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Candida Albicans
brings a
mind-boggling list of of health problems in its wake.
Candida, a
form of yeast cell, (more than 150 different strains have been
isolated) is naturally present in our bodies at all times, and
therefore its mere presence cannot identify it as an enemy: if you fall
sick, there are few tests your Doctor can do which will definitely fix
it as the cause.
If you have taken antibiotics frequently
or for lengthy periods of time, have suffered from fungal infections of
the nails, digestive tract or genitals, feel sick all over with no
explanation, are bothered by memory problems, have taken birth control
pills for more than 2 years, are really bothered by exposure to
cigarette smoke or chemicals, feel worse on damp, muggy days, - consider
Candida as the cause.
An imbalance, a state of dysbiosis caused by yeast
overgrowth, brings about a disturbance in the natural order where
the friendly organisms in our gut designed to control the level of
Candida organisms in our body fail in their task.
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This disturbance can be caused by
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(Estrogen/ progesterone imbalances increase Candida's
tendency to attach to the cells lining the vagina, and
therefore both pregnancy and oral contraceptives can
increase one's risk. Oral contraceptives
containing 75-150 micrograms of estrogen are most likely to
cause the problem; low-dose products are seldom implicated.)
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Antibiotics,may be the
worst villains, since they cannot tell the difference between the
friendly bacteria our internal balance requires, and the bad ones they
have been taken to fight: they kill them all. The situation is
aggravated by high carbohydrate diets, which feed the yeast organisms,
allowing a population explosion.. When overgrowth occurs, several things
happen:
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Firstly, C. Albicans is a
highly allergenic bacterium. Clinical studies have shown that its
presence in the intestinal tract can lead to "leaky gut" syndrome,
where food antigens and toxins can be absorbed directly into the blood
stream, leading to that "sick all over" feeling. This happens because
over time, Candida can behave like a fungus, developing rhizoids that
can grow into the wall of the intestine, and contribute to its gradual
weakening and permeability: it is possible that this highly toxic
state of affairs can contribute to conditions as diverse as asthma
and CFS through its effect on the immune system..
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Secondly, the toxins produced (among
them ethanol, acetaldehyde - which can damage organs, cause emotional
disturbances, memory loss and mood swings, and formaldehyde) may act
as immunosuppressants to prevent your defenses from doing their job.
This may mean not only that you are rendered susceptible to
re-infection by Candida itself, but also that auto-antibodies
may form, and hormonal dysfunctions may follow
(Witkin, Ph.D. Cornell Univ. Med. Coll 1985)
together with a medley of seemingly unrelated health
problems.
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Thirdly, the Candida may become
systemic in nature. Having breached the intestinal lining, it now
has access to the bloodstream and from there any part of your body,
where it can set up its home and multiply. Some of the symptoms of
systemic Candida are digestive problems, muscle aches and pains,
fatigue, skin eruptions and rashes, and recurrent urinary tract infections.
Fortunately, there is now an inexpensive
stool laboratory test (see bottom of page) which will determine the
balance between yeast roganaisms and good bacteria,
and can also determine parasite infestation.
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The following are some serious illnesses
which have sometimes responded favorably to treatment for Candida:
they include MS, lupus, myasthenia gravis, multiple chemical sensitivity
syndrome, Chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis and
cystitis, and endometriosis.
I hasten to add that I am not
suggesting that they are cured by this means, but that some of the
symptoms lessen in intensity.
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Nor is it my intention to suggest that
the serious diseases mentioned above such as MS, lupus, CFS, etc., are
caused by Candida. What I see happening here, (and much of my
information comes not only from my own clients, but also from Dr.
Crook's wonderful books, The Yeast Connection and The
Yeast Connection and the Woman) is an accumulation of insults
to the body which result in illness.
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Consider the changes that have
occurred in our life styles over the past 50 years - increased
exposure to chemicals and toxins, the almost casual intake of
antibiotics and synthetic hormones, the decrease in healthy nourishing
food and the increase in pesticides, preservatives, sugar, hydrogenated
fats, food colorings - the list goes on and on.
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How can we not
expect our bodies to pay a toll? Lowered immune systems, alkaline/acid
imbalance, and digestive disorders are high on the list of first
responses to these health stressors, and Candida feels right at home in
these conditions: once an imbalance starts, the body reacts in many
different negative ways.
