How to Overcome Candida (Pt1)
This is a reworking of a previous article by Bee Wilder. It has proven to be our most popular article to date and we have chosen to feature it again in its extended version. Part 1 describes what Candida is, how the illness is created, it’s plethora of symptoms and the havoc it creates in the body. Part two introduces the Candida Control Program and Part 3 (coming in April) concludes this comprehensive feature. If you wish to skip ahead and find out how you can overcome Candida you may like to read the former version. - Ed.
Candida is the short name used to describe yeast overgrowth in the body. The technical term for yeast overgrowth is candidiasis caused by the overgrowth of candida albicans. Candida albicans is a single-celled fungus that belongs to the vegetable kingdom. Candida albicans lives in all our mucus membranes, i.e. intestines, eyes, ears, bladder, stomach, lungs, vagina, etc. It is one of the billions of other friendly organisms that serve a useful purpose in the body. One of candida albicans’ important functions is to recognize and destroy harmful bacteria and toxins.
However, candida is not intended to overgrow and get out of control while the body is still living. That change is only intended to happen when the body dies, when candida’s functions and characteristics change for the purpose of breaking the body down. Candida releases substances, most of which are alcohols, which break down the bodies tissues. When candida overgrowth happens while the body is still alive it causes innumerable symptoms, diseases and malfunctions.
Candida is very opportunistic when the immune system malfunctions, with [tag]candida overgrowth[/tag] found in most cases of disease, including cancer, AIDS, infection, etc. Diseases and malfunctions listed above, and all autoimmune diseases respond very well to this candida program, particularly the diet, because it builds up and strengthens the immune system enabling the body to heal itself naturally.
Sugar is the biggest contributor to candida overgrowth.
The average person living in the western world consumes about 125 pounds of refined table sugar every year! Sugar is the main food supply of Candida.
The average person also consumes a diet very high in carbohydrates which also feeds Candida. Even the food pyramid published by our governments is turned totally upside down, with grains and other carbs at the bottom, and fats at the top, but the opposite is actually healthiest for human health.
Our high consumption of sugar, carbs and poor nutrition has been greatly influenced by the food industry. The formation of the food pyramid was greatly influenced by the food industry in order to sell their nutrient-devoid foods and chemicals. Their main motivation is money! The food industry would have us restrict our eating to only dead foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever!
Every year the food industry spends millions of dollars lobbying for laws that allow chemical preservatives, additives, coloring agents, foaming agents, binders, thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and many other chemicals so they can save time and money processing and storing foods. These laws benefit the food industry but leave our foods stripped of nutrients and damaged by chemicals, high heat, hydrogenation, and pasteurization which are very toxic and damaging to the human body.
Some laws allow the food industry to destroy foods by irradiation, which disrupts the DNA of bacteria so that it cannot reproduce, thus extending shelf life; this is the same as microwaving. But in certain cases they are not required to label such foods. The current permissible radiation dosage is about 200 million times greater than a chest x-ray.
When food is [tag]irradiated[/tag] the radiation breaks up the molecular structure of the food and creates a whole new set of chemicals known as “unique radiolytic products” (URPs). These URPs include benzene, formaldehyde and a host of known mutagens (capable of inducing mutation) and carcinogens (capable of inducing cancer). Irradiation kills vitamins, friendly bacteriaand enzymes, and effectively renders the food “dead.” This makes these foods totally useless to your body.
There are hundred’s of tests that prove the damage irradiated foods cause to humans. Short term studies were done on children in India, and blood tests showed chromosomal damage to the children after 6 weeks. Short term tests were done on dogs using irradiated beef; the dogs ended up with enlarged spleens and swollen lymph nodes. Other studies, including those done under contract for the U.S. Government, indicate the possibility of immunotoxicity (destroys cells), kidney disease, cardiac thrombus (a fibrinous clot that forms in one of the chambers of the heart), testicular damage and fibroplasias (the formation of fibrous tissue). However, the food industry would rather irradiate instead of cleaning up their production system.
Since the early 1970s, hormones have been used extensively in the production of beef and milk in North America, with hormone development research starting as far back as the 1950s. Two-thirds of cattle raised in the U.S. are treated with these hormones. The hormones are implanted or injected into cattle at various stages of maturity in order to promote faster growth.
Hormones used in beef cattle include the male hormone testosterone and its synthetic equivalent trenbolone acetate, and the female hormone progesterone including three synthetic derivatives. This synthetic form of progesterone shares similar characteristics with a class of other molecules called endocrine disruptors that imitate other human hormones in the body and have been linked to diseases such as cancer.
Endocrine disruptors are exogenous (originating from outside the body) substances that cause adverse biological effects by interfering with the endocrine system and disrupting the production and function of hormones.
The foundations of the endocrine system are the hormones and glands. Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers, and they transfer information and instructions from one set of cells to another. Although many different hormones circulate throughout the bloodstream, each one affects only the cells that are genetically programmed to receive and respond to its message.
Meanwhile most of our food is grown on soil that is sadly depleted of life-giving nutrients, and many [tag]toxic[/tag] chemicals are contained in our foods because of chemicals used to fight off predators, insects and disease. Again, these are done to save time and money, but they have absolutely no benefit for the consumer. In fact, the reverse is true.
None of us choose to have hazardous pesticides in our bodies yet the Center for Disease Control found pesticides in 100% of the people tested. The average person in this group carried a toxic cocktail of 13 of the 23 pesticides that were analyzed. Many of the pesticides found in test subjects have been linked to serious short- and long-term health effects including infertility, birth defects and childhood and adult cancers. The combined effects of multiple exposures are unknown, but a growing body of research suggests that even at very low levels the combination of these chemicals are very harmful to our health.
The [tag]immune system[/tag] is also depressed by many toxic substances including drugs, medicines, birth control pills, vaccines, fluoridated water, as well as toxic ingredients contained in household and personal care products, i.e. shampoo, body lotions, makeup, detergents, air fresheners, cleaning agents, synthetic carpets, etc.
Chemical compounds are found everywhere in our food, air, and water. The accumulation of these compounds in some individuals can cause a variety of dysfunctions, and in some cases outright disease. The systems most affected by these xenobiotic compounds (a chemical or substance that is foreign to an organism or biological system) include the immune, neurological, and endocrine systems. Toxicity in these systems can lead to immune dysfunction, autoimmunity, asthma, allergies, cancer, learning difficulties, mood changes, neurological illnesses, changes in sexual desire and functioning, reproductive dysfunction, and upsets in blood glucose levels, etc. with candida overgrowth the central factor in all of these health issues.
Emotional stress, losses, accidents, injuries, and financial worries and concerns also depress the immune system.
Drugs “force” therapeutic actions to take place in the body that suppresses symptoms and has negative side-effects, while natural foods and substances nourish the body’s ability to decide needed actions as it sees fit.
However, viruses, germs, bacteria, candida, and even cancer, are not the cause of, but the result of, disease, arising from tissues rather than from a germ of constant form.
