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Saturday, 5 November 2011
Candida-leaky gut
Epstein barr virus and chronic fatigue
I also believe that the Epstein Barr virus lays dormant in the system and resurfaces as fatigue, that includes Chicken pox and Shingles, I do not suffer from fatigue but havent had chicken pox, shingles, coldsores or Glandular fever, I was diagnosed with Herpes, but I dont think that I was tested for it and when I look up thrush they were the symptoms that I had. So I think I dont definitely know that maybe I am immune to it.
It would make sense.
It would make sense.
Friday, 4 November 2011
lyme disease chronic fatigue,fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Lyme Disease
by Bonnie Gorman RN
Dr Sam Donta presented a comprehensive, compassionate, cutting-edge lecture to Mass. CFIDS/FM Association members on November 3rd, 2002. His topic was "The Interface of Lyme Disease with CFS and FM: Diagnostic and Treatment Issues." Dr. Donta is a nationally recognized expert on Lyme disease. He is the Director of the Lyme Disease Unit at Boston Medical Center and a Professor of Medicine at BU Medical School. He is a bacteriologist and an infectious disease specialist, who views CFS and FM from that vantage point. He is also a consultant to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and presented at NIH's scientific meetings on CFS research.
What does Lyme disease have to do with CFS and FM you might be asking? Some people believe that Lyme disease may be one of the causative factors in both CFS and FM. Others believe that some CFS and FM patients are really misdiagnosed chronic Lyme disease patients and vice versa. Some believe that there is no such thing as chronic Lyme disease, instead these patients actually have CFS or FM. We asked Dr. Donta to help sort all this out.
Parallel Symptom Patterns
Dr. Donta presented the symptom lists for chronic Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), and Gulf War Illness (GWI). He pointed out the similarities between them, and found there were few differences. He has treated hundreds of patients with these illnesses. He found that CFS and GWI have identical symptoms, and FM is only distinguished by a positive tender point exam, that is often positive in CFS and GWI as well. Clinically it is almost impossible to distinguish or differentiate these illnesses.
He has concluded that chronic Lyme disease is remarkably similar to CFS, FM, and GWI. These multi-symptom disorders have similar symptom patterns consisting of fatigue and neurocognitive dysfunction, along with numerous other symptoms that probably relate to altered neurological function. Musculoskeletal symptoms may be more frequent in FM and in some patients with chronic Lyme than in CFS, but the definition of CFS and GWI also includes muscle aches (myalgias) and joint aches (arthralgias).
Lyme Disease Symptoms
Flu-like illness, fever, malaise, fatigue, headache, muscle aches (myalgia), and joint aches (arthralgia), intermittent swelling and pain of one or a few joints, "bull's-eye" rash, early neurologic manifestations include cognitive disorders, sleep disturbance, pain, paresthesias (including numbness, tingling, crawling and itching sensations), as well as cognitive difficulties and mood changes.
The only symptom difference in Lyme disease is the expanding circular rash with a clearing area and center resembling a "bull's eye." He pointed out that Lyme has multiple types of rashes and half of the rashes are not typical, they may not even include the "bull's eye" rash. They can appear from two day after the bite, then go on for a week or so. Patients who are infected may not develop or see the rash, and may not develop any future symptoms. In studies, only one third of the patients were actually aware of their tick bites.
30-50% of acute Lyme disease patients went on to develop chronic Lyme disease. Additionally, some previously asymptomatic patients may reactivate their infection following various stressors such as trauma, surgery, pregnancy, coexisting illness, antibiotics treatment, or severe psychological stress. The Lyme vaccine can also reactivate their infection. Similar triggers such as trauma, surgery etc. are known to precipitate CFS, FM and GWI as well. This is not a new phenomenon with infectious diseases. We know infectious diseases (i.e. TB) will reactivate after illnesses or surgery-- any stressor.
Dr. Donta reported on the effects of gender on host susceptibility in Lyme disease, CFS, FM and other multi-symptom diseases. In all these disorders, women appear to be more affected than men, usually at about 2:1 ratios. He noted that neural cells contain estrogen and progesterone receptors, and that herpes viruses can utilize estrogen receptors to gain access to the reservoir in the cell nucleus. Treatment of chronic Lyme disease also seems to be gender-dependent to some degree, with men generally having more speedy and complete recoveries compared to women. He concluded that gender relationships are known for a number of infectious diseases, so it would not be surprising that such a relationship exists for chronic Lyme disease, CFS, FM and other multi-symptom disorders.
Etiology
Lyme Disease: A distinct difference between Lyme disease, CFS and FM is that the origin of Lyme is clear. Lyme disease is caused by spirochetal bacteria transmitted by the bite of an infected deer tick. This bacteria is the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. It was identified in the late 1900s in Europe. The US was late to recognize what Europe had described. Lyme disease was not formally identified by the CDC until 1977 when arthritis was observed in a cluster of children in and around Lyme, CT. Since that time Lyme disease has been identified in many states. The CDC reports that it causes more than 16,000 infections per year in the US. Some researchers feel that the prevalence is higher than that.
CFS and FM: Dr. Donta feels that Lyme disease is an important cause of CFS and FM. In addition to Lyme, there are a number of other possible causes. The evidence is still circumstantial though. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the major cause of infectious mononucleosis, continues to be debated as a cause of CFS. It is uncertain whether EBV can cause symptoms other than fatigue, such as myalgias and arthralgias that are not seen during acute or reactivated EBV infection in patients who are being immunosuppressed, but it remains possible that EBV could cause one type of chronic fatigue disorder. There are also other herpes viruses i.e. HHV6 that are being evaluated as potential culprits.
