Does invasive candida play a role in chronic illness? The answer is YES!

Candida and fungal toxicity present a major healing road block in many chronic Lyme, tickborne illness , autoimmune diseases and PANS patients. Often those who recover to 75-85% functionality with residual symptoms are found to harbor mold, candida and other fungal toxicities.

Symptoms associated with systemic candida:

sleep disorders

Brain Fog

Mood Disorders

Chronic headaches and sinusitis

Muscle aches

cold extremities

recurring UTIs

recurring vaginal infections

thrush

skin and nail fungal infections

GI distress- bloating, gas, pain

sluggishness

hormonal imbalances

What is it about candida and fungi that makes it so invasive and difficult to treat? Candida is a commensal organism found in normal human flora of the GI. Candida has the ability to attach itself to the inner wall lining of the urinary tract, GI tract and other epithelial cell surfaces making it difficult to eradicate. Biofilms also play a role in candida’s successful persistence. Our immune cells can not penetrate biofilms but rather mount a defense to something ‘foreign” damaging surrounding tissue and neurons while the candida stays nestled cozy under the biofilm’s protection.

So how do you treat?

The goal of candida isn’t to completely eradicate it but rather promote healthy candida species like sacchromyces boulardii which is often used while treating with antibiotics to prevent diarrhea.

Balancing healthy gut flora is key to keeping invasive candida and other bacteria at bay.

Immediate treatment for systemic candida:

low to no sugar diet

increase fermented foods (unless you suffer from mast cell activation syndrome)

take sacchromyces boulardi probiotics daily

utilize biofilm busters like cinnamon/clove/oregano oil, Biocidin, Biodisrupt from Researched Nutritionals, Stevia, curcumin and Allicin

Herbals that target candida specifically like Elim-A-Cand from Researched Nutritionals

Medications can help with immediate relief like Diflucan and Nystatin but ultimately will not clear a systemic infection.

Lingering symptoms often are the root of other systemic problems. Always maintain a broad lens with chronic infection and persistent symptoms!

Be Well!

Somer DelSignore, BC-PNP, PCCNP