Unfortunately diagnosing Candida is not easy, because we all have it. A test to see if Candida is present tells the Doctor nothing, when it is out of control there are a number of non specific symptoms, which means that both you and your friend may have Candida Albicans, but both of you may have completely different symptoms. The symptoms that are experienced by a person with a Candidiasis condition are very similar to that of a person with gluten intolerance. Because our genetic makeup is different, we all react in a different way and that makes empirical testing difficult.
The following is a list of symptoms that may occur with Candidiasis it is not extensive and how many you suffer from depend on a number of factors such as, how many years you have had the Candida problem, and your own unique genetic makeup. The genes that you have inherited from your parents, defines your metabolic requirements, which in turn defines your personal nutritional requirements. This means that there can be no single diet or treatment for Candida Infections.
Because so many bacteria live in our bodies quite naturally they are all involved in a power struggle, the good bacteria versus the bad bacteria. When our immune systems are working correctly, the proliferation of Candida is held in check; however, if it has the slightest opportunity it will proliferate and result in a Candida overgrowth.
Below is a list of some of the symptoms that you may have:
Allergies
Anemia
Apathy
Arrhythmia
Asthma
Athlete's foot,
Bloating,
Body aches,
Chronic sore throats,
Colitis,
Confusion
Dandruff,
Depressed immune
Depression
Drowsiness,
Ear aches,
Endometriosis,
Food cravings (sugar, sweets, bread, beer),
Gas,
Hay fever,
Headaches,
History of vaginal thrush and/or cystitis,
Hives,
Hyper-activi ty (mostly in children),
Insomnia
Lethargy,
Loss of libido
Mal-absorption,
Menstrual irregularities,
Mood swings,
Muscle spasms
Muscle weakness,
Diaper rash,
Nasal congestion,
Numbness / tingling
PMT,
Poor appetite
Poor memory
Rectal itching,
Reproductive problems
Skin complaints
Skin irritation,
Symptoms worse in damp and moldy conditions,
Trapped gas
Weight control problems.
It is understandable why being able to diagnose these symptoms to make a determination for Candidiasis is extremely difficult.
It is possible to eat, drink or inhale something to which your body shows an extreme sensitivity, your body may react immediately or at some later time. It is important to determine or to isolate what you are sensitive to so that you can confine that exposure to a minimum of occurrences.
Candidiasis was isolated in the seventies but not all doctors accept that it is a condition, and even if they do, they do not always agree on the method of treatment or the symptoms. There is no standard test. Candida overgrowth will show up in a stool test, but only if someone is testing for it. If you have had a negative stool test it cannot be assumed that you have a Candida overgrowth!
The following is an attempt to break down the stages that the disease may take.
Stage 1
Leaky gut syndrome.
The gastro intestinal tract has many diverse functions it digests food, converts it to energy then it uses specialized proteins to transport the vitamins and minerals from the lining of the gut into the bloodstream. The molecules in the digestive system called enzymes break the food into smaller compounds; the proteins become amino acids, the fats, fatty acids, and carbohydrates become simple sugars such as glucose. These compounds are absorbed into the bloodstream, to be transported to the cells. The gastro intestinal tract is also responsible for ridding the body of its toxic wastes. The gastro intestinal tract also contains immunoglobulin, which are types of protein that acts as antibodies and defend the body against infection.
When the body absorbs digested minerals the process of circulating it into the bloodstream is not simple, it has to have what is known as a carrier protein. Unfortunately, carrier proteins are specific, they only recognize one food or food group, and they grab either amino acids sugars or glucose and transport them across the intestinal wall. When the wall of the gut is swollen the carrier proteins are damaged, they cannot function, and this leads to food deficiencies.
The common stages of a leaky gut are:
• Lack of absorption of nutrients, which leads to bloating, diminished energy and possibly a feeling of lethargy.
• Normally when the gut is functioning correctly the food particles are broken down into small particles, with leaky gut they can be large and this creates a tendency for food intolerances and other symptoms.
• The liver becomes overburdened with a glut of toxins.
• The protective coating of immunoglobulin A is broken leaving the body vulnerable to yeast, viruses and bacteria. Once released from the gut and in the bloodstream they can affect other parts of the body. It is not unusual to suffer migraines, have muscle pains and a fuzzy brain.
• It can be the start of auto immune disease when the body attacks itself.
