Category Archives: Questions & Answers

Questions & Answers

Your Medication History And The Risk Of Candida: What Is The Connection?

This report is the first of a five-part series in which I discuss the risk factors and symptoms of Candida. This information will allow you to come to an informed decision about the likelihood that you have a problem with your gut flora (the collection of microorganisms that live in your digestive tract). The problem could be with Candida, bacteria, or parasites.

The first step in determining your risk of Candida and other “bugs,” is to look at your past medication and treatment history. The other steps I will be discussing later are multiple positive symptom matching, food cravings, digestive signs and symptoms, and physical and mental warning signs.

Take the time to think about what kind of medical treatments you’ve received in the past. Have you been taking medications short-term or long-term? Did you develop new symptoms after starting the medications?

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Have you had any hospital stays? Did you have any complications in or right after you left the hospital? Have you been doing poorly since you left the hospital? Did you require a catheter while in the hospital? If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, you have significant indicators that Candida may be an issue.

If you look at page 54 of my book, Candida Crusher, you will see a list of common drugs associated with yeast overgrowth. The number one risk factor for Candida overgrowth is medication. At, or near, the top of this list is broad-spectrum antibiotics. I have seen many people over the years that have never been well since taking antibiotics. Although a typical course of antibiotics is seven to ten days, I’ve had clients who were prescribed antibiotics for six months. I consider that completely crazy!

Other drugs that increase the risk of Candida infections are anti-ulcer drugs, which block the formation of stomach acid. These drugs are also called proton pump inhibitors or PPIs. By reducing the level of acid in the stomach, bacteria can colonize the stomach, which creates problems farther down the digestive tract. Some of the problems include bloating, gas, malabsorption, and increased risk of yeast infections.

Corticosteroids and immunosuppressant drugs like methotrexate are suppress immune function. s. Down regulating your immune system increases your risk of opportunistic infections, including Candida. Certain medications for diabetes can also increase the risk of yeast infections, as can the oral contraceptive pill.

As you can see, medications and hospitalization clearly increase the risk of Candida infections.

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Questions & Answers

Multi-System Symptoms: A Key Indicator Of Candida

In this second part of a five-part series on key indicators of Candida infections, the focus is on multiple positive symptoms matches. This topic refers to people who present with various kinds of symptoms in the clinic. Their symptoms are not confined to the gastrointestinal tract but stem from multiple systems of the body.

Many times, people with Candida will complain of brain fog or brain fatigue. Brain fog is often described as a “cotton wool” sensation in the head. Clients with brain fog won’t feel entirely with it. They’ll feel lethargic, they’ll feel tired, they’ll feel mentally dull. All these complaints indicate cognitive dysfunction.

Other clients with Candida will present with anxiety or depression. Sometimes the change in mood reflects the reality of feeling unwell for such a long time. However, given the connection between the “second brain” (your gut) and the primary brain, emotional symptoms can also stem from the chemical changes triggered by Candida.

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Physical symptoms involving parts of the body other than the gastrointestinal tract is also seen with Candida infections. There could be itching, sting, pain in the body caused by immune dysfunction. The itching commonly affects the groin, the scalp, around the ears, and between the fingers and toes. Dry, flakey skin and fingernails problems can also occur with Candida infections.

Some clients with Candida report painful joints and muscles, while others have urogenital symptoms ranging from urinary tract infections to prostate pain to lower back pain (where the kidneys reside).

My book, Candida Crusher, includes even more information on the variety of signs and symptoms seen in Candida infections.

Once we have established that a client is presenting with symptoms that involve multiple systems in the body, we know that we’ve found a key indicator of Candida infection. This information is considered along with the medication and hospitalization history (discussed in part one of the series). Stay tuned for parts three to five, which look at food cravings, digestive symptoms, and critical emotional, mental, and physical indicators of Candida.

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Questions & Answers

What Are The Gastrointestinal Symptoms Of Candida?

Digestive conditions are one of the most common reasons we see people in the clinic People with Candida overgrowth present with a host of gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloating, gas, pain, constipation, and diarrhea. These symptoms indicate that something is not right with the gut. Other symptoms of Candida overgrowth that we seen in the clinic include fatigue, headache, and brain fog. Often people aren’t functioning anywhere near their potential due to the imbalance in their gut. This isn’t surprising as problems with gut flora can impair the digestion and absorption of nutrients. As a result, clients can find themselves with mineral and vitamin deficiencies.

