Candida or Candida albicans is a type of yeast that naturally grows inside our body. However, its overproduction can cause certain health problems. You can suffer from Candida infection if your body???s immune system is not working properly or there is absence of friendly bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is essential in controlling the growth of Candida albicans. This infection most commonly occurs in the mouth, feet and vagina. There are various treatments available to cure Candida infection. You can choose from an assortment of medicines that can be found in the local drug stores. They include various types of creams and ointments that can be applied to the infected areas. However, most of us are unaware of the symptoms of this infection. We have mentioned some of the early signs that you should be looking for.
The ideal breeding ground for Candia is a damp environment. You can develop Candida if you have suffered from other chronic infections or your immune system is weakened by a regular intake of broad spectrum antibiotics. In these conditions there is over development of Candida ablicans inside your body leading to a fungal form that can spread over various parts of your body. It is highly reproductive bacteria that can change it self to survive in various environments. Candida can stay active inside your body even after the intake of antibiotics and application of fungicide creams. You can suffer from a wide array of symptoms that can include fatigue, depression, flue like conditions, pains and aches in joints, rashes, lack of regular sleep, sexual dysfunction and irregular heart beats. These are the typical symptoms of yeast infection. However there are many other signs that may go unnoticed in the beginning. Depending upon the infection these symptoms can be from moderate to severe. You can do a simple test to find out if you are suffering from Candida.
You should take this test just after you wake up. The first thing you should do in the morning is, gather some saliva in your mouth and spit it into a glass of water. Now wait for half an hour and check the water. There can be two outcomes for this test. If there are strings branching out from the saliva that is floating in the water or if the water is unclear then you may be suffering from Candida. However, if your spit floats above water and the water is clear then you don???t have the infection.
The major factor behind the Candida infection is the processed food that we regularly eat. In the past our daily diet consisted of wholesome food. The meat, fruits and vegetables that we used to eat were not treated with chemicals. These days, the food industries are finding ways to make foods last longer with preservatives and various dyes. You should avoid processed food if you want to live a healthy life. However, Candida patients are advised that they should stop eating processed food all together. Excessive pollution is another factor that can make our immune system weaker causing Candida.
There are various ways with which you can avoid this infection:
Next time when you go out grocery shopping, try hormone free meat for a change. This healthier alternative can greatly help in preventing Candida.
Stay away from too much sugar. This bacterium simply feeds on sugar. In fact, sugar proves ideal for increasing the growth of yeast in our bodies. So, if you really want to cure yourself of Candida, avoid sweet products like cookies, chocolates and ice creams.
Drink plenty of water. You should take eight to ten glasses of water daily. This will ensure that that various toxics and waste materials are flushed out of your body. Drink lots of water regularly.
Psyllium seeds and Bentonite are great herbal remedies that can work by cleansing your colon of any harmful bacteria. Psyllium seeds have laxative effects. You should take them with a glass of water or they will have reverse effects of constipation. Bentonite is a volcanic ash that can cleanse your body. Since, Bentonite is not readily digested by the system it works as an effective cleanser drawing all the toxins out your body along with itself. However, all these herbal remedies will not cure you from Candida instantly; they work slowly by flushing harmful toxins out of your body.
Candida is a very spread yeast infection mostly known as a female issue. But this is not entirely true because very frequent men can develop such an infection. There is a similarity between men and women: frequently the yeast infection affects the reproductive system. So, in men appears mostly in the groin area.
There are some men that do this yeast infection more frequent then others. Men with diabetes are such kind. Why? Because Candida thrives on the high sugar content found in the blood stream of such a man. Another thing that Candida loves, beside sugar, is warm, sweaty, and irritated skin. Such a prolific environment is found to the uncircumcised men. So, they represent another category frequently affected by Candida. The yeast infection can also appear as a result of an allergic reaction to various chemicals that are found in the cosmetic products: shower gels, perfumes, dyes, soaps.
Let's see some of the symptoms that are produced by the yeast infection to men:
At inspection, often, the doctor can see small white spots on the penis. This spots are most frequently not taken seriously by the patient. Also, frequently redness of the head of the penis, scrotum, and foreskin appear. In some cases, the foreskin even swells and cracks due to the yeast allergy Most of the time the patient goes to the doctor because of what they feel. In this case a man can fell burning sensations during intercourse, transient rashes and in some cases soreness and itching
In these conditions a question can be raised: is Candida a sexually transmitted disease (STD.)? At first the answer can be very simple: YES ? because many people already have a small amount of it in their bodies and of course because of the frequent location of the fungus ? the genital area. There are also serious facts against this idea: yeast infection is most common to men how haven't started their sexual lives. This statistic fact does nothing more than to stimulate this debate.
There are also some chemical substances that can stimulate the sexual transmission of the yeast infection. Such an example is nonoxynol-9 ? a substance that is added on condoms as lubricant ? and it's used mostly by a man who has a male sexual partner.
As treatment for Candida infection ? especially for Balanitis - on the market, there are anti-fungal cream and medications. Also natural treatment is available. It must be known however, that Candida can't be cured only with medical treatment. Why? Because, beside the yeast infection, we must also cure the CAUSE that made this infection possible: we must be aware of the fact that Candida loves moist and dark environments so, clothing which allows for good body ventilation is recommended. Also, on the entire period of the treatment, sexual activity must be avoided. Also hygiene is very important, especially in the genital area. After swimming in a pool a shower is recommended and also the swimming suite must be changed immediately so that the yeast infection can't spread in to the body. Very useful is taking a bath in to a warm sitz baths infused with several drops of Tea Tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). If not a plain soap is very important to use and very helpful to get rid of the infection.
Diet is very important in the heeling period. Because Candida loves sugar, such element must be avoided in this period. Also the immune system must be protected and stimulated. This can be done with the help of raw garlic. It has a very powerful heeling property. But a medical recommendation is necessary at first because of the secondary effects of the raw garlic ? it has powerful heating properties and it may also cause indigestion. So it must be taken with precaution and in any way not abusive. There is also a product that helps the urinary tract: unsweetened cranberry juice, diluted with water - it helps the urinary tract of the penis to stay clean and also the external skin to stay healthy.
There are also some other products that must be avoided beside sugar: mushrooms, caffeine, milk and bread.
Both Ben Needles & Dalvin Rumsey are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ben Needles has sinced written about articles on various topics from Business Credit Cards, Anger Control and Business Credit Cards. About the Author (text)Hailey Harris is an expert in dealing with yeast after suffering for more than 10 years. She developed Ridyeast.com found at