5 Types of Candidiasis And Easy Tips To Prevent It

5 Types of Candidiasis And Easy Tips To Prevent It

Candidiasis of the skin is a yeast infection that develops when the fungus candida that lives in the skin becomes infected.
A small amount of Candida fungi lives naturally on the skin and inside the body, such as the gut, mouth, throat, and vagina without causing any harm.
If this type of fungus begins to multiply uncontrollably, it can cause an infection.
Candida thrives best in warm, moist, and sweaty conditions.
Women are more affected by genital yeast infections than men.
Yeast can also enter the bloodstream and spread to other parts of the body such as the kidneys, spleen, bones, muscles, joints, or eyes and can develop into a more serious candida.

Causes of candida

The leading cause is the overuse of antibiotics because antibiotics kill the harmful as well as the good bacteria, especially the good bacteria that fights off yeast.
Yeast that is not killed off by antibiotics can easily move into the vacated spots once occupied by bacteria and start to grow and multiply.

Other causes of candida

• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Oral contraceptives
• Diabetes
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Infertility treatments
• Steroids and some cancer medications

 

5 Common types of candidiasis caused by candida

Athlete’s foot
This usually starts between the toes and commonly occurs in people whose feet become sweaty while confined within tightfitting shoes.
Symptoms of Athlete’s foot include a scaly rash that usually causes itching, stinging, and burning.

Oral thrush  
Occurs most often when a yeast infection develops inside the mouth.
Oropharyngeal candidiasis is another name for thrush specifically oral thrush.
A thrush infection in healthy people will usually clear up in a few weeks with the help of an antifungal treatment.

Symptoms of Thrush include:

• Cracking at the edges of the mouth
• Soreness in the mouth and throat
• Pain when swallowing
• White or yellow patches on the tongue the roof of the mouth and inner cheek

Vaginal yeast infection
This can cause inflammation and intense itchiness and produce a thick, white discharge.
It can also cause pain during sexual intercourse and pain or discomfort when urinating.

Candidiasis of the skin
Candida loves to thrive in warm, moist environments and therefore candidiasis can easily develop in the folds of the skin.
Candida skin infections can occur on almost any area of the body, but they are more commonly found where two skin areas touch or rub together.
Symptoms can include inflamed, itchy skin that may crack or peel and potential hair loss if infection occurs on the scalp.

Candidiasis of the nails
Occurs around the nail beds and can cause pain, redness, and swelling around the nail.
Nails may also discolor, crack and separate from the nail bed.

The connection between hormones and yeast infections

Can high estrogen cause yeast infection?
Approximately 3 in 4 women suffer from at least one yeast infection during their lifetime.
Candida can also contribute to hormonal problems, this is because a candida waste product produces a false estrogen, which tricks the body into thinking it has produced adequate levels, signaling a reduction of its own estrogen.
Elevated estrogen levels can also increase the risk of vaginal candidiasis.

Adrenal fatigue and candida

Those women who suffer from chronic yeast infections are more vulnerable to adrenal fatigue because their immune systems are severely compromised, which leads to physical stress on the body.
After some time, the adrenal glands stop producing cortisol, which in turn causes more damage to the immune system.

Many will take antibiotics or medications to fight what they think is chronic fatigue, IBS, or something else.
This will pressure the adrenal glands without even knowing it.
The lack of cortisol causes adrenal fatigue, which in turn depresses the immune system.
The weaker the immune system, the more likely it is for Candida to grow and thrive within the body.

Other symptoms of candida include:

• Skin and nail fungal infections
• Suffering from chronic fatigue or feeling tired
• Fibromyalgia
• Poor memory, brain fog, difficulty concentrating
• Eczema, psoriasis, hives or rashes
• Bloating, constipation or diarrhea
• Irritability, mood swings, anxiety, or depression
• Vaginal infections, UTIs, vaginal itching
• Strong sugar and refined carbohydrates cravings

Tips on preventing candida infections

Here’s what you can do to reduce the risk of developing candida infections:

• Wear breathable underwear
• Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing
• Don’t douche
• Dry off properly after showering and perspiring
• If overweight pay attention to drying properly between skin folds
• Avoid taking extra hot baths
• Change out of wet clothes
• Change socks and underwear regularly
• Wear open toe shoes when it’s hot
• On the loo, always wipe from front to back

 

Lifestyle changes to help prevent candida

Stop consuming so much sugar
Sugar feeds the yeast in your body.
Eliminate processed sugar, fruit juices, and any product that has added sugar.

Eliminate grain from your diet
Grains turn into sugar and can cause more inflammation, especially wheat products and gluten-containing grains.
Substitute with more vegetables.

Support your spleen
The number one cause of candida is a weakened spleen.
The spleen is responsible for the digestion of the body and producing red blood cells in your system.
Include starchy foods in your diet.
Drink barley tea as this herb can help to support the spleen.

Support your liver
The liver is responsible for detoxification.
Eat more sour foods including probiotic-rich foods such as kefir, fermented vegetables, sauerkraut, and kimchi.
Apple cider vinegar is also great in supporting the liver.

Support your intestines
Eat foods that are bitter in nature, such as kale, arugula, romaine lettuce, and spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric.

Take a probiotic supplement
One of the key factors in overcoming candida is eliminating and starving off the sugar.
Make sure you are getting some good-quality probiotics in your diet while you’re doing a candida cleanse.

 

Sources
webmd.com – what is candidiasis
medicalnewstoday.com – yeast infections causes symptoms
cdc.gov – vaginal candidiasis
mayoclinic.org – yeast infection symptoms and causes
candidapatient.com – adrenal fatigue
webmd.com – how to prevent candida