What is Candida?

Candida Albicans is a yeast that exists in all of us which is normally controlled by our immune system and by other bacterial flora present in our body.

It usually resides in the digestive tract and is observed in females in the vagina, or in any sufferer on the skin (athlete’s foot or dandruff, for example, are generally signs of fungal or yeast infections).

Candida serves no useful purpose in the body (unlike other bacterial flora such as lactobacillus acidophilus) and can, therefore, be viewed as a parasite. In many people this yeast causes no harm and lives within them peacefully.

The problem starts when Candida gets out of control and does make its presence known. Yeast exists just about everywhere on earth, living off other living things. In the right environment, yeast is capable of explosive reproduction and growth, as anyone who has ever made bread, wine or beer will know.

Science has shown that a single yeast cell, given the right reproductive environment, can multiply to over one hundred yeast cells within twenty-four hours. In the human body, therefore, given the right environment, this normally harmless yeast can multiply to frightening levels and cause significant impact on our health and well-being.


This copy, and all other information on this site, is an extract form a book by Zoe Harcombe called 'Why do you overeat? when all you want is to be slim'. This book tackles the question of what impact Candida, and other conditions, have on food cravings and how they can be overcome to get cravings under control. You can get a copy of Zoe's book, which is available as a paperback and e-book, right here.