All [tag]vaccines[/tag] introduce toxins into the body, depressing the [tag]immune system[/tag], and making people sick. There is proof that vaccines cause autism in children and that vaccines have never helped eradicate any disease, contrary to reports and statistics from government and the drug and medical industries.
These chemicals cause all of the cells in the body to go rigid, even white and red blood cells. Flexibility is very important for the functioning of cells, allowing nutrients and hormones to go in, and waste materials to go out, as well as other important activities.
Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and must be flexible enough to squeeze down to about one-seventh their normal size in order to travel into the body’s tiny capillaries. When they become rigid the transport of life-giving oxygen to all the tissues and organs is impaired. This causes the tissues and organs to lose their ability to function. It is also why many candida sufferers have cold hands and feet.
White blood cells fight infection by wrapping part of themselves around a bacteria or other foreign invader, swallowing the invader, and eventually destroying it. White blood cells that have become brittle and rigid by yeast toxins can not do their job. The result - you can’t fight off infection as easily.
Defective cell membranes may interfere with the penetration of glucose (blood sugar) into the cells, a job normally accomplished with the help of insulin. When cell membranes are damaged insulin will have trouble doing its job – and insulin levels may have to be increased. This causes low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia; also called insulin reaction) resulting in low energy, light headedness, and sometimes even a coma. Over manufacture of insulin exhausts the pancreas, causing it to dysfunction as well.
Hormones regulate various body functions by traveling through the bloodstream to vital areas of the body, and Candida toxins interfere with this process. Rigid cells in organs responsible for producing hormones, make them less capable of producing hormones. When hormones do reach the bloodstream they have trouble getting to their intended destination. Once they arrive, they have difficulty getting into rigid cell membranes. Hormones can not do their intended job if they don’t achieve adequate levels in the body’s cells! Such hormones include thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and many others, even those that regulate digestion and the release of digestive juices.
Nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and other [tag]minerals[/tag] also have trouble getting into rigid cell walls. This can result in fluid retention, electrolyte imbalances, and a number of other problems. In fact every nutrient required by the body will have difficulty getting into rigid cells throughout the body, including protein (amino acids), fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Rigid cells are also not as able to get rid of their waste and regulate water.
Candida also produces very long root-like structures that penetrate intestinal walls. These roots cause considerable damage to the walls of the intestines resulting in poor digestion and mal-absorption of nutrients.
All of these factors contribute to a weakened immune system. A weakened immune system simply cannot keep Candida in check, allowing it to overgrow and get out of control. They cycle continues.
The most effective method of determining whether you have candida overgrowth is by taking Dr. William Crook’s Questionnaire.
This is a reworking of a previous article by Bee Wilder. It has proven to be our most popular article to date and we have chosen to feature it again in its extended version. Part 1 describes what Candida is, how the illness is created, it’s plethora of symptoms and the havoc it creates in the body. Part two introduces the Candida Control Program and Part 3 (coming in April) concludes this comprehensive feature. If you wish to skip ahead and find out how you can overcome Candida you may like to read the former version. - Ed.
Candida is the short name used to describe yeast overgrowth in the body. The technical term for yeast overgrowth is candidiasis caused by the overgrowth of candida albicans. Candida albicans is a single-celled fungus that belongs to the vegetable kingdom. Candida albicans lives in all our mucus membranes, i.e. intestines, eyes, ears, bladder, stomach, lungs, vagina, etc. It is one of the billions of other friendly organisms that serve a useful purpose in the body. One of candida albicans’ important functions is to recognize and destroy harmful bacteria and toxins.
However, candida is not intended to overgrow and get out of control while the body is still living. That change is only intended to happen when the body dies, when candida’s functions and characteristics change for the purpose of breaking the body down. Candida releases substances, most of which are alcohols, which break down the bodies tissues. When candida overgrowth happens while the body is still alive it causes innumerable symptoms, diseases and malfunctions.
How Candida affects us.
When [tag]candida albicans[/tag] is under control it poses no problem, but when it gets out of control it begins to overgrow causing numerous symptoms and health problems from the top of the head to the tips of the toes, from [tag]migraines[/tag] to nail fungus. It can result in symptoms inside (pain and malfunction of organs, even brain lesions) and outside ([tag]eczema[/tag] and hives). It can also cause problems with the mind and emotions.Symptoms, diseases and infections caused by Candida
Allergies, Sensitivities and Intolerances:- Symptoms that worsen in damp, muggy or moldy places or weather that is damp, muggy, humid or rainy.
- Food sensitivities or reactions.
- [tag]Hay fever[/tag] and [tag]asthma[/tag].
- Intolerances or [tag]allergies[/tag] to perfumes, odors, fumes, fabric shop odors, grass, cats, dogs or other animals, tobacco smoke, chemicals, smog, molds, dust mites, dust, pollen, and other airborne substances.
- Athletes’ foot.
- Babies - colic, diaper rash, thrush (coated white tongue), and cradle cap.
- Bruising easily.
- Cheekbone or forehead tenderness, pain.
- Cold hands or feet, low body temperature.
- Cold-like symptoms - excessive mucus in the sinuses, nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs.
- Cravings or [tag]addictions[/tag] for [tag]sugar[/tag], bread, pasta and other high carb foods, and also alcohol.
- Cysts, abnormal formation of, in different parts of the body, especially around the neck, throat, and ovaries, and in the bladder or scrotum.
- Digestive problems - diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal distention, bloating or pain, gas, mucus in the stools, hiatal hernia, ulcers, suffering from bacteria, i.e. salmonella, E. coli, h. pylori, etc.
- Ears - ringing in the ears (tinnitus), sounds in the ears, ear infections, dryness, itchiness, ear pain, ear aches, ear discharges, fluid in ears, deafness, abnormal wax build-up.
- Eyes - erratic vision, spots in front of eyes (eye floaters) and flashing lights; redness, dryness, itching, excessive tearing, inability to tear, etc.
- Fatigue [tag]chronic fatigue[/tag] syndrome or Epstein Barr) or a feeling of being drained of energy, lethargy, drowsiness.
- Flu-like symptoms.
- Glands – swollen, too little saliva (dryness in the mouth), blocked salivary glands, swollen lymph nodes.
- Hair loss, scum on the scalp, dandruff, itchy scalp, scalp sores and dryness.
- Heart palpitations and irregular heart beat.
- Headaches, migraines, brain fog, dizziness, etc.
- Hemorrhoids, and rectal itching, rash, irritation and redness.
- [tag]Hypoglycemia[/tag] (low blood sugar), and [tag]diabetes[/tag]
- [tag]Hypothyroidism[/tag], Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome, Hashimoto’s disease, hyperthyroidism, erratic thyroid function, etc.
- Irritability, nervousness, jitteriness and panic attacks.
- Lesions on the skin, and inside the body, i.e. the brain.
- Male associated problems - jock itch, loss of sex drive, impotence, prostitis, penis infections, difficulty urinating, urinary frequency or urgency, painful intercourse, swollen scrotum, etc.
- Feeling of swelling and tingling in the head.
