Candida
Candida Q&A
What is candida?
Candida is one of the millions of microorganisms that live in and on your body. Candida is found on your skin, in your mouth, and throughout your digestive tract. When the fungus is present in small amounts, it supports digestion and doesn’t interfere with your health. However, if the candida in your body multiplies, it can disrupt the balance of your body and interfere with your immune system and digestive health.
Candida overgrowth is often overlooked in conventional medicine, even though it causes a variety of disruptive symptoms and contributes to compromised health.
What are symptoms of candida overgrowth?
Candida overgrowth contributes to a variety of symptoms, including:
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Skin problems such as acne, fungal infections, and psoriasis
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Headaches
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Cognitive difficulties
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Chronic infections
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Irritable bowel syndrome
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Hormonal imbalances
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Fatigue
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Musculoskeletal pain
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Autoimmune diseases
An overgrowth of candida disrupts the function of your digestive tract. It can lead to leaky gut syndrome, which allows toxins to escape your intestines and cause problems throughout your body. The toxins trigger an inflammatory response that, when left untreated, overtaxes your body and leads to fatigue in all your body systems.
What causes candida overgrowth?
Candida is a type of yeast, which is a fungus that thrives on sugar and carbohydrates. The modern Western diet is far too reliant on processed convenience foods that include dangerously high levels of sugar, fats, and salts. Combined with chronic stress, alcohol use, and excessive use of medications, this creates the perfect environment for candida to thrive and multiply.
How is candida overgrowth diagnosed?
Dr. Bonlie diagnoses candida overgrowth with a physical exam and lab tests. During your physical exam and consultation, he looks for symptoms and signs of candida overgrowth. To confirm his diagnosis, Dr. Bonlie orders lab tests that include complete blood counts such as IgG, IgA, and IgM antibody counts. He also uses stool testing and urinalysis to check the candida levels in your digestive tract.
How is candida overgrowth treated?
Dr. Bonlie takes a holistic approach to treating candida overgrowth, combining a variety of treatments and therapies to restore your health. Nutritional adjustments, including supplements and vitamins, are critical to reducing candida.
Dr. Bonlie helps you change your diet to starve the yeast of the sugars it needs to thrive. He prescribes supplements to help your body remove excess candida and restore balance to your body systems.
Call Dr. Bonlie or make an appointment online today to learn more about candida and how you can restore your health.