Table of Contents
Natural Cures for Candida
 |
DISCLAIMER
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
2 YEA
04/22/2008: Sharon from Vancouver, Canada writes: "I have read this entire site on the subject of candida and thank everyone for sharing their experiences and remedies. It is an amazingly complex problem that if solved could cure many other secondary diseases and deserves the serious attention it gets here. We should all have this information, yet medical professionals remain largely ignorant of how widespead candida is.
There are a few remedies here that have some obviously unintentional errors. First, colloidal silver should never be mixed with bleach, however it is safe to mix it with hydrogen peroxide. Second, although lemons are acid they are converted to alkaline by the body and are highly beneficial.
I also wonder at times if the people who critize the Atkins diet have ever read the book. Atkins does not ever recommend a no carb diet, he recommends a low carb alkaline diet. Prepackaged food, refined grains and sugar put profit before people and that message is Atkins real contribution.
Thanks Earth Clinic...
I think your great."
03/06/2009: Jessica from Toronto, Ontario Canada replies: "The reason people Criticize the Atkins Diet is the emphasis on meat which is a major component in the acidity of westerners bodies. A high meat diet even with adequate carbohydrates (in their healthy form) is toxic. Which is why all natural health practitioners who treat Candida put their patients on a low meat protein High veg, fruit and whole grain diet. Also the meat industry notoriously puts profits before people and are a major cause of environmental destruction so it is actually conflicting information to promote a high meat diet and a people before profits message. "
04/01/2009: Sharon from Vancouver, BC Canada replies: "Historically humans have survived on whatever natural food was available and adapted. First problem; Refined grains falsely appeared cheaper to buy because refining increased the volume of food but decreased the nutritional value. Second problem; Then about 200 years ago someone learned how to refine sugar but the body has never learned how to handle the tremendous load of carbohydrates that flood directly into your bloodstream just like a drug. Third problem; Mix refined grains with refined sugar, and hey maybe add some yeast or milk, and what do you get?...You get the perfect food for yeasts, molds and fungus and a product that is not fit for human nutrition or consumption.
Dr. Atkins was a humanitarian cardiologist who came under attack in 1973 and was charged with fraud by the AMA and the FDA for suggesting to the public that our commercialized diets of refined carbohydrates was killing us with obesity, heart attacks and diabetes. He recommended cutting out sugars and refined starches to cure heart disease and he proposed that all major diseases have one thing in common and that is a "metabolic imbalance that causes carbohydrate intolerance".
In his book he opposed a diet predominantly composed of refined carbs and called our culture of "coke-cake-catsup-cookies-candy" a "killing culture". Atkins also wrote in his book that "candy bars and soft drinks should carry a warning on the package the same as on cigarette packages stating that the product could be dangerous to your health". The Rockefellers, Coke, Pepsi, Kellogg's etc. took offence to these statements and lobbied the gov. to charge Atkins with fraud in order to suppress and manipulate his information and went on a campaign to discredit his ideas. The vicious attack worked, most people still won't actually read the book for themselves but still feel they are qualified to criticise it based solely on the AMA's and FDA's propaganda.
Obesity and heart disease now affects over 35% of the population; some of our youngest generation will die before their parents and 40% of us will get cancer during our lives and yet the AMA refuses to relate the increasing rates of disease to our nutritionally depleted and toxic commercial diets.
Atkins was not rigid or dogmatic in his food recommendations as long as they where low carb. He recommended eggs, cheese, fish and shellfish in addition to lamb, veal, poultry and beef and those who have read the book would know that Atkins states in his book that the "best source of protein is EGGS". He also recommends that you eat mainly watery fruits and vegetables as opposed to starchy ones and even in his most restricted carb diet which is short term and intended to repair your metabolism he recommends using lemons.
Why was the Atkins diet really attacked? You might as well just ask yourself why America is the only advanced country in the world that does not have universal health care and why medical professionals are not trained in the bodies nutritional needs or detecting nutritional deficiencies. You might also ask yourself why the gov. has tried to ban the sale of vitamins and natural health products...could it be because it's just more profitable to keep you sick and keep you using dangerous and expensive Rx medications forever and lure you into falsely believing that commercial food products are safe and healthy.
Unfortunately, suggesting that people who are sick should focus on controversial environmental and political issues is too demanding when you understand that Candida can make life not worth living even if it doesn't kill you! Of course we should all try to reduce or eliminate our beef consumption just as we should our consumption of pollution and war fuelling oil/gas products and even those mislabelled 'friendly biofuels' that waste millions of acres of agricultural land. If you accept political/corporate explanations of global warming targeted at gaining your willingness if not your eagerness to pay billions in carbon taxes without examining the science then you are ignoring the reality of HAARP, the fact that Europeans have been attacking the northern ice shield with icebreakers for over 30 years in order to create a northern shipping channel, and that this winter 08/09 was the coldest one on record for over 30 years. The truth is that long term the earth is headed for another mini ice age cycle and political and corporate controls that only serve to manipulate and withhold information were designed for ensuring profits and raising taxes and make for extremely bad science. Just try to explain why our gov. is currently spending billions on bailing out car manufacturers who still insist on producing more gas guzzling environmentally polluting vehicles and bankers who have taken record profits and bonuses based on fraud.
The reality today is that about 97% of N. Americans are carnivorous and about 1% are strict vegans who use no animal products and about 2% are vegetarians who do not usually use animal products except for eggs, milk and cheese. Any vegan will find a low carb diet almost impossible unless he lives almost entirely on nuts but 'vegetarians' who eat animal products can easily substitute eggs or cheese for meat protein with full approval from Dr. Atkins. Many people including myself believe it's hypocritical for 'vegetarians' to condemn those who eat chicken or beef but feel it's perfectly acceptable to eat a chicken embryo and wear leather Birkenstocks. Vegans who are hostile, dogmatic and radical against all meat eaters or Atkins but have never even read his book also naively play very nicely into the secret agendas of the commercial food producers.
It is estimated that up to 80% of the population suffers from Candida related diseases and a low carb diet is absolutely necessary for a sustained recovery. There are many good low carb diets and the main point is to be aware of your consumption of carbs by getting a carb counter and then counting them. While the average N. American today consumes 200-300 grams of carbs per day, a low carb corrective diet should consist of from 10 to 50 grams per day depending on individual tolerance levels.
The Dr. Atkins diet can quickly and easily teach you how to stay on a low carb diet, for weight loss or carb restriction diets-but first you have to actually read the book!
After you have carbs under control, are feeling healthy and happy, maybe then you might like to investigate the vegan lifestyle. We can best heal ourselves and the world by developing an attitude of compassionate understanding that facilitates a genuine dialogue because real changes in our global perspective are never achieved by self serving attacks, self declared claims of moral superiority, criticism or nutritional dogmatic beliefs that only serve to create more confusion in the lives of millions of people who are already suffering.
Dr. Atkins exposed our commercialized diets as detrimental to our health in 1972 and his work has been consistently and repeatedly vindicated by over 20 independent scientific studies over the past four years from 2004-2008. The medical validity of the Atkins Diet has been proven by research out of Harvard, Duke University, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Atkins tried to warn Americans in 1973 that their diets are killing them and his book is much more than a diet book, it's an education you need to help you reclaim your health since it can quickly and easily teach 97% of you how to stay on a low carb diet which will help you lose your cravings for sugar, starch, alcohol and caffeine by restoring your normal carbohydrate metabolism; plus as a little bonus it is an effective diet for the prevention and treatment of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. If you'd like to find a natural cure and a simple treatment method to correct a "metabolic imbalance that causes carbohydrate intolerance" the Aitkins Diet can teach you how to stay on a low carb diet without suffering...but first you will have to open your mind and actually read the book!"
04/01/2009: Bob from Memphis, TN replies: "That was right on target. I love the fact that you mentioned so many times "if you just read the book". I have talked to sooo many people over the years that claim to have read it and actually never did. What a funny thing to lie about. Anyway, I was a runner for about 10 years, started after I quit smoking in 1990. In the 90's of course, is when everything you heard was about how fat makes you fat. So, as long as it didn't contain any fat you could eat it and not have to worry. Pasta, bread, coke, potatoes, sugar, and on and on, the wonderful world of fat-free products was born. How many hours I spent reading labels in the grocyer learning how much fat was in what. Well, in about the year 1999 I came down with severe arthritis in one of my knees and after trying to nurse it back over a year the orthopedic told me I would have to give up running. In case you didn't know, telling a runner he can't run any more is pretty devastating. They did tell me I could find something else to do such as biking, walking, swimming, etc. I tried several different things and everything seemed to still bother my knee. So, I wasn't really getting much aerobic activity. For the first time in my life I started putting on some weight and I didn't like it. Keep in mind I am still eating the fat free lifestyle. A lot of pasta, bread, all that good starchy fat free stuff. I decided to try the Atkins diet. I worked with some rather large people at the time who had gone on it and had lost significant amounts of weight. So, I bought the Atkins book and read it from cover to cover. Absolutely the most boring thing I had ever read in my life, but I did read it. In the year 2000 I started keeping a daily journal of how much I weighed and what I ate. I went on a strict diet, using the atkins method and the weight started coming off. Keep in mind I am not a big person and had only put on maybe 15-20 pounds. But, if you are not a very big person that can be quite a bit of weight. Anyway, this many years later I have gone on it and gone off of it. It doesn't take long if I go off of it that I start putting on some unwanted pounds. If I start eating pasta, rice, potatoes and sweets I start putting the weight back on again. In a couple of months probably 15 or so pounds. And, no I don't eat large amounts of food if I go off it. I am very conscious of portions and I am not a snacker. So, after many years of analyzing this subject I will still get into arguments with people about what has caused the world to become so fat. And rightfully so when you "still" today have nutritionists who preach to the world that fat is what makes you fat. Now keep in mind that fat is not good for you. And that is why the original writer's post is so right on target. The people who have never read the Atkins book think you are going to live on eggs, bacon and cheese for the rest of your life. This is so absulutely untrue. I explain it to paople like this where anyone can understand it. Fat makes you fat on the inside not on the outside. In other words fat does clog your arteries, cause heart problems and on and on. But, it is the sugar and starch that people consume huge quantities of that is killing so many people. My theory is if our government would make it illegal to sell flour and sugar this nation would be much healthier for it. But, of course, that is not going to happen. So, people ask me well what do you eat. I tell them, anything I want except for flour and sugar. And, when I feel like splurging, which we all have to do once in a while, my poison of choice is pasta or a homemade scratch dessert. Lean meats, veg's, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains are the way to go. Even potatoes and corn once in a while aren't going to kill you. The amount of starch and sugar that the average overweight American takes in in a single day is staggering and they can't figure out why they won't lose weight. One of these days this country is going to realize that when you go to a fast food joint it is not the fat that is making the world so overweight it is the buns-flour, fries-starch, giant coke-sugar, fried chicken-the flour coating, the meat and cheese were the best part of the meal. The best diet that I have found that works for me becuase I will be the first to admit, I love sugar and starch, is: meat, veg's and fruit during the week and pizza or pasta on saturday night. Everyone has to find what works for them. Good luck!"
04/01/2009: Bessie from Calgary, Alberta, Canada replies: "Thanks Sharon for such an informative and interesting post! I did read several books by Atkins years ago but I didn't really apply anything I learned (a bad habit of mine). However, I'm determined to slowly wean myself away from refined carbs (bread and pasta are the worse for me). Thanks for the reminder that a healthful diet is within our reach. Cheers!"
