CANDIDA - A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

CANDIDA - A BLESSING IN DISGUISE!

This paper has some theory, circumstantial evidence, case histories, personal experience, written resources, centers, ideas and approaches to Candida. Something is here for everyone. I want the text to be a cut-to-the-chase approach to Candida. As you notice in the outline, resources, books and links are at the end. For every question you have, I‘m sure one of those resources will have the answer! You might end up going back and forth between. A friend called yesterday as I was finishing the paper and she told me about her approach to Candida with her clients. She looks at it holistically and helps people to love themselves back to health using a variety of techniques. What this means to me is that it‘s not just about diet and supplements. One hopefully will attain a higher insight into their condition and work from a grander perspective.

INTRODUCTION

To reverse candida takes time. When a loaf of bread develops a mold, we ‘throw it out‘. When the body develops a mold such as Candida, we have to make heroic efforts to create an internal environment in which the Candida can live is balance with the other flora - the original design.
Some people probably feel like ‘throwing themselves out‘ when they get Candida especially with mental and emotional side-effects like depression, insomnia, exhaustion, brain fog, memory loss, irritability, whining, anger, anxiety and mood swings that physical toxins create. And how about the itching that some people experience! One school of thought feels that the mental and emotional toxins create a toxic physical environment. That insight opens another approach to healing the Candida.
Candida lives naturally inside our intestines in balance with beneficial bacteria. Twenty-six strains are known and one company in Japan, Rikken, sells them to the public. Candida produces 79 toxins according to Vitamin Research Products Inc journal (3/99Vol.13#3). Growing out of balance and healthy relationship to other microorganisms, the yeast/fungi create toxic metabolites that begin to degrade the intestinal walls leading to ‘leaky gut‘ and inflammation. This deterioration of the intestinal walls allows the yeast by-products and other inappropriate food molecules to enter the blood stream. Once in the bloodstream, Candida, it‘s by-products and other substances have access to the whole body.
People may have symptoms that appear totally unrelated to the Candida such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, vaginal yeast infections, headaches with sinus involvement, histamine allergic reactions and thrush white tongue, to name a few. Remember, the mouth is the beginning of the GI tract and culinary sugars begin their work immediately on the teeth, gums and tissues through interaction with fungi. Sugar activates Candida metabolism and some of its by-products are neurotoxins such as formaldehyde, alcohol and acetlyaldehyde. One‘s nervous system can become deranged during Candida due to specific neurotoxins. Autism is one example of this.
Does Candida eat intestinal tissue? Gottschall says specific bacteria and fungi migrate from the large to small intestines to break down undigested complex carbohydrates. The by-products of the pathogens - the acids, gases and enzymes - will irritate the mucosa and lead to permeability and inflammation. That can eat tissue. Candida can also change forms and metamorphose from a benign, round yeast form into a filamentous fungal form. The Candida grows hyphae or long root-like filaments that extend and penetrate into cell tissue of the intestinal mucosa. That directly ‘eats‘ into the intestinal wall.
Candida is known ‘to impair immune functioning by directly and negatively impacting the helper-suppresser ratio of T lymphocytes‘ according to Charles R. Caulfield in his article "Natural Therapies For Candidiasis Infections" that appeared in the San Francisco Sentinel, August 27, 1992. He places emphasis on the immune system. I feel that a weakened immune system may cause the Candida or Candida may cause the weakening of the immune system. It can work both ways. Remember that half or more of intestinal tissue is immune tissue and what you do to the walls of your intestines you are doing directly to your ‘immune‘ system. Also, the immune system might respond to Candida by-products and food molecules in the bloodstream by secreting histamines with the classic symptoms of allergies and intolerances.
Candida is resistant to antibiotics and lives in relationship to the intestinal environment. When the environment in the intestines changes in ways that do not promote the Candida life and reproductive cycle, they will not continue to live in the same numbers.
Candida therapy starts with eliminating their energy foods from the diet, killing the fungus with various remedies, cleaning the intestinal walls, rebuilding the intestinal walls and rebalancing intestinal flora. As with any disease, Candida healing also begins with an honest examination of one‘s emotional, mental and spiritual health.

CAUSES

The causes are many and varied and obviously cultural. Candida overgrowth can happen when bacterial/fungal balance in the intestines is affected adversely by drugs such as antibiotics, vaccinations, steroids, birth control pills; chemicals such as amalgam, mercury, other toxic metals, pesticides, aspartame, MSG, perfumes, industrial; diet including sugars, consistent alcohol consumption, nutritional deficiencies, overeating, and refined, canned, smoked, preserved and fried foods ; diseases such as diabetes mellitus, chronic constipation or diarrhea, genital Candida; and mental/emotional/spiritual imbalances.

