Am I At Risk For A Candida Infection?

Caring for the health and wellness of your body should be a top priority. Although beneficial when found in small numbers, candida albicans can cause serious problems. Some symptoms of a candida infection include: exhaustion, joint pain, and chronic sinus problems when allowed to grow unchecked. There are certain behavioral factors that could put you at risk for developing a candida imbalance.

Being aware of these risk factors will help you take the steps needed to combat them in order to prevent a candida infection from negatively affecting your health in the future. Here are three risk factors to be aware of.

1. Overuse of antibiotics.

While you might need the occasional antibiotic to kill off a serious throat infection or inner ear infection, the overuse of these medications can have a harmful effect on your body's ability to manage candida populations. Antibiotics not only kill off the bad bacteria that are causing you to feel ill, they kill off the good bacteria too.

Since good bacteria are responsible for keeping candida growth in check, a reduction in these bacteria could result in the contraction of a candida infection. Be sure to avoid taking antibiotics unless they are absolutely necessary, and you will be able to reduce your chances of developing a candida infection in the future.

2. A diabetes diagnosis.

Whether you are diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you could be at greater risk of developing a candida infection. The sugar levels within the mucous membranes of the body can become unbalanced when you have diabetes.

Since candida is a type of yeast that feeds primarily on sugar, higher sugar levels in diabetics can create a breeding ground for candida to run rampant. Being aware of this increased risk will allow you to work closely with your doctor to avoid candida overgrowth as you attempt to manage your diabetes.

3. A weakened immune system.

If you have a disorder that either permanently or temporarily weakens your immune system, you could be at greater risk of developing a candida infection. If your body detects higher-than-normal candida levels, it can call upon your immune system for help in eradicating excess candida before it becomes a problem.

When your immune system is compromised due to illness or infection, it cannot respond to a candida overgrowth properly. Talking with your doctor about the regular monitoring of candida numbers will help you prevent an overgrowth.

Knowing that you are at greater risk for developing a candida infection if you overuse antibiotics, have diabetes, or have a weakened immune system will allow you to be more vigilant in monitoring your candida albicans levels to better manage your health in the future.