In our bodies, there are millions of yeasts living and some of them aren’t that good for us. The prime example of a very common yeast infection is a bacteria called Candida. Candida, much like other types of yeast, can be easily caught and if not treated correctly, it can multiply and make a mess out of your body. However, it’s not all that dark, as there are some natural cures for this disease – for example, probiotics!
When we mention probiotics, lots of people think of yogurt but we are not going to talk about yogurt. Of course, we are going to talk about kefir, the strongest probiotic beverage known to us. Kefir has been known to have some of the strongest benefits when it comes to fighting bacteria and numerous diseases.
But, is kefir good for treating Candida in your body? Well, let’s find out!
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What is Candida?
We’ll get to the nitty-gritty of the topic, but first, we need to introduce you to this dangerous and stubborn bacteria. Candida is one of the numerous types of bacteria that can be found in your mouth, skin or even inside of you. This bacteria is here to help us digest the food and in general, it’s not something to worry about when it’s not overgrown. It’s very similar to Helicobacter, which is another type of bacteria that we already have in our organisms. However, Candida can easily grow out of control and that’s where the problems begin.
Candida can easily be kept under control with a healthy amount of good bacteria, as well as probiotics (like kefir, for example). But, if you live a stressful life (like 99% of grown-up people), you eat a lot of bread, sugar, and don’t rest adequately, there is a chance that Candida might grow. Various medications also exacerbate this condition – antibiotics, cortisone, birth-control pills, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Symptoms of Candida
Symptoms of Candida usually begin in your mouth. Yellow or white patches on the tongue are pretty common. These patches can spread all the way to lips, inner cheeks, and roof of the mouth. More severe symptoms include brain fog, headaches, digestive problems accompanied by bloating, bowel disorders, depression, anxiety, and intense itching. As you can see, Candida is not to be messed with, especially when it spreads its tentacles and start creating problems.
How Can Kefir Remedy This Problem?
It’s true that kefir, as a powerful probiotic, can help mitigate the symptoms of Candida, as well as Candida itself. However, it’s important to know that kefir isn’t a magic beverage that will make you healthy in a single swallow. Getting rid of Candida is a long-lasting process and it’s definitely not an easy task. Of course, aside from lots of good bacteria and probiotics, your doctor will probably prescribe you some medication that can eliminate Candida.
Now, let’s talk about kefir. Kefir is a probiotic drink that packs billions and trillions of good bacteria that can help you with various digestive problems. Before people started making kefir, yogurt was the king of probiotics. Nowadays, you can’t say that yogurt is a better probiotic than kefir. Kefir draws its roots all the way to Turkey, Russia, and Eastern Europe. In these parts of the Earth, many families used to brew it as an excellent source of good bacteria. And as such, these families rarely had any problems with gut bacteria.
To help remedy this bacteria, kefir should be consumed every day. People who start drinking kefir usually notice the reaction in their gut. You start to go to the toilet a bit more often and you notice that you have an easy time doing that. This means that the digestion system started working as it should. For some, this reaction isn’t pleasant, just to mention. The reason why kefir helps to mitigate Candida is that its grains feed on sugar. In fact, kefir grains will feed on a large portion of food that you consumed.
As you probably know, Candida and any similar type of bacteria, LOVE sugar. Eating a lot of sugar is going to make symptoms much worse BUT not if you drink kefir. Its grains, when they make their way to the gut, will immediately start feeding on sugar that’s already in there. This way, you reduce the amount of sugar that your body consumes and digests, making non-friendly conditions to Candida.
Many types of probiotic drinks can also help but kefir is the best option. Since it contains a lot more good bacteria than yogurt and has very little calories, we can comfortably say that it’s one of the healthiest drinks out there.
What Are Other Options?
What can you include in your diet aside from kefir? Well, we’ll have to turn to the Candida diet, a diet that’s known to reduce Candida in your body. The scientists that worked on developing such diet are aware that refined carbs and sugar are not good for our bodies. Therefore, they came up with an idea of a Candida diet, a slightly restricted version of the Paleo diet. Aside from kefir, you can include organic meat, eggs, and fish, when it comes to the proteins. As for the carbohydrates, your diet is pretty limited and will consist mostly of fibers. These include greens, artichokes, asparagus, onions, spices, herbs, and low-sugar fruits.
Remember that fruits also have some amount of sugar. For example, a banana has around 20g of sugar per 100g, which is really a lot. Apples, oranges, and pears have 12g of sugar. This means that you should include fruits like various type of berries, lemon, limes, and rhubarb. A handful of berries a day should do the trick. When it comes to spices, ginger, coconut oil, cinnamon, and garlic are preferred. Cut back on the salt a little bit.
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Swap the Sunflower Oil with Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is getting more and more popular each day. When it comes to fighting Candida, this may be the right food for you. Some healthy fatty acids like caprylic acid, capric acid, as well as lauric acid are located here. These acids are used to boost your immune system and of course – repel various bacteria. With the numerous studies being done, coconut oil is definitely great for fighting against stubborn bacteria such as Candida. Buying some coconut oil isn’t going to cost you a fortune, either.
Be sure to have a bit of coconut oil in your kitchen and use it when you prepare some of your meals. It can easily be combined with roasted vegetables or healthy muffins. Coconut oil can also be consumed solely. Have a tablespoon or two of coconut oil with your meal, to reduce bacteria in your mouth and promote more efficient digestion.
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Avoid Stress!
I know. It’s easier said than done but at least try. Stress is a silent killer that kills you every single time you come in contact with it. If you have to stress at work, try to stay away from it while you’re at home. This is important even if you already have problems with Candida. Generally, stress can induce various diseases such as cardiac arrest, increased cholesterol, diabetes, and much more. If you can’t find a way to reduce stress, simply grab a sheet of paper and write down what stresses you the most.
Another great way to evade stress is by exercising. You don’t have to mutilate yourself every training. For example, 30 minutes of yoga is great but so is 30 minutes of running or lifting weights. Be sure to incorporate 3 to 5 workouts a week and you’ll definitely see benefits. If you can, try to work out in the morning. This will relax you for the rest of your day and will make you cope with stress much easier.
As we learned today, kefir can definitely give Candida a hard time. This probiotic drink can help you get rid of numerous bacteria and Candida is only one of them. Since it’s delicious and easy to make at home, we don’t see a reason not to try it. Kefir grains are cheap and so is commercial kefir. A glass or two of kefir a day will keep your bacteria away!
Oh, and let’s not forget about your diet, stress levels, and coconut oil. Be sure to reduce simple sugars in your diet and keep it as healthy as possible. Eat enough proteins and avoid starchy carbohydrates. Reduce your stress to a minimum and throw away your sunflower oil – you ain’t gonna need it!
Remember to drink kefir even if you’re healthy. It’s better to prevent than to cure, they say. And they’re absolutely right!