Once the Candida has access to the rest, of the body, it can disrupt the hormonal balance and it can cause:
Allergies
Asthma
Chronic tiredness
Cystitis
Ear infections
Fungal infections of the nails/skin e.g. athlete's foot
Hay fever
Joint pains
Menstrual irregularities
PMT
Sens itivity to perfume, tobacco smoke and petrol
Sinusitis
Thrush
Weight gain or weight loss
Once this leaky gut has occurred the Candida cells have become invasive they penetrate other cells in order to feed. Once they invade the circulatory system they release their toxins and create a condition knows as Candida Related Complex (CRC) or Candidiasis which is a Candida Yeast Overgrowth.
How Would You Know You Have Candida?
Mystery Ailments May Be Caused By Candida Albicans
Candida Yeast
What is Candida? Candida is a form of yeast that typically lives in every person's digestive tract. At times, however, the yeast develops rapidly in an "overgrowth," which occurs when the body's systems become imbalanced. When such an imbalance occurs, then the yeast overgrowth can attack any organ or system in the body. This overgrowth is also called "Candidiasis. Candida infections are often common after treatments involving antibiotics, which destroy certain bacteria that prevents the increase of candida. No diagnostic tests exist for candida.
Two kinds of candida yeast infections exist: systemic and digestive. All yeast infections begin with the simple digestive form, in which the parasite attaches itself in the intestinal wall. The pervasive systemic infection takes the form of a massive fungal infection. This kind of infection
permeates the gastrointestinal wall and eventually enters the bloodstream to spread to other parts of the body. Despite its perhaps most commonly known association with vaginitis, candida albicans can be present in males and females across the lifespan.
Vaginal Yeast Infection is common. It is most widely known as the causal agent of a kind of vaginitis. This kind of infection can repeat itself even after apparently successful treatment, becoming "recurrent" if a woman experiences infection four or more times over a single twelve month span. Up to three out of every four women will experience a candida yeast infection at least one time during her life, while nearly one of every two women experience more than one such infection. Women who get these kinds of infections are frequently under stress such as sleeplessness, illness, or pregnancy. Women with conditions that affect the immune system are also prone to vaginal yeast infections.
Candida Albicans and Autism is more common. Candida albicans is also a suspected causal agent in autism. O n rare occasions, the treatment of candida also results in a cure for autism. This relationship may be caused by certain microbial etabolites that appear in the urine of autistic children.
Can a Yeast Infection be Cured? Yes, it can be cured, although the cure is not a simple or comfortable one. One cure for an overgrowth of candida albicans is that of taking a nutritional supplement to replace the nutrutional microbes destroyed by candida. Another possible treatment is that of a low-sugar diet that reduces the number of foods upon which yeast thrives. When a candida albicans overgrowth is destroyed, it is possible that the person undergoing treatment will become ill. This reaction, called the "Herxheimer reaction," occurs due to the toxins being released into the individual's system following the destruction of the yeast infection.
There is some evidence of a connection between probiotics and a cure for candida albicans. The term "probiotics" can refer to any microorganism, provided that microorganism is intended to aid in health and healing. Probiotics can be found in several forms on the market, including freeze-dried Lactobacilli. One of the best probiotics is Total Immune Booster.
There are other problems associated with Candida Albicans.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Immunodeficiencies and Allergies
- Systemic Degeneration
- Joint Pain
- Skin Problems, such as psoriasis and rashes, and a host of other problems that appear to have no known cause.
Learn the Causes of Candida and a Natural Cure for Candida
Learn the causes of Candida here along with its normal, mainstream treatment. As well as the causes of Candida, you will learn why this mainstream treatment doesn't work for many people who have had to turn to a completley natural treatment to cure their Candida fast and permanently.
O.K. so what are the causes of Candida?
The main cause of Candida is a fungus (yeast) called Candida Albicans, which can be found in most of us, and, in any part of our bodies. This is natural and doesn't normally affect our daily lives, until that is, something occurs that allows the Candida to flourish, or, overgrow into a more aggressive state which causes the infection.
Normally, the level of Candida Albicans is kept in check and managed by the good bacteria in our bodies. It's when these levels are reduced sufficiently such that they cannot manage the Candida Albicans, that the overgrow starts.
Some of the things that cause, or, help to encourage this, are su ch things as; a lowered immune system, antibiotics overuse, steroids overuse, recreational drugs, diabetes, stress, some medications, bad diet, malnutrition, allergies, contraceptives, etc.
