Are You Tired, Gassy and Bloated? You May Have This!

By Gillian B If this sounds like you, you may have a bacteria imbalance in your gut. More and more people these days are discovering that they have a fungal overgrowth, namely candida. In her book, The Body Ecology Diet, Donna Gatesexplains: "Candida is a single-cell organism. It reproduces asexually and thrives on some of the body's by-products: dead tissue and sugar from food. Unless its source of food is eliminated, it quickly monopolizes entire bodily systems, such as the digestive tract, and can cause mild to severe discomfort." What's worse is that if left unchecked and untreated, it eventually spreads throughout the body via the blood stream. It may sound really out there but it is A LOT more common than you would ever guess... Gates states:"A prominent University of California immunologist, Alan Levin, estimates that one out of three Americans is adversely affected by Candida." So what causes such a thing? Exposure to any of the following, at any time in your life:

• the widespread use of antibiotics
• birth control
• poor diet (high in sugar and/or processed food intake)
• drug or alcohol abuse
• stress (physical, mental, emotional, financial and environmental)
• diabetes
• hospital stays
• chlorine and fluoride in drinking water
• mercury fillings

Now you see why so many people suffer from Candida. It is opportunistic and will divide and conquer when you are weak and vulnerable. Gates says, "Normally, friendly bacteria balance these organisms so they do not grow out of control, and a strong immune system oversees it all. But when we throw our body ecology out of balance due to stress and/or by ingesting sugar, antibiotics, or poor-quality air and water — or compromise our health in other ways - candida grows out of control and causes a variety of symptoms." It is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed illnesses, because overgrowth symptoms manifest in so many different ways. They can be all over the body and a doctor may look at the symptoms separately and never connect the dots. Watch the video below to see David Wolfe explain Candida and talk about how to fight it:

Here are some other common symptoms:

Keep in mind, depending on the severity, you could have all of these symptoms or none! Overall symptoms:

• Poor memory and concentration, brain fog, mood swings, dizziness, depression, panic attacks, low libido, chronic fatigue, hyperactivity, cravings for sweets and alcohol (which is essentially sugar) and insomnia.
• Headaches, heart palpitations, chronic body pain which could be joint, limb or muscle.
• Frequent colds and flu, allergies, sensitivities to food, fragrances and chemicals.
• Inability to lose weight.

Digestive Issues:

• Acid reflux, bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stomach cramps, indigestion, burping after eating, hemorrhoids and itching anus.

Skin Issues:

• Acne, cysts, hives, night sweats, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, fungal infections of the nails and skin, athlete’s foot and body odor.

Ears, Nose, Mouth & Eyes:

• Painful itchy eyes, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, bags under eyes, ringing in the ears and frequent ear infections
• Thrush (white coating on tongue)
• Post-nasal drip

Private Parts:

• Recurring yeast infections, recurring urinary tract infections and PMS and menstrual irregularities.

Now you have a better understanding of how far-reaching candida can be. When it spreads, it affects EVERYTHING! If this sounds like you, you will want to find a naturopath, functional or integrated medicine practitioner to get to the bottom of it. You may also want to read this: David Wolfe on Candida: How to Fight The Most Unpleasant Houseguest & Donna Gates' book The Body Ecology Diet(a must-read for Candida sufferers!) Resources: The Body Ecology Diet By Donna Gates & Linda Schatz

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