Dr. Donta reported that recently recognized species of Mycoplasma (Mycoplasma fermentans, Mycoplasma genitalium) have been implicated in CFS, FM and GWI. These same bacteria have also been implicated as causative agents of rheumatoid arthritis, based on PCR-DNA evidence in patients with these disorders in which 50 percent are found to have the DNA of the Mycoplasma in circulating white blood cells, compared to 5-10 percent of a normal population. Whether the presence of this DNA represents past exposure or ongoing infection remains to be resolved. No long-term studies have yet been performed in patients with CFS and FM to determine whether the finding of Mycoplasma DNA persists over months or years or whether such patients have any evidence of other infection such as Lyme disease or infection with Chlamydia species.
Dr. Donta reported that recently recognized species of Mycoplasma (Mycoplasma fermentans, Mycoplasma genitalium) have been implicated in CFS, FM and GWI. These same bacteria have also been implicated as causative agents of rheumatoid arthritis, based on PCR-DNA evidence in patients with these disorders in which 50 percent are found to have the DNA of the Mycoplasma in circulating white blood cells, compared to 5-10 percent of a normal population. Whether the presence of this DNA represents past exposure or ongoing infection remains to be resolved. No long-term studies have yet been performed in patients with CFS and FM to determine whether the finding of Mycoplasma DNA persists over months or years or whether such patients have any evidence of other infection such as Lyme disease or infection with Chlamydia species.
Central Nervous System Involvement
Dr. Donta reported that in Lyme disease, the nervous system seems to be the primary target for the bacteria causing the disease. Patients with Lyme disease express many neurologic symptoms such as pain, paresthesias including numbness, tingling, crawling and itching sensations, as well as cognitive difficulties and mood changes. Even the joint pains and occasional arthritis appear to be neuropathic in origin, as anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have little if any effect on the pain. Experimental evidence from animal models also affirm the localization of B. burgdorferi DNA to the nervous system. Dr. Donta postulates that the disease mechanisms could involve inflammatory responses, autoimmune responses or toxin-associated disruption of neural function. Any inflammatory responses appear to be weak, and there is no compelling evidence that Lyme disease is a result of immunopathologic mechanisms.
Commenting on his research, Dr. Donta speculated that if they are correct, and lyme bacteria is a nerve toxin that interferes with the transmission of the nerve impulse, then that is all you need to impede the normal flow of information. There is a lot of cross-talk in the nervous system. This toxin will decrease that cross-talk causing delayed responses resulting in cognitive problems-- the brain fog so commonly described in all these multi-symptom disorders.
Although the disease pathways for other possible causes of CFS and FM have not been defined, Dr. Donta postulates that the central nervous system would appear to be a logical target for other pathogens or other disease processes. These illnesses clearly affect the brain and are bound to cause many neurological manifestations. Any changes in immunologic function would not appear to be sufficient to explain the various symptoms, and are likely to be secondary to other disease processes.
He feels we have been thinking too simplistically about finding whole organisms replicating in chronic diseases. It is highly likely that there is no single cause for these illnesses. It's more likely that there are multiple causes-- different organisms causing the same final set of symptoms. Researchers need a better algorithm to study these fatiguing illnesses. We need to be more inclusive, rather than trying to separate the illnesses. Sometimes in medicine, if an illness is too complex to study, research interest dwindles. We have the technology to do the research, but there hasn't been the will and the momentum to get it done.
Clinical Diagnosis
Dr. Donta reiterated that the diagnosis of Lyme disease is primarily based on clinical grounds, just as with CFS and FM. Once other disorders are ruled out, the combination of symptoms over months is sufficient to make a presumptive clinical diagnosis. The diagnosis of Lyme is made easier if a typical rash is present during the early phase of infection. After that, it is difficult to distinguish the flu-like illness that can occur a few weeks later, or can recur over a number of months.
Dr. Donta reported that some patients develop severe headaches and an aseptic (infection free) meningitis, which frequently is diagnosed instead as viral meningitis. If a Bell's palsy occurs (drooping of one side of the face), the possibility of Lyme disease is likely. If an unprovoked arthritis occurs, causing swelling of a single joint, especially the knee, but sometimes more than one joint, then the possibility of Lyme disease should also be given high consideration.
He emphasized that it is the chronic phase of the disease that causes most problems for physicians and patients, because of the lack of objective signs and the presence of so many symptoms that it causes some doctors to attribute psychological reasons for the patients' symptoms. Many patients then receive a diagnosis of CFS or FM, when they may have underlying chronic Lyme disease as the cause of their symptoms.
Diagnostic Tests
Diagnostic Tests
Tests for Lyme disease, like tests for other infectious diseases, are often confusing and circumstantial, and their analysis and interpretation has often been flawed. In infectious diseases you do a Western blot test to see if you have a specific reaction. Western blot separates out proteins antigens of an organism you are looking for. It tells you if a person has been exposed. It is not a direct measurement of the organism. It is a measurement of whether the person has antibodies to it. Antibody tests are useful in the early stages of illness as with other acute infectious illnesses. Once the illness is in a chronic phase, antibody tests are not useful.
Just as viruses change from year to year, we know the Lyme bacteria mutates. There are a number of organisms that can shift their surface protein in a matter of hours and that is how they evade detection and patients test negative. These organisms attach themselves to proteins and conceal themselves-- creating a cloaking mechanism that defies detection. This allows them to get where they want to go-- the nervous system. Once they are inside a cell, the immune system can't see them.