[YEA] 02/09/2010: Trisha from Orange, California replies: "Sharon, thank you so much for writing that out. I agree 100 % with what you are saying. I really hope other people read what you wrote, it is life changing. I wish I was paying to see you as a doctor and not the one I go to now! :("
02/09/2010: The_phoenix from Townsville, Australia replies: "Hi All,
At every health site I go to, on the internet, every second person has 'Candida overgrowth' (CO). I am concerned about this conflagration, and what people are putting themselves through in the name of 'killing the beast' (yeast). I haven't read all of the articles about it on this site but I don't think there is one single valid method to diagnose CO discussed. In fact, if anyone does have CO then it is very difficult to diagnose.
Dr Weil, MD has this to say about the subject (and I can only agree with him until more evidence comes along):
"A book called "The Yeast Connection" by Dr. William Crook popularized the hypothesis that Candida is a major pathogen that can weaken the immune system, allowing other infections to occur. Dr. Crook also contends that toxins produced by Candida could contribute to the development of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders.
There is little hard evidence for these ideas. Diagnoses of systemic candidiasis usually have no scientific basis, and most of the recommended treatments for it waste time and money. Anyone with yeast growing in the blood or vital organs would be critically ill in an intensive care unit. Despite this medical reality, systemic candidiasis remains a popular diagnosis in some segments of the alternative medicine community. My belief is that its persistence is an example of our fears of foreign invaders; it satisfies a need to blame our maladies on an external cause. Most of the treatments used for this "disease" are harmless except for drugs like ketoconazole (Nizoral) and fluconazole (Diflucan) which can be toxic to the liver and should not be used except on the advice of an infectious disease specialist. A study reported a few years ago in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the more commonly used drug nystatin (Mycostatin) was no more effective than a placebo in treating people who thought they had systemic candidiasis. "
Note that Dr Weil is empathetic to natural remedies as a healing modality so this is coming out of our own camp.
A search for Candidiasis at Wikipedia will also quickly inform people about the basics i.e. when Candida gets out of hand it is more likely to be in the mouth or vagina etc and that CO is mainly confined, as a disease, to people who have AIDS, have undergone cancer treatment (chemotherapy) or who have had invasive surgery etc or other medical procedures performed on them."
02/09/2010: Someone Who Cured Candida Naturally from Spice City, Mi replies: "So Phoenix, what advice or experience are you offering exactly? I come in peace, but I gotta call you out a bit here.
Have you had firsthand experience with Candida? If so, please share with us your wisdom and share loudly. That's kind of why we're all here and reading.
Can't take the fact that Candida may be widespread? Get out of the kitchen! Search Wikipedia for often-suppressed natural health information!? Are you for real! (Hey, I mean no harm...but really!? I swear you are blowing your allopathic medicine-worshipping cover) If not, what purpose does your post serve? Well!?
Some of the statements you make are untrue; at the very least, WIDELY open to debate. WIDELY. Please refrain from sharing your hasty google search 'findings' as we here know how to do that for ourselves, thank you.
Again, I ask you: Have you firsthand experience with Candida? Because I have, and cured myself...and learned SO much in the process about the complexity of the thing... Millions of dollars of research haven't exactly been thrown at the thing like it's a Pink Ribbon cure you know.
And, I'll have you know that it was the Yeast Connection book that did help immensely, along with independant articles/research put into very disciplined practice. I also connected many dots from the book as to causes, which would not have been well understood or examined without the education found in that book. And talking with others (for one, a naturapathic physician who also had Candida) further helped to validate my findings.
Yes, this is such a complex situation, and I am only one unique individual with my own unique health record. I do believe there are other methods that could be helpful than what I did; that there is no 'black and white' cure all, that lifestyle changes may be necessary for the duration needed to achieve cure, and there is so much still to learn. Wow, big surprise!
Compared to other conditions, the info on Candida is extremely sparse. It is only yet begun! How can you come here and claim to know it all! (Notice there is no question mark at the end of my statement. You don't need one when you know the truth: that your post is bankrupt)
If you have absolutely no firsthand experience, or a helpful idea, please limit yourself to subjects you know more about instead of trying to discourage and belittle people who seek healing and true contributions, whether negative or positive."
02/10/2010: Cindy from Ch, Wi replies: "i would be interested in knowing how you cured your candida, thank you"
02/11/2010: The_phoenix from Townsville, Australia replies: "Hi Someone Who Cured Candida Naturally,
Well since you come in peace ... that makes all of the difference although I had my doubts there a couple of times.
I first took an interest in Candida because it is one of the many possible causes of joint pain and I had to find out something about it for that reason.
I am quite happy to make another post or two, on Candida, to extrapolate on my theme (they will appear shortly). The aim is to give readers a second opinion (I see a lot of young people, on the web, believing that they have systemic Candida and starving themselves in the name of a cure and that is a cause for concern).
So,
- when did you get Candida?
- what type did you have?
- how did you diagnose it?
- and how did you get rid of it?
BTW I am 100 percent committed to the EC disclaimer at the top of every page i.e. we are all here simply to share opinions.
OPINIONS ARE ONLY RIGHT, WRONG OR PENDING ... AND NEVER ANYTHING ELSE."
02/11/2010: Lisa from Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa replies: "Personally, I think this is a very important dialogue to have. To be honest I was perplexed too at phoenix's post questioning the candida issue being as widespread as it is. I have done quite a bit of research over the years and have helped people overcome it and really believe it is a major problem here in America. Perhaps, in Australia you aren't seeing it. Maybe your diet's are better there. Not so here in the US. Candida is a very serious problem but, yes there are people who could mistake it for other imbalances in the digestive tract.
We should look at this. What can lead to C. ?(for brevity's sake I will call it C.) It is caused mainly from a combination of way too many carbs in the diet, sugar, processed foods, really anything not close to original source, rampant use of antibiotics here in the US and also poor environments too such as molds or fungus growing home/workplace.
C. is a yeast or mold form itself. It can affect the skin, throat=thrush, organs and in women manifests as yeast infections. It is this alone that women are more affected than men due to our delicate balance that is apparent when it is thrown off. Everyone should know that there are candida tests that one can find all over the internet. If you question it in yourself I would recommend going over the test.
Symptoms that must be present in order for it to really be C. are: abdominal gas, headaches/migraines, excessive fatigue(and I mean really gassed-out type), serious cravings for sugar and/or alcohol, high anxiety- a strong indicator, vaginitis, rectal itching, the inability to concentrate/think clearly, hyperactivity/mood swings, itchy skin, diarrhea, acne, eczema, depression, poor memory, low sex drive, muscle weakness, toenail/fingernail fungus.Now, understand that I named all of these because many of them are present for it to be truly C. They may not all be present simultaneously but you will swing through many of them. And there just may be all of them at once! It can get worse too once it infiltrates organs leading to leaky gut, nervous disorders to name a few. That's when life becomes unbearable and there are many that have this.
Phoenix mentions Dr. Andrew Weil and his caution about overreacting to C. due to a single book but that single book made people aware of this major issue that the medical community still does not give credibility to. Weil is a part of that community and often, though he is "open" to alternatives is to me a "safe player" trying to make himself look good in both camps. I find he plays the line often. Don't get me wrong- he definitely serves a purpose- to wake those up who totally swallow the medical community's not-so-sound advice. Because he himself is an MD, it turns their heads and at least gets their attention to perhaps question some things. So, in that sense, he is doing a good service. Then, there are some of us who question everything and have for a long time so we don't need his authority to "have permission" to do this. That being said, I say that C. is much more rampant than the medical community gives credence.
Now, here are some key players in helping the immune system fight C. Remember, acidophilis is a natural enemy of candida. But, there are other wonderful herbs to help that are very powerful and can only help the body. They are reishi and chaga mushrooms which are from Chinese medicine and are adaptogens. Also, horsetail and pau d' arco which can both be taken as teas and can wipeout candida as well. I would also recommend an alkaline diet or at least adding in rawfoods as vegetables, and green juices.
The die-off can be a problem as it can occur in layers. You can file through symptoms and then stop and then another die-off will occur and more symptoms, etc. Drink plenty of water and on 1-2 pinches of sea salt to one liter of water. It is important to re-establish a healthy terrain in our body. Remember we are an ecosystem within our own body and we must help it flourish properly. Eat whole foods, take herbs that can heal and help the immune system, exercise within reason, rebounding is excellent to clean the lymph system, find peace within (which could be difficult if you have a serious case of C.!)
Some other healing key players: colloidal silver, zeolites, msm, coconut oil and there are more but I just feel that to get this info out is a must.
And I applaud "Hi Someone Who Cured Candida Naturally" for challenging this post as I was bothered by it but was going to blow it off. I woke up this morning feeling I had to come here and say something on this. I hope it helps someone out there. I have watched people really suffer from this affliction.Peace, Lisa"
02/11/2010: Someone Who Cured Candida Naturally from La, Mi replies: "Hello again pheonix: i admire the way you handled my post. That's strength of character for sure!
I understand where you are coming from. Encouraging people to get a second opinion, or a third or fourth, as well as really listening to their body and gaining more insight into that 'intuition' is key. But i think that goes for anything on this site, (or for anything in life?)
But, suspicion that it's 'real', and insinuation that people may be making up the condition or being hypocondriach, seems only to detract... That is the main 'beef' i had with your post. I feel that may not have been your intention. i'm here to learn too. I'll move on.
To answer the questions:
I noticed candida symptoms in may 2008. It came on suddenly and i believe, after my research, that my main contributing factors were: 1)viral (had mono earlier that year) 2) worn adrenals (main trigger of elevated symptoms?) 3) slight vitamin deficiency from taking bc pills (was off them for many months, but have always struggled to maintain sufficient iron) 4 )i had taken antiobiotics in my lifetime, though not in years. Just to throw that in.
Slowly i noticed more and more things as time went on (about a month).
I did not go to a doctor or anything like that. I researched symptoms and somehow narrowed it down to candida. This was not overnight like most ailments i've had; this was much more digging and re-evaluation. But, i had some very tell-tale unique symptoms which fit the bill. It was not easy to pin this down. I had to put the puzzle pieces together of the very minute and 'odd' symptoms i was having.
But i am familiar with this process. I have cured myself naturally many times and know to listen to my inner voice or higher guidance, and this has brought much success. This is important to note as it is certainly an element.
I got rid of it basically by following the diet in the yeast connection book to-the-letter. Eventually i added more protein into my diet (just my own idea...i certainly needed it). I also followed a garlic (yeast killing) regiment, and then a probiotic regiment. I have other posts here that describe that in detail.
Around september of that same year, i was feeling recovered and began to introduce the 'forbidden foods' back into my diet slowly, and to drink wine again; things like that.
Been feeling fine since then with no relapse, no attention to special dietary habits (i eat raw, but i can eat honey, etc). Basically, it's forgotten.
This is all I can say and please do with it what you will. If it wasn't candida, whatever struck me sounded just like it, and following a combined, puzzled together regiment banished it away. It certainly was no 'vague-cure-all' type of thing. This was an intense strategy that took immense patience.
I do see your point about possible 'fad' ailments being tacked onto any complaint. But i think that advice for people trying to steer clear of that is to be thoughtful and mindful, do tons of research, get professional assistance...and read lots of earth clinic : )
I wish you best of luck in pinning down the source of your joint pain pheonix. & best of health to you!
Thanks also lisa. I have read many of your posts and always enjoy the insight you bring."
 |  |  |  |
[YEA] 11/27/2007: Lee Ann from Mobile , Alabama writes: "Acid Reflux - Sinus Infection - Sore Throat - Acidophilus -- Based on personal experience the Polish Girl has it right, it's the diet. Dump the yeasty carbohydrate sugary stuff. After a sore throat that lasted a few months with several different diagnoses and antibiotics, health practitioner said most people really suffering from too much yeast in system which causes a huge variety of illnesses. Change the diet to starve/kill yeast in system now. Yeast thrives on sugar, sweets, fruits, carbs, and of course bread, pasta.
