Candida Illnesses

There Is An Increasing Body Of Scientific Body Showing A Growning Number Of Candida Illnesses

For those who know that candida illnesses are due to infections from candida species, also known as yeast, one often thinks of vaginal yeast infections or perhaps “thrush”, a yeast infection of the mucus membranes of the mouth, common in young infants.

In fact, these two candida illnesses are probably the two most common diseases caused by candida experienced by almost everyone (especially women) at least once in their lifetime.

These conditions, however, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to candida illnesses.

Candida species are organisms that reside primarily in our mouths, skin, the uro-genital tract and the intestinal tract. They cause what are known as opportunistic infections.

Yeast organisms live relatively peacefully among the rest of the microbial habitat in our bodies until our immune system weakens or other conditions occur, such as the use of antibiotics or birth control pills, or perhaps the coexistence of any condition (usually diabetes) that raises blood sugar.

These conditions trigger yeast overgrowth and multiple candida symptoms can occur, depending on the site of overgrowth, which over time develops into candida Illnesses.

Overgrowth of candida occurs in the mouths of infants because their immune system against the candida organism is poor. Women who get vaginal yeast infections do so because they have an immune weakness, use antibiotics or because they have diabetes, pre-diabetes or use birth control or other hormone pills.

Other minor overgrowth conditions involving candida illnesses include balanitis (a penile infection) and skin candida infections of the moist folds of the skin, such as in the diaper area and beneath the breasts of women. Many dry, flaky scalp conditions are partially due to candida illnesses.

The type of candida overgrowth that leads to the most systemic complications, however, is that of candida overgrowth of the intestinal tract. Candida lives in small numbers in the colon which is usually dominated by healthy symbiotic bacteria.

Under some of the same conditions already described, particularly the use of antibiotics and elevated blood sugars, Candida finds its opportunity to overgrow and take over parts of the colon left unoccupied by the bacteria which have died off or don’t grow as well in sugary environments.

The end result is more than a simple candida infection which, of itself, causes cramps, diarrhea and abdominal pain and sets the stage for future candida illnesses. In fact, the effect of a yeast overgrowth in the colon can become systemic candida—beyond the bounds of just the colon.

Candida affects the colon in an unusual way. It seems to change its normal form from its healthy, rounded shape into its mycelial form which is spikier and felt to cause the lining of the intestine to become leaky. This, in turn, results in an influx of candida, undigested food materials, toxins and bacteria into the bloodstream.

As a result, multiple other diseases appear to be related to the influx of these foreign substances into the body which are often unrecognized as candida illnesses.

Candida releases over 70 toxins by itself and, along with toxins from bacteria and the environment, can cause symptoms related to toxicity, such as muscle or joint pain, fatigue and other symptoms attributable to the body’s response to toxicity.

Conditions like fibromyalgia , multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis may, in fact, be due to chronic candidiasis or chronic colon habitation with Candida.

Candida causes food-related items to pass through the intestinal wall that wouldn’t normally be absorbed. Food allergies such as gluten intolerance or eczema of the skin can be due to the immune system running in overdrive against an onslaught of toxins and unwanted foodstuffs.

Candida illnesses such as rheumatic conditions and other autoimmune diseases can be triggered by an immune system that is carried away because of the candida overgrowth.

In some cases, the presence of the more common diseases caused by candida illnesses such as those of the uro-genital tract or of the scalp can herald the presence of a deeper candida infection of the intestinal tract that is “feeding” other areas of the body and triggering infections that may not have been there otherwise.

Candida infections of the scalp cause scaly skin and hair loss which, if recurrent in spite of proper therapy, may mean that systemic yeast infection must be suspected. Other conditions are not directly related to candida overgrowth but have a common origin.

Polycystic ovarian disease is felt to be triggered by high insulin levels seen in pre-diabetics with insulin resistance and high blood sugars. In such cases, the coexistence of candida which carries the same origin needs to be considered.

The keys to understanding the significance of any given candida illness is to recognize the presence of a severe Infection and/or a recurring yeast infection. Infections involving more than one body area may be signs that candida has taken root on a systemic basis.