Alkaline Water in the Prevention and Treatment of Candida

Although often associated with high-sugar diets, increased stress levels or poor immune function, recent research published by a number of highly-regarded naturopathic doctors suggests that an overgrowth of Candida Albicans could be considered an acid problem.

Poor diet and lack of sleep can exacerbate the symptoms of a Candida outbreak, but so too can acidity.

In this blog, we'll assess the merits of alkaline water as it pertains to Candida.

A number of frequently cited books and scientific papers have been dedicated to demonstrating that normally benign fungi like Candida, which are found around mucous membranes throughout the body, have only ever been shown to significantly overwhelm our immune system when the pH of our blood and tissues deviates towards acidity.

At this point they begin reproducing at an alarming rate, overwhelming your body’s delicate internal systems and causing a number of unpleasant symptoms including:

• Persistent fatigue
• Brain fog
• Poor concentration
• Acid reflux
• Bloating
• Flatulence
• Irritability
• Poor coordination

In part, this is because fungi belonging to the Candida family are acidophilic organisms, which means that they struggle to effectively reproduce in an alkaline environment, but are perfectly optimised to thrive in acidic conditions.

Unlike the beneficial probiotics that normally live in your intestines, they have evolved a number of very efficient mechanisms for maintaining their intercellular pH levels, and developed several unique ways of metabolising acidic wastes to fuel cellular growth and reproduction.

Candida also respire anaerobically – using electron receptors instead of oxygen – meaning they can thrive in the oxygen-depleted conditions created whenever a drop in our overall body pH causes red blood cells to clump together, preventing the efficient transport of oxygen molecules throughout the body.

Whenever our diet or lifestyle begins to encourage the excessive deposition of acidic compounds in our tissues, we are creating the ideal environment for Candida to flourish, both in the sense that we are providing them with all of the nutrients they depend on for the effective maintenance of their health, and in the sense that we are supplying them with the conditions they need to rapidly reproduce and spread throughout the body’s delicate internal systems.

According to esteemed naturopath Christopher Vasey, this is the single most important factor in understanding why Candida overgrowths occur, and in helping to treat them once they have developed.

Once we understand that Candida and other potentially harmful fungi are specifically designed to flourish in highly acidic conditions, and can only properly reproduce once our internal pH drops below a certain threshold, it becomes immediately apparent that the most effective way of inhibiting their growth is to regulate our internal pH levels and restore our bodies to optimal balance.

Doing so will break down the acidic compounds that develop in your blood and tissues due to acidosis, and deprive harmful anaerobic micro-organisms like Candida of the resources they require to rapidly reproduce.

It will also help to create a well-oxygenated, alkaline internal environment, one that actively discourages any further Candida outbreaks from developing.

But that’s not all. Restoring pH levels has the added benefit of boosting immune function by improving oxygen levels throughout the body, further helping to combat any Candida lingering in your system.

According to Christopher Vasey, the best way to begin slowly restoring your body’s optimal pH balance is to start eating a diet that does not contain too many acid-forming foods, but instead emphasises raw green superfoods and healthy vegetables like kale, which are rich in alkalising minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium.

“Doing so,” he says, “will help to significantly reduce your acid intake, and provide your body with the basic compounds it needs to break down any acidic residues in your tissues.

“Once they have been broken down, these weakened acidic residues can then be easily carried from your tissues and expelled from your body, either via the kidneys or via the sweat glands just underneath your skin.”

Of course, it is also possible to provide your body with these same alkaline minerals by drinking alkaline water, and in most cases we would actually recommend doing both.

This is because alkaline water is incredibly rich in readily absorbable alkaline minerals and can supply your body with magnesium, calcium and iron, all of which can quickly be absorbed and assimilated on a cellular level without undergoing a lengthy digestion process.

Alkalising your internal environment can be a relatively slow process, so making sure your body receives alkaline minerals from as many sources as possible is always advisable if we want to see a positive effect in the near future.

Alkaline water is very easy to make, particularly if you are using a mineral-based filter like the one found in Biocera’s alkaline water jug.

These filters use specially formulated bioceramic mineral balls to transform and enrich your tap water, giving it an alkaline pH and adding a number of dissolved mineral compounds that help to fight the symptoms of a Candida outbreak at their source.

If you want to learn more about creating alkaline water, or if you’re interested in adopting an alkaline diet, you’ll find many useful articles on the topic in our blog, which additionally includes plenty of research into greens and their numerous benefits to health.

The Alkaline Filter Jug page is also packed with compelling information about the beneficial properties of alkaline water.

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