For 3 months my husband and I ate nothing but veggies and meat. Cut the wine and beer from diet too. Also took supplements that rid the body of fungus as well as very strong acidophilus.
Winthin one week, sore throat was gone.
2 Weeks - acid reflux disappeared completely (yay no more prilosec). Sore arthritic feeling knees stopped.
3 or 4 weeks - husband and i who suffer sinus infections frequently quit sneezing, coughing, etc. No more sinus infections for either of us.
3 years later - unfortunately I quit the diet because of pregnancy and dr. advised it would be bad for baby. Now sore knees and throat are back, and now have MRSA. With a lot of the cures here dealing with toxin cleansing etc. I wonder if yeast helps breed the MRSA?? Unfortunately, when I tell friends of my miracle cure when they are ill, their response is 'i could never change my diet that drastically' and they continue seeking that quick fix. Our forefathers had it right -- "You are what you eat"."
02/20/2009: Amber from Portland, Oregon replies: "Be encouraged! For eliminating certain foods from your diet will most likely slightly increase the way you feel very immediately. However, there will still be lots of work ahead.
I battled for 3 months to get rid of my Candida and finally kicked it last fall. There is a wonderful book called 'The Yeast Connection' which lists a number of foods to avoid when dealing with Candida. It can be difficult, but it did work for me, and I am a raw foodist, so my diet was that much more limited. Many website articles I read did not contain the full spectrum of foods to avoid...so don't be naive and think that just because on expert doesn't list a certain food, that you can 'get away' with it... Remember, you want to starve and kill these yeast, so you must be as hard on them as you can.
In addition to avoiding all fermented foods (beer, wine), grains (esp. refined grains, and incl. Oats, rice), vinegars aside from ACV, avoid all products baked with yeast, ALL sugars/honey/maple syrups (STEVIA ( I recommend the actual green-herb powder not the extract) is a fantastic alternative.., FRUIT (except berries which I read have something 'good' in them that counteracts the sugar and instead makes them beneficial for those with candida...and green apple which isn't as sugary as reg. apples), CARROTS and BEETS (both contain sugar), and all fungus foods: NO MUSHROOMS. Read up on this more for the specifics as far as nuts and other things that you should add or avoid.
Make sure you are getting enough protein. Eggs were very beneficial in my case.
Depending on how bad your Candida is, you can experiment and be more or less disciplined about this. You may also want to experiment once you have recovered, and slowly introduce these foods back into your diet; as you may have a food allergy to one or some of these items as well. Introduce foods slowly. Remember to be very gentle on yourself and what you eat for many months, even a year in the future. Think of the Candida like weeds that can come back if you go too overboard. See how things go for you and gauge what you begin eating again by that.
I can't say enough how taking fresh, crushed GARLIC is very necessary. for best results be VERY disciplined. This goes for all regiments relating to Candida. Consistancy is KEY. Taking garlic on an empty stomach, 1/2-1 hour before eating, especially in the morning, will be most effective. Try to do this even if you have to set your alarm, get out of bed early, and then go back to bed before your 'real' waking up/shower/breakfast. It works that much better. I would crush the garlic, and wash it down with water so that i wouldn't have to taste much of it. Fresh garlic is best, even if you are taking supplements, try to add in SOME fresh garlic, even if it's on your food.
After a sufficient time period of killing the candida, you will want to look into repopulating the good bactera. An acidopholus (sp?) supplement worked for me. Research other methods. This also works best when administered on an empty stomach.
I also used a mixed Candida herbal supplement with Pau d'arco, grapeseed, oregano, garlic. I have read that the best thing to do is alternate these supplements for about one week each. I was 1/2 way to recovery when I purchased this supplement so I am not sure how much it helped in it's mixed form.
I hope that some of this information will be valuable to someone. All I can say about Candida is 'research, research, research.' and above all, it's quite an experiment for anyone who has it, so don't feel too discouraged. You will get there.
02/20/2009: Amber from Portland, Oregan writes, "One other thing of note, is to remember that Candida may and most likely is caused be a combination of factors.
In addition to the antibiotic cause, and among others a person may have had Adrenal Fatigue (caffeine disuse would help here) and most likely a vitamin/mineral deficiency, as well as your immune system being lowered (In my case I had contracted Mono prior to candida).
These are all causes listed in the above book that I mentioned, among others...and these were some of the contributors in my own case. It would be good to consider taking a multivitamin to combat the deficiencies, as well as making sure to reboost your immune system, and taking into consideration whatever else you need to do to reinforce your health in the future.
Believe me, I am no expert, only somewhat well-read and only have my own experience to go on, but I can't stress enough how throurough one must be to combat this condition. ""
| | | |
DIETARY CHANGES, HOME REMEDIES, SUPPLEMENTS
1 BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
5 WARNINGS!
[BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS] 11/07/2009: Martin from Leeds, Uk writes: "I am a 46 year old male who has had the symptoms of Candida for about 15 years. I started with severe bouts of sinusitis for which the doctor prescribed repeat prescriptions of antibiotics. I was on and off these for about 1-2 years until I came to my senses and realised I was not getting better. However, by this time I had developed mood swings and heart palpations and was constantly admitted to hospital to undergo cardiac tests and low and behold they all showed I was extremely fit and healthy at least cardically. The story goes on as many of the sufferers with this problem have outlined until I turned to alternative therapies and one reoccurring condition kept coming up which was candida. Now it seems like I am in the fight of my life I just can't seem to get this thing under control.
Currently:-
Taking 3 x 1250mg garlic tablets daily.
1 x 350mg caprylic acid tablet (not enteric coated)
3 x 500mg echnicea purpurea
4 cups of java tea
pure olive oil with seasame seed.
3/4 probiotics 100 million organisms at time of
manufacture
1 1/2 litres of water per day approx.
restrictive diet (have lost 4 kgs in 3 weeks)
fennel seeds in tea to clear gas.
I have now been on this regime for about one month. The first 3 days I felt 200% better then something must have changed or I did something differently because I am still feeling very weak and understrength. Blood pressure has dropped from 130/90 with pulse at 54 to around 118/75 and pulse 75. Weight was 80.4 kg and is now 76.1 Kg.
As I am working in the MiddleEast I have not got access to all the various things that I would like such as lughol's solution which is banned as in most countries.
I have been following the posts with interest and especially Teds from Thailand. I would be grateful for some clear and sound advise as there is also a lot of contradictory statements or at least it appears so, but my own feeling is that this condition is a monster that can change and affect each person in a different way.
My diet consists of proteins derived from meat and poultry (no pork). I occasionally use minimal honey (one teaspoon a day) in my tea, I have barley porridge every two days. I eat vegetables and recommended fruits.
Oh, one thing after the first month of this routine I tried to introduce cream cheese and went into body shock and had to take a week of work. I woke up shivering although the temp was 33 centigrade, I had to put on two thick jumpers and three blankets to get warm.
I can smell the yeast on my skin and the eczema on my foot is still there with only a slight improvement also
my sinusitis has improved dramatically.
I look forward to hearing from anyone who can give salient advice in this matter.
questions:
1. How long should I continue this routine?
2. Can I find a compromise to lughol's solution."
11/07/2009: Merryanne from Orange City, Fl, USA replies: "Google research,,Kelp (seaweed) has Iodine in it...it is natural, and if the body does not need it it will pass on. Hope this helps. Merryanne"
11/07/2009: Merryanne from Ornge City, Fl, Usa replies: "I do not know if this will help,,but I am a diabetic my self so I have dietary challenges also...If you are fighting candida then it might help if you eat a low low carbohydrate diet. That might starve it out..I might be wrong I did not take time to research it,,but stop eating starchy foods, sweet fruits, no bread. for a few days eat meats, green vegtables a little cheese, no milk no juice. Try it for a few days,,,It certainly is not a diet to stay on,,but it might kill back the population or strength of the candida. Merryanne"
| | | |
[YEA] 03/31/2007: Justine from London, UK writes: "Re: Jan's Candida Cure: Thank you so much for taking the time to write down your findings, Jan. It would be hard to find a more motivated guinea pig than yourself I imagine! There were a lot of insightful bits of information, and I learnt alot. As Jane mentioned, it would be so nice if doctors spent more time collating info themselves so that we could be helped more efficiently. Thanks so much for your effort on behalf of all Candida Sufferers."
| | | |
[YEA] 05/01/2004: Jan writes: "I discovered I had a Candida overgrowth 3 years ago when I decided to go on the Atkins diet. Dr Atkins mentioned Candida in his book and told how to identify who might have it. I determined that I did by using the spit test, which involves gathering the first saliva that you have in the morning upon waking, and spitting it into a glass of cold water. After it sits for a few minutes to l hour, if the saliva forms long strings reaching down towards the bottom of the glass, like roots, that indicates a Candida overgrowth. Or it may become cloudy or cause flecks, if the infection is somewhat less rampant. I had lots of long "roots." So I started doing some research on the internet to see what I could do about it. My sister and her family had had a Candida overgrowth 15 years before, and went on a VERY strict diet for a year, taking Nystatin daily along with the diet and she and her family got rid of it and were able to eat a "normal" diet again. I, however, did not want to use drugs. I believe in the natural way as much as possible, so I started doing some research.
The first thing I did was cut out sugar and switch to Aspartame or whatever other non-sugar sweetener that was available. Almost every diet food had Aspartame, and it tasted good, so I used it in everything. Diet drinks, sugar-free jello, sugar-free anything seemed to have Aspartame. Being completely unaware of the dangers of Aspartame, I used it freely. If you are not aware of the problems with Aspartame, do some research on the Internet. It is a neurotoxin and poisonous! Avoid it at all costs. They are now finding that people can go blind using it.
Within a few months on Aspartame I was so sick I couldn't sit up straight in a chair. Almost paralyzed, I could barely walk and I couldn't think or remember anything...it was like living in a fog. This stuff is truly legalized poison. I found info about Aspartame on the internet and immediately cut all of that out of my diet and very slowly the brain fog began to lift, and I started to regain strength. Now, two and a half years later, I am still not 100%, but I am doing so much better. Motor functions have returned to normal. My memory has improved greatly. I don't have to live by lists all the time now, and I can remember details of my work and daily life.
I continued my search for a sweetener that would substitute for sugar. All of them have their problems and ALL of them feed the Candida! Even Saccharin in the pink packets will feed the yeast to some extent, but I found it to be the least offensive. Stevia will, as well, though to a smaller extent as you use less of it. Nutra Sweet or Sucralose is a chemical made from Sugar. It is no longer sugar, though it tastes sweet like sugar and is promoted as being made from sugar. It is still a chemical and has a whole set of contraindications of its own. Aspartame and Splenda or Nutrasweet, the main sugar alternatives, are not safe, as even brief research on the internet will show.
I went on a strict diet for over a month consisting ONLY of plain meats with no flour coating, no condiments or additives. I ate only fish, eggs, butter, olive oil and olives with the vinegar drained off them and replaced with olive oil flavored with garlic powder, and a cup of beef bouillon, if I wanted something hot to drink. (Chicken Bouillon has carbs in all the brands I've looked at, so ALWAYS read any label of whatever food you want to add to your diet.) All of those have zero carbs, but the olives have some vinegar, which also enables the yeast to grow, because it prefers an acid rather than alkaline condition, so I used those sparingly. I didn't like drinking the olive oil plain, so I eat a couple of olives in it for flavor. I included them, because I learned that 2 tblsp of olive oil per day will prevent the Candida from mutating from the single cell to the long chain type, which penetrates the walls of the intestine, causing Leaky Gut Syndrome. This leads to Candida infection throughout the body and creates allergies, because from what I've read and understand, undigested food particles slip through the holes in the gut created by the Candida and cause havoc with the immune system.
