Candida overgrowth is an often misdiagnosed health concern. Most doctors either don’t look for it or don’t believe it can be the underlying cause of many diseases. Normally Candida is completely harmless; however, it becomes a real health concern when we do something that changes the delicate balance between the good micro-organisms and the yeast colonies that live in the gut. When this balance is lost or disturbed, the Candida colonies are able to rapidly expand.
Candida Overgrowth: What Is It and Why Do I Need To Be Concerned?
These are both important questions, that I am frequently asked, that have huge implications for our health. In short, candida albicans is a very opportunistic yeast that, when out of control, can spread quickly throughout the body, release numerous toxins, and wreak havoc with literally every organ and system of the body. The typical American diet which is full of sugar and lifestyle encourages the growth of Candida, and unfortunately most mainstream doctors are ignorant as to Candida, its widespread effects, and how to treat it.
Candida occurs naturally in the body, and when it is kept at proper levels, it serves a very useful purpose. It is estimated that each of us has about a pound of bacteria living in our bodies, and most of these species are very beneficial and necessary. Many bodily functions, such as proper digestion of our food, cannot occur without helpful bacteria being present. The concern is that when the bacterial balance is out of whack in the body, “good bacteria” tend to get overrun by opportunistic species, and candida albicans is one of the worst offenders. Once Candida takes hold, it will also begin building a protective biofilm over the top of itself within the first 24 hours. The cell wall of Candida is made up of fibrin and the plant fiber chitin or cellulose, mannoprotein-1, glucan and mannoprotein-2, which are plant polysaccharrides. There is also a plasma membrane and a protein nucleus. Basically these are the components that Candida uses to build the biofilm. Candida eating enzymes (see recommendations below) and coconut oil can work very well for getting through this biofilm. It is important to note that if the biofilm is not addressed, most likely diet and supplements will not do an effective job.
Why Is Candida Overgrowth At Epidemic Levels?
There are three main reasons why candida overgrowth is at epidemic levels today. The first is that most people dine on a diet that is high in sugar and refined, processed foods. Candida thrives on sugar and foods such as simple carbohydrates, and unfortunately these are staples in the Standard American Diet (SAD). When candida gets a steady supply of such “fuel,” it grows and multiplies rapidly.
Secondly, the overuse of antibiotics is also a huge factor in candida overgrowth. These types of drugs show no discrepancy when it comes to the kinds of bacteria they attack. So, they often kill off helpful bacteria, allowing harmful species such as candida to proliferate.
Thirdly, preexisting immuno-suppression caused by drug or alcohol abuse, multiple blood transfusions, debilitating illness, organ transplants, or chemotherapy.
Contributing factors that are of major concern and promote yeast overgrowth are:
- Low stomach acidity leading to poorly digested food.
- Improper bowel movements leading to prolonged retention (constipation) of fecal matter in the colon.
- Prolonged stress which often weakens the immune system.
- Mercury toxicity (amalgam fillings, high mercury containing seafood, etc.) which can cause suppression of the immune system. This makes it easier for the yeast to proliferate in the human body. Especially true in the gastrointestinal tract and in the vaginas of particularly sensitive women.
What Are the Symptoms of Candida Overgrowth?
One of the things that makes candida a complex health issue is that symptoms often vary greatly from person to person and as candida migrates throughout the body, it shows itself in different ways. Therefore, it is very challenging to diagnose and treat.
Some of its favorite places to attack are the intestinal tract, genitals, and oral cavity. However, it can be quickly dispersed throughout the body and lead to widespread systemic infections.
Some of the most common candida overgrowth symptoms include:
- Skin rashes (eczema, acne)
- Excessive mucous of the throat, nose and lungs
- Genital infections (vaginitis, jock itch)
- Athlete’s foot
- Acid reflux
- Sore throat
- Sinus infections
- Chronic Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
When candida attacks the brain and nervous system, many cognitive symptoms can occur such as:
- Brain fog
- Poor concentration
- Mood swings
- Feelings of rage
Candida overgrowth/yeast infections tend to be very hard on the immune system — 80% of which is found in the intestinal tract. Therefore, the health of the entire body suffers.
What are Natural Recommendations for Candida Overgrowth?
The most powerful way to fight Candida Overgrowth is by taking good care of your digestive tract. This area is typically the “headquarters” of most candida invasions; thus, eliminating excess Candida from the gut is essential. Below are some effective recommendations for Candida overgrowth.
A healthy diet is foundational to any effective Candida Cleanse. A grain-free and sugar-free diet is necessary. Eat raw, whole foods that are organic, gmo-free and free of toxins. Organic fruits (a few times each week: green apples, lemons, limes, grapefruit, cranberry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, and pomegranate. Also a peach, nectarine and a plum every once-in-a-while) and vegetables have a high oxygen content which can help with Candida overgrowth. Eliminate junky high-sugar and prepared foods and the SAD (Standard American Diet), in general. Add lots of garlic, onions, cinnamon, extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil and peppermint to your diet. The following foods are encouraged (use organic, free-range, grass-fed and non-gmo foods): cold water fish, poultry, meat, vegetables, healthy fats, brown rice, eggs, seeds, all nuts except cashews and peanuts, herbal teas and goat milk. Avoid quinoa and oats for the first 15-30 days. To ease digestion, all nuts and seeds should be soaked in purified water for at least seven hours before eating. Soaking initiates the sprouting process and breaks up the enzyme inhibitors and phytates found in these foods.
