Q: Can yeast overgrowth be transmitted from person to person by using the same drinking glass as someone who has it?

A: No. If you have a strong immune system and a normal, healthy balance of organisms in your body, exposure to another’s imbalanced system rarely causes problems. The exception to this is with vaginal yeast infections and sexual contact.

We all have some yeast in our body but yeast can overpopulate your skin, tongue, vagina, and intestines as a result of using antibiotics, medications containing cortisone, and/or birth control pills. A diet high in sugar and refined foods is a major contributor to yeast overgrowth. If your body has been exposed to these sorts of conditions, then exposure to another person’s vaginal yeast infection could worsen your body’s already imbalanced system. To regain control over your yeast and rebalance and maintain a healthy, natural flora in your body, try our Anti-candida Starter Pack.

Q: My gums burn and feel ‘crawly’ one week before my period. And, since I stopped taking birth control pills I often experience these symptoms throughout the month. Could this be linked to a yeast problem?

A: Yeast is definitely impacted by hormone shifts in the body. Try using our flow chart of estrogen and progesterone levels throughout the month. Both estrogen and progesterone influence the growth of yeast. Estrogen stimulates yeast growth. High progesterone levels change the form of some types of yeast, often fooling the body into thinking of them as foreign substances and setting up allergic reactions in response.

Yeast in the mouth and especially a white coating on the tongue is called thrush and could be causing some burning symptoms. The presence of mercury amalgam dental fillings in your mouth may also be playing a role in your gum symptoms although research on the link between mercury and yeast is only anecdotal and not widely available at this time.

Go to the 5-step anti-candida program and read about healing options. Do all you can to make sure your body has a strong immune system and a healthy, balance of natural flora in your intestinal tract to help relieve symptoms such as these which may be linked to yeast overgrowth.

Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. is a medical doctor, naturopathic doctor, homeopath, herbalist, and media personality appearing regularly on Barbara Walter’s The View on ABC. Dr. Dean is the author of Natural Prescriptions for Common Ailments and The Miracle of Magnesium, 2003. She was one of the first doctors to recognize Dr. Crook’s work and has treated people for Candida overgrowth for over twenty years.

Each month we answer your questions in this ASK A PRO section, in our TRY THIS section, and through our free weekly E news service. Write us with your questions at contact@yeastconnection.com.

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