I fasted for two weeks, then stayed on this strict diet for a month or more to control the Thrush, which was (I thought at the time!) my main manifestation of Candida infection. (As I've since learned, I have a chronic sinus infection from Candida which is what causes the sore throats, laryngitis and Thrush to occur!) Over the next year, as I gradually controlled the Thrush and stopped the outbreaks, I gradually added back into my diet, salad with low carb dressings. Then things with a few more carbs, and occasionally a complete break from the diet where I'd CRAVE sweets and anything with carbs. At those times, I'd eat anything that wouldn't run from me...of course, in the process, causing another outbreak of Candida. The Candida itself, I've learned, causes these cravings, so complete avoidance of extra carbs while you are getting well is best. Cravings and bingeing is what threw me into Thrush. I never had that before, even though I did have a Candida overload. My body was able to cope with the overload, until I started cutting out carbs, then had cravings and then binged.
Looking back I can see all this clearly, but at the time I was learning what had carbs, that vinegar and most condiments--catsup, mustards, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc. all have vinegar or something else fermented in them that feed the yeast. Alcoholic drinks are also fermented, so I avoided them as well. I also learned that anything made with a culture like cheese or sour cream also add to the yeast load. I had 5 or 6 really bad outbreaks of Thrush during that time, sometimes knowing I'd eaten the wrong thing, and other times, completely mystified as to why I was having an outbreak, thinking I'd followed the diet so rigorously. It has NOT been a pleasant experience. After a Thrush outbreak, I'd have to fast completely with nothing but water for 10 days, waiting for the Thrush to die out and for my mouth to heal. One time, I fasted the 10 days, had a meal of only a chicken breast, and immediately had another outbreak, so I fasted for another 10 days before I could safely put anything into my mouth. Because I couldn't eat anything for 10 days at a time, I lost at least 10 lbs. every time I had an outbreak.
I learned later that cooking meat at high temps, such as are used in frying, which I did with the chicken breast (and seasoned it with lemon pepper!), where you get those nice brown drippings that can be used to make gravy, causes chemical changes in the meat, and those chemicals also feed the yeast! And spices, too, will feed the yeast!. Only salt and pepper have not caused me to have a reaction, when I am fighting a heavy load of yeast. Lemon Pepper does. Garlic powder will. Curry will. They are from plants, so I suppose they must have some small amount of carbs, however tiny, in them. Witha huge yeast burden, feeding it any amount of carbs will cause it to grow even larger.
The safest way for me to eat meat, which has zero carbs, was to bake or boil it, lightly fry it if I must, steam it or slow cook it in the crock pot. NO high temps. High temperatures cause chemical changes and it will feed the yeast. I also avoid meats that have been processed, such as lunch meats or sausages, because the may contain sulfites and other chemicals, which also enable the yeast to grow.
So over the next 2 years I lost 65 lbs., fasting, because I couldn't eat. I was sick and weak from the Aspartame poisoning and the Candida and still searching for something to control and kill the yeast. About 6 months into it, I found GSE (Grape Seed Extract). What a blessing. Ten to fifteen drops in a glass of water actually killed the yeast! I drank it three times a day and gradually felt better and better. But even though I wasn't having Thrush outbreaks, I still always had a small patch of Thrush inside my cheek. It never ever healed completely.
I started adding foods back into my diet and after almost 2 years, I was eating close to a normal diet. I still didn't eat any pasta, or bread more than once a month and then only if it was REALLY heated, as in a toasted cheese sandwich, so as to kill any remaining yeast in the bread or the cheese. I very rarely ate corn or peas or potatoes because they are high in complex carbs, but still, I felt I was back to an almost normal diet.
By the way, I've found that it takes anywhere from 6 to 12 hours for a food to be digested, for the nutrients to get into your blood stream and be distributed throughout your body to feed the yeast, before that food causes a reaction. So, I finally figured out that it might not be what I had JUST eaten an hour or two before, it could also be what I had eaten 6-12 hours before that was causing reactions. And the reactions could go on for 6 hrs. to days or weeks, depending on the load of Candida I had at the time.
Then, two years into fighting Candida--about 6 mo. ago, I tried a coffee drink my friend was selling which contained a mushroom derivative. He touted it as a wonder drink, providing energy and a mood elevator. I wondered if it would adversely affect me, as I knew mushrooms and Candida are both fungi. But I thought if I start to feel any symptoms, I'll just stop.
Well, it was wonderful. I felt really good, had lots of energy. Five days after starting to drink it, I had the WORST outbreak of Thrush ever. No warning. Just woke up with fever and chills and face swelling horribly, tongue so swollen I couldn't talk! It was VERY painful, as my whole inside of my mouth and tongue was RAW and bleeding from the Candida. I immediately started on my control program, no food, mouth rinses and gargling, but it was so painful I broke down and bought some Nystatin. I couldn't deal with the usual 10 days of bleeding and pain and swelling and waiting to heal.
So I purchased half a pint of Nystatin and it really did work! It was a rinse and spit kind of prescription, but it contained SUGAR! Can you imagine! I found that out when I swallowed some and had an immediate, renewed outbreak the next day. So I used that faithfully for two weeks. (The woman who sold me the prescription at Shopko told me she had been on the same prescription for 12 years!!!! I was shocked! The poor woman. She never will get well on that rinse. It merely controls the Candida it comes in contact with, but it contacts only what is in the mouth and throat. The rest of the candida throughout the body is never touched, so it just flares up again later.) Well, Nystatin didn't heal the Candida, but it did control it. When I tried to back off taking it, I'd have a new outbreak.
I missed work because I also had a raging sinus infection, draining into my throat, clogging my vocal cords, and causing Laryngitis. I used to get Laryngitis twice a year in my younger days and took a prescription antibiotic twice a year to heal it. I'd get a sore throat and then lose my voice. (I was also on long term birth control pills. I learned later that both birth control pills, because of the hormones, and antibiotics, which kill off the good bacteria that eat fungi, actually promote Candida overgrowth! The doctor said I needed my tonsils out, but even before I knew about taking proactive care of myself a healthier or more natural way, I knew I didn't want doctors cutting me up, so I wouldn't let them remove them. Looking back, I think, What Idiocy! Tonsils are the guards and fighters of infection. Just because them become inflamed and are fighting the bacteria in your mouth and throat, the medical professionals want to remove them! That's crazy.
So after purchasing Nystatin, I got back on the internet to do more research, and found a wonderful site: www.jnutra.com . (Their phone number is 1-316-651-5739.) It is Jernigan Neutraceuticals site and it belongs to a husband and wife Chiropractor team who create their own medicines and do their own research. They have a 10 step healing program. Go there and click on Somerlyton, then on Diet and Nutrition and after you read that, click on What to Expect. You may be as amazed as I was at these doctors' healing concepts.
What I found there to help me is Yeast Ease. It kills all 5 of the major kinds of yeast on contact. All of the doctors prescriptions kill only one, and not even one efficiently, as they can come back as resistant strains! Is that scary or what! And it kills not only in the mouth and gut, but Yeast Ease kills Candida systemically! It gets into your blood and organs and cleans out the yeast! But it must work very slowly. After 3 months on it, and eating ONLY meat during that time, I am still overwhelmed and having Candida outbreaks, when I try to add back carbs. However, it does kill on contact and it is absolutely wonderful for controlling Thrush or skin problems caused by Candida. At the first hint of Thrush I put 7 drops in a glass of water and sip and swish it over a few hours and it kills it immediately. No more swelling or pain! That alone is worth the price. And it is 'way cheaper than Nystatin and better for you. No side effects.
Four months into the Yeast Ease, I can tell you I FEEL the difference. In fact, after just 10 days on the Yeast Ease, I felt so good I actually started adding foods back into my diet, but it was too soon and I felt a mild outbreak coming, so stopped it immediately. But I know from my symptoms, it actually is controlling and killing the yeast.
BUT...NOTHING CONTROLS YEAST LIKE DIET.
Whatever you eat, WILL feed the yeast and it will grow. No matter what you use to kill some of the yeast, the rest will multiply. Therefore, eating the fewest carbs and the foods which feed or promote the growth of Candida is the quickest way to health.
In order to effect a quick and positive change, I went back to eating meat only. And the meat must be as free from human contamination as possible. Sausages, wieners, bacon, ham, lunch meats, deli meats, etc. all contain preservatives, sulfites, nitrites and nitrates, and God knows what else that I have no idea about. These will, I've learned from experience, feed the Candida or somehow encourage its growth. Even plain meat contain substances that feed it or enable the yeast to grow. Most beef is loaded with hormones and some antibiotics. Same for Chicken. Turkey and pork seem to be better in these respects. Pigs seem to have fewer health problems and seem to need fewer antibiotics.
I again ate NO condiments, nothing but meat, eggs, fish, butter and olive oil, olives and bouillon. Zero carbs. I read every label and look for anything that ends in "ose" which indicates sugar of some kind. I avoided anything with vinegar, anything fermented, anything with a culture like cheese, or any kind of carbs. There are NO good carbs when it comes to Yeast. Forget the carb bars. They feed the yeast, too.
In its favor, I've found that if I eat sugar, as opposed to complex carbs, such as corn, squash and potatoes, I have a smaller reaction than when eating the complex carbs. Maybe because it burns off quicker in my system? The complex ones hang around in my blood as blood sugar longer, thus feeding the Candida throughout my body? I don't know, but I don't recommend eating either, if you are trying to reduce your Candida load. Sugar, complex carbs and "net carbs" all feed the yeast.
Coffee, because of the caffeine, is also not good if you are fighting Candida. Caffeine raises your blood sugar. Higher sugar content in your blood feeds the yeast throughout your body, and that makes the yeast grow again.
Of course, "meat only" is not a healthy long term diet. I have survived nicely on it for a month or two at a time by using an array of supplements. I am using
Citracal D, 660 Mg, plus 400 D, 1 tablet 2 times a day
Magnesium, 400 mg, plus 15mg zinc, 3 to 5 tablets, 4 times a day
Potassium, 550 mg tablets, 5 of them 4 times a day
B complex, 125 mg timed release, 1 tablet 4 times a day
Beta Carotene, 25,000 I.U., 1 capsule 4 times a day
Vitamin C, 1000 mg, 1 tablet, 4 times a day
Vitamin E, 400 mg, 1 capsule, 4 times a day
Selenium, 200 mg. 2 times a day
Plus the other supplements, such as MSM/L-Lysine, enzymes, GSE, Yeast Ease, etc mentioned later in this article.
I have had a chronic infection for YEARS. I thought I had allergies to different things, and I did, but I'm finding that the lighter the Candida load I carry, the fewer allergies I have! I was allergic to dust and smoke and mold and wheat. I still can't tolerate mold, but dust and smoke hardly bother me, and I rarely have hives from wheat anymore, when I was eating some previous to this last outbreak. Occasionally, just one hive would pop up for a day and then disappear, if I have eaten something like a donut, etc. If I dab this with a few drops of Yeast Ease in a pint of water, it heals quicker! I am actually oozing yeast. Some people get red blotchy skin, some get sore places where their bra or clothes rub. Some get oozing red places in the folds of their skin as where the abdomen and thigh meet or under their arms. Yeast Ease, just a few drops in a pint of water, applied with a cotton ball, will clear these up.
