Testing For Candida? We have personally walked this path and know that eliminating yeast overgrowth is very, very doable.
My favorite test is live blood analysis where a drop of blood is taken from your finger and put on a slide where it is immediately magnified 1,000 times and enlarged to over 10,000 times. This was the test my holistic doctor performed. I was retested every two months for follow up blood analysis to quantify the regression of candida concentrations in my blood and to view the improved blood viscosity. There are only a handful of practitioners who are experienced with live blood analysis in the USA and Internationally. The one I am familiar with is Dr. Gabriel Cousens in Patagonia Arizona @ the Tree of Life. Go to this practitioners link and see if there is someone who offers LIVE BLOOD analysis -- in your country or state. We respectfully request that we are not contacted for a referral, as we are unable to offer this.
THE SPIT TEST - This test can be accurate for most who do this at home. If the test doesn't feel accurate for you, then consider the other options listed here.
Your current practitioner can order a blood test or a stool test / for a yeast culture usually through Alletess Labs or maybe Great Plains Lab. Some practitioners will order both.
Information from a naturpatahic doctor:
IgG, IgA and IgM candida antibodies
Blood tests check for IgG, IgA, and IgM Candida antibodies in your blood, and can be performed at most any lab. High levels of these antibodies indicate that an overgrowth of Candida is present somewhere in the body and that your immune system is reacting to it.
Remember, Candida has the ability to suppress the immune system so it is important to ask your doctor to test your total IgG, IgA and IgM levels along with the Candida antibodies. Low levels of total IgG, IgA or IgM could cause a false negative response to the Candida antibodies, meaning you have Candida but since your immune system is lowered, you are unable to produce a response and your blood test comes back negative. Since I see so many patients with suppressed immune systems, I find in my clinic that blood tests can often be negative even when the stool or urine tests are positive.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Often, I will see clues on a CBC that let me know that yeast is present. A low white blood cell count (WBC) has been associated with yeast overgrowth as well as a pattern of high neutrophil and low lymphocyte count. While these are non-specific to yeast, after working with thousands of patients, I can tell you I see this pattern very frequently in those with Candida overgrowth.
Stool Testing
I personally find this to be the most accurate test available. This will check for Candida in your colon or lower intestines. However, you need to make sure that your doctor orders a comprehensive stool test rather than the standard stool test. With the stool test, your stool is directly analyzed for levels of yeast. The lab can usually determine the species of yeast as well as which treatment will be effective.
Urine Organix Dysbiosis Test
This test detects D-Arabinitol a waste product of Candida yeast overgrowth. An elevated test means an overgrowth of Candida. This test will determine if there is Candida in your upper gut or small intestines.
What Causes thrush and candida ablicans?
#1 Cause:
The number one most common causes for thrush and candida albicans is
The overuse of antibiotics - steroids - cortisone drugs
Immune Suppressing medications - weakened immune systems
History of birth control pill use
Regular drinking of chlorinated water
Personally I took antibiotics off and on for years as a child and teenager. I had no idea that the antibiotics had eliminated my beneficial intestinal flora way back then which developed into a systemic yeast infection throughout my body – meaning the yeast had spread to my lungs, liver and brain. Some twenty plus years later diagnosed in my forties with chronic fatigue, and pre-cancer of the liver, I connected with a holistic medical doctor (Dr. Gabriel Cousens @ the Tree of Life in Patagonia AZ) who found the undiagnosed systemic yeast infection and my road to healing began.
Approximately 80% of the time yeast infections are due to overgrowth of candida albicans. The other 20% are one of the other fungi. Sometimes there is more than one fungus causing the symptoms experienced. However, once detoxification of yeast, fungus, parasites and other pathogens have begun to clear out of the body and replacement of the beneficial flora is taking place, in general, the other candida and fungi are reduced as well.
As mentioned above, I was stunned to discover I had a chronic systemic yeast infection since I had not taken any antibiotics in at least 20 years. Without the beneficial bacteria (aka intestinal flora), since the antibiotics had cleared all the good stuff out, the yeast was able to multiply and invade my body over time weakening my immune system function. Old story as, all is well now. Some of the possible symptoms one might experience:
Chronic Fatigue
Daily sugar cravings or cravings for simple carbohydrates i.e. bread, cereal, cookies/cakes, processed foods, pasta, fruit and so on
Skin rashes
Thick white coating on the tongue
Vaginal yeast infections in women
Men - can affect the head of the penis, itchy - swelling - soreness
Frequent bladder infections
Oral thrush especially when taking steroids
IBS symptoms – irritable bowel
Chronic acne
Chronic infections such as sinus infections
Some diaper rashes in babies – but sometimes the rashes are a reaction to the chemicals in the diapers themselves
Irritability
Although there are some useful ideas that we recommend, please do chat with your doctor prior to using them. He/She can determine if you have candida and also address other issues that might be important to take into consideration as well.