That said, Dr. Donta explained that lab tests have been helpful is some patients with Lyme disease, especially those with arthritis, in whom there are stronger antibody responses than in those with the chronic, multi-symptom form of Lyme. The criteria for the laboratory diagnosis has been patterned after the arthritic form of the disease, and not the chronic form; as a result, there are many physicians who are misinformed about the test's lack of value in chronic Lyme disease. The Lyme Western Blot is helpful when it shows reactions against specific proteins of B. burgdorferi, but can be negative in 25-30 percent of patients who otherwise have chronic Lyme disease.
PCR-DNA tests for Lyme in blood, urine and spinal fluid are rarely positive, most likely because the bacteria and their DNA are not present in those body fluids, but inside nerve cells. Additionally, PCR-DNA studies are very easy to contaminate.
In chronic Lyme disease, the MRI exam of the brain is positive in about 10-20 % of patients. It can show some white spots (unidentified bright objects- UBO) in various areas, similar to those seen in multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurologic disease of unknown cause that has some overlapping symptoms with Lyme disease, CFS and FM, such as the numbness and tingling or paresthesias. (There are also positive MRI findings in CFS and FM patients as well.)
Dr. Donta reported that the brain SPECT scan shows some changes in blood flow to various parts of the brain, primarily the temporal (cognitive processing) and frontal (mood) lobes in about 75 percent of patients with chronic Lyme disease. Patients with CFS have also been reported to have some brain SPECT scan changes, frequently involving the occipital lobe. No comparative studies have been made among patients with chronic Lyme disease, CFS and FM. The mechanisms underlying these changes remain to be defined, but may be due to a mild vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) or to a signaling problem within the nerve network of the brain in those specific areas. It is promising that these changes are reversible in most patients treated with antibiotics that appear to be effective in treating the chronic Lyme disease. These MRI changes are often slow and may take a year to reverse themselves.
These are covert organisms we are dealing with. We need more direct detection methods for blood, spinal fluid and other body fluids. How do you detect organisms in spinal nerve roots or brain? Right now we can't. Nobody is going to biopsy patients. We need an illness registry so we can do direct detection studies, particularly of the brain, after death.
Treatment: Persistence Pays Off
Dr. Donta reported that there are lots of drugs that are active against the Lyme bacteria in the test tube, but the big question is whether the drug can get to the bacteria? Lyme bacteria lives in the cells of the nervous system, perhaps other cells. Dr. Donta has experimented with various intracellular-type antibiotics. He reviewed his journey through various antibiotics. After listening to his patients he decided that some antibiotics were better than others. He then looked at clarithromycin (Biaxin) and azithromycin (Zithromax) which he found had powerful activity against Lyme bacteria in a test tube.
But the antibiotics, by themselves, did not seem to do any good. He found that you need to change the cellular pH (the degree of acidity or alkalinity), making it more or less acidic, to maximize the effectiveness of the antibiotic. This allows the antibiotic to work better i.e. doxycycline seemed to work better when the pH was higher. Dr. Donta has experimented with various agents to adjust pH i.e. amantadine (used to treat flu) and plaquenil (used to treat malaria). He just submitted proposals to NIH to study various agents to determine which is most effective.
Dr. Donta emphasized that the most important aspect of treatment is that it must be long-term-- 12-18 months, sometimes 24-36 months. This length is not unusual in the treatment of infectious diseases i.e. TB. In the first few months of treatment patients can expect an adverse reaction, symptoms will increase and you'll feel worse. You need to be able to hang in through this period, and allow 3-6 months of a treatment trial to determine if it is working. The earlier in the disease process that you start on treatment, the more successful it is. The more chronic the condition the less successful it is, and you'll need to treat over a longer period of time. This treatment resulted in substantial improvement and cures in 80-90% of patients with chronic Lyme disease. There are 10-20% who do not respond-- generally those with a strongly positive Lyme test.
Dr. Donta reported that similar results have been found in some patients with CFS and FM of unknown cause, supporting the hypothesis that some patients with CFS and FM have an underlying infection responsive to those antibiotics. Antibiotic trials in CFS and FM have been limited to one month, a duration that is inadequate to properly evaluate the potential of certain antibiotics to have a positive effect on the disease. Additional studies, examining both potential etiologic agents of CFS and FM as well as treatment trials should lead to a better understanding of both the cause and treatment of patients with CFS and FM.
hughes syndrome and chronic fatigue
Hughes Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Hughes Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ] [ Experiences 1 ] [ History ]
Hughes Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
© MMII, Ken Lassesen, M.S.
In 1999, I had sudden onset CFS while I was employed by Microsoft. Microsoft offers self-insured medical insurance that is extremely liberal -- for all practical purposes there was no deductible or restrictions on any tests that my MD wish to try – of course, living in the US meant a wealth of private facilities and laboratories. As a result of this blessing, not only did I go into full remission from CFS but my wife and two daughters had an accurate diagnosis of their odd symptoms and rational treatment started.
Our class of CFS appears to be a variant of Hughes Syndrome (formerly called Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS)). The first paper on this variant was published in 1999 by David Berg and others[i]. Add to this blessing, our existing family practice MD believed that CFS was very real and that she had no treatment for it – but she was willing to listen, learn and cooperate if I could present hard, peer-review research. I was her first CFS patient that she had seen 2 weeks before onset and 2 weeks after onset – very dramatically illustrating the changes. I was also her first patient to become symptom free.
Hughes Syndrome
Hughes syndrome is caused by antibodies that result in deficiency of certain enzymes, such as annexin V. These enzymes normally form a shield around certain phospholipid molecules that blocks their entry into coagulation (clotting) reactions. In the Hughes syndrome, the formation of this shield is disrupted by these abnormal antibodies. Without the shield, there is an increased quantity of phospholipid molecules on cell membranes, speeding up coagulation reactions and causing the abnormal blood clotting characteristic of the Hughes syndrome.