Drink lots of pure, filtered water. Staying hydrated will strengthen your intestinal tract and help to flush out toxins and waste. You may also add 3 tablespoons of organic, raw apple cider vinegar to one gallon of purified water and then drink throughout the day. Raw apple cider vinegar supports a normal pH balance in your body by creating an alkalizing environment and encouraging beneficial bacteria to grow. Healthy bacteria crowd-out Candida and aid digestion. While it is true that fermented products like beer and wine will actually feed yeast, raw apple cider vinegar goes through a much different fermentation process thus producing a completely different reaction in the body. I highly recommend Braggs Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.
DIGESTIVE TRACT CLEANSE
Digestive Tract Flushing is important.Researchers have found that candida releases about 70 different toxins into the body, usually starting in the digestive tract. The digestive tract must be flushed out so that it can begin to operate efficiently. This can combat candida and allow digestion to improve, restoring nutrients that candida has highjacked. It will also help ease the possibility of experiencing a Herxheimer’s Reaction caused from yeast die-off.
HARMFUL ORGANISM CLEANSE
Candida and parasites usually go together. In fact, Candida albicans is a type of parasitic yeast like fungus. They have a symbiotic relationship, feeding off each other and being very destructive to the body. The use of a quality harmful organism cleanse will weaken Candida and improve overall health.
Many of the benefits of Jatoba bark are associated with its toxicity against harmful organisms, including yeast, viruses, fungi and bacteria and most of its beneficial compounds are located within its bark.
Unrefined coconut oil should be used at 1-3 tablespoons daily. Coconut oil can be used in smoothies, hot herbal teas, coffee or for oil-pulling.
Try to eat 1-2 cloves of garlic every day. They can be consumed raw in a fresh vegetable juice or roasted with some coconut oil.
The use of a quality probiotic/prebiotic is critical. Probiotics are a powerful part of Candida treatment because they reintroduce good bacteria into your gut. These bacteria create large, healthy colonies that crowd out the Candida yeast, regulate stomach acidity and boost your immune system. Probiotics will also aid in restoring bacterial balance in the gut which controls Candida ability to multiply and take over.
A properly designed enzyme for candida yeast will eat the materials in which the biofilm is made. When trying to combat Candida overgrowth, it’s essential to include enzymes that break down Candida’s cell wall and strip away its biofilm. Candida yeast has no resistance to these enzymes just like they have no resistance to bacteria. They also cannot build a resistance to them like they can do with herbs and prescription medications. They have no risk to your health and do not cause the candida to mutate, which medicines have been proven to do. Diflucan for instance can cause candida albicans to shape, shift and turn into candida glabrata, a highly resistant strain that is very hard to get rid of. Look for an enzyme formula that contains the enzymes cellulase and hemicelluse (eats the chitin/cellulose layer of the cell wall and biofilm). Glucoamylase, amylase, and invertase (eats the plant polysaccharide layers), protease (eats the nucleus) and serrapeptase (eats the fibrin). I recommend Veganzyme which is a digestive and systemic enzyme formula containing the enzymes mentioned above.
ORGANIC OREGANO OIL
Wild Mediterranean organic oregano oil acts as a potent anti-bacterial that will attack candida and help to cleanse and purify your body, while it also boosts your immune system, which will ultimately counteract Candida Overgrowth. Make sure the oil you use contains at least 80% Carvacrol. Wild Mediterranean Oregano oil is said to be 100 times more powerful than caprylic acid.
Colloidal silver is a potent antifungal and antibacterial product that can be sued to fight against Candida and SIBO. IT is best to use colloidal silver as part of a formula and not just by itself. Before penicillin was discovered in 1934, silver was one of the main things used to fight infectious disease. It’s interesting how antibiotics have been showing increasing resistance, but colloidal silver shows no such thing. I’ve been recommending colloidal silver for over seventeen years for all manner of infections, cuts, coughs and colds, eye issues, ear, nose and throat and yes, for candida overgrowth. A Korean study published in the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology demonstrated that colloidal silver is an excellent antifungal in its own right and showed potent activity against clinical isolates of various fungal strains. Research revealed that silver nanoparticles (colloidal silver) were very effective against Candida species (yeast infections, vaginal thrush) as well as Trichophyton species (athlete’s foot, jock itch and ring worm, hair, scalp and nail fungus). It is interesting to note that colloidal silver in this study was shown to be equally effective against fungal strains as Amphotericin B, a very potent antifungal pharmaceutical drug. Even more interesting is that it was found to be superior to Diflucan, a widely used drug otherwise known as Fluconazole, widely prescribed to women with vaginal thrush.
Another highly recommended nutrient is the free-form amino acid l-glutamine. l-Glutamine helps maintain proper muscle mass, brain function, intestinal integrity as well as stable blood sugar levels (helps with cravings). 1-3 grams 30 minutes before each meal is suggested. l-Glutamine is also excellent for helping to heal leaky gut syndrome, a very common symptom of intestinal candidiasis. l-Glutamine also helps to stimulate the immune system.
PAU D’ARCO TEA
Pau D’Arco contains antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Pau D’Arco strengthens the immune system and is effective for killing off yeast. While there are numerous varieties of Lapacho trees in South America, only the inner lining of the tree has has known medical value. It is this inner lining (or phloem) which carries nutrients made by the leaves to other parts of the tree and is, with the cambium layer (where all the new cells are produced) the “life” of the tree. Make sure that the Pau D’Arco that you purchase is 100% from the inner lining of the Red or Purple Lapacho Tree.
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