SYMPTOMS

Classic symptoms can hit suddenly or sneak up on one.
Gastrointestinal: indigestion, gas, bloating, inflammation, pain, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, bad breath, dry mouth, coating on tongue, thrush.
Somatic and Allergic: numbness, burning or tingling; painful, swollen, stiff joints; muscle aches and tension, nasal congestion, head tension, headaches, blurred vision, tinnitus, shortness of breath, chest pains, weight loss dizziness, sinusitis, chemical sensitivity.
Mental/Emotional: depression, mental confusion, insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, disorientation, impaired decision making, low energy, hyperactivity, agitation.
Skin: white fungal skin patches like dandruff, acne, athlete‘s foot, anal itch, diaper rash, psoriasis, dermatitis, impetigo, finger and toenail inflammation.
Sexual: vaginitis, discharge, itch, bladder infection, menstrual irregularities, pain, cramps, lowered libido, infertility, impotency, prostate problems.
Urinary: Frequent urination, burning and desire to urinate, fluid retention, edema.
Dr. Crook in his second edition of The Yeast Connection has an extensive ‘symptom‘ test one can take to assess whether or not they have Candida.

PROTOCOL FOR CANDIDA

STRATEGIES FOR BALANCING INTESTINAL BACTERIA AND FUNGI
1. Suppress or kill the yeast with anti-fungal.
2. Deprive or starve the yeast by diet modification.
3. Cleanse the walls of the GI tract.
4. Rebuild the walls of the GI tract.
5. Rebalance bacteria/fungi in GI tract.
6. Identify and avoid drugs, chemicals, foods and other allergens such as car fumes, pollutants, insecticides, preservatives, emulsifiers and food allergens that you know trigger your Candida and its symptoms. Also, avoid yeast spores released into the air by mold in areas such as bathroom, kitchen and around leaking pipes in walls. Remove the mold or move out to a dry sunny spot.
7. Build your body, immune, emotional, mental and spiritual health via a strong program of supplements including electrolyte and pH balancing, fluids, exercise, therapy and meditation.

CASE COORDINATION AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

It is beneficial for many to have a Naturopath ND, Chiropractor DC, Osteopath DO, Doctor of Oriental Medicine DOM or Medical Doctor MD coordinate your Candida healing program. Many individuals present with Candida symptoms and complications from Candida and can use the help of a practitioner to coordinate a healing approach. The healing will come from a variety of techniques and practices not just ‘one thing‘ and the protocol might change over time. Be prepared and the healing takes time!