In terms of CFS, this “sticky” blood means that oxygen delivery to the brain and to the body is reduced. Many of the cognitive characteristics of hypoxia or acute altitude sickness are also seen with CFS – for example, insomnia. “Sticky” blood also mean reduced nutrients to the body and impeded removal of toxins – for example, higher level of carbon monoxide and increase in lactic acid concentration.
What causes these antibodies? Many different type of infections have been implicated – including viral (EBV), mycoplasma, chlamydia, rickettsia and even helicobacter pylori[ii]. It is interesting to note that many of these infections prosper in a low oxygen environment, so the disruption of coagulation has probably been beneficial to these infections’ desire for low oxygen.
Family Experience
Eventually my entire family had the “Immune System Activation of Coagulation” panel (ISAC) done at Hemex laboratories, which was followed by Hereditary Thrombosis Risk Panel when the first tests returned positive results . Our physician also sent blood to a local laboratory and received equivalent readings – but the local laboratory did not provide the services of a hematologist that Hemex offered. Although each of us presented differently – one with acute temperature sensitivity, another with salicylate sensitivity (a teenager was honestly allergic to green vegetables!), another with slow onset over 18 years and myself with acute onset – we all appear to have the same root cause, and all of us had inherited coagulation defects. Coagulation defects usually mean that we produce less than the normal amount of enzymes to break down coagulation when it forms.
candida - cronic fatigue/fibromyalgia
Candida Related Diseases
On this page we hope to create for you a clear picture of how the following diseases have a relationship to an overgrowth of fungus in the body. The solution we offer, because it eliminates the fungal overgrowth associated with these diseases, may greatly improve the following conditions.- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Chronic Sinusitis
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia
- Thrush
- Eczema, or Atopic Dermatitis
- Autism
- Leaky Gut Syndrome/Crohn's/Ulcerative Colitis
- Interstitial Cystitis (IC)
- Celiac
- Thoughts on these Candida related Diseases
- Other sites about Candida Yeast Infections
- Links to Related Health Topics
- email us
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
"IBS is a functional bowel disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and discomfort accompanied by alterations in bowel function, diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, typically over months or years. A diagnosis of IBS has been reported by 10 to 20% of adults in the United States, and symptoms of IBS are responsible for over 3 million yearly visits to physicians. Research suggests that IBS is one of the most common functional GI disorders. IBS exhibits a predominance in women, with females representing over 70% of IBS sufferers." - from http://www.ibsgroup.org
IBS and Candida
As we say above, there are many reasons for IBS. Candida is one condition that can create or worsen this imbalance. Candida takes advantage of weakness or imbalances in the system. For instance, the overuse of antibiotics where the beneficial flora are killed in the gut, allowing fungus to overrun in our digestive tracts. This fungal yeast then ferments (That's what yeast does - give it sugar and it ferments!) and causes gas. It "irritates" the intestinal and stomach linings causing pain. This condition is very hard to control. There is only one product we've found that has the ability to remove bowel irritability and pain without having to stay away from specific foods also. It's called Threelac from Global Health Trax.How to know if Candida is part or all of your IBS problem?
Information on Threelac and how eliminating systemic Candida can help you now.Our page comparing all Candida Yeast cleanses through History.
Look below for more info below regarding Leaky Gut Syndrome and Crohn's disease.
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Sinus Infections
My wife and I had chronic sinusitis. Hers was very bad and got to the point where she would need to take powerful antibiotics which helped only for a short time. We later learned that the antibiotics didn't do the job because her sinus infections were of a fungal nature.Many of you may find it hard to believe this but there is ample proof that most sinus infections are so hard to control because the sinus cavities are not infected with bacteria but filled with fungal yeast!
The following report from the Mayo Clinic concluded that most people with sinus infections are actually dealing with fungal sinusitis! It also shows that the antibiotics given for many sinus infections (to kill bacteria) are not going to work for long. In fact, by killing off the body's beneficial floral bacteria in the gut-they contribute to the fungal yeast overgrowth throughout the body -including the sinuses! They just make your condition worse in the long run!
We reprint the article here for you.
Fungus causes most chronic sinusitis, researchers say
Interesting that the doctors take the tack of expecting to find a way to control the fungus through drugs. They aren't trained to eradicate it at the source, which would be a natural way to go about it. But what is the source of this fungus? Why do you have it in the first place?The Mayo Clinic Breakthrough(CNN) -- "Fungus may be the cause of almost all cases of the most frequently reported chronic disease in the United States, sinusitis, instead of only a few as previously thought. And that may be the reason millions of sinus sufferers do not find relief from antibiotics and nasal sprays, according to Mayo Clinic researchers.
"We were able to find fungus which was never thought to be there in almost every case of chronic sinusitis," said Mayo Clinic's Dr. Jens Poinkau.
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the membranes of the nose and sinuses. Nearly 37 million Americans suffer from it. Sinusitis commonly causes chronic headaches, runny nose, nasal congestion and a diminished sense of smell and taste.
Fungus and mold spores are present in the air and are breathed in all the time. The Mayo Clinic research team looked at 210 patients with sinusitis and discovered more than 40 different kinds of fungi in their nasal passages.
"The amazing thing is that also the inflammation which leads to chronic sinusitis was there in a reaction to the fungus," said Poinkau. Jordan Josephson, an ear, nose and throat specialist in New York, said he was not surprised by the findings.
It was previously known that fungus caused some cases of sinusitis, he said. "The problem is that until recently, when technology improved in our laboratory, we weren't able to culture out the fungus. So now we get better fungal cultures, and we're now getting fungus on more and more of our patients," Josephson said. Now that the fungus problem has been identified, researchers hope to develop better treatments to fight it and to control the body's sensitivity to it.
