Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

You can learn a lot by looking inward.

With the U.S. leading the world in sugar consumption – averaging a staggering 126.4 grams per day per person (recommended intake is 11 grams per day) – it’s no surprise that Candida overgrowth, or systemic yeast infections, are a widespread issue.

Most women are familiar with the discomfort of a vaginal yeast infection, but few realize that Candida can spread throughout the entire body – invading the mouth, esophagus, stomach, bladder, sinuses, and even the lungs.

Could Candida Be the Culprit?

Here are some telltale signs of Candida overgrowth:

• Brain fog, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating.
• Intense sugar cravings that feel impossible to resist.
• Bloating, gas, and constipation.
• Weakened immune function and frequent illness.
• Low moods, anxiety, or depression.
• Chronic fatigue – feeling constantly drained.
• Skin issues, including rashes and eczema.
• A white-coated tongue.
• Joint pain and inflammation.

What Causes Candida Overgrowth?

Excess sugar isn’t the only factor feeding Candida. Antibiotic overuse is another major culprit.

Studies show that just one round of antibiotics can disrupt your gut microbiome for weeks, months, or even years. When antibiotics wipe out beneficial bacteria, they leave the perfect environment for Candida to thrive. It’s like evicting the good guys and throwing a welcome party for the troublemakers!

While antibiotics can be lifesaving, after taking them it’s crucial to repopulate good bacteria. Other factors that contribute to Candida overgrowth include:

• Chronic stress, which weakens the immune system.
• Regular alcohol consumption, which promotes yeast growth.
• Hormonal changes during perimenopause, menopause, and beyond, which alter gut flora.
• Environmental toxins and heavy metals, which further disrupt balance.

How to Get Rid of Candida Naturally

The good news? You can restore balance and stop Candida in its tracks by making a few key changes.

Eliminate Sugar and Refined Carbs

Cut out processed foods, alcohol, and high-carb foods to starve Candida.

Focus on Whole, Nutrient-Dense Foods

Prioritize leafy greens, non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats, and quality proteins.

Incorporate Antifungal Foods and Herbs

Garlic, coconut oil, oregano, pau d’arco tea, apple cider vinegar, and cloves can help.

Take Probiotics

Restore beneficial bacteria with fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi or take a high-quality probiotic supplement.

Support Liver Detoxification

Drink plenty of water, eat cruciferous vegetables, and consider milk thistle or dandelion tea.

Manage Stress

Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing help regulate cortisol levels.

Check for Heavy Metals and Toxins

Reduce exposure to mercury, BPA, and environmental toxins that can fuel Candida overgrowth.

Improve Digestion

Digestive enzymes and betaine HCl can help restore stomach acid balance.

Rotate Natural Antifungals

Oregano oil, caprylic acid (from coconut oil), and berberine are powerful against Candida.

Include any study resource here.

Candida Isn’t Just a Women’s Issue

Candida overgrowth affects men, too. Children can also struggle with it – so if you have grandkids, it may be worth checking for symptoms!

There is always a root cause behind symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and digestive distress. My life’s work has been helping people uncover those causes and naturally restore balance.

I’d love to send you my free PDF quiz: Do YOU Have Candida? Just email me at drshirleysays@gmail.com, and I’ll send it right over! You’re also invited to join over 1,100 natural health enthusiasts in my free Facebook Group, Dr. Shirley’s School of Natural Medicine, where I teach live online twice a week

Let’s Talk!

Have you ever experienced brain fog, bloating, or fatigue after taking antibiotics? What helped you recover? What natural remedies or lifestyle changes have you tried to rebalance your gut? Do you think Candida overgrowth is more common than people realize? Why or why not?

They would have to divorce, so that they can all be together.

That’s quite a change.

Let’s face it. You’ve spent decades accumulating. Accumulating memories, responsibilities, worries, habits, maybe even grudges. Your mind is a jam-packed attic of experiences, some cherished, some, let’s just say, past their expiration date. But what if I told you that one of the most powerful things you can do in your 60s and beyond isn’t remembering – but forgetting?

