. As these symptoms can also belong to other ailments one typically does not realize they have an issue with yeast until it presents itself as a vaginal yeast infection or oral thrush as mentioned above.

Candida Albicans is more common than you may think. What causes this overgrowth of yeast to flourish in the body in the first place? There are quite a few things that can knock our gut balance out of whack. Here is a list of the most common culprits:

• Lowered immunity (which can in itself be caused by many things)
• Weakened or overworked adrenal glands due to high stress
• An overall unhealthy lifestyle. Eating processed foods, red meat and dairy. Most of all consuming a lot of white sugar and white flour. Drinking alcohol and smoking. Leading a sedentary lifestyle. Not getting enough fresh air. These are just a few examples.
• Taking a prolonged course of antibiotics, birth control pills, steroids, etc.
• The use of chlorine and fluorine in our water.
• Overuse of additives, preservatives, and colorings in food.
• Lastly food sensitivities /allergies. Many people are sensitive to commonly eaten foods. This weakens the adrenal glands, and causes symptoms all over the body.

Candida is a stubborn hardy fungus so once it is flourishing in your body it can be tough to restore balance.

1. The first thing to consider is what you are putting into your body. Every meal is either feeding the yeast or fighting it. Remove all yeasted food from the diet including: bread, yeast extracts, food yeast, wine, beer, and cider. It is also important to remove all sugar from the diet even those occurring naturally in fruit.
2. Be sure to eat plenty of yogurt and fermented food with probiotics. The beneficial bacteria contained in probiotics secrete small quantities of lactic acid and acetic acid. These help to maintain the correct levels of acidity in your gut. Probiotics fill your gut with ‘good’ bacteria to crowd out the Candida yeast. Think of it like this: when antibiotics kill the good bacteria, they leave your intestine open for the faster-growing Candida yeast to take over. So conversely, if you use probiotics to fill your gut with beneficial bacteria, this leaves less spaces and resources for the Candida to grow.
3. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a great home remedy that naturally restores the pH of the body and helps to eliminate yeast overgrowth.
4. Along with a low-sugar diet and probiotics, antifungals are an important element of a successful Candida treatment plan. Antifungals work by breaking down the cell walls of the Candida yeast, and are an important part of your diet. Popular antifungal treatments include caprylic acid, grapefruit seed extract, garlic and oil of oregano.
5. If a vaginal yeast infection is present douching can help to restore balance of the vaginal flora. Options for douching are probiotics, goldenseal tincture, or propolis tincture.

Strategies like a low-sugar diet, antifungals and probiotics can all be helpful, but to be most effective they need to be used together. Candida may be hard to get rid of, but it is not impossible.

Click here to take a free questionnaire to see if candida might be a problem for you.

If you feel that you may have a yeast issue, here are a few resources for you:

TheCandidaDiet
NationalCandidaCenter
Mercola

Please note that I am not a medical practitioner. The content of this website is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice. Do not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider. By using this website, you assume full responsibility and liability for your own actions.