I was doing some paperwork “purging” and came across the lab results from all my testing I had done last year. The testing came about because I was always feeling run down, had chronic constipation despite a high veggie/fiber diet, had voracious sugar cravings, and got sick all the time. Amongst other issues the test results were loud and clear: Candida.
To make it short, Candida Albicans is a yeast that lives in the body. It is the yeast responsible for “oral thrush” in HIV and cancer patients, and yeast infections in women. Normally we have some in our gut. When it gets out of control, it often creates major upsets in the GI function because it messes with the eco-system of your intestines.
It also craves sugar, its primary food source. That is what screams at me to have some high-sugar fruit after a nice protein/veggie meal. That is was whispers in my ear that a stop for hot chocolate “just this once” is a good idea. That is the name of the voice which tells me to put an extra 7 teaspoons of agave in my tea. Its ridiculous.
When I was diagnosed, my diet changed dramatically and for a while I was on the straight and narrow. My digestion improved and I felt good again. lately, I haven’t been so dilligent.
Getting rid of candida is serious business: No high sugar fruits, no fruit alone, gluten-free grains oil, and LOTS of damn green veggies. GoodNESS you have to eat a lot of green veggies. I think I rebelled against the strictness and started enjoying things like dates and agave nectar and raisins. Harmless to the ‘normal’ person, but I am hardly normal.
So I’m glad I found those results. They humbled me again to realize that I eat for health, and not for my ego. My body is pleading with me for balance, so its important for me to honor that plea. The voice of the Candida is very tricky and easily mistaken for truth.
One thing I do when I’m trying to cleanse my body of sugar craving is this:
1 cup of warm but not boiling water
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1-2 tsp of Bragg’s Apple cider vinegar
Mix and enjoy. Its not tasty, but it cleans the GI tract and Candida hates it. Score 1 for me and none for the Candida. In fact, I’m drinking it right now and feeling grateful that I know what my body needs…..now to only do it everyday……
Part III of sugar and stress to come. But this is like an add-on to that topic, as Candida is certainly triggered by stress.
Off White Living 
what is totally weird? I’ve heard time and time again that leaky gut and candida can cause major chronic urticaria. I was tested for both (among numerous) other things..and nope. Neither. I guess one thing for you to be positive about. You don’t have hives on top of it! 🙂
So gut candida, is it something you can irradicate at some point? Or even if knocked down is it always present at some residual level only waiting to be ignited by sugar consumption?
Yeast overgrowth is not widely recognized by medical doctors as a problem. Especially if don’t have the outward symptoms such as thrush, etc. The fact is yeast overgrowth can cause a whole host of problems. Getting your bacterial flora back in balance can help you overcome digestive, skin, fatigue and other problems.