According to a Rice University (Texas) study, candida is becoming a growing health concern worldwide with 70% of the adult population are affected by candida inside their systems. Candida and particularly pathogenic Candida Albicans is a fungal infection that spreads in the form of colonies in various body tissues like the intestines, mouth, skin and even genitals. Although it is a bit hard to spot, it can manifest externally in the form of skin rashes, cracked skin, dry scalp and hair, itching of genitals, pains, and other signs of inflammation.
The immune system can keep candida under control but if our systems get weakened by stress, diet or other lifestyle factors, candida will soon grow out of control and lead to even more intense health problems. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that 60% of hospital infections are due to Candida being present which infests the blood and prevents any recovery.
If like most people, suffer from Candida symptoms like skin problems or fatigue, you can effectively keep it under control with some diet and lifestyle changes. Here are some “rules” to do it:
Eat plenty of lean proteins and green veggies. Lean proteins like chicken breasts, fat-free steaks and green vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli are diet sources that supply the body with nutrients minus the sugars found in fruits and sweets. When it comes to controlling candida, you don’t want to eat sugar and carbs as these essentially become the food of Candida and help it spread further inside your system.
Avoid foods that contain any yeast/fungus. As Candida is a yeast infection itself, you certainly don’t want to feed it with its own kind. Foods that contain yeast are yeast-made bread, mushrooms, beer, and most hard cow milk cheeses (cottage cheeses are ok).
Season your food with strong, aromatic herbs and spices. Besides adding flavor and dimension to your dishes, many herbs and spices can actually kill candida--or at least help control it. Some good herbs to season your food for this purpose are oregano, garlic (preferably fresh), lemon juice and zest, watercress, cloves, thyme, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, anise and turmeric. You can also drink some tinctures and teas with detoxifying herbs such as this one, provided they are pure and sugar-free.
Take probiotics. Probiotics are the good bacteria your body needs to counteract bacterial imbalances that lead to Candida and help promote good gut health. Whenever these are in very low numbers, Candida finds an open door to spread and cause ill health. You can take probiotics from live food sources such as Greek yogurt or fermented foods like kimchi and pickles or through supplementation. Probiotics are widely available in all health food stores and drugstores so no need to search much to find the one that suits you.
Limit your sugar, alcohol and smoke intake. You’ve already heard that all these things are bad for your health and there are many reasons why--candida being one of them. When you constantly feed on these things, your system goes out of whack and allows candida to spread fast. Rare, occasional consumption e.g once every two months at a party is fine but anything more frequent could sabotage all your efforts to drive candida out of your system.
Have you tried any of the above to control your candida? Tells us your experience in the comments down below...