Okay – it’s time for full transparency. Truth be told, I’ve been over-indulging this summer. Can you relate?
While it may sound innocent to most, I’ve been treating myself with too many “healthy” desserts sweetened with monk fruit, and plenty of summer fruit like watermelon and even pineapple with whipped cream. And for me, as someone who comes from a type 2 diabetic family, with a propensity to have Candida yeast overgrowth due to heavy antibiotic use as a teenager, I really should know better.
So now it’s time to be the student of my own words. Rather than relying on willpower alone, I’m using body chemistry to help kick these cravings. Let’s take a deep dive and talk about Candida and what I use to help curb the cravings caused by yeast overgrowth. This is serving as a reminder not just for you, dear reader, but for me as well about the fungus among us – the most prevalent infection I still see with my clients and even myself.
Candida: What We Know
So, let’s review what we know about Candida. Candida is abundantly found in the air, in your throat and in your gut. It coexists with all the other microorganisms that fill the microscopic spaces of the world. Normally, these tiny, oval-shaped cells live along your mucus membranes and are kept in check by the trillions of healthy bacteria that make up your microbiome.
Yeasts like Candida do serve a purpose in your body. When digestion is poor and stomach acid is low, the food you eat isn’t being digested properly by stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes, thus it essentially starts to decompose. Yeast then arrives to help digest the sugars and it gives off alcohol as its byproduct, turning this decomposing process into fermentation, much like the process used to turn hops and barley into beer. And like a loaf of bread rising, your belly bloats from the process. You also get brain fog from the alcohol production, which can keep you from seeing the warning signs that there’s a problem.
Once the food you’ve eaten is fermented, the nutrients are broken down for easier absorption. This process isn’t ideal – it’s a survival mechanism and a breeding ground for inflammation and disease. This is due in part to the already impaired digestive system being flooded with sugar, toxins, pathogens, and products of fermentation, and to Candida then morphing into its more invasive form.
As I said a moment ago, all yeast microorganisms feed on sugar, and with the average American eating more than 150 pounds of sugar in a year, it is easy to see how Candida is growing out of control and running amok inside our bodies.
One in three adults, mostly women, experience the discomforts of Candidiasis overgrowth. That’s about 90 million of us on any given day!
And when Candida grows out of control, we may find we have many seemingly disconnected symptoms, including intense fatigue, sinus pain, headaches, joint problems, and urinary infections.
Yeast is like a super villain with a secret identity. When yeast cells are under control, these single, mild mannered elliptical cells reside on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and peacefully coexist with other denizens of the intestines.
But give them a chance to multiply and you will find their mild manners fade and they quickly overwhelm the body’s defensive mechanisms. In this attack mode, single cells of Candida join and work in unison to form long threads called hyphae. These root-like structures drill into the walls of the intestines and bore into macrophages, the immune cells that normally kill Candida. This process funnels fungus, toxins, and other debris (such as undigested fragments of protein) directly into blood vessels and other organs.
Yeast Overgrowth Symptoms
As yeast spreads, reproduces, and distributes its toxic entourage, almost any part of your body may suffer symptoms. You may feel:
- Intense fatigue, headaches, insomnia, weight fluctuations (up and down), mood swings, pain, jittery feelings, appetite loss, agitation
- Bloating, flatulence, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, stools filled with mucous
- Burning, frequent and/or urgent urination, recurring bladder infections, cystitis
- Cramps, irregular periods, depression, severe PMS symptoms
- Itching, burning, white vaginal discharge
- Dry mouth, rashes, sore and/or bleeding gums, white patches
- Nasal itching and sinus congestion
- Psoriasis, rashes, acne
- Burning sensations in the eyes, blurry vision, chronic inflammation, tearing, sudden changes in vision
- Loss of hearing, fluid in inner ear, recurring infections, ear pain