What is Candida and how
to treat it with natural medicine?
What Is Candida And Candida Overgrowth?
Yeast infection known as Candida overgrowth, is
one of the common concerns which negatively impacts health and quality of life
of many individuals every year. Evidence shows increased usage of antibiotics
and corticosteroids has played an important role in increasing frequency of the
yeast infections.
Yeast infection could range from a simple skin rash to a serious systemic
condition.
Although variety of yeasts and
fungi could be potential cause of an infection, often the most common type is
identified as
Candida albicans.
Candida alb. is referred to as an opportunistic pathogen which is naturally
found in human body at the very low rate; however, under certain conditions it
will over populate very quickly causing an infection.
Candida albicans is the cause of several conditions such as bad
breath,
oral thrush, sinusitis, diaper
rash,
eczema, athlete
foot,
nail fungus,
vaginal yeast infection,
gastrointestinal diseases including irritable bowel, leaky gut, food sensitivities, and allergies.
Candida related complex (CRC) is
chronic set of symptoms and diseases which is believed to be caused by low
grade chronic Candida infection. Even though, it is usually ignored by medical
society, there are studies with proven evidence of a strong link between
chronic symptoms and presence of chronic yeast infection. In several case
studies the overall quality life of those patients improved when treated for
Candida infection. Also other researches show that over growth of Candida in
the digestive system could lead to leaky gut, which allows many unwanted
molecules pass through and get in to the circulation, causing chronic symptoms
such as food sensitivities,
allergies,
chronic headaches, and many more.
What Causes Candida Overgrowth?
Usually balanced number of the
beneficial micro flora in our body prevents the over population of Candida,
but a few common factors could contribute
to Candida over growth:
- Bad nutrition and diet rich in sugar, starch, and
simple carbohydrates;
- Alcohol;
- Yeast containing foods and drinks;
- Hormonal imbalance, high levels of estrogen, and the usage of
birth control pills;
- Stressful lifestyle;
- Usage of antibiotics and corticosteroids; for
example, in the cases of asthma;
- Diseases such as diabetes;
- Poor immune system or diseases of the immune system.
Which Parts Of The Body Could Be Affected By
Candida?
- Vaginal yeast infection is the common cause of vaginitis. Its
symptoms include itch, discharge, painful urination, and painful intercourse.
- Skin candidiasis is also a very common condition that could
affect any part of the skin. It is more often found in warm and moist parts of
the skin. Its Symptoms may differ depending on the affected area; however, it usually
includes a skin rash, itch, skin dislocation, pimples, dryness, brittle nails,
swelling and redness around the nail bed.
- Oral yeast infection is usually demonstrated by appearance of
thrush, redness and discoloration around the lips, white coated tongue, bad
breath, and changing taste.
- Intestinal Candida over growth commonly found to
be the cause of other
gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, and some types of
allergies. Intestinal Candidiasis triggers inflammation disturbing the
intestinal immune system and integrity of the intestinal wall.
- Sinusitis and chronic nasal congestion also could be caused by Candida
over growth. Depending on the severity of the infection, different treatment
options will be required. Usually the fungal sinusitis is treated in the same
way as systemic mycosis with anti fungal medications and sometimes surgery
might be needed to remove the damaged tissues.
What Are The Common Symptoms Of Candida?
- Skin and nail fungal infection like athlete's
foot and nail fungi;
- Skin conditions such as itch, hives, rashes, and
eczema;
- Digestive conditions like constipation,
diarrhea, bloating, gas, food sensitivities;
- Tiredness, chronic fatigue, symptoms of
fibromyalgia;
- Anxiety, mood disorders, irritability,
difficulty focusing, and poor memory;
- Frequent headaches;
- Vaginal and urinary tract infection;
- Intense seasonal allergy symptoms, chronic
sinusitis, and nasal congestion;
- Autoimmune diseases increase the possibilities
of frequent yeast infection;
- Cravings for sweets and sugar.
How to Diagnose Candida Overgrowth?
Candidiasis manifests itself with
diversity of symptoms which can be varying from person to person. Often symptoms
of Candida overgrowth are mistaken with diseases like Irritable bowel disease,
colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome and others.
