More and more in our culturethe name “yeast infection” and “Candida” are making there way into our common vocabulary. What is Candida? Candida is a form of yeast that is found in the human digestive system and skin. It traditionally is found in a balanced relationship with the bacteria that grow there and when in balance isnot considered a horrible pathogen. It is most commonly thought of as creating vaginal yeast infections in women. Unfortunately we are discovering more and more that Candida is an epidemic in our culture. The good news is that through alteringour diets and taking in basic supplements such as Grapefruit Seed Extract, UvaUrsi, Plant Tannins, garlic, and/or Chinese Herbs this epidemic can be stopped in its tracks.
Candida - A brief introduction:
Candida makes its home in our intestines. It is a yeast that feeds off of carbohydrates, antibiotics, and hormone pills we ingest. When in balance, the presence of Candida is not toxic. When not controlled bythe presence of good bacteria and when fed an over abundance of sugar, Candida can become systemicand create chaos in the body. It is believed to createroots in the side of the intestines called mycelium as it grows, and if allowed to develop far enough, can create a syndrome known asleaky gut. With miniature holes in the intestines created by the mycelium, proteins are allowed to access the blood stream directly. The body soon develops allergies to whatever protean is ingested, and inflammatory disease follows. In our clinic we have seen Candida responsible for the symptoms of chronic fatigue, food allergies, eczema, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, and many other diseases. As the Candida levels drop, the symptoms of the expressing disease improve. However, one of the nasty qualities that Candida possesses is that when it dies it releases toxins into the body. These toxins can often make whatever symptoms are presenting worse before they get better. The best test to see if Candida is involved is to begin therapy.If there is a reaction either way to the therapy then treating Candida is a good direction. If there is no reaction, then it is time to begin looking elsewhere for the problem.