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I am hopeful this essay will draw the attention of the macrobiotic community to a very common, yet frequently overlooked subject/condition and will prompt macrobiotic counsellors to seriously check out the possibility of candidiasis whenever approached by patients with an immunocompromised condition.
Below, I will substantiate my assertion that candidiasis, the forerunner of systemic acidosis, is one of the most common destroyers of the immune system in humans. In my opinion, the condition of patients with ‘incurable’ disease can be causally related to candidiasis through the mechanism of acidosis and huge acid-alkaline imbalance.
Furthermore, according to macrobiotic literature and my personal experience, macrobiotic teachers and counsellors, renowned for their expertise in Oriental diagnosis, keep failing to diagnose it or they don't see its relevance to a compromised immune system. This is a serious diagnostic error and possibly fatal as well.
This is also to elaborate briefly why the standard macrobiotic diet has been found unacceptable by many novices to macrobiotics—it is directly related to the more and more ubiquitous condition of candidiasis. In counselling my suggestion to macrobiotic experts is the following: Be on alert for candidiasis and focus your advice on treatment of systemic candidiasis (and acidosis thereof) as the core condition when auto-immune deficiency has been diagnosed.
It is my experience and observation that in a candidiasis treatment the reversal of acidosis is the leverage of utmost importance, thus making immunocompromised patients again immunocompetent in the process. Also, this is the only natural way of reversing several ‘intractable’ diseases such as juvenile diabetes mellitus, Crohn's disease, cancer, excessive body weight, plausibly hepatitis C etc.
My lifelong adventure with candidiasis, my acquaintance with ancient diagnostics, and consultations rendered to a number of co-tormented have corroborated my findings on candidiasis and lead to this report.
The Candidiasis Comes for Rescue to Macrobiotics
(and Calls for Immediate Attention)
This is to expose systemic candidiasis as the most frequent condition (i.e. fungemia and acidosis thereof) in modern men and to draw the attention of macrobiotic teachers and counsellors to this treacherous and sneaky condition. It is very likely a pivotal disorder that ought to be taken into account whenever looking for answers to health riddles of modern times not only by mainstream medicine but by macrobiotic counsellors, seemingly, as well.
The yeast organisms of several Candida species that are scientifically recognised as the cause of the systemic candidiasis will be left aside in this report, and I shall instead focus on manifestations of this condition in immunocompetent people before it turns into a full blown state; in addition I will make a brief list of Candida overgrowth manifestations in immunocompromised people that can be linked to the condition by the application of Oriental diagnosis.
Causes
Reading various macrobiotic essays I wondered on several occasions how come that the macrobiotic community totally neglected the issue of candidiasis. It dawned on me that it could be due, perhaps, to the prevalent notion that the common cause of candidiasis—taking a wide range of antibiotics or other strong artificial medications—was out of the question in those who adhere to macrobiotic principles and refrain from taking any medications whatsoever, thus the phenomenon of candidiasis should have no real existence amongst them.
However, the causes for Candida overgrowth are numerous and many of them are not even remotely pill-related.
I am familiar with the following:
Congenital and milk transmission. Candida bacteria (or fungi) are blood-transmitted from mother to the embryo during pregnancy, but more likely after birth by breastfeeding.
Lowered intestinal flora due to a non-dietary cause such as chlorinated water, drug abuse, antibiotics, hormonal therapy, dental mercury amalgam fillings etc. In immunocompromised people Candida is replenished in their intestinal flora by their own saliva.
Leaky gut syndrome, which is due to:
- Overeating in general; or
- Binging on food with strong expansive energy, such as sweets, sugary soft drinks, fruit diets etc.; or
- Taking antibiotics with strong yin energy; or
- Candida transmutation from a non-invasive, sugar-fermenting organism, into a fungal, invasive state; fungal form of candida can produce very long root-like structures, rhizoids; they penetrate mucosa or intestinal walls; or
- Intestinal colic as result of aggravated digestive stagnation (see * for more, below); or
- Intestinal parasite; or
Geopathogenic stress, especially an underground water flow and sleeping close to a strong electromagnetic source such as electric trunk exchanges on the other side of the wall, location of house next to transformers or under power lines.
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* Prolonged Candida overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract which initially causes problems with poor digestion, flatulence, lazy intestines and occasional digestive stagnation, can, in turn, induce low blood sugar levels, and lead to unhealthy cravings, carbohydrate addiction and overeating in general. These dietary ailments combined frequently lead to chronic digestive stagnation.