SUPPLEMENTATION

Antifungals
Following is a list of various herbs and drugs which kill yeast/fungi.
Tea tree oil is an extract of a tree native to Australia. It is a remedy for many mucosal fungal infections. The oil is used internally for thrush and esophagus and externally for fungal skin and nail bed infections. Tea tree oil and Grapefruit seed extract may be used for the external treatment of Candida-related skin conditions by putting 2-3 drops of each in a lotion or salve and spreading it over the affected area. Citricidal is an antifungal from Grapefruit seed extract in liquid form. NutriBiotic produces an organic form.
Oregano extract is considered more potent and less harmful than nystatin to eradicate yeast. It is also considered to be more powerful and less toxic in killing staph infection. Purity Products (1.800.769.7873) has it in liquid form and other companies have it in tablets.
Pau D‘arco is an extract of the bark of a South American tree known to have potent antifungal properties. This substance has immune-stimulating and anti-tumor activity. It can be taken in many forms including teas.
Garlic is one of the most potent antimicrobial agents. It was used by Albert Schweitzer to treat amebic dysentery and by Louis Pasteur as an antibacterial. It has been shown to be effective against all but two of 26 strains of Candida albicans. The March 1985 issue of Scientific American reported that garlic was effective against 200 varieties of pathogenic fungi. Garlic is one of the richest sources of the element germanium, a potent inducer of interferon and effective against certain cancers by modulating the immune response. Parsley and fennel can be taken concomitantly to offset the strong odor associated with its use. (Caulfield)
Propolis is a bee-harvested tree resin that is a strong antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral that can be used topically and internally. Naturopathic Handbook of Herbal Formulas(NHOHF)
Neem (azadiracta indica) is a bitter tonic, fever reducer, alterative, anthelmintic and antiseptic. According to Vasant Lad in The Yoga of Herbs, neem is is ‘one of the most powerful blood-purifiers and detoxifiers in Ayurvedic usage. It cools the fever and clears the toxins involved in most inflammatory skin diseases or those found in ulcerated mucous membranes.‘ CAUTION: Not to be used with severe fatigue or emaciation.
Golden Seal (hydrastis canadensis) is ‘effective in all digestive problems from peptic ulcers to colitis due to its tonic effects on the mucous membranes. It is a powerful antimicrobial improving all mucous conditions, especially those of the sinuses.‘ (NHOHF)
Echinacea (echinacea angustifolia and purpurea) is alterative, immune stimulating and antiseptic. Terry Willard, PhD in The Textbook of Modern Herbology says that scientific research indicates antibiotic activity, cortisone-like activity, promotion of wound healing, production of systemic interferon and stimulation of T-cell lymphocytes.
Other Anti-fungals: Diflucan, Caprilic acid, Nystatin, Fungilin, Oxy-Plus (contains food grade hydrogen peroxide), Nizoral, Colloidal Silver, Clove, 10-undecenoic acid derived from Castor bean oil, and Olive leaf extract. Earl Mindell in his Vitamin Bible writes that many natural and effective dietary anti-fungals are garlic, broccoli, cabbage, onions, home-made yogurt and turnips.
Flora Rebalancing (Bacteria, Probiotics, Soil-based Organisms, Colostrum)
Establishing balanced bowel ecology is a priority in any Candida program. Dysbiosis or the imbalance of intestinal microorganisms requires taking friendly bacteria on a regular basis orally and/or rectally. Studies show that absorption is better rectally. Home-made yogurt also introduces the good bacteria and assists in restoring natural floral balance when Candida and others are out of balance. Antibiotics in meat and dairy can have a negative impact on bowel ecology. Therefore, organic and drug-free animal products are a priority on a Candida diet.
Lactobacillus is a group of friendly microorganisms known to transform milk into yogurt and cheese. They are useful in helping maintain the delicate balance of fungus and bacteria in the intestinal tract. Some brands are Nature‘s Biotic, Jarrowdophilus, Bifidophilus, Primadophilus and Megadophilus. Using these products is reported to gradually reverse fungal infections in the intestinal mucosa. Some individuals find help using one or a combination of colostrum early breast milk organisms with immune factors, soil-based organisms (SBO‘S) which are transient, and/or resident organisms such as lactobacillus bifidus and acidophilus to name a few.
Some people have success treating candida-related skin conditions by taking acidophilus internally and Primadophillus powder mixed with Desitin externally on the affected area.
Candida Dysbiosis Information Foundation (CDIF) offers this insight on candida contamination:
". . . is it any wonder then that antifungal and Probiotic therapy must continue for such a long period of time? Imagine a worst case scenario when the fungi have actually rooted into the person‘s intestinal walls, from which they continue to re-inoculate the fecal stream. It‘s not enough to reseed briefly or sparsely this ‘continuous-flow culture‘ which is living and growing inside the gut lumen, but one must maintain and support the desired ecology sufficiently long enough for the intestinal epithelial cells to desquamate (shed, slough off, turn over) so that the fungi buried within them will be expelled. While this is going on, the contents of the fecal stream will continue to be re-infected in an on-going manner; thus, antifungal therapy must continue sufficiently long enough to guard against relapse, in order to allow the membranes of the GI tract to heal."
