What To Do To Candida & Fungal Overgrowth?

foods-that-fight-candida

I came across three very informative and helpful wesites regarding What To Do To Candida  & Fungal Overgrowth?

Candida Overgrowth

Here they are with their links:

How to Prevent Candida Overgrowth

From: wikihow.com

Candida is a type of yeast that naturally lives inside the body, but when there is an overgrowth of the yeast it can have a negative impact on the body’s immune system and cause various infections. Some of the symptoms of Candida are fatigue, gas and bloating, recurring yeast infections, abdominal pain, oral thrush, fungus, dizziness, depression and acne. There is a variety of factors that can lead to a Candida overgrowth, but in general it is caused by a weakened immune system, which cannot regulate the growth of Candida in the body. The immune system can be weakened by stress, illness and various medications. Here are a few steps on how to prevent Candida overgrowth.

Steps:

1. Eat a diet that does not promote Candida overgrowth. Many modern foods that have been processed or contain refined ingredients that are commonly found in junk food encourage Candida overgrowth. You should avoid eating these types of foods.
   • Make vegetables that are high in fiber and low in starch the basis of your diet. Vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, cabbage and radishes prevent Candida overgrowth. Onions, garlic and ginger root are also effective anti-fungal foods.
   • Eat high-protein foods such as fish that has not been treated with antibiotics, organic chicken and turkey, eggs and nuts. Prevent yourself from buying meats and produce that have been treated with antibiotics, pesticides or other chemicals because they can increase Candida.
   • Incorporate carbohydrates such as rice, quinoa, buckwheat and beans, and fruits such as pineapple, berries and grapefruit into your diet as well.
   • Avoid foods that amplify Candida growth, such as sugar, dairy, yeast, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and wheat.
   • Ingest probiotics, which can be found in some yogurts or supplements, which fight against Candida growth.
2. Use natural home remedies instead of products made with manufactured chemicals for cleaning and getting rid of pests. The use of synthetic chemicals in your environment can lead to Candida overgrowth.
3. Stay in a dry environment that does not contain mold, because Candida is attracted to moisture.
4. Learn how to deal with stress so that it does not have a negative impact on your immune system. Stress is one of the major ways that the immune system can weaken, making it vulnerable to Candida. Regular exercise will keep you healthy, boost your immune system and is a great way to reduce stress.
5. Avoid contraceptive pills, hormone therapy and antibiotics because they can alter the body’s chemistry and encourage Candida overgrowth.
6. Take anti-fungal supplements such as aloe vera, cloves, garlic, grapefruit seed and oregano oil to reduce Candida in your body. Consult a doctor before taking any supplements because they are not regulated and may interact with medications.

Tips:

• Finding a free online Candida test can help you find a baseline and track your progress throughout the diet which can help you stay motivated as you see your symptoms decrease.
• Join a network forum or community of people who are also doing a Candida cleanse. Social networks like Google+ or Facebook have communities to interact with others and ask questions that can help in the process and keep you from feeling alone.

Warnings:

• Contact your doctor for proper treatment if you believe that you may have Candida overgrowth.

10 Signs You Have Candida Overgrowth & What To Do About It

By Dr. Amy Myers, April 4, 2013 5:15 AM EDT

From: MindBodyGreen.com

You might be wondering, What on earth is candida? Candida is a fungus, which is a form of yeast, and a very small amount of it lives in your mouth and intestines. Its job is to aid with digestion and nutrient absorption but, when overproduced, candida breaks down the wall of the intestine and penetrates the bloodstream, releasing toxic byproducts into your body and causing leaky gut. This can lead to many different health problems, ranging from digestive issues to depression.

How do you get candida overgrowth?

The healthy bacteria in your gut typically keep your candida levels in check. However, several factors can cause the candida population to get out of hand:

• Eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar (which feed the yeast)
• Consuming a lot of alcohol
• Taking oral contraceptives
• Eating a diet high in beneficial fermented foods like Kombucha, sauerkraut and pickles
• Living a high-stress lifestyle
• Taking a round of antibiotics that killed too many of those friendly bacteria

Here are 10 common candida symptoms

1. Skin and nail fungal infections (such as athlete’s foot or toenail fungus)
2. Feeling tired and worn down or suffering from chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
3. Digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
4. Autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis
5. Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, lack of focus, ADD, ADHD and brain fog
6. Skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, hives, and rashes
7. Irritability, mood swings, anxiety, or depression
8. Vaginal infections , urinary tract infections, rectal itching or vaginal itching
9. Severe seasonal allergies or itchy ears
10. Strong sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings

How do you test for Candida overgrowth?

