You have heard people and media talking about symptoms of Candida. Candida is becoming more known, but still remains a mysterious disorder that eludes too many patients and doctors alike.
There are only three core Candida symptoms that suggest its overgrowth. These three symptoms are nearly invariably present in all patients afflicted with this disorder.
There is no need to remember exhaustive three-page long lists of possible Candida symptoms. These can be very confusing because hundreds of symptoms ranging from oral thrush to autoimmune problems occur extremely rarely in any one person. So how would you ever know whether you actually have Candida symptoms or not?
Bloating and distention are early symptoms of Candida
Excessive gas and bloating are most common early symptoms of Candida overgrowth. As many as nine out of ten people walking into my office admit to feeling bloated, distended, and having problems with digestion. The most significant is bloating after eating carbohydrates like bread, pasta, pizza, chips, fruits and others. Why? Because yeast ferments.
In the process of carbohydrate fermentation Candida produces gases. Those when trapped lead to bloating. To reduce bloating one has to expel the gas from the intestines, process commonly known as farting. If you find yourself getting bloated, distended, or upset after eating fruits or bread, your chances of having actual Candida overgrowth symptoms is very high.
There are three major underlying causes for Candida-related bloating:
- low stomach acidity, increase stomach acidity
- lack of bile and, improve bile flow
- lack of intestinal enzymes, get supportive enzymes
The success to removing Candida permanently depends on removing the underlying causes of Candida overgrowth.
Fatigue and hypoglycemia – later Candida symptoms
Hypoglycemia is becoming an under-diagnosed epidemic and widespread Candida overgrowth problem has a lot to do with it. Candida requires an ample supply of sugars and carbohydrates to live and grow. Candida is a great opportunist and will use your vital sugar supplies to accomplish its own task of survival. Low blood sugar can lead to many common health concerns such as fatigue, cravings for sweets, irritability, headaches, insomnia and many others: hypoglycemia symptoms
Not all hypoglycemia symptoms are related to Candida. If you suspect you have low blood sugar there are ways to test it. how to spot symptoms of low blood sugar
Anxiety, fear, depression – surprising symptoms of Candida
Having recurrent anxious feeling, worrying about job, finances, spouse, and kids may not be just an expression of your apprehensive personality alone. Hypoglycemia and Candida can make significant changes to the nervous system. A state of low blood sugar is considered a stress by the body. Any stress, including low blood sugar, causes adrenals to fire up. They in turn cause a cascade of changes that prepares body to word off a danger. Heart palpitation, increased blood pressure, tensing of muscles, feeling wired and anxious is nothing else but an attempt to prepare for an upcoming fight or flight.
You may be tempted to think that your ongoing stress is caused by your disproving boss, but that may not to be true at all. If you find yourself to be anxious and stressed out in many different life situations consider checking body biochemistry. Start with blood sugar testing: How to test for high and low blood sugar
Candida as well as different intestinal microbes is known to produce and alter neurotransmitters[i]. Acetaldahyde, a by-product of Candida can cross blood brain barrier and cause multiple changes to the brain function. Anxiety, ADHD, depression, forgetfulness, inability to concentrate, angry outbursts, and even psychiatric disorders can be nothing else, but Candida overgrowth symptoms.
Reasons for Candida overgrowth
There are many reasons for Candida overgrowth. Addressing the cause is a good place to start. Killing Candida without even knowing why you have is a poorly thought-out and short-sighted approach. Start with examination of these two major areas:
- Diet: Foods causing Candida, and
- Drugs: drugs causing Candida
Addressing these two at the early stages of Candida may be vital to keeping your immune system strong, preventing hormonal imbalances and having well-functioning brain till a ripe old age. No-junk diet, avoidance of drugs, and good self-care habits are a must ingredients for enjoying life free from symptoms of Candida.
[i] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21683077
I am a male, 70 years, suffering from bloating for last ten years. I have practicing oral sex with opposite sex.
What is the cure for this. Sometimes I get redness and itching on the penis from the opposite sex.
Bloating and penile itching may not be connected. A local medical doctor will need to rule out other genital problems. If it turns out to be candida both you and your partner need to go through the same anti-candida program of your choice.
