Candida is a microorganism in the group of fungi, yeast, and mold. There are more than thirty species of Candida, with Candida albicans as the most popular in humans. Under certain conditions these fungi become to numerous and can cause infection. A primary example is Candidiasis, more commonly known as yeast infection. Most humans live fine with yeast in our bodies, but too much can cause serious complications.
Infections caused by Candida usually occur in warm moist areas on your body, such as under you arm. Inside your body too much Candida in organs or deep tissue can cause serious health issues, especially in patients with a weakened immune system. Patients with a weak immune system can have a higher rate of overgrowth.
An overgrowth of Candida can occur when bacterial flora in your body is killed or when the immune system is suppressed by another illness or disease. Bacterial Flora is a friendly bacteria that is essential in preventing undesirable fungi and viruses. Diseases and illness that attack and weaken the immune system, such as AIDS, diabetes, or leukemia suppress neutrophils. Neutrophils are what protect the body from oral yeast infection. Candida overgrowth usually gets its start in the intestines and then moves to the liver. Once the overgrowth reaches organs and can cause a wide variety of symptoms.
Exposures that can cause Candida can include the following:
Antibiotics - The use of antibiotics helps kill harmful bacteria. It also target s and kills friendly bacteria called bacteria flora. Without bacteria flora an overgrowth of Candida can take place.
Chlorine - Chlorine found in swimming pools. As with antibiotics, chlorine is made to kill bacteria. It can kill the bacteria flora in your body, without this friendly bacteria yeast growth is encouraged.
Alcohol - Interestingly, a person with excess yeast in the body is often drawn to fermented products such as alcohol. As a fermented product, alcohol promotes yeast growth in the body.
Foods - Aged and sugary foods can have a similar impact as alcohol. These fermented foods can cause cravings that deepen the Candida infection. Bread, cheese, milk, bananas, and coffee are all examples.
Pesticides - As with chlorine and antibiotics, exposure to pesticides can kill bacteria flora. The loss of bacteria flora allows bad bacteria to dominate.
Mold - Exposure to mold over a long period of time can suppress the immune system and allow fungal overgrowth. Consistently inhaling mold along with other factors that may exist can speed up an overgrowth.
Some other factors that can contribute range from birth control, illness and alcoholism in parents of young children, and the use of corticosteroids can all contribute. These are just a few of the factors that can be associated with Candida. Sometimes it can be difficult to identify what exposures have brought on an overgrowth.
Here is a list of symptoms that may be caused or associated with Candida:
- Headaches and migraines
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Asthma and allergies
- Irritability and confusion
- Unusually green eyes, or eye color has turned greenish
- Infertility
- Acid reflux, heartburn
- Anxiety attacks, panic attacks
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Hypoglycemia
- Skin and nail fungal infections
- Sexual problems
- Bloating, flatulence or abdominal pain
- Rectal itching
- Constipation and/or diarrhea
- Excess weight centered around the abdomen
- Excessively thin or anorexic/bulimic
- Attention deficit, hyperactivity
- Skin problems
- Autoimmune disease
- Penicillin allergy
- Prematurely graying hair
- Heart beating too fast or irregularly
- Uncomfortable at any temperature
- Dizziness
- Numbness
- Feeling of floating or not quite being in your body
- Indecisiveness, difficulty organizing and cleaning messy areas
- Sweating, especially at night
- Cravings for fermented, aged, or sugary products
- Sleep problems
- Poor memory
- Muscle or joint pain,
- Cold feet, cold hands, sometimes cold nose
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Endometriosis
- Pupils always dilated
Candida can be difficult to diagnose. It can affect so many things and have many different symptoms. Many medical professionals will not consider Candida and only treat the symptoms. It has no reliable tests that can diagnose it. Some medical professional that have studied Candida and can look for warning signs and help diagnose it. Doctors that treat Candida can be looked at as providing holistic medicine. Many doctors will shy away from treating the disease and only treat the symptoms for fear of trying something different. Treatment for Candida usually includes a change in lifestyle, such as diet. Many doctors will just prescribe medication.
Today there are various treatments for Candida. It is usually a supplement or medication that can be taken. It is believed that many of these medications only attack part of the problem. They can provide some relief, but it is not ongoing. Some doctors have created their own combination of treatments and believe that a combination of treatments is necessary. An example would be this threefold treatment process.
1. An antifungal medication can be prescribed. Theses antifungal medications most likely will come from plants. Plants fight off fungi just as humans do.
2. An antifungal diet helps eliminate yeast-promoting foods. Some studies have shown that abiding by a strict diet can offer long term results.
3. Supplements called probiotics are bacteria that assist the human body. This helps restore bacteria that is lost. Supplementing bacteria back into the body helps restore friendly bacteria dominance.
Seeking the advice of a medical professional and researching Candida can help you understand it better. There are many different medications and treatments for Candida. Depending on the doctor the treatment methods may differ. Since it can be difficult to diagnose, seeking various opinions may be a smart move.
Author Resource:-
Candida MD LLC. (http://www.candidamd.com/) provides comprehensive information and clinically effective treatment for Candida overgrowth, a very common and often serious disease which remains widely unrecognized by the medical profession. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
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