Blood test for Candida is a reliable
way to diagnose Candida overgrowth. Blood test measures the antibodies which
the immune system produced against the yeast infection and it also measures the
Candida antigens indicating high presentation of Candida. If you are interested
to be tested please contact Health Palace office to order your test.
Contact us.
How to Treat Candida Overgrowth?
Successful treatment for yeast
infection includes 3 steps: stopping the Candida overgrowth, restoring the
normal flora, and addressing the intestinal health.
Step
1
Limiting the Candida overgrowth
starts from diet by eliminating sugars, sweets, starch, alcohol, coffee, dairy,
and inflammatory foods.
Using anti fungal natural
medicine will help to control the yeast population:
Berberin an active ingredient from goldenseal has
shown strong antifungal and anti Candida properties; also it enhanced the
efficacy of antifungal medications.
Several studies have found that
the active ingredient from
Garlic extract called Allicyn
is able to inhibit the growth of yeast at the affected areas including skin,
mucus membranes as well as the blood in the systemic infection.
Caprylic acid is a kind of saturated fatty which
is found in
coconut oil.
Caprylic acid is very well known for its antimicrobial benefits.While it naturally helps to reduce
yeast growth within the gastrointestinal tract, it promotes the population of
friendly micro flora.
Caprylic acid is completely natural and doesn’t create the same risks as harsh
antibiotics or chemical treatments. Researchers have found that oral intake of
Caprylic acid rapidly reduces symptoms associated with fungal infections
like Candida and Chlamydia.
Based on research topical use of essential oils such as Tee tree oil, Geranium oil, Thyme oil, and Clove oil is shown to be
beneficial against yeast infection. Studies show promising benefits of the
active ingredient from Tea tree oil called Terpinen 4-ol for treating drug
resistance vaginal yeast infection. Tea tree oil inhibits the adhesion of the
yeast to the human cells, limits the reproduction of the yeast, and interrupts
the Candida’s cell function.
Step
2
Next step is to restore the
population of the good bacteria.
Lactobacillus bacteria are shown to be beneficial for mucosal
yeast infection. Taking probiotitcs on a regular basis helps to suppress
overgrowth of yeast and over time restores the micro flora's balance. Research
suggests vaginal and/or oral usage of
lactobacillus reuteri and rhamnosus is advantageous
in reducing the vaginal yeast population and restoring the number of the good
bacteria.
Additionally it is very well
documented that taking probiotics is helpful to restore intestinal and immune
health after treatment with antibiotics.
Step
3
Final and important step is to
repair and heal the gastrointestinal tract. Reducing
inflammation and repairing the intestinal
wall improves overall health, improves immune system, reduces the symptoms of
Candida overgrowth, and improves nutritional absorption.
Candida overgrowth negatively
impacts the digestive health. Candida is able to damage the intestinal wall and
penetrate to the sub mucosal layer and eventually blood. Candida produces
several toxins including one so called acetaldehyde. This toxin is carcinogen
and it is responsible for the symptoms of headache, nausea, fatigue, chronic
pain, and
liver
damage.
Leaky gut condition and
Candidiasis are often related as one contributes to the other. Damage to the intestinal
wall allows the bigger molecules and toxins pass through triggering immune
response and inflammation in the forms of food allergies, food sensitivity,
inflammation, fatigue, skin rash, and so on.
What May Experience During Candida Cleanse?
During Candida cleanse some individuals may
experience the Die-off symptoms. In the medical term this is called
Herxheimer reaction. This reaction is
usually short term from days to a few weeks. Herxheimer reaction is the result of
your immune response to those toxins released from killed virus, bacteria or
yeast.
In majority of cases the symptoms
are very mild. These symptoms may include headache, itch, rash, flushes, flu
like symptoms, tiredness, and nausea. Those with higher infection may
experience more intensity in their symptoms. However, proper diet and certain supplements
when incorporated in treatment will help to minimize the symptoms and increase
the efficacy of treatment.
