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Leaky Gut Syndrome
Candida overgrowth may
also cause a condition
that is called Intestinal
Hyper-Permeability, more
commonly know as Leaky
Gut Syndrome (LGS). This
condition occurs when
the wall of the
gastrointestinal tract
is damaged. The Candida
change form, creating
rhizoids, root like
structures that break
the intestinal walls. A
healthy intestinal wall
will allow only
nutrients to enter
bloodstream, but when it
is damaged, larger
molecules such as
incompletely digested
fats, proteins, and
toxins may also slip
through. The body
recognizes these
substances as foreign
and forms antibodies to
them, causing the
patient to suddenly
become allergic to foods
they would previously
been able to eat without
a problem. With LGS,
vitamin and mineral
deficiencies are common
because the patient
lacks the ability to
move minerals and
vitamins from the gut to
the blood.
Candida
albicans, and other
strains of Candida are
yeast that normally
inhabit our digestive
system: the mouth,
throat, intestines and
genitourinary tract.
Candida is a normal part
of the bowel flora (the
organisms that naturally
live inside our
intestines, and are not
parasitic). It has many
functions inside our
digestive tract, one of
them to recognize and
destroy harmful
bacteria. Without
Candida albicans in our
intestines we would be
defenseless against many
pathogen bacteria. A
Healthy person can have
a millions of Candida
albicans. Our
immune system is suppose
to keep it under
control, together with
"friendly" bacteria
(Lactobacillus
acidophilus , B. bifidum,
Lactobacillus bulgaricus,
S. thermophilus and L.
salivarius, ...). If the
number of friendly
bacteria is decreased
(antibiotics,
pesticides,
chlorine,...) in
relation to a number of
Candida, the immune
systems is weakened or
other conditions for
yeast proliferation
occur (diet high in
sugar, improper pH in
the digestive system)
Candida albicans will
shift from yeast to
mycelial fungal form and
start to invade the
body. In the yeast
state Candida is a
non-invasive,
sugar-fermenting
organism, while in
fungal state it is
invasive and can produce
rhizoids, very long
root-like structures.
Rhizoids can penetrate
mucosa or intestinal
walls, leaving
microscopic holes and
allowing toxins,
undigested food
particles and bacteria
and yeast to enter the
bloodstream. This
condition is known as
Leaky Gut Syndrome,
one more name for the
food and environmental
intolerances.
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