"The problem is that patients are sensitive to the fungus. And until we find something to change the DNA of that person, or the genetics of that person, change their sensitivity to the fungus, they are always going to be sensitive to that fungus," said Josephson. While research into chronic sinusitis continues, pharmaceutical companies are setting up clinical trials to test medications to control the fungus. They estimate it will be two years before any treatments are available."
For many reasons including the use of antibiotics and our culture's love of sugary foods and soft drinks, yeast has overgrown and gone wild in our bodies. Our home page discusses all this at length. more
Many people live with this Candida yeast overgrowth and don't know it, never heard of it, have no idea what it is.
But if you have chronic sinus blockage, drainage or pain and have taken antibiotics in your lifetime you most likely are dealing with a fungal overgrowth in your digestive tract which easily spreads throughout the body.
What to do about it?
Our first choice when something is wrong with us is to try and find a natural alternative to truly heal the problem rather than just temporarily stopping symptoms with a chemical drug laden with all its side effects.Excellent Treatments for Chronic Sinusitis are Here Now!
And they're not more antibiotics or pharmaceutical drugs! They're Natural and Safe!NOTE: If your problems ARE fungal, no amount of antibiotics, nasal pots or inhalers are going to get rid of this problem for you. You MUST attack the yeast at it's source in the gut or it will continue to grow and get worse.
There is no better way to treat your fungal sinusitis than with the Candida treatment programs from Global Health Trax (GHT) featuring their world famous yeast killing product Threelac. These formulas go right after the fungal yeast factory in your gut and kill the procreating yeasts -killing them at the source For Good!
Do you wonder if Candida is Your Problem? It's easy to find out...Take our Free Candida Tests
Maybe you have other Candida symptoms too and never thought of them as being Candida.
Yes, Men get Candida too!
Already know you have it? Determine Your Best Candida TreatmentSee our home page for more on systemic Candida overgrowth
buy Threelac Now!
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Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
We often have questions from customers who are experiencing Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or other autoimmune diseases. They ask if our products can help with their symptoms. While none of our products are specifically designed to alleviate any of these conditions, many people who try GHT products for Candida relief report improvements for these FM and CFS symptoms. Why?We view ill health as an imbalance: the closer we can come to balance, by providing our bodies with what they need, the more “well” we will feel. By killing fungal yeast with Threelac and balancing intestinal flora with Flora Five, we give the body a new beginning and a chance to heal itself. We can also help balance the pH with Coral Complete calcium, and offer the body nourishment in the form of easily absorbed vitamins and minerals. Using Oxygen Elements Plus oxygenates the blood, allowing the body to repair itself on a cellular level and adding increased energy.
Dr. David Katz, MD, a professor at Yale University, reports in the November 2006 issue of “O” Magazine that dietary treatments for fibromyalgia are showing some promise. These are based on increasing blood flow in the body, because impaired blood flow can cause muscle pain.
These treatments include eliminating saturated and trans fats (which tend to impair blood flow) and focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Not new news. This is the diet normally recommended for candida management, as well as a prevention for heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Of course, one of the easiest ways to increase blood flow is regular exercise: walking, running, swimming, bicycling – but it’s kind of hard to do that when you are tired and achy. We offer GHT products to help you get to the point where you feel better enough to do the things that make you feel good!
On the website of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases link they say this about CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
They also say things like: "there is no specific laboratory test or clinical sign for CFS" and..."HOW DOES CFS BEGIN?
For many people, CFS can begin after a bout with a minor illness such as a cold, or an intestinal bug. Often, people say that their illnesses started during a period of high stress. In others, CFS develops more gradually, with no clear illness or other event starting it.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Unlike influenza symptoms, which usually go away in a few days or weeks, CFS symptoms either hang on or come and go frequently for more than 6 months. Symptoms can include:
* Headache
* Tender lymph nodes
* Fatigue and weakness
* Muscle and joint aches
* Inability to concentrate
"When other diseases are ruled out and if your illness meets other criteria as well, your health care provider can diagnose you with CFS."
and on the FIBROMYALGIA NETWORK NEWS homepage link They say: "Below is a description of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), but because of its substantial symptom overlap with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), it can be viewed as applying to chronic fatigue syndrome patients as well." and
"The cause of FMS remains elusive..."
Does any of this sound familiar to you? If you look at our list of Candida symptoms you will see an eerie resemblance to the symptoms of these syndromes. If you read the testimonial letters we have on our website you will see that so often people's Candida troubles started just after a prolonged illness. This is exactly what happened to Jim after suffering diverticulitis for over 6 months. When the immune system is weakened (often with extended antibiotic use) the fungus starts to take over. Once this happens it is extremely hard to get it back into balance.
What is most interesting to us is the fact that the Candida Program from Global Health Trax will eliminate the above symptoms within weeks or a few months. By treating the Candida, these symptoms go away!
In his book, "Complete Candida Yeast Guidebook (revised second edition)," Zoltan P. Rona, M.D. writes:"Autoimmune diseases [including conditions like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia] often respond to antifungal treatments. Evidence exists that fungi, through their production of mycotoxins, initiate many autoimmune diseases by triggering inflammation in the intestinal tract, which in turn leads to the development of the 'leaky gut syndrome'. Diseases of 'unknown etiology' often have a fungal connection, with treatment of the fungal infection bringing about an improvement or elimination of that disease."