- Female health problems - [tag]infertility[/tag], vaginitis, unusual odors, endometriosis (irregular or painful menstruation), cramps, menstrual irregularities, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), discharge, painful intercourse, loss of sexual drive, redness or swelling of the vulva and surrounding area, vaginal itching or [tag]thrush[/tag], burning or redness, or persistent infections.
- Fungal infections of the skin or nails, i.e. ringworm, saborrheic dermatitis, dark and light patches on the skin (tinea versicolor), etc.
- Joint pain, stiffness or swelling (arthritis).
- Kidney & bladder - infections, [tag]cystitis[/tag] (inflammation of the bladder with possible infection), urinary frequency or urgency, low urine output, smelly urine, difficulty urinating, burning pain when urinating.
- Lack of appetite.
- Mind & Mood - anxiety attacks, crying spells, memory loss, feeling spaced out, [tag]depression[/tag] (including suicidal feelings), manic feelings, inability to concentrate, mood swings, irritability, etc.
- Mouth sores or blisters, canker sores, dryness, bad breath, a white coating on the tongue (thrush) and blocked salivary glands.
- Muscle aches and pain, numbness, burning or tingling, and lack of strength and coordination.
- Nasal congestion, [tag]postnasal drip[/tag], itching, dryness.
- Odor of the feet, hair or body not relieved by washing.
- Respiratory - cough, bronchitis or pneumonia, pain or tightness in the chest, wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma.
- Sick all over feeling.
- Sinus inflammation, swelling and infections.
- Skin – dryness, dry red patches, acne, pimples, hives, rashes, itching skin, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoea, ringworm, contact dermatitis, rosacea, etc.
- Stomach – h. pylori bacteria (causes ulcers), heartburn, indigestion, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, belching, vomiting, burning, stomach pains, needle-like pains, food that seems to sit in the stomach like a lump, etc.
- Sleep - insomnia, waking up frequently, nightmares, restless sleep, etc.
- Sore throat, hoarse voice, constant tickle in the throat, laryngitis (loss of voice), etc.
Autoimmune Diseases, Cancer & the Candida Connection
Autoimmune diseases, in fact many diseases, such as [tag]cancer[/tag] and [tag]autism[/tag], have a [tag]candida[/tag] connection. When the immune system is severely depressed it can cause many viruses, bacteria, diseases and malfunctions, i.e. Adrenal malfunction, [tag]Arthritis[/tag], Cancer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Celiac Disease [tag]Gluten[/tag] Sensitivity, Crohn’s Disease, Epstein-Barr Virus (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Fibromyalgia (muscle pain, stiffness and weakness), Thyroid Diseases, HIV/AIDS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Liver Disease, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis (a neuromuscular disease), Sjogren’s (glands become blocked and inflamed, interfering with the production of tears and saliva), Rheumatoid Arthritis, and many others.Candida is very opportunistic when the immune system malfunctions, with [tag]candida overgrowth[/tag] found in most cases of disease, including cancer, AIDS, infection, etc. Diseases and malfunctions listed above, and all autoimmune diseases respond very well to this candida program, particularly the diet, because it builds up and strengthens the immune system enabling the body to heal itself naturally.
What causes candida to get out of control?
A healthy immune system keeps Candida in balance with other micro-organisms in the mucous membranes. But under certain conditions Candida begins to overgrow and get out of control. Anything that causes the immune system to become depressed can cause Candida, but antibiotics are the biggest culprits because they wipe out friendly micro-organisms, particularly in the digestive system. Candida is resistant to antibiotics so this imbalance of micro-organisms allows it to take over. Other factors that depress the immune system include poor nutrition, environmental toxins, drugs, vaccines, and stress, to name a few.Poor Nutrition
Poor nutrition is one of the major contributors to Candida because it weakens the immune system which allows candida to overgrow. Today’s standard diet lacks the necessary nutrients to maintain a healthy immune system. It is loaded with sugar, high carbohydrates, man-made oils and fats ([tag]margarine[/tag], [tag]Canola oil[/tag] and all oither vegetables oils except olive oil), white flour products, processed foods, food additives, [tag]preservatives[/tag], [tag]pesticides[/tag], and [tag]heavy metals[/tag].Sugar is the biggest contributor to candida overgrowth.
The average person living in the western world consumes about 125 pounds of refined table sugar every year! Sugar is the main food supply of Candida.
The average person also consumes a diet very high in carbohydrates which also feeds Candida. Even the food pyramid published by our governments is turned totally upside down, with grains and other carbs at the bottom, and fats at the top, but the opposite is actually healthiest for human health.
Our high consumption of sugar, carbs and poor nutrition has been greatly influenced by the food industry. The formation of the food pyramid was greatly influenced by the food industry in order to sell their nutrient-devoid foods and chemicals. Their main motivation is money! The food industry would have us restrict our eating to only dead foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever!
Every year the food industry spends millions of dollars lobbying for laws that allow chemical preservatives, additives, coloring agents, foaming agents, binders, thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and many other chemicals so they can save time and money processing and storing foods. These laws benefit the food industry but leave our foods stripped of nutrients and damaged by chemicals, high heat, hydrogenation, and pasteurization which are very toxic and damaging to the human body.
Some laws allow the food industry to destroy foods by irradiation, which disrupts the DNA of bacteria so that it cannot reproduce, thus extending shelf life; this is the same as microwaving. But in certain cases they are not required to label such foods. The current permissible radiation dosage is about 200 million times greater than a chest x-ray.
When food is [tag]irradiated[/tag] the radiation breaks up the molecular structure of the food and creates a whole new set of chemicals known as “unique radiolytic products” (URPs). These URPs include benzene, formaldehyde and a host of known mutagens (capable of inducing mutation) and carcinogens (capable of inducing cancer). Irradiation kills vitamins, friendly bacteriaand enzymes, and effectively renders the food “dead.” This makes these foods totally useless to your body.
There are hundred’s of tests that prove the damage irradiated foods cause to humans. Short term studies were done on children in India, and blood tests showed chromosomal damage to the children after 6 weeks. Short term tests were done on dogs using irradiated beef; the dogs ended up with enlarged spleens and swollen lymph nodes. Other studies, including those done under contract for the U.S. Government, indicate the possibility of immunotoxicity (destroys cells), kidney disease, cardiac thrombus (a fibrinous clot that forms in one of the chambers of the heart), testicular damage and fibroplasias (the formation of fibrous tissue). However, the food industry would rather irradiate instead of cleaning up their production system.
Since the early 1970s, hormones have been used extensively in the production of beef and milk in North America, with hormone development research starting as far back as the 1950s. Two-thirds of cattle raised in the U.S. are treated with these hormones. The hormones are implanted or injected into cattle at various stages of maturity in order to promote faster growth.
Hormones used in beef cattle include the male hormone testosterone and its synthetic equivalent trenbolone acetate, and the female hormone progesterone including three synthetic derivatives. This synthetic form of progesterone shares similar characteristics with a class of other molecules called endocrine disruptors that imitate other human hormones in the body and have been linked to diseases such as cancer.
Endocrine disruptors are exogenous (originating from outside the body) substances that cause adverse biological effects by interfering with the endocrine system and disrupting the production and function of hormones.
