CANDIDA AND THE GUT
An imbalance in your gut flora can lead to an overgrowth of a yeast called Candida (Candida albicans), a type of fungus that lives naturally within the human body and aids digestion and nutrient absorption. When your candida levels are out of balance, the organism is kept in check by your good bacteria. If your microflora is imbalanced, however, candida can become destructive, breaking down the wall of the intestine and penetrating into the bloodstream, thereby releasing toxic by-products into your body that can cause a raft of debilitating symptoms. If you have an autoimmune problem there’s a good chance you have an imbalance in your gut microflora and an overgrowth of yeast in your body.
SUPERCHARGED TIP
Coconut oil is a heart-healthy saturated fat that balances cholesterol and supports immune system function. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a proven antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal agent that’s easily digested and absorbed. It helps the body eliminate toxins as well as improving digestion, and assists with the absorption of beneficial nutrients from our food. The best coconut oil to buy is one that’s cold- or expeller-pressed and unrefined. It’s the best oil to use for cooking as it has a high smoke point.
SIMPLE YEAST TEST
Here’s a simple test you can do to see whether yeast has overgrown in your body. It takes 15 minutes and all you need is a glass of water and a sample of your own saliva.
Here’s how to do it:
1 Within 30 minutes of waking up, fill a glass with water and spit into it. Make sure you do it before you rinse, spit, or eat or drink anything.
2 Wait 15 minutes then determine your result:
* NORMAL: Your saliva floats on the surface.
* HIGH LEVELS OF YEAST: The glass is cloudy and your saliva sinks to the bottom like sediment. If your saliva floats but has tiny strings hanging down into the water that make it look like a jellyfish, or you see specks within the water, this could also mean you have too much yeast in your system.
If you’re worried about your yeast levels, it’s always best to visit your local integrative medical practitioner, who can take swabs, or blood, stool or urine samples to check for yeast overgrowth.
REBALANCING YOUR YEAST LEVELS
Candida and bad bacteria feed off sugar, so it’s vitally important to avoid sugar for a period of time to kill off the bad bacteria in your gut. Any food that will break down into sugar very quickly – white bread, white rice – and a diet high in fruit or carbohydrates, such as pasta and even oats, will be a feast for bad bacteria. Avoiding these foods as much as possible for a period of time will starve bad bacteria and prevent them outnumbering friendly bacteria. If you’re stumped as to how to create delicious sugar-free meals, you’ll find lots of recipes in this book (look for the SF icon) and on my website – or check out my online bookshelf, which contains a bunch of sugar-free recipe books from wonderful sugar-free bloggers and authors.
Increasing your intake of dietary fiber, anti-inflammatory healthy fats – such as extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed (linseed) oil, cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil and avocados – and increasing antioxidant-rich foods will help eliminate and destroy bad bacteria.
Garlic is a particularly potent natural antiseptic. It’s been shown to be effective against 24 out of 26 strains of candida. It destroys unfriendly bacteria while boosting good bacteria. When I was healing my gut, garlic was one of my strongest allies.
Fiber-rich foods such as nuts and seeds, and an abundance of fresh vegetables including leafy greens, will sweep out candida and other yeasts from your system and have an alkalizing effect on the magical universe within, promoting a healthy gut-flora balance. Research from the University of Illinois has also shown that eating dietary fiber can have an impact on the health of our gut bacteria and promote a shift in our microbiome toward different types of beneficial bacteria. Fiber is fundamental for our gut ecosystem and helps it stay balanced.
For more drastic candida and other yeast elimination protocols, supplements such as oil of oregano, black walnut, burdock root, goldenseal, olive leaf extract, grapefruit seed extract and pau d’arco are terrific natural options. All are discussed in greater detail in the “Natural antibiotics and antimicrobials” section of this book (see here). Remember, it’s really important to be aware that whenever taking supplements, you need to introduce them slowly and one at a time so that you don’t overwhelm your body, and always follow your healthcare practitioner’s advice with regard to dosages. The golden rule is not to jump into any anti-candida regimen too quickly.
Garlic is a particularly potent natural antiseptic. It’s been shown to be effective against 24 out of 26 strains of candida. It destroys unfriendly bacteria while boosting good bacteria.