This condition is aggravated by regular consumption of sweets, refined food and too much liquid. Usually, the stagnation takes place in the lower part of the small intestine, next to the beginning of the large intestine. Thus the pressure from stagnated food and heat build up ( extreme yang), and the accumulated energy will eventually turn into their opposite, i.e. expansive and upward energy ( extreme yin). (This health concern is completely overlooked by mainstream medicine, for only yin-yang understanding of processes in the human body offers this insight.)
Eventually, intestinal colic turns the small intestine into a loose, stagnated place and makes the intestinal walls too porous; this is the energetic mechanism of leaky gut syndrome allowing wasteful food stuff—toxins and pathogenic bacteria, including Candida—to enter the bloodstream making the initial phase of systemic Candida overgrowth possible.
This digestive disorder is incredulously common, when you think of all potbellied people. Teenage girls and young women are not exempt. Even if they avoid overeating their young bodies show a high incidence of Candida overgrowth presence and the effects of harmful dietary patterns. You can see numbers of young people in the prime of their life already endowed with potbellies.
Symptoms of Candida Presence in Immunocompetent People
Candida overgrowth symptoms can be considered as extreme-yin or extreme-yang phenomena.
Offensive or acetone smelling breath; or
Dry mouth cavity or excessive saliva excretion; or
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Swollen, enlarged nose tip or hardened one; or
In people of Caucasian descent a year-round darkish or greenish or greyish complexion (or even brown complexion; not to be mixed up with a suntan) is apparent or translucent or constant reddish complexion; or
Some Asiatic facial features, especially around the eyes, in immunocompromised children of non-Asian descent or protruding eyes; or
Flat instep in children even after they reach the age of six or inwardly curved feet; or
Constantly present horizontal lines or saggy area under the eyes that can already be observed in adolescence and with individuals in their 20's or darkish, even blackish, sometimes emaciated area under the eyes; or
Dark coloured area in corner parts of eye-socket, especially in areas adjacent to the bridge of the nose ; or
High cholesterol levels or mal-absorption of fat and protein nutrients; or
Food addiction or 'holding back from any food intake' attitude; the latter may in some cases turn to anorexic behaviour; or
Cravings for carbohydrate foods (carbohydrate addiction) or salt cravings; or
Constant stressful facial expression though the person feels relaxed or sleepy, weary facial expression throughout the day.
Experts in Oriental diagnosis should be able to co-relate these symptoms to the state of the gastrointestinal tract, organ groups and body systems affected by acidosis in progress, i.e. candidiasis in the first place.
Some experts may oppose this list by saying the symptoms should be attributed to various well-known conditions like kidney weakness, diabetes mellitus or other serious conditions in progress. And they are right. However, these symptoms are also attributable to the overlooked underlying condition of candidiasis in progress.
Disorders Characteristic of Candida Overgrowth
They are as follows:
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Sour saliva taste in the morning irrespective of the food intake of the previous day; or
Infections of the tissues adjacent to fingers or on toenails (paronichia); or
All too often a cold or overheated body state; or
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Many perpendicular ridges in fingernails indicate several conditions, including acidosis (as a result of candidiasis); or
The little fingernail lacks pinkish colouration while other fingernails exhibit it; or
Swollen lower eyelids, gradually accompanied by swollen sacks or dark circles under eyes; or
Salt cravings (including indulgence in tamari/shoyu, miso or any other macrobiotic spice with high salt content) on the one hand and binge cravings of any kind on the other hand; or
Lasting periodontal trouble; or
Presence of annoying whistle or humming sound in ears or early loss of hearing ability; or
Slow loss of muscle mass or steady body weight gain in spite of regular physical exercise; or
Evening bouts of hunger and frequent overeating; or
Cellulites (in males and females) or dermal problem, including acne, dandruff-like skin or even leprosy; or
Accumulation of fatty pads in the abdominal area in spite of dietary care; or
Hair begin to grow grey at an early age, e.g. when person is in his/her 30's or even 20's, or an accelerated hair loss; or
Osteopenia in younger women and osteoporosis later on; or
PMS or infertility disorders in young women; or
Physical-mental hypersensitivity (mood swings and food or environmental allergy); or
Thyroidal problem due to frequent energy surges in the body resulting from chronic digestive stagnation, i.e. constipation in small intestines; and
·Many other ailments and diseases already listed on the internet and in Candida related bibliographies.
The line between the symptoms in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals is indiscernible. It is rather subjective.
Inexpensive and Quick Saliva test
This test is described and equipped with an illustrationshown on many websites dealing with the condition of candidiasis.