In a way you could look on these as additional causes of Candida. Whichever way you look at them, you must take them into account when looking for a cure for Candida.
Mainstream treatment, depending on where the infection occurs, is usually in the form of creams, lotions, mouthwashes, lozenges, pills and even injections where necessary. But many folks find that the infection is either very difficult to clear, or, clears at first but then comes back again. Many people have multiple Candida infections over many years.
This may happen because the locally-applied medication may be curing the symptoms but not necessarily the root causes of Candida, and, the Candida Albicans can become resistant to the drug-based medication.
Because of this many frustrated people hav e had to look for an alternative approach to their Candida cure. And it has had to be free from drugs. They have thus turned to a completley natural treatment, with which they have found real success. They have reported surprisingly fast, permanent cures, in as little as 12 hours. And their health has been considerably improved as well.
To learn just how they have managed to turn their lives around go here now http://how-to-get-rid-of-a-yeast-infection.blogspot.com and you could be on your way to complete relief from Candida in hours.
Attention Attention Candida Sufferer Eat These Foods
In the article entitled ""Attention! Attention! Candida Sufferer Avoid These Foods", in which we discussed foods that promote unhealthy Candida levels, we learnt that Candida starts to develop in the gut as a fungus and that it creates an environment that is ideal for its rampant growth.
We have learnt that the environment in which Candida thrives is acidic in nature and this acidity inhibits the bodies' ability to absorb vitamins and minerals and it limits enzyme production of digestive proteins. Limited enzyme production leads to symptoms of indigestion, e.g. wind or gas problems are evident, bloated or swollen intestines are evident, increased acid levels and sensitivities to certain types of foods are evident.
It is evident that in order to maintain a healthy body, free of an overgrowth of Candida, the foods that are eaten must be foods that promote healthy Candida levels in the body.
The ideal diet for those suffering from Candid a Yeast overgrowth is to eat a diet high in fiber and protein complimented by some complex carbohydrates and a small amount of fresh fruits. For example, the daily intake should be approximately:
65% High fiber foods, such as steamed vegetables: The best choices are broccoli, celery, radishes, asparagus, onions, garlic, ginger root, cabbage, turnips and kale. Raw garlic and onions act as natural anti-fungal substances and should be eaten as much as possible.
20% High protein foods, such as: fish chicken, duck, nuts, seeds and eggs.
10% Complex carbohydrates: rice, beans and oats.
Foods that promote a healthy body and deter Candida Overgrowth
5% fresh fruits, such as: berries of all kinds, grapefruit, pineapple, and papaya.
Here is a suggested list of acceptable foods:
Acceptable Foods
GRAINS in moderation
Whole Amaranth and flour;
Whole Barley,
Flour and hatomug i;
Buckwheat flour and groats;
Undegerminated Corn meal (fine or coarse grind);
Masa Harina;
Popcorn (air popper),
Whole Millet and flour;
Oat bran, flour,
Groats,
Quick; whole Quinoa and flour;
Wild Rice;
Brown Rice (long, med. or short grains),
Brown Basmati Rice,
Texmati Brown Rice,
Wehani Brown Rice
Rye flour,
Groats,
Cream of rye cereal;
Whole Spelt and flour;
Whole Teff and flour;
Wheat Berries,
Unprocessed or miller's wheat bran,
Bulgur, cracked,
Durum,
Graham wheat flour,
Whole wheat flour.
Corn,
Quinoa,
Saifun (Japanese noodles),
Soba (buckwheat),
Udon (Japanese noodles),
Whole wheat.
Acceptable BAKED/PREPARED PRODUCTS:
Any whole grain unsweetened, unyeasted bread product such as
chapatis, whole wheat flour, corn chips, quick breads, unsweetened rice cakes o r crackers, tortillas made from brown, corn or whole wheat. Ryvita contains no yeast.
LEGUMES:
Dried or frozen Black-eyed peas,
Chickpeas or garbanzo beans,
Lentils,
Soybeans,
Soy flakes,
Split peas
Acceptable dairy:
Unsweetened soymilk.
Almond milk
Plain yogurt with added acidophilus culture.
NUTS & SEEDS:
Almonds,
Brazil,
Cashews,
Hazel,
Macadamia,
Pecans,
Pine nuts,
Poppy,
Pumpkin,
Sesame (tahini),
Sunflower.
