Candida overgrowth, Week 12, day 2, Sunday

Hi: I have been bugged by some problems so I got out my Atkins' book and looked it up. It has to do with the natural yeast in your system called Candida Albicans. If you have an overgrowth, it will cause sugar cravings. It especially likes to grow on sugar but if you are on Atkins', like me, you have to look for other culprits. Some of the symptons : gas, bloating, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea and/or abdominal cramps. Others can be runny nose, post-nasal drip, sinus headaches, nasal congestion, bothered by odors such as perfume or chemical fumes and feeling worse on damp, humid days. More: depression, irritability, craving sweets, retaining water, low energy, PMS, low sex drive,irregular menses, impotence and susceptibility to a variety of infections.
Some of the provokers are diets high in sugar & refined carbohydrates, repeated courses of antibiotics, birth control pills, fertility drugs and other hormone therapies, prednisone and other steroids, stress and any immune suppression condition.
Dr. Atkins recommended eleminating yeast and mold-containing foods. Since I use nutritional yeast in O.J. in the morning, I am going to lay off that and see if it helps. Others are cheese (except for Mozzerella and cream cheese) vinegar, soy sauce and other fermented condiments, mushrooms, sauerkraut, sour cream, peanuts, cashews and pistachios (all nuts are subject to mold but these last 2 often contain the greatest amount), smoked or cured foods, yeast-containing vitamins, wine, beer and spirits.
Atkins also said that mold allergies are a factor. He recommends that you eliminate as many of those items as you can and see if you have changes over a 4 to 6 week period. Then add back a few at a time and see what happens. Atkins firmly believed that yeast overgrowth with mold sensitivity leads too a suppressed metabolism.
Finally, here are some of the conditions that will tell you if you have an overgrowth of Candida: Athlete's foot, a white-coated tongue, Jock itch, fungal nail infections, ringworm, vaginitis. I had about 3 of these at once and am constantly battling them down with creams, etc. I hope this helps some of you.

This message was edited Nov 2, 2003 10:02 AM

This message was edited Nov 2, 2003 10:06 AM