Many people ask what causes candida overgrowth in our body. Candida is a common opportunistic pathogen that exists in moist dark areas of the body like the mouth and vaginal orifice. Normally it’s benign, its numbers are controlled by the harsh environment and more numerous indigenous bacteria. But when candida numbers explodes, it roots into body’s tissues to have more secure food supply and cause infection.
Several factors can increase candida overgrowth.
Main Causes
Poor health choices
A daily diet composed largely of high-calorie and low-fiber food items can support candida infection. Food items like refined flour, sugar, low-fiber grain and corn syrup increases blood sugar in the body. Remember that candida is a member of the yeast family, and like all yeasts, it uses sugar to live and reproduce. Too much sugar provides lots of fodder for the normally benign candida, causing overgrowth and infection.
Frequent use of commercial feminine washes
These commercial items are marketed as essential feminine stuff, advertised as ideal cleaning agent for vagina. But the vagina needs no more than mild soap and water to be clean. And commercial washes contain broad-spectrum antibiotics that kill more good bacteria than it kills candida. As the competitors of candida fades, their numbers multiply to exploit the empty niche and that what causes candida overgrowth.
Use of certain personal lubricants
Personal lubricants, used to enhance sexual experience can be helpful in some couples. There is a jungle of lubricants there in the market, some which feature glycerin and glycogen as thickeners. These substances are converted into simple sugar which also provides food for candida, causing overgrowth. Frequent use of these lubricants is associated with candida infection, both on males and females.
Management and remedies
Natural remedies can help in maintaining normal vaginal flora to control candida population.
- Refrain from using lubricants that contain glycerin, glycerol or glycogen if you want to reduce candida in your body.
- Be healthy by replacing usual white bread, sugar and corn syrup with whole grain, and honey as sweeteners. It reduces food supply to the candida and prevents overgrowth.
- Apple cider vinegar is a good substitute if you can resist the urge of using douches. Cider vinegar keeps normal acidic pH of the vagina, killing candida without harming good bacteria. Mix one part of vinegar into four parts of water and use three times a day as feminine wash.
- Probiotics can keep the numbers of good bacteria in your body to optimum. Drinking two servings of yoghurt-based drinks provides daily need for probiotics.
These natural remedies are useful when candida infections have not started yet. By being healthy in choices, there is no need to worry about candida infection. What causes candida overgrowth is removal of conditions that control its numbers.
Related posts:
- What Causes Candida Infections?
- What Causes Candida Albicans in Women?
- Candida Cleanse Diet Plan
- Candida Albicans Cleanse Diet
- Natural Remedies for Candida Albicans