"Candida used to be thought of simply as the cause of thrush. Now, though, doctors recognize that yeast infections are responsible for many of the other health problems of modem living — chronic fatigue, IBS and other digestive problems, depression, skin problems and lowered resistance to infection.

Shirley Trickett, well known from the help she has brought to thousands of sufferers with her books, Coping with Panic Attacks and Coping with Anxiety and Depression, explains how Candida really works, how it causes problems, why it seems to be on the increase and, most important, how to get it out of your life".

"This is a rare thing, a useful book, and I am happy to recommend it. If you are a sufferer, buy it and keep it handy, and you will find that it will many times justify its purchase price."

Dr Keith Watson

Princess Margaret Hospital, Windsor

Contents

Introduction

The candida question

The likely candidates

Allergies and food intolerance

Other fungal conditions

Case histories

Looking for answers

Diet

Looking after yourself

Introduction

You could have picked up this book thinking 'What on earth is Candida', or you might have chosen it because you suffer from repeated attacks of thrush and know that this is the organism responsible for the condition. Or it might be that you have battled for years with chronic problems and are looking for answers as to why your 'irritable bowel' does not respond to conventional treatment, why you have food and chemical intolerances, why you suffer chronic fatigue, why you cannot lose weight on a calorie-controlled diet, why you crave sweet or yeasty foods, why you have thrush before every period, why your PMT is getting worse, why you have mood swings and other psychological symptoms. These are all problems that can be due to an overgrowth of candida in the bowel.

It is true that many of the above problems have their origin in conditions other than candida and it would be unwise to act hastily before you have consulted your doctor. If on the other hand your symptoms have been investigated and you have not had satisfactory answers then it would be worthwhile looking at the list of predisposing factors (particularly if you have been on long-term antibiotics) and also seeing how you score on the candida questionnaire.

What is candida?

Candida is a yeast which is normally present in the bowel. It feeds on the simple carbohydrates we eat such as sugar, bread, biscuits, cakes and fermented foods such as cheese, alcohol and vinegar. If the immune system is healthy the growth of the candida can be kept under control; if it is not healthy, having been weakened by some prescribed drugs, such as antibiotics or steroids, or if resistance is low through poor nutrition, excessive alcohol, stress, illness or pollution, then the yeast can grow to such an extent that it interferes with normal body chemistry and can cause widespread baffling symptoms.

Is candida just the 'in thing' to have?

Sceptics have said of people with chronic candida problems that they read too many magazine health articles; people love lists of symptoms; candida is just the malady of the moment — a whitewash for hypochondrias and neurotic symptoms. Perhaps those who are not willing to look at the possibility of candida overgrowth causing chronic health problems should look at the alarming increase of anti-yeast prescriptions, even over the past ten years; they might ask themselves why, if the problem does not exist, there is a need for candida help-lines and support groups and, most importantly, why these patients lose all their 'neurotic' symptoms when they are correctly diagnosed and receive the appropriate treatment: antifungal preparations and dietary adjustments.