 It is a valid test attesting to the fact that Candida infested saliva is acidic and therefore tends to sink. The test has again and again proved to be one of the most precise and swiftly done tests available to anyone for validation or rejection of Candidosis suspicions. All the same, the test is ridiculed by the medical establishment. Perhaps, only a microbiological blood test surpasses the saliva test in accuracy.
Steps in Holistic Treatment
In my experience the required measures include the following:
1. Removal of non-dietary source of Candida proliferation (chlorinated water, drug abuse, antibiotics, hormonal or steroid therapy, geopathogenic stress, dental mercury amalgam fillings etc.).
2. Avoidance of Candida overgrowth proliferating food.
3. Direct suppression of Candida by taking natural alkaline forming remedies, concoctions and dishes.
4. Adjusted macrobiotic diet regimen that can be effective in some cases.
5. Recovery of intestinal peristalsis, measures for digestion improvement and occasionally restoration of healthy intestinal flora by taking probiotic foods.
6. Restoration of immune system by consuming more alkaline forming food on permanent basis and regular physical exercise (may take a year or longer).
This list of Candida treatment measures may need upgrading. Folk medicine is abundant in remedies for acidosis; however, their identification is required, and supplementation with dietary regimen is necessary. In case of ‘intractable’ disease an adjusted macrobiotic regimen is recommended to suit the individual’s condition.
Treatment Pitfalls
Any macrobiotic counsel should include measures for necessary peristalsis recovery of the small intestine, for loose intestinal walls need to regain their natural contracting strength and selective porosity for nutrients and fluids to prevent toxic waste from entering the bloodstream. In other words, if leaky gut syndrome has been the primary cause of the candidiasis flare-up, they combined create a vicious circle and its discontinuation is a must in almost any treatment of Candidosis.
Also, energy surges in the body due to chronic digestive stagnation shouldn’t be occurring again in order to facilitate a successful process of recovery during the early stages of treatment.
Standard Macrobiotic Diet Controversy Linked to Candidiasis
Macrobiotics offers natural remedies as well as alimentary recommendations for acidosis. However, even expert macrobiotic advice on dietary change is most likely destined to fail, if the bean part is not substituted for seeds and nuts, for Candida overgrowth is propelled by strong yin energy immanent in bean (especially soybean) and bean products.
Only yang varieties of bean (adzuki, and perhaps, chickpeas and old broad beans) are favourable to a degree. Nevertheless, until considerable improvement toward restoration of acid-alkaline balance is achieved roasted or cooked seeds and nuts should be the main source of fat and protein nutrients.
In the past the adoption of an adjusted standard macrobiotic diet, supplemented with some special concoctions, external applications or special dish remedies was in some cases powerful enough to bring about inspiring recoveries. Lately, this has been less and less the case, which is due to the conduciveness of the diet's bean part to the candidiasis. It is due to this neglect that it has rendered the standard macrobiotic diet inappropriate and inefficient.
In case of ‘intractable’ disease an adjusted macrobiotic dietary regimen, recommended for more yin, and more yang and yin conditions should be supplemented by special remedies for candidosis; the latter is a must that will make the difference similar to an adjusted macrobiotic diet in the past.
In my belief effective treatment of candidiasis renders the majority of intractable diseases curable. It is a bold prediction, I know. Nevertheless, I am willing to bet everything on it...
However, due to many dilemmas concerning the necessary measures in the holistic approach to the candidiasis mutual efforts on this health issue would be helpful. This could well be undertaken by a macrobiotic forum. Will this report serve this purpose? I am hopeful.
Sundry Insights
The daily volume of food intake diminishes considerably once Candidosis recedes. This is probably the major factor in solving the world’s food paradigm. It goes for industrialised as well as developing countries.
With Candidosis taken into account many health controversies start unravelling. Tobacco smoking is one of them. Nicotine (yang substance) in tobacco products is a natural acidosis reducing agent and an anti-Candida herbicide, affecting it directly by soothing the acidic state of the respiratory system; with this in view there is a chemical justification to smokers’ intuitive compulsive need to alleviate an overly acidic state in lungs. I don’t condone tobacco smoking, yet I do see its relevance in suppressing acidosis of the respiratory system as result of Candidosis
The phenomenon of food binging as supposedly the primary cause of strayed macrobiotics has lately been receiving a flock of disciplinary finger wagging in the macrobiotic community. With the assumption that the candidiasis incidence, except for the rate of its flare-up, is almost the same in macrobiotics as in main stream eaters food binging could have been driven from within, i.e. induced by the condition of acidosis (uncured Candidosis).
