Candida & SIFO (Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth)
Candida, yeast and fungi are often used interchangeably.
Candida is a normal part of our microflora (aka a commensal organism) and when in balance can be beneficial. In a healthy gut, it is kept in check by our good gut bacteria and does not cause any problems.
However, it is also an opportunistic pathogen and can quickly grow out of control when provided with the right conditions, transforming from a harmless inhabitant to a highly pathogenic organism, especially if you are 'the perfect host' and you feed it sugar ;-)
You can visualise a small group of 'bad' teenagers (representing candida in this example) in the street. As long as they are surrounded by a group of guards (our good bacteria in this example...), they will probably not cause any problems. However, take the guards away (similar to taking antibiotics... which kill the good bacteria but leave candida to overgrow), and they might easily get out of control and might cause trouble!
* A lot of the knowledge shared in this section is thanks to Donna Gates, founder of Body Ecology.
WHAT CAN CAUSE CANDIDA OVERGROWTH?
As you can see, because candida is opportunistic, anything affecting the balance of bacteria in your gut (read more here) can allow candida to grow out of control.
Some of the worst offenders for candida overgrowth are:
- Antibiotics — this is a major issue as most antibiotics kill the bacteria, but not yeast.
- The contraceptive pill.
- Other drugs, such as cortisone.
- Stress — low grade ongoing stress and/or severe/acute stress, a stressful life event such as a crisis and/or trauma, choosing to live a high stress lifestyle.
- High sugar diet and/or high processed foods diet —which is the preferred food for yeast.
WHERE CAN CANDIDA OVERGROW
Candida is often thought of as a local infection, such as vaginal yeast/thrush infections, oral thrush or jock itch. But what most people don't know is that Candida can become systemic and can spread throughout your entire body, even your brain.
Yeast can also overgrow anywhere in the digestive tract, causing various issues depending on where it is located.
One speficic location worth mentioning separately is the small intestine. When yeast/ fungus overgrow in the small intestine, it is called SIFO (aka Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth).
SIFO is very similar to SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), but instead of bacteria overgrowing in the small intestine, it is yeast/fungus.
SIFO can be hard to diagnose, as it won't show on the standard SIBO breath test, and also won't show on a stool test (candida overgrowing in the large intestine might or might not show on a stool test... more on testing below).
The symptoms of SIFO often mirror the symptoms of SIBO - especially bloating (distention) and gas (both burping and passing wind). If you have all the symptoms of SIBO, but test negative for it on the breath test, it is possible that you in fact have SIFO.
As SIFO often accompanies SIBO, both can be treated simultaneously.
WHAT CAUSES THESE SYMPTOMS
Candida affects many systems in the body. It can weaken your immune system, create hormone imbalances, is linked to autoimmune conditions and can alter your brain's chemicals.
Here are a few of the mechanisms at play:
1- Candida can cause leaky gut
Fungi feed through hyphae, which are very thin threadlike 'filaments' similar to tiny roots. Hyphae can puncture the intestinal walls and can cause intestinal permeability. This means that candida can cause leaky gut, with all of the symptoms associated with it.
Acetaldehyde (see more below) also increases intestinal permeability.
Read more about leaky gut here.
2- Candida can impair your ability to detoxify
Candida produces 79 dangerous bio-toxins in the body that can make you sick. The one that wreaks the most havoc in the body is acetaldehyde. I hear you... "Acet what?". Acetaldehyde is a carcinogen and is also a byproduct of alcohol metabolism and is what can make you feel 'hung over'. That's why people with candida can feel hung over even if they haven't even consumed any alcohol!!
Just as your liver has to work overtime to clear the acetaldehyde from any alcohol you may consume, it also has to work overtime to clear the acetaldehyde that Candida produces. This is how Candida can place an extra demand on your liver's 'clean up' duties and is also why it's important to refrain from drinking alcohol while balancing candida.
Looking after your liver while balancing Candida is key to helping you feel less toxic or less 'intoxicated'. ;-)
Refer to 'Phase 1: Set The Stage' for more tips on supporting your liver.
Acetaldehyde also causes B6 to be eliminated from the body, lowers glutathione, reduces T4 production, increase oxidative stress, damages DNA and impairs the central nervous system. As you can see, this is not the kind of toxin you want floating around in your body!
3- Candida can cause oestrogen dominance
Just when you thought acetaldehyde couldn't sound any worse, it can also contribute to oestrogen dominance. Acetaldehyde can make it difficult for the body to clear excess oestrogen by placing too many demands on the liver (as described above). This then leads to an even greater load of oestrogen in the body, creating oestrogen dominance and associated PCOS, cysts, fibroids and even some forms of breast cancer.
As clever Candida continues to thrive, it releases more and more acetaldehyde, until ‘brain fog’ impairs your judgement so much, that you eventually start reaching for more and more sugary and/or stimulating foods to 'keep you going'. This is because you have become so exhausted due the toxic load being produced by the Candida.
Like with many pathogens, sugar encourages the growth and spread of Candida. This then leads to the production of more acetaldehyde and so the cycle continues. Therefore a diet high is sugar (in any form) can result in oestrogen dominance and accompanying symptoms such as severe PMS, painful periods, heavy and/or irregular periods, infertility and difficult menopause etc.
