Candida causes

How we end up with a candida albicans infection.

There's good news in that candida causes are fairly straightforward. Once we know the triggers we can take steps to prevent an infection (or reinfection).

If you came from the last page (what is candida?), then you already know that the key to controlling candida albicans is keeping our beneficial bacteria in our bowels healthy and growing.

The fact of the matter is there is a constant (albeit tiny) battle that goes on in your digestive tract.

Healthy people typically have about 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) of microorganisms living in their intestines. At least 80-85% of those organisms are beneficial and less than 15-20% are detrimental. They fight constantly over nutrients and space to live on the wall of the colon.

As long as the bad guys are outnumbered, the battle is easily won. But when we take in certain foods and other substances (like refined sugar and antibiotics) without replacing the beneficial bacteria that die off, the scales turn and the bad organisms (like yeast) flourish.

So keeping your good bacteria thriving is how to can keep candida at bay. It should than make sense that anything you do to upset the balance of good bacteria (and lower your immune system) leaves you more susceptible to a candida infection.

Here are the most common causes of candida albicans:

  • Antibiotics – kill the good bacteria along with the bad
  • Birth control pills and steroids – upset the body's natural hormone balance
  • Heavy metal toxicity
  • Exposure to pesticides and other environmental toxins
  • Consuming animal products that contain hormones and antibiotics
  • Drinking chlorinated water – chlorine is put in tap water to disinfect it (i.e. kill bacteria)
  • Eating too many processed foods containing refined sugar and white flour – yeast thrive on such foods
  • Lack of exercise
  • Chronic stress
  • Frequent exposure to mold and mildew
  • Having an acidic body pH

Even though all of these can cause candida (please note the list is not all inclusive), some are less problematic than others.

For instance, if you have to take antibiotics, candida can be kept at bay by reintroducing the good flora through probiotic supplementation. After, of course, you have finished the antibiotics.

Others create conditions where candida overgrowth is difficult to prevent - like having an acidic body pH or a high toxic burden. These situations are not easy or quick fixes and getting a candida infection will greatly intensify these health issues.

So what do you do if you suspect candida albicans is behind some (or all) of your health problems? Learn more about it!

Let's leave this section on candida causes and move on to the start of the infection - candida overgrowth.

- - Candida Causes