Candida

What is Candida Albicans?

Candida is a very small microbe or rather, yeast. All of us have this microbe living inside our gut all the time. However, this can become problematic when Candida overgrows – meaning the balance of ‘good’ to ‘bad’ flora becomes upset. This is also referred to as ‘gut dysbiosis’. Candida may be allowed to overgrow from ...Read more repeated use of antibiotics, a diet rich in sugar and junk foods, a lack of good bacteria residing in the gut and stress or emotional issues that can affect the healthy state of the gut.

Poor digestion may be a cause of a Candida overgrowth, since Candida likes to feed off putrefied matter (food not broken down because of low stomach acid or lack of digestive enzymes).

When Candida albicans proliferates (overgrows), it changes into a ‘mycelial’ (fungus). In this form, it is able to break through the intestinal wall leaving it porous and this allows both toxins and minute particles of incompletely-digested foods to leak through from the digestive tract into the blood stream. Not only does this lead to problems of food sensitivity, but it places a heavy load on the immune system, which may make it weaker in its fight against Candida and other invaders.

Symptoms of Candida

Candida itself releases toxins which may affect us in a negative way. This may cause or contribute to many common unpleasant symptoms or difficulties. Just some of these may be:

•    Tiredness and fatigue
•    Coated ‘white’ tongue
•    Cystitis
•    ME, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
•    A feeling of raised glands all the time
•    Bloating
•    Wind
•    IBS
•    Constipation or loose stools
•    Sensitivity to many foods
•    Thrush (around vagina or anus)
•    Athlete’s foot  / nail fungus
•    Problems with blood sugar
•    Constant hunger
•    Skin rashes or spots (acne)
•    General digestive complaints
•    Depression or low moods
•    Joint pain
•    Often get colds / catch them easily
•    Feel generally run down and drained
•    Brain ‘fog’
•    Headaches and migraines
•    Problems with fertility
•    Problems stabilising weight
•    Difficulty in balancing blood sugar

Treatment & Prevention

To overcome a Candida overgrowth, certain steps can be taken in this order:

1.    Remove refined sugars, alcohol, tea & coffee, white carbohydrates and mushrooms (because they are a fungus). Make sure you are drinking two litres of water a day and eating plenty of fresh vegetables, healthy proteins like lean meats, beans and fish and good grains like short grain brown rice or quinoa.
2.    Begin with general nutrition support – a good multi vitamin and mineral, vitamin B complex and vitamin C. Add nutrients such as chromium and magnesium or herbs such as cinnamon which may all help to support blood sugar control. This helps to strengthen the body and prepare for a cleanse, which for some may be tiring and challenging.
3.    The next stage is to use anti-fungal products to ‘kill off’ the overgrowth. Good ingredients include: Pau d’arco, caprylic acid (coconut source) Citricidal (grape fruit seed extract), goldenseal, garlic, oregano, tea tree, Oregon grape root. The liver also needs to be supported because as the Candida ‘dies off’ toxins are released. For this you can use: NAC (n-acetyl cysteine), Vitamin B6, Milk Thistle, turmeric and artichoke.
4.    It is also important to make sure the bowel is working properly to effectively evacuate toxins, otherwise they may re-circulate in the system. Consider a fibre based bowel supplement.
5.    The final stage is to repair the gut and repopulate it with good bacteria. You will need to take probiotics alongside supplements such as slippery elm powder, glutamine and aloe vera juice.


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All content of this website is for information only.  Our service is not intended to replace your usual healthcare professional.