For the “cure” long-term dietary changes will be necessary as starches and carbohydrates are candida-promoting. The actual cure involves strengthening of the immune system and bringing microbial balance back in the system. This is a long road many people are not willing to take. If you referring to symptomatic relief then an anti-fungal over the counter + carminative herbs will do just fine.
Before taking an action you need to be clear what is is that you want: actual cure or symptomatic relief. Don’t confuse these two or you will be very disappointed with the results.
I happened to have a CAT Scan done months back that showed a distended stomach and lower intestine. My GI provider did an endoscopy and found Candida in my esophagus. I had just been on Prednisone for one week and then an antibiotic for some strange reason. I received a phone call telling me that my GI doctor was putting me on fluconazole 200mg for 14 days. I got the call when I had just began the antibiotic and asked her if I should stop the antibiotic which she replied no. It took 8 days to get the fluconazole in the mail. As I waited for the fluconazole I found the Candida diet which I went strict on including no sugar or yeast and many antifungal vitamins and herbs/spices/oils. I went to my followup with the GI provider right after I finished the fluconazole. I told her that my throat still hurt, but no other signs were bothering me at that time. Now I have the sore throat, the bloating, the hard to swallow, and passing out. My doctors are about a 4 hour drive and waiting for an appointment seems pointless. Should I go into the ER and have my blood tested.
I sympathize with your situation however, it would be highly unprofessional if a blog takes over medical decisions. In case of an allergic reaction that requires medical attention, making a comment on a blog is not the right course of action. Medical emergencies (even if perceived) require immediate contact with health personnel. For that we have 911. Please use.
I have been having a lot of stomach problems recently and after hearing some people talk about candida I wanted to make sure that I don’t have it. Like you said, I have had a lot of pressure and gas in my stomach and because of it, I have had difficulty sleeping. I didn’t know that diet could effect and cause candida but now that I know, I am going to see my doctor to see how to get better.
Hi Dave,
You may be disappointed with your doctor’s approach who will likely prescribe symptomatic treatment that does not target Candida overgrowth. If so, you will get relief from gas, but Candida will continue growing. This will lead to pill dependence. Luckily, you can find a lot of information on the subject on line. Candida overgrowth is a very common, but seldom recognised condition by conventionally trained medical practitioners. If you want a correct systematic approach that will solve it for good, look for a qualified practitioner outside the mainstream.
Hello Dorothy,
I was wondering if you could recommand some articles on the subject of candida, hypoblycemia AND high blood pressure. When I do the candida diet, my body doesnt get enough sugar, then it probably stress my adrenals (and shoot cortisol I guess) and I end up with high blood pressure (consistently high, with better days or moments). I’ve been on that viscious circle for several years in spite of being fit, slim, cooking all my meals, never consumed alcool nor coffee nor refine sugar, doing Yoga. I cant seem to find the way to be on a ”low sugar” diet while not affecting my blood pressure (cortisol level, probably). Doctors only want to give pills, even heart pills (altough echo shows all is absolutely normal with my heart and kidneys), and naturopath suggest to cut all sugar and carbs, which raise my blood pressure even higher. Please help if you have any insights or know any good articles on the specific suject, so I can start a diet that will both, get rid of the candida, whitout raising the blood pressure, and without loosing weight (5.9/120lbs). I live in Canada (French-Canadien/Québec), in case you know any specialist there that would be familiar with this debilitating issues. Thanks in advance!
Low blood sugar on a low carb diet is usually due to malfunctioning liver and a diet that is low in protein, not due to lack of sugar in the diet. Frequent, protein + fibre focused meals do wonders for keeping blood sugar in a normal zone. So do liver teas that help the liver release stored sugar. Bursts of intense exercise, not yoga, are also very helpful in blood sugar regulation. If you are an omnivore you should not have a problem with candida diet. If you are a vegan or a vegetarian, blood sugar regulation can become an issue.
PS. So what do you actually eat?
Thanks a lot for your quick reply.
