Candida is a yeast. A yeast is a single-celled organism, a fungus. There are nine types that can cause disease, but Candida Albicans is the most common form. In healthy people, yeast lives in harmony with friendly bacteria in the gut and other mucosal membranes of the body, but it can grow out of control. The yeast feeds on sugars and carbohydrates. The friendly, fragile bacteria, which normally keep the yeast in check, can easily be destroyed by medications, intestinal disturbances, stress, etc. Growing out of balance in relationship to other healthy microorganisms, the yeast/fungi begin to create toxins. They attach themselves and begin to degrade the intestinal walls, leading to “leaky gut syndrome” and inflammation. The deterioration of the intestinal walls allows the yeast by-products and undigested food particles to enter the blood stream. Once in the bloodstream, these toxins have access to the whole body. The entire body can become toxic. The most sensitive tissues of the body are likely to be affected. Areas such as the mucosal membranes and the brain are easy targets.

 

People may have symptoms that appear totally unrelated to the Candida such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Colitis, Chrohn’s Disease), vaginal yeast infections, prostatitis, headaches, sinus issues, allergies and thrush (white tongue), to name a few. (For a more complete list of possible symptoms, please see “Symptoms.”) Sugar feeds the Candida (as it feeds the yeast in baking).   The resulting by-products are neurotoxins such as formaldehyde, alcohol and acetylaldehyde. As a result of Candida overgrowth, a person’s nervous system can become disrupted from the neurotoxins it produces. Autism is one example of this.

 

Another result of Candida overgrowth is a weakened immune system. People may find themselves constantly sick with every cold or flu virus that comes along. 

 

Candida is resistant to antibiotics, and its life is determined by the intestinal environment. When the environment in the intestines changes in ways that are not healthy for the Candida and its reproductive cycle, it will not continue to live in the same numbers.