Many people automatically think about vaginal yeast infections when they hear the phrase "yeast infection." However, there are actually different types of yeast infections, and vaginal yeast infections aren't even the most common type. The most common type of yeast infection is known as candida, which can affect the vagina, but more commonly affects the mouth and intestinal tract. Candida has also been known to affect the throat, skin, mucous membranes, and blood. Discover the facts about candida, including the most common symptoms and natural treatments.
What is Candida?
Candida is actually a fungus that appears in everyone's body. It helps your body absorb nutrients from the food you eat and digest it properly. However, if your body's pH balance isn't on track, your body can produce more candida than it actually needs, which results in a condition known as candida overgrowth syndrome (COS). When you have COS, the additional candida that your body produces seeps through the intestine walls, penetrating the blood stream. When this happens, you can experience any one or more symptoms of COS.
Symptoms of COS
There are several symptoms of COS that may surprise you. In fact, not many people realize that a common yeast infection could be what's causing their chronic allergy and/or sinus problems or joint pain. Candida overgrowth syndrome can even lower your sex drive. Other symptoms of candida overgrowth syndrome include:
- White coating on your tongue
- Bad breath
- Weaker immune system
- Exhaustion
- Brain fog
- Depression
- Sweet food cravings
- Problems with digestion
- Urinary tract infection
- Hormone imbalance
Treating Candida Naturally
While the fastest way to cure an overgrowth of candida is by obtaining an antibiotic prescription from your physician, there are numerous ways that you can treat COS naturally.
- Eliminate milk, sugar, and other yeast-containing foods from your diet to starve the candida overgrowth.
- Regularly take an anti-fungal herb supplement to kill any bad bacteria in your gut. Olive leaf and grapefruit seed extract are both good options.
- Regularly take a probiotic supplement that promotes good gut health, regular bowel movements, and healthy bacteria.
It's common for people who are treating COS symptoms naturally to experience symptoms that are amplified while their body goes through the detox process to eliminate the overgrowth of candida in the body. So if you're treating your COS symptoms on your own, be prepared to feel more tired than normal or to experience bouts of uncontrollable emotions. During the detox phase, make sure you are giving yourself plenty of time to rest. This will help your body heal faster, and help keep you from feeling overwhelmed by the process.
The good news is that having an overgrowth of candida isn't a really serious issue. You can treat candida naturally and easily. If you do experience problems while treating your COS naturally or you have any questions about the process, you should consider contacting your regular doctor as soon as possible.
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