Difference between revisions of "Yeast Infection (Candidiasis)"

Revision as of 04:53, 25 November 2011

See also : Infectious Diseases

Symptoms

Candida albicans is a fungus (also referred to as a yeast) that causes a host of undesirable effects in the body. Candida overgrowth is a dramatically under-diagnosed condition that endangers the health of millions of people, many of whom have no idea of their condition.

Leon Chaitow, a renowned alternative health practitioner and author, says, "Candida is possibly the least understood, most widespread cause of continuing ill health currently in our midst."

Everyone has some Candida in his or her system. Ordinarily, digestive bacteria controls Candida levels. However, if your immune system is compromised, an overabundance of Candida can occur.

The technical term for this condition is candidiasis—and its prevalence has climbed rapidly over the last few decades. Experts speculate that this increase stems from our modern diet of processed foods, diabetes, obesity, and excessive use of antibiotics.

Unfortunately, candidiasis is extremely tricky to diagnose. Doctors often mistake it for other conditions, such as:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Arthritis
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Athlete's Foot
• Crohn's Disease
• Gastroenteritis

Not only will the treatments prescribed for any of these conditions fail to address candidiasis, but they will often increase the growth of Candida.

Could You Have Candidiasis?

If you've been feeling generally unwell and don't know why, it could be candidiasis. This condition is difficult to identify because it affects each sufferer in unique ways, which means that patients are practically forced to self-diagnose.

The following list covers the most common symptoms of candidiasis:

• Weight gain
• Abdominal pain
• Bloating, gas, and indigestion
• Oral thrush
• Urinary tract infections
• Joint pain
• Fatigue
• Cravings (specifically for alcohol, bread, and sweets)
• Depression and mood swings
• Confusion and dizziness
• Red, itchy eyes
• Rashes and itching
• White coating on the tongue (especially in the morning)
• Acne, eczema, and other skin problems

If you have 2 or more of the above symptoms, candidiasis could be the culprit.

Home remedies

• Consume a lot of healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, fish oil and cod liver oil.
• Eat fruits such as grape fruit, apples, and berries because of its antioxidant content.
• Avoid foods and drinks that are loaded with sugar : Sugar enables yeast to go from a budding stage to a tissue invasion stage.
• Have a good number of servings of bananas, yogurt, and garlic. These foods have been found to have lots of anti-fungal properties and if part of your regular diet, the chances of avoiding candidiasis are great.
• Take in a lot of purified and filtered water, coupled with barley grass and herbal teas.
• Use natural antifungals such as Caprylic acid, extra virgin coconut oil, grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf extract, Wormwood/Black Walnut, oil of oregano, and garlic.
• Psyllium husk : The Psyllium is a seed from India, where it is commonly called isagbol. Its husk has high fiber content and is widely used as a laxative. According to people who have taken psyllium, they have passed out large, well-formed stools. Cleansing the colon is one of the most effective ways to fight candida infection, and psyllium is very effective in doing such. Psyllium husks absorb bacteria, fungi, toxins and other harmful substances and eliminate them out through our stool.
• Manuka honey has proven to work as well as -- or better than -- standard antiseptics in fighting the following: Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa, All other infectious organisms.
• wild asparagus, desert date, false daisy, curry tree, castor oil plant and fenugreek are natural weapons in fighting life-threatening secondary infections from bacteria and fungi that afflict many cancer patients whose immune systems are damaged by mainstream medicine's chemo and radiation treatments.
• Enteric-coated capsules containing oregano oil, peppermint oil, and other volatile oils can prevent the overgrowth of candida.
• The beneficial bacteria acidophillus is thought to control candida by making the intestinal tract more acidic, discouraging the growth of candida, and by producing hydrogen peroxide, which directly kills candida.
• Black walnut is a natural herb which contains tannins that not only kill fungal overgrowth like candida, but also kill parasites. It may be especially useful for those who suffer from both candidiasis and a parasitical infection.
• Grapefruit seed extract (GSE): this citrus extract is a powerful natural antibiotic and is used to inhibit microbes, parasites, bacteria, viruses and 30 types of fungi including Candida yeast.

Warnings

References

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.