The Candida Diet: Natural Food Remedies

candida dietThe Candida Diet: Natural Food Remedies

What is Candida? It is one of the natural microscopic organisms that live in our intestines and mouth. Candida is a yeast-like fungus that has the role of helping to digest food.

Normally the stomach has an abundance of healthy bacteria that keep Candida under control, but an overgrowth can take place if a person eats a lot of sugar or highly processed foods, takes birth control pills, drinks alcohol or takes antibiotics.

Researchers have been on the trail of natural options in order to provide people who have Candida overgrowth with some alternatives to antifungal drugs. In fact, studies have revealed several natural remedies. How can a person know if they have Candida overgrowth? Some of the signs and symptoms include trouble focusing, chronic fatigue, depression, insomnia, stomach gas, congestion, allergies, recurring yeast or urinary tract infections, headaches and joint pain.

One of the top proven remedies for Candida is Turmeric. Turmeric is frequently used in Asian dishes and curry powders and it gives these their bright yellow color.  Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric that provides its many health benefits. One research study on turmeric comes from the Canadian Journal of Microbiology.  The researchers found that turmeric is effective against fourteen different strains of Candida.

Probiotics such as the healthy bacteria found in yogurt, have been found to combat Candida.  Physiology is the study of the normal functions of living organisms and their parts. A leading journal of physiology reported that probiotic therapy is successful in treating fungal colonization of the intestinal tract.  More specifically, acidophilus heals fungal infection, as well as the accompanying stomach inflammation.

Coconut oil was proven in a recent animal study in Massachusetts to reduce the amount of Candida in the gut by more than 90%. The researches emphasized that antifungal drugs can be used to decrease and control Candida and prevent it from spreading to the bloodstream, but repeated use of antifungal drugs can lead to drug resistant-strains of fungal diseases. “Food can be a powerful ally in reducing the risk of disease,” said Alice Lichtenstein at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine”, sums this up the best when he said: “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”.

This natural health news is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a publisher of nutrition articles and a supplier of effective natural remedies since 2002. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, as well as Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains, stronger hair and nails, and more energy.

References:

1. Are probiotics effective in the treatment of fungal colonization of the gastrointestinal tract? Experimental and clinical studies.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17242486

2. Curcumin as a promising anticandidal of clinical interest. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21358761

Studies Find Rice Bran Oil Has Many Benefits

Rice bran oil is a heart-healthy oil that is used in cooking, salad oil and nutritional supplements.

It is extracted from the outer bran coats of rice.  It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids that help fight disease and promote good health.

Research studies have found that this oil reduces blood pressure and cholesterol, remedies menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, strengthens the immune system and protects the retina of the eye.

Rice bran oil is rich in two types of natural vitamin E and also high in Oryzanol (a word that sounds like “Original”), which is a powerful antioxidant only found in rice bran oil.  Antioxidants protect our tissues from deterioration and help to slow the aging process.

One example of rice oil benefiting the heart health is a study done by a team of cardiovascular scientists in Japan. The 60-day study was conducted with 300 men and women and found that a combination of rice bran oil and sesame oil reduced blood pressure by 14 points and lowered cholesterol by 26%. The oil consisted of 80% rice bran oil and 20% sesame oil.

Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia can plague women who are at pre-menopause or menopause.  In a study of menopausal women, researchers gave the participants the active component of rice bran oil in supplement form.  After four to six weeks, 90% of the women had some form of relief, with 40% claiming “excellent” improvement.  The women also experienced significantly reduced cholesterol levels.

Our immune system protects and defends us from disease in all its forms.  It is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body. The main cells involved are white blood cells called “leukocytes” which create antibodies that neutralize toxins and infections.

From the journal of Phytotherapy Research (phyto refers to plants) comes a study showing that rice bran oil evokes a significant increase in antibodies that greatly enhance immune activity.

Rice bran oil can help calcium to be absorbed better into the body.  In a review article from “Progress in Lipid Research” (a lipid is a natural fat or oil), the authors write that healthy oils increase mineral utilization by enhancing the effects of vitamin D – a vitamin that works alongside calcium and magnesium.  As a result, oils such as this can help calcium to be deposited into bone and improve bone strength.

This health news is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II.  This sleep remedy features calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, all mixed with rice bran oil in a highly absorbable softgel.

Kimberly B. of Troy, Michigan gives her review and says: “I have been taking Sleep Minerals II for about a month now. I have tried everything out there and this supplement is amazing. I have suffered with insomnia for 2 1/2 years. I have also had restless leg syndrome my entire life and this is the first relief I’ve ever had…gone for a month now.”

For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit this page.