Hi Friends,
We often focus on the bacteria 🦠 in our gut microbiome, but let’s not forget about yeast and fungi 🍄! Generally yeast and fungal growth in our microbiome is kept in balance by good bacteria. But if something tips this balance like antibiotics 💊 or a diet high in carbs 🍞 and sugar 🍬, this can shift the balance in favor of yeast and fungi.
Symptoms of Yeast Overgrowth Include:
Dandruff
Thrush (thick white coating on the tongue)
Recurrent vaginal yeast infections
Fungal skin rashes like tinea versicolor and ringworm
Toenail fungus
Bloating and IBS
Many of you are familiar with SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) which causes gas, bloating, and IBS. But did you know there is a similar condition caused by fungal overgrowth called SIFO (Small Intestine Fungal Overgrowth)? The symptoms of SIFO are often identical to SIBO, but there may be outward clues to fungal overgrowth like skin rashes or thrush.
I want to introduce 2 key supplements that are helpful in treating yeast and fungal overgrowth:
Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) is a probiotic yeast used to “Fight Yeast with Yeast.” It helps to:
1️⃣ Keep bad yeast like Candida albicans in check.
2️⃣ Help manage IBS symptoms.
3️⃣ Treat acute diarrhea and prevent parasite infections.
4️⃣ Prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea and C. diff infections.
5️⃣ Enhance the integrity of the intestinal lining, reducing inflammation and aiding in healing Leaky Gut.
6️⃣ S. boulardii can also help those with Histamine Intolerance.
S. boulardii is best taken 1 capsule in the morning with water on an empty stomach.
PMID: 30804678
PMID: 22423260
PMID: 20458757
Candida Support is a natural blend of herbs with antimicrobial properties to treat yeast and fungi like Candida. It contains Berberine, Oregano, Sodium Caprylate, Pau D’Arco, Ginger, and Cinnamon. It’s a powerhouse blend crafted with nature’s best anti-fungal properties.
PMID: 33861447
PMID: 32557120
PMID: 12678685
Candida Support is gentle and well tolerated by most people. It is taken 1 capsule once or twice daily after food.
🍰 Are you craving cake, ice-cream, and all things sweet? Yeast love sugar, carbs, and alcohol 🍺. When treating fungal or yeast overgrowth, it’s important to cut out sugar and grains (like bread, pasta, rice, and cereals) from your diet. I often recommend a paleo diet, and even recommend cutting out fruit for the first month of treatment. Eating more dark leafy greens can help to treat and prevent fungal overgrowth. This means eating more arugula salads (see recipe below)!
📺 To learn more about Candida, SIFO, and Fungal Overgrowth in the Gut Microbiome, please watch my video on YouTube: Candida and SIFO.
Arugula Salad
Eating salads with arugula is a great way to fight off yeast and fungi in your microbiome.
2 cups of organic baby arugula
1/4 cup chopped purple cabbage
1/8 cup chopped red onions
1/4 cup garbanzo beans (can use canned, but rinse thoroughly)
Few slices of cooked beets (can use canned, but without added sugar)
Dressing: 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
Sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds!
Toss together and Enjoy!
Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! Please share it with a friend or family member who may be suffering from symptoms of yeast or fungal overgrowth.
Warm regards,
Rajsree Nambudripad, MD
Dr. Rajsree is a caring and compassionate physician, who is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Integrative/Holistic medicine. She is passionate about helping patients optimize their health through a preventative approach involving healthy lifestyle, dietary changes, targeted nutritional supplementation, and optimizing hormones. Her practice is unique in the personalized attention she devotes to each and every patient.