Brain Fog Part 6: Candida Overgrowth
Candida Overgrowth?
So often, candida overgrowths reveal a system under chronic stress and out of balance. While it might seem important to “treat” the overgrowth, it is merely a symptom revealing a system needing more foundational balance and attention to the overload of stress cascades.
Stress as the Root Cause
Stress derives from myriad sources: a purposeless job, heavy metal toxicity, blood sugar imbalances, improper breathing, metabolic dysfunction, prescription medications, hypothyroidism, excess iron, low copper, high PUFA intake, mineral deficiencies (especially vitamin A, C, E, and D), and stress-inducing, thyroid-inhibiting, low-carb diets.
Stress shifts our physiology towards high cortisol, adrenalin, estrogen, prolactin, serotonin, and other anti-metabolic hormones that further hinder our liver function and thyroid conversion and as a result, deliver body-wide inefficiencies as we shift towards reduction.
As our terrain shifts towards inflammation and acidity, the candida fungus that naturally occurs within our digestive system sometimes shift to a more virulent form. When in balance, candida is thought to aid with nutrient absorption and digestion in general.
Candida & Leaky Gut
In this stress-induced state, candida project invasive filaments into the intestinal wall, secreting aldehyde as they feed off of any sugar they can find. This secretion causes the epithelial cells of the small intestine to shrink and the gut to start “leaking.”
This leakage then allows toxins to filtrate through the epithelium and into the blood. This marks the point when people start experiencing symptoms: brain fog, fatigue, food sensitivities, itchy scalp, bloating, perhaps noticing a white overgrowth on their tongue, and even fungal colonies along their nails and toes.
The candida seems to adhere to any cell with estradiol in it, as well as preferring polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) as a fuel source: Ray Peat describes the interesting phenomena of the white film that develops on grapes. This coating is actually a layer of yeast cells happily inhabiting the outer surface due to the PUFA on the waxy surface of the grape; They find food and they happily start to colonize. The white coating we see on tongues often reflects a similar situation as the yeast start to colonize and feed. (2)
Ideally, a balanced immune system would prevent the yeast from shifting into their virulent form: The IgA antibodies on white blood cells should protect against candida overgrowth. But, IgA declines when the immune system is compromised, in hypothyroidism, and as a result of chronic stress—all of which seem to take their toll on the modern human these days. In a sense, the chronically stressed and hypothyroid have more susceptible membranes to be infiltrated by the candida.
…But IgA is deficient in hypothyroidism, so hypothyroid people have more susceptible membranes, and the yeasts thrive on sugar that can appear in the secretions in diabetes/stress, but they adhere to any cell with estradiol in it, thinking they have found a fertile yeast. Eating sugar and fruit is helpful, rather than harmful as the cultists say, because well nourished yeasts aren’t harmful in the intestine. But starved yeasts need sugar and so they project invasive filaments into the intestinal wall, and can get into the blood stream, at which point — if they aren’t quickly destroyed by white blood cells — they can grow and quickly kill the person. -Ray Peat (1)
Treating Candida
Candida protocols and diets seem to follow the “kill kill kill, starve starve starve” approach, suggesting that the only way to eradicate candida is to follow a sugar-free, dairy-free, yeast-free, fruit-free diet.
I still haven’t met anyone these diets have worked for, nor did they work for me. If anything, the low-carb approach seems to suppress thyroid function even further, adding stress to the system, delaying gut motility, increasing estrogen and cortisol, dampening liver function, and making the environment more conducive to yeast overgrowths.
Just thinking of having to do another restrictive diet can trigger stress, a sentiment shared with many others attempting healing diets (vegan, low FODMAP, AIP, SCD, etc.) and actually feeling worse. What is life without a little fruit and honey if we so choose, especially if that fructose is shown to support thyroid function and even lower cortisol (3).
When we remove sugar from the diet, the liver loses a vital component of function: glucose. Without glucose, stress hormones increase, thyroid conversion drops, immune function declines, and we dig ourselves deeper into the stress-based physiology that initiated the candida overgrowth initially.
In order to heal, to actually heal, we must address nutritional deficiencies, support the immune system & thyroid, address the high levels of stress hormones, and regulate gut motility to re-balance the microbial and fungal terrain. Before we target the candida, we must restore balance to the system, otherwise we might experience some major die-off (herxheimer reactions) before the liver and bowels can efficiently clear out the endotoxins.
The candida merely reveals the issue: it is here to help you re-balance and show you that your system is overloaded. It is letting you know that you have been stressed for far too long. It’s time to nourish and replenish, not to kill, starve, and ravage.
lEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE
When I tried Candida protocols, herbal remedies, teas, and low-carb diets without addressing my current level of depletion, things broke down far too quickly.
THERE IS A GENTLER WAY TO THIS, folks.
Sugar can help to lower stress hormones, support the thyroid and liver, and as a result, support the immune system by keeping endotoxin at bay and toxins processed and handled.(3)
It doesn’t require cutting sugars or avoiding “yeasty” foods: those found in breads and mushrooms are different types of yeast entirely.
Instead, we can support the immune system with:
Vitamin A, C, E, and D, and adequate B-vitamins from liver, grass-fed meats, and even bee pollen
Adequate protein and sugar (preferably from fruits) to support liver function and thyroid conversion within the liver
Increasing thyroid function by keeping stress low, consuming fructose, and maintaining adequate calcium, salt, vitamin D, and using coffee as a functional, pro-thyroid, anti-estrogen supplement
Avoiding excessive PUFA to maximize glucose oxidation and minimize gluconeogenesis
Regulate the bowels and minimize the production of endotoxin by limiting irritation
Keeping the ratio of estrogen to progesterone in balance
Manage stressors in a way that works for YOU. Accept the things you cannot change and skillfully change the things you can. You are in charge here. This is your life.
Use gentle anti-fungals like flowers of sulfur, garlic, oregano oil, Biocidin, polyphenols from tea, clove, kaempferol, etc., while making sure to bind up any die-off and endotoxin produced during the “pruning phase” with carbonized bamboo, adequate insoluble fiber, activated charcoal, and humic/fulvic acids.
Holistic Candida Treatments
Healing mustn’t be so aggressive and violent.
Things can happen slowly and easily if we so choose. If you’ve been chasing symptoms, trying to treat your overgrowths with restrictive diets and fancy supplements and not finding results, feel free to reach out to learn more about pro-metabolic eating and using functional food to lower stress and in doing, support your entire system to get rid of the overgrowth naturally.
[1]https://www.functionalps.com/blog/2011/09/07/candidiasis-myths/
[2]Lita Lee, PhD – April 2003 To Your Health; Candidiasis Myths
[3]“A new perspective on glucocorticoid feedback: relation to stress, carbohydrate feeding and feeling better,” J Neuroendocrinol 13(9), 2001, KD Laugero).
