Bloating, heartburn, and indigestion may not only be the end effect of Candida overgrowth. Poor digestion can actually cause Candida. Heartburn, bloating or bowel irregularity are warning signs that digestion is anything but perfect.
With indigestion epidemics you do not want to be another Candida victim. Here are the most common signs that may warn you about this microbial presence.
Heartburn and low stomach acid
Heartburn means you have too much stomach acid, right? Wrong! This is one of the most common myths circulating among patients and doctors. Heartburn may actually mean that you have low stomach acid. You may check your stomach acid levels easily at home. If you (or your doctor) have never tested for stomach acidity it is easy to make wrong assumptions.
Why low stomach acid contributes to Candida? Stomach acid has several functions. Besides starting the digestive process, stomach acid also aids in sterilizing the ingested food. Bacteria and yeast cannot survive strong stomach acid. However, if stomach acid is low, bacteria and yeast can easily find their way to the intestines, where they stay, multiply, and cause trouble.
Candida and drugs
Your heartburn medication can also contribute to Candida. If you or your doctor assume, without testing, that your heartburn is caused by excess acid then you may end up taking antacids or even stronger prescription medication. Watch out for names such as
- Nexium,
- Prevacid,
- Prilosec,
- Zantac, or
- Tagamet.
They all shut down stomach acid production. Their effects do not just last for a meal, but possibly as long as three days. These drugs are major Candida makers.
Constipation contributes to Candida
What is constipation? A bowel movement once a week obviously is constipation, but what about going every second day, or daily. Can a person be constipated even with daily bowel movements?
Constipation simply means that a person does not evacuate bowels on time. One can have daily bowel movement, but if whatever comes out on Thursday are left-overs from Monday, that’s not good. That’s considered constipation.
People who “go” several times a day after a meal are frequently constipated. Their bowel movements are triggered by a new meal. A new meal provides a mechanical push in the intestines and triggers evacuation. If this is how your bowels work you may be constipated. Please test yourself with corn.
Corn test for constipation
On Monday eat half a cup of corn. Corn fibers are non-digestible and easily spotted in the stool. Watch for when the little corn pieces start coming out with your stool. The last bit to come out represents your transit time, which is the time it takes for you to digest and eliminate food. If the transit time is longer than two days it is not good.
Constipation, or prolonged waste retention promotes Candida. Candida loves constipation, because it changes colon pH (acidity). Candida loves alkaline bowels, and constipation does just that, increasing colon alkalinity. Just as the stomach is healthy when acidic, healthy bowels are also slightly acidic, but never alkaline.
Bloating a Candida warning
Bloating is a frequent sign of poor digestion. Gas bloating can already be a sign of Candida presence. Even if Candida is not present bloating can be an indication that a vicious cycle is starting. Bloating without Candida is frequently related to poor carbohydrate digestion. Bloating after bread of milk is a sign of insufficient carbohydrate processing. Undigested carbohydrate becomes food for Candida. The yeast easily grows on a carbohydrate-rich medium. Candida will produce gas, which causes bloating from digesting these carb-rich foods.
Candida, once established, is difficult to treat and will require major dietary and lifestyle changes. It is much easier to watch out for Candida triggers and remove Candida while it is in its early stage. It is wise to test for the presence of Candida even if there are no obvious signs. Candida is an epidemic and it is one of the most under-recognized and ignored health problems affecting North Americans today.
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I read your blog on Candida with great interest as I have been struggling with candida overgrowth for many years. Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift of self healing wisdom with the world.