We all have candida in our body. As a matter of fact, they are present in our mouth, digestive tracts, vagina, and even our rectum. When they are the right level, candida is completely harmless. However, when there is an overgrowth of them, we become susceptible to yeast infection or candidiasis. It’s not just women who experience yeast infection but men, teens, kids, and babies too can have too much candida in their body. How then will you determine if you have candida infection? Here are a few signs to watch out for.
Chronic fatigue
If you have noticed that you are constantly exhausted, and it has been going on for several months, there is a high chance that you are suffering from yeast infection. It’s not just extreme fatigue that you are feeling but more often than not, chronic fatigue is accompanied with brain fog, joint pain, and even headaches too.
Intestinal problems
Another sign that you have candida infection is when you are suffering from different digestive issues. Flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, burping, constipation, even stomach cramps may be signs and symptoms of intestinal issues. These may occur because the amount of healthy bacteria in your gut is low thus your digestive tract has gone haywire so to speak. Keep in mind that the gut flora should be a balance of good and bad bacteria.
Mood disorders
It’s still unclear how an unhealthy digestive system is linked to neurological problems say, mood swings or mood disorders, but we have been noticing that when there is something wrong with our digestion, our mood can take a swing too. Those who have digestive problems caused by candida overgrowth often experience mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, irritability, and the like. If you notice that your mood is changing constantly, it is highly likely that there is something going on with your digestive system which can be triggered by too much candida.
Hormonal imbalance
It is possible that your hormonal imbalance is triggered by candida overgrowth but you need to pay attention to the changes in your body. For example, if you have PMS constantly, retaining water, mood swings, low sex drive, or having early signs of menopause. All of these may be due to an overgrowth of candida in your body. When there is too much candida, the body suffers from inflammation which can multiply the amount of candida in your body thus making it spread beyond your digestive tract. This can lead to hormonal imbalance in the long run.
Recurring infections in urinary tract and vagina
Most women experience vaginal yeast infection from time to time. Urinary tract infections can also be triggered because of too much candida. If you are constantly experiencing the two, you might want to have yourself checked for other health issues as there may be other underlying conditions that you need to address.
There are several reasons as to why candida multiplies in our body thus leading to infections. Here are some known culprits that you should know of.
Too much alcohol
Going beyond the recommended amount of alcohol intake can put you at risk of Candida overgrowth. This is because alcohol has sugar, which is what Candida wants. This is similar to those who are constantly eating and drinking sweets as they are also at high risk of candida infections.
Taking antibiotics
Taking medications such as antibiotics can treat various illnesses for sure, but they can also eliminate all types of bacteria in the body including those that are present in our gut. This can put us at risk of candida overgrowth because there is not enough good bacteria present in our stomach.
