Guest guest Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 Amen. Does this mean that you were able to recover your kid/s without pharm yeast interventions like Diflucan - or were these strategies on board along side and after clearing it out initially with a pharm.....we have BIG yeast issues, like M's boy - such that we think/hope we might see tremendous gains as she did if we could get it under control....please advise. Di SCD Yeast control > > Written a long time ago... to another parent. Disregard anything that seems to specifically refer to a particular kid's issues. I never did go through it completely to make it generic. > > As with everything I write, this is my opinion only.... and is a collection of the things that I have found to work well for others, based on what I learned from Elaine and from other moms here. -Patti > ---- Original Message ----- ------------ --------- --------- ------- -- --------- --------- - > > YEAST- > > Yeast overgrowth is not uncommon in the beginning stages of SCD for the kids, although it's more likely to be an issue under certain conditions. One thing that may have contribute is if you didn't start using any probiotics in the very beginning. It's usually advised to begin supplemental acidophilus on about day 5 of the diet. This is especially critical if you're not using dairy at all, therefore not using the SCD yogurt. (More about yogurt later.) > > Although in theory, SCD should create a gut environment that is not supportive of yeast overgrowth, we know that yeast can be very opportunistic. Elaine told us that what happens for some people is that bacterial colonies are the first to die off, and then yeast can move in to that empty space and take over, happily surviving on legal fruit and honey (for those that use it). This is ESPECIALLY likely to happen if the individual is not using the yogurt.... and/or not taking supplemental probiotics. > > Getting the good, friendly flora down there is just absolutely crucial to keeping yeast in check. It keeps yeast from overgrowing in the vacated space, until a variety of good bacteria and yeast can establish itself and a new gut ecosystem becomes balanced and stable. Candida yeast are actually supposed to be present in the gut... we all have some; you cannot and should not completely get rid of it.... but it's not supposed to dominate the enviroment. > > Starting probiotics later is certainly better than never... but it can be a bit of a battle, and it's likely that supplemental acidophilus will not be able to battle yeast down all by itself. This is why we talked about trying to temporarily remove or greatly reduce some of the legal foods yeast can thrive on. > > Getting off the fruit juices- This is usually my first suggestion if yeast is an obvious and definite problem, because if we can get a child to accept an alternative drink, it's fairly easy to pull juice. > > SCD lemonade, sweetened with saccharin, is a good alternative. Again, this is just made by squeezing a wedge of lemon into his cup of water (I use a 10 oz. cup of water... and I squeeze the lemon through a small strainer so I don't have to go hunting for seeds and bits of pulp). Sweeten with a tablet of saccharin (I recommend Necta Sweet tablets, which you can find at www.walgreens. com ). Saccharin is actually quite safe, despite the bad press it got in the '70's, but you *could* use stevia if you'd prefer. Elaine was not a big fan of stevia, although she did okay it in small amounts for those who can't use honey or won't use saccharin. You can use fresh lime in place of the lemon, if you want to. > > Fresh lemon juice helps alkalinize the system, which would be great for him right now. Yeast (and bad bacteria) tend to thrive in a more acid environment. Adding just a tidge of regular baking soda helps with that, too.... just a light dusting- less than 1/16th of a teaspoon. I add just the tiniest pinch to my daughter's lemonade every time I make it up. You could figure out how to multiply the proportions of the ingredients if you'd rather make up a whole pitcher, instead of making it by the serving like I do. > > Fruits- It seems sad to have to pull back legal foods, especially when kids like them and readily eat them, but sometimes it's necessary to reduce or temporarily eliminate some of the fruits if yeast is a problem. Once we get things a little more balanced and under control, you should be able to add more fruit back.... and just see how it goes. > > Since bananas especially.. . and applesauce and pearsauce, are currently a big part of his daily diet, we have to replace that volume and calorie content with something else that he WILL eat.... or he'll be hungry! We don't