What does this mean? When a scientist
reaches a destination, he needs to know the road he traveled by, and
that it leads only from there to here. It is difficult for a trained
scientist to accept that one road can lead to many destinations, or that
one destination can be reached by many roads. Dr. Truss in his book
The Missing Diagnosis says: " you may seem neurotic ... but do you
experience ... depression, anxiety, irrational irritability,
bloating, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, indigestion, loss of
self-confidence, inability to cope, lethargy, symptoms from contact with
food and chemical odors, acne, migraine, headaches ... urethritis,
cystitis, repeated vaginal yeast infections, premenstrual tension, and
menstrual problems? .. These may be symptoms of a treatable
illness."
It can be hard for an allopathic Doctor to accept not only that
Candida can cause so many and such diverse health problems, but that its
cause and correction are also multi-faceted.
Treatment of Candidiasis is truly not
simple, but the first step is the proper diet avoiding sugars in
all forms, even limiting complex carbohydrates usually thought to be
good for you, (see bottom of page for a detailed list).
Candida is a
yeast, and anything that might feed it must be avoided; this means
cutting out all sugars (even honey), fruits, starches, vinegar and
alcohol. No more maple syrup, corn syrup, white bread, soft drinks, or
cereals. They should be replaced with vegetables and lean proteins. No
more dried or fresh fruits, mushrooms, pizza or pastries. As and when
the condition improves, some of these things may be added back in - but
many people feel so much better without them, they want to keep the
improvement permanently!
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An interesting exception to this rule is
Xylitol. Dr. Ward Dean states that this sweetener is not
metabolized by humans OR yeast: "Yeast gobble it up, thinking they're
getting sugar, and die". He considers it one of the best anti-candida
strategies!
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The next steps are
detoxification, enhancement of digestive and immune function, balanced
nutritional supplementation and herbal and medicinal anti-fungal
agents . I usually recommend the following
protocol:
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First,
cleansing and detoxing. (See "other
articles" in Resources at right.)
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Second,
attacking the yeast with a selection of herbs that have
natural anti-fungal activity, such as Olive Leaf, Garlic,
Pau d'Arco, Grapefruit Seed Extract and Oregano.
The more diverse your weapons, the better your chance of success.
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The wall
of the Candida yeast cell is composed largely of cellulose, and it is
vulnerable to digestion by Cellulase enzymes. It has no
defense - it cannot change the structure of its cell wall.
These enzymes should always be used
between meals, otherwise they will be wasted digesting the cellulose
in your food. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO TAKE THEM SEPARATE FROM FOOD . For
more information about Candex, see Resources
at right.
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Saccharomyces Boulardii is in
effect a friendly yeast that fights Candida: it is much used in
France, where they refer to it as the yeast- fighting yeast.
If your Candida is connected to food allergies,
this may be especially helpful for you; it releases IgA which helps
heal the lining of the gut. Saccharomyces is helpful to prevent and
relieve diarrhea, particularly when medication related.
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Third,
rebuilding the colon and repopulating it with friendly
bacteria such as Bifidus and Lactobacillus .
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Fourth,
maintenance. I recommend HSOs/
Primal Defense, continued use of probiotics, and cyclical use of
Candex.
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Fifth -
aiding digestion: deficiencies of HCL
or pancreatic enzymes can mean that you are not absorbing your foods
properly. Improve your absorption, and there will be less to feed the
yeast.
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There is also a connection with Gallbladder
malfunction, since a healthy supply of bile helps keep Candida
Albicans in check. Generally, there is some reason to suspect
that Candida impairs the digestion of fats. This is why it may
be a good idea either to limit diary, or to add a
LIPASE enzyme as well. If you have Candida, and have had your gallbladder
removed, and NOTHING seems to control the infection, consider adding a
source of ox bile.
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Sixth -
balance acid/alkaline.
Interestingly, while many Candida sufferers have very acid pHs,
some people suffering from recurrent Candida infections are found to
have a highly alkaline body chemistry: this is usually in
conjunction with a low metabolic rate, and can occur even if the diet
is high in acid foods.
An acid pH in the body can also cause excessive
alkalinity in the colon,
which encourages
the growth of yeast.
In fact, one of the means by which acidophilus
controls yeast overgrowth is by acidifying the large intestine.
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In other words, disturbance of the pH
balance IN EITHER DIRECTION, whether acid or alkaline, can facilitate
opportunistic Candida overgrowth. |
However, Candida is absolutely happiest
when the acid environment of the body ( which is what most
of us in the US are - see my article in Resources at right) means that the stomach is
paradoxically LOW in acid, or HCL. and the bowel is alkaline.
... Homeostasis is a state of balance, when the entire body is
in harmony and functioning perfectly. Disturbance of this homeostasis leads to disease.