The program to overcome Candida takes time and patience, a constant theme in the literature.
Anti-Parasite herbs
The most common Candida scenario is to have it concurrent with other pathogenic bacteria and fungi such as Blastocystis Hominis, C. freundii and Claustridia. A complete candida protocol would call for a parasite cleanse in order to be thorough and even a liver flush to open up the liver and gall bladder ducts. Opening them allows any parasites including candida to be eliminated more easily. The free flow of bile from the liver/gall bladder will also prevent new parasite infection. Hilda Clark and Hannah Kroeger are the premier people and products for parasite and liver cleansing. Parasite killing herbs also kill Candida.
Black Walnut is used to rid the body of parasites such as tape worms and as an anti-fungal for candida yeast, ringworm, athlete‘s foot and thrush.
CAUTION: Black walnut will stop lactation if nursing. Black walnut is only one of many parasite killing herbs.
One woman used two weeks of the ParaGONE program from ReNew Life it contains 16 cleansing compounds for clearing Candida as well as parasites. ParaGONE is for cleansing parasites and ParaZYME is for rebuilding.
Essential and Short-Chain Fatty Acids
Gamma-Linoleic Acid (GLA) is an essential fatty acid (EFA) which is often extracted from evening primrose flowers. It is also found in cold-pressed oils such as olive, flax, sesame and borage seed oils. Increasing dietary GLA helps prevent Candida from becoming systemically invasive. GLA is also known to have other beneficial effects on immune regulation. Other therapeutic EFA‘s are found in hemp, black current and billberry and in trace amounts in nuts and seeds, avocados and coconuts. One source says that olive oil keeps yeast from converting to a fungus.
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are essential for the integrity of the intestinal mucosa. Butter is known to be highest in the most essential of SCFA‘s, butyric acid. Udo Erasmus in Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill is the expert to read. Very often a person with candida will have to make friends with eating more ‘healing‘ fats in their diet and restricting starches. Others might find their fat metabolism has been jeopardized and they can use supplemental fats and not so much dietary fat. Each case is unique.
Cleansing Agents
Psyllium seed husks powdered and bentonite clear waste from the GI tract.
Daily Castor oil packs help break up waste in the intestines and liver.
MSM is supposed to address parasites as well as Candida. Yeast also lives IN mucus and MSM is a good mucus stripper.
Vitamins & Minerals
Biotin is a B vitamin which is essential for the metabolism of fats and proteins. It is believed to play some role in preventing candida from converting into its invasive form. Yamaguchi and colleagues have found that taking 300 mgs of Biotin three times daily and two teaspoons of green olive oil three times a day prevents the conversion of yeast to fungal form. At least six months are required to get a good result.
Balanced free-form amino acids.
Antioxidants such as Vitamin E, A, balanced B, L-Lysine and Pantothenic acid. Vitamins A and C help with the infection resulting from fungal micro punctures made into the intestinal walls.
Copper and zinc work together. Imbalanced copper levels directly tie to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Candida. Copper serves as a natural antifungal. People with Candida, parasites or Epstein-Barr virus commonly have an excess of copper and mercury in their body.
Japanese scientist, Asai, found that an intake of 100-300 mgs per day of germanium improved many illnesses including Candida. Research shows organic germanium increases tissue oxygenation.
One theory states that a deficiency of ionic calcium (and other alkalizing minerals) is at the root of Candida and juvenile diabetes. Acidosis ensues and degenerative disease develops without these minerals. Years ago I read in NW Walker books that cooking calcium-containing foods renders the calcium ‘inorganic‘ and this clogs up the organs, joints and tissues. He advocates foods high in organic sodium like celery and zucchini to help remove the pile-up of inorganic calcium. Rich Anderson of Arise & Shine company feels that organic goat whey is the best source of organic sodium.
Homeopathy
Hannah Kroeger sells a kit homeopathic which includes cuprum, ipecac and homeopathic protozoa. One Tucson AZ MD has a homeopathic remedy she uses successfully with Candida.
More Herbs
The purpose of a product called GI-Encap manufactured by Thorne Research in Idaho is to line the intestinal mucosa in order to protect it from the ravages of diarrhea, medications and malabsorption and all its accompanying pain. The ingredients include Plantain Banana, Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice root, Slippery Elm bark and Marshmallow root in gelatin caps.
Phellostatin is a Chinese herbal concoction for Candida made by Health Concerns in Oakland.
Phellostatin ingredients are: Phellodendron bark, Codonopsis root, White Atractylodes root, Anemarrhena rhizome, Plantago seed, Pulsatilla root, Capillaris herb, Cnidium fruit, Houttuynia herb, Dioscorea root, Licorice root and Cardamom fruit.
Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, is good for healing the gut. The grasses from wheat, barley, oats, rye and others are optimal. Alfalfa, ocean and fresh water algaes are also excellent. Chlorella, blue-green algae and spirulina are examples of fresh water algaes.
Bitters are great healers of the blood and GI tract and give Candida the shivers. I juice fresh dandelion leaf because it is helpful for my mouth, teeth, potassium and liver restoration. Christopher Hobb‘s book, Foundation for Living, A Liver and Digestive Herbal, has a great bitters recipe.
