Tuesday 29 March 2016

CureZone - cuing candida

To All Candida Sufferers,

There are other posts on CureZone, claiming similar results from using Turmeric - usually as a side effect.

I have been suffering from Candida for a long time, with most debilitating symptoms associated with Candida Overgrowth.

I have not been eating bread for a long time, very little pasta or other wheat products. But that did not seem to make a big difference. The only difference I did notice, was when I did eat Sugar and/or Bread, the Candida flared up to intolerable levels.

The first thing I did to seriously starve the Candida, was to cut out all refined sugar. I still ate fruit. So, since Sugar in my coffee was the biggest source of daily sugar - I opted for bitter coffee. That did make a difference, but only slight.

Then I started taking Turmeric. I started with 1/4 teaspoon twice a day. Currently I am taking about 1/2 teaspoon twice a day.

For the first couple of days, I felt GREAT. Then came the Herxheimmer Effect. I felt terrible. Whole body ache, my skin hurt and I had a fever. My urine became a dark amber colour.

I drank a lot of water, and slightly lowered the dose of Turmeric.

Tree days later I felt SO GOOD. And I still feel good. And my tongue is pink. I still take the Turmeric. I also have a regular intake of Ginger and Cayenne Pepper. My urine colour is back to normal.

I am still keeping away from sugar and wheat. But after the occasional succumbing to the lure of chocolate or a pizza, I do not get that terrible flare up.

Maybe this sounds too easy - Turmeric, the stuff that makes rice yellow? But, unless you have serious gallbladder and/or liver problems, I really would recommend taking Turmeric. Do some reading on the Net. I have read only good things, and have only good things to report.

 


Turmeric

Turmeric, an orange-colored spice imported from India, is part the ginger family and has been a staple in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cooking for thousands of years.
In addition, ayurvedic and Chinese medicines utilize turmeric to clear infections and inflammations on the inside and outside of the body. But beyond the holistic health community, Western medical practitioners have only recently come on board in recognizing the health benefits of turmeric.
PHOTO BREAK: 11 food rules you should ignore
Here are some of the ways turmeric may benefit your body.
Blocking cancer
Doctors at UCLA found that curcumin, the main component in turmeric, appeared to block an enzyme that promotes the growth of head and neck cancer.
In that study, 21 subjects with head and neck cancers chewed two tablets containing 1,000 milligrams of curcumin. An independent lab in Maryland evaluated the results and found that the cancer-promoting enzymes in the patients’ mouths were inhibited by the curcumin and thus prevented from advancing the spread of the malignant cells.
Powerful antioxidant
The University of Maryland’s Medical Center also states that turmeric’s powerful antioxidant properties fight cancer-causing free radicals, reducing or preventing some of the damage they can cause.
While more research is necessary, early studies have indicated that curcumin may help prevent or treat several types of cancer including prostate, skin and colon.
Potent anti-inflammatory
Dr. Randy J. Horwitz, the medical director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, wrote a paper for the American Academy of Pain Management in which he discussed the health benefits of turmeric.
“Turmeric is one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatories available,” Horwitz states in the paper.
He went on to cite a 2006 University of Arizona study that examined the effect of turmeric on rats with injected rheumatoid arthritis. According to Horwitz, pretreatment with turmeric completely inhibited the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in the rats. In addition, the study found that using turmeric for pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis resulted in a significant reduction of symptoms.
Some research shows that curcumin might ease symptoms of uveitis — long-term inflammation in the middle layer of the eye. Other research shows that taking turmeric daily for several months may improve kidney function for people with kidney inflammation.
Turmeric's leaves(Curcuma longa) - but turmeric's health benefits come mainly from its root.Turmeric comes from the curcuma longa plant. (Photo: Skyprayer2005/Shutterstock)
Osteoarthritis pain relief
Turmeric may also be helpful with another type of arthritis. Some research has shown that taking turmeric extract can ease the pain of osteoarthritis. In one study, reports WebMD, turmeric worked about as well as ibuprofen for relieving osteoarthritis pain.
Indigestion and heartburn aid
Curcumin works with the gallbladder, stimulating it to make bile, which may help with digestion. In Germany, turmeric can be prescribed for digestive problems. Some research shows that turmeric may help upset stomach, bloating and gas. Turmeric may also help reduce the occurrence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in people who are otherwise healthy.
Heart disease
Studies have suggested curcumin may help prevent the buildup of plaque that can clog arteries and lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Impact on diabetes
Early studies suggest that taking turmeric daily can cut down the number of people with prediabetes who develop diabetes.
“Raw is best”
Natalie Kling, a Los Angeles-based nutritionist, says she first learned about the benefits of turmeric while getting her degree from the Natural Healing Institute of Neuropathy. “As an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiseptic, it’s a very powerful plant,” she says.
Kling recommends it to clients for joint pain and says that when taken as a supplement, it helps quickly. She advises adding turmeric to food whenever possible and offers these easy tips. “Raw is best,” she said. “Sprinkling it on vegetables or mixing it into dressings is quick and effective.”
If you do cook it, make sure to use a small amount of healthy fat like healthy coconut oil to maximize flavor. Kling also recommends rubbing turmeric on meat and putting it into curries and soups.
“It’s inexpensive, mild in taste, and benefits every system in the body,” Kling says. "Adding this powerful plant to your diet is one of the best things you can do for long term health

