Candida Albicans - Do I Have It?
Candidiasis is certainly not a very enjoyable subject matter for discussion, yet it still has to be discussed so you will know its risks and how to avoid contracting it.
Candidiasis is a yeast infection caused by fungal pathogens belonging to the Candida species, the most common of which is the Candida albicans. This fungus thrives ubiquitously within the body and can be found in the throat, mouth, intestinal tract and vagina in controlled amounts. These types of fungi form part of the intestinal flora and have certain effects in the digestive tract and protect it against certain disease causing bacteria. Abnormal proliferation of these fungi is controlled by probiotics such as the lactobacillus acidophilus.
A group of microscopic fungi known as Candida live on the surface of our bodies. However, when they multiply rapidly under certain conditions, such as lowering of the immune system, they can cause an infection knows as candidiasis.
Candidiasis emerges in the case of women because of the feminine hormone called progesterone. Progesterone increases the glycogen amount in the vaginal mucous membrane, an ideal environment for candida growth because of the acid Ph. The progesterone level increases considerably during pregnancy.
Candida albicans are common micro-organisms that abound in the human body, but they can become pathogens if the immune system is weakened due to illness, such as diabetes, AIDS, or if they are taking medications such as immune depressive pills, steroids, anti-cancer pills or antibiotics, thus proliferation of the fungi becomes uncontrolled. They can also thrive in mucous membrane wounds or due to certain diets. Diets that are rich in carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, pasta) and sugar (honey, fructose, maize), yeast based foods (natural vitamin B, preserved fruits), beverages (wine and beer) or any food that is processed in humid environment such as mushrooms, cheese, cream, vinegar, mustard, hot tomato sauce and spices. Taking of birth control pills, hormones, or giving birth can also trigger candidiasis.
If you want to know what reactions your body has at these aliments, avoid them for 5 days, then add them to the diet in huge amounts. Even if it is part of the body, the immune system considers candida a foreign body, which must be kept under control. The effort to take control over will exhaust immune system in time, sometimes leading to AIDS or cancer.
Symptoms of vaginal candidiasis are the presence of white, cheese-like vaginal discharge in great amounts, flashing vaginal pain, extremely painful premenstrual syndrome, agonizing pain while urinating and during sex, repeated urinating and bladder infections.
You must be cautious when the immune system is weak as the infection can be extended to the entire body and experience indications such as feeling of extreme fatigue, incomprehension, lack of attention, headache, body malaise, ill temper, hypersensitivity to various food and chemical substances, development of several allergies at the same time, development of skin lesions, and fungal infections.
There are various available treatments for candidiasis that can be taken both intravenously and orally within three to five weeks. Additionally, superficial candidiasis can be easily treated by locally applied anti-fungal creams, following your doctor’s prescription.
For home remedies yogurt, applied locally has proven to be very effective. Nevertheless it is best to prevent occurrence of this disease rather than curing it afterwards. There is great number of reference materials that are readily accessible, so one can have more understanding of candidiasis, what can trigger it and how to deal with it, in case of infection.
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