Candida: An Introduction
By Walter Ballenberger, edited by Lisa McMahon
Many people suffer from an excess of in their bodies, and sinus problems are among the effects. The yeast (a form of fungus), is called and the disease is referred to as candidiasis. If you feel listless, achy, or even light-headed or 'spacy', in addition to having sinus and other health problems, you many have an excess of candida. Candida can flourish in the body when the immune system is impaired. Candidiasis is often a result of taking too many courses of antibiotics or other medications that can harm the immune system. Dr. Robert Ivker, in his book 'Sinus Survival' states 'What I have repeatedly observed in my practice is that the vast majority of people with chronic sinusitis, who have taken three or more ten-day to two-week courses of antibiotics within a six month period, probably have some degree of candidiasis.' Certain hormones can also contribute tocandidiasis, including those in birth control pills, as can cortisone medications such as prednisone. A high-sugar diet can also help the growth of candida, which uses sugar as a food. Diabetics have a higher than normal propensity for having candidiasis. Unfortunately there is no easy test that can be used to determine if one has candidiasis, and many people tend to diagnose the problem themselves after numerous visits to a doctor, who cannot diagnose exactly what is wrong with them. Many sufferers are told 'it's all in your head'. There is a simple test of spitting into a glass and observing the mucus and how it dissipates. This seems rather folkloric, but there are usually grains of truth in folklore. Certainly this would not constitute a definitive diagnosis, but it might give some people an indication. This test is easily found on an internet search with the keyword 'candida.' Oftentimes the best diagnosis is to set out on a course of treatment to see if there is an improvement in the patient's conditions. Background questionnaires are



also commonly used to determine probability of the presence of candida. If this seems possible and one has a number of the symptoms, it would make sense to seek out a physician or specialist who has extensive experience in treating fungal diseases. Sinus problems are only one of the many issues that are confronted with candida. When spread throughout the body they tend to congregate in moist mucous tissue in the lungs and nasal areas, so sinus problems are often a result of candida. Other symptoms include sluggishness and a feeling of being 'spaced out,' irritability, depression, mood swings, as well as itching and burning sensations when urinating. Diarrhea, cramping or constipation, and of course stuffy or runny nose and sinus infections are also experienced by candidiasis sufferers. Also noted as symptoms are cravings for certain foods, such as breads, sugars, cheeses, and alcohol. Candidiasis treatment is not simple and generally consists of a 'candida' diet. This diet is high in protein and vegetables and low on carbohydrates. It may be difficult to maintain this type of diet for extended periods. The diet aims to take away the fuel needed by to thrive. There are products available on the internet that claim to help patients, and one should research these thoroughly before taking them. Certainly one should obtain a doctor's opinion before taking some sort of supplement. One should even try to personally contact people who have given endorsements for the product. Some of these are not very expensive, however, and the cost of trying them, given approval by a doctor, might be worth the cost and effort. Sinusitis is a difficult problem to live with and as is well documented at Post Nasal Drip, but sufferers must endure other health issues as well. Many of these supplemental products and more information can be found easily by doing an internet search for 'candida' or 'candidiasis.'
Walt Ballenberger is founder of Post Nasal Drip a resource web site for sinusitis sufferers like himself. For a free report entitled 'Sinus Treatment Success Stories', visit Post Nasal Drip and click on the Free Report link. This resource can be of significant help to chronic sinus sufferers.

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