Yeast Overgrowth

Candida albicans is a particular form of yeast found living in the intestinal tracts of most individuals. Yeasts cohabitate in a symbiotic relationship with over 400 healthy intestinal bacteria. These bacteria help produce short-chain fatty acids, vitamin K, biotin, vitamin B12, thiamin, and riboflavin. These bacteria also keep the yeast that inhabit our intestinal tract in check.

When these good bacteria die (from antibiotics) or are suppressed (by prescription steroids), the yeasts are allowed to grow to unhealthy levels, causing dysbiosis.

Yeast overgrowth is similar to food allergies in that there are a plethora of associated symptoms. This can lead to skepticism in many doctors; the symptoms are tough to define. Candidiasis commonly infects the ears, nose, and urinary and intestinal tracts.

Signs and Symptoms of Yeast Overgrowth

• constipation, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome • abdominal pain • bloating, gas, and indigestion • rash • bladder spasms and infections, • ear infections • sinus infections • rectal itching • itchy ears or nose • sugar or starch cravings • white tongue (thrush) • toe or finger nail infections • jock itch • chronic vaginal yeast infections • intestinal permeability • increased body odor • PMS • asthma • depression • chronic fatigue

Like most opportunistic infections, Candida and other yeasts may increase during times of stress. This overgrowth leaks toxins into the bloodstream or other tissues, allowing antigens (foreign invaders) to set up residence in various bodily tissues. Antigens then trigger complex allergic reactions. (This might explain why most individuals with chronic yeast overgrowth develop food, inhalant, and environmental allergies).

Allergic reactions can manifest in a variety of symptoms: fatigue, brain fog, depression, joint and muscle pain, digestive disorders, headache, rash, and breathing problems. Inflammation of the nose, throat, ears, bladder, and intestinal tract, can lead to infections of the sinus, respiratory, ear, bladder and intestinal membranes. In an attempt to arrest these infections, doctors might prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic. Such antibiotics promote yeast overgrowth and often times, additional symptoms. It invades the intestinal wall creating intestinal permeability. This allows toxins from microorganisms and protein molecules from your food enter the blood stream.

Remember, yeast feeds on sugars and on carbohydrates that easily convert to sugars. In turn, yeasts produce a series of chemical products as waste, among which are acetaldehyde and ethanol. Ethanol is alcohol, and there are cases of people who have never drunk a drop of alcohol yet are daily inebriated. Acetaldehyde is produced as the alcohol breaks down and is about six times more toxic to brain tissue than ethanol.

What Causes Yeast Overgrowth?

Birth control pills, food allergies, antibiotics, and corticosteroid therapy are all initiators of yeast overgrowth. A minor increase in intestinal yeast is usually not a problem, leading possibly to infection of the mouth (thrush) or vaginal lining (vaginitis or “a yeast infection”). The body’s immune defenses are usually strong enough to keep the yeast from taking over the intestinal tract. However, if yeast overgrowth is left unchallenged, more sinister symptoms appear. Yeasts can change into an invasive mycellial fungus with rhizoids (tentacle-like projections) that penetrate the lining of the intestinal tract. These projections can cause intestinal permeability and leak toxins across the cellular membranes.

Treatment of Yeast Overgrowth Yeast Overgrowth Protocol

Step 1: Eliminate yeast-producing foods with the Candida diet above. Also make sure you’re taking yeast-free supplements.

Step 2: Improve digestion. Gastric hydrochloric acid and pancreatic enzymes help keep Candida from overgrowing in the small intestine. Patients on Zantac, Nexium, or other acid-blocking drugs increase their risk for developing yeast overgrowth.

  • Supplement with pancreatic enzymes with each meal.
  • Supplement with betaine hydrochloric acid with each meal. Yeast can’t live in an acidic environment.

Step 3: Replace good bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. catnaforme, L. fermentum, and Bifidobacterium bifidum. These normally inhabit vaginal and gastrointestinal tracts; help digest, absorb, and produce certain nutrients; and keep potentially harmful bacteria and yeast in check.

Yogurt contains certain strains of good bacteria, but it isn’t standardized for a particular amount. Also, most yogurts are made from L. bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus. Both are friendly bacteria, but neither will help colonize the colon. So it’s best to use live organisms that are shipped on ice and then kept refrigerated until purchase. Live L. acidophilus and B. bifidum powders or capsules are preferred.

• Supplement with probiotics for three months: 10-50 billion organisms on an empty stomach each day. Some extremely resistant yeast infections may need continuous probiotic replacement therapy for up to one year.

Step 4: Reduce liver toxicity. Always take milk thistle and or alpha lipoic acid when taking yeast overgrowth (antifungal) prescription or natural medication.

Step 5: Treat your intestinal permeability. Yeast overgrowth can cause intestinal permeability and contribute to food sensitivities or allergies. Treat leaky gut and yeast overgrowth at the same time.

Step 6: Use natural antifungal medicines first.

Learn more about the testing used by Dr.Widenbaum and our approach to Candida.

Why continue to suffer from the debilitating effects of Candida and Yeast overgrowth.

Call to see if you qualify as a candidate for our Metabolic Recovery Program. Contact our office for a Free Consultation with Dr. Widenbaum at (925) 829-8484.

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