Candida, aka thrush, is not just an uncomfortable itch women sometimes get. Even without the telltale cottage-cheese like discharge, you may have an overgrowth of the Candida yeast (and that’s whether you are female or male!), and it may be having a significant impact on your health and fertility.
Candida Albicans and other forms of the Candida yeast live naturally in the intestinal and the vaginal tract as part of a delicate balance of multiple strains of bacteria and yeasts. An imbalance of these due to many possible dietary or lifestyle factors can lead to an overgrowth of Candida, and whether it presents as vaginal thrush or not, can lead to a multitude of hormonal, immune or systemic consequences.
Signs and symptoms of a yeast overgrowth (you may have one or several of these)
Causes of a Candida overgrowth
Whilst studies are still somewhat ambiguous, some say that Candida overgrowth may be linked to endometriosis, fibroids and ovarian cysts in women, and low sperm count and motility in men. Also, its waste products are recently suggested to mimic estrogen, thereby causing an imbalance in your natural hormone cycles and metabolism.
Furthermore, a vaginal yeast infection alterns the vaginal mucosa and secretions and makes the environment more hostile and less receptive to sperm, making it more difficult to conceive successfully. It also significantly lowers the vagina’s immune defences against other infections which can have an impact on fertility or long term health as well.
And finally, because the sex and intestinal organs are physically so close together in women, vaginal thrush often suggests an imbalance of intestinal bacteria as well. As the Candida yeast thrives, it dominates and crowds out other beneficial flora in the gut. This means a significant impact on nutrient absorption, intestinal immune system, neurotransmitter synthesis (which occurs largely in the gut) and more.
So long story short, we want to keep Candida under control and our internal flora balanced. With a health and dietary assessment and a simple, at home test we may be able to identify a potential yeast infection. And there are ways to treat Candida naturally, including dietary and lifestyle modifications to control the unwanted yeast strains and boosting beneficial gut and vaginal bacteria. Come and see us for more info.
NB: This post is not intended for self diagnosis and treatment. If you have recurrent vaginal infections please seek the advice of a health-care professional to rule out serious underlying conditions such as diabetes mellitus.
Viv Klaver, Nutritionist
B (Psych), BHs (Nut Med)