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! I have been on Three Lac for about a month and a half now and feel like a new woman!!! God Bless you. As I am writing this letter I am on the verge of tears, I am so grateful. I am 54 years old and I was feeling like I was 84. I had many problems, including brain fog, Joint pain, bloating, constipation, skin problems, memory lapses, dizziness, swollen feet and hands, tiredness.... the list goes on. Since using your products almost all symptoms have disappeared... -Kathy E
"There is a fungal connection to CFS and fibromyalgia. While it cannot be said that fungi cause these diseases, numerous reports state that the use of antifungal remedies clears or improves many cases."
The doctors have, for the most part, chosen to ignore the presence of systemic Candida. They seem to want to call your symptoms anything but Candida. Yet they will diagnose "diseases" like CFS and Fibromyalgia, though they have no test or specific sign.
What's important to us as people and to all the natural healers is to balance the body and heal the cause(s) so the symptoms go away for good.
For more information on how eliminating systemic Candidiasis can help fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue now -click here for the Candida home page
Our page comparing all Candida Yeast cleanses through History.
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Thrush
From MayoClinic.com
"Oral thrush is a condition in which the fungus Candida albicans grows out of control. Like most healthy people, you probably have small amounts of the fungus in your mouth and digestive tract and on your skin. You can't see the fungus and normally won't know it's there — it usually doesn't cause problems because normal bacteria (flora) in your body keep its growth in check. But when this balance is disturbed — by medications or illness — Candida can grow out of control, leading to problems such as diaper rash and vaginal yeast infections as well as oral thrush.
Oral thrush causes creamy white lesions, usually on your tongue or inner cheeks. The lesions can be painful and may bleed slightly when you scrape them or brush your teeth. Sometimes oral thrush may spread to the roof of your mouth, your gums, tonsils or the back of your throat.
Although oral thrush can affect anyone, it occurs most often in babies and toddlers, older adults, and people whose immune systems have been compromised by illness or medications. Oral thrush is a minor problem for healthy children and adults, but for those with weakened immune systems, symptoms of oral thrush may be more severe, widespread and difficult to control."
"Hello, I just wanted to tell you how encouraged I am! I have been taking the products for three weeks, and have seen some significant changes---. I surprised myself this morning while brushing my teeth--my tongue is all pink and healthy looking again, instead of white and patchy."
Causes
When the defense mechanisms are down from either physical or mental exhaustion the overgrowth of Candida yeast is more likely. It is common in women either pregnant or on oral contraceptives. Antibiotics will deplete the naturally occurring bacteria in the gut and disturb the natural balance of the body. This will cause the overgrowth of fungal yeast which leads to thrush. Thrush is otherwise known as Candidiasis, Moniliasis, or yeast infection."Oral thrush
"Oral thrush is characterized by ulcers or lesions in the mouth caused by the yeast fungus Candida albicans. The lesions are painful, slightly raised, whitish in appearance, and cause a dry mouth."Treatment for Oral Thrush
The best treatment we've found for oral thrush is not a topical treatment but a systemic one. We've always believed in going after the root cause.There is no better way to treat Thrush than with the Candida treatment programs from Global Health Trax (GHT) with their world renowned product Threelac. You will be happy to learn that GHT's program seems to work more quickly on oral Thrush than on some of the other forms of Candida. Children and infants heal most quickly! See our main page for the larger question about systemic Candida overgrowth or Candidiasis
lupus and fatigue
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What is fatigue?
Everyone knows what fatigue is but how can it be described? Fatigue is a feeling of both physical and mental weariness. Most people feel tired after a long day at work but recover after a night's rest. People with lupus and other forms of inflammatory arthritis can experience fatigue day after day irrespective of what they have been doing. Like pain, fatigue is invisible. Fatigue is one of the commonest symptoms in lupus occurring in over 80% of people. Fatigue is associated with exhaustion and lack of energy. It drains people, disrupts their life and makes everyday tasks seem mountainous. Fatigue can seriously impair quality of life.
What causes fatigue?
There a number of factors all of which can contribute: this is referred to as multifactorial. The disease process itself- inflammation of joints, skin and other tissues - is a good candidate. However, although some surveys have found a relationship between fatigue and disease activity, more recent surveys have not supported this as a major factor. Therefore it remains controversial whether doctors should increase levels of disease-controlling drugs, such as steroids, in an effort to control the symptom.
A number of other factors undoubtedly play their part. Pain, unremitting pain, wears you down and makes you tired. Pain also wakes you up at night causing poor quality disturbed sleep. Certain drugs used in arthritis may also make fatigue worse. Pain killers may cause drowsiness and interfere with concentration. Anti-inflammatory drugs may also interfere with concentration and cause a feeling of lightness in the head.
Lupus may cause anaemia, either directly as a result of disease activity but in many other ways. These include the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs on the gut, lupus affecting the kidneys, and haemolysis where the red blood cells are prematurely destroyed as a result of the lupus antibodies. An underactive thyroid gland, which is slightly more common in people with lupus, may also contribute to anaemia and may cause fatigue in its own right.
Loss of muscle bulk and muscle tone, both seen in lupus as a result of disease activity and lack of exercise, will also contribute. Muscle wasting is important since more effort will be required to perform certain activities. What seemed easy before the onset of lupus now seems difficult - this is called 'reduced functional ability'.
Any chronic illness will cause distress and uncertainty about the future. This can, and frequently does, lead to depression. Sleep disturbance due to pain and anxiety will contribute. Depression is not only associated with a low mood but also with various physical symptoms, one of which is fatigue. It is also worth noting that there is a higher than average prevalence of fibromyalgia in people who have lupus. Fibromyalgia is a condition associated with widespread pain and fatigue so that people who have both lupus and fibromyalgia are faced with a 'double whammy'.
