Sugar Cravings and Candida

Sugar Cravings can be caused by many things, as you have noticed, if you have been reading my Sugar Cravings series in my past few newsletters.  As mentioned before, sugar cravings are not necessarily a sign of your lack of self-control.  If you are having strong sugar cravings, this is your body telling you that something is not right, and that you should seek professional help.

There are many strains of yeast infections and bacterial overgrowth, including SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth).  And ALL can cause sugar cravings, some worse than others.   But to keep it short, today, I will discuss sugar cravings and their relation to the most common form of gut bacteria, and that is Candida Albicans.

You have probably heard the word candida, and may have even questioned whether or not you have it, but Candida Albicans is the most common type of yeast infection.  This infection is most common in women, but men can get it too, and it is not necessary sexually transferable.   Candida Albicans is commonly found in the mouth, intestinal tract and vagina.   This type of yeast infection is rarely serious if the immune system is functioning properly, but can migrate to other areas of the body if there is an impaired immune system.

The candida fungus appears naturally in the body, and when in propel levels, it aids with nutrient absorption and digestion.  The typical candida symptoms appear when it overproduces.  If left unchecked in the digestive tract, candida breaks down the walls of the intestinal lining and penetrates the bloodstream, release toxins causing leaky gut syndrome.   With the body’s natural pH balance upset, the candida can grow out of control, creating a systemic problem.  Candida is a stubborn infection, difficult to eradicate from the body.  It is imperative to have good healthy bacteria and a properly functioning immune system when fighting this fungus!  Once exposed to an overgrowth of this fungus, some individuals develop food sensitivities, allergies or intolerances that they may not have experienced before, such as to gluten, eggs, dairy and corn, among others.

Do you ever experience any of these symptoms?  If so, you may be one of the millions in the United States suffering from Candida.  (Taken from Dr. Axe)

  • Exhaustion
  • Cravings for sweets
  • Bad breath
  • White coat on tongue
  • Brain fog
  • Hormone imbalance
  • Joint pain
  • Loss of sex drive
  • Chronic sinus and allergy issues
  • Digestive problems (gas and bloating)
  • Weak immune system
  • UTI

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

First and foremost, GET TESTED!   Find a reliable functional doctor in your area, that can give you the proper test for candida or bacterial overgrowth.  This will tell you exactly what you are dealing with, and can from there construct a protocol.

Next, you will want to clean up your diet.   Indulge in highly, anti-inflammatory foods, rich in anti-oxidants, and phyto nutrients.  These foods fight inflammation and disease. Add warm, starchy vegetables to support the spleen and help clear the candida from the body.  Examples are fall vegetables, such as winter squashes, sweet potatoes, mung beans, lentils, carrots, peas, beets, corn and zucchini.   These should be the main sources of carbohydrates to satisfy your sweet cravings, as all other carbs should be eliminated for a time.

Grains…no more than one serving a day of quinoa, corn (yes, corn is a grain), millet, teff, and amaranth should be consumed.

Other protocols to follow are:

Add fermented foods daily, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, etc.   Just a forkful of quality fermented food can give you twice the probiotics as a supplement. (Not  kombucha, because it contains yeast and sugar)

Use coconut oil in cooking, baking, smoothies.   Coconut oil is anti-bacterial and helps fight infections

Add milk thistle supplements, as they help to cleanse the liver from prescription medications, birth control, antibiotics, pollution, heavy metals, and remnants from chemotherapy and radiation (both which have been known to lead to candida overgrowth in cancer patients.)

Try adding Vitamin C to your daily regimen, which builds the immune systems, and also try swishing with a drop of clove essential oil in your mouth (add clove oil to a teaspoon of coconut oil, then swish around for a few minutes.  Spit out; do not swallow)

 And always, find a professional to help you navigate this infection.  So take heart.  With perseverance, and armed with knowledge, candida can be overcome naturally.