Blood test 

You’ll want to check your levels for IgG, IgA, and IgM candida anti-bodies. These can be checked through most any lab. High levels indicate an overgrowth of candida. I find in my clinic that these can often be negative even when the stool or urine test is positive.

Stool testing 

 

I find this to be the most accurate test available. This will check for candida in your colon or lower intestines. The lab can usually determine the species of yeast as well as which treatment will be affective. (Note: be sure that your doctor orders a comprehensive stool test rather than the standard stool test.)

Urine Organix Dysbiosis Test 

 

This test detects a waste product of Candida yeast overgrowth known as D-Arabinitol. An elevated test means an overgrowth of candida. This test will determine if there is candida in your upper gut or small intestines.

How do you treat candida overgrowth?

Effectively treating candida involves stopping the yeast overgrowth, restoring the friendly bacteria that usually keep them in check, and healing your gut so that candida can no longer enter your bloodstream.

Getting rid of the candida overgrowth primarily requires a change in diet to a low carbohydrate diet. Sugar is what feeds yeast, so eliminating sugar in all of its simple forms like candy, desserts, alcohol and flours.

And reducing to only one cup 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.  I would recommend eliminating all fermented foods as well.

Using diet alone could take three to six months before the candida is back under control. Because of this I use an anti fungal medication such as Diflucan or Nyastatin for a month or longer with my patients. If you are self-treating you can take a supplement of caprylic acid. Caprylic Acid comes from coconut oil and basically “pokes holes” in the yeast cell wall, causing it to die.

You may read that some people recommend herbs such as oil of oregano. Oil of oregano can be very effective, but it can also kill good bacteria so I don’t recommend it. The anti-fungal medications and caprylic acid are very specific to yeast and will not harm your good bacteria.

It’s a must to restore the healthy bacteria that typically keep your candida population under control, you should take probiotics on a regular basis. Taking anywhere from 25 to 100 billion units of probiotics should help to reduce the Candida levels and restore your levels of good bacteria.  Finally, healing your gut by eliminating inflammatory foods that can harm your GI tract and introducing foods that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption, will prevent candida from working its way through your body, and will dramatically improve your overall health.

If you would like to find out for sure if you have candida overgrowth, consider seeing a functional medicine doctor who is trained in detecting and treating candida.

Candida Overgrowth

From: Candida Overgrowth.net

Have you been diagnosed having Candida overgrowth? Candida overgrowth also known as Candidiasis which simply means a yeast infection. Candidiasis is caused by an overgrowth of specific Candida fungi – Candida Albicans. This kind of Candida fungi affects millions of individuals both children and adults. Studies even show that Candida is linked to some serious illnesses like ear infections and sexual dysfunction in adults, hyperactivity and autism in children, premenstrual syndrome in women and many more.Candida Albicans are actually harmless yeast that is normally found in the mouth, intestine, throat and genitourinary tract of most humans. Its function is to destroy harmful bacteria. In normal condition Candida is controlled by the immune system. However if good bacteria is lessened due to illness then Candida Albicans change from yeast state into a fungus. Theses fungus then attacks the body which results in various chronic illnesses mentioned above.

What are the symptoms of Candida Overgrowth?

Symptoms of Candida Overgrowth can be obvious or vague. But most symptoms are craving for sweets, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, inability to concentrate, feeling sick all the time, kidney and bladder infection and many more. The list is endless and depending on the site of the infection. When it develops to Deep Candidiasis, it can be quite serious for it usually results in multiple organ failure.

What are the Common Causes of Candida?

The use of antibiotics which reduces the number of friendly gut flora in the intestines which is the one controlling the Candida Albicans. Another common cause is when your immune system is weakened or suppressed by some other health conditions like cancer and AIDS, hormonal imbalances such as in pregnancy or as a result of taking oral contraceptives, excessive stress and improper diet.

Candida is not an airborne disease but it can be transmitted from one partner to another through sexual intercourse and oral sex. But if the other person is healthy then his/her immune system will destroy the cells and prevent infection. Mothers affected with it can transmit it to their baby through breastfeeding.

Candida can be diagnosed through visual examination, symptoms review or laboratory tests. Once confirmed, there are several treatments that are effective in treating Candida. Strengthening your immune system as well as observing a healthy lifestyle is one way to fight Candida overgrowth. If you are experiencing such symptoms then it is worth to investigate if you have Candida.