If you've been diagnosed with a Candida albicans yeast infection, you'll realize that it causes a large number of symptoms, including heartburn.
If you're asking yourself, "How do you get rid of Candida," read on for some specific suggestions.
Yeast is a type of fungus.
Fungus is literally all around us; it puts the "blue" in blue cheese and the yuck in the mildew in your bathtub.
When it's found in the body, it can cause diaper rash and ringworm, vaginal infections, toenail infections as well as indigestion, leaky gut syndrome and brain fog.
It lives happily in warm, moist places.
Many times the condition remains undetected for long periods of time which makes it hard for doctors to diagnose.
It causes heartburn by increasing gas and pressure in the stomach.
It can affect the immune system and in the most severe cases, can cause fever, shock and organ failure.
Obviously, this is nothing to be casual about! Be sure you find a sympathetic doctor to work with to help you make informed decisions about your treatment.
Change your diet: The first thing to do if you suspect or know you have a yeast infection is to fortify your system with a variety of fruits (preferably whole), vegetables, protein and whole grains.
Yeast thrives on sugar; you should avoid all sugar, corn syrup, honey, brown sugar, white flour (and breads made from white flour), white rice and all fruit juice.
You should not eat any fruit at all for the first couple of weeks.
This will actually starve the yeast of its favorite food, but it will be good for you.
Sugar is addictive and can be found in almost all processed foods.
Read labels to discover hidden sugar.
You can try stevia as a substitute for sugar in your coffee or tea.
There are other foods to avoid such as yeasty, moldy and fermented foods such as peanuts and mushrooms.
Do eat fish and eggs for protein, and green vegetables and smooth nuts such as almonds.
Take Candida-fighting supplements: This is where you might want to find a nutritionist you can consult with.
Colostrum is recommended to help rebalance and heal your immune system.
There are specific enzymes that will dissolve the cell walls of yeast but not bother the cells of friendly bacteria.
Caprylic acid in tablet form is also recommended to break down the cell walls of the yeast.
Garlic has anti-fungal properties and aloe vera has benefits for general GI health.
You can also check into homeopathic remedies which are generally safe and you can check with the people who work in your local health food store to find out about some of these supplements.
If you're pregnant, be sure to check with your doctor before you start any kind of program.
Medication: Work with your doctor to find a medication that will help you rid your body of Candida yeast.
Tests can be done to narrow down the type of yeast that's causing the problem which will help your physician to decide which medication will be most effective.
Nystatin, Diflucan, Nizoral, Sporanox and Lamisil are all commonly prescribed medications.
Probiotics: Many times antibiotics taken to get rid of a bacterial infection will also kill the good bacteria in your system and allow Candida to take hold.
It is necessary to replace them with probiotics to restore balance.
These good bacteria are also beneficial in preventing acid reflux.
It is important to take the right probiotics in the correct amounts.
A tested, holistic program should be followed to help you get rid of Candida.
It is important to make sure you're covering all the bases and using everything at your disposal to cleanse your system and then restore a healthful balance.