Two other miracle workers I've recently discovered are Oregacyn and Oregamax from House of Nutrition. Oregacyn cleans up the sinuses and Oregamax cleans up the intestine. I was tremendously improved on these two after only a few short weeks and able to return to a nearly normal diet. I am not sure that Candida will ever be completely cured as it is a normal part of our bodies, so I plan to stay on a maintenance dosage for as long as necessary...maybe for life! I do know that now I have the tools I need to fight and control the Candida. Thank God!!! It has been a long miserable battle.
Over the past two years, trying to do healthy, closer-to-nature healing, rather than doctor's prescriptions, I have tried and learned some things I'd like to share. Candida manifests it presence in many ways, up to 300 different symptoms, I've read. Yours may be different, but here are some of mine and ways I've found to deal with them..
Candida Symptoms I've Experienced:
Depression:
So many people are on antidepressants these days, but I've found that this too is greatly improved by reducing the Candida load and eating good balanced meals, and making sure I have enough Calcium and magnesium in my diet. The nutrition books recommend 2:l ratio for Calcium/magnesium, but I've found that my diet contains much more calcium than magnesium (when I'm eating real food, not just meat), so I need to supplement EQUAL amounts of Calcium/Magnesium in order to balance what I am taking in through eating. This has worked well for me and I rarely suffer from depression now, unless I am in the throes of a Candida attack again.
Hands and Feet feel cold:
Yes, this too, is a symptom of Candida overload. It can be symptomatic of other things as well, low thyroid for one, but reducing your Candida load will help you here, too.
Incontinence:
I've found that when my Candida load is heavy, I "dribble" more, especially under stress such as laughing or coughing. If my ears are ringing, I can expect this to manifest. I wear mini pads, and they help prevent embarrassment, but of course do nothing to solve the problem. Again, systemically reducing the Candida load is the way to "cure" this.
Overweight:
Candida causes cravings for all the wrong things and makes us addicts of carbs and sugar and white flour. This throws off our metabolism and causes weight gain. Controlling the candida will allow your body to return to normal, stop the cravings and cause weight loss. Yeast Ease is the only thing I know of that will SYSTEMICALLY eliminate yeast in your body. If you don't eliminate the systemic load, it won't matter how many symptoms you battle, you will never win. Those symptoms will always return, because your body still has the infestation!
Your liver also plays a big part in weight control, because it determines whether your body stores or burns fat, and it can be affected by the Candida, so consider a liver cleanse at least 4 or 5 times, and more if you are seeing good results each time. Intrahepatic stones can harbor live viruses, bacteria, candida, etc. When your liver processes waste material, bacteria, parasites, candida, etc. can be harbored in the stones that block the bile ducts. These need to be cleared out of the body. Info on liver cleansing can be found at. http://curezone.com/forums/m.asp?f=460&I=5776
Paragone:
This is a mixture of different oils and herbs taken as drops in water, plus two capsules three times a day. It is effective against many kinds of parasites. I did this cleanse twice, but did not find a substantial difference in my candida symptoms, so I may not have had parasites that responded to this.
Pinkeye:
When my sinuses were badly infected, they blocked the tear ducts from my eyes which drain intothe sinuses, and that caused red, infected eyes or Pinkeye. A drop of Yeast Ease in Colloidal silver makes a good eye drop for me. Or I used three drops of bleach in 1.5 ounces of saline or plain water. (Bleach in your eyes? Why not? I swim in a chlorinated pool. And bleach kills germs and fungi on contact!) I also wash my eyes in the shower. I hold my hands under the shower head spray so that a very fine spray comes off my hands. I put my face into that spray and blink rapidly and it washes my eyes thoroughly. (Our water is from a pure, underground source and has no fluoride.) I follow that with the eye drops.
Rashes or Itching skin:
Candida can cause a red rash on your face or elsewhere, pimples that are watery and weepy, or soreness in the folds of your skin, under arms and in the area where thigh meets abdomen, to mention a couple. Candida is anaerobic, which means it likes to be without air, and it prefers dark, moist places. I have found several good remedies for these problems.
Redness and soreness in folds of skin can be cleaned up in a few days with Oxygene oxygenated gel (About $10). It is a multi-level marketing product, which I get from my dentist. It is clear and has extra oxygen in it. I rubbed a small amount over infected area at bedtime, so the folds of my skin would be more stretched out than during the day time. As it dries out, I just add a few drops of water to activate the oxygen again and in a few days the rash or soreness is gone. The bleach solution will also work here, but it will sting slightly. I apply a hemorrhoid salve such as Preparation H, after washing it thoroughly. (Hemorrhoid salves that contain shark liver oil promote healing better than anything I've ever found. It is wonderful for burns and will even remove scars if you use it long enough To remove the scar, keep using it even after the burn is all healed, until the scar disappears!)
Yeast Ease kills on contact. Ten drops in a pint of water applied with a cotton ball will have redness, rashes or pimples cleaned up in a few days, if your rash is due to Candida. Yeast Ease is effective, even diluted to 1 part per 3200 parts. Can you imagine! So use it sparingly in your topical applications. No need to waste here.
Of course, the salve or Oxygene or bleach solution or Yeast Ease used topically is only a temporary fix. It doesn't cure the systemic problem, which will continue to reoccur, until you control the yeast load in your body.
Ringing or itching in Ears:
Wash ears with soap and water. Dry inside with Q-tip. I put a drop or two of bleach/GSE solution or Yeast Ease solution on a clean Q-tip and swab the inside of ears as far in as I can comfortably reach. Itching stops almost immediately. The ringing in my ears subsides as my total yeast load decreases. One of the ways I can tell I am getting a yeast build up is that my ears start ringing. I've also found that as I flush my sinuses and clean out the infection, my hearing improves. I thought I was losing my hearing and normally have the TV up very loud, but that is also improving.
A masseuse friend recently told me about Tea Tree Oil (also known as maleleucca oil). It is a powerful antibiotic and anti-fungal which penetrates your skin. I've diluted it with olive oil and applied it across my face from my hairline to my upper lip and from ear to ear, including inside the ears, behind my ears and on my temples, so that it would cover all the sinus passage areas. I've also applied it under my jaws to the areas where the glands in my neck are, because they are always swollen from dealing with the constant sinus infection. I do this 2 or three times a day as time permits. I am experiencing a daily reduction in the ringing in my ears, and my swollen glands markedly decreased in size after just a few days of this. I've had better results with the Tea Tree Oil than with any of the other remedies. It seems to absorb into my sinuses and help kill whatever infection is there. The right side of my sinuses is almost completely healed, and the left side is markedly better after several weeks of application. I rare,ly find flecks of yellow mucus, indicating pockets of infection in my sinuses, because they are SO much improved.
Scalp itching:
At first I used ¼ cup dark vinegar to 1 pint water as a rinse after shampooing. This helped a lot. I used dandruff shampoo for 30 years and that helps, but I wanted more natural means. Now I mix 5 drops of Yeast Ease into 1 cup of water and use it as a rinse, after I use my conditioner. It kills on contact. But, if your body is still loaded with yeast, it will continue to come out on your scalp or elsewhere, so you must control the load your body carries to affect a permanent solution. It is the same with all other symptoms I'm listing. Unless you reduce your systemic load, none of this will be permanent.
Sinuses:
In 1999 The Mayo Clinic did a study on sinus problems and found that almost ALL sinus problems involved fungi in the sinus cavities. They also found that when doctors treated sinus infections with antibiotics, which do kill bacteria, but which can not touch fungi, they may have prevented the secondary infection in their patients, but they CAUSED a greater infection of the fungi, because bacteria, the good ones, eat fungi, thus helping to control it. That was printed for any doctor to read, yet even now, their treatment of choice for a sinus infection is antibiotics! Go figure!
I made a sinus wash from 1 ounce of Colloidal Silver (It fights bacterial infection which is secondary and usually accompanies the yeast infection) 1 drop of GSE and 3 drops of bleach. I use that as a sinus wash as many times a day as I feel stuffy. A saline solution base, which you can buy at any drug store, would work with 3 drops of bleach. Whatever you use, your sinuses should feel less stuffy when you are done, maybe even clear! If you feel stuffy after 3 to 5 flushes and nose blows (blow gently as blowing too hard can force the mucus back into your sinuses), perhaps you are reacting to one of the ingredients in the nasal wash. Everyone is different. I seem to get the best results with water and 3 drops of bleach. Yeast Ease in this is not optimum for me. Maybe because 1 drop in l ounce of either base is too strong? I don't know, but I seem stuffier afterwards. Maybe I'll try diluting it more before using it. 3 ounces to 1 drop? Trial and error are the name of the game.
I know that when I see any yellow colored mucus, that indicates infection. Clear mucus probably means sinuses are putting out mucus fast enough to wash out infection, but if I am coughing up any yellow mucus or blowing my nose and producing yellow mucus, that always indicates infection.
For many years I've used over the counter nasal sprays, such as Duration and others like it. I've read that they aren't good for you, cause addiction to them, etc. So from time to time, just to see where I am, I get off of the spray, one nostril at a time, so that I can still breathe out of the other, but I can see if my sinuses are better. Well, of course, they weren't improving, because I didn't know how to treat them. I've since learned about nasal flushes, so now I feel I am making some progress. I also see that the more sinus washes I do, the less I seem to need the Duration.
When I looked for directions on the internet on how to do a sinus wash, I found I had been reaching only about half of my sinus cavity area. I found a picture of where all the sinus cavities are, and after seeing that, I could see that I needed to do the wash standing straight up, then bending way over--almost up-side-down, and turning my head slowly from one side to the other side to make sure all of the areas of the insides of my sinuses were washed. Your sinuses extend back to your inner ear area as well, so spraying with your left ear down and then your right ear down will reach other areas as well. When I get "water in my ear" as it feels sometimes when you go swimming, I just bend over and let it drain slowly out or lay on my side with my head lower than my body, the plugged ear UP.
Sinuses are coated with a mucus layer and in order for the solution to reach the infection in the skin under the mucus, it does seem to take a while to clean this all out. I do 3 to 5 consecutive flushes. Then 3 to 5 more in a few hours. When I started to do the bending over wash, I found several areas that stung around my eyebrow and temple area, so I knew there were infected areas there that I hadn't reached previously. The up-side-down flushing has helped immensely! My breathing is much improved and I sleep better because of it. When I am stuffy at night, Vicks helps me to breathe.
However, I recently tried Oregacyn, from www.HouseofNutrition.com, and it is wonderful. It is made specifically for sinus infections. I started with 1 capsule twice a day, but increased to two capsules twice a day after a few days. By the time I finished the first bottle I noticed some difference. By the time I finished the second bottle I was no longer seeing any yellow mucus or infection and was breathing VERY well, using my nasal spray only a few times a day rather than every hour. I ordered 90 capsules more and am seeing improvement every day. This has been the absolute biggest help I've found. There is even research to back up the benefits I've seen. I still use the nasal wash at night, but really am impressed with the improvement I've seen on Oregacyn. This has really cleaned up my sinuses! I was back on a regular diet after only 5 weeks of Oregacyn! I still go slow on the carbs, but I have added most things back into my diet, including an occasional dessert!!
Other things that helped:
I also read about inhaling vapor from a dehumidifier or vaporizer with about 5-10 drops of Tea Tree Oil to 2 quarts of water. Oil of Oregano can be used for this as well. When I was really struggling with the infection, I inhaled the vapors for 5 min or so each hour, blowing gently to remove whatever I could. This helped immensely. I have also used the vaporizer in my room while I sleep. I mixed a gallon of the above mixture and it can be stronger if you wish, and sleep with that all night. That has also helped me to breath more easily.
