In this article I will review five common signs that your body may be struggling to deal with an overgrowth of yeast.
Find the bonus self assessment quiz at the end of this article!!!
Candida / Yeast is a type of fungus that is normally found in the digestive tract, urinary tract, vagina, mouth and skin. Problems arise when Candida starts to overgrow in these areas and causes a wide variety of symptoms. Well known signs of a yeast overgrowth can occur when women have a yeast infection, and when babies have oral thrush or a diaper rash. In my 14 years of clinical practice I have treated many patients that did not realize that they were dealing with an overgrowth of yeast, and suffering unnecessarily as a result.
1. Brain Fog
This is described by some of my patients as having a cloud or fogginess when trying to think or read. It can manifest in daily life as experiencing problems with memory and lack of focus. These symptoms occur when Candida is metabolized. It is broken down into chemical by-products that are normally filtered through the liver. But when Candida has overgrown, the liver is unable to keep up with filtering large amounts of chemical by-products, and as a result symptoms affecting brain function can occur.
2. Chronic Infections / Weak Immune System
When I have patient report that they suffer from reoccurring infections such as sinusitis I am suspecting that candida/fungus may be to blame and not bacteria (PMID:19008573). When patients are treated with antibiotics for an infection, most times it does a good job of killing the bad bacteria, and the patient feels better. But, in some patients the antibiotics set up a situation where Candida can overgrow and weaken their immune system. When this happens I often see patients who have reoccurring ear infections, sinus infections, respiratory infections and yeast infections - sometimes on a monthly basis. It can be a difficult cycle to break, but I have successfully helped patients of all ages to break the cycle of chronic infections, strengthen their immune system and treat their yeast overgrowth.
3. Digestive Upset
Candida can potentially cause a number of different symptoms of indigestion, starting with intense sugar cravings. Candida's main food source is sugar, and when my patients notice they are craving sugar daily, it is a red flag for me that they may have an overgrowth of Candida in their intestines. Other common digestive complaints associated with Candida are: bloating, gas and irritable bowel disease (PMID:31648369).
4. Joint Pain
Candida arthritis has been studied (PMID:26858961) and found to occur in patients ranging from children to senior citizens. The most common joints affected were the hips and knees. Early symptoms noted were swelling, redness and pain in the joints. A common factor found in many of the patients studied was a pre-existing overgrowth of Candida that spread through the bloodstream to the joints.
5. Skin Rashes
For many skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, toe nail fungus and jock itch, Candida is a common root cause that needs to be addressed. Common areas that are affected by Candida are: under the breasts, armpits, groin and skin folds on the belly or thighs. The skin will appear red and may have small pimple-like bumps and be itchy.
Next Steps
While it is normal to have a small amount of Candida in the intestines, having an overgrowth can be a potential root cause for many health complaints. In my practice I find up to 80% of people have some amount of a yeast overgrowth that is a contributing root cause factor for their health concerns.
Curious how high your Candida levels are? Take this self assessment and if you find you are testing high book your Health Discovery Call with Dr. Jessica to find out how she can help you.
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