Yeast, cancer and Turmeric

A new study validates a controversial cancer theory, namely, that yeast in our body can contribute to not just feeding, but actually causing cancer. Can the ancient healing spice turmeric come to the rescue? 
A recent study published in Critical Reviews in Microbiology lends support to the concept that opportunistic Candida albicans (yeast) infection may not just be a consequence of cancer, but is an actively contributing cause as well.
Titled, “Candida albicans and cancer: Can this yeast induce cancer development or progression?“, the study provided the following important background information on this controversial subject:
There is currently increasing concern about the relation between microbial infections and cancer. More and more studies support the view that there is an association, above all, when the causal agents are bacteria or viruses. This review adds to this, summarizing evidence that the opportunistic fungus Candida albicans increases the risk of carcinogenesis and metastasis. Until recent years, Candida spp. had fundamentally been linked to cancerous processes as it is an opportunist pathogen that takes advantage of the immunosuppressed state of patients particularly due to chemotherapy. In contrast, the most recent findings demonstrate that C. albicans is capable of promoting cancer by several mechanisms, as described in the review: production of carcinogenic byproducts, triggering of inflammation, induction of Th17 response and molecular mimicry. We underline the need not only to control this type of infection during cancer treatment, especially given the major role of this yeast species in nosocomial infections, but also to find new therapeutic approaches to avoid the pro-tumor effect of this fungal species.
The four distinct ways by which Candida albicans may contribute to cancer are explained in more detail below:
  • Production of carcinogenic byproducts: First, Candida Albicans produces nitrosamines, which are carcinogens that activate specific proto-oncogenes that could trigger cancerous lesions. Second, Candida albicans produce acetaldehyde, which is produced as the first metabolite of ethanol (the yeast fermentation byproduct), and which is a DNA-damaging (mutagenic) and carcinogenic chemical with a wide range of downstream cancer promoting properties.
  • Triggering of inflammation: Prolonged, unresolved inflammation can promote cancer, both by causing damage to tissue, and through the secretion of proliferative chemicals intended to stimulate regeneration of damaged tissue, but which can render tissue immortalized when the inflammation is chronic and misdirected. Candida albicans is well known to promote a cascade of inflammatory responses within the body when growing beyond their normal population density due to immunosuppression, an inappropriate diet, and/or chemical exposure.  These misguided inflammatory responses have been found to promote increases in tumor cell adhesion, which is believed to promote the formation of secondary tumors and/or metastasis.
  • Induction of Th17 response: The set of CD4 T-cells that are dominant in response to Candida albicans, namely, TH17 cells, also secrete factors that may promote angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) and increased tumor incidence and growth.
  • Molecular mimicry: Antibodies produced against a protein on the surface of Candida Albicans (CR3-RP) has structural and antigenic similarities with a receptor on certain of our white blood cells (leukocytes). This “molecular mimicry” may cause antibodies to be formed against our immune cells that then disturb the anti-tumor and anti-Candida defenses of the host.
This newly identified research not only substantiates the concept that yeast overgrowth can be a contributing cause of cancer, but it also, indirectly, raises a red flag to both sugar and alcohol consumption. Clearly, if sugar and its conversion to ethanol produce acetaldehyde, reducing excessive consumption of either is a good chemopreventive step, and likely a completely necessary intervention when actively treating already established cancers — that is, if the goal is full remission.
Moreover, sugar has also recently been found to not just feed cancer, but actively contributes to the transformation of normal cells into cancerous ones; i.e. sugar is potentially carcinogenic. Read my recent article, “Research Reveals How Sugar CAUSES Cancer,” to learn more.
The implications of this research are profound since sugar also promotes yeast growth, which means that sugar is both directly and indirectly carcinogenic; a fact that is all the more concerning considering cancer treatment wards in major hospitals still give sugar-containing foods and beverages to their patients while being treated, or recovering from treatment.

