Every year for the past 5 years my husband Scott and I make a "vision board" the last week of December. We get a big white poster board and talk about our goals.

A mentor once told me that faith comes when we look at our circumstances and then at God's ability. God is so big and has a desire to help you see wonders and promises that make your heart sing. When I was 16, I was at a Christian camp and I was praying for God to direct my steps. I heard the word "chiropractor" in my mind and I knew that was my calling. As I grew up, I worked on my relationship with God. Relationships take constant work and training. Ask Him to show you more of Himself, and plead with Him for a new and unique grace you need this upcoming year.

Our vision board is not made with a lot of material things but, rather, things that are much more rewarding. Amazing health for my family is always on there. My main vision, however, is to help others get healthy so that they don't need more medications.

This time of year, I have seen many patients with sinus issues because of viruses, bacteria, parasites, and yeast overgrowth. Today I will discuss yeast because I have found major underlying issues with overgrowth of yeast. Our family gave up gluten (basically bread) about 3 years ago. This was very hard, but I have seen a huge difference in our overall health.

Is yeast overgrowth contributing to a more important underlying illness? Candida, a normal part of your natural microflora, is the most common cause of fungal infections worldwide1. Although it may be a contributing factor in some illnesses, it may be the cause of others. However, it almost always accompanies intestinal, immune, degenerative, or toxicity related illnesses. Recovery from Candida overgrowth requires a whole lifestyle healing approach and once it is diagnosed, the very first step is to detect the underlying cause. So, the first question is, how is yeast overgrowth diagnosed?

The truth is, everybody has Candida in their bodies. It lives in your mucous membranes. Yeast overgrowth is something of a controversial illness. Many medical professionals have not yet recognized it. There are a few tests to determine the levels of possible Candida overgrowth. The culture test is for skin and genital yeast infections where a small skin sample is cultured to determine the presence of yeast, which can be seen under a microscope. In the blood, antibodies can be checked for the likelihood of candida overgrowth. These antibodies are IgG, IgA, and IgM. There are also stool and urine tests that can be performed. If any of these tests are positive, or show a possibility of candida overgrowth, it is important to determine the actual cause. Irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut, Crohn's disease, and inflammatory bowel disease have all been found to have a significant connection to yeast overgrowth.

Even if you were to perform these tests, the specific treatment will differ per individual. There are underlying causes that must be determined as to WHY there is yeast overgrowth.

Symptoms you may be experiencing:

• Exhaustion
• White coat on tongue
• Brain fog
• Hormone imbalance
• Joint pain
• Loss of sex drive
• Chronic sinus and allergy issues
• Digestive problems (gas and bloating)
• Weak immune system
• UTI

We would argue that Candida within itself isn't the cause of the health problems. It is simply an opportunistic organism that thrives in an unhealthy host. Life factors of today's modern society can significantly create an environment for Candida overgrowth. Factors such as antibiotic use, hormone replacement therapy, high sugar and carbohydrate diets, nutrient/mineral deficiencies, toxic elements, stress levels, and birth control use coincide with the symptoms of Candida overgrowth that many people experience.

Antibiotics
Antibiotic use kills off not only the bad bacteria, but also the good bacteria that are beneficial for our health. In fact, our gut is the first line of defense for our immune system. As intestinal bacteria die, yeast will thrive and grow into large colonies and take over which can cause this contribution towards yeast overgrowth. While antibiotics are often prescribed to treat bacterial infections, they are not effective against viral infections. Viral infections that should not be treated with antibiotics include colds, flu, most coughs and bronchitis, and sore throat (except Strep throat). And it's not just humans who over consume antibiotics. The animals which provide us with food (like cattle and pork) are treated with them as well. Today 80% of the antibiotics used in the United States are fed to livestock!2 Always take a probiotic when you are on an antibiotic—even after the round of antibiotic is finished. Other nutrients to consider that boost the body's immune system are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Oregano Oil, Zinc, and Lauricidin.

Hormones
Hormone replacement therapy and birth control pills are widely used today for many different reasons. Low energy, sleep disturbances, mood swings, contraceptives, and weight gain are just a few examples of why individuals will jump to the conclusion that they have a hormone imbalance. However, any increased use of the hormones estrogen or progesterone can upset the body's natural balance. But did you know that Candida also produces a waste product that mimics estrogen in the body?3 It's a vicious cycle if you are trying to treat symptoms with hormones that, in turn, cause the body to send out messages telling your body that you are producing more estrogen than it really is! Estrogen dominance is a whole other topic, but we are all familiar with illnesses that are caused by this hormone such as infertility, irregular bleeding during mensus, migraines, fibrocystic breasts, and even some breast cancers.

The Gut-Brain Connection
The gastrointestinal tract is one of the few places that neurotransmitters are made. Neurotransmitters communicate information from our brain to our bodies like telling a muscle to contract or an endocrine gland to secrete hormones. There are many things that effect our body's ability to produce neurotransmitters and it's estimated that up to 86% of Americans have suboptimal neurotransmitter levels.4 Stress, poor diet, drugs, and caffeine are just a few of the lifestyle factors that can affect our production. This is important, because if you have inflammation of the gut, or an imbalance of gut flora, other areas of the body will be affected, and your list of symptoms expands. Did you know that 80%-95% of the body's total serotonin is produced and found in the gut?5 Scientists are currently paying more attention to the link that the gut and the brain have and how it affects systemic inflammation. Pro-inflammatory substances from the gut can actually cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate certain enzymes, which can lead to a depletion of tryptophan.6 Tryptophan is an amino acid precursor to serotonin. Therefore, when treating depression, it is important to understand the link between your mental and digestive health.