But isn’t that the thing we’re supposed to fear as we age? That creeping moment when we walk into a room and forget why? Or when we mix up our grandkid’s names?

That’s not the kind of forgetting I’m talking about. I’m talking about the conscious and wildly liberating act of unlearning and letting go.

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes it is letting go.” — HERMANN HESSE

Why Is Forgetting So Powerful?

We’re told that our identities are shaped by our past. But what if clinging to old stories and past failures is exactly what’s holding us back?

Do you still need to remember the criticism your mother-in-law gave you about your cooking 30 years ago? Or the embarrassing thing you said at a party in 1985? Or that old belief that you’re “too old” to start something new? (You’re not.)

Midlife – and beyond – is a reset button if you let it be. And forgetting isn’t about losing yourself. It’s about shedding the weight of who you used to be so you can become who you’re meant to be now.

Things It’s OK to Forget

1. Forget Who You Were Supposed to Be

From the moment we are born, society hands us a script. Be a good daughter, a good wife, a good mother. Stay in line. Dress appropriately. Don’t rock the boat. But what if that script no longer fits?

What if you finally allow yourself to dress however you want, say what you mean, and take up space without apology? What if you reintroduced yourself to the world – not as who you were, but as who you are?

2. Forget the Idea That Aging Means Decline

Society is obsessed with youth, but let’s be honest: Being 20 wasn’t all that great, was it? The insecurity, the people-pleasing, the exhausting pursuit of perfection? No, thank you.

Let’s rewrite the script. Instead of seeing aging as a slow fade-out, what if you saw it as a crescendo? The part of life where you finally get to live on your own terms? Because here’s the truth: You are not declining – you are distilling. Sharpening. Refining. Becoming the purest, boldest version of yourself.

3. Forget Regret

Regret is the mental equivalent of carrying around a suitcase full of bricks labeled “Should Have,” “Would Have,” “Could Have.” A suitcase that is taking you nowhere.

Instead of allowing past regrets to dictate the present, take action. Unfulfilled aspirations, such as traveling more, speaking up, or pursuing long-abandoned goals, can still be realized. The most effective way to deal with regret is to make different choices today that align with current desires and aspirations.

4. Forget Perfection

You’ve spent enough years worrying about how things should be. The perfect family, the perfect body, the perfect life. Perfection is a myth. It’s a mirage that keeps you stuck, waiting for some impossible standard to be met before you start really living.

What if you stopped trying to be perfect and just… were? What if you embraced the messy, wonderful, flawed reality of your life and found joy in the imperfection?

5. Forget What People Think

For years, we agonize over what people think of us. But here’s a little secret: most people are too busy worrying about themselves to think about you for more than a passing moment.

So why are you holding back? Wear the bold color. Start the weird hobby. Speak your truth. Life is too short to live on mute.

6. Forget Playing Small

Midlife is not an ending – it’s an invitation. An invitation to go bigger, bolder, and deeper than you ever have before. This is your time to take risks, explore, and reinvent.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but never dared? Write it down. Now go do it. No excuses. No “maybe laters.” Because if not now, when?

Forgetting isn’t about losing – it’s about freeing yourself. It’s about making space for joy, curiosity, and self-discovery. It’s about living with lightness, unburdened by the weight of old narratives. When you let go of outdated beliefs, past disappointments, and rigid expectations, you create room for fresh possibilities. You become open to spontaneity, deeper connections, and newfound passions.

Forgetting allows you to rewrite your story on your own terms, to explore life with a renewed sense of wonder. It fosters resilience, because when you’re not clinging to the past, you can adapt, grow, and thrive in the present. It is an act of self-liberation – an opportunity to step forward unencumbered and embrace life with an open heart.

So, my question to you is:

What’s one thing you’re ready to forget today?

Whatever it is, let it go. And watch how much space it creates for the incredible, unstoppable, fearless woman you are becoming.

Let’s start today! I’ve prepared a free Letting Go worksheet, and I’d love to share it with you. Just email me and I will forward it to you.

Time to Reflect:

Have you always thought of ‘forgetting’ in negative terms? Would you consider the positive concept of ‘forgetting’ things that burden you? What’s one thing you’re ready to forget?