Do you suffer from sinus infections? Unexplained skin rashes? Or suffer from joint pains, difficulty in sleeping or concentrating? Chances are, you could be experiencing an overgrowth of a fungus called Candida.
What is Candida?
Candida is the most common fungus in the human body. When it is balanced, Candida aids with nutrient absorption and digestion.
However, in order for Candida to remain in a beneficial form in the body, a healthy gut is required. This is why when the internal environment of the body shifts, the opportunistic behavior of Candida is seen as a change from the budding yeast form to the mycelia or hyphae form, causing overgrowth and resulting in harmful symptoms. In order to tackle this, a Candida Protocol is followed which is specially designed to improve gut health, rebalance healthy inflammation levels, and boost immunity.
Before we learn about the Candida Protocol, let’s first look at the causes of the abnormal growth of Candida.
What Causes Candida to Flare Up?
There are quite a few reasons why normally growing Candida may flare up and cause negative symptoms. These include:
- Diets High In Refined Sugar: Candida is a fungus that feeds on refined carbohydrates such as sugar and alcohol which means your sweet tooth may be contributing to your risk of flared up Candida growth. The worst part is, an increased growth of Candida can also increase your craving for sweets.
- Antibiotics: If you consume broad spectrum antibiotics, they will not only kill the bad bacteria but also the beneficial ones, turning your gut into a breeding ground for Candida.
- Weak Immune System: If you have inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, you automatically develop a higher risk of Candida overgrowth.
The Candida Protocol
To cater to the symptoms of Candida overgrowth like digestive problems, fatigue, skin and nail infections and joint pains, people follow a diet plan called Candida Protocol especially dedicated to cater to overgrowth of this fungus.
This is a low sugar (FODMAP), anti-inflammatory diet that promotes good gut health and eliminates the sugars that feed a Candida overgrowth. The key of the Candida Protocol is to eliminate added sugar, fermented foods and pro-inflammatory triggers like gluten and processed foods.
The foods that should be avoided at all costs are:
- Sugar and sugar alternatives
- Alcohol
- Grains
- Vinegar
- Fruit and fruit juices
- Dairy
- Peanuts
The Candida Protocol may be much easier to follow if you have an expert to guide you. Stephen Cabral is a naturopath, Ayurveda & functional medicine practitioner with almost 20 years of worldwide internships, dozens of certifications and years of experience in the health field. He ensures complete rebalancing of his clients with the help of his exclusive network and research. So, get in touch with him now to start your Candida Protocol.