Are You One Big Sugar Pill?
Candida cell walls consist of 80% carbohydrates. This means, that in order for the fungus to thrive, it relies on sugars which is what carbohydrates are made of. Carbohydrates are found in all of our fruits, vegetables, and grains. Americans are eating more sugar every day and this sugar is what feeds Candida. As stated in an article published in the Diabetes Journal, Candida becomes more infective in a high glucose environment by producing some protein molecules which bind to our immune cells and do not allow them to be active against Candida.7 With a suppressed immune system a person is more vulnerable to infection and inflammation. Candida doesn't just thrive off of glucose, it has the ability to utilize many sugars and this ability also allows it to grow in different environments in our body. (Photo: Creative Commons/via Pixabay)

Lifestyle Changes to Consider

1. A diet lower in sugar and higher in proteins, healthy fats, and vegetables is optimal. Proteins include eggs, chicken, fish, beans, and even steak (if your Iron levels allow). Healthy fats to consume are avocado, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and coconut oil. Limit your fruits to no more than two fruits per day and eliminate fruit juice. Eliminate alcohol, soda, and sport drinks as well. Exclude dairy from the diet the best you can as well. Be sure you read ingredient labels for high fructose corn syrup found in a lot of condiments and pre-packages foods.

2. Supplement your diet in areas that need work. You will need to get proper testing done in order to know exactly what you need. Proper testing includes a comprehensive blood analysis to determine where your deficiencies and toxicities lie. Supplements one would most likely consider are: digestive enzyme; Probiotics; Vitamin C; Vitamin D; Lauricidin; Oregano Oil; Chlorella.

3. Limit your exposure to toxic elements and Detox with me in January!! Take your health to the next level and join me. I will have my detox plan available for $199 (normally $249) for two weeks so now is the best time. https://www.mybodysite.com/dr-corinne 

4. Exercise!

If you are already facing Candidiasis, we strongly recommend working with a health care practitioner who understands the concept of finding the cause of your health problem and not one that will give you medications or even supplements based upon symptoms. Prevention of illness and optimizing health is key. Comprehensive testing will find weaknesses, deficiencies and even diseases long before you have symptoms. Contact us today to get tested.

I hope my column speaks to you and you can wake up each morning with a purpose. What I do every day is a calling, and I give God the glory for allowing His gifts to work through me. I do believe in miracles, because I get to see them every day! If you would like to contact me with your health concerns email me directly at Dr@drcorinneweaver.com. For more information, you can go to  www.DrCorinneWeaver.com.

Keep Breathing,
Dr. Corinne

REFERENCES:

1. Manolakaki, D.; Velmahos, G.; Kourkoumpetis, T.; Chang, Y.; Alam, H. B.; De Moya, M. M.; Mylonakis, E. (2010). "Candida infection and colonization among trauma patients". Virulence 1 (5): 367–375. doi:10.4161/viru.1.5.12796
2. Estabrook, Barry.  Antibiotics in Your Food: What's Causing the Rise in Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Our Food Supply and Why You Should Buy Antibiotic-Free Food.  May 1, 2013 http://thefern.org/2013/05/whats-causing-the-rise-in-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria/.  Accessed on July 29, 2013
3. MI Brusca, et al. The impact of oral contraceptives on women's periodontal health and the subgingival occurrence of aggressive periodontopathogens and Candida species. J Periodontol. 2010 Jul; 81 (7): 1010 – 1018.
4.  Neurogistics.com.  Accessed on 7/25/16.

5. THE SECRET SIDE EFFECT OF ANTIDEPRESSANTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT: A MUST READ!  WWW.BODYECOLOGY.COM.  2016.
6. Wichers, Marieke and Michael Maes. "The Psychoneuroimmuno-Pathophysiology of Cytokine-Induced Depression in Humans." The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. (2002) 5: 4: 375- 388.
7. Hostetter MK, Handicaps to host defense. Effects of hyperglycemia on C3 and Candida albicans. Diabetes. 1990 Mar;39(3):271-5.

Dr. Corinne Weaver is a compassionate upper cervical chiropractor, educator, motivational speaker, mother of three, and internationally bestselling author. In 2004, she founded the Upper Cervical Wellness Center in Indian Trail, North Carolina. Over the last 13 years, she has helped thousands of clients restore their brain to-body function. When she was 10 years old, she lost her own health as the result of a bike accident that led to having asthma and allergy issues that she thought she would always have to endure. Then, after her first upper cervical adjustment at age 21, her health began to improve thanks to upper cervical care and natural herbal remedies. This enabled her to create a drug-free wellness lifestyle for herself and her family, and she also enthusiastically discovered her calling to help children heal naturally.

Dr. Weaver was recently named one of Charlotte Magazine's "Top Doctors" in 2016 and is now a number-one internationally bestselling author to two books: Learning How to Breathe and No More Meds.

Upper Cervical Wellness Center is known for finding the root cause of health concerns through lifestyle changes, diagnostic testing, nutraceutical supplementation, and correction of subluxation (as opposed to just medicating the symptoms). The practice offers cutting-edge technological care at its state-of-the-art facility, including laser-aligned upper cervical X-rays, bioimpedance analysis (measures body composition), digital thermography (locates thermal abnormalities characterized by skin inflammation), and complete nutritional blood analysis, which is focused on disease prevention.

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