March 6, 2018
When Candida Albicans Takes Over
Candida overgrowth is something we’re hearing more and more about these days, and you may be wondering….What the heck is that?!
Well…Wikipedia describes it as an “opportunistic pathogenic yeast”, just reading that makes me cringe! Don’t worry! Having Candida is normal and is found in 40-60% of healthy adults. Simply put, Candida is a type of yeast that in small amounts, lives in your mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Candida’s main function is to aid in digestion and the absorption of nutrients, but when it’s overproduced, it can cause candidiasis. In some extreme cases, it can break down the wall of the intestine, penetrate the bloodstream and cause leaky gut. It’s important to know that there are many different forms of Candida, but in this post, we are talking about Candida albicans, how it affects your gut health, some of the causes of overgrowth and common symptoms you can watch out for.
Candida isn’t a bad guy, it only becomes the bad guy when the rest of the bacteria in your gut isn’t balanced. A few things that can cause overgrowth include diets high in sugar, red meats, and processed foods, taking medications such as antibiotics or oral contraceptives, stress, lack of sleep and a weak immune system. Here are 7 common sighs you can look for if you think you maybe be suffering from Candida overgrowth.
7 Common Signs You May Have Candida Overgrowth
Oral Thrush. Yes, it’s just as gross as it sounds…Oral thrush causes creamy white patches on your tongue or throat and can cause cracks at the corner of your mouth. You may also see slightly raised lesions with a cottage cheese-like appearance…
Frequent upset stomach. Many things can cause an upset stomach, but if you find you’re suffering from regular bouts of diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, heartburn or nausea this may be an indication of Candida overgrowth.
Sugar Cravings. Step away from the donuts! Let’s face it, we all like to enjoy baked goods every once in a while, but if you find yourself suffering from serious cravings or you have an out of the ordinary urge to stuff your face with sweets, this should be a red flag. Candida also has a sweet tooth, so keep an eye on your sugar intake!
Candida is a crotchety old grandpa. If you find yourself irritable for no apparent reason or you find yourself suffering from unexplained mood swings, this could be Grandpa Candida kicking up a fuss again!
Lady bits tell a story. Yeast infections are most unpleasant, but Candida overgrowth can make things even worse, additional symptoms can include painful menstrual periods, “super fun” UTIs and just for good measure, add a little rectal itch and burning….
Guy Problems. Don’t worry guys, Candida doesn’t discriminate, you too can experience rectal itching as well as jock itch. However, more serious problems can also include erectile dysfunction and a swollen prostate gland.
Respiratory Issues. You may find you suffer from frequent colds or maybe you are like me and you suffer from post nasal drip….Congestion and a nagging cough that really doesn’t serve any purpose can also be a sign. More serious issues can include asthma, bronchitis and even tonsillitis. Always play it safe, if you feel unwell go see your doctor!
The serious case of the BLAHS. If you’re waking up after 8 hours of sleep and you still don’t feel rested, or you just have an overall feeling of malaise, it could be Candida running wild. Feeling fatigued and spacey may seem like an odd symptom, but our gut plays a huge roll in your overall health and energy level.
I realize you could be reading this and be thinking, these could be symptoms for any number of health problems, and you would be correct, however; if you are otherwise healthy and nothing seems to be relieving you of these recurring issues, maybe it’s worth learning a bit more about.
I am about to start a 21-Day Candida Cleanse…I hate the words cleanse, diet etc. however, I will not be drinking any magic teas or looking for a short-term fix. I will be following the Candida Cleanse outlined in the book The 21-Day Diet to Beat Yeast and Feel Your Best written by Sondra Forsyth. This book basically guides you through your diet and outlines the things you should cut out in order to put Candida back in its place. After the 21 days, it will take me through 2 additional phases with the goal of developing long-term healthy eating habits that will help me improve the health of my gut and hopefully relieve me of a lot of the sugar cravings, moodiness and respiratory issues that I frequently struggle with.
Stay tuned for my 3 part series, where I will be sharing my experiences, struggles and hopefully improvements!