Thank you for remembering that we here are not practitioners and are unable to advise.
I-AM Perfectly Healthy, Tucson, AZ – (520) 219-2379
How Long Will it Take to Eliminate the EXCESS yeast?
That is a good question. The time it takes is very individual as it depends upon your level of commitment and whether you have a mild infection or a long term raging fire going on inside, such as a chronic infection and other medical conditions (as was my story).
You can start feeling better right away and a fair number of people notice improvement the first week once they implement a new regime. In two months major clean up can happen.
In my situation of a systemic yeast infection, I also had a pre-cancerous liver to detox, blood that needed major cleansing, digestive issues and severe mineral deficiencies. Once I was on a detoxification program and higher quality foods, I started feeling improvement both physically and mentally in weeks and all just got better and better as I continued over the next 6 months.
To jumpstart the yeast cleansing, consider
Specific products to immediately begin breaking down and flushing out the over accumulation of yeast
Restoring the beneficial flora with pre and probiotics
Making some different food choices – that do not feed yeast
The more changes made, the quicker the results.
Go easy on yourself ~
There is no “I’ve got to get this perfectly right.”
You are already in the right place.
The only question to now ask oneself is “Where Do I Want To Go From Here?”
Let your intuition guide you.
Read My Personal Story here.
Remember that we are not practitioners and cannot advise. However we do suggest that you take the opportunity to explore the useful information offered on this website and share it with your practitioner who can help determine the best path for you.
I-AM Perfectly Healthy, Tucson, AZ – (520) 219-2379
Candida - What Can I do? Supplements, Foods and Other Ideas
Be prepared for this yeast issue to be a memory fairly quickly. Share and discuss the following information with your practitioner to determine exactly what you need - especially if you have a systemic condition.
Supplements
Remove the Excess Yeast – Candisol is a potent practitioner’s formula. It goes into the bloodstream and begins immediately breaking down the outer “chitin” wall of candida albicans yeast very effectively. Contains very potent specific yeast digesting enzymes.
Syntol or PB formulas – Probiotics to replenish the beneficial flora is a must. When there is enough of the “good bacteria” in the intestines the yeast cannot easily overpopulate.
Floraphage – Multiply beneficial flora very fast and eliminate e-coli. Floraphage maximizes the strength of probiotics. How? It destroys the harmful bacteria in the digestive tract (usually e-coli) which then becomes food - YES - nutrients for the good bacteria in the intestines! When taking floraphage with probiotics, the beneficial intestinal flora will multiply on average 24x faster!
ParaMax- The ingredients in this intestinal detoxification will flush out and eliminate parasites, worms, their eggs as well as microbial bacterias PLUS help break down the cell wall of yeast.
Red Desert Clay –This product will flush out the dead candida/yeast and the endotoxins the yeast leaves behind. Also, removes other toxins from the body.
Foods that are beneficial
It is really just a matter of getting into a different train of thought.
My diagnosis was pretty severe and I was frozen with fear years ago. The books with diet plans felt overwhelming for me and I was very fatigued. The only thing that made sense at the time was to SIMPLY TURN TOWARDS BASIC foods closer to their natural state. Believe me I was very depressed back then – but also on a mission to feel better. I did not do this all perfectly – because that does not exist. Also, is not necessary to become a raw food vegan unless, of course, that does feel better to do. Always follow your intuition. Nothing trumps that!
EATING to not feed yeast was a shock at first and also very boring.... but once I got over the “YIKES” and into a flow, I started feeling better.
Soft boiled eggs and buckwheat cereal with coconut milk and stevia instead of honey was a new kind of breakfast in the beginning however, I got used to it. I did miss my bread, but the products I supplemented with were cleansing my body so quickly that I was motivated to make some smart food changes. I did generally have some chocolate once a week – read below what I think about that.
I juiced organic raw vegetables and ate raw organic almond butter on celery.
In my green drinks I added Pure Synergy and Spirulina powders and sometimes liquid blue green algae. The green drinks and juicing help flush out toxins and infuse the cells of the body with a tremendous amount of vitamins and minerals (which builds the immune system as well).
I snacked on bowls of organic raw vegetables with kale, dandelion greens, red cabbage, sliced yams, zucchini whatever was green and fresh in the produce section. After a while it became easier to eat this way and surprisingly my teeth became visibly whiter from chewing on raw vegetables.
Browse the ideas below and pick anything that seems doable for you. Not everyone can eat the same foods due to allergies or digestive issues. So just do your best. This is all temporary.
Green tea. Instead of coffee, I use green tea. My favorite is Gunpowder green tea in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Use Stevia or Xylitol as sweeteners instead of sugar.