Small occasional amounts of fresh lemon, lime, tomato, and eggplant.
Eat Vegetables:
Beans,
Broccoli,
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage,
Cauliflower,
Celery,
Cucumbers
Green pepper,
Kale,
Lettuce
Onion, radishes,
Parsley,
Peas,
Rocket or arugulla
Spinach,
Tomatoes,
BEVERAGES:< br /> Almond milk
Mugicha,
Toasted whole barley,
Coffee substitute (without malt),
Unsweetened soymilk,
Unsweetened Taheebo
Pau d'Arco tea,
Water (plain or carbonated).
CONDIMENTS AND SEASONINGS:
Chicken broth without sweetener,
Fresh garlic,
Fresh ginger,
Fresh herbs,
Fresh onion,
Pepper,
Salt,
Tamari (unfermented soy sauce),
Raw organic apple cider vinegar
ANIMAL PROTEINS:
Antelope, bear, beef, buffalo, caribou, chicken, deer, duck, eggs, elk, all types of fish, frog legs, game hen, goat, goose, grouse (partridge), guinea fowl, moose, mutton, peafowl, pheasant, pigeon (squab), pork, quail, and turkey.
These foods when taken in the recommended daily portions will foster healthy Candida levels a strong immune system and a healthy body.
10 Ways To Prevent A Candida Overgrowth
Candida is a normal bacterium in your body. When it is kept in check then your body is healthy. When Candida takes over, due to stress and other factors which can compromise your immune system, then you have a problem. However, there are a number of ways to prevent a Candida yeast overgrowth. In this article we will address ten ways to prevent this overgrowth.
1. Make your lifestyle hostile to yeasts
The problem of Candida yeast infections is that they often come hand in hand with a modern twenty first Century life style; they are part of the environment. However, to secure lasting health, the cycle of Candidiasis has to be broken. This means that permanent changes must be made in your lifestyle, particularly regarding your diet. It means a lifetime of avoiding junk food, refined carbohydrates and processed food. These dietary changes will protect you against Candida yeast infections, heart disease, strokes, obesity and diabetes as well; it is not all bad news.
2. Cut down your use of synthetic chemicals and pesticides in the home. This prevents you ingesting industrial alcohol.
3. Use natural remedies wherever possible for instance, ants hate ground cinnamon and they will not cross a line of it, pure, simple, natural, safe and not expensive.
4. Do not surround yourself by damp, mould spores are poisonous.
5. Foster a strong immune system and learn natural ways to control stress. Stress is important in our lives, it makes us feel alive, but too much of it releases adrenal hormones, which promote the growth of yeast.
6. Exercise regularly to deal with stress, walking is great exercise, both for the exercise and the fresh air, it help maintain a holistic healthy lifestyle.
7. The contraceptive pill or Hormone replacement therapy treatment both contain hormones that affect Candida, consider other methods of treatment.
8. Avoid ste roids such as hydrocortisones, or broad-spectrum antibiotics. In America, it is not uncommon for teenage acne sufferers to take antibiotics for years as a routine acne treatment. These certainly do not help Candida yeast infections, apart form other factors which make them damaging to your health long term.
9. Do not take anti fungal medicine unless you are taking the Candida cleanse diet seriously. If you cheat then the yeast becomes resistant to treatment and the chances are that you will end up worse than when you started.
10. Seek medical advice or professional help, make sure that you have expert help in the following areas
• Accurate diagnosis make sure that it is A Candida infection
• Test results by themselves are not that helpful you need help to be able to interpret what those results mean to you.
• Be aware of the specific underlying causes in your disease.
• Be aware of other compli cations that pertain to your life, you cannot eliminate things of which you have no knowledge.
• The treatment you use must pertain to your individual needs and it should ideally be monitored, self help is vital but can be misleading.
By making sure that your mind, your body and your spirit are all in sync with one another you can help to rid yourself of Candidiasis without the use of harmful medications.
Detecting Candida Yeast Infections Can Be Tricky
It might sound scary at first, but the fact is that Candida exists in every single one of us. It is a form of yeast which under normal conditions is harmless and it is just present in the body. However, if for some reason the body falls out of balance, Candida can grow excessively, leading to a host of problems. The medical community is yet to give a single main cause for Candidiasis, it is believed that it is a result of a combination of several different factors leading to problems in the human body.
