Yeast Overgrowth and Weight Loss Resistance

Many dieters notice that weight loss is easy during the first months of their slimming program. You have been losing pounds quickly, and then, unexpectedly, weight loss comes to a halt. When the engine is stalled, despite the fact that you continue dieting and exercising at the same level as before, you most probably have hit a so-called plateau stage, and there is now time to analyze the situation and see how you can break through it.

A weight loss plateau is defined as a prolonged pause in shedding off excess pounds. If you notice no weight loss, or no loss of inches around your hips or waist, for at least one month, despite your adherence to the same diet which was very successful at the beginning of your program, the reason could be an overgrowth of yeast.

If for all you life you had been eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), heavily based on carbohydrates (breads, cereals, fruits, sugar, soft drinks, etc.) and full of processed foods (chips, frozen dinners, sweet snacks, etc.), your gastrointestinal tract might have developed an overgrowth of harmful yeast called Candida albicans. This organism, once established, is quite hard to get rid of. Most people suffering from a yeast overgrowth tend to experience a number of unpleasant symptoms signalling the presence of Candida in their systems. Some of the most notable symptoms can be intestinal discomfort, bloating, gas, and constipation or loose stools; constant cravings for sugary foods or alcohol; an allergic inflammation of mucous membranes throughout the body; hypersensitivity to environmental moulds; heartburn; persistent fatigue, moodiness, depression, and “brain fog”;  as well as water retention. The symptoms of a Candida overgrowth can be further aggravated by eating sweets, starches and foods containing moulds, such as aged cheeses, nuts, mushrooms, pickles, olives, or vinegar.

Candida albicans is just one out of more than four hundred symbiotic microorganisms that resign in your digestive tract. Being a normal and generally harmless part of the intestinal microflora, this yeast can become aggressive and opportunistic and spread extensively if your inner ecology favours that. It is estimated that one out of every three people, and especially women, suffer from various degrees of a yeast overgrowth.

In addition to the above-mentioned annoying manifestations of a yeast infection, an overgrowth of Candida albicans can keep you from losing excess weight, primarily by causing irresistible cravings for unhealthy foods, especially sweets of all forms. If you indulge in these craving, you may also experience symptoms of unstable sugar (hypoglycaemia), which will further prevent you from losing weight. Since Candida thrives on sweets, starches, and fermented foods, and in case you suspect that Candida overgrowth may be your problem, it is advisable to stop eating all problematic foods for a while to fight the yeast overgrowth.

People with a yeast problem are very prone to hitting plateaus while trying to lose weight.  If you have noticed that your body is hypersensitive to mouldy foods; if you do not feel well when the weather outside is humid and gloomy; if strong smells, especially those of perfumes, tend to bother you; if you get frequent skin eruptions; or if you suffer from frequent vaginal discharges or post-nasal drips and are generally prone to allergies, you most probably have a yeast overgrowth. Also, female hormonal fluctuations, which might be connected to your monthly cycle or menopausal changes, as well as a recent exposure to antibiotics, can trigger yeast problems. Other factors that can lead to a Candida overgrowth are associated with taking hormonal medications, such as birth control pills, HRT, prednisone, or other steroid drugs;  suffering from autoimmune diseases; or being exposed to chronic emotional stress.

Candida albicans can make your body resistant to any attempts to get rid of excess weight. Although scientists still do not understand the exact mechanisms that link a yeast overgrowth to weight loss plateaus, this phenomenon is well documented. Some researchers suspect that an overgrowth of Candida albicans may lead to a suppressed metabolism and therefore encourage weight gain even on low-calorie diets. In addition, a yeast infection is associated with an overstressed immune system, which can further exacerbate your health and weight problems.

Eating wrong foods can broaden the expansion of a Candida overgrowth and put your weight loss program to a complete stall. The most offenders are sugary foods, including fruits, alcohol, especially wine and beer, starchy vegetables, including potatoes, and even lactose found in milk and most dairy products. Other food groups to avoid are yeast and mould-containing products, such as pickles prepared in vinegar, most cheeses and fermented dairy foods (yogurt, sour cream, etc.), salad dressings, all kinds of nuts, cured and smoked meats, and even yeast-containing vitamins.

What can you do if a yeast problem interferes with your weight loss program? The best solution is to switch to an anti-Candida diet, which excludes all potentially damaging foods and restricts the total daily amount of carbohydrates to about 40 grams. A bulk of your carbs should come primarily from non-starchy, fresh vegetables. Give your anti-Candida diet four to six weeks until your symptoms start clearing up. After that, slowly reintroduce some of the previously problematic foods back into your diet. However, do not overindulge. It might be that you will always have to consume mould and yeast-containing foods in strict moderation.

Wayne Hammel