Win the fight against yeast infection 11 natural yeast killers Candida albicans

Burning during urination. Persistent itching and vaginal discharge. Coating in the mouth and difficulty swallowing. These can all be signs that a yeast infection is taking place in the body. Unfortunately, its treatment is often a long haul and requires, among other things, a change in diet. So how to manage a Candida albicans infection with natural remedies?

Yeast infections are very often encountered by women, either in the genitals or in the urinary tract. But Candida albicans is actually one of the most common human pathogens. It can be found, for example, in the mouth and gut microbiome of most people, and if we can keep it at bay we don’t feel its presence. But the problem arises when our body’s defence mechanisms fail. Then an infection develops, which attacks not only the external genital organs, the mucous membrane of the urinary tract, or the oral cavity but can also come in a life-threatening whole-body infection.

Yeast infections are very difficult to treat – although there are a number of drugs available, the yeast easily develops resistance to them and the problem recurs.

How does a yeast infection occur?

Overgrowth of Candida albicans can be caused by a weakened immune system – for example, yeast infections in the mouth often occur in children suffering from malnutrition, AIDS patients or people taking immunosuppressants. Diabetes is also a significant risk factor.

The state of the gut microbiome is also very important. The “friendly gut bacteria” are an important factor in preventing yeast overgrowth in the gut. In fact, the risk of yeast infections increases after the use of full-spectrum antibiotics, which fundamentally disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome. On the other hand, however, nothing is black and white – some research shows that the presence of Candida albicans in the gut is a factor that contributes significantly to the recovery of the diversity of the microscopic inhabitants of the gut, even after antibiotic treatment.

The great advantage of yeast is that it can switch very quickly between two states called white and opaque. In the former, they can form what is called a biofilm, which has a high adhesion to tissues. This allows the yeast to adhere better to the mucous membranes of the body and makes it more difficult for immune cells to destroy them, thus increasing the likelihood of their survival. In its opaque state, yeasts then reproduce.

It has been shown that the transition between the two states occurs through so-called epigenetic reactions that affect the activity of important genes in yeast cells – specifically, a reaction called gene methylation. Epigenetic processes then play an important role in the ability of all pathogens to attack cells in the human body – for example, an epigenetic reaction called histone modification. Interestingly, the epigenetic reactions in yeast cells that are found in the gut are also significantly influenced by other bacteria in the gut microbiome.

Diet, diet, diet!

Modifying your diet greatly increases the likelihood of managing a yeast infection, and is often even a necessity. Perhaps the most important step is to drastically reduce the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet, especially simple sugars and carbohydrates with a high glycaemic index. This means eliminating sweets, sugary drinks, white flour pastries, pasta, etc. from the diet. It is also advisable to limit the consumption of fruit, especially those with a higher sugar content. On the other hand, according to a 2018 study, sweetening with xylitol, which has antimicrobial effects, may be beneficial.

Some research suggests that eliminating gluten from the diet may be beneficial, but more research will be needed to confirm this. The benefits of a gluten-free diet for people who are not gluten intolerant are difficult to prove. In fact, when someone chooses to follow a gluten-free diet, they significantly reduce their consumption of white flour baked goods and a higher proportion of whole grains starts to appear in their diet. This then translates into a reduction in the intensity of inflammatory processes in the body, an increase in tissue sensitivity to insulin and an improvement in the gut microbiome. The consequence of this is not only a decline in yeast infection, but also in a number of other problems. It is therefore questionable whether a simple preference for whole grain cereals, regardless of gluten content, would lead to the same result.

The recommendation to cut out dairy products has not been reliably confirmed, but in any case it is worth giving preference to those with low lactose content, i.e. especially cheese, cottage cheese and yoghurt. Lactose is a disaccharide made up of glucose and galactose, and it is the consumption of glucose that should be limited when fighting yeast.

At the same time, it is important to include foods that support the species diversity of the gut microbiome, which are not only probiotics (i.e. directly “friendly bacteria”, for example in the form of fermented dairy products, fermented vegetables or dietary supplements), but especially probiotics, which serve as a substrate for the nutrition of these beneficial microorganisms. This includes, in particular, soluble and insoluble fibres, especially those from vegetables (cruciferous vegetables are particularly effective) and whole grain cereals.