The foundations of the endocrine system are the hormones and glands. Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers, and they transfer information and instructions from one set of cells to another. Although many different hormones circulate throughout the bloodstream, each one affects only the cells that are genetically programmed to receive and respond to its message.
Meanwhile most of our food is grown on soil that is sadly depleted of life-giving nutrients, and many [tag]toxic[/tag] chemicals are contained in our foods because of chemicals used to fight off predators, insects and disease. Again, these are done to save time and money, but they have absolutely no benefit for the consumer. In fact, the reverse is true.
None of us choose to have hazardous pesticides in our bodies yet the Center for Disease Control found pesticides in 100% of the people tested. The average person in this group carried a toxic cocktail of 13 of the 23 pesticides that were analyzed. Many of the pesticides found in test subjects have been linked to serious short- and long-term health effects including infertility, birth defects and childhood and adult cancers. The combined effects of multiple exposures are unknown, but a growing body of research suggests that even at very low levels the combination of these chemicals are very harmful to our health.
Environmental Issues
Environmental issues also adversely affect the immune system, i.e. molds, chemicals, smoke, pesticide spraying, smog, electro-magnetic and radiation exposure (computers, TVs, microwave ovens, electrical outlets and appliances, power lines, etc.)The [tag]immune system[/tag] is also depressed by many toxic substances including drugs, medicines, birth control pills, vaccines, fluoridated water, as well as toxic ingredients contained in household and personal care products, i.e. shampoo, body lotions, makeup, detergents, air fresheners, cleaning agents, synthetic carpets, etc.
Chemical compounds are found everywhere in our food, air, and water. The accumulation of these compounds in some individuals can cause a variety of dysfunctions, and in some cases outright disease. The systems most affected by these xenobiotic compounds (a chemical or substance that is foreign to an organism or biological system) include the immune, neurological, and endocrine systems. Toxicity in these systems can lead to immune dysfunction, autoimmunity, asthma, allergies, cancer, learning difficulties, mood changes, neurological illnesses, changes in sexual desire and functioning, reproductive dysfunction, and upsets in blood glucose levels, etc. with candida overgrowth the central factor in all of these health issues.
Emotional stress, losses, accidents, injuries, and financial worries and concerns also depress the immune system.
Drugs
No one ever gets sick from a lack of drugs. Any and all diseases and illnesses are due to a lack of nutrients and an overload of toxins. One of the major sources of toxins are drugs, including over-the-counter medicines, birth control pills, hormone replacement treatment, blood pressure lowering drugs, pain killers, anti-depressants, which are extremely toxic and poisonous to the body.Drugs “force” therapeutic actions to take place in the body that suppresses symptoms and has negative side-effects, while natural foods and substances nourish the body’s ability to decide needed actions as it sees fit.
Vaccines
Vaccines are based on the “antibody theory” and the “germ theory of disease.” Both of these theories are totally false. First of all you cannot and do not “catch” germs, bacteria or viruses, nor can you “catch” candida overgrowth or cancer. The following text disproves the “Germ Theory of Disease” as promoted by the medical industry today which started with Louis Pasteur in the early 1800s.However, viruses, germs, bacteria, candida, and even cancer, are not the cause of, but the result of, disease, arising from tissues rather than from a germ of constant form.
All [tag]vaccines[/tag] introduce toxins into the body, depressing the [tag]immune system[/tag], and making people sick. There is proof that vaccines cause autism in children and that vaccines have never helped eradicate any disease, contrary to reports and statistics from government and the drug and medical industries.
How Candida overgrows, causing symptoms, diseases and dysfunction
When Candida is allowed to get out of control it changes its shape and starts branching out raising large families called colonies. These Candida colonies excrete over 79 different types of toxins (chemicals) which circulate throughout the body weakening the immune system and causing numerous symptoms and dysfunctions throughout the body. Two toxins that are particularly devastating are acetaldehyde and ethanol (a type of alcohol). Both act like poisons on the various tissues of the body and can cause lesions.These chemicals cause all of the cells in the body to go rigid, even white and red blood cells. Flexibility is very important for the functioning of cells, allowing nutrients and hormones to go in, and waste materials to go out, as well as other important activities.
Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and must be flexible enough to squeeze down to about one-seventh their normal size in order to travel into the body’s tiny capillaries. When they become rigid the transport of life-giving oxygen to all the tissues and organs is impaired. This causes the tissues and organs to lose their ability to function. It is also why many candida sufferers have cold hands and feet.
White blood cells fight infection by wrapping part of themselves around a bacteria or other foreign invader, swallowing the invader, and eventually destroying it. White blood cells that have become brittle and rigid by yeast toxins can not do their job. The result - you can’t fight off infection as easily.
Defective cell membranes may interfere with the penetration of glucose (blood sugar) into the cells, a job normally accomplished with the help of insulin. When cell membranes are damaged insulin will have trouble doing its job – and insulin levels may have to be increased. This causes low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia; also called insulin reaction) resulting in low energy, light headedness, and sometimes even a coma. Over manufacture of insulin exhausts the pancreas, causing it to dysfunction as well.
Hormones regulate various body functions by traveling through the bloodstream to vital areas of the body, and Candida toxins interfere with this process. Rigid cells in organs responsible for producing hormones, make them less capable of producing hormones. When hormones do reach the bloodstream they have trouble getting to their intended destination. Once they arrive, they have difficulty getting into rigid cell membranes. Hormones can not do their intended job if they don’t achieve adequate levels in the body’s cells! Such hormones include thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and many others, even those that regulate digestion and the release of digestive juices.
Nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and other [tag]minerals[/tag] also have trouble getting into rigid cell walls. This can result in fluid retention, electrolyte imbalances, and a number of other problems. In fact every nutrient required by the body will have difficulty getting into rigid cells throughout the body, including protein (amino acids), fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Rigid cells are also not as able to get rid of their waste and regulate water.
Candida also produces very long root-like structures that penetrate intestinal walls. These roots cause considerable damage to the walls of the intestines resulting in poor digestion and mal-absorption of nutrients.
All of these factors contribute to a weakened immune system. A weakened immune system simply cannot keep Candida in check, allowing it to overgrow and get out of control. They cycle continues.
How do you know you have candida?
With such a wide variety of symptoms that mimic many other diseases, how do you know that your problem is candida overgrowth? Unfortunately most laboratory tests cannot confirm the presence of candida overgrowth because candida is a normal inhabitant of the body.The most effective method of determining whether you have candida overgrowth is by taking Dr. William Crook’s Questionnaire.
This is a reworking of a previous article by Bee Wilder. It has proven to be our most popular article to date and we have chosen to feature it again in its extended version. Part 1 describes what Candida is, how the illness is created, it’s plethora of symptoms and the havoc it creates in the body. Part two introduces the Candida Control Program and Part 3 (coming in April) concludes this comprehensive feature. If you wish to skip ahead and find out how you can overcome Candida you may like to read the former version. - Ed.
About the Author...
