Being Candid About Candida

Q.  I was wondering if you could answer a question about candida yeast overgrowth and carbohydrate cravings.  I have heard this problem causes many cravings and the only way to stop them is to limit intake of any sort of sugar, if that is even possible.  How do you tell if one has this condition and how is it treated?

A.  Your question about candida or yeast is a very complex one to answer and requires more information regarding other symptoms you may have that leads you to believe you have candida.  If you have sugar cravings it does not necessarily mean you have candida.  As a rule, the more you eat sugar the more sugar cravings you will have. A diet high in simple
carbohydrates and sugars stimulates the release of  insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar.  Insulin lowers the blood sugar and creates the need for more sugar.  Foods containing refined sugars such as white cane sugar (sucrose), high fructose corn syrup cause a quicker insulin response and in many people can cause a quicker physical need for more sugar. 

Sugar cravings may also be an indication of a deficiency of certain vitamins.  B complex vitamins in the form of food can be very helpful in this case.  Incorporating a multivitamin daily and adding foods to your diet that are rich in B vitamins such as
peanuts, bran, lean meats, eggs, organ meats, grains, other nuts and strange as it seems, the best source of B vitamins, brewer's yeast. The best place to start managing sugar cravings is to decrease your intake of sugars and high glycemic foods. Eat small balance meals throughout the day with a combination of protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates. This balance of nutrients will fuel your energy needs and allow a slow utilization of blood sugar.

There are 2 common forms of candida albicans (the most common) and candida tropicalis.   There are other resources that will give you information on the subject. Try the following resource page for candida:

Many investigators suggest that an intestinal overgrowth of candida albicans and other intestinal yeast may be involved in food allergy, migraine, irritable bowel , asthma, indigestion and gas, depression related to PMS, vaginitis and chronic fatigue. Consult with your physician for laboratory analysis.  For proper identification yeast may be observed directly via a microscope or indirectly through a culture.  Both are necessary for proper analysis.

I hope this helped.  Please contact me for further information or if you have another question!