Candida has a high degree of resistance to many available drugs. In the case of candida it is not just candia on its own but the potential associations it has with other opportunistic species and how they work together to protect each other with a resilient biofilm. The most important feature of biofilm growth is the high resistance to antimicrobial agents. To deal with this the best options are to use multiple strategies.
The best approach is to eat more of the functional foods, herbs and spices on a daily basis which help rebalance the gut microbiome and eliminate the opportunistic specises like Candida. Aloe vera in both its crude and extract form has been shown to have positive antimicrobial effects especially against Candida species. Aloe has also been shown to be effective against some pathogenic specis including Salmonella gallinarum. One study investigated the effect of Aloe when consumed orally in patient suffering from an inflammatory bowels disease given at the rate of two ounces three times daily for a week was able to rebalance the regulating gastrointestinal motility and decrease stool transit leading to curing diarrhea.
Coconut oil and its constituent fatty acids have potent antifungal activity and have been shown to both inhibit the growth of and kill C. albicans in vitro (Kabara et al 1972). In mice, coconut oil effectively reduced colonization of candida across a range of doses (12 to 30%).
Herbs are rich in phytochemical constituents like polyphenols that possess antioxidant, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. A number of natural products have been shown to be effective in controlling fungi growth including curcumin from turmeric. Trumeric, ginger and Xanthorrhizol, isolated from Curcuma xanthorrhiza a cousin of turmeric in the ginger family have been shown to be effective against multiple Candida species and other opportunistic fungi and as a treatment for the treatment of candidiasis. Garlic’s antibacterial activity has been first stated by Louis Pasteur; and there are also reports of its antifungal and antiviral activities.
Other herbs including Berberine has also been shown to have significant antimicrobial activity against bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, and yeasts (Tan et al 2011). As well as extracts from Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seeds, Cinnamomum verum (Celyon cinnamon) bark, Carica papaya (papaya) leaves and seeds and sweet basil leaf herbal oils seem to be highly effective anti-Candida choices.
Disturbances of the bacterial community in the GI tract promote C. albicans colonization suggesting that the normal bacterial microbiota of the GI tract have an inhibitory effect against fungal colonisation and invasion. Lactobacillus spp. appear inhibit the growth and virulence of C. albicans by the production of hydrogen peroxide and organic acids, but not fully eradicate them. They may also exert some effect on the Candida through the immune system. Similar results have also been shown for supplementation with some fungal probiotics, such as Saccharomyces boulardii which compete with Candida species for gut space.
