Whether you are battling full-blown candida overgrowth or simply want to prevent future infections from occurring, herbs are a powerful tool for naturally keeping candida at bay.

Herbal remedies for candida:

• Oregano Oil
  The phenols in oregano oil are highly concentrated and extremely effective in fighting bacterial infections, fungal infections and candida overgrowth. Wild organic oregano oil is known to be especially effective in fighting conditions like candida. {continue}
• Olive Leaf Extract
  The oleuropein in olive leaf extract is used by the body to fight fungal infections caused by candida overgrowth. A high-potency standardized olive leaf extract can obliterate candida quite effectively.
• Pau D`Arco
  Another popular anti-candida herb, Pau D`Arco is often brewed into a tea. Drinking one cup per day is an easy way to harness its antifungal properties.
• Garlic
  Garlic is a powerful antibacterial and antifungal agent. Candida cannot survive when garlic is present, so consistency is the key. Garlic can simply be added to your normal meals, but most find it more convenient (and less odorous) to take standardized garlic capsules three times per day.
• Neem
  Used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine, neem is known for stimulating the immune system and fighting infections and fungal overgrowth. It is also a potent detoxifier. Neem oil can also be applied topically as needed.
• Apple Cider Vinegar
  Not quite an herb (but too effective to leave off this list), apple cider vinegar balances the pH level of your body and can prevent harmful pathogens like candida from growing out of control. A teaspoon to a tablespoon taken before each meal can aid digestion and prevent undigested food particles from feeding candida in the gut.
• Echinacea
  Although echinacea is best known for stopping a cold in its tracks, this herb also provides anti-candida benefits. It supports your immune system in the fight against candida as well as other infections.
•  Black Walnut
  Black walnut is a natural herb which contains tannins that not only kill fungal overgrowth like candida, but also kill parasites. It may be especially useful for those who suffer from both candida overgrowth and a parasitical infection.
• Coconut Oil
  Also not an herb, but coconut oil`s anti-candida properties are too powerful to ignore. The medium chain fatty acids that make coconut oil such a great energy source are also what fuel its ability to fight candida. Fatty acids like caprylic acid and lauric acid are potent antifungal agents. Work up to taking three tablespoons of coconut oil per day to harness its anti-candida power.

Note: Avoid jumping into any anti-candida regimen too quickly. Killing off candida too fast can produce a die-off reaction that includes symptoms like foggy thinking, headaches and chills. For some this can be quite uncomfortable. If you notice these symptoms, cut back on your dose and start again more slowly when symptoms subside.

Types of Candida

There are different types of Candida, each of the types have different manifestations on different people.

• Oral thrush - “Thrush” is the common name for the mouth infection caused by Candida albicans. It is a superficial, sometimes recurrent infection that affects moist surfaces around the lips, inside the cheeks and on the tongue and palate. Oral thrush is generally not contagious.
• Oesophageal thrush (Oesophagitis) - Oral thrush can spread to the oesophagus which is the connecting passage between the mouth and the stomach.
• Cutaneous (skin) candidiasis - Candida can cause infections in areas of skin that are moist and receive insufficient ventilation. Some common sites include the nappy/diaper area (“nappy rash” or candidal dermatitis) in babies; the webs of fingers and toes; the groin and the crease of the buttocks; the skin under large breasts; and the fingernail beds.
• Vaginal yeast infection or candida vaginitis - Yeast infection of the vaginal area is common. If the infection is also present at the vulva (the area around the entrance to the vagina), the condition is known as vulvovaginal candidiasis. The infection commonly occurs as a result of selfcontamination with yeast organisms from the rectal passage. Sexual transmission is possible but unusual. Vaginal candida infections are not usually transmitted sexually. They are often included among the sexually transmitted diseases because they may occur with other types of reproductive system infections.
• Balanitis - A less common but equally irritating infection at the glans of the penis and beneath the foreskin.
• Systemic candidiasis - A condition which only affects people with compromised immune systems, for example, those who are HIV-positive, have cancer or are on immune suppressive drugs after organ transplantation. Candida fungi contaminate the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, causing severe infection. Typical organs that can be affected include the brain, eye, liver and heart.

Candida Albicans

Candida Albicans is a yeast that occurs naturally in the human body. Normally it lives in harmony with a variety of other microorganisms and actually performs a couple important functions.  The problem occurs when something upsets the balance of bacteria in the body and this allows the yeast organism to proliferate and take over all the healthy microorganisms.

It normally resides in the intestinal tract, mouth, throat and genitals, however it can burrow holes in the intestinal tract, enter the blood stream and then make it’s way into any organ of the body. To make matters worse it emits over 70 different toxins into the body. Some people may even become allergic to the yeast itself.

Candida Symptoms:

• Do you experience fatigue and “foggy” thinking?
• Do you crave sugar, have a bloated abdomen or abdominal pain?
• Can’t lose weight no matter what you try?
• Do you have “intimate” (male or female) infections or rashes — to the point where they are interfering with your love life?
• Do you have a white coating on your tongue?
• Have you been sent home time and again by doctors who say “nothing is wrong” with you — when something so obviously is?
• Do you feel 20 to 30 years older than you should?

Causes of Candida

• Antibiotics can reduce the number of friendly intestinal bacteria which normally help to keep candida under control.
• Medications such as steroid hormones, immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory drugs, chemotherapy drugs and ulcer medications or acid blockers used for prolonged periods.
• Immune deficiency. Diseases such as AIDS and cancer can weaken the immune system. The immune system can also become weaker in the elderly.
• Diabetics are prone to yeast infections, especially when their blood sugar levels are not well controlled. High levels of sugar in the blood and urine, and a low resistance to infection are conditions that encourage yeast growth.
• Certain genetic disorders, such as celiac disease (which involves intestinal malabsorption) or haemochromatosis (in which iron accumulates in body tissue).
• Hormonal imbalance, as a result of menstruation, pregnancy, diabetes or birth control pills (usually in the first three months of taking them) or thyroid disease.
• During their lifetimes, about 75 percent of all women are likely to have at least one vaginal candida infection before they reach menopause, and up to 45 percent will have two or more. Women tend to be more susceptible to vaginal yeast infections if they are under stress, have an inadequate diet, have lack of sleep or are ill. Although it is not classified as a sexually transmitted disease, yeast infections are common among younger women (ages 20 to 40), especially after becoming sexually active.
• If a woman has a vaginal yeast infection when she gives birth, the baby may get yeast (thrush) in its throat or digestive tract.
• When the balance between commensal (friendly) and pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria in the normal intestinal flora is disturbed, for example due to excessive alcohol consumption and certain chemicals.
• A moist, warm environment. Yeast infections often develop where a moist, warm environment encourages fungal growth. Prime areas include the webs of fingers and toes, nails, genitals and folds of skin. This is particularly the case in diabetics.
• Tight clothing, especially underwear, that promotes moisture build-up.
• Being obese (over 20 percent overweight).
• Thrush is a common minor infection in babies and young children.
• People whose work requires that they spend long periods of time with their hands in water, or who wear rubber gloves, are predisposed to cutaneous candidiasis.
• Candida in the male genital area (balanitis) has been found to be more common in uncircumcised males or diabetics, and can sometimes result from intercourse with an infected partner.
• In rare cases, the candida fungus may invade the body at certain sites: intravenous (IV) tube, urinary catheter, tracheostomy, ventilation tubing or surgical wounds. If the infection spreads through the bloodstream to the kidneys, lungs, brain or other organs, it can cause serious systemic complications. These develop only in people who are seriously ill or who have other health problems that weaken the immune system.