want to starve him, that's for sure (we just want to starve out the yeast). He also may be hungrier than usual just from pulling the fruit juices he's been getting up till now. The natural sugar content tends to knock back the appetite a bit, so I would not be shocked if he suddenly becomes ravenous just from eliminating those! > > Removing the bananas is a pretty big volume reduction, so you need to jump right on replacing that. We talked about butternut squash being a good candidate to fill in the gap. Butternut squash is smoother and more finely textured than acorn.... and it's one of my favorite first foods for new SCDers. I actually find that many kids tolerate butternut squash better than carrots. > > If you feel it would be too hard to simply pull out bananas altogether, and expect him to eat anything, I think it would be reasonable to sort of gradually bring in a small amount of squash and reduce the amount of banana.... then, as tolerated, slowly pull more banana out and add more squash. We don't want to just pull ALL the banana and BAM... replace with that same volume of squash, because we just don't know if he'll accept it. Note: If he's okay with cinnamon (some kids aren't), a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the mashed or pureed squash would be keen! More about foods later. > > I am just not sure that it will really be necessary to eliminate ALL fruit... for some kids, it IS necessary. Each one is different. I'll alert you that you *may* see some die-off just from pulling back the juice and banana.... and you certainly may see him really having cravings for those sweet things and begging for more. If that becomes a huge issue, it actually might end up being a better thing to pull out EVERYTHING sweet (except saccharin).. . break the craving cycle and get past it. > > You just have to have enough other foods to offer, that he will be likely to eat and that he can tolerate, as alternatives. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish true HUNGER from cravings, so be aware of that, too. I'm just always suspicious if a kid really starts to focus on one type of food to the extreme.... especially if they begin to self-limit to sweet fruits, then I just know yeast beasts are probably to blame. It's the YEAST that are actually craving the sweets... and sending their evil chemical messages to him to " FIND FOOD!!! " > > YEAST REMEDIES- There are some things you can add in that won't get in the way of SCD progress and might help tame the yeast. Keep in mind that with ANY of these, you *could*, and probably WILL get some die-off symptoms. In that case, ramp up the epsom salts baths, and/or consider activated charcoal supplements, if he gets really miserable. > > You probably are already aware of " natural " anti-fungals like grapefruit seed extract (GSE), oil of oregano (O of O), olive leaf extract (OLE). While these things can be helpful, and truly do kill yeast, the trouble is that they also kill off the good guys..... the friendly flora that you WANT down there. > > Some doctors are keen on prescribing prescription antifungals, but those have the same effect of killing off good flora.... plus, both the Rx antifungals and the natural antifungals can sometimes make yeast very resistant. So, if you use them, you have to keep rotating them. On top of that, some kids have a " rebound effect " .... once the Rx or natural antifungal is stopped, yeast flares up big time. That is why I prefer that parents try some other milder and " sneakier " techniques first. Our goal is to make the gut environment less ideal for yeast to inhabit.... and promote the growth of good bacteria and yeast. > > Fresh carrot juice with fresh garlic has been reported to be a very good anti-fungal, by a number of parents. The recipe is basically this: 4 oz. of freshly juiced carrot juice, with one clove of garlic either pressed into it with a garlic press..... or you can just chunk it down the chute of the juicer with the carrots. Now, the mom I got this recipe from was using that amount.... 