Dr. Tim Holcomb of Victoria, Texas says that there is a problem affecting 80% of Americans, though they may be unaware of it. Diabetes, cancer, and obesity have stolen the public health spotlight, but there is an even bigger epidemic identified in his practice. “It is a disruption in the normal balance between healthy bacteria in the gut,” he explains, ”resulting in an overgrowth of yeast, a harmful fungus, first overgrowing in the gut and then spreading to the body in general, causing serious medical problems.”
Is an imbalance of healthy and unfriendly bacteria causing you health problems?
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Yeast: An Underlying Danger
Yeast overgrowth can have many root causes, including:
- High blood sugar levels
- Antibiotic use
- Birth control use
- Excessive estrogen levels
- Exposure to steroid drugs
- Eating too much processed foods
Symptoms of yeast overgrowth come on gradually and are often misdiagnosed. Some possible symptoms of yeast overgrowth include: chronic fatigue, weight gain, low sex drive, sinusitis, carb and sugar cravings, inflammation, arthritis, skin disorders, toenail fungus, yeast infections, urinary tract infections, menstrual cycle disturbances, digestive issues, gas, bloating, cramping, headaches, allergies, muscle pain, depression, memory problems, irritability, and loss of focus.
Candida overgrowth symptoms are many, which is why it is often difficult to diagnose.
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What To Do About A Yeast Problem
A doctor can test for yeast overabundance by measuring the blood for high levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM. A stool sample can be analyzed for levels of yeast, pathogenic bacteria, and friendly bacteria, while urine samples can be assessed for tartaric acid. Note that candida does not always show up in the urine or stool sample tests, so the blood test is considered most accurate.
Usually, tackling a yeast problem starts with diet modifications. Patients should avoid almost all sugar and sweets, with the exception of chocolate and a couple pieces of fruit each day. You’ll also want to avoid fermented foods, mushrooms, and peanut butter. Supplementing with acidophilus (found in yogurt with live and active cultures) is recommended. It could take three to six months to right the ship, so some doctors recommend taking Diflucan or Nyastatin for at least a month. A caprylic acid supplement can also “poke holes in the yeast cell wall, causing it to die,” says Dr. Amy Meyers.
In addition to cutting certain foods from your diet, you’ll also want to add foods that kill candida.
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Treating Toenail Fungus Caused By Excessive Yeast
If you have many of the aforementioned symptoms, along with toenail fungus, you may want to try the candida diet by cutting out all refined carbohydrates, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, peanuts, cheese, dried fruit, and bread. Instead, fill your plates with meat, fish, fresh vegetables, brown rice, and oats. The Daily Mail also recommends applying tea tree oil to fungus nails as a home remedy for foot fungus.
If you are looking for natural toenail fungus remedies, we also recommend the SteriShoe UV shoe sanitizer. Our product works by zapping fungus, bacteria, virus and yeast living in your shoes with ultraviolet light. This is the same process many hospitals use to sanitize their tools and patient rooms. One 45-minute treatment can kill up to 99.9% of the pathogens that cause athlete’s foot, bacterial staph infections, toenail fungus, and other illnesses. Ultraviolet light may not kill what’s already infiltrated your body, but it can help prevent re-infection, which is all too common when treating fungi. You can buy an ultraviolet shoe sanitizer to add to your foot health regimen at our website.
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