On and off for ages I have been dealing with a candida imbalance which can sometimes cause me to feel very low in energy. This is likely to be due to having taken antibiotics and the contraceptive pill in my teens and early twenties to deal with other health conditions at the time. These medications are known now to have a detrimental, far reaching effect on the balance of the body's internal micro flora, but at the time this was not explained to me.
Whilst I was working in a demanding position the past few years I did not have the time, energy or mental resources to nourish myself very well and I believe this, along with my natural 'sweet tooth' tendencies, is why the candida symptoms have flared up again within me. Now I am onto the case and am loving myself back to vitality! I want to share what I have learnt about candida, because I feel it affects so many people in one form or another and can heighten the symptoms of any other health issues being experienced (some people have refered to candida as being a silent epidemic), yet not enough people know about its prevalence, symptoms, how devastating it can be to your life and how to deal with it.
Candida albicans is a form of microscopic singled-celled yeast (linked to the fungi and mould family) that we all have living in our bodies and on our skin. In a healthy, balanced body candida presents no problems. However, when the balance of the micro-organisms gets disturbed, which is usually caused through taking things such as antibiotics, cortico-steriods and the birth control pill, and/or through eating a diet high in refined sugars and carbohydrates for a prolonged period, and/or through going through stressful times in your life, then the candida yeasts can flourish and begin to dominate the body's skin and mucous membranes, in particular the digestive system, sinuses and throat. This situation can cause one or more of the following broad spectrum of symptoms:
Tiredness and low energy, disturbed sleep patterns
Dizziness, difficulty concentrating, poor memory
Chronic Fatigue
Allergies, food intolerances and nutritional deficiencies
Cravings for sweet foods and carbs and or wine, cheese etc. (foods which feed the yeast cells)
Depression, low mood and low self-confidence (you literally have something within you controlling you!)
Headaches, congested sinuses & nasal passages
Sore throats, oral thrush and 'scummy' mouth feeling
Excessive mucous and phlegm
Vaginal thrush, menstrual and gynaecological disorders and infertility (the body flora becomes too acidic through yeast imbalance to be able to conceive)
Urinary tract problems
Recurrent digestive disorders, bloating, gas diarrhoea and/or constipation
Rectal itching
Itching all over the body
Rashes, skin disorders such as eczema, psoriasis and acne
Athletes foot and other fungal infections
Aches and pains throughout the body
Difficulty gaining or loosing weight
Feeling worse in humid, damp or mouldy conditions and on windy days (when more yeast and mould spores are disbursed in the air)
It is estimated that a large proportion of the population have some form of candida imbalance, brought about by convenience diets high in simple carbohydrates and the wide use of medications. If you have experienced on an ongoing basis a combination of the above symptoms and yet medical tests cannot find anything wrong with you, then you may well be dealing with a candida imbalance in your body. The best thing you can do to help your body regain its balance is to improve your diet.
There are a number of different 'anti-candida' diets and approaches out there. You may wish to 'google' it and do your own research. All of them suggest cutting out refined sugar (and honey) and restricting carbohydrates. Also, I think pretty much all of them suggest cutting out artificial sweeteners and fermented and yeast-oriented products such as wine, vinegar (and vinegar containing products such as mayonnaise), bread, bread products and simple carbohydrates (i.e white rice and anything made with plain flour such as pasta) , hard cheese, blue-vein cheese, yeast extract and supplements derived from yeast, mushrooms and fungi, dried herbs and spices (as these are often contaminated with mould and yeasts), and dried fruit for their high sugar content (and again, these are often contaminated with mould and yeasts in the drying and packaging process).
However, some approaches are more 'drastic' than others! Some suggest cutting out all fruit, carbohydrates and things like beans, others suggest having some fruit but only berries and green apples, lemons and limes, while the book I am currently reading (an older book called 'Candida Albicans – Yeast-free recipes for renewed health and vitality' by Richard Turner (a medical pharmacist) and Elizabeth Simonsen (a nutritionist)) says you can have fruit and a small amount of complex carbohydrates and that you can eat some beans too, but avoid grapes (and possibly melon) which are very sugary. What option you take is up to you. However, the thing to bear in mind is that the more drastically you starve the candida of their sugary sustenance, the more intense the candida 'die-off ' reactions may be that you experience, and these can be hard to deal with and may include itching, sore throat, fatigue, fever, depression etc.