Turmeric: A One-Two PUNCH

A new study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology reveals that the primary polyphenol in turmeric known as curcumin may be the perfect way to fight cancers that have a fungal component.
Titled, “Curcumin and its promise as an anticancer drug: An analysis of its anticancer and antifungal effects in cancer and associated complications from invasive fungal infections,” the new study addressed the concerning problem of invasive fungal infections, as a major cause of both morbidity and mortality, in cancer patients. According to the study, “Effective anti-infection therapy is necessary to inhibit significant deterioration from these infections. However, they are difficult to treat, and increasing antifungal drug resistance often leads to a relapse.” The authors suggest curcumin might offer an ideal natural alternative:
Curcumin, a natural component that is isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma longa plants, has attracted great interest among many scientists studying solid cancers over the last half century. Interestingly, curcumin provides an ideal alternative to current therapies because of its relatively safe profile, even at high doses. To date, curcumin’s potent antifungal activity against different strains of Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus, Trichosporon and Paracoccidioides have been reported, indicating that curcumin anticancer drugs may also possess an antifungal role, helping cancer patients to resist invasive fungal infection related complications. The aim of this review is to discuss curcumin’s dual pharmacological activities regarding its applications as a natural anticancer and antifungal agent. These dual pharmacological activities are expected to lead to clinical trials and to improve infection survival among cancer patients.”
The study went on to explain that conventional therapies often result in collateral damage to the patient’s immune system, which contributes to fungal overgrowth. Also, conventional drugs for fungal infections can cause serious harm to the liver and kidneys of patients, along with leading to the development of even more aggressive, treatment-resistant fungal infections.
Moreover, conventional cancer treatments only target one aspect of cancer, focusing on a single pathway or molecule on a cancer cell. This is why curcumin holds so much more promise as a “next generation multipurpose drug.” Not only does it combat fungal infections, but it has the ability to address a multitude of cancer targets, including being able to destroy the cancer stem cell subpopulation which is at the root of cancer malignancy and recurrence.
The study concluded:
Curcumin is an up-and-coming drug of natural origin with multi-target properties, and it has exhibited efficient anticancer and antifungal activities alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy drugs and antifungal agents. The dual pharmacological activities of curcumin may make it a good candidate for the prevention and treatment of cancer and its cancer-related invasive fungal infection related complications. Further investigation is necessary to clarify curcumin’s anticancer and antifungal mechanisms for better understanding. In spite of the useful biological activities of curcumin, its poor water solubility and low bioavailability hinders its clinical applications. Various nano-sized curcumin delivery systems, such as nanoparticles, nanospheres, solid lipid nanoparticles, micelles, and liposomes have been shown to overcome these shortcomings and significantly improve the anticancer and antifungal activities of curcumin. Many studies on curcumin and its nanoformulations are still in the preclinical stage at present. A clinical trials stage is necessary to unlock the potential of curcumin nanoformulations as a therapeutic strategy for treating cancer and its IFI complications.”
Truly, curcumin is fast becoming the most extensively researched and most promising herb for disease prevention and treatment known, with at least 750 studied potential therapeutic applications. To learn more visit our Turmeric’s Research database. For more research on natural substances which combat Candida Albicans infections visit our database on the topic.
- See more at: http://healthimpactnews.com/2016/yeast-is-a-cause-of-cancer-and-turmeric-can-kill-both-research-confirms/#sthash.fNgJMtje.dpuf