Can stress cause candida?
I would say no, as there are too many factors required to convert candida from its normal yeast form to its problematic fungal form.
Can stress play a role in activating an asymptomatic fungal infection that already exists? Yes, absolutely!
This can happen in several ways.
Unfortunately, people will state that these various ways are causing candida, which is not supported by science.
You can read more Here about what has to be accomplished to create fungal candida, as only antibiotics will typically do.
Cortisol
Cortisol is often referred to as the stress hormone.
Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands under conditions of stress.
In the short-term, cortisol helps to control inflammation, but chronic cortisol release from chronic stress can weaken and dysregulate the body’s immune response.
This can lead to suppressed production of white blood cells that help to control and suppress fungal candida growth.
As the stress response continues and increases, symptoms of candida overgrowth can appear.
Prolonged cortisol levels can affect brain function and play a role in causing anxiety, depression, memory loss, brain fog, ADHD, ADD, etc. These symptoms and conditions have also been linked to fungal candida.
E. coli
Stress can cause an increase in the growth of E. coli, a common bacteria found in the digestive tract.
The problematic antibiotic resistant form of E. coli helps support the growth of fungal candida as shown Here.
As stress weakens the immune response, it also help the growth of fungal candida by supporting the growth of bacteria that support fungal candida.
As fungal candida increases, inflammation increases and this can further drive the body’s stress response.
As stress increases E. coli, E. coli supports fungal candida and this vicious cycle continues.
Inflammation
The primary way in which fungal candida affects so many tissues, cells, organs, and systems in the body is through its ability to drive and increase inflammation.
Fungal candida is linked to every pro-inflammatory cytokine in the body. Cytokines are messengers that can increase or decrease inflammation.
Candida is also associated with enzymes that increase inflammation in the body.
Inflammation is associated with most every disease and condition in the body and inflammation helps to support fungal candida growth.
The Candida Plan
Over the past 32 years of the Candida Plan, we have seen tremendous results in many areas. This is because fungal candida affects many areas of human health through inflammation.
As healthcare focuses more and more on mental health, we cannot forget to consider that the physical imbalances that candida creates through inflammation may in fact be the cause of something commonly believed to be only a psychological or emotional issue.
We have seen people with 32, 16, and 5 years of depression overcome this with the Plan.
They had received years and decades of therapy and in the end, it was restoring fungal candida back to its normal yeast form and supporting balance in the body that enabled them to finally be free from their challenges.
We have seen this time and time again in areas where then function of the brain was less than optimal.
As the cause of physical imbalances are addressed, the body’s ability handle all forms of stress are increased.
It’s time to reset the body and explore optimal health again!
Dr. Jeff McCombs, DC
Dr. Jeffrey S. McCombs, DC, is founder of the McCombs Center for Health, the Candida Plan, the Candida Library, and author of Lifeforce, The Everything Candida Book, and The Everything Guide to Autoimmune Diets. Check out our podcast, Candida Diet Tips Recipes, and Insights on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Buzzsprout, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Alexa Flash Briefings. Phone: (888) 236-7780.
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