Anti-inflammatories
Although all the herbs here are not specific anti-inflammatories, they have a beneficial effect directly or indirectly on the Candida. It becomes apparent in a Candida healing program one needs to purify and strengthen the blood and liver and that skin and intestinal/liver conditions are related. The herbs can be taken orally, rectally, externally, alone or in combination. Consult an herbal for preparation, quantities and appropriate application. This is true of the herbs mentioned elsewhere in the paper. The section on Intestinal Health also has additional herbal information.
Cayenne has a multitude of qualities which help relieve gas, stimulate and tonify the system, purify the blood, tonify tissue (astringent), relieve spasms and kill pathogens. John Christopher, master herbalist, says that cayenne rebuilds the tissue in the stomach and heals stomach and intestinal ulcers. Cayenne also stimulates the peristaltic motion of the intestines and aids in assimilation and elimination.
Marshmallow root (althea officinalis) is demulcent, mucilage, nutritive, vulnerary and protective. According to Christopher, marshmallow is high is lime and calcium and the root is high is oxygen and pectin. It is soothing and healing to inflamed intestinal mucous membranes. It has tremendous power to arrest putrefactive or dying tissue.
Slippery Elm bark (ulmus fulva) is demulcent, nutritive, slightly astringent and tonic. The slippery elm mucilage soothes, disperses inflammation, draw out impurities, heals rapidly and greatly strengthens according to Christopher. He goes on to say that it is efficient in absorbing noxious gases and neutralizing any acidity in the stomach. "It‘s action is so gentle that it can be retained by delicate stomachs when other substances will be rejected."
Comfrey leaf and root (symphytum officinale) is demulcent, cell proliferant, astringent, nutritive, tonic, hemostatic, alterative, vulnerary and mucilage. The herbalist Dr Shook writes that comfrey grows new flesh, stops hemorrhage and heals inflamed tissues remarkably.
Aloe vera will help heal intestinal tissue damage.
Chaparral (larrea tridentata) is listed by Christopher at alterative, tonic and astringent. It is a potent healer to the lymph, cleanses the lower bowel and tones peristalsis in slow muscles. Michael Moore, in Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West, says it "slows down the rate of bacterial growth and kills them with its antimicrobial activity."
Oregon Grape (berberis aquifolium) is alterative, tonic, hepatic, tonic and laxative. Christopher calls it one of the best blood purifiers and liver stimulants. It promotes digestion, improves absorption, increases one‘s vitality and strengthens the lymph and skin tissues.
Thyme (thymus vulgaris) is tonic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, nervine, vulnerary and vermicide. It is beneficial for bowel problems and has a soothing sedative action on the nerves. It is non-toxic like oregano and is used to eliminate all infection, to destroy worms and remove foul odors.
Ginger (zingiber offcinalis Roscoe) is excellent for painful digestion, gas buildup, nausea and intestinal spasms. Ginger is contra-indicated for those who are already hot-natured because of its warming qualities.
Morinda or Tahitian Noni.
Oxygen Therapies: H2O2 or Hydrogen Peroxide, Ozone, Oxygen
A number of people report good results using a variation of oxygen therapies for extinguishing Candida. A number of products are on the market which contain oxygen or H2O2.
Some use drops of food grade hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (3%) in a full glass of water. H2O2 is also taken in by injection or IV. One woman reported it worked very well until she ate complex carbohydrates again! OXY-PLUS product is food grade hydrogen peroxide and Aloe Vera. It helps relieve oral thrush. Some use H2O2 in their bath for Candida skin disinfection. Oxygen and ozone may be rectally infused for Candida.
Optimum natural sources of oxygen are deep breathing and focus on breath and consistent exercise. Breathing and exercise deeply oxygenate the tissues. Germanium and uncooked foods add oxygen to the body.
Enzymes
Calbom and Keane in their book, Juicing For Life, state that ‘digestive secretions like hydrochloric acid, pancreatic enzymes and bile help prevent the overgrowth of Candida.‘ Some people swear by enzymes. Enzymes can digest what you cannot. Indigestion and Candida seem to go hand in glove. Enzymes can eat up accumulated waste albeit slowly.
One person had good results with:
Hydrochloric acid and pancreatic enzymes can be part of an enzyme program.
Dr. Loomis says cellulose enzyme dissolved in water handles Candida in the mouth. It is used successfully on thrush, as a douche for vaginal infections and to dissolve Candida in the digestive track.
Electrolyte and pH balancing
Electrolytes (minerals and trace elements) and pH (acid and alkaline balance in body) are important to monitor and balance while healing Candida. Their balance help to build a reserve within you and an environment in which healing can occur. Rich Anderson in his book Cleanse and Purify Thyself explains how to measure your pH and balance it.
Many formulas and plants are available that help replenish and build an appropriate electrolyte balance. For example, I use Synergy at www.synergy~co.com, Green Vibrance at taag@mohawk.net, wheat grass and/or Arise & Shine Liquid Minerals to replenish myself. One friend suggests an electrolyte product called Complex K by Dr. Thurston that helps in die-off situations. You can get it from NEEDS at 1-800-634-1380. Colloidal minerals and homeopathic cell salts are other sources of electrolytes.

