It Might Not Be the Wheat! Part 2 – Testing and Treatment

by Dr. Michael Nowazek

Part 1 of “It Might Not be the Wheat – Sensitivity to Yeast” details the immune system response to sensitivity to yeast and other reactive substances, how an overabundance of yeast in the bowel can be created and how it can affect you.

Testing for Yeast

There are two different tests for an overabundance of yeast.

The first is stool analysis but this test is not always reliable because if the yeast is staying in the bowel, not being removed through defecation, the yeast isn’t always present in the stool sample being analyzed.

Another method of testing for yeast is food sensitivity testing to measure the amount of antibodies that the body is producing in response to a reactive substance. If the IgG count is high, it indicates an overabundance of yeast. This is the same IgG test for food sensitivities; a thorough sensitivity or IgG test also tests for yeast.

Restoring the Balance

Once excess yeast has established itself in the bowel, it can be difficult to restore the balance between yeast and the needed good bacteria in the bowel. The primary reason for this is that yeast feeds on sugar and finding foods that do not contain sugar can be very problematic. Yeast also feeds on stress, alcohol and other yeast found in foods. This can complicate the treatment process.

Some sources of refined sugars are obvious – chocolate, cakes, pies, and other baked goods have a very high sugar content. There are also sources of refined sugar that aren’t as obvious such as many brands of yogurt, cereals, frozen prepared meals, packaged fruit juices, sauces and condiments. Because sugar is often used in food processing as a preservative, the list is almost endless. 

It is next to impossible to completely eliminate refined sugar from one’s diet but a specially-designed diet plan to reduce it as much as possible will aid the process of restoring a balance between the friendly bacteria and the yeast. The diet, like any other aspect of a treatment plan, must take lifestyle into account. A carefully-planned diet does no good if it can’t be followed.

Antifungal and Probiotic Agents

With a restorative diet in place, the next step is to introduce antifungal agents and probiotic agents.

Yeast is a fungus and antifungal agents are needed to kill it. The antifungal agents will often have to be alternated during the course of treatment as the yeast can mutate and become resistant.

Probiotics will help to restore the good bacteria. The specific probiotic used will also often have to be changed up.

The frequency with which the antifungals and the probiotics have to be alternated will vary from person to person.

A Word of Warning

Some people will try to rid themselves of excess yeast with products from the local health food store, and they often end up feeling much worse. There are reasons for that.

When yeast dies off, it bursts. In the process of so doing, it dumps an enormous amount of its metabolic waste into the bowel. This can result in constipation which, of course, leaves this metabolic waste in the bowel for absorption into the body. An appropriate fibre and yeast metabolic detoxification is required to absorb this waste and remove it from the body through defecation.

The other thing that the do-it-yourself kits don’t mention is that the body must be in a state that allows for yeast detox. The bowel, the liver, the kidneys, and other vital organs must be functioning properly to safely and effectively eliminate excess yeast from the body. For some people, detox or other treatment of those organs is needed to ensure success of the program to eliminate excess yeast. 

Additionally, many of the probiotics commercially available also contain prebiotics that can actually stimulate yeast growth. 

Ridding the body of excess yeast is not an instantaneous process. Depending upon the volume of excess yeast, it could take several months to restore the balance between the friendly bacteria and the yeast.

Safe and Effective Programs

There are many factors to consider to safely and effectively remove excess yeast from the body. Tailoring a customized program is best done in consultation with a qualified healthcare practitioner.

The doctors at Green Apple Health Care are highly trained and experienced in providing safe and natural treatments to resolve excess yeast and restore you to good health.

Call us now at (780) 485-9468 to book a consultation.  If you prefer, online booking is available for both new patients and repeat patients.

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Dr. Michael Nowazek

Dr. Michael Nowazek is the Clinical Director of Green Apple Health Care. He brings a wealth of knowledge from his extensive training and his many years experience as a naturopathic doctor.

More articles by Dr. Michael Nowazek

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