Candida Overgrowth: 7 Signs & 10 Things You Must Know About Treatment

Are you dealing with the following symptoms?

• Fatigue

• Constipation

• Brain Fog

• Poor concentration

• Cravings for sweets

• Unexplained weight gain

• Frequent urinary tract infections

If so, there is a chance you could have candida overgrowth.  In this blog, you will learn all you need to know about candida; symptoms & signs, causes, the different types of candida infections and treatment.

What is Candida?

Candida Albicans also known as Candidiasis or yeast overgrowth has become a hidden epidemic. It is becoming more and more of a major disease and can be found to be an underlying factor in many other diseases.

Candida yeast is a type of fungus. A fungus is a microorganism that is not beneficial for the body. Candida exists everywhere and we come into contact with it throughout the day on everything we touch, breathe and consume. However, this is not the problem. Candida is generally not a problem unless it overgrows and interferes with the balance of friendly bacteria in the body. Overgrowth can lead to many health concerns. A balance is always an indication of optimal health.

symptoms and signs

When we first think of Candida our thoughts involve women and yeast infections. This is one example of overgrowth, but Candidiasis affects both sexes and many age groups. Its main habitat is the digestive tract.  Other types of candida infection include:

• White flaky skin

• Vaginal discharge

• Jock itch

• Athlete’s foot

• Heavy coated white tongues

• Colic and thrush in children

Candida can show up in many ways, present with many or no symptoms and can lead to symptoms of fatigue, constipation, fuzzy thinking, poor concentration, lethargy, weight gain, and many more symptoms. If you think you are dealing with a candida infection, treatment can be given. especially if it is the cause of the problem.

Candida Treatment

With proper treatment, Candida Albicans can be healed in a short amount of time (unless there are other underlying causes). Treatments must include 3 important components:

1. DIET

2. EXERCISE

3. DETOX PROTOCOLS  (to remove toxins from the body as well as enable and optimize the body’s innate ability to do its daily requirements)

9 Things You Need to Know About Treatment:

1. To ‘cure’ candida it is necessary to destroy as many microorganisms or unfriendly bacteria as possible and restore a healthful balance of friendly bacteria within the body.

2. With proper treatment, a wholesome diet, and lifestyle changes, Candida Albicans can be healed within months (unless other underlying causes prolong the treatment)

3. Candida overgrowth can recur at any time the body’s immune system and energy levels reach a low state for a period of time. A weakened body creates a breeding ground for all types of unfriendly microorganisms

4. Traces of candida can remain in the body even after treatment

5. New yeast cells can easily enter the body from the outside sources daily

6. A healthy individual maintains enough friendly bacteria in the body to counteract and prevent overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria and therefore prevent the overgrowth of candida

7. For successful treatment, all yeast cells present in the body must be eliminated and keep the body strong for any contact in future with daily doses of yeast

8. A person must raise the body’s health and wellness levels to avoid recurrence of infection and yeast overgrowth. This is where diet and lifestyle play a major role in the optimization of health

9. Cleansing programs can assist the body to heal, boost the immune system and help remove candida yeast from the body

10. Once treatment is successful, yeast growth in the body may be controlled by taking supplements, and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.

WRAP IT UP

Candidiasis, or yeast overgrowth can present in many different ways. It can be the cause of the symptoms one may be experiencing. Treatment will depend on the health of the individual as well as any other underlying causes that have not been addressed. Overall, yeast is present everywhere and the goal is to create an optimal state of health that prevents overgrowth from occurring. A balanced diet and lifestyle are important for everyone’s treatment.

Holidays with Adrenal Fatigue: 5 Tips to Survive and Thrive

Why is it that when we are supposed to be celebrating tradition and spending quality time with family and friends we find ourselves ridiculously busy, stress and on the verge of burnout? The holidays can be a challenging time even for the healthiest of people. When you have adrenal fatigue the added stress that the holiday season brings can lead to major adrenal burnout and flare-ups. Here are 5 secrets to surviving the holidays with adrenal fatigue (and make sure you stay till the end, we want to give you a special holiday gift. It's a lifesaver).

Tip #1 byof

Bring Your Own Food. The holidays are filled with get-togethers focused around food. If you are suffering from food intolerances or allergies as a result of your adrenal fatigue, you most likely have had to give some foods up along the way. If so, you know how frustrating it can be to go to these gatherings. Bringing your own food means that you can still enjoy food and you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out the entire time.

If you’ve been following me for a while you know that on my adrenal fatigue healing journey I gave up many foods. Actually, the only thing I never gave up eating is vegetables. I gave up dairy, meat, sugar, gluten, grains, you name it I tried it. Not just for a couple weeks, but for months and sometimes even years at a time. And just for the record I am not suggesting that or believe you need to give up a bunch of foods in order to heal your adrenal fatigue. But I get what you’re going through and that’s why I always bring food with me, wherever I go.

