Starving the Yeast Monster:
Slash
Sugar and Eat Organic to Cut Candida
The first sign of a yeast
infection may be your sweet tooth.
While the beneficial bacteria (or probiotics)
that normally keep your digestive tract functioning smoothly
prosper on fruits and vegetables, microorganisms like Candida
albicans, a harmful yeast, flourish on refined carbohydrates
and processed foods. So if you can control your cravings for
sweets and focus on fresh, unrefined foods (think vegetables)
you can eliminate many of your candida concerns.
Under normal
circumstances, Candida is a law-abiding citizen of the body.
When its numbers are sparse, this yeast ferments sugar and minds
its own business, living almost anywhere it can find a suitable
habitat. If allowed to flourish, however, this yeast becomes
a fungal monster. It sends out penetrating roots (rhizoids) into
and through intestinal walls, where it can wreak havoc on a well-balanced
digestive tract.
Once Candida overgrowth occurs, the yeast releases
waste products called mycotoxins that hinder the ability of the
immune cells to respond to the fungal threat. Pretty soon, the
toxic problem becomes a serious threat to the entire body. Once
the body’s defenses have been breached, undigested food
fragments can enter the blood, setting off allergic reactions
and autoimmune malfunctions. The tiny perforations promulgated
by the yeast causes what is known as ‘Leaky Gut Syndrome’.
Once in the blood, the undigested food scraps can travel to the
liver and other organs where they continue to interfere with
the body’s physiology.
The signs you may have a yeast overgrowth
include: intestinal gas, bloating, clogged sinuses, skin irritation,
bad breath, depression, fatigue, food allergies, night sweats
and headaches as well as bladder and kidney infections.
Inappropriate
Medicine
The widespread misuse and overuse of antibiotics
to fight infection has allowed Candida to spread. Antibiotics
wipe out both undesirable bacteria and the probiotic bacteria
that maintain the health of the gastrointestinal tract. Since
the immune system depends on probiotic bacteria to contain candida,
their absence gives yeast the green light to proliferate rapidly.
The food we consume may also contain surreptitious antibiotic
residues, especially meat and poultry. Farmers often feed antibiotics
to livestock to make them grow larger and stay healthy in crowded
conditions. So when you eat non-organic beef, chicken or pork
you may be taking in small, but significant amounts of these
substances.
Adjust Your Diet and Lifestyle to Fight Candida
Changing your diet and lifestyle habits is the
first step toward effectively combating Candida, and that begins
with avoiding processed sugars and refined foods.
Quick
Tips for Combatting Candida |
Consume
only grass-fed organic meat and poultry, and continue
to each all fish, with the exception of shellfish.
|
Increase
your intake of fresh, organic vegetables (preferably
the green ones) and eat plenty of well-cooked grain
such as brown or wild rice, millet, buckwheat, and
quinoa, as high-fiber foods help boost the power
of beneficial probiotics.
|
Choose
healthy oils such as flax oil and extra virgin olive
oil. Add, raw fermented foods such as plain yogurt
or kefir (a fermented milk drink) to your diet, and
remember to drink plenty of purified water daily
(at least half your body weight in ounces).
|
| Avoid
soft drinks (even diet soft drinks) and caffeinated
beverages. Herbal teas such as chamomile and peppermint
are a refreshing treat if plain water is not appealing
to you. |
|
In addition to changing the way you eat, herbal
cleansing plays an important role in addressing and preventing
Candida overgrowth. Visit your local health food store and look
for a natural formula with ingredients such as uva ursi, olive
leaf, cinnamon bark and Oregon grape root, all of which have
been shown to effectively combat yeast and fungal overgrowth.
Garlic is a traditional anti-infective, and peppermint provides
an abundant source of antioxidants.
New Tools
The more information we gather about the ways
in which Candida is affected by what we eat and drink, the more
we gain a better understanding about how to combat this destructive
yeast. But actions speak louder than words. If you switch to
an anti-Candida lifestyle and kick the sugar habit, you will
soon feel the difference. |
