Candidiasis is the
overgrowth of the yeast Candida Albicans. Normally this yeast/fungus
lives in healthy balance with other bacteria and yeasts in the body;
however, certain conditions can cause it to multiply, weakening
the immune system and causing problems throughout the body.
Symptoms of candidiasis
include constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence, bloating, abdominal
pain, headaches, rectal itching, poor memory and poor concentration,
mood swings and irritability, PMS, fatigue and drowsiness, joint
and muscle pain, food and chemical sensitivities, depression and
anxiety, and sugar and alcohol cravings. This is not an exhaustive
list.
It’s almost always
advisable to consult a nutrition consultant so that an individual
treatment programme can be devised. If that’s not possible,
buy a good cookery health book or two on Candida and follow the
following diet and health supplement programme. Do not be
surprised if you sometimes feel worse before you feel better once
you are on a programme– this can be a sign of candida ‘die-off’,
and can often be avoided by working closely with an experienced
nutrition consultant.
The following Candida
questionnaire was designed by Dr William G Crook and was first published
in The Yeast Connection: A Medical Breakthrough. This
book is available from this site. It lists factors in your
medical history that promote the growth of Candida Albicans (Section
A), and symptoms commonly found in individuals with yeast-connected
illnesses (Sections B and C).
