Do you have Candida? Find out with this quick in-home screening.
Candida is a type of yeast that is naturally found throughout the body. It can be found in the regular flora of the skin, mouth, intestinal track, rectum and vagina. Although Candida is found naturally throughout the body, it can cause problems if there is an overgrowth. Antibiotic use and not properly replenishing the gut afterwards, poor diet, stress and poor digestion can cause an overgrowth of yeast.
Symptoms can range from:
- Stomach pains
- Digestive problems
- Skin rashes (eczema, psoriasis & acne)
- Foggy brain
- Anxiety
- OCD
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Itchy skin
- Cravings for sweets
Candida thrives in an acidic environment and therefore a diet that promotes an alkaline environment is best click here to read about foods to avoid on a Candida Diet. You should also know that Candida typically is not seen alone, meaning that if one has Candida issues then parasites, food sensitivities, adrenal fatigue and liver toxicity are also problems and can be ruled out with our in-home test kits.
If you suspect or are curious that you might be suffering from a Candida issue here is a quick in-home screening process to check and see if this yeast might be infecting you. Remember this is ONLY a screening and if you suspect that might have a yeast problem please call our offices to set up an appointment for more thorough testing.
In-home Candida Screening Test:
- Perform this test first thing in the morning before you put anything else in your mouth.
- Grab a clear glass and fill with water
- Work up some saliva and then spit into the glass of water
- Check the water after a moment or 2-3 minutes and then every 15 minutes up until 1 hour
Results of a positive screen:
- Strings, like cloudy legs moving down into the water or
- Cloudy saliva that will sink to the bottom of the glass
- Call our offices for testing
Results of a negative screen:
- Water is clear, no strings and saliva is sitting on top of the water
Candida thrives off of sugar and therefore needs to be eliminated from the diet in order to starve the yeast. An alkaline environment also needs to be created so here are foods to avoid while on a Candida Diet.
- Avoid all sweets & processed foods (any food that has a shelf life)
- Avoid fruits (fresh or dried) & fruit juices
- Avoid all grains & pasta
- Avoid alcohol
- Avoid all dairy products
Foods to consume:
- Fruits allowed are all kinds of berries, grapefruit, pineapple and papaya and still should only make up 5% of diet
- Proteins: only from organic sources- non-organic meats contain antibiotics
- Vegetables – above ground are best because they contain less sugar
- Best Vegetables to consume: broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, asparagus, onions, garlic & ginger
We hope you found this newsletter informative and we welcome any questions that you might have.
In Health & Happiness
Lori & Dorothy
Picture by: http://overcomingcandida.com/images/candida_gallery/candida_micro.jpg