If you are experiencing significant digestive problems, evaluate carefully what kind of food you are eating. What kind of food you are craving? If you are eating too much sugar this can contribute to the fermentation that causes excessive gas.

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Other risk factors for Candida alcohol, soda, and long-term medication use. Repeated use of antibiotics can facilitate Candida overgrowth and low beneficial bacteria counts.

If you have digestive symptoms and risk factors for Candida, you have a very good reason to look at my book, Candida Crusher. You also have a very good reason to have a comprehensive stool analysis. You want to find out exactly what is going on in your gut before you embark upon active treatment. If you have laboratory confirmed Candida, I recommend considering the full line of CanXida supplements. The CanXida products were specifically designed to address microbial imbalances in the gut. CanXida supplements were designed to cover many bases including Candida overgrowth, lack of beneficial bacteria, and poor nutritional states.

We have gotten very favourable feedback on CanXida Remove, CanXida Restore, and CanXida Rebuild. Even if you have been struggling with digestive problems for years, these products can help relieve your symptoms.

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Questions & Answers, Yeast Infection Signs And Symptoms

Candida Crusher: A Solution For Severe Candida Infections

I have previously discussed important topics in Candida management. Firstly, a history of frequent medication use or hospitalizations often means you are at increased risk of Candida. Next, if you have symptoms stemming from multiple systems in your body (“multiple positive symptom matches”), this is also in keeping with Candida. I have also explored food craving and digestive problems in an earlier report.

Lastly, what are the emotional, mental, and physical warning signs of a significant Candida infection? I’m referring to someone who has been unwell for a long time. If that is the situation you are in, you may have gone to one, ten, or fifty doctors looking for help with your symptoms, and yet you are still suffering. You may feel quite desperate and anxious, particularly if the symptoms are affecting your quality of life.

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When I see clients in my clinic, these are some of the findings that I consider to be Candida warning signs:

1. Multiple dietary supplements: I see people on 20, 30, and even 50 different supplements. Using that number of supplements is a key indicator that is something wrong with several body systems. It’s also a sign that the treatment plan needs to be modified. You can’t keep taking 100 supplements a day for the rest of your life.

2. Symptoms are decreasing quality of life: If your physical discomfort is affecting the quality of your life, something needs to be done. You could be experiencing mental malfunctions such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings. Brain fog could be interfering with your social and professional lives. Bloating and gas could be causing outward or inward problems that are a source of embarrassment. Your sleep may be so bad that it is hard to function during the day.

Whatever your combination of symptoms, you, and often the people around you, are suffering.

If you recognize yourself in the descriptions above, have a look at my book, Candida Crusher. This book has helped thousands and thousands of people. At the very least, identify your key indicators and make the logical diet and lifestyle changes. Make some good positive movements towards improving your health. By taking those steps, you are opening the door to a much better quality of life.

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Questions & Answers

Can You Have A Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Candida?

Over the years, I have seen thousands of people with vaginal yeast infections. I’ve also seen kidney and bladder infections caused by Candida.

One of the most common causes of urinary tract infections (UTI) is Escherichia coli, bacteria that commonly live in the digestive tract. E. coli can readily travel through the urethra to the bladder. The passage of E. coli from the urethra to the bladder occurs more frequently in women because females have shorter urethras.

Yeast can also travel through the urethra and cause a bladder infection. Candida can be transferred from the rectal area to the genitourinary tract. This transfer occurs because about 25% of people have Candida in their gastrointestinal tract. Candida can cause infections in the urethra, bladder, and kidneys. There are other fungi, such as Aspergillus, that have been implicated in urinary tract infections.

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It is not that difficult to distinguish between a UTI caused by bacteria and one caused by Candida. Often with Candida, there is also discharge and significant itching. A urine culture can help determine what microorganism is responsible for the UTI.

People on immunosuppressant drugs and older women with lower estrogen levels have higher UTI rates.

If you think you might have a UTI, get it checked out. By identifying the responsible “bug,” a culture can direct you to the most appropriate treatment for the UTI.

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