Bee Wilder has a wealth of knowledge and experience both as a former sufferer of candida and convenor of the candida support group. Since the 1980s when Bee could eat only a few types of foods and was so sensitive to yeasts she had to adminster herself an allergy shot every day, she has not only fully recovered but now is more robust than ever. Bee lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and continues to research natural health and nutrition. You can find more articles and support at her website: Healing Naturally by BeeCOMMENTS - 51 Responses
- 1 Pingback on Mar 1st, 2007 at 7:39 am
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Jan 6th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I’m on Bee’s yahoo group, and I have seen a big big improvement in my health since I went on the Candida protocol that she outlines.
I really appreciate the clear wording, and how all the information is there in one place. Things that are all in the medical journals and studies, but Doctors don’t often tell you.
Glad to see it published here so more people can benefit from the knowledge.
Ann
Jan 18th, 2007 at 2:35 am
Thank you for your message. That’s wonderful you’ve made such improvements on my Candida protocol. You can’t go wrong with good nature-made foods!
The best in health, Bee
Feb 3rd, 2007 at 10:09 am
not sure if u would have recieved my last posting, so here goes, can u please give me any further information on thrush that affects the rectum and also why is it thrush can affect memory and fogginess of the brain. thanku. donna
Feb 4th, 2007 at 2:22 am
First I want to clear up the use of words. Thrush is the word used to describe candida overgrowth in the mouth, and not in other parts of the body. Candida overgrowth occurs in all mucus membranes of the body, i.e. rectum, intestines, vagina, mouth, sinuses, nose, ears, eyes, esophagus, stomach, etc.
The reason candida affects memory and creates brain fog is because it puts out over 79 different types of toxins (chemicals) most of which are alcohol. Therefore having candida is like having an alcoholic hangover very day, which greatly affects brain function, concentration and coordination. In The Yeast Syndrome book Dr. Trowbridge writes about a man who never drank alcohol of any kind, yet he acted just like he was drunk, i.e. falling down, slurring his words, unsteady on his feet (reeling), and he reeked of whiskey. His blood-alcohol level was that of a full-blown drunk. He was even arrested for drunken driving. What this man had was candida overgrowth.
Bee
Feb 4th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Feb 4th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
You are very welcome. I invite you to join my Candida Support Group to obtain many more articles and information, and also to get questions answered: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/candidasupport
There are also food and supplement lists, recipes and much more information on my website: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com
The best in health, Bee
Aug 30th, 2007 at 5:08 am
WR
Aug 31st, 2007 at 10:00 am
Dec 10th, 2007 at 8:52 am
have some candida/yeast issues - i seem to suffer from ringworm of the skin the
most and also bloating and weight gain, a little oral thrush also. I have been
on Nystatin pills also for the nine months but they now seem to not be working
as effectively - so I have stopped taking them and started taking Kyolic garlic
instead, just two per day so far as I did not want to take too many to start
with - I am having a slight herx on the garlic (aches and pains etc) - I will
be on antibiotics for at least another year - what else do you suggest?
Dec 10th, 2007 at 11:49 am
have some candida/yeast issues - i seem to suffer from ringworm of the skin the most and also bloating and weight gain, a little oral thrush also.
==>Donna, there are much better natural antibiotics that have no side effects like the drugs do, which are also antifungal, antiviral, etc. They include coconut oil, raw crushed garlic, clove oil and oil of oregano, as I recommend in my Candida Article.
==>You can get information about treating ringworm in my Candida Support Group Files; I invite you to join so you can have access to over 700 articles, including recipes; http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/candidasupport You can find articles in the “C) Skin Problems & Treatments” Folder - look for the article “Skin & Nail Fungal Infection Treatments”.
Bloating is caused by candida which produces carbon dioxide (gas), along with 79 other toxins, most of which are alcohol. Some people who have candida gain weight, while others lose weight. Your weight will normalize more as you build up your immune system with the diet plus supplements I recommend.
I have been on Nystatin pills also for the nine months but they now seem to not be working as effectively - so I have stopped taking them and started taking Kyolic garlic instead, just two per day so far as I did not want to take too many to start with - I am having a slight herx on the garlic (aches and pains etc) - I will be on antibiotics for at least another year - what else do you suggest?
==>It is better to start on the diet and supplements first, and when you are able to take 5-6 tablespoons of coconut oil, which is antifungal, you can start on another antifungal like Kyolic garlic. Until you are completely on the diet and supplements Kyolic might be too much for you to take.
==>The only way to cure candida is to build up your immune system so it becomes strong enough to “make” candida “change back” into the nice friendly organism it is supposed to be in the body. So the most important things are: 1) nutrients (my diet plus supplements), 2) eliminating toxins in foods, drinks, personal care & cleaning products, the environment, etc. 3) cutting off candida’s food supply per my article, 4) increasing your digestion, and 5) helping your body detoxify more effectively. Taking antifungals are secondary to nutrients, because candida can’t just be killed off in order to cure it. All of these things are outlined in my main article “How to Successfully Overcome Candida”; which is also found in my Group’s Files (left-menu) in the 2nd Folder.
==>You can expect to have die-off (Herxheimer) reactions and symptoms during natural healing; when you join my group read articles on Natural Healing and Die-off in the Files.
The best in health, Bee
Apr 16th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
http://www.naturalnews.com/023015.html
Jun 5th, 2008 at 10:27 am
When searching on the web for “Candida Diet” there are tonnes of sites almost all of them contridicting one another - most say some nuts like pumpkins seeds (soaked/sprouted) are good for getting rid of candida. Same with natural, organic yogurt. Some say to stay away from mushrooms, and others say that certain cheeses like monterey jack and mozzerella in small quantities is okay. I’m so confused!
In your article you mention that vaccines don’t do any good and are harmful. I don’t care much for current vaccines due to mercury content, but it is pretty hard to dispute that small pox was irradicated through the world because of them.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks Bee!
Tanya - a fellow Calgarian!
Jul 12th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Aug 2nd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I moved from Calgary to London, Ontario so that’s why I wasn’t able to answer your message.
>When searching on the web for “Candida Diet” there are tonnes of sites almost all of them contridicting one another - most say some nuts like pumpkins seeds (soaked/sprouted) are good for getting rid of candida. Same with natural, organic yogurt. Some say to stay away from mushrooms, and others say that certain cheeses like monterey jack and mozzerella in small quantities is okay. I’m so confused!
==>There are a lot of contradictions about what is an acceptable candida diet. Candida cannot be “gotten rid of” or “killed off” like doctors treat bacteria. The only way is to build up the immune system so it becomes strong enough to “make” candida change back into the friendly organism it is supposed to be in the body. That is done with proper nutrients (my diet), basic supplements, and by eliminating and toxins foods that feed candida.
==>The main things that feed candida are sugar in all of its forms, including fruits, high-carb foods and toxins. That includes all dairy products, except butter, because they contain lactose (sugar). The rule about lactose content in dairy is: “The higher the butterfat content the lower the lactose.” That’s why butter is okay and other dairy products are not. Even kefir and yogurt are not on the candida diet since the fermentation process changes lactose into another sugar, called galactose; a lot of websites don’t know that fact. I had candida and I couldn’t tolerate any dairy except butter, so I do more research into why that was the case. Also candida sufferers have poor digestion so they are unable to digest lactose.
