Candida – Information and Treatment by Michiel Van Kets

You may have heard the word candida being thrown around but don't really understand how debilitating it can be and just how it can affect peoples lives. So, what is Candida? It's actually a yeast that lives quite happily in your intestinal tract without causing any harm, however if it starts to show signs of abnormal growth then it can penetrate the intestinal walls and once it gets into your bloodstream and your organs can cause all kinds of problems.

Candida is known to release up to 70 varying toxins into the body which results in a range of symptoms that can affect your life dramatically. Infection generally occurs when the body's defenses are low and the immune system can't function properly. This could either be a result of an illness such as AIDS or simply from an unbalanced diet, other reasons it may occur are if you consume too much sugar or take a lot of antibiotics as both destroy the balance of normal bacteria within the body.

There is a very long list of symptoms you could suffer from if you have candida. Most commonly these include headaches and migraines,feeling excessively tired all the time, depression, anxiety and mood swings. Other physical signs you may get are thrush, abdominal bloating and diarrohea, sore throat, persistent cough, vaginitis, rectal itching, and acne. Some people have cravings for sweet things or alcohol, whilst others will find they have a low sex drive, or become hyperactive.

Candida has many negative effects on most of the major systems in the body, including the brain, nervous, digestive, and reproductive, urinary and respiratory systems.

As the symptoms of candida are so numerous and wide ranging, it's no surprise that doctors find it so difficult to diagnose, and many sufferers can have it for years before eventually finding out just what exactly is causing them to feel this way. Generally the infection prefers places that are dark, warm and moist, resulting in most cases found in the mouth, feet, vagina and gastrointestinal tract. However, yeast infections can affect almost any part of your body and, although women are most prone, men and children can also get it.

Doctors will diagnose candida using a number of different methods, from looking at your previous medical history and carrying out a physical exam, to undertaking blood tests and and wound cultures. Sometimes a tissue biopsy may be needed to establish whether you have developed invasive systemic disease.

If for some reason it's necessary to take any antibiotics then ensure you take an acidophilus supplement during the course of the treatment as this will help keep healthy bacteria present in your body and prevents yeast overgrowth.

Another way to reduce the symptoms is to follow a special diet that really involves cutting down drastically, or completely, specific foods that the yeast thrives on. This involves reducing your sugar level and restricting the amount of refined foods you normally eat. Your diet should consist of eggs, meat and low carbohydrate vegetables, and include nuts, seeds and fruit low in sugar content. A candida diet helps to remove the yeast of its food supply, without its fix of sugar and carbohydrates it can't grow.

There are a number of treatments, supplements, vitamins and minerals available on the market. Nelsons Candida is a homoeopathic medicine that stimulates natural resistance to the challenges of flora imbalance in the body, whilst Candida QuickCleanse can help to sustain the right balance of bacteria in your body by using a formula with high strength extracts of Turmeric, Oregano, Garlic and Caprylic Acid and Fructo-oligosaccharides.

Candistroy is a total, all-natural system that helps the body detox itself of fungus and tops up levels of good bacteria. The unique combination of zinc tannates, berberine-containing herbs, digestive bitters and beneficial bacteria as well as F.O.S. and NAG help increase the production of good bacteria in the small and large intestines. Candistroy is a 2-part process whereby first your body has to get rid of occurring fungus, and then replenish the good bacteria your body requires if it is to be healthy.

If you are interested in finding out more information regarding women's health then you should do some research online where there a re forums, websites, and plenty of advice and information on all kinds of issues.