do it from center

It was exactly 3 days before we left on our two week vacation in sunny Florida, 2 days before my birthday, and 1 day before I was to take my National Certification Exam for massage that my partner, Ian, received the news. Most people, would be shocked… resistant to believe… hesitant to make the changes… and decide to remain convinced that they way they felt, was out of their hands. But, not Ian! After living with symptoms for 15 years and seeking medical assistance every step of the way, Ian was relieved to *finally* have an answer. And I, his faithful companion, vowed to help him every way I could. Neither of us knew what we were getting into.

Candida Albicans is a yeast microorganism that lives in the intestinal tract of every human being. It shares space in the intestines with a variety of other microorganisms, mostly beneficial bacteria, called probiotics. The bacteria to yeast ration in a healthy person is about 10:1 and when this ratio teeters to the yeast side, we have what is called a Candida Overgrowth.

The symptom list for Candida is enormous which makes it easy for the western medical system to merely treat the symptom since the cause is very hard to diagnose. Each time Ian went to the doctor, they would never investigate why at the age 12 he needed to eat within 30 minutes of rising to avoid feeling horrible, or why he had indigestion and heartburn at 13, or why a non-diabetic healthy teenage boy would have hypoglycemic tendencies. Instead they instructed him to eat upon rising, take a tums, fill this prescription for zantac, and make sure he always had food around.

What causes candida? This list is also quite long and not exactly definitive. As most women know, after taking antibiotics, we are most certain to get a yeast infection. Well, antibiotics are just one way that Candida can overthrow the bacterial balance in our intestines. Other factors may include: stress, diet high in yeast-friendly foods, alcohol, immune issues, and environmental factors.

Eventhough this has little to do with massage or movement, it is directly realted to health and the quality of life of so many people who suffer from something that can be cured. In Candida Chronicles, I will cover recipes, revelations, research, and ideas that I learn from living with a person who is working towards being in candida balance.

Want to know if you might have a Candida Overgrowth? Check out the Candida Self Test and the Symptom Assessment Questionnaire.

Have candida and miss that bread texture? Check out Cast Iron Chef’s Bean Waffle Recipe !