If I had REALLY bad congestion, I've found that a wet wash cloth on my face and a hot heating pad over that will cause my sinuses to drain, so that I can do a sinus flush. I find sitting in a semi-reclined position in my recliner chair was best for drainage. Other ways I found to break up congestion are to peel some onions or eat horseradish or have a good cry.
I also took decongestant pills for years. A year ago I decided to stop those. I noticed NO difference in taking them or not! What a lot of wasted money there. I had built up a tolerance to them and they were having no affect. I recently took some for a day or two and they were helpful again to clear congestion and halt the flood of mucus.
Sore Throat:
Whether it is from draining sinuses or strep throat or anything else, I use the same mixture: 3 Tblsp. Household liquid bleach in 1 cup water. Gargle 3 or 4 times in 12 hours and soreness will be gone. Bleach kills germs and fungus ON CONTACT. I haven't had a sore throat for more than 12 hours since I started using this. It knocks it out immediately.
I also tried gargling with Hydrogen Peroxide and putting that on topically. It stings and it isn't effective. What I am able to buy over the counter isn't strong enough.
Thrush:
3 Tablespoons household liquid bleach to 1 cup of water. Gargle and spit. This was an amazing find for me. I was cleaning the shower one day and noticed some mold growing in the cracks of the grout. I got out the bleach and wiped it down and that was the end of it. Then, I thought, why not kill my fungus (Candida), too! It kills on contact! At first thought, it was a bit scary. Putting bleach in my mouth? But I thought about putting my hands into bleach, even a straight solution, and it didn't damage the skin or hurt at all, unless I had a cut, so I thought I'd give it a try. It doesn't taste good, but it sure works. Until I started using Yeast Ease, I gargled daily with a mild bleach solution, as maintenance, sort of like using Nystatin. It doesn't cure it, but it kept it from becoming an outbreak, except when I really overdid it on the carbs. Now I gargle with 7 drops of Yeast Ease in a pint of water. No taste, no pain, and it is completely effective, too.
I've also noticed I no longer have sore teeth or gum problems, since I started gargling with bleach. I used to lose a tooth every couple of years--due to an infection in the root of the tooth, I thought. The Dentist said it needed a root canal, so I'd get one and then a few weeks later it would flare up again and I'd have to have it pulled. Turns out, it was infection getting into my gums. Gargling with bleach prevents whatever germs there were in my mouth from getting into my gums and infecting my teeth. (Could that have been due to the Candida in my mouth?) What a blessing that has been. It's really reduced dental visits, too!
I also soak my toothbrush in the bleach solution every day so that I don't reinfect myself from germs from a previous brushing. I use only baking soda for brushing my teeth. It scrubs and cleans and freshens nicely without adding any sugar to my mouth.
As for gargling with the bleach solution when having a Thrush outbreak... It is painful! Bleach in a cut on your hand stings like fire, and it is no different when your mouth is raw and sore. It is like having a mouth full of fire, but it does kill the Candida on contact, so even a brief rinse and spit kills it. However, it can't reach the Candida that is still coming out through the skin of the mouth, so I gargled several times a day until the outbreak subsided. It is painful. And I fasted. If I ate anything other than water, the outbreak worsened. Yeast Ease is SO much more pleasant to use than bleach.
Vaginal Infection:
I used 2 Tblsp. Vinegar in 1 qt. warm water to use as a douche twice a day till no more itching. It was gone in a few days. I have had no outbreaks vaginally for a long, long time. I'm told a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in some water works well as a douche, as I'm sure Yeast Ease would, as well.
Supplements:
I have tried a variety of supplements to control Candida. Olive leaf, Caprylic acid, tea tree oil, several ProBiotics, soil based organisms, hyssop, Wild oil of oregano come to mind. All are touted as killing Candida, but either I wasn't taking enough, and I always take more than directed, or they just weren't effective enough to show me any results. Oregamax capsules did seem to help for the l bottle I tried early on, but not nearly as much as Yeast Ease.
Acidophilus is imperative for proper intestinal flora. Lots of different kinds, brands, strains and varieties are available. Some offer mixed varieties of acidophilus and some have just one. Some have soil based organisms which are supposed to eat up the Candida, and they do work, but they are soil based, which means they don't thrive in our intestines and thus, must be continually replenished. I've also read that there may be some problems with long term use of the soil based organisms. They can cause problems which are NOT fixable. I tried them before I did some research and did get good results, but they are very expensive and must be on-going, and they work only in the gut, not systemically. After learning of the contraindications, I stopped using them.
I buy my Acidophilus and pro-biotics from Swanson's (1-800-437-4148). They have a great catalog and offer things other places don't have, and also have some really good prices. I am always cost conscious, so the other two local places I buy my basic vitamins and minerals from are Wal-Mart and Costco.
Colloidal Silver is an infection fighter and is touted as being effective against Candida. I tried the low dosage variety that comes from the health food store and could see no benefits. At 60ppm (high dosage) silver, I have been using 6 tablespoons per day internally, plus mixing it with the GSE and/or bleach as a nasal wash. It does help, but I can't say it GREATLY helps.
Enzymes dissolve and "eat up" the Candida, so they are digested for our energy rather than having them living off us and causing us problems with the gases that they produce as by products of living in our bodies. It makes sense, doesn't it? Digest them! My friend and mentor Elaine said she has had Candida problems in the past, but she did a parasite cleanse with Paragone and started taking enzymes and does so faithfully with every meal, and hasn't had an outbreak since. She recommends about 1500 Betaine HCL with each meal and 3 or 4 tablets of the mixed enzymes. These only clean the gut, not your blood or organs, but once those are clean, the enzymes will help to keep your organs from being re-infected from the Leaky Gut Syndrome.
I ordered two different enzyme tablets from Puritan's Pride (1-800-645-1030. They have great specials in their catalog and low prices always.). They are Betaine HCL and Digestabs which have copious amounts of several different kinds of enzymes in it.
I had some Papaya enzymes here which I had left over from another time I took enzymes. I started to take them again and caused another outbreak, because I didn't read the label. That particular brand of enzyme is LOADED with sugar! Chewable, tastes sweet! I should have known...
So again, READ THE LABELS. You'd think I'd have learned that by now, wouldn't you! Duh! Some days I just want to give myself a good boot in the backside!
Flax Oil is one of my favorites. I've taken three 1000mg gels 2 times a day for a long time. It is supposed to kill Candida, but it is also good because of its Omega 3 oils, and those are beneficial in many ways, so I continue to take my flax oil. Evening Primrose oil is also good, but so much more expensive. Fish oil is not as good for Candida, and all but the pharmaceutical brands of fish oil contain USDA approved amounts of heavy metals such as Mercury. That comes with its own set of new problems! I don't want that and can't afford the pharmaceutical brands, so am using Flax oil.
Heavy Metal pollution in your body also adds to the amount of Candida you may have. After reading "How I Cured My Candida," which discusses how heavy metals contribute to the Candida problem, I learned that the Candida problem may in fact be allowed by my body as a preference to dealing with Heavy Metal pollution. The main thing I tool away from that book was Paragone, which is a treatment for parasites, including Candida. l noticed no great difference.
GSE has been a staple in my arsenal for the past year and a half. It does kill yeast in the gut, and it can cause diarrhea if too much is taken. I didn't consider that all bad, though, as I felt I was also flushing out more Candida, rather than letting it sit inside and reproduce. I still use it, as I know it works. It can be added to the nasal flush, used topically or taken internally. But I feel it doesn't work nearly as well as Yeast Ease. Two 4 oz. Bottles of it, about 8 to 10 month supply, cost about $32 including shipping, from www.Americannutrition.com . Their phone number is 1-219-661-2811)
MSM and L-Lysine are two I started on recently to help me overcome the sinus infection systemically. My friend Elaine suggested I take 8000mg of L-Lysine and 3000mg MSM three times a day. This combination is, I'm told, an infection fighter. I took MSM alone in a smaller dose and didn't notice any difference, but since she has suggested this and she is VERY knowledgeable in homeopathic remedies, I trust her suggestions. I've only done this for a few days, and my sinuses are improved, so it may be due to the flushes and the MSM/L-Lysine combination or maybe only one or the other. I'm just so sick of the sinus infection, I'm willing to hit it from any side rather than try one at a time to see what is working. I KNOW the Yeast Ease is. I trust the MSM/L-Lysine combination is. MSM is good for fighting Candida internally as it is sulfur and our bodies need this for a variety of reasons, including good joint health.
I also learned that to be effective MSM must be pure, no additives such as calcium stearate, magnesium or rice flour or anything else in it. You can buy PURE MSM at some health food stores, or it comes in 8 or 12 oz cans from the local FEED STORE. It is made for horses! Works just fine for humans, too. (This is not the only supplement or medicine that I buy from the feed stores. Prices are much cheaper for animals than for people!)
As a side note, the L-Lysine is AMAZING for killing whatever virus is responsible for Herpes! I used to have horrible outbreaks of cold sores and have many scars on my lower lip to show for it. I read that L-Lysine helped, so took about 2000 mg 4 times a day for a couple of months and haven't had an outbreak since. One time, a few years later, I started to feel just the tiniest warning that a cold sore might be coming, so I went back on the L-Lysine for another month and haven't had anything since then. This must have been 20 years ago.
Olive Oil, which I discussed earlier, is taken to prevent Candida from forming the long chain variety and penetrating the gut, but also for its heart healthy benefits.
Potassium helps to change the pH. Balance of your body's chemistry. Candida prefer an acid environment, but Potassium will help it to become more alkaline. I doubled my intake of Potassium. I can tell from wearing jewelry, even 14K gold, that my system is very acid, because even gold will make my fingers turn black from the metal. But within two days of doubling my intake of Potassium, my fingers stopped turning black from the metal! So I'll watch this and adjust it as necessary. I love tomatoes and lemons, which are very acid, but those can change the pH. Balance for a person fighting Candida, so those aren't optimum for me right now.
Baking Soda (1-2 Teaspoons in 4 to 6 ounces of water) each evening before retiring for 2 to 4 weeks was recommended as another way to change the pH in your body.
Yeast Ease is my most wonderful find to date. It DOES kill on contact. Just the tiniest touch on a slight skin outbreak and the eruption begins to heal the next day. I had one which had been raw and weeping for several days and even the hemorrhoid salve wouldn't heal it. One touch of Yeast Ease and it began to heal the next day.
I can see and feel the difference in my body, and hear the difference in Tinnitis in my ears. Within 12 hours of starting to take the Yeast Ease, I could feel the Thrush healing. Two weeks into taking it, I felt like a new person -- cheerful and energetic, not from Yeast Ease per se, but from LACK of Candida. It is NOT strong enough, however, to overcome a carb laden diet. The Candida will reproduce and the battle is never ending. If you feed the yeast, it will grow. REMEMBER--NOTHING CONTROLS YEAST LIKE DIET.
Other Resources:
"Let's Play Doctor" by Dr. Joel Wallach & Dr. Ma Lan
This book is a must have for all people who want to be proactive in their own health care. Dr. Wallach and his wife Dr. Ma Lan describe many common diseases and maladies that we suffer today and tells what to do to cure them. He also has a section on what different vitamins and minerals do for or to the body and what overdoses of these will do as well. I worried about taking too much of one thing or another, but after reading the book and knowing what is or isn't to much and why and then being able to recognize the symptoms of too much or too little has been of great value to me. You can obtain a copy from me as I bought a whole case of them to share with friends who also want to be well. $15 each. Or you can get one from Dr. Wallach's office by calling 1-800-755-4656
Revised, "Coping with Candida Cook Book" by Dr. Sally Rockwell, nutritionist
This book has a comprehensive list of foods and how many carbs they contain as well as lots of good recipes. I found that I couldn't use many of the recipes until I reduced some of my Candida load, but they are all lower carb recipes. The book contains everything from salads to main dishes to deserts.
