Microsoft word - are your health problems candida connected.doc

Are your Health Problems Candida Connected? Self Assessment Guide To the following questions, answer Yes or No Have you ever taken antibiotic medications? Have you ever taken contraceptive pills or steroidal drugs? Do you crave sugar, sweets, breads or alcoholic beverages? Do you experience recurrent digestive problems? Do you experience symptoms of fatigue or depression? Do you experience headaches, muscle or joint pain? Do you experience PMS, mood swings, lack of libido? Do you experience genital itching or discharge? Do you have food or environmental allergies? Do you feel “bad all over” with no known cause? Are you overly sensitive to tobacco smoke or odours? From the above questions if you answered: YES to 3 – 4 questions, candida may POSSIBLY play a role in your condition YES to 5 – 7 questions, candida is PROBABLY adversely affecting your health YES to more than 8 questions, candida is almost CERTAINLY involved Continue the test below if you score was over 3 yes questions to help establish what best method of treatment you may require. Section A: Circle the points score if the answer to the following questions is yes Have you ever taken Antibiotics?  Broad Spectrum more than once a year or longer than a month  Tetracyclines (or similar) for one month or more Have you ever taken prednisone or other cortisone/steroidal drugs? Have you ever taken birth control pills? Are your symptoms worse with sugary foods, humidity or mouldy places? Have you had any form of chronic fungal infection? Do you crave sugar, sweet foods, breads or alcoholic beverages? Do tobacco smoke or odours really bother you? Section B: Major symptoms – Fill in the appropriate score Occasional or Mild = 4, Frequent or Moderately Severe = 8, Severe or Disabling = 10 Fatigue, lethargy, feeling drained or tired all the time Feeling “spacey” or unreal, poor memory Numbness, burning or tingling sensations Muscle or joint aches, pains, weakness or paralysis Digestive disorders, abdominal bloating, pain or discomfort Constipation or diarrhoea - double the points if you regularly experience both Troublesome or maladourous vaginal discharge, gentital burning or itching PMS, menstrual cramps or menstrual irregularities Section C. Other symptoms – Fill in the appropriate score Occasional or Mild = 1, Frequent or Moderately Severe = 2, Severe or Disabling = 3 Irritability, nervousness, mood swings, inability to concentrate Heartburn, indigestion, belching or flatulence Burning or watering eyes, failing vision Add together totals for Sections A, B & C Total score up to 70 = Mild to Moderate candidiasis. Total score 70 to 180 = Moderate to Severe Candidasis Total Score 180 to 315 = Severe Candidasis
What is Candida?
Candida is a yeast infection – the technical name of the organism causing the infection is candida albicans, also
referred to as oral or vaginal thrush. It is always present in the intestine and genital tracts. If it is present in
disproportionate quantities, to the other 400 or so “friendly” bacteria strains in the intestine, it becomes
candidiasis – a candidia
infection.
What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of candidiasis are many and varied, from a white coated tongue, itching, irritable bowel and cystitis,
to bad breath, PMS, joint pain and extreme fatigue. Constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, rectal
itching, impotence, memory loss, mood swings, clogged sinuses, depression, hyperactivity, adrenal problems and even
diabetes.
Oral and vaginal thrush, jock itch and nappy rash are the most commonly recognized symptoms of candidiasis.

What are the causes?

Candidiasis may affect anyone at any age and is easily transmitted through intimate contact, such as sexual
intercourse and breast feeding others. Factors that increase susceptibility to candida infection include immune
weakness, antibiotic use, contraceptive pills and steroid medications. Because candidiasis can damage the intestinal
lining and disrupt the immune system, people with candida infections often also have or develop food allergies or
sensitivities. Symptoms are often worse in damp or mouldy places, or after consumption of foods containing sugar
and / or yeast. Yeasts, including candida, feed on sugar and proliferate freely in an environment imbalanced by
antibiotics. It is said that people with robust immune systems who eat a healthy diet that is low in sugar and yeast
rarely become infected with candida. Some women find they suffer more yeast infections when using oral
contraceptives or during pregnancy. This is most probably due to an increase in the amount of sugar in the vagina
induced by changing hormone levels. Antibiotics which kill bacteria along with the harmful ones, are another
common cause of yeast infections. Anything that depresses immune function, including HIV and AIDS, also often
leads to these types of infections.
What are the Recommendations?

Diet plays a major part in the treatment and prevention of candida. The aim is to limit the intake of food that the
yeast likes to eat. Treatment should be continued for at least two months, because if symptoms have disappeared,
the yeast infection still may not be totally under control.
Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, raw is best, old vegetables may have fungi growing on them, protein especially fresh
fish, organic poultry, lean meat, and gluten free grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and millet. Plain yogurt that
contains live yogurt cultures. Supplements as recommended on the products on previous page. For Vaginal
candidiasis, apply natural unprocessed and not sweetened yogurt directly into the vagina or mix one small container
of plain yogurt with an equal amount of water and use it as a douse once or twice daily until you see an improvement.
You can also add two capsules of acidophilus and add the contents to a douche. This helps to inhibit the growth of
the fungus.
Take some type of fiber daily, oat bran or flaxseed or physillium husks are a good option.
Make sure your diet is fruit free, sugar free, and yeast free. Candida thrives in a sugary environment, so your diet
should be low in carbohydrates and contain no yeast products or sugar in any form. Avoid aged cheeses, alcohol,
baked goods, chocolate, dried fruits, fermented foods, all grains containing gluten ( Wheat, oats, rye and barley)
ham, honey, nut butters, pickles, potatoes, raw mushrooms, soy sauce, sprouts and vinegar.
Wear cotton underwear as synthetic fibers lead to increased perspiration, which creates a hospitable environment
for candida, also traps bacteria, which can cause a secondary infection.
Avoid household chemical cleaning products, chlorinated water, and personal care products like soaps, and chemical
based products, perfumes and any strong smelling products.

Source: http://www.letslive.co.nz/pdf/14.pdf