Even though only a small percentage of the Amazon rainforest has been explored, thankfully enough was to find pau d arco. In fact, this South American native herb has been used for centuries to cure many ails, but its use as part of the candida albicans diet is becoming more noticed. It’s most popular use is in tea, which can have dual effects on candida yeast overgrowth. First, it acts as a sort of system detox, not as a laxative per se, but more of a colon cleanser. Secondly, it acts as a powerful antifungal most notably due to its content of lapachol, which in turn creates a sort of pau d arco candida yeast assassin. There are several facts you need to know when using pau d arco tea for candida, and checking out our list of top 10 facts about this potent potable will help you not only decide if its right for you, but also some facts to help you make the best purchasing decisions you can when shopping for this natural healing remedy.
1. Tea is made from pau d arco bark, which is where the beneficial chemicals are found, but the wood of these trees is very popular in furniture making and other construction applications (like the NY boardwalk) because of how resistant it is to decay and disease (is this further evidence of the amazing power of this beautiful tree?).
2. There are many factors that determine how much of the chemicals that are thought to have medicinal properties are in different trees, as such, different qualities of products are available, and the herb can suffer from poor storage and shipment conditions.
3. Pau d arco tea is used for many conditions, most notably candidasis, however it’s also been thought to be effective against fever, pain and arthritis. As optimistic as these facts may seem, note, however, that the tea alone will not reduce your candida overgrowth. A proper anti-candida diet and vitamin supplements are required first (for a considerable amount of time), in order for candida to start shrinking to its normal healthy size.
4. While pau d arco tea is the most well known usage of the herb, capsules are also available. Some researchers believe that the tea is less effective at delivering the beneficial chemicals because they don’t dissolve well in water.
5. Pregnant or breast feeding mothers should not use pau d arco. Few to no tests have been done to determine the safety of the tea, capsule or spray on pregnant women.
6. Infants or children should not use the herb at all or be given the tea.
7. Large amounts of pau d arco can be toxic. It’s important to consume proper dosage and best to consult with a medical professional before using this herb in any preparation.
8. People who are on blood thinning medications should not drink pau d arco tea or utilize the herb in any preparation, to do so can be hazardous.
9. For candida treatment, pau d arco may be combined with other natural agents known to be effective against the prolific yeast such as marigold and lemongrass.
10. Do not drink more than 2 daily cups of pau d arco tea for candida or not, as to avoid losing water together with vital minerals stored in the body, since pau d arco, just like many other teas, acts as a diuretic.
Thanks to the internet, you can now buy pau d arco tea in just a few minutes. You can also buy the dried form or capsules and many reputable online purveyors such as The Vitamin Shoppe, or IHerb. If you would rather make your own tea at home in order to have a little command over quality control, boil 4 teaspoons of bark with a quart of water for 20 minutes and drink hot or cold.
Last facts to remember are that the active ingredients in pau d arco are very potent and taking too much can have real and potentially dangerous adverse effects. Speak to your naturopath before using pau d arco for candida to make sure that it is safe for you to take.