When the levels of Candida get out of range of natural harmony it can cause dozens of unwanted symptoms. The worst part is that it is really difficult to cure. It can hide where traditional Candida treatment and therapies do not always reach, like our joints, organs, sinuses and other body tissues. Another factor leading to rapid Candida Yeast Overgrowth is that thrives on the foods that are a large part of the typical American diet, like sugar and refined carbohydra tes. Antibiotics, steroids, or oral contraceptives can also increase the levels and lead to serious problems.
Normally, the Candida Yeast is found in the mouth, throat, intestines and genitourinary tract. This is quite natural as the levels are balanced by a well-functioning immune system and friendly bacteria. However, if the immune system is weakened or if the level of the friendly bacteria decreases, something that happens when antibiotics or steroids are used, then Candida Yeast Overgrowth is likely to occur.
There are a lot of unpleasant symptoms related to Candida overgrowth, such as genital yeast infection, thrush in the mouth, fatigue, skin rash, depression and anxiety. All in all, Candida has been known to cause 100 or more varied symptoms! So it is quite common for an individual to suffer from 20 or more symptoms associated with infection at the same time. In many cases, individuals live with the effects and symptoms of Candida for years because som e parts of the health community don't acknowledge the link between antibiotics and the development of Candida or even that a problem exists in some cases. Symptoms related to Candida have been noted to become worse when the individual is exposed to humidity or hot weather. Stressful conditions have also been shown to make Candida worse.
If you are diagnosed with Candida Yeast Infection, there are several dietary changes that you can make to improve your health. Remove refined sugar from your menu, completely. Consuming more raw garlic and soluble fiber will help your body to fight the yeast infection, because they have a very positive effect on the immune system. Don't drink fruit juices or any kind of alcohol, because they also provide sugar. Mushrooms should be avoided as should peanuts and peanut butter, cheeses, and meats that are dried, smoked or pickled. Using a combination of supplements, changes to the diet, anti-fungal agents, and vitamins and minerals can b e effective in the battle against Candida.
Remember that a lot of patients experience worsening of their symptoms in the early stages of the treatment. That's due to the fact that when the Candida is killed it releases proteins and toxins.
Do you Know What Candida Is, Could it Be Related to Your Health Issues
Candida Albicans is an infection caused by a species of the yeast Candida. Actually everyone needs some yeast to maintain their health. When yeast is in proper balance within your system it is often called "good flora". If yeast overgrows it is often referred to as Yeast Overgrowth or Candida.
What causes yeast to overgrow? One of the common causes is antibiotics. Antibiotics tend to kill even the good microorganisms within your system allowing an imbalance or "bad flora". Other causes are diets high in sugars, white flour based foods, grains, yeasty items such as beer and wine etc.
It can also be related to a weakened immune system. Our immune system is designed to protect us but if we have neglected our health through poor diet, exercise habits, or environmental exposures it is more likely we can suffer from Candida symptoms.
Candida has a wide variety of symptoms. It presents itself in so many ways that often times physicians never consider it as a possible problem. Some of the common symptoms are itching, white tongue, allergies, rashes, headaches, joint pains, fatigue, mental fog to name a few. People who have symptoms find them ongoing and non-responsive to many treatments.
How does one treat Candida Abilcans? First of all if you are taking antibiotics you must find an alternative so you can get off of the antibiotics. Secondly it is important to improve your diet. Do not believe anyone who says they can cure Candida without your need to change your diet. You may not need to go on an extremely rigid diet, but you must greatly reduce Candida causing foods.
You should also avoid YEAST and yeast containing products including Alcoholic and Baked goods, as well as: Mushrooms, cheeses with rinds, coffee, most teas, condiments containing vinegar (ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing), fermented foods and drinks (cider, root beer), bottles or canned fruit juices, dried fruits, strawberries, melons, ca nned fruits, leftovers (older than 24 hours), malted products (barley malt, malted milk, cereals, candies), peanuts, pistachios, peanut oil, peanut butter, processed and/or smoked meats and smoked fish (beef jerky, corned beef, hot dogs, luncheon meats, pastrami, sausages), and pickled foods.
Finally a good probiotic is essential to help you regain the "good flora" balance to reclaim your health. Since Candida may have weakened your immune system a good immunity booster may also be helpful.