When Is It Time to Go For Alternative Medicine?
Candidiasis: A Misunderstood Ailment
Contributed by Nathalie Boivin, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner
Registrar's Office
We all know that many doctors like to prescribe antibiotics when they are unsure about the diagnosis or when someone has had a long lasting cold. Antibiotics are lifesavers when there is a severe bacterial infection. Otherwise, we would be much better off by using natural remedies.
Whenever there is pain or discomfort, we should really pay attention to the signals our body sends us. If one feels “sick all over” and cannot get a precise diagnostic, it is quite normal to feel distressed.
Candidiasis is one of many examples or a misdiagnosed ailment. It is often misdiagnosed because its symptoms can affect up to five different systems within the body. It is a yeast-related health problem that was ignored by doctors for a long time completely . The symptoms can be varied and diverse but the three most common ones are: fatigue, headache and depression. Candidiasis can cause problems in the digestive system, the nervous system, the skin, the genital-urinary tract, and the endocrine system.
Candidiasis is caused by a single-celled fungus called Candida Albicans which is always present in the genitals and intestinal tracts. Problems occur when it is present in disproportionate quantities. This imbalance can cause infection when it is out of control. Systemic candidiasis can happen when there is an overgrowth of candida throughout the body. At this point, you are at risk of developing candida septicemia, which is the worst form of candidiasis. This serious condition is a type of blood poisoning and mostly hits people with a very low immune system. Some doctors are beginning to suspect that fungus could have something to do with cancer.
Even though candidiasis affects both men and women, the latter are more prone to this health problem as the single-celled fungus prefers the moist environment that is more common on women’s bodies. The most common fungal problem for women is a vaginal yeast infection. Doctors will often prescribe antibiotics to treat a vaginal yeast infection and will, therefore, destroy the body's good bacteria. This can allow the candida yeast to survive and multiply, thus releasing toxins that can further weaken the immune system and lead to another infection.
If you have this yeast problem and are not aware of it, the chances of getting the good bacteria in balance are very low as Candida Albicans feeds on sugar. Most Canadians and Americans eat too much sugar, which is even present in food one wouldn’t suspect. For instance, most people don't realize that there is sugar in salad vinaigrette. Also, we often forget that breads and pastas are converted into sugars.
Naturopaths are familiar with fungus-related problems and one should not hesitate to seek their help when experiencing the mentioned symptoms. It is good to know that many hospitals don’t have the required equipment to make a diagnosis of a yeast-related illness. To cure the condition, naturopaths will recommend a dietary change and consumption of some supplements, such as Bio-K, to help the proliferation of the good bacteria.
If doctors all study the same way and do not consider alternative health as an important tool, chances are that misdiagnosis will continue to make patients feel more and more anxious and have their health decline even further.
For New Mothers Who Are Breastfeeding
Thrush is a form of yeast infection that, when spread, can make breast feeding quite painful. Find out more about the cause of thrush and how to treat it.
Thrush and Breast Feeding
Natural Forces within us are the true healers.
Hippocrates
References and Resources
Natural Health, Natural Medicine, Andrew Weil, M.D.
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch, James F. Balch. M.D.
The Candida Diet , Cathy Wong, About.com.
Cancer is a Fungus - Know the Cause - Alternate Cancer Treatments, Rett Anderson.