But you can take back control by saying "NO" to sugar!
Here are a few supplements that can help reduce the symptoms of candida by supporting elimination of acetaldehyde.
Taurine: Yeast (& mould) may cause taurine deficiency. Taurine has many important roles in the body, including supporting bile flow, neurotransmitters and detoxification pathways. Taurine can be found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy. Taking taurine as a supplement with P5P, the active form of B6, can help to restore proper levels of taurine in your cells that can be lost during a severe Candida infection. Taurine can also be an important supplement for anyone struggling with alcoholism.
Molybdenum: Attaches to acetaldehyde and creates uric acid, making it easier to be flushed from the body.
Kudzu flower - 'Pueraria flos' (not the root): A traditional Chinese cure for hangovers, it has been known to help eliminate acetaldehyde from the body. Kudzu flowers can be taken as a tea. It is best to consult with a good Chinese medicine practitioner regarding the best form of delivery and dosage for you. Please note that Kudzu root - 'Pueraria lobata' has been found to increase acetaldehyde in the body and could therefore make you feel worse. Always make sure that you take the flower only if you give Kudzu a go.
HOW TO BALANCE CANDIDA
The best way to balance candida is to follow the 'Clean Up Protocols' 1 to 3 in The Big Clean Up.
Kolorex (horopito): an additional add-on that's not included in the Clean Up Protocols. It's very gentle, well tolerated but very effective against candida. It's available on iherb or Amazon. Take 1 softgel per day.
We also recommend continuing the Supplement Protocol from Phase 1 to reduce die-off reactions.
Remember to refer to the 'Die-Off Rescue Kit' if you do experience die-off reactions.
A FEW IMPORTANT DIETARY TIPS
The diet recommended in the 'Finding Your Ideal Diet' section of this program is fantastic to re-balance candida, especially when combined with the 'Clean Up Protocols'.
However, there are a few extra considerations regarding diet that are specific to candida: sugar, oxalates and gluten.
SUGAR:
Sugar and starchy carbs are well known to feed yeast/candida and need to be avoided more rigorously.
Although we have included certain natural sugars such as maple syrup as part of the diet recommendations and recipes in this program, we do recommend that you avoid them for the first month of 'The Big Clean Up' to give yourself the best possible chance of reducing the candida overgrowth. Starchy carbs, such as potatoes and rice should also be avoided.
Best fruit options, if tolerated: sour fruits such as berries, lemons, limes, grapefruits and kiwi fruits.
As one of the symptoms of candida is sugar cravings (sugar being its favourite food), avoiding sugar can be easier said then done! It can be useful as well to know that the cravings can get a lot worse when starting on the 'Clean Up Protocols'. This is because you are killing the yeast... and it's fighting to survive. If you do experience strong cravings, try using liquid stevia, lakanto or xilitol instead, which do not feed candida.
The cravings will improve after a few weeks on the protocols ;-)
OXALATES:
Many practitioners believe that candida produces oxalates, hence causing oxalate toxicity (although this has not been proven). Candida overgrowth is also stimulated by oxalates, mainly by disrupting the growth of good bacteria and creating an unhealthy gut environment. This is why you may need to follow a low oxalate diet while treating Candida. You can learn more about oxalates and find a comprehensive oxalate food list in the Oxalate Toxicity section.
GLUTEN:
Yeast/candida look just like the protein gluten. When gluten enters the body, the immune system sends an inflammatory response to the gluten, thinking that it's yeast/candida. That's why many people with candida appear to be gluten intolerant. So it's doubly important to avoid gluten when you have candida. The good news is that you might be able to tolerate a bit of gluten after you have re-balanced your gut.
OTHER FOODS TO AVOID:
While balancing candida, it's also best to avoid mushrooms, yeast, wild ferments (such as kombucha) and alcohol.
SPECIAL WAYS TO CLEANSE AND CARE FOR THE VAGINA
Candida love moist and dark environments and can therefore colonise in the vagina and cause vaginal thrush/yeast infections. While it's tempting to simply treat this localised area, it's important to understand and treat the root cause of the problem - your gut. However, there are some additional self-care practices other than diet that can support the ongoing health of the vagina such as:
- Wear breathable cotton underwear.
- Only use organic tampons and/or pads... or use a menstrual cup.
- Douche with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and water to increase an acidic environment.
- Douche with 1 drop Tea-Tree oil (Melaleuca) and water and/or soak in a Tea-Tree oil bath (5 drops) if you feel any symptoms such as itching or burning.
- Implant beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus bifidus mixed with a small amount of water before sleeping.
- Develop a Jade Egg practice, as per the work of Mantak Chia, "Healing Love Through The Tao". This practice is a self-love practice that has many benefits, including strengthening (but not over strengthening) the pelvic floor. Think of it as yoga and meditation for your vagina, ovaries and uterus. ;-) This practice can also help you to learn how to prioritise yourself and your own needs more, which is essential to being able to enjoy a successful gut health journey.
On a final note... controlling stress is also an important part of treating candida.
Remember that cortisol elevates glucose (blood sugar), which, as we have learned, feeds Candida (& other pathogens). This is why it's important to avoid and manage stress as much as possible while treating Candida.
We have provided you with many tools in the 'Light Up Your Spirit' sections in each Phase of the program. Try them all and see what works for you.