The Liver Cleanse Diet book by Dr. Sandra Cabot
I did the liver cleanse to help rid myself of candida trapped or thriving in my liver. I found lots of good info on the internet by looking at Curezone.com and searching under liver cleansing. I found instructions for using olive oil and lemons to cleanse my liver of the parasites and candida which may be present. The candida diet is even more restrictive, but knowing about both helped me. This book also set the stage for my body to begin burning fat, rather than storing fat! I found I was 'way overweight because no matter how little I ate, I still stored fat and gained weight. Once I did the liver cleanses and started on the enzymes and thyroid and the began candida diet, I lost weight naturally--1 to 2 lbs. per week.
The Sinus Cure by Dr. Murray Grossan, M.D.
This book explains sinuses function and provides a seven step program for reducing and relieving symptoms, which is his idea of a cure. It does discuss sinus flushing and recommends it. I found that part helpful.
"How I Cured My Candida" by Ian Solley.
Lots of good info on how the body works, why different things work, heavy metal pollution and cleansing to rid your body of both heavy metals and candida. It is an ebook you can download on the internet and print yourself.
Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue?
These are interrelated and each can be helped immensely by controlling the Candida. I stop short of saying "cured" but I believe from my experience that Candida is the overriding and most influential factor in both diseases. I have a report that I will share with you, if you are interested. Just ask for it.
Juicing
As a side note, Juicing is wonderful for your body, as it delivers so many liquid nutrients to your body immediately. This liquid form of food makes for more availability than chewing up foods which don't always get completely crushed and mixed with saliva to prepare for digestion. BUT ... juicing also delivers all the sugars and carbs, so it may not be the best for anyone in the midst of fighting the Candida battle.
Best wishes on your journey to better health.
Here are the two places I found that have articles that relate to Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia and Candida
Candida, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia
http://www.curezone.com/dis/1.asp?C0=75
And this one has good info, too
http://www.candidasupport.net/candidarelateddi.html"
[WARNING!] 01/16/2006: Dan replies: "I just wanted to comment on Jan's ... list of "cures" for candida. My God, what HASN'T she tried? Plus her recommendations totally contradict earlier suggestions, (like avoiding vinegar), and some of the rest are outright dangerous -- like eating a ZERO CARB diet. With all due sincere respect, I would suggest you add some disclaimers besides the one at the bottom of your page, as many of her ideas are not good for anyone, and could cause someone to end up harming their health."
[WARNING!] 01/17/2006: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "I agree with your reader. Jan's recommendation is rather bizarre to say the least. Atkins diet is not an acceptable diet, even Dr. Atkins STILL had high blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol when he died. The proof is in the pudding.Normally the cause of candida issue has very much to do with maintaining a proper pH alkalinity rather than acidity. While Apple cider vinegar is alkaline forming, it is also antifungal, yes. And apple cider vinegar is and does indeed used for treatment of candida. Malic acid the major component of apple cider vinegar is antifungal and therefore anti-candida.
Eating low sugar died it a sensible way to go as sugar is what fuels candia, but this is only half the story. The other is eating more foods that are alkaline forming. Certain processed foods can also trigger candida as well because of high heavy toxic metals."
[WARNING!] 01/17/2006: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "I agree with your reader. Jan's recommendation is rather bizarre to say the least. Atkins diet is not an acceptable diet, even Dr. Atkins STILL had high blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol when he died. The proof is in the pudding.Normally the cause of candida issue has very much to do with maintaining a proper pH alkalinity rather than acidity. While Apple cider vinegar is alkaline forming, it is also antifungal, yes. And apple cider vinegar is and does indeed used for treatment of candida. Malic acid the major component of apple cider vinegar is antifungal and therefore anti-candida.
Eating low sugar died it a sensible way to go as sugar is what fuels candia, but this is only half the story. The other is eating more foods that are alkaline forming. Certain processed foods can also trigger candida as well because of high heavy toxic metals."
[WARNING!] 02/04/2006: Deborah from London, UK replies: "I have just spent an hour looking at jan's recomendations. Im shocked by the fact she did not think putting her body through such nutritional deprevation as starving her self for long periods and then a no carb diet that in itself makes the body acid, that she did not consider that her body's immune system was being strangled and that's why her outbreaks were fast and terrible. Also, not once did she say she had used a probiotic of any kind to recolognise her gut with the friendly bacteria that control the numbers of yeast in the gut by competitive inhabition. Finaly her recommendations are so complex and contradictory i can't see anyone being able to follow them."
[WARNING!] 03/07/2006: Jane from Boston replies: "As most of you probably know, Candida can be an extremely difficult, chronic, scary and devastating condition. Unfortunately, it is difficult to learn about it because most Western Doctors are clueless about it or flat out say it's not a real problem, everything on the internet or various books on the topic have contradicting information and this basically means there is no solid resource with definitive answers. In fact the only thing everyone seems to agree on is cut out sugar!Therefore, in all fairness I think her feedback is reflecting the reality of this condition (which can cause desperation, confusion, and some trial & error). It also reflects the reality that human beings can have different reactions to different methods depending on many variables (e.g. body chemistry, allergies). I appreciate her willingness to share what has worked FOR HER. Any person that reads an individual's experience/comment online hopefully should see it for what it is: that person's experience, not FACT. I thank her for the possible resources (which we are free to check out or research elsewhere) and I think people need to remember to take responsbility for using common sense and do enough research to make their own sound decisions.
As a side note, it also would be nice to see some possible healthy solutions or other suggestions for what information is being looked at as incorrect (e.g. diet, how to get healthy balance on the anti-yeast diet which is extreme & restrictive, even borderline crazy depending on where you get your info. & who you talk to). However, as mentioned before, it's tough to weed through it all when much of the information provided differs, sometimes significantly."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 06/13/2009: LN from Austin, TX writes: "Turmeric together with eliminating sugar & gluten cured my Candida.
I had a candida infection for 15 years and had tried many treatments including over-the-counter creams, acupuncture, naturopathy, hydrogen peroxide, raw garlic, and various dietary regimen.
Last year I took the plunge and eliminated all sugar, including fruit and all starches, from my diet and experienced some relief of my symptoms, but the yeast was still present and would flare up now and then.
What finally worked for me was taking turmeric 3x a day along with cutting way down on sugar and totally eliminating gluten (I ate rice and corn but no fruit, refined sugar, honey, etc). I experienced yeast die-off symptoms (all my symptoms seemed to get much worse for several days) but then the symptoms lessened and finally abated!
Here's what I did with the turmeric (credit goes to the Kundalini Yoga Tradition for this info):
Make turmeric paste by mixing 1/4 cup of turmeric with enough water to form a thin paste and boiling it on the stove for 5 minutes. Stir continuously and add water as needed. Store the paste in glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to 30 days.
GOLDEN MILK
Heat 1.5 cups of milk, almond milk, soy milk, or rice milk to almost boiling.
Pour milk in a mug.
Dissolve 1 heaping teaspoon of turmeric paste in the milk.
Add sweetener to taste (use stevia powder if you are avoiding sugar).
Add 1 tsp. of almond oil.
It's sweet, warm, and delicious! Even my husband, who is not adventurous with food, loves Golden Milk.
I drank three cups of this a day for six weeks in conjunction with eliminating refined sugar, fruit, and gluten from my diet. Once my symptoms were gone, I introduced refined sugar and fruit back into my diet but when I tried to re-introduce gluten, I had bad results so I no longer eat gluten."
| | | |
06/11/2009: E. G. from Haiku, Hawaii writes: "A couple of years ago I went to an Ayurveda practitioner because I had been feeling tired, weak, sluggish, etc, for a year or two. The practitioner told me that I had an overgrowth of candida, and he prescribed a candida diet for a month, as well as special enzymes which break down the cellular structure of candida. He told me I should start to feel better right away. He was right!
I was worried that I wouldn't be able to stick to the candida diet, because I had always had a very strong sweet tooth, and I had tried quitting sugar before, but was unable to. However, what I found out was that the enzymes which killed the candida almost completely removed my sugar cravings by the second day. It was amazing. As boring and bland as I found the candida diet, that's how much better I felt each day. I ended up doing the diet for two months because it felt so good; suddenly I had energy again, I lost a bunch of excess weight very quickly, the puffiness of my face disappeared by the second day or so. I ended up staying off cane sugar for about a year. I also avoided other forms of sweeteners, or had them very rarely. I found that sometimes the sugar cravings would come back after eating something sweet, and I would take some more enzymes and presto, the cravings would disappear! I wanted to write and share my experience, because the enzymes made all the difference in the world for me. I don't think I could have done the candida diet without it. When you have candida, trying to stop eating the foods that the candida feeds on can be extremely difficult. I don't know how, but somehow the candida makes you crave the foods that it craves. But if you take the enzyme formula which is specifically made to kill candida, then following the candida diet will be almost easy. That was my experience anyway.
Try the enzymes and the diet together and you should start feeling better on the first day. Within a month or so, you should be free of candida. Keep in mind, if you resume eating a diet high in sugar and gluten, etc, then the candida will probably return. It did for me. Also, what I found was if I ate even a tiny amount of sugar (one french fry dipped in catsup, for instance), I would start having sugar cravings again within an hour or two. So I recomend the enzymes and going totally cold turkey on sugar. Even a small amount will make you crave more.
good luck, and great website!"
06/11/2009: AprilRain from Cleveland, Ohio, USA replies: "I've been reading alot about Candida & how it can affect the body. I believe mine has got really bad after taking alot antibotics through out the last year. Now all of a sudden i have acid reflux when i never had it before in my life I definently am working on ridding my body of yeast but could you help me with a sugar free diet? It seems like almost everything has sugar in it. Can you eat dairy or bread during this time your trying to rid the body of Candida?"
06/11/2009: Bluesgene from Lakemont, Georgia replies: "Can you use ANY enzymes? I assume you mean digestive enzymes, protease, etc??? Good to hear you got rid of the candida so quickly. I have been following candida diet for quite a long time, as well as anti-fungals...not completely better but then again, I do fall off the wagon (so to speak) once in awhile....seems to wipe all the good work out. Thanks for your post."
06/11/2009: Sarah from Chicago, IL replies: "Hello, I have a question to E. G. from Haiku, Hawaii regarding enzymes for Candida. First of all, I am glad that you have found something that works for you! Could you please offer more details regarding the specific enzyme type, if you cannot mention the brand, perhaps you could mention the types of enzymes in the mix? Thank you so much in advance. I have been reading extensively about yeast overgrowth and am convinced that this is the cause of many of my son's health problems. I am trying to find something that will help him. He is a teenager and has been suffering from several of the symptoms attributed to Candida. His main concern is the horrible acne all over his face and acne, but I think that the acne is only one of the problems and that the condition should be treated from the inside. This is the source of tremendous sadness and distress to him. We have tried many different treatments for his acne, including painful laser treatments and antibiotics, but I believe the topical and the laser treatments don't address the underlying causes and the antibiotics in turn, worsen the problem. He wants to try Accutane, but I want to do everything I can to prevent him from doing it. Thank you again."