Fresh ginger root (improves digestion and immune function). You can purchase fresh ginger root in the produce section of your grocery store and grate some into warm water to make a tea to drink before meals)
Purchase Braggs apple cider vinegar (add 1-2 tablespoons of AVC to warm water to make a tea). This is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal, and can soothe your throat and heartburn.
Avocados are very good fat – make guacamole to pour over bowls of raw vegetables
Sprouts, radish, spinach, broccoli, dandelion greens, beet greens, kale, whatever is dark green and fresh in the produce section – you get the idea
Humus, tahini, garbanzo, many beans such as tepary can become spreads or soups
Vegetable soups
Celery with raw organic almond butter spread on top & sprinkle with Celtic Salt
Buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa
Raw nuts and seeds, such as: almonds, pumpkin, sunflower, walnuts, ground flax
Remember RAW not roasted. (skip cashews and peanuts as they tend to be moldy)
Protein powder such as Vega One, organic spirulina
Bone Broth (not stock) is full of minerals, amino acids and is healing for the gut lining
Protein and carbs from vegetables: Meats, poultry and vegetables
Cherry or plum tomatoes are a good snack together with raw organic almonds
Extra virgin organic coconut oil - You can eat it straight from the jar or add it to smoothies AND substitute it for other oils in your cooking.
Eliminate as much dairy (including cheese and butter) as you can, and try unsweetened almond milk or creamy coconut milk as a replacement.
Garlic – Mince raw (not cooked) and add this to something fatty such as salad dressings or guacamole/avocado spread, olive oil or coconut oil. The compounds in raw garlic are anti fungal and immune system boosting.
Raw onion is also a powerful antifungal and can be sliced over salad greens.
Rutabaga - powerful anti-fungal food. You can roast them or put them in soup.
CELTIC SALT – This is the only salt I use, except for sometimes Himalayan Crystal Salt.
** Celtic salt contains 72 minerals essential to health and is needed to maintain the balance of electrolytes. Refined salt (the white stuff) is pure sodium chloride; chemically cleaned and "enriched" by additives. This is the reason we are told not to eat it. The result of consuming common table salt is the formation of overly acidic edema, or excess fluid in the body tissue.
Chocolate – Is it beneficial? Chocolate has saved my life at times when I needed a pick- me- up. When we hear that dark chocolate is good for us – this is not referring to the candy bars at the checkout counter which contain emulsifiers, chemicals and sugar. Raw cacao is the chocolate that is helpful to the body (in small amounts) sweetened with something like organic agave or coconut palm sugar, with vanilla. No more than 4 ingredients are listed on the chocolate bars I purchase.
However if you eat the candy at the checkout, no big deal. Enjoy it and move on.
Chinese Herbalist – There are some very good Chinese herbalists who enthusiastically engage in helping their patients cleanse the body. If you are able to connect with a good practitioner, he/she can prepare an herbal prescription tailored to your needs that can help cleanse the digestive tract, liver, kidneys, lymph, lungs and so forth and this can help one feel better, boost the immune systems function which assists the body in being able to cleanse the yeast, bacteria and toxins easier.
Floraphage – I bring this product up again as it binds to the bad bacteria in the gut (e-coli) and breaks it right down so it becomes food for the beneficial flora. This helps the immune system and increases the beneficial flora extremely fast. A very good thing indeed!
Digestive enzymes and HCL at the beginning of each meal will help breakdown the protein, carbs and fats for healthier digestion all beneficial to eliminate candida.
What I Chose to Avoid While Cleansing Candida
sugar, flour, potatoes
simple carbohydrates - conventional cereals, processed breads, crackers, pasta
syrups, dried fruit, juices
yogurt – although it may contain probiotics, it is high in sugar and unwanted bacteria
peanut butter, even organic tends to have high mold in it, since it is warehoused in hot areas
alcohol (turns into sugar in the body)
dairy - milk (lactose is a sugar), cheese, butter etc. Later I was able to drink raw milk.
any foods one is allergic to, as eating these foods weakens the immune system
KEEP IN MIND: If you are taking powerful supplements for eliminating the yeast and replacing the beneficial flora, this will be a major contributor to moving things along much quicker than if one is using diet alone to eliminate excess yeast.
Move the body
If the most exercise you get is moving your fingers on the keyboard checking your email, then it’s time to take a walk, even if it’s just to the mailbox. Do something to move the body.
I live in the desert of Tucson and from May to September the heat is easily 80 degrees @ 4am. So most people here walk at 5am or go to a gym. Personally, I don’t always feel like moving when its hot, however I do have a rebounder trampoline which I bounce on for 10 minutes at a time (in the air conditioning). This soft jumping shakes up the lymph fluidto fight infection by helping to clean out bacteria, cancer cells and increase the white blood cell count.
I also have a hoola hoop compliments of my grandchildren!
