What Is Candida?
Candida is a yeast that is found within the human body, mostly in the mouth, skin & intestines. it helps the gut to absorb nutrients and after death, helps the decomposition process. A healthy gut micro biome and strong immune system help to maintain a safe levels of candida. when the gut micro biome becomes imbalanced an overgrowth of candida may occur and this becomes a problem. Candida overgrowth creates a toxic chemicals that enters the bloodstream causing your health to gradually (in some cases very quickly) decline.
Are you ever eating carbs of sugar and feel like you just can’t stop…?
This can be an indication of candida overgrowth as the chemicals that candida produce, send a message to the brain forcing you to feed it (yes it’s quiet smart).
Common Symptoms Of Candida
- Brain fog
- Chronic fatigue
- Reoccurring oral or vaginal thrush
- Reoccurring sinus infections
- Reoccurring urinry tract infections (UTIs)
- Fungal infections in toe/finger nails
- Athletes foot
- Feeling itchy
- Weak immunity
- Eye floaters
- Digestive issues
- White and bumpy tongue (first thing in the morning)
- Joint pain
- Irritability
- Anxiety
If you experience a few of more of these symptoms we recommend you get yourself tested for candida overgrowth.
How Did My Candida Become Overgrown?
The most common causes of candida:
- Extended use of antibiotics and or contraceptive pill ‘
- Weak immune system
- Stress
- A diet high in processed food / carbohydrates / sugars
- Over consumption of alcohol
Testing For Candida At Home
Spit into a glass first thing in the morning before food/water/brushing teeth. After 20 mins check to see if the spit has little strings hanging down (kind of looking like a jelly fish) then this may be and indication of candida overgrowth.
Stool Analysis
Although a private comprehensive stool analysis can be expensive, it can be worth it in the long run to get a good picture as to what’s going on in your gut! Candida or not.
What To Do If You Have Candida
Take your stool test results to your trusted health care practitioner to make a plan. In the meantime you want to start starving out your candida but cutting out all processed foods and refined sugars avoid gluten and foods high in starches. Have a break from alcohol and late nights.
Increase Candida Killing Foods
- Cinnamon
- Garlic
- Apple cider vinegar
- Coconut oil
- Onion
- Lemon
- Lime
- Incorporate candida killing herbs
- Black walnut
- Clove oil
- Oregano oil
- Pau darco tea
- Medicinal mushrooms. most medicinal mushrooms are grown on trees, tree mushrooms aid the healing process. stay away from ground mushrooms.
- Saccharomyces boulardii or S. Boulardii is a yeast strain that competes with candida and basically moves a big mass of the candida out of your body with out creating die off effects.
Things You Can Do To Help The Healing Process
Tongue scraping. Use a tongue scraper every morning to rid of bacteria from your tongue, this also helps with bad breath. Feed your good gut bacteria and get a decent probiotic from your health care practitioner. Feeding the good bacteria will strengthen your immunity. Relax a little! get yourself into you parasympathetic nerves system. When you are in the rest and digest state the body is more inclined to heal itself. Say no to things that might make you feel overwhelmed and get a massage or take a bath instead. Use binders like bentonite clay or activated charcoal. These guys will pick up toxins which are floating around in the digestive tract.
Colonics
It is critical to have a clean colon during this healing process. You can do all the detoxing you like but if you are not cleaning out the colon, the toxic matter can then be recirculated into the body.
When waste can to be properly eliminated from the colon, this has a ripple effect on the rest of the digestive tract, accumulations of toxic bacteria and old wastes create a perfect home for pathogens such as candida.
What To Expect When Your Candida Is Dying
Candida die off (also known as herxheimer reaction). The death of harmful microorganisms within the body can cause the following: flu like symptoms and body aches and headaches. in the first couple of weeks it might feel like its getting worse before getting better. Keep hydrated using filtered water when possible.
Candida Safe Foods
Meats
- Organic or wild caught is best
- Salmon
- Chicken breast
- Turkey
Poultry
- Organic eggs
- Ghee
- Kifer
Vegetables
- (low carb non starchy)
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Lettuce
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Spouts
- Shallots
- Olives
- Leek
- Radish
- Zucchini
- Spinach
Nuts & Seeds
- Almonds
- Almond butter
- Walnuts
- Pine nuts
- Macadamias
- Hazelnuts
- Pecans
- Flax seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Chia seeds
Fruit
- Avocados
Recommended In Small Amounts:
- Blueberries
- Kiwis
- Green apples
- Pears
Grains
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
- Herbs and Spices
- Black Pepper
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Dill
- Garlic
- Chili
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Paprika
- Turmeric
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Coriander
- Ginger
- Mint
- Cacao (in raw form)
- Carob
Teas & Milks
- Unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- Herbal teas (non caffeinated)
The healing time depends on the individual, this is why it’s important to work alongside your naturopath or colonic therapist.
