Candida

[Guest guest]

This is a repost of a previous message, when Shirley was asking about Candida awhile back. Since Jeena has asked about looking into the Candida problem more, I wanted to share this again.

Patty

( from message number 3007)

I wanted to share this information with you about yeast. Being on a long term antibiotic is going to remove all the beneficial bacteria that keep the candida organism in check. Candida is actually found in all people, BUT, it is a freeloading parasite. It actually has no symbiotic relationship with our bodies at all. That is, it is not a mutually beneficial relationship, unlike the friendly bacteria in our gut, which keep the candida under control. Once the friendly, (as well as unfriendly) bacteria are removed from our bodies, candida, being a fungus, has a chance to overtake areas of our body. In the most serious cases, it can become a systemic problem, taking monstrous efforts to get under control. I know of people who have suffered from systemic candida problems for years, and they are miserable. I also want to point out that all of us, by way of the huge amounts of antibiotics used during our surgeries, have been in danger of having a systemic candida problem.

Being immune system compromised just adds fuel to the fire, so it is important that you are proactive in keeping the yeast under control. Having a vaginal yeast infection is a precursor to the systemic malady.

Candida is a dimorphic organism=it can take on two separate forms, with hundreds of strains. The first is a yeast form, and the second is a fungal form. In the yeast form, it has no root. But here is the danger of a systemic yeast problem: in the fungal form, it produces long rootlike structures called "rhizoids", which can actually penetrate the mucosa, which then breaches the boundary between the body and the contained world of the digestive tract. Toxins and incompletely digested food particles can enter the bloodstream when they normally wouldn't do so. This is the cause of the many serious symptoms that those with systemic yeast problems complain about.

There are ways to keep candida under control using drugs, and there are natural approaches. I would suggest using the natural approaches first, but you may want to get the vaginal problem under control with the Monistat.

Here are the recommended natural approaches. First, you want to keep the candida under control, and second, you want to strengthen the immune system.

First to keep it under control:

Acidophilus, most definitely. You can buy acidophilus in pill form, powder, or liquid form, and also through eating yogurt specifiying it is made with live and active cultures. I personally use Jarrodophilus with FOS. Look for one which provides 2-3 billion live organisms per dose. It should also say that it is enteric coated, or survives the stomach acids.

Biotin, (a B vitamin), is also reputed to be active against Candida. Japanese research has shown that those who are biotin deficient experience a more rapid transformation of Candida from its relatively harmless yeast form to the dangerous fungal form. You should take biotin three times daily, with acidophilus between meals in doses of 350 to 500 mcg. Avoid raw egg whites, as they contain a substance which neutralizes biotin in the body.

Garlic is also a necessary anti-fungal which will keep candida under control, as I wrote in a previous message (message number 2424 in the archives, check it out). The cheapest way to get garlic into your body is to eat it raw, (the Greek eat garlic, raw, clove by clove, with their fish and poultry), or you can put it on salads and vegetables. If you have trouble eating it raw then chop it up like pills and swallow with water or juice. If that doesn't work, try Kyolic from the health food store!

Another cheap natural remedy to try to keep candida under control is olive oil. It contains oleic acid, which acts similarly to biotin. Take 6 teaspoons a day, divided into three doses of two teaspoons each.

Strenthening the immune system is the second step:

Vitamin C, as much as you can take to your bowel limit, which can be up to 10 grams a day or more. I take 3 grams a day, (one gram 3 X a day)

A short period ( a month) of the amino acid arginine, in a dose of 3 grams daily will boost the activity of the thymus gland in the beginning of a candida treatment program, when it is needed the most. Take it on an empty stomach with water before bed.

Take a Vitamin B complex vitamin. It should include 20-50 mg of B6, 20-50 mcg of B12, and 20-50 mcg of folic acid, as well as 500 mg of B5 (calcium pantothenate), which might have to be taken separately.

Zinc (zinc orotate) 50 mg daily

Selenium (yeast free) 50 mcg daily

Magnesium 250-500 mg daily

Vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) 200 IU daily, minimum ( I take 800 IU)

Vitamin A, as beta carotene, 10,000 IU daily.

Take all with food.

Third, there is the anti-candida diet. Strictly avoid all sugars! No white sugar, no honey, no maple syrup, no molasses. Avoid fermented and yeasted foods, such as breads, cheeses, and vinegars. Avoid dried fruits, which contain mold.

Sounds tough, but then, Candida is not an easy thing to deal with, once it becomes a systemic problem.

Patty