Candida
Saturday, April 30, 2011 by: king of the universeCandida Symptoms,
The most common causes are overuse of antibiotics (which tend kill the helpful bacteria in the gut), stress and poor diet, and the big one which is frequently overlooked: poor digestion! If you're not "going" frequently or feel like food is simply sitting inside you like dead weight instead of moving through you like a well-oiled machine, then you may fall under the poor digestion category.
How do we improve digestion? A great way is to take digestive enzymes, which help your body break the food you eat (and also improve nutrient absorption at the same time). Two of the most important enzymes to take are bromelain and papain. They are naturally found in pineapples and papayas, respectively. Head to your local health food store or find a reputable online shop and pick up a supplement containing both bromelain and papain. A tablet should be taken before having a big meal. Bromelain/papain supplements are good in general, whether you suffer from candida or not because they help to break down hard to digest proteins (like red-meat!) Most of the people I correspond with seem to have some sort of digestion or indigestion issue.
We also want to make sure food is moving quickly and efficiently through your colon. Western-diets really promote a laziness of the intestines (with fatty and high-carb foods) so we need to decrease the transit time of food in your system. Best way to do that is generally with fiber. If you have problems "going" often or feel "clogged up" inside, fiber may be what you've been missing. Also, you'll want to support the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut with some probiotics you may have heard of (such as acidophilus and other lactobacillus strains). These tend to calm intestines which are upset due to an imbalance of healthy vs. unhealthy flora living inside you. Look for probiotic products which contain several different strains, such as these probiotics from the vitamin shop.
For some (and maybe most of you), following the above digestion tips maybe resolve the cause of your candida.
Candida Symptoms
Candida albicans is a type of yeast that lives in all of us. When your immune system is working properly, the amount of Candida in your body is kept in balance. When your immune system is compromised, or other factors occur such as consuming unhealthy amounts of sugars and carbohydrates, the Candida can grow out of control. Here are some of the symptoms of Candida overgrowth:
* Frequent stomach pains and digestion problems
* Skin problems (skin infections, eczema, psoriasis, acne)
* Foggy brain / Trouble concentrating
* Constant tiredness and exhaustion
* Anxiety
* Mood swings
* Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
* Anger outbursts
* Irritability
* Headaches
* Intense cravings for sugars, sweets, and breads
* Itchy skin
Just having one or two of the symptoms listed above does not necessarily mean you have Candidiasis, but having several of these could be sign of a Candida overgrowth or food allergy, which has similar symptoms to Candida.
The most common causes are overuse of antibiotics (which tend kill the helpful bacteria in the gut), stress and poor diet, and the big one which is frequently overlooked: poor digestion! If you're not "going" frequently or feel like food is simply sitting inside you like dead weight instead of moving through you like a well-oiled machine, then you may fall under the poor digestion category.
How do we improve digestion? A great way is to take digestive enzymes, which help your body break the food you eat (and also improve nutrient absorption at the same time). Two of the most important enzymes to take are bromelain and papain. They are naturally found in pineapples and papayas, respectively. Head to your local health food store or find a reputable online shop and pick up a supplement containing both bromelain and papain. A tablet should be taken before having a big meal. Bromelain/papain supplements are good in general, whether you suffer from candida or not because they help to break down hard to digest proteins (like red-meat!) Most of the people I correspond with seem to have some sort of digestion or indigestion issue.
We also want to make sure food is moving quickly and efficiently through your colon. Western-diets really promote a laziness of the intestines (with fatty and high-carb foods) so we need to decrease the transit time of food in your system. Best way to do that is generally with fiber. If you have problems "going" often or feel "clogged up" inside, fiber may be what you've been missing. Also, you'll want to support the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut with some probiotics you may have heard of (such as acidophilus and other lactobacillus strains). These tend to calm intestines which are upset due to an imbalance of healthy vs. unhealthy flora living inside you. Look for probiotic products which contain several different strains, such as these probiotics from the vitamin shop.
For some (and maybe most of you), following the above digestion tips maybe resolve the cause of your candida.
Candida Symptoms
Candida albicans is a type of yeast that lives in all of us. When your immune system is working properly, the amount of Candida in your body is kept in balance. When your immune system is compromised, or other factors occur such as consuming unhealthy amounts of sugars and carbohydrates, the Candida can grow out of control. Here are some of the symptoms of Candida overgrowth:
* Frequent stomach pains and digestion problems
* Skin problems (skin infections, eczema, psoriasis, acne)
* Foggy brain / Trouble concentrating
* Constant tiredness and exhaustion
* Anxiety
* Mood swings
* Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
* Anger outbursts
* Irritability
* Headaches
* Intense cravings for sugars, sweets, and breads
* Itchy skin
Just having one or two of the symptoms listed above does not necessarily mean you have Candidiasis, but having several of these could be sign of a Candida overgrowth or food allergy, which has similar symptoms to Candida.