4 oz... two or three times a day, for her son... but he was older (about 8 or 9, I think). So, with that in mind, I think I'd recommend only about 2 oz at a time for a 4 yr old. > > You can either use a whole clove of garlic in that amount (if he is okay with the strong taste)... maybe a smallish sized one... or cut one in half. This remedy would be used, two or three times a day, for two or three weeks. Beyond that, it's something you could use as needed, now and then. Fresh garlic *might* also have the power to kill off probiotics, so I would give this at least a couple of hours apart from when you give his SCDophilus. Note: A good time to give probiotics is right before bed, so they can be in there growing and thriving all night long, without competeing with other foods and supps coming in. > > Fresh garlic (don't ever buy the kind in the jars) is just a good thing to incorporate into his meals whenever you can. It doesn't have to be raw... you can use it cooked, in all sorts of ways. One way that is really appealing to kids (and grownups) is oven-roasted garlic. If you've never done this, it's pretty easy.... here's some instructions: > > <<Oven roasting is a popular way of cooking garlic because it brings out the nutty flavor and adds an almost caramelized quality to the garlic. Many garlic lovers use a special baker, since it makes for a nice presentation of the dish, but tightly wrapped aluminum foil works just as well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the loose skin off a garlic bulb and cut the tips off each clove (you can use kitchen shears) to expose the flesh, Place in baker or on aluminum foil and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (the oil helps bring out the mellow, roasted flavor.) Cover or wrap tightly and roast for about two hours or until the cloves are soft. OR preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and roast for about one hour or until the cloves are very soft. >> > > As soon as it's cooled enough to touch, you can separate the cloves and just squeeze out the soft, baked contents.... it's smooth enough to just spread. YUM! Of course, you can try adding garlic to his other foods, any way you like. > > COCONUT- Another GREAT food to add to his diet would be coconut. I wish I had brought this up when we talked, because I wanted to know if he's ever had coconut oil, or coconut milk.... and if he tolerates it. If he does, or if you have never tried it, I would love to see you try adding coconut oil to his diet. It is an AMAZINGLY healing food.... and has antifungal qualities. You want to be sure to buy only virgin or extra virgin coconut oil.... any other type can be harsh on the gut and trigger diarrhea. > > The one I like best is from Nature's Way... it's their EFA Gold Organic Extra Virgin coconut oil. Iherb.com has it here: > > http://www.iherb. com/ProductDetai ls.aspx?c= 1&pid=4567& at=0 > > If you have never used coconut oil, it just has so many wonderful attributes I can only touch on them here. Coconut oil is solid at regular room temperature, but melts at 76 degrees, so my jar is currently liquid... it's been so HOT here this week. You keep it in the pantry, NOT the fridge (it would be too rock hard to get out of the jar!). It does not go rancid.... stays very stable. You can mix it right into warm food.... like you would a pat of butter. You can also cook with it, for sauteeing veggies and meats.... or in baking, as a substitute for butter. The only caveat is that it tastes (and smells) like COCONUT.... so if you don't like that taste (or if HE doesn't)... you might not like it. Obviously, the taste of coconut would lend itself well to *some* foods, and maybe not so much with others. I am getting more open to using it in more things.... and loving it... but, whatever you make with it will definitely have that flavor mixed in. Pureed > butternut squash is actually really good with a dollop of coconut oil. > > I would start with maybe just 1/2 teaspoon per day.... watch and see that he's okay with that. Work up to a teaspoon or more per day. I love that coconut oil adds healthy fat calories for these kids. Good fats help satisfy hunger and in some cases, helps them absorb the nutrients in certain foods (leafy greens, for example, need to be combined with fats to break down and absorb the nutrients). More info about coconut oil here: www.tropicaltraditi ons.com or www.wildernessfamil ynaturals. com/ Both of these companies sell coconut oil that is also just fine to use. I've bought Tropical Traditions brand and it's fine... though I like the tastes of the Nature's Way better. Coconut oil is also great for rubbing on the skin, if you have dry skin or a rash, etc.... a great hair conditioner and works magic on " cradle cap " with kids. OK, I'll get off my coconut oil soapbox now! > > Saccharomyces Boulardii- This is a probiotic strain that you might consider adding (actually, more precisely, it's a friendly yeast), that is SCD legal.... and helps keep candida yeast in check. GI ProHealth has it.... and Kirkman has a legal one, too. This product should not be used by anyone who has a true yeast allergy, and you want to start with a very small amount and work up.... watching for any adverse symptoms. Most people tolerate it just fine. > > ENZYMES- Regular digestive enzymes do help combat