==>Soaked and sprouted pumpkin seeds soaked are okay on the diet, but they don’t get rid of candida. Most candida sufferers react badly to any foods or drinks that are yeasty, moldy or contain fungi, which includes mushrooms. Here’s that section from my candida article that explains it: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/intro2.php#s26
In your article you mention that vaccines don’t do any good and are harmful. I don’t care much for current vaccines due to mercury content, but it is pretty hard to dispute that small pox was irradicated through the world because of them.
==>It isn’t true that small pox was irradicated with vaccines - see these references: http://www.whale.to/vaccine/quotes10.html
The best in health, Bee
Aug 2nd, 2008 at 7:23 pm
>Over the past 6 months i have been battling what doctors are diagnosing as rheumatoid arthritis with a whole lot of steriods and dmards. I keep telling my rheumatologist that prior to the onset of original symptoms (which were inital knee pain, then pain in all joints and eventually major swelling and pain in all joints), that i had a burning sensation in my stomach for weeks which i though was a milk intolerance. I also had other stomach problems, thrush and muscle weakness. At the time (being the festive season), was also drinking a lot of wine and eating a lot of carbs (im normally a lacto ovo vegetarian so eat a lot of bread and pasta for energy). Ive been seeing a naturopath lately who said I have dysbiosis of the large and small intestine and I think she also said candida. My question to you is, do you think that candida could be the originating cause of the rheumatoid arthritis? i have cut out yeast lately and noticed some improvement but i have also cut out wheat and gluten and all dairy products (making me vegan) but due to being faily weak and fatigued have been eating a lot of sugar. Im wondering if its worth trying a candida diet? I hope you can help, running out of ideas on what to do. Thank you.
==>There is a definite connection between rheumatoid arthritis and candida - see this article: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/arth1.php
==>I am convinced that all diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis, fibromyalgia, can be caused by candida because they are a result of built up toxins and a lack of proper nutrients. Candida produces over 79 different kinds of toxins, most of which are alcohol. Nature designed those toxins in order to break down the body after it dies, however that isn’t supposed to happen before then. It’s mainly candida toxins that are doing so much damage throughout the body.
==>Most candida sufferers have dysbiosis and other digestive problems. Candida is the main culprit but other bacteria, lack of proper nutrients, too many toxins and foods that damage the digestive system, etc. can all contribute to digestive symptoms, including acid reflux, IBS, ulcers, Crohn’s disease, etc. My own brother had Crohn’s for over 20 years and started on my candida program 2 years ago in June. Natural healing takes 1 month for every year you’ve been unwell, and for him it took 2 years for his Crohn’s to stop.
==>When you are weak and fatigued sugar will make you worse because it feeds candida, which in turn produces more toxins. It’s the toxins which are making you feel weak and fatigued. In fact candida feeds off of all carb foods (any foods that are classified as protein or fat), however it is impractical to eliminate all of them. Your body needs very little sugar/glucose to maintain blood sugar levels, and 58% of protein and 10% of “good” natural fats I recommend turn into sugar/glucose inside the body. That is why my candida diet is high in “good” fats, moderate protein, and low carb. “Good” fats are a much better source of energy as opposed to carbs since they do not tax the body’s resources in order for them to be absorbed and utilized, like carbs do. My candida program changes your body’s source of energy from carbs/sugars to fats.
The best in health, Bee
Aug 3rd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Thanks for helping to ‘clear the air’ (so to speak hehe) about this confusing issue.
Aug 5th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Wow this site is absolutely a GOD SEND!!! I am 19 years old and I have been suffering candida for a year now and embarrassingly enough I think I got it through (accidently) brushing with my sister’s tooth brush.
Now my sister, who is 21, has been having candida for at least 5 years, through out which she has been complaining on various aliments and disorders such as irregular bowel movements, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, virginal discharge, anal itching, migraines, a cloudy head, lack of concentration, skin infections and many other things. Most of these aliments were happening throughout her teens and were extremely debilitating to say the least; she went to various doctors and, as excepted, did not get much of a solution. And because the conditions that she complained about the most (like the cloudy head depression etc) were psychological in nature and because the doctors did not think that there was anything significant to worry about my parents dismissed her concerns, pretty much saying that it was all in her head. And so even she begin to believe this and tried hard to overcome her ‘mental problems’. I am extremely ashamed to say that me and my parents did not at all appreciate or help her through what she was going through.
It wasn’t until finally, about two years ago, that she found out about candida, and realised that most of her symptoms pointed to it, that she took some action towards clearing herself of the illness. However due to various misinformation and misguided literature she went on a whirlwind of candida diets and treatments, all of which provided only temporary relief. Now when she confided in me that she thought she had candida and said that she thought all her various aliments were caused by this and that candida is probably the cause of many illnesses that people are diagnosed with I completely dismissed it because I thought that what she was saying was incredibly incredulous!!! So again even after finding out what was wrong with her she did not receive any support from us, her family; and because my sister is a very private person she did not share her problems with anyone else and suffered alone!!!! Finally now she had given up, becoming resolved to the condition, which she thinks she will have forever.
Now I AM IN MANY WAYS GLAD THAT I GOT THIS ILLNESS because now I finally see and appreciate what my sister has gone through and because of the extensive research that I am/have done we will both get better. If I had not become ill I know that my sister would continue to suffer indefinitely!!! So thank you for all that you have done to help suffers like my sister and me! This is I think the most important site that I have ever come across in my life!
I Would like to clear up a few things if that is ok.
1.) Now what I find MOST DEBILITATING ABOUT THIS ALIMENT IS THE CONSTANT HEAD FOG, LACK OF CONCENTRATION, POOR MEMORY, BAD EYE SIGHT AND A FEELING OF BEING SPACED OUT IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS. I am a Medical Student and before I had this disease I use to pride myself on my abality to learn and grasp things quickly; now am finding it incredibly incredibly difficult to concentrate on my work, have difficulty remembering most things, and I get bad headaches. So I would like to know if there is a temporary, but quick, solution to these problems which will help me get on with my day to day activities? I fully intend to carry out the full dietary regulations and the like, but as you can probably appreciate I really need an immediate solution to this problem.
2.) Also I would like to know where exercise falls into the agenda with Candida management. I always feel immediate relief from my symptoms when I do vigorous exercise, but have read somewhere that it is not good to do vigorous exercise when you have Candida? What are your recommendations in terms of exercise and the like?
3.) Do you know of the product Desenex? It is suppose to stop the yeast from reproducing. How good is it, does it have any place within candida treatment?
4.) What about the product CANDIDOL??? What is your opinon on it? I have heard a lot of good things about this product and so already bought some bottles. I throught I would try this treatment after I go through what you have recommended for 3 months, whilst still maintainng all the dietary changes so that I am use I have cleared myself of Candida. What do you think?
5.) What about a supplement of the enzyme catalase??? I have heard good things about this enzyme that it actually damages the cell membranes of the yeast. What is your opinion?