Articles and products featured
by Health Palace are collected from a variety of sources and are provided as a
service by Health Palace. These newsletters, while of potential interest to
readers, do not necessarily represent the opinions nor constitute the advice of
Health Palace. Presented materials are only for information purposes and do not
intent to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
References:
1.Fungal Research Trust. How Common are Fungal
Diseases? Updated 10/8/2011. Available at:
http://www.fungalresearchtrust.org/HowCommonareFu.... Accessed
7/17/2012.
2.Kauffman C., Overview of Candida infections.
In: UpToDate, Kieren M., Thorner A., (Eds), UpToDate, Waltham, MA, 2012b.
3.Brown Univ. Health Education.Yeast Infection.
Available at:
http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services....
Accessed. 7/13/2012.
4.Kim J, Sudbery P. Candida albicans, a major
human fungal pathogen. J Microbiol. 2011;49(2):171-177.
5.Balish E, Wagner RD. Probiotic bacteria for
prophylaxis and therapy of candidiasis. Rev IberoamMicol. 1998;15(4):261-264.
6.AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians).
Patient Education: Fungal Infections of Fingernails and Toenails. State
University of New York at Buffalo, 2008.
7.Cater RE 2nd. Chronic intestinal candidiasis as
a possible etiological factor in the chronic fatigue syndrome.Med Hypotheses.
1995 Jun;44(6):507-15.
8.Giannini PJ, Shetty KV. Diagnosis and
management of oral candidiasis.OtolaryngolClin North Am. 2011;44(1):231-240.
9.Azimi H, Fallah-Tafti M, Karimi-Darmiyan M,
Abdollahi M.A comprehensive review of vaginitis phytotherapy. Pak J Biol Sci.
2011;14(21):960-966.
10.Dabrowska K, Kozlowski Z, Durko T, Stanczyk R,
Pietruszewska W. [Fungal rhinosinusitis - still unsolved problem&91;: Otolaryngol
Pol. 2011 Sep-Oct;65(5):369-76
11.Ivker R,. (2012) Chapter 15 - Chronic
Sinusitis: Fungal Sinusitis (pg. 137). In: Rakel D. (Ed.), Integrative Medicine
(3rd ed). Saunders, An Imprint of Elsevier.
12.Truss CO. Tissue Injury Induced By Candida
Albicans Mental and Neurologic Manifestations. ORTHOMOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY,
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 1, 1978, Pp. 17-37
13.Iwazaki RS, Endo EH, Ueda-Nakamura T, Nakamura
CV, Garcia LB, Filho BP.In vitro antifungal activity of the berberine and its
synergism with fluconazole.Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 2010;97(2):201-5.
14.Wei GX, Xu X, Wu CD. In vitro synergism between
berberine and miconazole against planktonic and biofilm Candida cultures. Arch
Oral Biol. 2011;56(6):565-72.
15.Ettefagh KA, Burns JT, Junio HA, Kaatz GW, Cech
NB. Goldenseal (Hydrastiscanadensis L.) extracts synergistically enhance the
antibacterial activity of berberine via efflux pump inhibition. Planta Med.
2011;77(8):835-40.
16.Aviello G, Abenavoli L,
Borrelli F, et al.
Garlic: empiricism or science? Nat Prod Commun.
2009;4(12):1785-1796.
17.Dini C, Fabbri A,
Geraci A. The potential role of garlic (Allium sativum) against the multi-drug
resistant tuberculosis pandemic: a review. Ann Ist Super Sanita.
2011;47(4):465-73.
18.Khodavandi A, Harmal
NS, Alizadeh F, et al.
Comparison between allicin and fluconazole in
Candida albicans biofilm inhibition and in suppression of HWP1 gene expression.
Phytomedicine. 2011;19(1):56-63.
19.Murzyn A, Krasowska A, Stefanowicz P,
Dziadkowiec D, Lukaszewicz M. Capric acid secreted by S. boulardii inhibits C.
albicans filamentous growth, adhesion and biofilm formation. PLoS One.
2010;5(8).
20.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21830350
21.deAraujo DA, Freitas C,
Cruz JS.
Essential oils components as a new path to understand
ion channel molecular pharmacology. Life Sci. 2011;89(15-16):540-544.
