How To Stop Yeast Overgrowth
Candidiasis, popularly known as yeast infection, is an overgrowth of the body’s natural yeast that has been allowed to flourish and overpower the other healthy organisms in the body. The immune system and healthy bacterial microorganisms generally keep candida from overgrowing. In the absence of these elements, candida flourishes and gives rise to the dreaded fungal infection. The infection will usually reveal itself through symptoms in the mouth and genitals, but its affects can also be systemic.
Candidiasis has been affecting people for generations. Statistics show that as much as 75% of the population experiences symptoms linked with candida overgrowth. Candida overgrowth can be easily recognized through some of its more common symptoms such as itching in the genitals or white patches around or in the mouth. There are other subtle symptoms, but people generally fail to recognize them until the infection has spread beyond the initial stage. Some of the symptoms of yeast infections that get ignored are gas, exhaustion, depression, and cold hands.
Removing sugar from the sufferer’s diet is essential, since any kind of sugar feeds candida. Clearly, the first food that must be removed from the diet is any type of sweetener. Foods that rapidly transform into sugar must also be eradicated until the condition clears. Nearly all grains must be eliminated, as well as white rice. One of the worst choices of food is flour, as well as other elements that contain gluten. This means bread, pastries, cereal, crackers, and pretzels cannot be consumed. Fruit and juice should also be limited until the imbalance has righted itself, because fruits contain natural sugars that will feed candida.
Because processed foods add stress to the body, contain refined sugars and grains, and have no nutritional value, they should be avoided completely. Be sure to eat only meat that has been raised without the use of antibiotics, since antibiotics not only kill bad microorganisms, but the good ones as well.
To fight a yeast infection, it is advised to eat as more vegetables, natural meats, healthy dairy options, and fruit. Such a diet will strengthen the body’s immune system to defend against a candida outbreak. Since sugar is a friend of candida, care should be taken to select fruits that do not have a high sugar content. The best choices are citrus fruits, namely limes, lemons, and grapefruit. It is also recommended that sufferers do not eat dairy without live cultures. People can also improve the health of their body bacteria by enjoying fermented foods daily, such as yogurt, tempeh, miso, and sauerkraut. For a health source of protein and carbohydrates, antibiotic-free meats and fiber-rich foods such as millet, buckwheat, and brown rice should be eaten regularly.
There is also an array of supplements that help cure the body from yeast infection. Options most people already have in their kitchens include curry, cloves, cinnamon, and coriander. Other common kitchen supplies, such as oregano oil, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and ginger are also helpful. Many of these supplements can be found at health food stores.
If left unchecked, candida infections can quickly turn into other major ailments with more drastic outcomes. Thus, it is imperative that this infection is treated at the very onset. Eating an anti-candida diet is a great way of battling this persistent fungus. It will assist in arresting the growth of the infection as well as ensuring the long term good health of the affected individual.