yeast.... but there are specific enzyme products that are designed to fight yeast. They have to be taken apart from any food, between meals. Ideally, it works best for someone who can swallow tablets or capsules, but I think you could probably try dissolving the contents of a capsule in a spoonful of water, sweeten with a drop or two of stevia and have him take it off the spoon.... followed by a drink or two of water (or probably, the lemonade would be okay). They'd definitely need to be washed down. > > Anyway, if you're interested, look into either Candex (by Pure Essence) or Candidase (by Enymedica). Both are SCD legal. I think Candidase is a little more expensive. You'll find them at Whole Foods, I'm sure....or iherb.com has them both (cheaper than WF).... or Google search the product names to find other online sources and more information. Again, they just have to be taken BETWEEN meals. > > YOGURT- I know you're not currently using any dairy.... therefore not using SCD yogurt. I didn't ask you if G had severe allergy to milk, or if you've just wanted to stay away from the dairy? If he does NOT have a severe allergy situation, and you've never seen any overt reaction to dairy foods, I'd sure like you to consider adding in the SCD yogurt at some point, though we typically want parents to wait till a couple of months into SCD before trying it. Specifically, consider SCD yogurt made from GOAT MILK. > > This stuff is so magical, I just can't say enough about it. It's got healing qualities that go way beyond just being a vehicle for probiotics. It heals the gut, provides an alkalinizing pH that helps combat the bad guys.... and delivers the livliest probiotics you can possibly put into him..... fresh! wiggly! ALIVE little yogurt fairies! Not freeze dried, in a capsule. > > I understand the wariness when it comes to approaching dairy.... and do please let me know if he's reacted in the past to such an extent that you feel you cannot bring even goat casein of any kind in.... but the fermentation process in making SCD yogurt actually transforms the casein molecules and makes them much easier to digest. In essence, it sort of " pre-digests " them. > > Goat dairy is fundamentally more digestible for humans than cow dairy. Probiotic supplements should still be used in conjunction with SCD yogurt... but probiotics alone are just not anywhere near as effective. Just consider it.... that's all I ask. You can bring yogurt in down the road, if you want to. It's nothing you need to feel you have to take on immediately. > ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 I am not sure if you're addressing the question to me... but I'm assuming so. My own daughter has never had a yeast problem. I just sent the big long message with all the anti-yeast strategies I have recommended for years to my private clients. I've observed that the Rx anti-fungals have side effect, illegal ingredients, and the tendancy to create resistant yeast and re-bound effect once they're stopped. I've seen a lot of kids on Rx's that have not done well on SCD... and/or have just had mega yeast flares once they go off the Rx. I know some of the docs seem to think ALL the kids need Rx antifungals indefinitely... and that just seems wrong to me. I'm not too keen on even on the natural anti-fungals, because they usually kill off the GOOD flora as well, and I think getting more good flora down there is KEY. Remember, yeast are opportunistic.... so they will take over if there is open space and something for them to live on (can be legal sweet foods... honey/fruit). I know it's a difficult issue to tackle... but I think using some of the other strategies I've outlined, especially in combination, can support getting that under control. The hardest part may be limiting and/or eliminating fruit and honey for a while, but it really may be necessary. Anyway, this is all just what I've observed while working with other SCD families. Patti Yeast Control advice HELP Amen. Does this mean that you were able to recover your kid/s without pharm yeast interventions like Diflucan - or were these strategies on board along side and after clearing it out initially with a pharm.....we have BIG yeast issues, like M's boy - such that we think/hope we might see tremendous gains as she did if we could get it under control....please advise. Di Recent Activity a.. 35New Members Visit Your Group Yahoo! Groups A family Group to share and learn about healthy eating. Yahoo! Health Fit for Life Getting fit is now easier than ever. Drive Traffic Sponsored Search can help increase your site traffic. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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