I’m not vegan nor vegetarian, but I was trying to keep the ‘’animal’’ protein intake low to avoid stressing my kidneys (thinking it would help with high blood pressure?). Here’s typical food I ate before the candida diet : steel cut oatmeal with nuts (previously soaked), coconut flakes and dry tart cherries, and then lunch could be salmon with rice pasta and plantain and dinner lentils/or any beans/split peas stew with brown basmati rice, I would sometimes eat some organic fresh bread in between meals or fruits, or other healthy snacks (with carbs) to keep me going until the next meal. Now on the candida diet, I am trying to avoid all non-gluten grains, all fruits and starch and sweetener, and to stay with ‘’quinoa, buckwheat and millet’’, but then I get hungry faster and blood pressure gets higher (I monitor it at home and feel it anyway in my head and overall being). And as the day go, I don’t want to eat too much of the same 3 grains (I read too much millet can affect thyroid, and I’m not sure buckwheat is agreeing with my gut). For lunch and dinner, I can eat chicken with asparagus or eggs with a non-starchy veggie or more quinoa, which makes me hungry too quick and blood pressure (especially diastolic) just wont go down on a meal with no starchy veggies or carb…hence the feeling of being stuck in a vicious circle, as I’m so determine to do and eat anything possible to balance my body. As for the intense exercise, I was thinking that avoiding the gym for a while would help restore my adrenals that are quite exhausted by now. Plus it makes me even more hungry obviously, and snaking on nuts (which seems pretty much the only available option for ‘’on the go’’ snacks with candida diet) is clearly not enough for me (and not very tasteful either, as I buy them plain raw altough I could live with the taste if I actually felt satisfied). Also, I walk many km several times a week just to do my regular shopping… What kind of ‘’fiber’’ would you recommend with a protein? For the liver, I started eating raw ginger piece first thing in the morning, just finished a tincture of milk twistle, and sometimes I’ll do raw garlic clove with lemon on an empty stomach….I’ll try some tea, I read ”pau d’arco is a good one?
I see. definitely insufficient protein. There is no dairy such as cottage cheese, feta, or quark. Red meat is missing. These are perfect blood sugar supporters. Unless you are in the end stage kidney disease normal amount of protein in the diet is a must. Non-gluten grains tend to be high in glycemic index, a definite no no if you are trying to balance sugar or get rid of candida. There is insufficient fat. Adrenals love fat. Fat and fibre slows down digestion, which is good for blood sugar. Walking lowers sugar. It does not balance it.
How about a grass-fed burger patty with 2 cups of broccoli with butter for lunch? How about eggs with tomatoes for breakfast? How about yogurt and peanut butter? Fruit is a perfect snack, even in candida. If you are willing to eat grains, why not fruits. They are both made of sugar. If short-term dietary changes cause increase in blood pressure, you have an underlying condition, which needs to be addressed first. Unfortunately, Quebec is very ND unfriendly and there is very few you could choose from. Medical doctors are not likely to offer much help in your situation.
Keep trying with your meals, low blood sugar is completely reversible.
Thanks! I will keep trying things out! and more protein for sure…
For over a decade ive suffered from candida. Ive only in the past two months figured out what it was. With all the symptoms (way too many to list) my labs would come back ok, except that i have an extremely low immune system. I got tired of going to the doctors, they would always single out one of my symptoms and try to medicate it. Ive been on the leaky gut diet for six months now (which greatly alleviated a lot of my symptoms but i was still suffering) then i started the candida diet when i realised yeast was the cause of the leaky gut and food sensitivites. It was going amazingly well, i felt. ‘New’ and ‘normal’ mentally emotionally physically even my hair skin and nails stated to improve very dramatically (again other problems that i was having for years that i never linked to candida). I was also rotating a host of natural fungicides. Recently i started introducing just a bit more complex carbs. And fruit (i was gifted ripe mangoes thats my weakness) i figured i could slowly start reintroducing Healthy sugars again. But my symptoms immidiately started coming back (not to the extent as before where i felt totally useless, doomed and like a completely different person) . out of my paranoia of the yeast rearing its ugly head again I went home and froze the remaining mangoes. I dread going back to that state. After another sleepless night (even though im exhausted) i started researching again. This really helped me to connect even more dots. Do have any suggestion on how to actually kill candida? Ive had it for so long now and it affects every single system in my body that im sure its now in hypae form. There was a period when i was a child that i was on heavy antibiotics for fever then over the years for nose throat and ear infections. I think that might have had something to do with my now impaired immune system. I otherwise have always had a Healthy lifestyle… Diet and exercise ( although vigorous exercise made my symptoms worse). I do feel a trillion times better sinse candida diet. But i dont want to feel afraid of eating foods like fruits. Any suggestions on How i can repair my immunity and permanently kill candida overgrowth for good?
