Candida: feast of the yeast

​Candida: The Feast of the Yeast
 
Everyone has good bacteria and bad bacteria, and when your system is in balance with the good and the bad, everyone lives in harmony. Candida albicans is a certain strain of yeast/fungus that lives in your gastrointestinal tract, on the mucous membranes, and on the skin. When you have the right amount of candida albicans it is harmless and can aid in digestion and nutrient absorbtion. The problem arises when your system is weakened and allows the good and bad bacteria to become imbalanced. This imbalance can lead to yeast overgrowth which will continue to takeover and lead to some very unpleasant symptoms.  
 
Symptoms you may be experiencing due to Candida:
 

• Brain Fog
• Fatigue
• Anxiety/Depression
• Bloating, Constipation & Diarrhea
• Allergies (Food & Environmental)
• Sinus Infections
• Excess Mucus
• Intense Sugar Cravings... Just to name a few...

 
Causes of Candida:
 

• Antibiotics 
• Steroids
• Birth Control Pills
• Sugar
• Stress... Just to name a few...

 
Antibiotics are a major cause of candida overgrowth because antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria. If you wipe out all of your good bacteria, it gives yeast the perfect environment to grow. This is why it is so important to take a probiotic to replenish the good bacteria will on antibiotics. 
 
Sugar and Stress feed the yeast overgrowth which is the reasoning behind the major sugar cravings. The candida is sending sweet tooth signals begging to be fed. Candida thrives off of sugar, but that doesn't only come from the food you put in your mouth. Stress elevates your cortisol levels, and excessive cortisol raises blood sugar, which then feeds the pesky candida making itself at home in your gut. I am sure you have all heard that "good health starts in your gut", so you can imagine that having a gut full of fungus can't be that great. 
 
Now that you are very curious about what is living in your belly, I will let you know that this is just a brief overview of my knowledge thus far of candida. If you really want to jump down the rabbit hole, just do a quick google and you will find an overgrowth of information on overgrowth. There is light at the end of the tunnel, there are many treatments for candida. The treatments may have you cut out some of your favorite foods but that is a small price to pay to get your liveliness back.