It is my feeling that whatever we do, we should try and treat our bodies gently and introduce balance and any changes gradually in a way that we can cope with. This is what works best for me anyway! For this reason I prefer a longer term, milder approach to changing the diet (which is sustainable and realistic) and to include as much raw food as possible (especially fresh green juices – e.g. green leaves, carrot and apple – and salads, avocados and seeds). Currently for me the anti-candida approach includes some fruit, some wholegrain carbohydrates, with a good balance of protein and vegetables and healthy fats. Although, I am prepared to be more 'drastic' if the symptoms persist or flare up again. I am also including potent anti-fungals which can help reduce the amount of candida and increase the potency of the dietary changes. The following anti-fungals are known to have an anti-fungal effect and it is recommended you don't take them all at once, but alternate their use over time, so that the candida does not become too used to them and develop a resistance:
Garlic (oil or garlic used normally in food preparation, or added to freshly pressed juices if you can stand it!)
Olive leaf extract
Carrot juice (freshly pressed, can be combined with other juice)
Grape seed extract
Oregano Oil
Pau d'arco (which is excellent and can be taken as a tea or a powder – I combine the tea with other herbal teas throughout the day),
Coconut oil (also known as coconut butter – this is excellent and can be used on the skin and taken internally. It is a good source of healthy fats and actually speeds up the metabolism, so is not likely to cause weight gain and is excellent for cooking because it does not break down at high temperatures, you can enjoy eating it by the spoonful raw as it is delicious and nutritious and lot of raw food dessert recipes use coconut oil!)
Also tea tree oil is a good anti-fungal to use on the skin, but is not recommended for internal use.
There are various anti-candida recipes you can try which suggest alternative ingredients to use. If you have a sweet tooth, then you could try making some healthy desserts with fruit to sweeten or with xylitol (a natural sweetener that does not raise yeast – can be used in baking but obviously would not work in bread). Stevia leaf is also is another natural sweetener which can be used as an alternative, in its natural powdered-leaf form, not in the processed forms found in supermarkets. The great thing about the stevia leaf is that it contains a whole array of minerals and nutrients, so it is not just empty calories - it can help to boost the body's health in general.
You could also try making sourdough or soda bread with wholegrain organic flour and then just have a little of this with your meal of salad and protein, soup, stew or whatever you choose to eat. Or, you can use quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth and maize (in various forms) as these are not derived from grains and may be gentler on the system. Like with a raw food diet, with careful planning you can have some tasty meals, but you need to know what is going to aggravate and worsen your symptoms and what is going to help you restore balance to your body. Some things which may worse the conditions in one person, may not in another. So it is best to try out different things and notice how you feel afterwards, although bear in mind, that if you are going through a die-off phase you may be feeling worse because the candida is starving and causing cravings and symptoms within you.
If this is the case, I like to take some quiet time to do deep breathing and go-within and listen to my body and my inner guidance. You can call on the Divine or the angels and ask for support, even ask them to take the cravings away and use deep, deep breathing and visualisation as an extra form of nourishment, seeing the breath light up all areas of your body. Additional things you can do to help are to rest as much as you can and do things to support the immune system.
Some things might include gentle stretches and exercise, colonics/enemas, saunas and skin brushing, support through various alternative therapies such as acupuncture/massage, healing sessions, gentle fasting (but only if this feels right for you), drinking lots of fresh water, getting out in nature and getting plenty of fresh air, taking probiotics and herbal supplements to help boost the healthy bacteria needed by your body (which get reduced when the candida yeasts take a hold) and your body's immune system, including the liver which has to cope with detoxing your system. Turner and Simonsen also mention there are some antibiotics that are known to not have toxic side effects and that specifically target yeasts and fungus and you could try these. However, I prefer to take the natural approach where-ever possible so I would be reluctant to try these personally.
