Independent health store advice on candida

Looking for advice on natural health and wellbeing? Your local independent health store can offer a wealth of knowledge and expertise. This month we speak to Carol Hill, owner of Healthy Stuff in Marlow, Bucks.

The gut naturally has low levels of yeast. They can get out of control and that is when symptoms can arise. There are many symptoms associated with candida. You may experience bloating, discomfort and issues with diarrhoea and constipation. Some people will experience issues with weight gain too.

Aches and pains in the muscles and joints are also common. You may also experience headaches and a fuzzy feeling in your head first thing in the morning. Some people may also experience thrush, athlete’s foot or a fungal nail infection. As we’re all so individual and symptoms are so varied, one person’s candida experience will differ from the next. In the first instance, I would advise having your symptoms checked by your GP.

One of the main causes of yeast imbalance is antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics kill the bacteria in your gut and the first to grow back tends to be the biggest and strongest, which are the yeasts and bad bacterias. Other causes of candida include stress and having a poor diet.

Diet first approach

Treatment is via a three-pronged attack. In the first instance, you need to starve the yeast. To do this, I would start people off on a diet which would cut out all refined carbohydrates, all sugars, coffee and all yeast. Essentially, anything that is white coloured is out. Some people will find they need to cut out all carbohydrates, particularly if their symptoms are more severe.

I would recommend starting with the exclusion diet on its own to begin with. The next step would then be to continue with the diet and also start taking a supplement to kill the yeast.

I really like CandiGONE by Renew Life as it’s a combination of anti-fungal herbs and it will catch all of the different types of yeast. It’s a 15-day treatment programme per pack but some people may need to follow the programme for longer, possibly for a month or two, particularly if they have experienced symptoms for a long time. I would also recommend taking a digestive enzyme, in addition. This will ensure that you’re breaking down foods properly.

Mending the gut

Following on from steps one and two, you would reach the final stage where you mend the gut. At this stage, mending the mucosal lining and the protective bacterial wall is important for your future health. A combination of L-glutamine and a high dose probiotic is recommended. My first choice would be Renew Life’s Ultimate Flora Critical Care.

However, treating candida is not something that is a quick fix. The absolute minimum would be six weeks but many people have to continue treatment for anything from three months up to a year.

Probiotic supplements can be a great preventative to protect the gut but I would advise using a food first approach. Fermented foods such as raw sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha and homemade yoghurt enable you to get probiotics in several times a day through what you eat. It really does pay to have a healthy, strong gut.

Healthy Stuff

The store stocks a wide range of natural health foods and top-range supplements. Nutrition is a real passion for Carol and her knowledgeable team. Leading supplement ranges include Viridian, BioCare, Solgar, Renew Life, Terranova and Nature’s Plus. In addition, the store also offers natural bodycare, beauty and mineral make-up options. Healthy Stuff prides itself on its reputation for offering good advice. Above the store is Marlow Complementary Health Care where consultations with the store’s nutritionist and homeopath are held. To contact the store, call 01628 473684 or email healthystuffshop@btconnect.com

• Opened in 2001

• Popular store that’s been around for almost 16 years

• Has more than 2,000 product lines