Control candida with oregano: yeast is a normal part of the body, but if it becomes overgrown, it can create a condition called candida. Learn how oregano can help restore balance.(SUPPLEMENTS: HERBAL Rx)

Native to Greece, oregano (Origanum vulgare) is not just a spice found in classic Italian dishes like pizza and spaghetti--it's a potent medicinal herb that helps treat many types of infections and imbalances within the body. Now produced mostly in Turkey, oregano is a member of the mint family and thrives in hot, dry weather and also at high altitudes. The active ingredients, found in the leaves, are the volatile oils thymol and carvacol.

Oregano is a strong antifungal and is therefore extremely effective at combating yeast problems, particularly candida. If you have had a vaginal yeast infection, it was probably caused by the yeast Candida albicans--the culprit behind full-blown candida (also called candidiasis). In cases of candida, which affect both men and women, an overgrowth of Candida albicans leaks into the bloodstream through damaged mucous membranes within the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms include chronic yeast infections (in women), digestive problems, unexplained fatigue, oral thrash, sugar cravings, allergies, sinus problems, and itching in the ear, rectum and/or beneath the breasts.

Candida is not something that can be caught like a cold or the flu, but rather a condition that develops based on multiple factors. To explain further, Candida albicans (and about a dozen other bacterial and fungal bugs) naturally reside in the human gut, as well as other parts of the body. These bugs help with digestion and absorption of micronutrients, including glucose, essential fatty acids and amino acids, and are necessary components of a healthy body.

Unfortunately, it's not hard to disrupt the gut's delicate balance--something as simple as inadequate water intake on a regular basis will affect the equilibrium. And if your gut becomes chronically compromised, the bugs can go haywire. Sometimes, the good bacteria can't survive, and this allows the fungal organisms, such as Candida albicans, to proliferate. Certain drugs, namely birth control pills, steroids and antibiotics, are notorious for creating a yeast-friendly environment within the gut. For example, antibiotics kill all gut bacteria--good, bad and indifferent. In turn, this allows fungi to overpopulate the gut. Normally, good bacteria keep the yeast in check.

Another contributing factor for most patients involves gut cells that have lost their integrity and become less tight and healthy over the years. In general, the cause is poor dietary choices, such as consuming too many greasy and sugar-laden foods. (Sugar actually feeds yeast, which is why sugar cravings are a hallmark of candida.) This can lead to chronic inflammation within the body, as well as poor ...