22.Catalán A, Pacheco JG,
Martinez A, Mondaca MA.
In vitro and in vivo activity of
Melaleucaalternifolia mixed with tissue conditioner on Candida albicans. Oral
Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral RadiolEndod. 2008;105(3):327-332.
23.Nozaki A, Takahashi E, Okamoto K, Ito H, Hatano
T. [Antifungal activity of essential oils and their constituents against
Candida spp. and their effects on activity of amphotericin B&91;. YakugakuZasshi.
2010;130(6):895-902.
24.Larson D, Jacob SE. Tea tree oil. Dermatitis.
2012;23(1):48-49.
25.Mondello F, De Bernardis F, Girolamo A, Cassone
A, Salvatore G. In vivo activity of terpinen-4-ol, the main bioactive component
of MelaleucaalternifoliaCheel (tea tree) oil against azole-susceptible and
-resistant human pathogenic Candida species. BMC Infect Dis. 2006;6:158.
26.Maruyama N, Takizawa T, Ishibashi H, et al.
Protective activity of geranium oil and its component, geraniol, in combination
with vaginal washing against vaginal candidiasis in mice. Biol Pharm Bull.
2008;31(8):1501-1506.
27.Bahadoran P, Rokni FK, Fahami F. Investigating
the therapeutic effect of vaginal cream containing garlic and thyme compared to
clotrimazole cream for the treatment of mycotic vaginitis. Iran J Nurs
Midwifery Res. 2010;15(Suppl 1):343-349.
28.Rodaki A, Bohovych IM, Enjalbert B, et al.
Glucose promotes stress resistance in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans.
MolBiol Cell. 2009 Nov;20(22):4845-55. Epub 2009 Sep 16.
29.Groschwitz KR, Hogan SP. Intestinal barrier
function: molecular regulation and disease pathogenesis. J Allergy
ClinImmunol. 2009 Jul;124(1):3-20; quiz 21-2.
30.Mailander-Sanchez D, Wagener J, Schaller M.
Potential role of probiotic bacteria in the treatment and prevention of
localisedcandidosis. Mycoses. 2012;55(1):17-26.
31.Martinez RC,
Franceschini SA, Patta MC, et al.
Improved treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis
with fluconazole plus probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus
reuteri RC-14.LettApplMicrobiol. 2009;48(3):269-274.
32.Loscalzo, Joseph; Fauci, Anthony S.; Braunwald, Eugene;
Dennis L. Kasper; Hauser, Stephen L; Longo, Dan L. (2008). Harrison's principles of internal medicine.
McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. 1048–67.ISBN0-07-1146633-9.
CandidaFix Kit
Biotics Research FC Cidal 100 Capsules
Douglas Laboratories Caprylex 90 Tablets
The CandidaFix kit contains natural preparations for elimination of candida and fungus. Based upon European Biological Medicine principles, optimizing intestinal conditions and supporting a self-regulating environment within the body.
...Read more
Anti-Microbial & anti Fungal.
Indications: Use for resistant fungal or yeast infections or molds, and for intestinal parasites ...Read more
Caprylex™, provided by Douglas Laboratories, is a dietary supplement of well-tolerated, non-phenolic complex of pure caprylic acid (octanoic acid). Each tablet provides 400 mg of a buffered calcium-magnesium caprylate complex...Read more
Genestra Candaclear Four 30 Doses
NFH Candida SAP 90 Capsules
St Francis Hepato DR 90 Veg Capsules
Probiotics to contribute to a naturally healthy gut flora. Probiotics to significantly reduce symptoms or irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotics to supplement the normal intestinal microbiota following antibiotic therapy....Read more
Anti-fungal and immune-boosting therapy for Candida overgrowth
Candida is a type of yeast normally found on the skin and in the mouth, vagina, and intestinal tract. It is ubiquitous in our environment and causes negative health problems in cases where the immune system is weak...Read more
Fungafect™ has been formulated with a view to its specific anti-infective properties. The ingredients in this formula have hundreds of years of traditional use behind them...
Read more