While most people consider bacteria to be harmful, the truth is there are billions of beneficial bacteria living within us. In fact, bacteria make up our microbiome, an integral part of our internal ecosystem that benefits our gut health and immune function.
The vast majority of the bacterial species that make up our microbiome live in our digestive systems. Your microbiome is home to trillions of microbes, diverse organisms that help govern nearly every function of the human body in some way.
When the harmful bacteria outnumber the good, that’s when issues develop, such as candidiasis, or the overgrowth of the candida fungus. There are over 20 species of candida yeasts that can cause infection, the most common is a single-celled fungus called Candida albicans, which is always present in the intestinal tract.
Candida is a yeast that naturally lives on the skin and in the body. Healthy levels in the body aid with nutrient absorption and digestion. A healthy amount will not cause harm or infection; however, overgrowth of these organisms can cause problematic symptoms to develop in the body.
Some common candida risk factors include having diabetes, undergoing conventional cancer treatments, birth control use, and treating asthma with corticosteroid inhalants. According to the National Candida Center, there are about a dozen recognized causes of intestinal dysbiosis (or dysfunction of the microbiome) and candida overgrowth, including:
-Poor diet -Prescription drugs, especially antibiotics -Alcohol consumption -Hormone imbalance -Tap water -Digestive problems -Stress -Environmental molds and chemicals -Toxic metals and food chemicals -Immune deficiency (like having AIDS or cancer)
Candida is, unfortunately, a very common problem for many people, and when the cause isn’t properly addressed, discomfort and severe health outcomes can result. Even though this a common condition, it is often ignored, undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed.
So if you think you are having trouble with Candida, you may want to try my anti-inflammatory program to remove some of the bad bugs in your microbiome. Email me for questions @chasing.wellness.with.val@gmail.com.