Candida - 79 toxins inc. acetaldehyde and ethanol - this is such an important read

How Candida overgrows, causing symptoms, diseases and dysfunction

When Candida is allowed to get out of control it changes its shape and starts branching out raising large families called colonies. These Candida colonies excrete over 79 different types of toxins (chemicals) which circulate throughout the body weakening the immune system and causing numerous symptoms and dysfunctions throughout the body. Two toxins that are particularly devastating are acetaldehyde and ethanol (a type of alcohol). Both act like poisons on the various tissues of the body and can cause lesions.
These chemicals cause all of the cells in the body to go rigid, even white and red blood cells. Flexibility is very important for the functioning of cells, allowing nutrients and hormones to go in, and waste materials to go out, as well as other important activities.
Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and must be flexible enough to squeeze down to about one-seventh their normal size in order to travel into the body’s tiny capillaries. When they become rigid the transport of life-giving oxygen to all the tissues and organs is impaired. This causes the tissues and organs to lose their ability to function. It is also why many candida sufferers have cold hands and feet.
White blood cells fight infection by wrapping part of themselves around a bacteria or other foreign invader, swallowing the invader, and eventually destroying it. White blood cells that have become brittle and rigid by yeast toxins can not do their job. The result - you can’t fight off infection as easily.
Defective cell membranes may interfere with the penetration of glucose (blood sugar) into the cells, a job normally accomplished with the help of insulin. When cell membranes are damaged insulin will have trouble doing its job – and insulin levels may have to be increased. This causes low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia; also called insulin reaction) resulting in low energy, light headedness, and sometimes even a coma. Over manufacture of insulin exhausts the pancreas, causing it to dysfunction as well.
Hormones regulate various body functions by traveling through the bloodstream to vital areas of the body, and Candida toxins interfere with this process. Rigid cells in organs responsible for producing hormones, make them less capable of producing hormones. When hormones do reach the bloodstream they have trouble getting to their intended destination. Once they arrive, they have difficulty getting into rigid cell membranes. Hormones can not do their intended job if they don’t achieve adequate levels in the body’s cells! Such hormones include thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and many others, even those that regulate digestion and the release of digestive juices.
Nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and other [tag]minerals[/tag] also have trouble getting into rigid cell walls. This can result in fluid retention, electrolyte imbalances, and a number of other problems. In fact every nutrient required by the body will have difficulty getting into rigid cells throughout the body, including protein (amino acids), fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Rigid cells are also not as able to get rid of their waste and regulate water.
Candida also produces very long root-like structures that penetrate intestinal walls. These roots cause considerable damage to the walls of the intestines resulting in poor digestion and mal-absorption of nutrients.
All of these factors contribute to a weakened immune system. A weakened immune system simply cannot keep Candida in check, allowing it to overgrow and get out of control. They cycle continues.