March 15, 2011 in Features Difficult to diagnose, yeast overgrowth can cause severe health problems Jessica Yadegaran Contra Costa Times

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  Common

candida symptoms

• Gas and bloating

• Lack of energy

• Foggy head

• Forgetfulness

• Nausea

• Skin rashes

Candida resources

• National Candida Center: Information center on causes, symptoms and cleansing and diet treatments for overgrowth ( nationalcandidacenter.com).

• The Candida Diet: A resource on foods to eat and avoid, plus recipes and a discussion forum (thecandidadiet.com).

Brad Crooker’s thirties were stressful. His hectic schedule as an actor and waiter was reflected in his poor diet – lots of muffins, cookies and other refined, on-the-go foods.

In addition to intestinal discomfort, he often found himself nauseous and fatigued. His symptoms were slowing him down.

“I was forgetful. sometimes I almost felt drunk,” recalls Crooker, now 56 and living in Danville, Calif. “I couldn’t function.”

A chiropractor Crooker was seeing for his back told him candida was likely the culprit. Candida is a yeast microorganism that lives in the body’s intestinal tract with other bacteria, such as healthful probiotics.

According to experts, the problem arises when an overgrowth of candida causes an infection, and a multitude of symptoms ensue.

Candida overgrowth is difficult to diagnose. A lack of significant medical studies means most Western doctors don’t recognize it as a condition, except when it appears as a recurring yeast infection in women.

Most sufferers turn to holistic health practitioners who use various techniques, such as measuring yeast levels in stool, to diagnose candida overgrowth and treat it with supplements, antifungal medications and, most important, a change in diet.

Candida diets vary. but the overarching idea is that because yeast is a fermenting organism, you should eliminate foods that convert into alcohol – sugar, certain fruits – and can flourish in the gut as a yeast overgrowth, explains Elson Haas.

Haas, a medical doctor and director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, Calif., specializes in integrated medicine and is the author of seven books on health and nutrition.

“In addition to excessive sugars, the overuse of antibiotics and alcohol has caused us to kill off some of the vital microfloral in our intestinal tracts,” he says.

So, the best thing you can do is stop feeding the yeast what it thrives on and replenish with good bacteria, such as yogurt and probiotic supplements.

That means bread is out, too. Haas recommends a diet that is low in sugar, high in protein and includes low-glycemic vegetables.

To kill off an existing candida overgrowth, he uses prescription medications – such as fluconazole, an antifungal – and natural remedies such as castor bean oil extract and caprylic acid.

Crooker used some of those remedies. He switched to a diet of whole foods, including vegetables, yogurt, eggs and fish. And he stopped eating bread, cheese and alcohol.

It took about four months before he felt better.

“I went through withdrawals and started tasting yeast in my mouth at first,” Crooker recalls. “I was starving for those foods I gave up.

“But eventually, I felt better. I had energy, and I could think clearly.”

In some people, the toxins produced by the yeast overgrowth can be absorbed into the body and affect the brain’s function.

“That’s why people complain about feeling foggy and having memory issues,” Haas says. “Some people with candida overgrowth can even produce small alcohol levels in their blood.”

Pubali Ray Chaudhuri didn’t have that symptom, but she did have persistent intestinal bloating and discomfort whenever she ate sugar or aged cheeses.

She discovered her candida overgrowth in 2001, and found help through a naturopath who put her on a yeast-free diet and a round of nystatin, another antifungal medication.

“The diet was restrictive and interfered with a lot of things, like eating out,” says Ray Chaudhuri, 38, of Newark, Calif. “It was difficult, but it worked.”

Even though her overgrowth is gone, most fermented foods, including tofu and mushrooms, still cause her intestinal discomfort. so she sticks to what she calls “a modified version” of the Atkins diet, avoiding refined sugars and carbohydrates.

Not everyone who treats candida overgrowth believes diet is the culprit.

Holistic health practitioner Mitchell Corwin says metal toxicity – specifically, dental amalgam fillings – is the biggest contributor.

“If someone is complaining of symptoms associated with candida, one of the first things I do is look in their mouth,” says Corwin, a practicing chiropractor and kinesiologist for nearly 30 years who has offices in Berkeley and Pleasant Hill, Calif.

“Even one filling is enough to leach mercury into the body and cause heavy metal toxicity,” he says.

Corwin believes people with digestive issues such as lactose intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome are also predisposed to the condition.

In its most severe forms, candida overgrowth can cause leaky gut syndrome, where microbes, undigested food, and waste can pass through an abnormally permeable gut wall, he says.

Most people can find relief by killing the existing overgrowth and avoiding a long list of yeast-ridden foods.

Priscilla Regalado of Richmond, Calif., has been on a candida diet for years. It has helped curb the gas, bloating, nausea and body itching she used to experience.

“I used to be doubled over in pain,” she says.

These days, she avoids most fruits and high-glycemic vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes.

But she has one rule: she comes off the diet during Christmas time.