Hi,
One month back I had a low blood sugar problem – sugar level 16.2 reached, then later t became 80.I always have low BP.
Now my gynaecologist told I got candid infection and cervical inflammation and uterus polyp.
Please do advise.
16.2 is so low, I think it was an error. However, if blood sugar is swinging up or down, it would be wise to check if insulin resistance is present. For that ask you MD for HOMA status. It is a blood test. However, don’t be disappointed if your doctor stares at you with confusion. MDs are trained in disease recognition patterns, not health-failing patterns. As a result, many are not familiar with HOMA testing as it is not part of disease screening process. If HOMA is over 1.7 it is time to work on insulin resistance. Also ask for hsCRP. This is an inflammatory marker. You want it below 2. If either of the tests mentioned above is out of a healthy range, a sugar normalising and anti-inflammatory diet would be necessary. Likely no grains and processed food. Instead, focus on raw vegetables and avoid fried foods. An absolute no to vegetable oils. If you are overweight, weight loss is your priority.
Yes, I have a strong suggestion. Add fatty acids to your diet. Short and medium chain fatty acids (vinegar, butter, coconut, etc) are strongly anti-fungal. Besides, animal fats (butter, eggs, lard, etc) cause release of bile from the liver/gallbladder. Bile is one of the best body-made fungus-fighting substance. Take also into consideration that cholesterol is a substrate for steroid hormones. Cortisol (steroid) is anti-inflammatory and boost blood pressure. That means fewer downs and more ups. Bacon and eggs may be just your secret immuno-boosting breakfast that could bring hormonal vigor back to your life. It worked for me.
As to mango. I would do this: Blend 1 cup organic full fat yogurt, few pieces of mango, a few drops of orange essence, and 2 tbsp chia seeds. Let stand for 1 hour. Eat spoon by spoon over several hours. You will love it and your candida may not notice. Keep the flavor. The trick is the fat! Enjoy!
Hello
I have just completely a course of antibiotics to rid of a bug that I had for 5 months and couldn’t shift naturally. Some time prior to taking the antibiotics I tested positive to having candida so I have been doing the candida diet of no sugar, carbs, grains, little fruit, lots of protein, no refined foods , coffee or alcohol. I knew that by taking the antibiotics the candida would just get worse but I needed to stop the diarrhoea. So I was given a script of Sporanox to take at the same time to help with the candida but being afraid to put more drugs into my body and didn’t take it but just continued on the diet. However I am now bloating so badly and feel so uncomfortable it is causing me more stress than the idea of taking more drugs do. So my question is if I take this Sporanox which I realize it probably only a bandaid for it (even though the medical people tell it will rid of it) to at least feel better but continue on the longer term candida diet am I doing more harm in the long run than if I just stuck at the diet alone. Will taking this drug at least help even if it doesn’t completely clear it? I need some relief.
Thanks
My clinical experience with people who took antifungals for Candida is that they not only got digestive side effects, but also a wrong treatment. In most cases Candida was back the minute they stopped the treatment. Proper candida treatment should make a person feel better the proverbial “next day”. Aggravation, which is sometimes unavoidable, should last only a few days at most.
I cant read right side of the comments on my mobile as they start from middle of the page.
Also since one month I been on strick diet meaning no sugar no dairy no carb..(except one slice of sourdough bread a day, some buckwheat and some oatmeal sometimes) but I am very hungry and feeling very weak..also every time I finish eating I belch like anything..what am I foing wrong?
You are likely on high protein/fat diet and your liver does not take it well, hence belching. I have a feeling you may be eating insufficient amount of vegetables and have slow gut transit time, possibly constipation. This is just my guess as I know nothing about you heath neither have the slightest idea about your actual diet. For me no carb means no carb, which means no grains, period.
Stop eating oatmeal and sourdough. Oatmeal is extremely hard to digest with a compromised gut and sourdough is likely not gluten free.