Finally, take time to listen to your emotions. The ups and downs of dealing with a candida imbalance (and any time you are experiencing stress, transition or taking time to detox/fast) can cause lots of emotions to come up. Some of this may be old stored emotions that have been waiting for ages to be released. Other things you experience may be due to the candida consciousness dying off. Sometimes it is hard to know what is what, but it always feels better to let it out and express it (in a way that is non-threatening to others) and journalling, or talking out loud to another person (or to the angels if no one is there!) is a good way to help work through the mixed up-ness of it all and move through it to a more sunny present and future!
For further research I have found the following comprehensive article that may be helpful:
http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html
Pau d'arco (which is excellent and can be taken as a tea or a powder – I combine the tea with other herbal teas throughout the day),
Coconut oil (also known as coconut butter – this is excellent and can be used on the skin and taken internally. It is a good source of healthy fats and actually speeds up the metabolism, so is not likely to cause weight gain and is excellent for cooking because it does not break down at high temperatures, you can enjoy eating it by the spoonful raw as it is delicious and nutritious and lot of raw food dessert recipes use coconut oil!)
Also tea tree oil is a good anti-fungal to use on the skin, but is not recommended for internal use.
There are various anti-candida recipes you can try which suggest alternative ingredients to use. If you have a sweet tooth, then you could try making some healthy desserts with fruit to sweeten or with xylitol (a natural sweetener that does not raise yeast – can be used in baking but obviously would not work in bread). Stevia leaf is also is another natural sweetener which can be used as an alternative, in its natural powdered-leaf form, not in the processed forms found in supermarkets. The great thing about the stevia leaf is that it contains a whole array of minerals and nutrients, so it is not just empty calories - it can help to boost the body's health in general.
You could also try making sourdough or soda bread with wholegrain organic flour and then just have a little of this with your meal of salad and protein, soup, stew or whatever you choose to eat. Or, you can use quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth and maize (in various forms) as these are not derived from grains and may be gentler on the system. Like with a raw food diet, with careful planning you can have some tasty meals, but you need to know what is going to aggravate and worsen your symptoms and what is going to help you restore balance to your body. Some things which may worse the conditions in one person, may not in another. So it is best to try out different things and notice how you feel afterwards, although bear in mind, that if you are going through a die-off phase you may be feeling worse because the candida is starving and causing cravings and symptoms within you.
If this is the case, I like to take some quiet time to do deep breathing and go-within and listen to my body and my inner guidance. You can call on the Divine or the angels and ask for support, even ask them to take the cravings away and use deep, deep breathing and visualisation as an extra form of nourishment, seeing the breath light up all areas of your body. Additional things you can do to help are to rest as much as you can and do things to support the immune system.
Some things might include gentle stretches and exercise, colonics/enemas, saunas and skin brushing, support through various alternative therapies such as acupuncture/massage, healing sessions, gentle fasting (but only if this feels right for you), drinking lots of fresh water, getting out in nature and getting plenty of fresh air, taking probiotics and herbal supplements to help boost the healthy bacteria needed by your body (which get reduced when the candida yeasts take a hold) and your body's immune system, including the liver which has to cope with detoxing your system. Turner and Simonsen also mention there are some antibiotics that are known to not have toxic side effects and that specifically target yeasts and fungus and you could try these. However, I prefer to take the natural approach where-ever possible so I would be reluctant to try these personally.
Finally, take time to listen to your emotions. The ups and downs of dealing with a candida imbalance (and any time you are experiencing stress, transition or taking time to detox/fast) can cause lots of emotions to come up. Some of this may be old stored emotions that have been waiting for ages to be released. Other things you experience may be due to the candida consciousness dying off. Sometimes it is hard to know what is what, but it always feels better to let it out and express it (in a way that is non-threatening to others) and journalling, or talking out loud to another person (or to the angels if no one is there!) is a good way to help work through the mixed up-ness of it all and move through it to a more sunny present and future!
For further research I have found the following comprehensive article that may be helpful:
http://www.holistichelp.net/candida.html
Update January 2015: I have found taking a whole mixture of probiotics as well as digestive enzymes, along with a healthy low sugar diet and plenty of vitamins and minerals to be the most effective approach to balancing out candida. Things like keffir and natural live yoghurt can be particularly helpful. I am vegan so I have a keffir made with coconut milk, which is delicious. And the great news is it is really easy to make your own. Google keffir or yoghurt making processes to find a method that suits you, if you also want to do this!
