What is Candida?
Candida
(or Candida Albicans) is a type of yeast found naturally in the human
body and is the one that is responsible for the common problem of thrush infections. Normally
it lives in the gut and is kept in check by
our friendly bacteria. However, when the body's state of balance is
disrupted the candida can change into its invasive form and burrow through the
gut wall into the blood stream. It can then spread to other organs such
as the lungs, heart and brain leading to many health problems and a
myriad of symptoms, this is known as candidiasis.
Things that may disrupt your natural healthy balance include:
- Taking antibiotics
- Long term stress
- Long term ill health / immune deficiency
- High sugar intake
- High alcohol intake
- Long term drug use
- Hormonal imbalance
- Contraceptive Pill / IUD
- Constipation and other digestive problems
Symptoms of candida overgrowth include:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Food and chemical senstivities
Allergies
Food cravings
Painful periods
Muscle aches or weakness
Skin problems
Vaginal thrush
Sores in mouth
Fungal nail infections / athletes foot
Pain or tightness in chest
Fuzzy head
Dizziness
Confusion
Poor coordination
Poor memory / poor concentration
Tiredness during the day
Difficulty getting to sleep at night
Headaches
Depression
Changes in mood
Feeling disconnected or apathetic
And many more...
If left untreated it can go on to cause more serious health problems and is thought by many to be a precursor to cancer.
Treatment
requires a diet that will starve the candida (but not you!) as well as
being high in nutrients to boost your immune system. Generally detoxing
your life is recommended to give you the
upper hand over what is an incredibly stubborn and resilient microorganism.Once you have got the
candida under control you will be able to start reintroducing your favourite foods
again.
At
Persephone's I can help guide you through the recovery process so you
get better as quickly as possible and stay positive - it can be a
difficult journey to do alone - especially when some doctors still have
little or no understanding of this condition!
My
help in all aspects of candida treatment is included in the cost of
your treatment. We will assess the best form of treatment for you in
your consultation and you will fill in a questionnaire to help determine
whether candida is the cause of your symptoms. Unfortunately the various tests available are of limited use as they are not always completely accurate, observing the symptoms and seeing if changes in diet help are still the best form of diagonsis. We will keep a
record of your progress so you can see how you improve over the
following weeks. Any supplements are of nominal cost and can be bought direct from me or from your local health food store.
Now,
give yourself a pat on the back - you have made the first step to
getting well and discovering a whole new world of delicious food and a new positive lifestyle!
You can rest assured that not only is the end to your candida problem in sight but you also have the power to create a far healthier and happier future for yourself and your family.
Highly recommended reading material to get you started is firstly, Erica White's book
And also this one by Alison Adams
I
provide full email and telephone support
to all my regular clients so if there is anything you want to ask in between
treatments I will always be available to help at no extra charge.
Useful Links
The
Sacred Garden, based in Christchurch, do a range of luxurious skin care
products including the organic body butter that I use for your
reflexology treatment. Treat yourself and support a small local business
at the same time!
The
Moontree Gallery in Boscombe is an art gallery with a difference! You
can also find a variety of new age products such as incense, candles and
smudge sticks. They provide therapies and are the venue Persephone's
uses for Reiki attunements. Various card readers and palm readers can
often be found here and the fortnightly meditation and enlightenment
groups should not be missed!
Riverford
Organic Veg is a company supplying high quality organic produce direct
from the farm to your door. Their fruit and veg boxes are very
reasonably priced:
Get a water filter for your shower - removes chlorine and other nasties from the water. Great for people with sensitive skin.
Delicious "Pure" raw food chocolates with added special ingredients from Indigo's Glastonbury.
An excellent site for superfoods, always good quality and quick delivery:
