Candidiasis, yeast of burden.

Candida albicans is a complex parasitic yeast-like fungus that inhabits the intestines, genital tract, mouth, oesophagus and throat. Normally this fungus lives in healthy balance along with a host of other organisms and does not cause problems. Certain conditions can allow the Candida to multiply and cause a condition known as candidiasis. When this happens, the Candida enters the bloodstream and spreads to different organ systems. This is when the condition is called “systemic” and is no longer a simple local infection.

Along with hundreds of other microscopic organisms, Candida albicans makes up part of the human digestive flora more recently known as the gut microbiome or microbiota. We have a lot more of these micro¬organisms living in our digestive systems than you may suspect.

In fact, put together they would account for up to two kilos of your total weight. These micro-organisms help digest your food, create a healthy immune system and even make certain vitamins. When the digestive flora are out of balance, Candida organisms are able to overwhelm the “good” digestive flora and cause candidiasis.

Why is Candidiasis a Problem?

The metabolic processes of Candida, whether in the yeast or fungal form, cause Candida to release a host of by-products that are responsible for Candida’s nasty side-effects. Of these by-products, acetaldehyde, ammonia and uric acid are the most notorious and are responsible for symptoms ranging through brain fog, fatigue, weight gain and digestive problems.

It’s not true that “we all have Candida in our guts”. Although, alarmingly, a German study in 2004 found that 70 per cent of people studied had Candida present in their digestive systems. This does not mean that 70 per cent of the population is sick.

If Candida remains in small numbers alongside a host of other microbes making up a diverse but healthy digestive flora, there is no problem. The problem exists when Candida increases in numbers and gets out of control.

Modern medicine is learning more and more about the significance of bowel flora and its impact on health. We now understand that an imbalance in healthy gut flora can impact not only on digestion but also mental health, immunity and even our susceptibility to allergies. Despite this, systemic Candidiasis in “healthy.’ people is not yet recognized by mainstream medicine.

 

Can Candida Albicans Become Life Threatening?

Candida albicans however, is well known in mainstream medicine as it can be life-threatening for those with a compromised immune system. It is of particular concern, for example, in those with cancer or AIDS or those undergoing organ transplant procedures. Candida has become the fourth-largest cause of hospital-acquired infection in the US.

Candida manages to grow and spread throughout the body via its fungal form. This involves the single-celled yeast developing long arms or hyphae. These hyphae enable the Candida to multiply along the gastrointestinal tract, mouth and vagina. Unfortunately, human body temperature is a perfect environment for Candida, which is very comfortable at 37 degrees Celsius.

Candida also prefers a neutral or slightly alkaline pH. Given half a chance, it will work very hard to create its perfect pH.

Candida actively works to reduce the acidity in your gut by producing the alkaline gas, ammonia. This changes the pH in the intestines from acidic to neutral or slightly alkaline. This alteration in pH allows Candida to change from its single-celled yeast form to its pathogenic fungal form.

Yeasts like candida contain decarboxylases, enzymes that convert putrefy amino acids into vasoactive remaining which calls alterations in the permeability of blood vessels and other tissues, affecting how easily materials permeate the walls of the cells. Vasoactive amines can cause the leaky gut  syndrome and work to dissolve the intestinal membrane.

Candida albicans can produce more than 400 mycotoxins, any of which can cause systemic illness. A mycotoxin is a fungal poison, more specifically it is a toxic chemical released into the blood is a byproduct of yeast metabolism or from cell fragments from dead yeast cells. some of these mycotoxins like acetyaldehyde and alcohol can produce the feelings of being hung over that many patients affected with candida tend to experience.

One mycotoxin in particular, gliotoxin, has been shown to suppress the immune system to clear the ability of the white blood cells to engulf foreign material. it suppresses the timeless gland, the lymph nodes, the spleen and the bone marrow in the production of the white blood cells. Gliotoxin also interferes with the normal glutathione metabolism, the depletion of glutathione not only logs the candida patient this important antioxidant but it contributes to other systemic illnesses associated with low levels of glutathione such as sensitivities, allergies and symptoms of chemical sensitivity.

What are the Symptoms of Candida Yeast Infection?

Yeast infection symptoms can appear as superficial complaints such as oral thrush, vaginal thrush or even fungal toes. These outbreaks are often treated topically with creams, only to return.  For more on yeast infection symptoms , click here. If the origin of the external fungal infection is the gut, the recurrence is easily explained. The ease with which the fungal form of Candida can travel from your gut to other body tissues means the infection needs to be treated holistically and not just topically.

Leaky gut and candidiasis are often linked, with candidiasis being one of the most common causes. When Candida turns pathogenic and grows its arm-like hyphae, these branches attach themselves to the cells lining the digestive tract and literally break through it. This allows large food molecules to easily move into the bloodstream where the immune system has to clean up the mess, so to speak. This can lead to immune dysregulation and even digestive inflammation and the appearance of symptoms that are often associated with food allergies.

There is also some thought that this burdening of the immune system due to leaky gut can cause the immune system to inappropriately attack our own bodies, resulting in autoimmune disease. Some autoimmune diseases that are associated with Candida include fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.This fungal yeast infection can be controlled by the assistance of a comprehensive and tested Anti Candida diet.

Find out how to stop Candida  here

For information on what are the causes of Candida, Visit  here.

From our hearts to yours,