Quick survey β do you suffer from most or all of the following?
- digestive complaints like gas, bloating,Β diarrhea or constipation
- skin irritation or inflammation
- fatigue
- brain fog
- sugar cravings
- mood issues like irritability, anxiety or depression
- chronic sinus infections
- recurrent yeast infections
If you answered yes to many of these, thereβs a good chance you have a candida overgrowth.Β
Your body is a bewilderingly complex arrangement of cells, tissues, organs and systems. But if you look at the estimated numbers,Β only about half of those cellsΒ are actually human β the rest are made up of hundreds of species of micro-organisms, including bacteria and yeast. All these little beings usually live in perfect harmony with us, and each other. But when these critters get out of balance, bad things can happen.
One such critter is called Candida albicans. Itβs a species of yeast that lives in everyone, and most of the time it doesnβt bother us. It competes for food and habitat with all the other microbes, most of which are species of bacteria. This perfect balance prevents any one species from gaining the upper hand. But one common medication β both a blessing and a curse β can upset this balance and then things can get a bit complicated: antibiotics!
Antibiotics are still the greatest medical breakthrough humans have ever made. But weβre rapidly approaching the day when weβll have overused them to the point that theyβll be basically useless. But thatβs another story.
Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria. They are not effective against viral infections. Nor do they affect yeast (for the most part). They are wildly effective in wiping out bacteria by the billions β but when they do this, they leave behind empty habitat (our bodies) to be colonized by whatever happens to be handy, which in our case is often Candida. See where Iβm going here?
βAs you now know, symptoms of Candida overgrowth are numerous and varied.Β
And like I said above, antibiotics play a big role in developing this. But you can get this without antibiotics. A poor diet, one high in refined carbohydrates and alcohol, definitely plays a part. Chronic stress also contributes, causing gut inflammation and poor digestion.
How do you know for sure if candida is the problem? Testing is available β blood or urine can show it; but stool testing is the most definitive. Do you need to test? Not necessarily β if you have many of the symptoms listed above, as well as having a history of repeated antibiotic treatments, itβs pretty likely.
β
So what do you do?
The most effective treatment is a multi-factorial approach: starving it out with a low-carb, anti-inflammatory diet; actively killing the yeast cells either with natural or pharmaceutical anti-fungal agents; and repopulating the gut with various strains of good bacteria so the yeast (which is always present, remember) canβt get out of control again. At the same time, donβt forget to heal your gut. Yeast overgrowth causes a lot of inflammation, which is what allows the yeast cells to continue to get into the bloodstream, circulate throughh the body and cause all those systemic symptoms that make life so uncomfortable.
If Candida is making your life miserable, come see us atΒ Yaletown Naturopathic Clinic. Any of our experienced naturopathic doctors can help guide you back to a healthy, happy life.
Reuben Dinsmore, BSc (Hons), ND
I completed my Bachelors of Science (Honours) degree at Queenβs University in Kingston, Ontario, and graduated from Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in New Westminster, British Columbia as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine.
I am a general practitioner, and have experience treating a wide variety of conditions, both chronic and acute. I consider all aspects of a personβs past and current health when deciding how to best move forward with making improvements in a patientβs health. I use a variety of diagnostic tools, including taking a detailed health history, conducting a physical exam, and ordering any required lab tests.
My role is to be a partner in my patientβs health journey. You have made a decision to optimize your health, and Iβm here to answer your questions and develop a personalized treatment plan that fits within your lifestyle, schedule and budget.
For more information feel free to visit my website: DrReubenND.com
Below, Iβve included a list of some of my areas of focus which is by no means exhaustive.
Areas of focus:
- Stress, sleep and mood issues: insomnia, seasonal depression, anxiety
- Gastrointestinal issues: acid reflux, nausea, Crohnβs disease, food sensitivities
- Menβs health: hormone testing and support, libido, prostate issues
- Endocrine issues: thyroid imbalance, adrenal fatigue, diabetes
- Cardiovascular conditions: high cholesterol, blood pressure
- Detox support: including chelation therapy for removal of heavy metals
- Allergies, intolerances, and auto-immune conditions
- Musculo-skeletal issues: pain, spinal misalignment, muscle tension
- Chronic disease support: HIV, hepatitis
Education and Certificates:
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) Life Science, Queenβs University
- Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (ND), Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine
- Prescribing Certification, CNPBC
- Board-Certified Acupuncture, CNPBC
- IV Therapy Certification
- Chelation Therapy Certification
- UNDA remedies training
- Helixor Mistletoe Injection Therapy Certification
- Advanced Obstetrics training
- Neural Prolo Therapy Certification
To learn more about Dr. Dinsmore, visitΒ YaleTownNaturopathic.com
To connect with Dr. Dinsmore, Β you can find himΒ on:
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