In summary, the symptom of fatigue in lupus may, as described above, be due to a combination of factors. It may be due to activity of the lupus itself, to pain, to lack of sleep, to depression and it may also be associated with fibromyalgia. As you would expect, treatment of the symptom also follows several approaches and more than one may have to be tried before success can be achieved.
How is fatigue measured?
There is no objective test allowing us to directly compare one person's fatigue with another. There are a number of questionnaires which give people the chance to express the severity of their symptoms in a variety of ways. One of these measures fatigue in terms of severity, timing, distress, and interference with daily activities. It is useful to gauge the extent of fatigue in a particular person, and provides a yardstick with which to measure the effect of treatment.
What treatments are available?
As you would expect, control of disease activity will result in improvement of pain, stiffness and may be helpful in controlling fatigue even if this is a 'spin off' as a result of improved sleep pattern. The hierarchy of drug treatment includes pain killers, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and disease-controlling drugs. Pain killers, such as paracetamol, and NSAIDs will undoubtedly help control the pain and stiffness. Disease-controlling drugs (such as steroids, hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine and methotrexate) have a more profound effect on the disease process and have the potential to reduce many of the chemicals released by inflammation. Specific drugs, targeted against the individual chemicals, are now available. These drugs are called 'biologicals' because they are specific antibodies designed and manufactured to counteract the effects of the inflammatory chemicals. The main 'biological' in current use is a drug which antagonises the chemical 'tumour necrosis factor' (TNF) and is therefore called an 'anti-TNF' drug. Studies in rheumatoid arthritis have shown dramatic reductions in symptoms of pain, stiffness and fatigue but the role of these drugs in lupus has not yet been established. However, it is likely that anti-TNF and other biological drugs will have a role to play in the treatment of lupus in the future.
As depression is an important factor in the development of fatigue in lupus it is sometimes helpful to take an anti-depressant drug for a period of time. If sleep disturbance is prominent it may be best to use one of the more traditional anti-depressant drugs, such as dothiepin or amitriptyline. However, if there is no problem with sleep, and indeed, if there is evidence that the depression is causing the person to slow up generally then treatment with one of the newer anti-depressants may be appropriate - among these I would include fluoxetine and paroxetine but there are many others. Depression may also be associated with feelings of frustration, anger and irritability. These feelings can be very disabling but are often helped by discussing them with someone else. If the thoughts are 'bottled up' it may lead to a feeling of helplessness which can lead to reduced activity and social isolation. Talk to someone in the multidisciplinary team who may be able to help or arrange appropriate counselling for you.
Other (non-drug) treatments for fatigue are available and should be used in addition to and as a complement to drug treatment. Getting enough rest and pacing activities may help people regain some control over their disease. Getting the right balance of rest and exercise is very important. Activities should, wherever possible, be planned and organised. Try to prevent peaks and troughs in your activity level. Try not to push yourself too far and all at once. It may help at first to keep a diary of your weekly activities to look for any of these patterns of peaks and troughs. Try to prioritise your jobs and do the most important ones first.
Recommending exercise to someone who is totally exhausted may seem odd but it is important to remember that we are not talking about running a marathon or digging over your entire allotment at one go. The exercise should be graded and controlled. It is best to build up exercise tolerance and stamina slowly. If necessary seek the help and advice of a physiotherapist. Try and do a range of movement exercise daily. Swimming is often a good exercise because the water can support parts of your body as you go through the exercises. Increasing your strength and stamina can help significantly in decreasing fatigue levels.
Do any complementary therapies help?
Many people consult their local health food shop and some report benefit with preparations containing ginko. However, much of this is unproven therapy and, although people are desperate to help themselves, it is more sensible to follow orthodox treatments as far as possible. Much can be done to help this symptom and it can be approached in many different ways as described above.
Conclusion
Fatigue in lupus is a symptom with many causes. Treatment is available from a wide variety of sources which can be provided by members of the rheumatology multidisciplinary team consisting of nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, getting a good night's sleep, pacing and taking judicious exercise can all help to control the symptom. Try to keep a positive outlook on your condition. Arthritis Care have for some time been offering a series of courses entitled 'Challenging Arthritis' the aim of which is to help the individual cope with and take control of their disease. They encourage you to manage your disease in a positive constructive way in conjunction with the treatments offered by members of the health professional team. Ask other people who may have been on one of these courses - it may be the first step you take in controlling your fatigue.
Fatigue in Lupus
Dr Philip Helliwell, Senior Lecturer in Rheumatology, University of LeedsWhat is fatigue?
Everyone knows what fatigue is but how can it be described? Fatigue is a feeling of both physical and mental weariness. Most people feel tired after a long day at work but recover after a night's rest. People with lupus and other forms of inflammatory arthritis can experience fatigue day after day irrespective of what they have been doing. Like pain, fatigue is invisible. Fatigue is one of the commonest symptoms in lupus occurring in over 80% of people. Fatigue is associated with exhaustion and lack of energy. It drains people, disrupts their life and makes everyday tasks seem mountainous. Fatigue can seriously impair quality of life.
What causes fatigue?
There a number of factors all of which can contribute: this is referred to as multifactorial. The disease process itself- inflammation of joints, skin and other tissues - is a good candidate. However, although some surveys have found a relationship between fatigue and disease activity, more recent surveys have not supported this as a major factor. Therefore it remains controversial whether doctors should increase levels of disease-controlling drugs, such as steroids, in an effort to control the symptom.
A number of other factors undoubtedly play their part. Pain, unremitting pain, wears you down and makes you tired. Pain also wakes you up at night causing poor quality disturbed sleep. Certain drugs used in arthritis may also make fatigue worse. Pain killers may cause drowsiness and interfere with concentration. Anti-inflammatory drugs may also interfere with concentration and cause a feeling of lightness in the head.
