What is Yeast Belly?

Early last year, a friend of ours was over for the afternoon. We have known her for many years. Her son is now ten years old and has autism. From the moment they found out their son was autistic years ago, they have turned over every leaf to help him.

My friend came over to help us with Jaxon, my grand-nephew. He was diagnosed with mild to moderate autism in December 2021, and I sought guidance on where to start.

While Jaxon was playing, he reached around to his backside and started scratching. My friend pointed to Jaxon and said, “He has yeast belly.”

“What? Yeast belly? I don’t know what yeast belly is, and why do you think he has yeast belly?”

“You don’t normally scratch your backside unless it itches, which is usually caused by yeast overgrowth. You need to get his gut tested.”

So we made an appointment with the same doctor she took her son to, who discovered he had yeast belly seven years ago.

Fast forward to now, and below are the doctor’s notes to us reference Jaxon’s major yeast belly. It turns out my friend was right. Jaxon has major yeast belly, three other small bacteria, and C-Diff. His immune system was residing in a gut of disrepair. I am sharing the doctor’s notes in the event they can help someone.

Perhaps you know a child who struggles to speak, is very irritable, has behavioral issues, and is a problem eater. Our grand-nephew Jaxon struggled with all that and more. At three years old, he spoke roughly 20 words when he should have a vocabulary of at least 100.  Jaxon would hit and bite himself regularly. We didn’t know his gut was such a mess.

DISCLAIMER: The following notes are taken directly from the results the doctor shared with us regarding Jaxon’s yeast belly. We are in no way diagnosing you or your child. You have to decide how you will proceed based on your child’s health. Our goal is to share what we have experienced and learned. 

Yeast Overgrowth on Stool Analysis

Eradicating yeast (candida) in the gut is a three-pronged approach described below. Realistically, if followed strictly this process can usually rid the gut of yeast within 30-60 days.

First, it is imperative that the fuel feeding the yeast growth be removed from the diet. (I share the food changes on a separate page.)

The food source for yeast overgrowth is sugar in any form. It is impossible to rid the gut of yeast without the temporary elimination of sugar and carbohydrate from the daily diet. Sugar is what feeds yeast and fuels its growth in the gut. Eradicating candida (yeast) overgrowth requires switching to a low carbohydrate, no sugar diet.

Begin by eliminating sugar in all its simple forms — such as candy, desserts, alcohol and flours. At the same time, cut back to just one cup a day of the more complex carbohydrates, like grains, beans, fruit, bread, pasta and potatoes. This will help prevent the candida from growing and eventually cause it to die. It is also recommended that all fermented foods be eliminated. As a rule, fermented foods help feed the good bacteria, but unfortunately, the bad bacteria and fungi feed off these foods.

Second, it is necessary to kill the yeast that are currently present in the gut.

Using diet alone would take three to six months to bring the levels of candida back under control. Therefore, it is always recommended that treatment with at least 30-60 days of Caprylic acid take place. This acid, found in coconut oil basically “pokes holes” in the yeast cell wall, causing it to die. In addition, grapefruit seed extract (GSE) can be added to expedite the eradication of the yeast.

Lastly, the gut must be re-populated with stores of beneficial bacteria. 

The beneficial bacteria generally keep the candida population under control. This action becomes impaired when antibiotics are introduced because the antibiotics will kill off the beneficial bacteria while also killing the bad bacteria for which they are prescribed. Taking anywhere from 30 to 100 billion colony forming units of the correct bacterial strains daily helps to reduce the candida levels and restore the levels of beneficial bacteria.

Factors that cause the candida population to grow out of control:

• Eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar.
• Eating a diet high in beneficial fermented foods (like kombucha, sauerkraut, and pickles).
• Taking antibiotics, even one round can kill off too many beneficial bacteria, thus allowing the yeast to take over.
• Excessive physical, emotional or mental stress increases cortisol and ultimately blood sugar.

Common symptoms of candida: (yeast)

• Skin and nail fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot or toenail fungus
• Feeling tired and worn down, or suffering from chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia
• Digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, stomach aches, or diarrhea
• Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis,  Scleroderma, or Multiple Sclerosis
• Difficulty concentrating, poor memory, lack of focus, ADD, ADHD, and brain fog
• Skin issues like eczema, psoriasis, hives, and rashes
• Irritability, mood swings, anxiety or depression
• Vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, rectal itching, or vaginal itching
• Severe seasonal allergies or itchy ears
• Strong sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings

Have we seen any changes in Jaxon?

Since going gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free over the last two months, Jaxon does not hit or bite himself anymore. Jaxon is also speaking more than 60 words. We have also noticed his stool is more solid and less foul-smelling, so we feel confident we are killing the C-Diff and yeast in his gut. We restest his stool after six months and we pray we have eradicated the unwanted guests.

Honestly, it makes me question my own health and whether I have a yeast belly based on the symptoms listed above. It’s worth looking into.

Controlling his food choices is something we have to do long-term to make sure we get his gut back into shape. It’s expensive and it’s hard. It takes purpose and planning. We are so grateful for all the women at church who have either purchased specific foods or made specific foods for Jaxon. Thanks to their generosity, our freezer has enough special food for Jaxon for up to two weeks. Having Jaxon’s food prepared in advance saves me a lot of time.

There’s a verse in the Bible that says, “So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Genesis 50:21

Through the women at church, friends, and family, we have felt the prayers and outpouring of love for our little family and we are so thankful. Praise be to God!

We pray the information has been helpful.

Blessings!

The Teaching Lady