6.) Also what is your opinon on drinking organic non-dairy rice milk as a substitute for real milk? The brand that I purchased has the following ingredients: WATER, ORGANIC BROWN RICE, ORGANIC SNFLOWER OIL, SALT. It has 4.3 grams of sugar per 100mL? Is that to much sugar?
7.) What is your opinion on eaing brown rice? I have converted from eating white rice to brown rice, but am still worried that I should not be eating any rice, because it is a grain.
8.) I know that you said that we should not eat any grains, but what about Amaranth? I am using it as a breakfast cereal. The nutritional information is: cardohydrates 72.7 g per 100g (100% of which is starch), sugars 0 grams, fat 6.1g (no trans fats), dietary fibre 11.0 g per 100g. If this is not appropriate what should I use as a replacement in terms of breakfast cerals?
9.) I know that we shouldn’t eat any artifical sweeterners, but I was recommended stevia by a source which says that it does not have the consequences of the other artifical sweeterners out there.
10.) Also I would like to know if Candida can actually be contacted through salivary exchange, ie sharing food, kissing and using (accidently) someone elses toothbrush?
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP. I REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!!
GOD BLESS YOU,
with love
Nithya
Aug 5th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
It is good you discovered you have candida, and now you know you can do something about it. You wouldn’t have gotten candida by using your sister’s toothbrush since candida is not infectious, and cannot be passed from person to person nor caught from any outside source. Candida occurs within each person’s body independent of anything else. That is because candida is a friendly organism that is helpful when it is in its normal state. However, it changes into an overgrowing monster when the immune system becomes rundown. The immune system becomes rundown by many things, including toxins (drugs, antibiotics, and other toxins), poor and/or improper nutrition, etc. You can no more “catch” candida from someone else than you can catch their broken finger or their lack of nutrition.
Unfortunately there are no quick fixes or solutions to your mental difficulties, brain fog, poor eyesight, etc. The reason you are experiencing them is because candida produces over 79 different kinds of toxins, most of which are alcohol. So your symptoms are like a constant hangover.
The only way to turn this around is to build up your immune system with proper nutrients (my diet plus supplements) and by eliminating foods and toxins that feed candida, and by eliminating damaging foods. Proper nutrition is the key to health, with antifungals being minor by comparison. In other words, candida isn’t cured by killing it off or “trying to get rid of it.” So building up your immune system takes time, patience and persistence with the diet and supplements.
Exercise is not as important as nutrition, but it can be helpful if it isn’t overdone. People can exercise too much, which depletes energy needed for healing.
The products you listed aren’t helpful for overcoming candida since nutrition is most important. I don’t recommend any of those products, instead I recommend coconut oil, and other antifungals from nature. Also these products do not contribute to building up the immune system. The focus should always be on proper nutrition, which will give your body what it need to heal itself naturally. When the immune system becomes strong enough it will “make” candida change back to the friendly organism it was before.
About the rice milk: it contains brown rice, which is a grain, and no grains are included on the candida diet, and also it contains “bad” oil which is safflower - see the section in my article about unnatural man-made fats and oils and how they act just like plastic in our bodies, which means they are very toxic. The best milk substitute is Egg Milk; the recipe is on my website: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com I also recommend you have Bee’s Raw Egg Drink, which is a fantastic smoothie.
Your body has no need for the nutrients in grains, since all of those nutrients are also found in meats and vegetables. In fact no carb foods are essential to human health, but protein and good fats ARE. Eating grains is the same as eating sugar as my article mentions. Bee’s Raw Egg Drink provides enough energy so you’ll last until well past noon.
Yes, stevia is fine as a sweetener, but some candida sufferers aren’t able to tolerate it until they progress further. Only use the actual ground up stevia leaf and not any processed drops or other products.
I think I answered your last question about catching candida earlier in this message.
I have a Candida Support Group I invite you to join at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/candidasupport/
The best in health,
Bee Wilder
Aug 29th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
I’ve been managing candida for years. NT has helped even more including raw milk kefir which has replaced the expensive probiotics. I don’t get sick, ever and either does my daughter who turns 3 in Nov. Nina is very strong and healthy having only one cold this year and maybe just a few in her life.
We eat NT foods low in fruit and grain.
We do have a big problem though which I suspect is the candida enjoying my stressed body because of my lack of sleep and constant breast feeding including night feeds here and there. My temper and Nina’s temper seems to have hit the roof. I am finding it hard to control it even on little things, I’m swearing left right and centre and screeming and I’m so tired.
Bee is it dangerous to do the candida diet when breast feeding a 3 year old?
I’m drinking a litre of raw milk kefir a day. It helped me build my depleted body after Nina’s birth and saved me lots of dollars on probiotics. Do you think I should stop the raw kefir ? And just one more, sorry if its already come up but what about fermented vegies using whey, are they good for candida? I’ve worked out the unpasteurised apple cider vinegar wasn’t good for Nina or myself and it gives Nina thrush / rash.
Also have you heard about MMS and Jim Humble? Thanks for all this information.
Aug 31st, 2008 at 12:43 am
Aug 31st, 2008 at 2:30 am
You and your daughter are really have a bad time of it, and my heart goes out to you.
No, it is not all at dangerous to do the candida program (diet plus supplements) when you are breastfeeding. The program simply provides all of the nutrients your body needs to heal itself naturally and it will improve your breastmilk.
Yes, you should stop having raw kefir, because during fermentation lactose (sugar) does lower but it is also changed into another sugar called galactose which also feeds candida.
The best probiotic is Cabbage Rejuvelac; the recipe is on this website, or on my website: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com
All vegetables included in the candida diet are great when they are fermented. Fermenting them doesn’t require an acidic medium like whey. Whey is also not good for candida because it contains lactose (sugar). The only dairy allowed is butter; which is because in dairy “the higher the butterfat content the lower the lactose.”
That’s good you found out about the vinegar.
I looked up Jim Humble and his Miracle Minerals, and I couldn’t find out where the minerals are derived from, nor analysis of the minerals. I also don’t know why it is 28% Sodium Chlorite. In any case, I wouldn’t recommend it since I agree with Sally Fallon of the Weston A. Price Foundation of the best sources of minerals, which are: 1) good ocean sea salt like Celtic (Nature’s Cargo in Canada), 2) good mineralize water, and 3) organic foods. Ocean sea salt contains over 84 minerals, and is the natural forms of sodium and choride which are 2 of the 7 macrominerals required in larger amounts by the body, along with calcium, magnesium, sulphur, potassium and phosphorus (where each of the other minerals are obtained is explained in my candida article).
I invite you to join my Candida Support Group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/candidasupport/
The best in health,
Bee Wilder
Aug 31st, 2008 at 10:18 pm
That’s great you and your family are on the candida diet. As you discovered other diets includes foods that do feed candida, and they don’t have high “good” fats like my program. The good fats are important since candida feeds off of all carbs, particularly those high in sugars and starches. Fats provide a more efficient source of energy for the body than carbs so they provide the energy candida sufferers need, and which is lacking in other diets.