For a long time it was a great puzzle to me why buckwheat had constantly been downplayed and its frequent intake advised against. Especially, when I realised that buckwheat with its strong contractive energy was an energetic substitute for meat. After taking it several times in a row I didn’t feel well, indeed.
It remained a puzzle to me until the discovery of Candidosis that provides an explanation—the strong water energy of buckwheat provides ample booster energy to candidiasis and for that reason buckwheat hasn’t been, isn’t and won’t be appealing to the taste of humans, or should I rather say, to their common state of health. Buckwheat does well to the intestine only when candidiasis has already retired considerably.
Herman Aihara's book Acid & Alkaline may offer some very helpful information as far as the direction of action at this health crossroads is concerned.
It is a well known fact that the western civilisation is propelled by yang activities and by suppressing the yin aspects of life and nature, including our mother Earth. Is it possible that this day-to-day behaviour of the Westerners has been but an intuitive reaction to the prevalent state of an overly yin condition, called acidosis? Perhaps, when acid-alkaline (yin-yang) balance in humans is set on track to effective restoration the general population will begin to appreciate our common mother, planet Earth, and yin qualities of life, spirituality included.
About me:
I came across macrobiotics in 1989 when due to my deteriorating health (I was experiencing slow but steady weight loss, though I had been slim from my childhood after recovery from celiac disease and jaundice) and I was desperately seeking for some sound explanation.
After my bitter encounter with orthodox medicine when the latter proved to be as much bewildered by my health problem as I was myself I decided to venture into esoteric disciplines and studied folk herbal medicine, radio-aesthesia, bio-energy healing, zodiac astrology, chromo-therapy and others.
Macrobiotics offered me basic insights into my personal and common health issues, human behaviour patterns and dynamics in society and nature.
I have been an average economics student and took a degree in international economic relations. However, upon getting familiar with the basics of Oriental diagnosis I became aware of my natural inclination to medicine. Michio Kushi's books Your Face Never Lies and (several years later on) Nine Star Ki gave me the initial impulse to embark on translation of macrobiotic books in Slovene.
Quality macrobiotic books, translation of recovery testimonials and of macrobiotic articles available on the internet were instrumental in my personal quest—becoming somewhat a self-reliant diagnostician. Along the way grew my desire to convey the corpus of gathered practical macrobiotic knowledge to my countrymen.
I gave my first lectures on Nine Star Ki but the response from Slovenian seekers was meagre. At the break of the new millennium, came the incentive of my long distance tutor, Mr. Alex Jack (the president of the Planetary Health organisation and the editor-chief of the Amberwaves Magazine) who presented the Saving Organic Rice Petition to general public in Slovenia; I resumed giving lectures in non-governmental associations, primary and secondary schools, health centres, libraries, youth camps etc. I detest politics yet I didn't hesitate to become a founder member of the Coalition for GMO-Free Slovenia.
In the meantime, through painful personal experience, I pinned down the energetic cause of intestinal colic, i.e. aggravated digestive stagnation. The resulting devastating effects of upward energy surges (for detailed explanation see the footnote in my report) range from cancer in upper parts of the body, yin migraine headaches, cerebral blood vessel enlargements and bursts, seminal emissions in men at night, varicoceles, to severe thyroid and general hormonal imbalance, and endometriosis in women.
My pioneer work is related to making this underrated disorder public by authoring an internet article about it (in English it would read Digestive Stagnation—Seemingly Slight Problem with Dire Consequence, 2004). However, at the time I wasn't aware there is another health concern at the roots of this still waiting to be brought to light.
As of the beginning of 2004, introductory macrobiotic cooking and advanced seasonal cooking classes took place in Slovenia year around with the help of certified macrobiotics cooks. My part in these seminars has been to present the basics of yin-yang understanding of phenomena in nature, yin-yang transformations in human body, the energetics of food, and the healing power of food and home-made remedies.
During all this time, my personal health related quest continued and ended successfully only in March 2006 upon taking a saliva test in a glass of water when it became evident to me that myself had been affected by this silent, and most common invader, called candidiasis.
The recollection process on my illnesses and ailments history combined with Oriental diagnosis revealed to me a striking fact that all my health issues—except for some bruises, cuts and ankle sprains—can be linked to this treacherous condition. I stopped paid counselling and resumed consultations for free until I recover from candidiasis.
Looking up the literature proved my suspicions about the candidiasis (candidosis or fungemia) as one of the most underscored disorders by main stream medicine and overlooked by macrobiotic counsellors and teachers, as well. Thus I decided to write this report.
I am grateful to the editor of The Macrobiotic Guide for making this report public internationally and I thank everybody for reading this.
Mitja Fajdiga, from Slovenia
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