THE LINK TO CANDIDA
The link to Candida
Leaky Gut Syndrome is one of the main causes of the severe symptoms that patients root-forming fungus experience – that is patients with the Myzelia form of the fungus feel. A candidiasis / fungal infection does not always candida), lead to a permeable intestine. In the case of minor superficial infections (the yeast form of c, eg in the mouth, on the skin, in the vagina, at the surface of the intestine (see picture a.Colonization), there is no penetration of the gut, and the symptoms are therefore also much less serious here. In its yeast form, Candida actually poses little threat to our general health. But when those yeast cells convert to a fungal form and grow long tubes named hyphae (see picture b.Invasion), the Candida colonies in your gut can spread and grow much more quickly. The Candida fungus can ‘burrow’ into your intestinal lining and widen the spacing between the cells in that lining. This allows undigested food particles to escape into your bloodstream, triggering an immediate immune response which leads to a longer term allergy or sensitivity. Also, a number of diseases other than fungal infections can lead to Leaky Gut syndrome which causes a weakening to the immune system and which then ultimately can lead to a fungal infection, partly due to the weakened immune system.
Candida can penetrate the intestinal wall
Candida organisms can create a myriad of metabolic toxins, including various enzymes, that can adversely affect cellular biochemistry, mitochondria function and cell membrane integrity. Leaky gut is another consequence of chronic candida. The image below (from Nature Reviews, Microbiology) shows invasive candida and its link to transcellular (between cells) and paracellular (through cells) function and ultimately to the problem of leaky gut. How this occurs is through two specialized candida proteins, Adhesin and Invasin.
This image shows two different scenarios linked to normal colonization of candida (a) and invasive candida with its hypha structure piercing directly through an epithelial cell (paracellular) and through the tight junction between two separate epithelial cells (transcellular). Therefore, candida is compromising epithelial function in multiple ways (b).
Candida, along with other microorganisms, can produce various proteins that allow it to adhere to different cells. A protein called ‘Adhesin’ is one mechanism candida uses to colonize itself in different tissue structures. Another protein called ‘Invasin’ allows for candida to invade cells by inducing endocystosis or causing the invasive limb structure of candida to grow through the
tight junction space leading to leaky gut. At other times the hypha of candida can grow directly through an epithelial cell engaging macrophage activity on the other side of the mucosal barrier. These mechanisms can lead to leaky gut and subsequent problems related to allergy, inflammation, fatigue, etc. Also, chronic candida can interfere with nutrient absorption too by damaging the absorptive surfaces of the intestinal cells as well. Impermeable intestine can occur for a number of reasons, but it is often the result of a Candida overgrowth.
Candida albicans is a yeast that lives naturally in the body, usually without causing any trouble. However, when Candida cells adopt their fungal form and begin to grow hyphae – the long branches that grow out of the fungus – they can wreak havoc on the gut. These branches invade the cells in your intestinal lining, creating inflammation and permeating the membrane that prevents harmful substances from leaking out. The fungalbranches penetrate the intestine Epithel cells at the tight junctions and from here it can create branches that can invade the rest of the body.
The opening of intercellular tight junctions (increased intestinal permeability) allows uncontrolled passage of substances, like food fragments, into the bloodstream, with subsequent possible development of immune and/or inflammatory reactions.
If these openings at the tight junctions become sufficiently large, they allow all kinds of toxins and undigested food particles to pass from your gut and into your bloodstream. The immune cells in your blood quickly identify these particles as foreign substances – simply because they’re not meant to be there! As a result, these immune cells alert the ‘headquarters’ that there’s a foreign invader in the body. Your immune system responds by acting to neutralize what it perceives to be a threat to your health. It does this by ‘attacking’ the invader – which can lead to massive inflammation and damage to the surrounding tissues. While this is meant to protect you, it also causes systemic inflammation.
One of the most amazing capabilities of your immune system is the way that it remembers infections. That’s why you only get chicken pox once! However, once your immune system has neutralized and eliminated those “invading” particles in your blood, it remembers exactly what they were. This means that the next time you eat that food, you might find that your body (specifically your immune system) has a reaction to it. This is the underlying cause behind many food allergies.
You can see why the health of your intestinal lining is so important! Maintaining the health of this defense barrier is one of the goals of any good Candida treatment plan. In our treatment it's important to include lists of foods and supplements that are designed to promote a healthy intestinal wall – both to prevent and repair damage.
The growing fungus:
When you experience a relapse in the disease, for instance when you eat eat sugary foods or because you are experiencing an immune response due to food or drink you do not tolerate, the spread of the fungus in the digestive system will grow. More fungalroots are formed in the intestinal tract and will now cover a larger area -> more tight junctions are broken and the roots of the fungi penetrates the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream -> more holes, more sensitivities and allergies, and more particles now get into your bloodstream.
The redrawing fungus:
When you starve the fungus and use fungicidal products, the spread of the fungus will be reduced in the digestive system. The spreading of the fungus is reduced in the gastrointestinal tract -> Roots withdraw from areas of the digestive system. There will afterwards be a woundhealing in the intestine where the roots sat before. These areas should now be regenerated (mucuos lining and tight junctions restored) and restored so that it again becomes tight and food can not pass through. In this regard, you will experience massive fatigue - Die-Off symptoms, because it requires great resources for your immune system and body to rebuild the broken tissue. Visually, this ulceration can be seen as very small punk-shaped red ulcers in your gastrointestinal tract, where the roots of the fungus previously perforated the intestinal wall.
As your Candida clears (or any other disease that causes Leaky gut) up, you should find that your Leaky Gut Syndrome repairs itself too. The candida diet contains lots of advice on repairing your gut and avoiding inflammatory foods.