What is CRC?

CRC, or Candida Related Complex, is a group of distressing symptoms that are experienced when you have an overgrowth of Candida Albicans. Think “yeast infection gone crazy”! There are physical symptoms, like chronic yeast infections, anal itching, itching in the ears, nail fungus, and weird rashes. There are also other symptoms like fatigue (despite getting eight hours of sleep or more), inability to lose weight, depression, irritability, insomnia, cravings for carbs and sugar, and the inability to think clearly when you want. It’s not exclusive to women. Men have CRC too.

The first point that is most frustrating about CRC is that it is often misdiagnosed! I believe this epidemic has been around for a long time, but it was classified as something else because it was not understood. CRC did not get classified until 1983! The second point that is equally frustrating is that there are few doctors that are helpful as a result of the first point. I stopped going to doctors when it was clear that they had no idea what was happening to me and they wanted me to experiment with some “new drug” and come back and tell me how it worked. I’m not a guinea pig! I can experiment at home!

Which is what I did! First I fasted for two weeks and then introduced certain foods back into my diet one by one. I then made a note of how I felt after eating certain foods. The foods that caused the most problems were yeasted breads, anything with corn, dairy products, white potatoes, peanuts, and fruit juices. I cut them out of my diet, but I wouldn’t find out exactly why until years later,after doing my own reading and research.

I don’t recommend not seeing a doctor, especially if you have one that you know and trust. The two of you can work together on your healing journey. Michael T. Murray’s book will help you understand what to say and what to ask your doctor about the treatment that is right for you. I was never fortunate enough to find a doctor that respected me and my body enough to help me with my healing. I depended on my resources and I listened to my body, and let it tell me what to do next.

CRC is a real medical condition, and if you feel you are suffering from it, please make it known to your health practitioners. Arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can before you make an appointment. The links on the right will help and some of the links below will help with more of the history behind the classification:

Researching Candida
CRC FAQ
Candida Yeast Protection Program