Balancing Candida Yeast -bringing positive change to your immune system and overall health

Balancing Candida Yeast -bringing positive change to your immune system and overall health

From Alternatives Newsletter Spring 2011

Candida yeast is one species of the many microbial colonies that normally exist in the intestinal tract. With yeast overgrowth toxins are excreted. Toxic symptoms include inflammation in the gut, gas, bloating, heartburn, bad breath, constipation, diarrhea, skin rash, and eventually headaches, joint pain, and even irritability. These toxic metabolites are one more thing your liver, kidneys, and immune system have to deal with. The toxic load makes people more susceptible to viruses. Yeast overgrowth can be an underlying cause in depression, ADD, autism, and many other disease processes.  At Alternatives we are looking for candida overgrowth in many of our clients because it is a piece of why they don't feel good. 

Candida can grow in the gut, sinuses, lungs, vagina, ears - anywhere where it is warm, moist, and has food. It causes inflammation wherever it is growing, increased mucus in stools, and sinus drainage.  Yeast is similar to mold in that they are both fungi and thrive in similar conditions. Continuous exposure to environmental mold can cause further allergic reactions like chronic sinusitis making it more difficult to eliminate mold and candida from the body until the daily environment is clean. In addition to clearing household mold, this can include eliminating fungal foods and foods fermented by molds (mushrooms, cheese, beer, wine, etc.).  Allergies to gluten may also in part be related to candida overgrowth. The gluten molecule looks very similar to the candida antigen (the part of the candida organism that the immune system recognizes as a foreign invader). This may be part of the reason people are becoming so sensitive to gluten: their immune systems have become sensitized to candida. If the levels of candida are normalized these people may be able to eat gluten again.

A poor diet and prolonged or frequent antibiotic use can predispose people to a yeast overgrowth. Many people eat sugar, bread, chips, simple carbs, and processed foods regularly - the preferred diet of the candida organism. Sugar cravings especially are an indication of yeast overgrowth, and typically diminish after treatment. Antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria; and without probiotics (the good bacteria that normally compete with the yeast for food and territory) the candida can quickly overgrow. Other factors that enable candida overgrowth are a weakened immune system, exposure to chemicals, high doses of steroids, and high stress levels.

The bacteria in our bodies comprise an ecosystem that needs balance as well. It is important to treat candida appropriately. Many women are given one pill of diflucan to clear up vaginal yeast. However, this is not a sufficient dose to address intestinal yeast overgrowth. Therefore yeast can become diflucan resistant. Herbal treatments given over a longer period of time are more effective. These supplements can also address mold in the body as well.  Probiotic supplementation will help offset the disruption caused by antibiotics. There is a probiotic nutritional yeast people can take called saccharomyces boulardii (similar to brewer's yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae) which acts on candida through antitoxin effects, antimicrobial effects, anti-inflammatory effects, increased levels of disaccharides, and increased immune response.

In addition to herbal and nutritional supplementation, dietary changes are necessary. Candida yeast feeds primarily on high carbohydrate foods.  Sweets, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, fruits, and refined processed grains should be minimized.  Organic meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish; and low carbohydrate vegetables such as spinach, kale, celery, asparagus, cauliflower, and broccoli are best.  Read on for some recipes that support a candida reducing diet, from Alternatives nutritionist Kathi Bratberg.  Many of our recommended supplements and dietary changes can address multiple imbalances; so make an appointment at Alternatives for recommendations specific to your current health and lifestyle. 

Resources:

Patricia Ryan MD, CCN and the clinical staff of Alternatives

The Candida Yeast Syndrome by Ray Wunderlich Jr., MD

Saccharomyces Boulardii on Wikipedia and WebMD