DIET

Diet plays an important role in keeping indigenous flora in check. It seems that fungus, particularly yeasts like candida, thrive on sugar and over processed carbohydrates. Decreasing dietary intake of these types of food deprive the yeast/fungi of their energy food. Gottschall has a diet that does not feed them. The current areas of debate or difference on the candida diet protocol are grains, fruits, dairy and yeast. Be willing to read, question and experiment. Test each category and various items within each to see what your tolerance level is. Avoid what you know you react to.
"Finding your unique diet is a creative act and it changes as it goes along!"
Current debate #1 Grains or no grains.
Elaine Gottschall author of Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Intestinal Health through Diet, follows in the footsteps of Orion Truss MD. No grains or complex carbohydrates are allowed on the candida diet. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are complex carbohydrates. Gottschall is suspicious of FOS because she feels it will feed and aggravate the candida and other pathogens. Many flora formulas contain FOS. Some candida diets suggest a product free of FOS. Dr Crook author of the book The Yeast Connection allows grains.
Gottschall states transitioning to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) will get rid of pathogens be they yeast or bad bacteria. The diet nourishes the person and deprives the candida of its energy food. The homemade yogurt is her rich source of lactobacillus bacteria necessary for intestinal wall health. It begins to implant good flora and balance out candida.
Some do better with some grains, others do better with protein. For those who do well with the complex carbohydrates, beans and lentils and peas can be used daily and rotated to avoid allergic response.
Current debate #2 Simple sugars or no simple sugars.
Some people do okay with fruits, others do not. Lemons and their fresh juice are the exception. They disinfect the GI tract, dissolve old protein and purify the blood. Simple sugars to avoid are bottled, canned and fresh fruit juice; dried, stewed and fresh fruits; and honey. Stevia is not allowed on the SCD however some do well with it. One person said butternut squash was too much sugar for them while practicing the SCD diet.
On SCD and Candida from Breaking the Vicious Cycle:
"When it is suspected that yeast invasion is widespread (the oral infection, thrush, would be an indicator) it is wise to cut back on honey ingestion at the beginning of the dietary regimen. The amount of honey in recipes should be decreased by at least 75% and may be increased as the condition improves." page 27
Case history
"Simple sugars like fruit and honey seemed to be absorbed into my system rapidly giving me needed energy, with no symptoms whatsoever. Prior to SCD, the complex carbohydrate‘s allowed on the candida diet caused me immense problems with alternating diarrhea and constipation, bloating and gas. When I was on the candida diet, I did not associate these symptoms with complex carbs but rather I blamed the candida. I always keep a journal of symptoms and what I eat when I am sick. Now I can look back in it and the incidence of major GI symptoms are linked to the complex carbohydrates. It pains me I did not see it then."
Case history
"I have taken the honey out of my diet and am being rewarded for that. Fruit does not appear to bother me. I have taken out dairy, including yogurt, and now my bloating has cleared up.
I am trying to incorporate more bitter things in my diet and it seems to raise my energy level and do me good all round. For instance, I eat lettuce that is naturally bitter and I drink bitter dandelion tea from the health food store."
Current debate #3 Diary including Eggs, Cheese and Milk or no Dairy.
Current debate #4 Yeast and fermented foods or no yeast and fermented foods.
One premise says that eating yeast foods tires out the immune system since they mimic the candida.
According to Earl Mindell in his Vitamin Bible, the first step in treating candida albicans is to deprive the body of all yeast-containing foods. For example: cheese, leavened breads, sour cream, buttermilk, beer, wine, cider, mushrooms, soy sauce, tofu, vinegar, dried fruits, melons and frozen or canned juices.
Homemade ferments from cabbage, nuts, seeds and homemade yogurts are simple recipes to restore floral and fungal balance. These are the ferment exceptions. Some people are dairy or yogurt sensitive and will find it better to make other ferments or use a high quality positive bacteria daily. Many thrive on the home-made yogurt.
For those interested in pursuing home-made ferments, I have found the following books.
Handbook Of Indigenous Fermented Food by Keith Steinkraus, Publisher Marcel Dekker
The Permaculture Book Of Ferments Of Human Nutrition by Bill Mollison
People have had positive effects on candida with various diets. A few examples make the point.
Each morning on an empty stomach a friend squeezes the juice of one lemon and drinks it down and follows it with one tablespoon of minced garlic in olive oil.
According to a chiropractor friend with candida, one of her biggest manifestations was dry skin. She found lemon juice a great antidote to the candida. She makes salad dressing with lemon juice, garlic and olive/flax oil and uses it with plenty of green leaves!
‘Eating pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds first thing in the morning is great!
I snacked on raw carrots, pumpkin and sunflower seeds all day long. Raw is best!
Use cayenne pepper on everything.
Pomegranates are also very anti-parasitic in property.
Eating as much garlic and onion as possible is good, too.‘
‘Sauerkraut is a very healthy food for several reasons. Cabbage is very high in calcium and boron which acts synergistically with calcium. So it‘s very assimilable. It also has lactobacillus bifidus and acidophilus which help to replenish the friendly flora in the intestines. Overall, it‘s excellent for the digestive system and helpful for candida, too.‘
Some clients have candida and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) so bad all they could eat was water and ground meat. Others advance successfully to meat and vegetables.
The Blood Type Diet by Dr Peter D‘Adamo is outlined is his book Eat Right For Your Type. I feel it can be of supreme guidance in selecting foods that harmonize with you and avoiding foods that potentially have a deleterious effect on your blood and hence, immune system. The book also tuned me into to more of what my natural tendencies are and the personalities of the various blood types. Dealing with candida requires every trick in the book and I find rotating through the highly beneficial foods keeps my mind on ‘positive focus‘. Because I am grain sensitive, I restrict the allowed grains for my type and do them rarely. Each person can temper the diet to their particular condition and sensitivity. The author says that due to our unique nature and backgrounds, exceptions exist and sometimes abound! At www.dadamo.com you can purchase a cheap family blood tester for $10.
Fluids
First things first. Are you hydrated or dehydrated? Are you drinking sufficient fluid every day to keep your self afloat and your immune system mobile? Does lack of hydration cause waste, by-products and parasites to stagnate and form a breeding ground for further inoculation, infestation and infection? I now thrive on a gallon plus of fluid daily mainly water, herb teas and raw juices after many years of dehydration.
"Making hydration a priority takes me away from my inappropriate focus on candida-unfriendly foods and habits and can reduce my appetite."
Juices
Bitters are best! Astringents are next!
Try fresh lemons squeezed in hot/cold water or tea. Try juicing green drinks like wheat grass, dandelion, escarole, endive, parsley, kale and chard. One friend suggested 2 quarts of carrot juice or carrot mixed with vegetables such as beet and celery daily for a week or two to see if there is a difference. However, some individuals do not tolerate carrot and beet due to high sugar content (high on the glycemic index) and/or pigment. In addition to the juices mentioned, Calbom and Keane add spinach, turnip and turnip greens, radish, parsley, beet greens, broccoli and ginger root. See their book for the combinations. The best juices for the candida people will be the greens, medicinal and aromatic herbs, lemons and limes.
Juices help us balance our ‘electrolytes‘ because they are high in mineral and trace elements. The right juices are a fast track way to nourish ourselves quickly with live food and to strengthen our immune system.
Teas
I have gotten into herbs teas in the last few years whether I use tea bags, bulk herbs or wild-crafted herbs. Sometimes I brew only one herb like Neem (ayurvedic bitter and anti-fungal) which I use for an enema additive or peppermint which I drink for flavor and tonification of digestive system. Most often I have 2-4 herbs mixed at once. I keep a 2 1/2 quart pot going most of the time. See the list of herbs under Supplements and choose one or more with a specific purpose in mind for your candida. Some are very bitter like golden seal and you might prefer it in capsule. Chaparral is a local plant and has quite a pungent flavor however I craved it when I had a bad infection. I like the flavor. Pau d‘arco tastes great almost like root beer. Echinacea is also tasty. Cloves, a strong anti-fungal, can be added to any tea for candida and flavor. Give some a try. Use some fresh mint or other herbs from your garden or start an herb garden.
Fresh Fruits, Vegetables and Raw Foods
Is your diet at least 50% raw fruits and vegetables on any given day?
Is your diet at least 50% raw foods on any given day?
The raw foods help the elimination, make a better formed stool and increase energy for many people. Others are so sensitive or raw that beginning with steamed or cooked food is easiest on the system.
Diet clean-up takes time and may last six months to a year or longer. If you are struggling with eating disorders namely bingeing and overeating it means you don‘t have control over foods that cause your candida. It‘s important to get therapy and use behavior modification to overcome this. This process may take much longer than a year.