I am not suggesting that or believe you need to give up a bunch of foods in order to heal your adrenal fatigue. But I get what you’re going through. That’s why I always bring food with me, wherever I go.

What are your favorite alternative food choices that you don’t want to live without during the holidays? Do you have a good or funny story about sharing your specialty foods with your loved ones?

Tip #2 Boost Your Immune System

During the holiday we do more traveling to the mall, to the supermarket, to events and get-togethers which all bring opportunities to come into contact with germs and other icky bugs that might be lurking around. And because as adrenal fatigue sufferers we already have compromised immune systems, we might be more susceptible and find ourselves constantly “under the weather” at this time of year.  Not good! Getting sick would put a huge damper on our capacity to celebrate.

Be pro-active about your health this season.  Keep yourself healthy by doing a few things to boost the immune system. Go to sleep just a bit earlier than usual each night. Cut down on the sugar intake when you aren’t out celebrating and (this is one of my favorites) use essential oils to protect yourself. Personally, I use the Doterra Oil called Onguard. This oil can be used internally to support the immune and respiratory system and can also be used externally as a non-toxic cleaner to protect against environmental threats. I use it at the first sign of the sniffles or as a preventive by diffusing it in the house or adding a few drops of distilled water and spraying down germ-infested areas like the airplane seat or grocery cart. I am not saying to walk around being a germaphobe to the point where you create anxiety for yourself or others, but simply being prepared can reduce your risk AND make you feel more in control and empowered.

My other favorite immune boosting ritual is drinking Echinacea tea or taking an Echinacea extract, which you can find at a health food store. Some people like Emergen-C or Airborne which are also great options. What essential vitamins and supplements support your immune system? Make sure you don’t forget to take them.

Tip #3 Don’t Fall Into the Crazy Trap

When everyone around you is running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done it’s easy to feel like that is what you are supposed to do too. Just because our society buys into the belief that this time of year has to be crazy, doesn’t mean that it’s true, or that it has to be true for you—no matter what the people around you are doing.   I am telling you that it is possible to avoid that trap. What if you could be that person in line at the supermarket or at the mall while everyone else is huffing and puffing, saying rude things to the checker or just acting annoyed, who is stays cool, calm and collected? You can be an example of what else is possible. And as Gandhi would say “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

Tip # 4 Do Your Shopping Online

We have such a luxury now that didn’t exist even 10 –years-ago where you can pretty much buy anything online that you need. So unless you enjoy being out and about this time of year or you have a great deal of patience consider doing all your shopping this year from the convenience of your own cozy couch. Get yourself a cup of your favorite tea, put on some calming music and shop away.  There are lots of options for online shopping these days—it’s not Amazon or nothing. So if you like to shop small or local, check to see if your favorite physical shops have websites…these days you’d be surprised at how many do!

Tip #5 Emotionally Prepare for Your Loved Ones

No matter how close we are to our loved ones or how much we love seeing them during the holidays, it doesn’t negate the fact that family has the ability to bring up a lot of our old “stuff” including limiting beliefs about ourselves, insecurities, failures, etc.

Prepare yourself emotionally by taking some time before you see them to center yourself. Say positive affirmations to yourself. Remind yourself how amazing you are and that your old choices no longer define who you are. Get plenty of sleep and visualize yourself having positive and loving interactions with these people.

I have just given you 5 easy tips to surviving the holidays with adrenal fatigue.

Now I’d love to hear from you. What things do you do to guarantee more fun and less stress during the holidays? How do you avoid flair up during the holidays? What has been the most helpful piece of information shared here?

Please share this blog with friends, family and/or colleagues you feel could benefit from this information.

All my best,

Angela

Essential Foods for Adrenal Fatigue Recovery: Top 5 Superfoods

Food is the best medicine. But, when it comes to adrenal fatigue recovery there is so much advice out there about food, right? It’s confusing and often conflicting.  We want to share the top 5 adrenal superfoods, essential foods for adrenal fatigue recovery. We are firm believers that adrenal fatigue recovery is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. However, because adrenal fatigue is a condition of depletion, nourishing the body with the proper foods is a foundation component of adrenal healing.

We are about to share with you 5 adrenal fatigue superfoods. These superfoods are the foundation of our healing system we have used to heal 100's of our clients because they are key to balancing your hormones and nourishing your body.

1. Eat Healthy Fats

Thank goodness the non-fat craze of the 90s is over, but there are still many that cringe at the thought of eating fats. What you need to remember is that fats from whole foods, meat and dairy are very different than those of highly processed foods and our bodies and brain need various types of fats for optimal functioning.

Many people suffering from adrenal fatigue have cut calories to try to lose weight. An adrenal fatigue diet should not be a particularly low calorie diet. In fact, this can worsen adrenal fatigue and therefore results in a slower metabolism and weight gain. Eating healthy fats IS calorie dense, but they are a critical part of stabilizing blood sugars, nourishing the nervous system, and balancing all of the hormones that are interconnected with adrenal function.