The fats consumed may also play a role. Long-chain fatty acids, such as those found in beef fat or soybean oil, in particular, promote yeast growth. Coconut oil, on the other hand, which contains medium-chain fatty acids, is very beneficial. These are the ones that can directly kill many microbes, including the yeast Candida albicans. Olive oil also promotes the destruction of yeasts, and short-chain fatty acids are also beneficial – a typical example is butyrate, which is not only obtained through food but is also produced by certain bacteria in the gut microbiome.

Dietary principles in a nutshell

The basic dietary principles for yeast infections could therefore be as follows:

• Completely eliminate sweets and sugary drinks from your diet. If you can’t do without the sweet taste, use natural sweeteners such as stevia or xylitol.
• White flour pastries, pasta, etc. are completely inappropriate.
• Prefer whole grains and pseudo grains, both gluten-free and those with lower gluten content than conventional wheat. These can be buckwheat, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, oats, spelt, rye…
• Limit fruit significantly and choose lower-sugar varieties, such as berries.
• On the other hand, indulge in as many vegetables as possible, especially the brassicas (kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, kale…). Garlic and onions also have an antifungal effect.
• For dairy products, prefer those with low lactose content, i.e. cheese, yoghurt and kefir.
• Make sure you get enough good quality protein sources.
• High-quality fats should not be missing from your diet. Coconut oil and olive oil in particular have a positive effect, but in addition to these, it is also advisable to include oil, avocado, flaxseed and hemp oil, nuts or high-quality farm butter in the diet. On the other hand, soya oil and beef fat are inappropriate.
• Use spices with an antifungal effect, such as ginger, rosemary, turmeric, oregano or cinnamon. Many of these can also be taken as dietary supplements.

Useful dietary supplements

There are a number of natural dietary supplements that are successful in fighting yeast. Considering how difficult it is to win this battle, it is advisable to choose substances that work on three fronts:

• They have a direct antifungal effect.
• They support immunity.
• They have epigenetic effects, i.e. they influence the course of reactions in the body that decrease or increase the activity of genes in DNA.

So here is a small overview of natural substances with scientifically confirmed effect against the yeast Candida albicans.

Curcumin

The dye contained in the root of turmeric has a very positive effect on immunity, but it also has a direct effect against the yeast Candida albicans. It reduces their ability to form biofilms and reduces the production of enzymes in their cells that allow them to attack host cells.

Resveratrol

The dye contained mainly in the grape skins also has high antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects, and its ability to destroy the yeast Candida albicans has been demonstrated. However, many times higher concentrations of resveratrol than are found in red wine, for example, are required to achieve its effect, so its use as a dietary supplement is necessary.

Baikal pine cone

Baikal coneflower root, an herb used mainly in traditional Chinese medicine, contains the substance baikalein, which inhibits the ability of yeast to form a biofilm. Moreover, it combines well with other natural substances and even enhances the effectiveness of conventional drugs against Candida albicans.

Rosemary

This herb is effective against many types of yeast and fungi, including Candida albicans. Here too, however, the effectiveness depends on the concentration of the active ingredients, so it is advisable to prefer dietary supplements to the usual use as a spice.

Ginger

Ginger root contains the active substances 6-shogaol and 6-gingerol, which inhibit the proliferation of yeasts and their ability to form biofilms.

Butyrate

This short-chain fatty acid is produced by certain types of intestinal bacteria, but it can also be taken as a dietary supplement. It has been shown to inhibit the reproduction of the yeast Candida albicans and also supports the function of immune cells called macrophages, which are able to effectively destroy the yeast.

Propolis

Propolis is a product that bees make from the buds of certain plants. It has antimicrobial effects and works on yeasts. It can be applied externally, for example to rinse the oral cavity affected by a yeast infection, and as a dietary supplement.

Garlic

The popular vegetable is very rich in organic sulphur compounds, which effectively kill a wide range of microbes, including Candida albicans. These substances also inhibit both the multiplication of yeasts and limit their ability to form biofilms. It is effective both as a food ingredient and as a dietary supplement. It can be well combined with other natural substances such as rosemary or oregano.

Oregano

The oil from this Mediterranean herb kills yeast by dehydrating its cells.

Grapefruit seed extract

Grapefruit seeds contain substances that are capable of killing more than 800 species of viruses and bacteria and more than 100 species of yeasts and fungi. They are also effective against Candida albicans.