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COPYRIGHT 2007 Belvoir Media Group, LLC
Thirty years ago, even though the systemic yeast infection called candidiasis had already become an epidemic, practically no one knew anything about it. Even now conventional medicine tends to ignore the problem, but word has spread among health-conscious consumers.
If you haven't had a candida yeast infection yourself, you know dozens of people who have--and dozens of dogs as well. Candidiasis is an underlying cause of many skin and coat problems, allergies, fungal infections, ear infections, digestive problems, food sensitivities, and other symptoms in our canine companions.
Candida albicans, which causes candidiasis, is a single-celled organism classified as both a yeast and a fungus. It occurs naturally in the digestive and genital tracts, and in healthy bodies it is kept in check by beneficial bacteria. In humans whose beneficial bacteria have been damaged or destroyed, the organism causes or contributes to thrush (a fungus infection of the throat and mouth), diaper rash, athlete's foot, jock itch, vaginal yeast infections, digestive problems, seasonal allergies, ringworm, nail fungus, and environmental sensitivities. It also disrupts the immune system's response to agents of infection.
In dogs and humans, patients at highest risk are those who have taken antibiotics, which destroy the beneficial bacteria that normally keep Candida albicans from taking over. But the body's ecology can be disrupted by environmental conditions, diet, stress, chemotherapy drugs, steroids, and other medications as well.
Keeping candida in check
Like all yeasts, candida thrives on sugars, including those from grains, starches, and other carbohydrates. Beneficial bacteria (such as Lactobacillus acidophilus) metabolize sugars, which keeps candida in check by disrupting its food supply. A shortage of beneficial bacteria results in a sugar-rich environment and an abundance of Candida albicans.
Once a candida overgrowth occurs, it becomes a vicious cycle. Candida cells overwhelm whatever beneficial bacteria survive in the digestive tract or are introduced as supplements, and a diet high in carbohydrates keeps the candida population strong and in control.
In 1983, William G. Crook, MD, published The Yeast Connection, the first of many books linking candidiasis, chronic health problems, and a high-carbohydrate diet. Since then, hundreds of anti-candida diets, drugs, herbal products, and nutritional supplements have become weapons in the war against Candida albicans.
Canine nutritional consultant Linda Arndt of Albany, Indiana, has studied candida for years, and her checklist of conditions linked to the organism's overgrowth is lengthy (see "Yeast Symptoms Checklist," page 14).
Candida is a formidable enemy, she explains, because its cells manufacture toxic chemicals that kill beneficial bacteria and harm the body. Candida's waste products include toxic alcohols, acetone, and the nerve poison hydrogen sulfide, all of which slow the brain, contribute to fatigue, and disrupt the immune system.
Candida symptoms are often misdiagnosed as allergies, says Arndt, manifesting as rashes or skin outbreaks on the feet, face, underarm, underbelly, or genital areas. Recurring hot spots or infections of the ears, eyes, bladder, or urinary tract can be caused by candida overgrowth.
"These conditions can be accompanied by a secondary...
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