Examples of healthy fats: are butter, coconut oil, lard, olive oil (not for cooking), ghee, palm oil; nuts, seeds, avocados and fatty fishes –like wild salmon and sardines. Don’t worry about writing these down because in just a minute we are going to give you a list of all of these.

2. Eat Fermented Foods

Fermented foods help to promote healthy gut function. Healthy gut function ensures adequate nutrient absorption, and promotes a strong immune system, and mood and hormone health. Examples of fermented foods are saurkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, kefir, kombucha, yogurt – Try to have a variety in order to get a variety of probiotics. At least 1 serving per day.

3. Eat Resistant Starches

Most people assume that when blood sugar balance is important, low/no carbohydrate diet is the key. But for some people, cutting out high carbohydrate foods can actually make adrenal fatigue WORSE. Resistant starches actually serve to lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which is critical for balanced energy, moods, and maintaining a healthy weight. They also act as prebiotics, which help to feed the good bacteria in your gut.

Examples of Resistant Starches: cooked and cooled rice, legumes, and potatoes; plantains, green bananas and yucca root. Frequency and quantity will vary depending on your unique blood sugar balance and macronutrient needs (ratios of carbs, proteins and fats).

4. Eat High Protein Foods

Well-sourced meats, fish, eggs, organ meats (yes, liver), gelatin, raw dairy, nuts, seeds, tempeh, and beans. Having protein with each meal is an important part of creating blood sugar stability. This is especially important with breakfast – it really is the more important meal of the day.

5. Eat Bone Broth

We recommend a ½ cup to 1 cup a day. Get or make good quality chicken, fish, pork, or beef broth. Drink it straight, add it to soups, use it to sauté veggies or cook grains. The glycosaminoglycans and minerals in bone broth help create healthier gut function and nutrient absorption. For more on gut health and nutrient absorption check out this...

There you go, the top 5 superfoods, the essential foods for adrenal fatigue recovery. So what’s next? We want to help you make the next step super easy so we’ve prepare a special gift for you, our Adrenal Healing Food Guide. This guide will give you 5 more essential foods for adrenal fatigue recovery with a list of foods for each category. It also includes the top 5 adrenal fatigue foods to avoid.

To get your hands on the “Adrenal healing Food Guide”, simply enter your name and email and we will send it right to you.

Now we’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Which of these superfoods are you going to start adding to your diet? What are your favorite foods for adrenal fatigue recovery? We are a healing community and your share will support others on their healing journey. So take a moment to drop us a line below.

Xoxo,
Dr. Holly German

Improve Digestion With Adrenal Fatigue

So most likely if you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue you have experienced poor digestion at one time or another. Maybe you've even had to give up certain foods because you have developed food sensitivities or allergies? That was me just a few years ago. And if you have poor digestion you know how uncomfortable it can be. And to make matters worse, poor digestion can have many other side effects like toxic buildup, poor gut health and poor nutrient absorption, so it’s not something you want to ignore. I will be sharing 5 simple ways to improve digestion with adrenal fatigue. So, lets dive in!

1. Chew slowly and chew well!

So simple right? You might not know this but the process of digestion starts right away in the mouth. An enzyme, amylase in saliva helps the initial digestion of foods, particularly starches.

2. Add Glycosaminoglycans

Glycosaminoglycans are found in things like bone broth and gelatin. They help build healthy nutrients for the gut.

3. Eating Fermented Foods Regularly & Consider a High-Quality Probiotic

Fermented foods include natural probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria you need in your digestive tract in order to properly digest your food and help with nutrient absorption.

If you’re like me and grew up taking antibiotics, that kill beneficial bacteria in the gut, most likely you lack these beneficial bacteria critical for proper digestion. Of course antibiotics have their place, but it just means we need to be proactive about adding the good bacteria back in. We recommend taking a high quality probiotic at least 2-3x/week.

4. Add in Resistant Starches

Resistant starches are a type of dietary fiber naturally found in many carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes, grains and beans.  Resistant starches increase your body's ability to burn fat, fills you up and reduces overall hunger. Its health benefits are truly impressive as well. Studies show it improves blood sugar control, boosts immunity, and may even reduce your risk of cancer.

5. Drink Warm Lemon Water or Apple Cider Vinegar Before Meals

Lemon juice is similar to the digestive juices found in the stomach. When you drink lemon juice the liver produces bile, which helps food move through your gastrointestinal tract easily.

Apple cider vinegar is loaded with raw enzymes and gut-friendly bacteria we just talked about that promote gut health and healing.

So I’ve just given you 5 simple ways to improve digestion with adrenal fatigue.

Now I would love to hear from you in the comments below. What is your burning question? Or what has been the most helpful way you’ve improved your digestion? This is a healing community and your comments could be just what someone else needs to hear. So please take a moment to drop us a line below.

Love, 

Dr. Holly German

For more great health tips check out: https://www.positivehealthwellness.com/