In this episode, Kylie sits down with Dr. Mahmood Ghannoum - the world's leading microbiome researcher and the scientist who coined the term "mycobiome" - to talk about the side of gut health that most people have never heard of: the fungi living in your gut right now and why they matter just as much as your bacteria.

Dr. Ghannoum has published over 450 peer-reviewed papers, has more than 23,000 citations in scientific literature and has received over 25 million in NIH funding. He is in the top 1% of the most cited scientists in the world.

In this episode, they break down the truth about Candida - why having it is completely normal, what actually causes it to become a problem and why the goal is never elimination but balance. They also get into digestive plaque, the gut-depression connection and what a genuinely useful gut test should be looking at.

This episode is especially for anyone who has been told they have Candida and felt confused or overwhelmed - or who suspects something is going on in their gut that nobody has fully explained yet.

In this episode we cover:

What the mycobiome is and why it has been largely ignored until now
Why Candida is a normal part of over 50% of people's gut flora - and when it becomes a problem
The biggest causes of Candida overgrowth including antibiotics, diet and vitamin deficiencies
Why sugar feeds Candida directly and how overgrowth drives sugar cravings
How fiber supports the good bacteria that keep Candida under control - and why eliminating it makes things worse
The vitamins most commonly deficient in people with gut imbalances - D3, A, B3 and C
What digestive plaque is, how bacteria and fungi form it together and what breaks it down
Why garlic and apple cider vinegar are among the most researched foods for gut fungal balance
Why pistachios are one of the best snacks for rebalancing your microbiome - backed by published science
What intermittent fasting actually does for gut health - and why it only works alongside a good diet
How gut imbalance is directly linked to depression and mental health - and what the latest research shows
What to look for in a gut test and why testing for fungi alongside bacteria changes the picture entirely

Because an imbalanced gut does not just affect your digestion.

It affects your energy, your skin, your hormones, your mood and your mental health. When your microbiome is in balance - bacteria and fungi working together - your body has the foundation it needs to function properly.

This episode will help you understand what may really be going on beneath the surface - and where to start.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction: who is Dr. Mahmood Ghannoum and why the fungi in your gut matters as much as bacteria

01:15 What is the mycobiome? The term Dr. Ghannoum created and why it changed gut health science

01:31 Why the focus has always been on bacteria - and what we've been missing by ignoring fungi

02:44 Candida explained - why over 50% of people have it and why that's completely normal

03:11 When does Candida become a problem? The difference between normal presence and overgrowth

04:30 The gut ecosystem analogy - why balance is everything and why eliminating Candida entirely is the wrong goal

05:51 Why some doctors over-diagnose Candida and what a good gut test should actually look for

06:50 The biggest causes of Candida overgrowth - antibiotics, diet and what to do about it

08:13 Sugar and Candida - why refined sugar is the biggest dietary driver o

Welcome to the Within Nutrition Podcast.

There is so much noise in the health world that often sounds so convincing but doesn't actually work for you so we're here to breakdown the science, challenge the common myths and share the strategies that truly make a difference for you.