Picture
Yeast and Yeast type infections is caused by a fungus which is called Candida which remains in small quantities in a healthy vagina but then if it increases it takes the shape of an infection due to the misbalanced of the pH level. Due to the drop in the acidity level due to hormonal changes, pregnancy diabetes or use of birth control, the amount of yeast present spreads and thus causes infections. If this happens you need yeast infection home remedies.

Common Reasons Of Candida Overgrowth

Excessive Use of Antibiotics

This is undoubtedly the most common cause of Candida overgrowth. Antibiotics are lifesavers, but they also come with serious side effects that should not be ignored. In fact broad spectrum antibiotics are often prescribed for illnesses that would quickly clear up with a little rest. Unfortunately, this has some major consequences for our digestive and immune systems.

Broad spectrum antibiotics do exactly what they are designed to do – kill bacteria. But the problem is that not all the bacteria in your body are harmful. Many of these bacteria play important roles in digesting your food and maintaining a healthy immune system. When antibiotics kill so many of these beneficial bacteria, there is one opportunistic fungus that is ready to take advantage. Because the colonies of Candida Albicans no longer face competition for the space and nutrients in your gut, they can quickly multiply and expand. And as they grow, the amount of toxic byproducts they release grows too. This is how those Candida symptoms like chronic headaches and fatigue begin to develop.

Eating a High-Sugar Diet

Can diet alone lead to a Candida overgrowth? Yes it can, especially if an unhealthy high-sugar diet is eaten for a long period of time. Take a walk through the supermarket and sugar is everywhere you look. It appears in the most unlikely places too. Processed meats, tortillas, pasta sauce, salad dressings and cereals are all surprising sources of added sugar. And the sugary diet that most of us eat is exactly what Candida Albicans needs to thrive. Of course it’s important to note that it takes a long term, high-sugar diet to cause a Candida overgrowth. If you have a healthy diet already, eating one chocolate bar a week won’t lead to a Candida overgrowth.

A Long Spell of Stress

Anyone who has suffered from stress will agree that it can make physical changes to your body. In fact stress may be one of the major causes of disease in today’s society. And there are a couple of different ways in which stress can contribute to a Candida outbreak.

First, stress raises your blood sugar. This is the typical ‘fight or flight’ response – your body senses the stress and makes lots of energy available for whatever happens next. Of course stress rarely comes from physical danger these days (it’s more likely to be your boss shouting at you!), but effect of the elevated blood sugar is the same.

Secondly, your immune system is weekend by stress, undermining your natural defenses against a Candida overgrowth. There has been lots of debate over exactly exactly how this occurs, but there is now little doubt that it does happen.

The Three Elements You Need In Your Candida Treatment

There are three key elements to any good Candida treatment plan. First, you must change your diet to exclude as many sugars as you can. Second, you should take an antifungal to kill off as much of the Candida as possible. And third, you should choose a good probiotic to replenish your gut flora and prevent the Candida from coming back.

Should you be doing all three of these elements at the same time? Absolutely! Candida is a difficult condition to beat and this plan allows you to attack it from all angles. Here is some more detail on each of those three elements and why they complement each other so well.

1. A Low Sugar Diet

Candida Albicans is dependent on organic, carbon-based compounds to build its cell walls, reproduce and switch from yeast form to its more virulent fungal form. In practice this means it needs sugars, so that’s exactly what you should  cut out of your diet.

There is a misconception that you only need to cut out added sugars from your diet to beat your Candida. Unfortunately this is not the case! Candida Albicans is just as happy feasting on the natural sugars in fruit as the added sugars in your soda. A proper Candida diet involves cutting out as many sources of sugar as possible, whether they are natural or added.

There are a few obvious foods that you should avoid – chocolate, soda, sugary snacks etc. But if you’re serious about fighting your Candida overgrowth you should also steer clear of fruit as well as starchy vegetables like potatoes and yams. Reading your food labels is key because so many foods have added sugars these days.

So what does that leave? Lots of delicious foods actually! Although you’ll have to do without your fries and chocolate, you will find yourself moving towards a much healthier, more nutritious diet. By using non-starchy vegetables, meats, fish and healthy grains you can create all kinds of tasty dishes. One simple tip? Use lots of herbs and seasoning to spice up your food.

2. Probiotics

Next up are probiotics. If you don’t already know about these ‘good bacteria’ that live in your gut, they are just great for fighting off a Candida overgrowth. In fact, they can be a useful addition to anyone’s daily routine, whether you are suffering from Candida or not.

So why have I included probiotics as the second element in this plan? There are actually three ways in which probiotics help to control or reverse your condition.

First, they compete with the Candida yeast within your gut. There’s only so much space and nutrients to go around, so the more that is used by the ‘good bacteria’ the better. Second, they maintain the natural acidity in your stomach. This acidity prevents Candida from switching to its pathogenic, fungal form. And third, they boost your immune system.

Probiotics usually come in supplement form but, as with antifungals, there are some natural alternatives too. Fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi all contains lots of ‘good bacteria’. Be careful what you buy though – make sure you get one that says ‘live cultures’ on the label. Alternatively, you can make your own probiotic foods at home.

3. Antifungals

Most antifungals, both natural and doctor-prescribed, work against Candida by disrupting its cell walls. While antifungals are unlikely to reverse a Candida overgrowth by themselves, using them in combination with a low sugar diet and some good probiotics will do just that.

Many people ask if they should be using natural antifungals or asking their doctor for a prescription antifungal like Nystatin. The answer is that both can be effective. On balance, natural antifungals tend to be milder and have fewer side effects. You may find that taking two or three natural antifungals at the same time is more effective, but you should definitely not rotate them as this simply allows the Candida to adapt.

If you choose a natural antifungal, here are a few options for you to try. Caprylic acid is an antifungal found naturally in coconut oil, and has been the subject of numerous studies into its antifungal properties. Oregano oil is another option (a 2001 study found that oregano oil “is both fungistatic and fungicidal to Candida Albicans, the human pathogenic yeast”). And a study by the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that Grapefruit Seed Extract is effective against “over 800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of single and multi-celled parasites”.

There are some effective antifungals sitting on the supermarket shelves too! Foods like garlic, rutabaga, coconut oil and olive oil all have antifungal properties. Integrating them into your diet can make a Candida treatment plan even more effective.

For More Information Visit Here





Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.