Liz reached out to us to find out if she has candida overgrowth. She has had trouble concentrating at her job, helping her sixth grade and fourth grade daughters with homework, and being engaged in church activities where she is loves to work. She also says that her brain feels foggy and her short term memory is suffering: everything from not remembering where she put her keys to forgetting to do laundry and being in a daze for several minutes has her worried.
Before I continue with this article, you should know I've recently compiled a list of science-backed ways to get rid of candida yeast infections. You can download my free Candida Report here if you haven't yet.
Liz has also been more fatigued lately. She forces herself to attend yoga, but only goes two or three times a week instead of her normal four or five. She still takes walks, but she used to take power walks around her nearby lake and park, and they have now become strolls.
Her husband and parents have been supportive and helped her out so that she can get more rest, but she feels guilt for her health concerns and does not know what has happened to her otherwise active, but peaceful life.
Liz has been to the doctor a few times, and her thyroid and adrenal glands are within healthy levels. There is no evidence of a chronic condition or infection, but she has struggled to have a good conversation with her doctors as well.
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She admitted that she is skeptical not because she doesn’t believe in yeast infections and the health problems associated with it, but because she has tried numerous supplements for yeast and other concerns. She has cut out alcohol completely, and only drinks tea now since the caffeine helps her with energy.
Liz has tried milk thistle for the liver, probiotics for her gut and immune system, and a multivitamin to pick herself back up. No simple diets or supplements that she has tried have worked, and so she also asks us how long it would take to notice a difference, why she has not noticed any changes after two months, and when she should give up and try something else.
Hypothyroidism
Though Liz’s doctor said her thyroid was in healthy levels, others with similar symptoms may want to find out more about the thyroid-brain connection. Depression, low self-esteem, memory concerns, difficulty concentrating, and a general apathy toward life are signs of an underactive thyroid. More information about how the thyroid functions, as well as symptoms is available.
Even if the adrenal glands and thyroid are at a healthy level, stress and burnout can cause a variety of health concerns. Learn more about how stress affects the brain and digestive tract.
Menopause
Many young women do not realize that menopause can start in the late 20s for some women, even though the average for women is mid 40s to 50s. Menopause is often categorized as perimenopause and even postmenopause: the before and after stages of menopause. It is not a disease, but rather a normal cycle in a woman’s life that can cause symptoms just as menstrual cycles can cause cramps.
Perimenopause develops for years before menopause comes, and is the process when the body decreases estrogen production. Fatigue, brain fog, trouble sleeping, hot flashes, and breast tenderness are a few common symptoms.
One difficult measure with all stages of menopause is that there is no accurate test to determine this stage of life. Multiple blood tests may be taken to measure hormones, but most diagnoses are based on symptoms and personal history.
Candida
Liz’s symptoms certainly fall into the common signs of a candida infection. When the immune system or internal flora (probiotics) are weakened in the body, bacteria, yeast, and other harmful particles grow to an unhealthy balance and create more problems for the body. Stress, allergens, poor diet and exercise, and other criteria can lead to yeast overgrowth. A comprehensive, free quiz is available to establish the likelihood that a candida infection is the underlying cause.
Candida infections are often precursors to other health conditions such as leaky gut, which creates holes in the digestive tract lining and allows particles to escape into the blood stream. Neurological disorders that cause brain fog can also be linked to yeast overgrowth in the body. These include fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue.
Additional Foods and Supplements
Liz had an excellent concern about when supplements should work. Each person is unique, and an effective supplement or combination of herbs and other nutrients can take anywhere from days to months to notice. Two weeks to three months is a typical time range to expect noticeable changes.
Unfortunately, with the number of supplements available, consumers can become confused about what to take. Many will go with the lowest priced product to try it out, but if the extract is too low or the pills do not dissolve, they will not notice a difference. Even extraction methods differ for each company, and so a lower dose of one herb may still be better absorbed and have a higher potency than a higher milligram value of a similar product.
Many supplements work well when paired together just as a blend of foods is required for a healthy diet. As an example, the Canxida line was formulated to work synergistically together both with individual ingredients in each pill as well as the three formulas. The Remove formula has a powerful blend of antifungal ingredients that also work as antibacterial and anti-parasitic so that the entire body is cleansed of these excessive or harmful problems. Rebuild is a multivitamin geared toward supporting balanced nutrition in the body. This can support energy and restore focus and concentration with B vitamins and minerals.
There are many probiotics in the market, and each individual responds differently to a formula. Many products contain too few strains (the type of probiotic) or not a high enough amount. Other formulas may contain too many strains which end up fighting each other to flourish in the gut, or there may be too high a count of probiotics which can cause digestive upset. Canxida Restore is a potent blend of probiotics to work synergistically together with a moderate amount of live probiotics to repopulate and heal the body.
CoQ10 in at least 100mg can support detoxification and soothe depression and fatigue. Extra greens, or a green supplement combined with CoQ10, promotes sustainable energy in the body without a crash that sugar and caffeine would cause.
Coconut oil is an excellent supplement to take daily. 1 tbsp is common, but can be increased to 4 tbsps per day. Coconut oil promotes memory and fights against candida overgrowth and other infections. More information on coconut oil is available to learn the health benefits.
Nutritional deficiencies in vitamin B-12, magnesium, and amino acids affect energy and mental focus. If unprocessed foods with a well-rounded diet still cause deficiencies, the digestive tract may not be able to absorb nutrients. Check for malabsorption, which is often caused by an underlying condition such as leaky gut or candida.
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Brain Exercise and Stimulation
Being engaged in life is important to combat general mental focus, fatigue, and memory fog. While supplements can support a healthy body, exercise for the brain is just as critical. People are often stuck in the same job and fall into a routine in life. Breaking the routine and engaging in a new activity, or rediscovering a familiar one, helps many become reengaged with their lives.
Learning a new skill such as a language or painting, practicing simple algebra, and reading aloud engage and exercise the brain. Hobbies such as woodworking, cooking a new recipe, or learning to sew can support relaxation while also requiring mental focus. Even simple stimulation such as being keen on surroundings in a new park or going on a new trail supports healthy brain function. Simple practices such as these can help revitalize the body.