Sorry, I don’t know a kefir recipe without using milk. But the best probiotic is Cabbage Rejuvelac - the recipe is on this website and also on my website: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com
I do not recommend Diflucan and some other antifungal drugs because they are extremely hard on the liver. Nystatin powder is okay because it doesn’t get past the digestive tract, but it is hard to get one that doesn’t contain sugar or is used topically. The best antifungals are those I recommend, i.e. coconut oil, garlic, oil of oregano and clove oil. However, antifungals are a very minor part of curing candida because candida isn’t cured by “killing it off.” That is just not possible either. It is only cured by building up the immune system with proper nutrients. If you give your body what it needs it will heal itself naturally.
My article explains why no grains like oatmeal are not allowed on the candida diet. You will learn a lot by reading my candida article. More than I can explain here.
Take good care,
Bee Wilder
Sep 1st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Thank you very much for all this information.
Raw milk kefir and cream is what I am going to miss the most. But if it means my mental health and sleep especially could improve it would be crazy not to try. I’ll report back in a month unless I need help along the way.
Also, I did read everything but maybe missed this, just wondering if organic unpasteurised soy/tamari and spiral foods wasabi powder ( colored with tumaric and spirulina ) is ok on the candida diet?
Kindest regards,
Cathy.
Sep 2nd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
In order for soy products to be fit for human consumption they must be fermented a very long time, and the foods industry doesn’t take that time. For more information search “soy” at http://www.westonaprice.org
Wasabi is seaweed, which contains too much iodine for most people. Iodine is only required in “trace amounts” by the body, and too much is damaging to the thyroid. There’s plenty of iodine on this program, i.e. ocean sea salt and foods.
Bee
Oct 14th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Nov 2nd, 2008 at 12:01 am
Thanks for all the great info.
What do you think about olive leaf extract. I have read that it is a great natural way to reduce yeast infections.
Nov 2nd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Nov 4th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Bacterial vaginosis seems to be very common and sufferers can have it many many years. I know the candida diet is very effective in the long term but I am very curious, what are these products you say can help and how ?
I’m sure there are many more women that would love to hear more about BV in this community.
Jad
Yes, wasabi is horse radish so I wonder is this ok for the candida diet?
Bee, is processed horse radish ( wasabi ) ok on the candida diet?
Nov 11th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Bert
Dec 16th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Dec 20th, 2008 at 5:40 am
1) is xylitol ok to consume on this diet? it is my understanding that xylitol not only does not feed yeast, but actually kills it.
2) are green (granny smith) apples and berries ok?
3) there is a brand of organic, unpasturized soy sauce called Nama Shoyu that is supposedly naturally fermented for a long period of time. is this ok?
I am a systemic candida sufferer, as are my 4 children ages 5, twins are 7, and oldest is 9. I am trying to clean up their diet (we normally follow sally fallons” nourishing traditions” quidelines), and it is extremely hard to remove so many things at once (whole grains, raw milk, fermented products). We started following weston price suggestions about 3 years ago, and i saw an improvement in us then, but after realizing the problem was candida overgrowth, i now know i have to change out diet further. I have removed all grains, starchy veggies, and sugars. I am working on the dairy. If we could use the xylitol, it would be much easier on the kids. thank you so much for your FREE information and help. so many people just want to make a buck, and call it helping someone, and you are doing all of this out of the kindness of your heart. it’s hard enough trying to find the money for good foods and coconut oil and oregano oil, etc. Blessings on you!
Dec 20th, 2008 at 5:49 am
Jan 16th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I have a question relating to pregnancy and Candida:
Can Candida be a possible cause for recurrent miscarriage? If so how long after treatment would it be advisable to try and conceive to have the best chance for going full term?
Thanks
Jan 18th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
or any one else, if you would like to hear from Bee soon, maybe you should try her website: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/candidasupport/
Also for recurrent miscarriage it would be good for you to concentrate on strengthening your body. I’m sure you’ll get lots of help from http://www.westonaprice.org and if you haven’t already read “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon.
Jan 12th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Jun 1st, 2010 at 7:09 am
Thanks so much, Bee.
Jun 20th, 2010 at 6:47 am
I had candida for nearly 2 years and experienced many of the aforementioned symptoms. The two key things that cured my condition were prayer and xylitol, the sugar substitute. You can find it in some mouthwashes, gum and even by itself in Health and Wholefood Stores. So if you are tired of only tring candida diets and exercise (which are also good and aid in recovery), I would recommend for you to try xylitol. The yeast in your body consume it, thinking it’s sugar and then die off. Reseach xylitol for yourself. I am only telling you this, because I understand the turmoil that one experiences while dealing with candida. I have been consuming xylitol for about 6 months and feel better now than I have in a very long time.
I wish you all a speedy and happy recovery.
Oct 1st, 2010 at 12:38 am
Dec 3rd, 2010 at 7:06 am
Dec 25th, 2010 at 7:27 am
Please post it if you’ve got it. TIA
Apr 11th, 2011 at 9:51 am
I came across your website on one the many never ending candida cure/diets that I have looked up (and tried). about two years ago I was in a major accident where I spent 6 months in the hospital and had to learn how to walk & talk again and pretty much everything else.
With time, as I got better, I started noticing dandruff, unexplained hair loss, flakes in my eyebrow, then came a rash on my inner thigh, I’ve had “perleche”(cuts or sores on the corner of my mouth), athletes foot, penile cuts or scrapes where its painful to pull the foreskin back. I do not have all of these symptoms at once but I have had each of them, sometimes together, sometimes on their own.
It has been almost a year with these afflictions, I have been to many doctors and gotten many different fungal creams, tried every diet you can think of, take vitamin C (1000mg) and fish oil every day, exercise, and take probiotics (because I heard that candida overgrowth can be caused by taking antibiotics which I was given heavy doses in the hospital, but this random array of skin infections didnt occur until a year after my accident/hospital stay).
What the hell is going on? I am very frustrated and confused!!!!!! Also, as a side note, I don’t feel fatigued, am rarely ever sick, and my stomach/digestion seems to be fine. I would appreciate any help you can offer.
I’ve even tried Reishi extract capsules (which made the candida worse), a no wheat/sugar diet (which made it seem as if it was getting better and then random symptoms would return), incorporating raw garlic and onions into my diet, raw coconut oil, and more that I can’t remember right now. :( Is this yeast, or possibly another pathogen? Or an underlying illness?
D
Aug 8th, 2011 at 2:17 am
Whether it was intentional fraud, I will not judge but it was also reported that of the twelve children in the study who were diagnosed as having autism after the vaccine, five were actually diagnosed as having developmental difficulties prior to the study and three never had autism.
Thank you for addressing this issue!
Sep 2nd, 2011 at 3:01 pm
I was diagnosed with lupus 2 years ago and have since then dealt with candida overgrowth. I started the diet back in april and saw dramatic results within a week! It felt amazing. Unfortunately, due to financial circumstances, I’ve had to fall back on my diet. I’ve been off and on the diet since then and I hate how I feel when I’m not following it. Do you have any advice about how to stay on the diet with a very limited income?