Lupus may cause anaemia, either directly as a result of disease activity but in many other ways. These include the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs on the gut, lupus affecting the kidneys, and haemolysis where the red blood cells are prematurely destroyed as a result of the lupus antibodies. An underactive thyroid gland, which is slightly more common in people with lupus, may also contribute to anaemia and may cause fatigue in its own right.
Loss of muscle bulk and muscle tone, both seen in lupus as a result of disease activity and lack of exercise, will also contribute. Muscle wasting is important since more effort will be required to perform certain activities. What seemed easy before the onset of lupus now seems difficult - this is called 'reduced functional ability'.
Any chronic illness will cause distress and uncertainty about the future. This can, and frequently does, lead to depression. Sleep disturbance due to pain and anxiety will contribute. Depression is not only associated with a low mood but also with various physical symptoms, one of which is fatigue. It is also worth noting that there is a higher than average prevalence of fibromyalgia in people who have lupus. Fibromyalgia is a condition associated with widespread pain and fatigue so that people who have both lupus and fibromyalgia are faced with a 'double whammy'.
In summary, the symptom of fatigue in lupus may, as described above, be due to a combination of factors. It may be due to activity of the lupus itself, to pain, to lack of sleep, to depression and it may also be associated with fibromyalgia. As you would expect, treatment of the symptom also follows several approaches and more than one may have to be tried before success can be achieved.
How is fatigue measured?
There is no objective test allowing us to directly compare one person's fatigue with another. There are a number of questionnaires which give people the chance to express the severity of their symptoms in a variety of ways. One of these measures fatigue in terms of severity, timing, distress, and interference with daily activities. It is useful to gauge the extent of fatigue in a particular person, and provides a yardstick with which to measure the effect of treatment.
What treatments are available?
As you would expect, control of disease activity will result in improvement of pain, stiffness and may be helpful in controlling fatigue even if this is a 'spin off' as a result of improved sleep pattern. The hierarchy of drug treatment includes pain killers, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and disease-controlling drugs. Pain killers, such as paracetamol, and NSAIDs will undoubtedly help control the pain and stiffness. Disease-controlling drugs (such as steroids, hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine and methotrexate) have a more profound effect on the disease process and have the potential to reduce many of the chemicals released by inflammation. Specific drugs, targeted against the individual chemicals, are now available. These drugs are called 'biologicals' because they are specific antibodies designed and manufactured to counteract the effects of the inflammatory chemicals. The main 'biological' in current use is a drug which antagonises the chemical 'tumour necrosis factor' (TNF) and is therefore called an 'anti-TNF' drug. Studies in rheumatoid arthritis have shown dramatic reductions in symptoms of pain, stiffness and fatigue but the role of these drugs in lupus has not yet been established. However, it is likely that anti-TNF and other biological drugs will have a role to play in the treatment of lupus in the future.
As depression is an important factor in the development of fatigue in lupus it is sometimes helpful to take an anti-depressant drug for a period of time. If sleep disturbance is prominent it may be best to use one of the more traditional anti-depressant drugs, such as dothiepin or amitriptyline. However, if there is no problem with sleep, and indeed, if there is evidence that the depression is causing the person to slow up generally then treatment with one of the newer anti-depressants may be appropriate - among these I would include fluoxetine and paroxetine but there are many others. Depression may also be associated with feelings of frustration, anger and irritability. These feelings can be very disabling but are often helped by discussing them with someone else. If the thoughts are 'bottled up' it may lead to a feeling of helplessness which can lead to reduced activity and social isolation. Talk to someone in the multidisciplinary team who may be able to help or arrange appropriate counselling for you.
Other (non-drug) treatments for fatigue are available and should be used in addition to and as a complement to drug treatment. Getting enough rest and pacing activities may help people regain some control over their disease. Getting the right balance of rest and exercise is very important. Activities should, wherever possible, be planned and organised. Try to prevent peaks and troughs in your activity level. Try not to push yourself too far and all at once. It may help at first to keep a diary of your weekly activities to look for any of these patterns of peaks and troughs. Try to prioritise your jobs and do the most important ones first.
Recommending exercise to someone who is totally exhausted may seem odd but it is important to remember that we are not talking about running a marathon or digging over your entire allotment at one go. The exercise should be graded and controlled. It is best to build up exercise tolerance and stamina slowly. If necessary seek the help and advice of a physiotherapist. Try and do a range of movement exercise daily. Swimming is often a good exercise because the water can support parts of your body as you go through the exercises. Increasing your strength and stamina can help significantly in decreasing fatigue levels.
Do any complementary therapies help?
Many people consult their local health food shop and some report benefit with preparations containing ginko. However, much of this is unproven therapy and, although people are desperate to help themselves, it is more sensible to follow orthodox treatments as far as possible. Much can be done to help this symptom and it can be approached in many different ways as described above.
Conclusion
Fatigue in lupus is a symptom with many causes. Treatment is available from a wide variety of sources which can be provided by members of the rheumatology multidisciplinary team consisting of nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, getting a good night's sleep, pacing and taking judicious exercise can all help to control the symptom. Try to keep a positive outlook on your condition. Arthritis Care have for some time been offering a series of courses entitled 'Challenging Arthritis' the aim of which is to help the individual cope with and take control of their disease. They encourage you to manage your disease in a positive constructive way in conjunction with the treatments offered by members of the health professional team. Ask other people who may have been on one of these courses - it may be the first step you take in controlling your fatigue.
my subbject today is fatigue
the next few posts will be conditions including a misaligned atlas which an cause fibromyalgia google dr windman and atlas
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