Yeast Infections in Children:
Following on from a conversation I was having with a client earlier, I thought I’d write a post about yeast infections in our children and possible causes. I deal with children’s health issues quite often and yeast infections can be a common issue. Here are a few things to look out for if your child suffers with yeast infections.
Traditional medicine is very much about nurturing our body’s own healing system and ensuring your immune and internal defences remain strong.
Unfortunately today, in our culture of modern medicine, it seems the opposite is true. We fill ourselves with antibiotics – especially our children and consume immune suppressive, nutrient poor foods or processed foods which encourage yeast to grow.
In your intestines you have good bacteria and yeast. We have discussed this before but the yeast is very important and lives in harmony with our good bacteria – they need each other.
Antibiotics: If our good bacteria is killed by antibiotics, the yeast very quickly proliferate and take over, leading to yeast an imbalance and the very uncomfortable symptoms of yeast infection. Yeast infections can be very serious. They can lead to leaky gut by poking holes in the intestinal wall letting toxins into the blood stream. They can also give off neurotoxins causing emotional and mental issues. Instead of antibiotics, reach for the probiotics instead!
Dairy: Diary contains antibiotics. So a child who regularly consumes dairy products may have an impaired immune system and open to catching regular viruses. Also, regular consumption of dairy will cause the issues as described above. The Milk Board like to tell you that no antibiotics survive the pasteurisation process however test after test confirms that it does get through, and even from my own work with clients – take the dairy away and improvements happen very quickly.
Refined carbs: A diet high in processed sugars, yeast from breads, juice, pasta, white rice, potatoes, fried foods, crisps, fries, chips, cakes, sweets and snack foods is perfect for growing yeast. You want more yeast? Give it sugar. If you aren’t nurturing your child’s good bacteria as well as offering them lots of processed and sugary snacks and drinks an imbalance will soon occur.
Diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes can cause yeast infections so it’s imperative that this condition is kept in check both nutritionally and medically.
There can be other factors too but those are some of the easiest to look out for.
You can easily nurture a healthy digestive system for your child. Daily powdered probiotics added to breakfasts or smoothies or even just in a glass of water will encourage the growth of good bacteria.
Offer a diet low in processed foods, juices and snacks but high in fresh, fibrous whole foods. Home cooked meals full of goodness.
Try introducing fermented foods like sauerkraut and pickled fermentations of turnip, cabbage, cucumber and onions? It may be a taste sensation at first but only a little is needed. Fermented foods contain natural probiotics…so sneak a little under their mash ;)