“Some people choose to stay on those diets all of their life,” Regalado says. “I just can’t do that.”

Today when I urinated at about ten o'clock, i noticed a strong fishy smell. then at about noon, the smell came back when i urinated. I recently thought I had a urinary tract infection, but the test came back negative. I was thinking I might have prostatitis, an enlargement of the prostate, but at this point I have no symptoms except the pungent odor. I haven't had any asparagus or vitamins whatsoever to cause the smell, and I often drink a lot of water (at that point I had 16 fluid ounces). I also thought it might just be Trimethylaminuria, but this is a rare disease, please help!

You got the clap, go to the clinic

UTI or STD nothing else smells like it..get cleared up you dirty little oaf.

The UTI is a good first guess. also kidney stone. also diabetes.

Drink a lot of water and get an app't with the doc.

Sometimes the first test isn't all ways correct or accurate! probably ejaculated and not all came out sometimes that's the case and the sperm smells like fish when you pee with it!

Probablya yeast infection.

You may have a "fungal" infection like Candida Albicans.Try to drink some cranberry juice and allot more water to correct the PH,and you may need to see your MD again,many test prove negative because the specimen often won't show any infection at a particular time etc.you didn't mention if you've been on antibiotic therapy recently,within the last 4-6 weeks ?That could cause the fungal infection. take care. SW FNP

Call you doc.

It could be infection in the urinary system, ifyou dont think so try drink plenty of water…

Drink more water.it could help you out.

It could have something to do with what you have eaten. Because if you eat fish or sea food, it can change the smell of your urine. Or could be a sign of an std. Chlymedia I know will cause a smell in your urine. I don't know if your sexually active or not though. it sounds like you are drinking alot of water, which is great. I'd suggest going to the dr's, again…

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR NOW!!

This has happened to me and it was because I did not drink enough water . So probably drinking enough water would help.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWEWWWWWWWWEWWWWWWWW

i gotta question for you. why are you smelling your own pee? do you like pee in a cup or sumthin and then put it up to your nose? thats a bit odd!

Did you eat asparagus last night or today? after eating asparagus your urine usually smells for a couple days.

I heard that a tablespoon of local honey will help cure or reduce allergy symptoms. Something about the bees gathering local pollens…Myth or truth?

very true,only hay fever

Only for flowers and trees. If you have allergies to mold or dust ,etc. it will not help there.

Anything in the world can become a medicine to one; never for all.
Honey is a powerful thing. take it with water daily. If you are suffering from colds it is your medicine. keep two to three day fast and take honey(two tea spoons) + water twice or thrice a day.

I've never heard this before, but some of the responders say it could be true in some cases. But I did read an interesting article today, which I will be using as a new pickup line….

well i cant really answer wat u require to know but i know that honey is used as a remedy for many things
its used for face packs, for reducing weight, in treating asthma etc etc

Really not sure about that but I do know doing a candida cleanse helps out a lot!

Google candida cleasne. You can buy one at most of you health food stores or organic food places!
Hope this helps!

The fungus Candida Albicans is a microorganism, one of many in fact, that lives on our bodies and it is the overgrowth of that fungus that leads to yeast infections. like all fungi it prefers moist, dark and warm environments – so yeast infections tend to develop in such places on the body like the genitals, anus, folds of skin, and the mouth. You may find that an oral yeast infection is referred to as Thrush.

The key causes: one of the other microorganisms that live on us are good bacteria; unlike bad bacteria which make us ill, good bacteria actually work for us keeping us healthy and helping the immune system. these good bacteria are what manage the fungus numbers to ensure an overgrowth doesn’t happen – which is what leads to a yeast infection. Unfortunately, sometimes things become unbalanced perhaps due to hormones – such as during pregnancy or perhaps due to medications or prolonged use of antibiotics, possibly due to an existing illness that has weakened your immune system such as HIV, or a treatment for cancer like chemotherapy. Other triggers that you can control more are clothing, diet and diabetes.

The key symptoms: – White patches in the mouth on the inside of the cheeks, the gums, the throat, the roof of the mouth and the tongue; pain when swallowing; difficulty eating and drinking; lesions beneath the white spots that bleed.

Preventing Thrush: there are things you can do to help prevent an infection of the mouth happening. Keeping excellent oral hygiene is important, which involves brushing twice a day as well as flossing. Mouthwashes are not a good idea as they upset the balance of microorganisms in the mouth and may deplete good bacteria making you more likely to get a yeast infection. Smoking is not good and if you are a smoker your odds of getting Thrush are higher.

How to treat Thrush: there are several over the counter options for you to choose from, or if it is a particularly severe case you need to see your doctor for a stronger drug. there are also natural means to help soothe the symptoms such as eating plain probiotic yogurt. In order to prevent a recurring problem look for the triggers above and identify what your root cause is and deal with that too.

For more info on how to deal with candida, check out our candida symptoms and cure website, where you can find plenty of information on the subject. Today’s special: oral yeast infection