INTESTINAL HYDROTHERAPIES

Cleansing, Rebuilding and Rebalancing
Enemas, Colemas, Colonics
"A sign that you are feeding candida more than yourself is excessive gas."
What effect do the colonics/colemas/enemas have on candida?
"As for candida, I discovered I had a serious infestation after recently undergoing my first professional colonics. The black water and black fecal debris coming out of me with its distinctive moldy fetid odor (like the polluted, long-neglected bird bath) really convinced me."
"The colon cleansing has helped the most in getting rid of the yeast problem."
"I get relief when I get a colonic and eat raw organic fresh vegetables. Mostly the green things."
"I worked on an autistic 6-7 year old child with serious candida a few years ago. The parents used nystatin among other things and we did the colonics to help with die-off and re-initiate peristalsis (muscle motion of the intestines)."
"I get great results with candida when I use colonics in conjunction with anti-fungals, a candida deprivation diet, an intestinal cleansing program and flora rebalancing. The colonic rinses out the die-off and toxic metabolites the fungi secrete and it can relieve some of the hairy symptoms quickly mainly gas and bloat and pain."
"With the candida program I need to keep things moving to get rid of the die-off. Laxatives, enemas, colonics, colemas help keep the flow going. It is most desirable to flush out the dead and dying parasites and candida. Not only can they (and frequently do) cause obstructions, but much of the wastes will be digested and absorbed into the body."
"I have a pretty severe case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and candida. I am working with a nutritionist who strongly suggested I take colonics as part of my program. I was the woman complaining of weak arms a few months ago. After I started the colonics my lymphatic system drained for four days straight. I was so tight lymphatically in the belly, my massage therapist couldn‘t massage my belly. Things are much softer since I have had the colonics. I was reading The Colon Health Handbook by Robert Gray and he says that if the intestines are clogged, the lymphatics cannot drain waste material properly into them. I have lost a lot of fluid that was trapped and now with the candida die off, I am getting more overall die-off feeling in the whole body rather than in my weak arms. So things seem to be working better."
"I am doing a heavy duty candida program and metal detoxification program that require weekly colonics. The cost is getting old and I am trying to decide if a colema board would be effective enough that I wouldn‘t need to do colonics weekly. I read about a unit called The Ultimate Cleansing Unit by Ultimate Trends. Their website is www.fcinet.com/ultimatetrends. It sounds like a superior unit. Dr. Ann Wigmore and Dr. Bernard Jensen recommend it. Does anyone have any thoughts on colema boards? Have you found them very effective, and if so are there any other brands you would recommend?"
The answer is yes, colemas are very effective. Some people prefer them over enemas and colonics and say they get the best cleansing from the colemas. My article on Intestinal Hydrotherapies on my website has the names of many colema manufacturers.
Some people think colon hydrotherapy will "cure" a condition that has taken time to gain a stronghold in their intestines. Candida, parasites, food poisoning and inflammation can cause damage to the intestinal lining. The walls take time to heal. These clients might feel better after the treatment then experience symptoms again. The cleansing/rebuilding/rebalancing program creates an environment in which the intestines can heal. It‘s a matter of changing the environment. Robert Gray says remove what the parasites live in and they have nothing to hang onto. Cleansing programs remove some of them and/or their habitats. Intestinal and parasite cleansing together are more thorough in eliminating bugs in the lumen and bugs eating into and residing in the intestinal walls. Be patient.
For those who suffer from candida and constipation or slow transit, it is important to get the transit time down below 24 hours. I began psyllium and bentonite in December and continued for 8 weeks finishing with a 7 day fast. I took a 3 week break then another round of 6 weeks of psyllium and bentonite finishing with another 7 day fast. It has cleansed and created positive effects more rapidly that anything else I‘ve done. My transit used to be 3-4 days and after the first 9 weeks I got the transit down to 2 days. After the second round of 7 weeks, the transit is sometimes close to 24 hours. That‘s fast feedback. I used 2-3 TBS of each daily and 3 TBS during the fasts. Do all you can to support your digestive system and get transit time down to 24 hours or less. Improving elimination helps get candida out of the bowel.
How does internal implanting of flora help if my symptoms are external on my skin?
Regular implants of acidophilus and bifidus can be taken after an enema/colema/colonic. The flora begins distributing internally from the intestines. It corrects ‘dysbiosis‘, an imbalance of the living organisms that live in the GI tract. They also neutralize the deleterious by-products of candida and restore the health and integrity of the intestinal walls. Skin problems are a reflection of the state of the intestinal wall! As the walls heal, so the skin heals.
Candida, AIDS/HIV and the Intestinal Connection
Herbal suggestions for additives and implants
Candida is an opportunistic infection and present in many cases of HIV/AIDS. Jose provides excellent information on substances he and cited authors suggest for adding to the enema or colonic water in an effort to heal the affected intestinal membranes and lymph. His suggestions for enemas and colonics and the substances for additive or implant are prolific and worthy of keying out and testing. An additive is a substance(s) added to the enema or colonic water and it will run in and out of the intestines with the inflows and outflows of water. An implant is a substance(s) that is retained in the rectum after an enema/colema/colonic. The medicine of India, Ayurveda, calls additives in enemas, ‘medicated enemas‘.
"Some 40 to 60% of all the immune cells in our body are in the gut. Dr Andrew Korotzer PhD in the article ‘The Gut Reaction To HIV cites scientific magazines which say that 14% of the HIV replication occurs in the blood while 86% occurs in the mucosal membranes of the intestine tract and in the lymph nodes. These findings have implications in designing future treatments for HIV by focusing anti-viral therapy in areas where the highest concentration of HIV is found, the intestinal tract and lymphatic system.
The magazine Perfect Health News (PHN) (# 18, Spring Issue 1999) in the article ‘Other Infections of the Intestinal Tract‘ reports that the large intestines (colon) is a nest for the growth and replication of many pathogens that contribute to immune dysfunctions and other symptoms. Published scientific research demonstrates that the gut can be heavily infected with HIV, parasites, candida albicans, tuberculosis, hepatitis viruses, CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) and mycobacterium avium complex (MAC/MAI). In view of the above, what treatments would target infections in the mucous membranes of the colon?
Marc Correa and Stanley Rebultan have a book on bitter melon enemas. In their view, medicinal or medicated enemas and colonics are therapeutic and bring positive results. The authors perform enemas with regularity and now are healthy and their HIV undetectable. Mark Konlle mentions in PHN anti-viral enemas made with garlic and apple cider vinegar, lemon balm (for HIV and herpes), chlorophyll (extremely good for hepatitis ), charcoal , bitter melon (for HIV), urine retention enema, ozone rectal insufflation, oxygen enemas and simple water enemas. We have a whole new field of experimentation for what is effective against HIV. I also suggest the following : - phyllanthus enemas - hypericum enemas - lactoferrin enemas - olive leaf extract or infusion enemas - hydrogen peroxide (well diluted ) enemas."
http://www.execpc.com/~keephope/keephope.html
Information on Mark Konlle, an HIV community leader and writer, who runs Keep Hope Alive. Perfect Health News (PHN) is a publication from Keep Hope Alive.
Contributed with permission by Jose Garcia, gingerjoe@cyberspace.com.br, March 27, 1999
Phyllanthus niruri (Quebra Pedra) is a rain forest botanical used to clear obstruction throughout the system by promoting the elimination of mucous. It strengthens and fortifies the liver and gall bladder function by stimulating the production of bile. (NHOHF)
Hypericum perforatum (St Johnswort) is a sedative and pain reducer useful for neuralgia, anxiety, depression, fibrositis, sciatica, rheumatic pain and irritability and tension due to menopausal changes. (NHOHF)
Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) is a nervine which eases digestive tract spasms and is useful in gaseous dyspepsia. It helps in tension, depression, migraine, anxiety-induced palpitations and insomnia. (NHOHF)

