Contents
In this article you will learn, among others:
- What are the effects of yeast development in the body?
- What are the causes of candidiasis?
- What are the symptoms of candidiasis?
- How do you treat a candidia infection?
- What does the antifungal diet look like?
- How to cure mycosis?
What are the effects of yeast development in the body?
Candidiasis, also known as thrush, is the result of the intensive development of fungi of the genus Candidia, primarily of the genre Candidia albicans – they are responsible for over 80% of cases of this disease. Treatment is difficult and time-consuming, and the basic tool in the fight against candidiasis is a proper diet. The use of antifungal antibiotics, unfortunately, often misses the point, because after a few weeks the disease recurs and the fungus becomes resistant to the drugs used.
Yeasts of the genus Candidia they occur as a natural component of the gastrointestinal microflora in most people, and their presence does not adversely affect health. The problem begins when they are provided with the right conditions for development and the immune system is weakened. Then, excessive colonization of the host organism by these microorganisms takes place. Yeasts can colonize individual organs and systems (e.g. mycoses of the skin, individual parts of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system) or lead to systemic mycosis.
What are the causes of candidiasis?
One of the main reasons is certainly incorrect diet, based on highly processed products, rich in simple sugars, and not providing adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Risk factors are also all situations that reduce the immunity of our body. Excessive colonization Candidia albicans often occurs as a result of long-term use of antibiotics, as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. People using hormonal and contraceptive drugs are also at risk. The disease quite often appears during pregnancy, in diabetics and the elderly.
What are the symptoms of candidiasis?
Diagnosing candidiasis is very difficult, mainly due to the non-specific symptoms that make it often confused with other diseases. Intestinal yeasts impede the absorption of nutrients and lead to many deficiencies, and the waste products of microorganisms are toxic to the body. The list of all symptoms of candidiasis is very long. You can mention, among others bad breath, intestinal gas, nausea, diarrhea or flatulence, food intolerances and allergies, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome. Quite a specific symptom is white patches on the tongue and an unrestrained desire to eat starchy products and sweets.
As a result of candidiasis, we often deal with drowsiness, lack of energy, difficulty in maintaining concentration, changing mood, headaches and dizziness, and anxiety attacks. In patients there are problems with maintaining a proper body weight, both overweight and underweight may appear. The symptoms depend on the type of candidiasis and where it occurs.
How do you treat a candidia infection?
The treatment is often long and requires a lot of patience and consistency in following the diet. Especially in the initial phase, it is quite restrictive and imposes many restrictions. The most important expected effect is the restoration of the proper microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. What can we achieve by limiting the consumption of all types of simple sugars, products with a high glycemic index and highly processed.
What does the antifungal diet look like?
So you should eliminate sugar, honey, confectionery, wheat-flour products, white rice, canned and instant products. Most fruits should also be avoided, except for grapefruit, lemons and avocados. At the beginning of treatment, all lactose-containing dairy products should be eliminated, only natural kefirs and yoghurts containing live bacteria should be left behind. The diet should not include products for the production of which yeast was used. Treatment is not conducive to the consumption of alcohol, coffee and black tea. It is very important to set aside vinegar, mustards, ketchup, pickles, dips, etc.
Diet despite many limitations should fully cover the body’s energy and nutritional needs. It should be based only on products of natural origin. The menu should contain the right amount of dietary fiber, and thus a large amount of vegetables (preferably raw), as well as wholemeal products, coarse grains, brown rice, nuts, legumes (except for such products as: tofu and soy sauces). Among the meat dishes, you should choose mainly lean products – poultry, veal, rabbit and fish.
It is extremely important to consume the right amount of fluids (minimum 2 liters), it prevents the increase in the amount of toxins in the body. It is best to drink mineral water, vegetable juices and herbal teas, white and green. High-quality, cold-pressed vegetable oils should not be missing in your diet. They are a valuable source omega-3 fatty acidswhich have an anti-inflammatory effect, in addition to the popular rapeseed oil and olive oil, linseed oil is also recommended. As you feel better and your symptoms improve, you can gradually increase the variety of the diet, e.g. by introducing flour products.
It must be remembered that the disease may relapse even after 2-3 years. Therefore, you should follow the rules of healthy eating and use products or preparations probiotic (containing appropriately selected bacterial cultures) i prebiotic (stimulating the growth of normal bacterial microflora).
How to cure mycosis?
Some products have particularly high healing properties. These include garlic, unsaturated fatty acids and preparations based on aloe. It has also been shown that supplementation with zinc, chromium, selenium, magnesium, silicon and Pau D’arco preparations (obtained from the bark of the Tabeus tree growing in South America, they strengthen the immune system and have anti-inflammatory properties) has a positive effect. The effectiveness of the diet can be increased through the use of herbal infusions and spices. Based on the observations, it is concluded that acupuncture, biological regeneration, sauna use and ozone therapy (most often intravenous ozone injection, which has a bactericidal and antifungal effect) bring good results. Do not forget about physical activity, which significantly increases the body’s resistance and is one of the main factors in the prevention of yeast infection.
The above nutritional recommendations should be the basis for fighting this troublesome disease, but it should be remembered that the diet should be adjusted individually, depending on the type of candidiasis and the patient’s health condition.