The
yeast, Candida albicans, is a part of the normal flora
of the human body and coexists with other organisms
harmlessly in small numbers. Certain conditions in the
body promote the overgrowth of Candida causing
Candidiasis which manifests itself in myriad symptoms
varying from one individual to another. One of the
symptoms is called leaky gut, where the yeast penetrates
the intestinal walls causing the contents of the
intestinal tract to ooze out resulting in food
allergies. Milk and wheat are among the most common
antigens in the American diet to produce symptoms. Once
this occurs, a number of auto-immune diseases are likely
to develop.
Gluten
is a protein found in cereals like wheat, rye, oats, and
barley. Some people are allergic to gluten resulting in
damage to the lining of the small intestines. This
causes the food to decay due to malabsorption, which
promotes the growth of Candida. There is a growing
school of thought that the underlying pathology of
Candidiasis is actually gluten-induced intestinal
damage. On the other hand, the cell walls of Candida
contain the same protein sequence as wheat gluten which
in turn may set off celiac disease. In that
case, a lot of interesting possibilities can exist.
First, elimination of gluten by people with celiac
disease often results in rapid improvement of symptoms.
However, this may not always be the case. Even after
gluten is eliminated some people continue to have
symptoms. Then it is safe to presume that they may have
intestinal Candidiasis. The Candida in the intestine may
be acting like gluten and continues to trigger
reactions.
Secondly,
an acute Candida infection may result in the onset of
celiac disease. Even if the Candida is treated and
eliminated, the person could be left with a permanent
sensitivity to wheat gluten. Thirdly, if wheat can cause
neurological damage as in gluten ataxia, it is
reasonable to assume that Candida could also do so by
the same reasoning. Candida is known to affect the
neurological system. Fourthly, if only a small portion
of the people with gluten ataxia have gastrointestinal
symptoms despite their severe damage elsewhere in their
bodies, it is reasonable to assume that Candida could
stimulate significant problems while producing slight or
no digestive symptoms. Candida infections occur
frequently with antibiotic usage. In people
genetically susceptible to celiac, extra caution should
be exercised when using antibiotics to prevent Candida
overgrowth.
Most
holistic therapy practitioners will tell you that
Candida is a very tenacious organism and diet and
patience are the greatest weapons against it. They would
also ask you to avoid wheat and wheat products in the
diet as first step towards eliminating Candida. Small
lifestyle changes, use of proper supplements, emotional
support, and exercises will go a long way in curing this
disease.