CANDIDA AND CHILDREN

It is very tough on the family when a child succumbs to candida. Parents share that their children eventually adapt to the new protocol and diet however it takes some strategies to make it work. Some make separate food for their spouse and other children. Others keep offending foods in paper bags in the refrigerator and get a lock for an offending cupboard so the child can‘t get in. Each parent develops the necessary sensitivity to help the child and maintain a balanced family life at the same time.
Thrush is a common form of candida in children. One woman has a three-month old baby with thrush on the gums. The thrush looks like little white spots or cottage cheese. She uses four drops of tea tree oil diluted in one teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil and rubs it into the spots on the gums. It helps restore the infant‘s gums to balance. She also either sterilizes or tosses the nipples on the bottles her child has been using.
Another possibility is to use four drops of clove oil in four ounces of water however the child may not like the taste of it. Lemon juice is also good as an antiseptic but babies are not overly fond of lemonade. A weak tea of the oregano leaf or clove bud may be put in a bottle so that each time the baby drinks it coats her mouth. The water needs to be sterilized until the thrush disappears.
Another excellent formula for thrush of the mouth is Propolis With Herbs by Twin Labs. It is a glycerine tincture containing golden seal, marshmallow, licorice, echinacea, myrrh, black walnut leaves, garlic and capsicum plus the propolis. It too can be diluted in bottle water.
One mother uses lavender, tea tree and clove oil in a diffuser to reduce bacteria and mold in the air. She also burns a myrrh and lavender combination incense when her children have viral infections (one part granulated myrrh and one part lavender).
Thrush is not the only manifestation of candida in children. Antibiotics and vaccines can set up an environment for other forms of infant candida and an expectant mother can pass it on to her baby. "When Barry‘s mother gave birth to him, she had a Candida infection. This meant Barry was born with an internal fungal infection. When he drank his mother‘s breast milk, the candidiasis became seated in his intestines and blood."