God made the human gastrointestinal (GI) system with the perfect balance of beneficial microorganisms. However, when a person consumes the standard American diet that contains dyes, chemicals, excess sugar, and the residue of pesticides and herbicides, it disrupts the gut equilibrium. The primary offender of this imbalance is antibiotics. They kill the good microbes and thereby, cause a bad guy—Candida—to overgrow. Candida makes a person crave sugar, alcohol, wheat, and processed foods because that is what it eats. In this article we will explore how you:
- get a candida infection of the gut
- determine if you have one
- cure it.
Understanding Candida
When Candida spreads out of control, it acts like a parasite sucking the life and energy out of you. It is like a monster growing inside of you, craving sugar, and it is hard to fight its never-ending appetite.
Candida and a food addiction can cause a person to overeat refined carbohydrates. Therefore, if you crave sugar, alcohol, and processed foods, you might have an imbalance in the flora of your gut. An imbalance means the beneficial microorganisms (probiotics) have been killed off by antibiotics, steroids, unhealthy processed foods, and chemicals in foods. The destruction of these beneficial microbes allows the harmful microbe Candida to multiply quickly, taking over your digestive tract.
Candida Albicans, a type of yeast common in the gut, can grow roots into the lining of your gastrointestinal (GI) system. The fungal overgrowth can create openings in the bowel walls, which is known as a leaky gut. These holes allow harmful microorganisms to enter the bloodstream. Our bodies don’t recognize these particles, so our immune system creates antibodies which cause food allergies and autoimmune diseases to develop.1 An overgrowth of Candida also causes your abdomen to become distended.
When Candida spreads out of control, it acts like a parasite sucking the life and energy out of you. It is like a monster growing inside of you, craving sugar, and it is hard to fight its never-ending appetite. I had an overgrowth of Candida, so I know how hard it is to fight this culprit.