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Each step should be supported and
enhanced by proper diet
and
supplements
to support the
immune
system such as Moducare, Colostrum, OPCs, and B
Vitamins. Add also a multi-vitamin and mineral, since many Candida
sufferers compound their problem by not absorbing the nutrients they
need for basic good health.
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Determine the cause of the
Candida: whether it be diet, allergy, stress, hormones, medications -
unless you find out what caused it and eliminate that cause, the
problem WILL RETURN!!
Some people manifest their yeast problems
not only internally, but by overgrowths of thrush in the mouth,
disfiguration of the nails on hand or foot, and sometimes even
malodorous rashes on the skin, under the breasts and around the genitals
being favorite sites . I have come across a
solution of Silver which
is proving to be very helpful for such problems, as a gargle, or as a
topical application.
I am amazed, too, at the frequency with
which I find that people with really intractable Candida also have
parasites. I would recommend testing for this (see
the UroKeep
Test for Candida and parasites) .
Dr. Morton Walker's book about Olive
Leaf Extract points out that hospital acquired infections from
pathogenic fungi, mainly Candida Albicans, increased from 6 to 11
percent between 1980 and 1990. Most anti-fungal drugs work by
inhibiting the growth of fungi: this means some
fungal cells survive in the body, becoming resistant to the drug
treatment. Olive Leaf is a fungicidal substance which kills the invading
fungus rather than just slowing it down - this means that fewer of the
cells survive, and resistant mutations are also fewer. It also means
less risk of relapse after ceasing treatment with the Olive Leaf.
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There is a mistaken belief that people
with Candida overgrowth need to adhere to a yeast free diet. In fact,
there does not appear to be any connection between the consumption of
food yeasts ( Saccharomyces Cerevisiae) and the overgrowth of Candida
yeast. Dr. Jack Sobel, who has a list a yard long of qualifications to
speak on the subject, says "There is no association between
Saccharomyces in the diet and systemic Candidiasis .... I never put
patients on yeast free diets, as they are painful,
non-nutritional, extremely difficult to comply with, and
ill-advised in my opinion". (my italics) (Interviewed by Dr. Passwater,
Whole Foods Magazine July 99 p. 60)
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If the Candida still persists, consider
an elimination/ rotation diet to spot possible food allergies or
intolerances, which may
play a large role in this scenario. The
Coca Pulse Test
can be very helpful. The most common offenders are yeast, (and if yeast is
an allergen for you, then it should be avoided) milk, wheat,
corn, eggs and citrus.
Candida overgrowth is definitely
an under-diagnosed problem in allopathic circles. Most nutritionally
oriented Doctors who are addressing this imbalance have concluded that
the way to diagnose Candida, is to treat the symptoms, and determine
from the results whether or not the diagnosis was correct. This might
seem an irrational approach, were we talking about strong drugs that
could be harmful to the patient, but Candida can be tackled. and
often conquered, using measures which actually contribute to overall
health.
The advantage of the natural approach is
that you are not only much more likely to control the yeast permanently,
but you will also put your immune system back on track, able to help you
resist other problems that may come your way.
Check List for Candida:
| Cleansing |
I recommend
CleanseSmart, by Renew Life . |
| Attack |
I recommend
Candex, by Pure Essence. Use
in conjunction with Renew Life's
CandiGone
or
ParaGone. |
| Rebuild |
Probiotics
and
Primal Defense.
(Homeostatic Soil Organisms)
Attention to proper diet, limiting carbohydrates, and eliminating
allergens. |
| Maintain |
Controlled diet,
occasional use of
Candex,
continued monitoring of internal bacteria with use of acidophilus
and
Primal Defense |
Avoiding
carbohydrates:
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Breads, pastas, baked
goods, sauces soups and dressings thickened with flour, and/or
sweetened with sugar, candy, chewing gum, and sugar in all forms
(fructose, sucrose, honey, maple syrup)
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Dairy products such as
milk and ice cream. Unsweetened yogurt, without fruits, is
acceptable, some cheese and cottage cheese is OK.
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Fruits and berries
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Sweet vegetables such
as corn, yams, sweet potatoes, peas, beans, carrots, beets.
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Many prepared foods.
Read the labels! Even canned hams and imitation seafood can be a
carbohydrate problem.
YOU MAY SUSPECT, BUT DO YOU
KNOW? There is a simple test
that can be done to determine whether you have a Candida problem: we
have the kits here. The cost of the kit is $15.96 plus shipping, and
you then send a stool sample off to the lab. You are personally
responsible for the lab fee of $80.00. The results are sent directly
to the Health Care Provider you select. I have often found that
those with the most serious Candida problems also have parasites, and
this Lab specializes in testing for those, too.
Order
the UroKeep Test Kit:
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