06/11/2009: Linda from York County, Maine replies: "Hi Sarah, you may consider a homeopathic tablet....search drugstore.com.....brand name (if EC will allow) is Nature's Cure.....Best, Linda"
06/12/2009: Christine from Durban, KZN, South Africa replies: "Hi E.G. from Haiku or anyone else who knows - please tell me what these enzymes are and where would I look for them - at a health store, at the supermarket or from a homeopath? I am very interested in finding out more and trying it out on myself and my animals. Is there anywhere that the diet is published? I think this is a very important post, many people don't know about candida and how it affects our health. Thanks, Christine"
EC: Search google with the key words "enzymes for candida" and you will find them!
07/03/2009: P Mitchell from Tucson, AZ replies: "The cell wall of candida is composed of cellulose, which does not break down in your digestive tract without a little help. What you are looking for is an enzyme supplement with cellulase, which breaks down the cellulose for you. Be sure to take this on an empty stomach, between meals, so that the cellulase can focus directly on the candida. I would also recommend supplementing with a probiotic high in saccharomyces boulardii, which feeds on candida and leaves the good microflora in your gi tract alone. Because s. boulardii feeds on the candida, it will help minimize Herxeimer reactions, and the byproduct of its metabolism is toxic to c. albicans. S boulardii can colonize in your gut with regular supplementation, but once you quit taking it, it will eventually flush from your system. Use it on an empty stomach along with a regular, high-quality probiotic for several months to a year and it will help your body have time to re-establish a strong, healthy colony of microflora to keep the candida under control.
You might also consider adding methionine and cysteine (amino acids) to your routine if you are on an anti-candida diet. Research has shown that under starvation, c. albicans reacts by increasing the rate at which it switches phenotypes (that is, switching from yeast to fungus), and that this increased inclination to switch phenotypes is passed on to future generations of c. albicans. Methionine and cysteine have an effect on the candida which interrupts or inhibits this reaction. I don't know that supplementation has been studied to show any positive effects (the studies were performed in petrie dishes, not the gi tract), but it can't hurt.
I hope this helps other sufferers."
| | | |
3 YEA
[YEA] 02/11/2008: stephen from wichita, kansas writes: "Garlic is and has been a miracle cure for a entire host of ailments. Candida, which causes a condition known as candida albacons is caused by the continued use of underarm deoderants, toothpaste, mouth washes, many prescription medications and the list goes on. There are enzymes in the body and its blood supply and organs. The use of the above mentioned products kills the enzyme that would otherwise be present to devour yeast in the body. When this happens, the yeast will over produce and is linked to over 98% of all known cancers (Meaning 100% of all known naturally occurring cancers). The enzymes found in raw garlic replaces the body's naturally occurring enzymes and takes on the role of instantly killing the yeast. When this happens, the bloat in your body will then shrink, you will breath much better, your kidneys will love you for garlic consumption. Your liver gets along with garlic very well as does the heart. Mixing cayenne pepper with the consumption of raw garlic helps to dialate blood vessels all throughout your body. This combination is extremely effective for impotence. I have learned this information from trial and error and have it down now as a proven fact. ENJOY GODS gift of Garlic."
[YEA] 12/23/2008: Rich from Boca Raton, FL replies: "Garlic (which has selenium and sulfer) seems to work great.
I'm trying to hit this with a lot of stuff at once. Here is what I am trying, and why.
Garlic - Selenium and Sulfer is a dandruff cure(anti-fungal)
Niacinamide - ted says it is toxic to candida. It is water soluble
Borax - cured a twitchy eye (blepharitis) (3x per week)
Vitamin C(Ascorbate) - 6000 mg, a healthy immune system can better fight candida
ACV - cured my fingers (also appears in tropicana anti-oxidant advantage juice)
****
Some websites seem to say to avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, because it can cause canker sores. Sulfer is an antifungal... I think the Sulfate kills the candida, and then you have a hole in your mouth. I'd rather have a canker sore that Vitamin C will cure, rather than candida.
Others recommend avoiding milk. Milk Contains Lactoferrin-B which kills Candida.
Here is an article discussing Lactoferrin peptides:
http://www.wellnessresources.com/tips/articles/lactoferrin_keeping_candida_friendly/
*******
It is somewhat interesting that the medical community calls Acetate and Garlic Anti-oxidents. That may be true, but they are also anti-fungals.
I haven't tried iodine yet, will try soon. That being said, the vitamin c megadose(along with some of the other stuff) seems to be working great.
In fact, after adding the garlic, I've had an "age spot", or "genetic skin lesion" disappear. Silly Dermatologists."
[YEA] 01/23/2009: Rich from Boca Raton, Fl replies: "Update: The Garlic pills worked great. It Basically cured in 2 weeks! I'm sure fresh garlic is great too. It's the sulfur compounds that perform the miracle, so an "odorless garlic", or a pill with low sulfur is no good. The more odor, the better :) Note: Garlic has Selenium as well.For two weeks, I used a 1500mg (500:1 concentrate), so really 3 mg of Sulfur. I took a pill every 3 hours until I felt pain (Kidney, liver, intestines), and then stopped for the day. Woke up and the pain was gone, started again.
Got some cloudy urine, some diarrhea (that looked like it had yeast in it), some bad gas pains. The pain that I mentioned... one day it was the kidney, next day it was the liver, then upper intestines, then lower intestines. Eventually hit the colon. Still taking the Niacinamide (with flush), and Vitamin C. Halted the Borax, and don't take the ACV regularly. Added some liquid-kelp (I've heard good things about iodoral for Candida problems). Added some lysine (to promote collagen and healing). Added some zinc.
****
With any antifungal regimen, extra water is a good idea. Divided doses are a good idea as well, so the fungus doesn't grow back inbetween doses. I change to a new garlic pill, Schiff Super Garlic (16 mg of Allyl Sulfides), looks like a good pill.Note: there is a "die-off" effect with the mega-garlic, which is easily nutrilized within a couple hours with Ascorbate.
*****
I feel like a million bucks, so good I was able to resume a few beers per week with no side effects. Note: I wouldn't recommend this, though."
03/21/2009: Rich from Boca Raton, Fl replies: "Here is a neat new study on various oils and candidacidal activity. These seem to work on Fluconazole resistant strands. Itraconazole seems like a good drug for candida if you want a drug. Otherwise, maybe its time to get out the Gin (Juniper oil) or Peppermint Schnapps (Peppermint Oil); seems like a more fun way to go.
Prevention of Candida albicans biofilm by plant oils
http://www.springerlink.com/content/y8l2568677111185/fulltext.pdf
Oil - Zone of Inhibition
Eucalyptus - 26.7 +/- 2.2
Peppermint - 22.2 +/- 1.6
Ginger grass - 16.0 +/- 0
Clove - 13.8 +/- 1.3
Tulsi - 11.3 +/- 1.2
Tea tree - 11.0 +/- 0.7
Ocimum - 9.8 +/- 0.8
Castor - 7.8 +/- 0.9
Juniper - 5.6 +/- 0.5
Malkangni - 5.3 +/- 0.6
Coconut - 4.0 +/- 0.7
Babchi - 3.4 +/- 0.4
Mahua - 3.2 +/- 0
Ginger - 2.6 +/- 0
Mustard 2.3 +/- 0
Rose 2.1 +/- 0
Jasmine 1.4 +/- 0
Lavender 1.2 +/- 0 "
10/14/2009: Lisa from Coto De Caza, Ca replies: "In reply to stephan about Garlic and candida.
Candida is NOT caused by underarm deodorants, toothpaste, or mouthwashes. One of the main causes is Antibiotics which kills the friendly bacteria and lets yeast grow too much. Another is bad eating. Also, its NOT linked to all cancers. Although many people get candida when they get cancer. Saying candida causes cancer is like saying Firemen cause fires, since they are always there when a fire happens too."
| | | |
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand writes: "Briefly the cure for candida that I found to be most effective seems to be a large amounts of garlic extract taken 3-4 times a day. Along with fresh cayenne peppers. Some apple cider vinegar will reduce the side effect. Taking some amounts of unsugared yogurt (homemade) seems to do the job. It is important to avoid taking all forms of vegetable oils, white flour, and white bread. Some research claims oregano oil taken is most effective against candida and other fungus like conditions. The problem is most people can't stand the hot taste of the oregano. Perhaps a milder form the herbal oregano might be more easy on the stomach"
| | | |
Ted from Bangkok,Thailand writes: "I need to explain little basics of candida albicans, or yeast infections. There are three strategies in killing off the yeast.
Firstly, yeast is found naturally in the body, but it has grown too much due to certain conditions which causes the yeast to grow. Therefore we have to deprive the food sources of yeast. the most obvious food source of yeast is sugar, wheat, flour and a major food source for yeast actually comes from soft drinks. Undigested food due to lack of Hydrochloric acid in the stomach makes intestinal yeast an absolute playground to play havoc to the body. The taking of foods high in digestive enzymes such as hydrochloric acid, enzymes from fresh fruits and vegetables is known to work.
Secondly is people with yeast infection frequently have leaky gut syndrome. I actually found a cure for leaky gut syndrome which was to dissolve magnesium chloride about 500 mg. into a 1/3 glass of water and drink it. Continue taking it for the rest of the day to 1500 mg. In case the problems still persists, add one teaspoon of fresh frozen royal jelly (natural bee products). In case of a autoimmune develops over this candida problems a possible cure is sodium perborate (about 500 mg.) mixed in about 1/2 glass of water and drink that. Apple cider vinegar works quite well via the destruction of fungus, but must be taken in liberal amounts, although dietary restriction of sugar and wheat (gluten allergy) is needed.
Toxins from candida albicans is acetaldehyde which our body can metabolize in safer form with taking of molybdenum supplements, eg. about 300-500 mcg.
Electrication using 464 hz at alternating current from computer's pc is another possibility shown to be workable cures also."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] Cindy from Milwaukee, WI writes: "Wow- what an info-packed webpage! I was beginning to get 2x yearly sinus infections, then read the MAYO Clinic report & made the candida connection. I have acne for years - was geting worse till I saw a site w. info on B5 for acne (clearskin.net, etc) - B5 heped my acne... but I always wondered about having candida (horreur). Most recently, I could not hear well for about 2 wks - started 600-900mg garlic 3x a dy & got sick form obvious "die-off" ugh. Still had bad hearing, so bought grapefruit seed extract - helped immediately. I dread going to see my ENT this week, I'm sure he won't know a damn thing about the Mayo/fungus news (how much are these guys paid???!!!) I've just placed anorder for CANDEX, have not rec'd it yet...I keep seeing THREELAC prodcut advertised on the web,was not sure about it.. THANKS for the wealth of Knowledge & Experience you share here.. GOOD LUCK!"
| | | |
GARLIC, DANDELION, TURMERIC, CAYENNE
[YEA] 08/08/2008: Kathy from Ozark, MO writes: "Hello,
Because of this wonderful site, I used many of the remedies and my candida is in check. I swallow a half of teaspoon of minced garlic twice a day plus I take 3- 00 capsule of dandelion (which I harvested in fields and dried myself then I grinned them in a coffee grinneder and fill the 00 capsules). I also take 00 capsule of turmeric and cayenne pepper daily.
Thank you for the Boron information for Osteopathic. I have this in my low back and neck.
Thank you all for the wonderful imputs. :)"
08/08/2008: Angie from Sparta, MO replies: "Hello Kathy, I live close to Sparta. Could you tell me how you dry your dandelion and anything else I would need to know to do this. I also have lately thought about mincing garlic to use. Thanks, Angie"
08/09/2008: Kathy from Ozark, MO replies: "Hello, Can anyone tell me how much boron to take for osteoarthritis? I ordered 3 mg tablets. Vitacost.com had boron 3 mg 100 tablets for $2.39 per bottle. They have the cheapest price for empty caplets and all sizes. Thank you, Kathy"
08/09/2008: Kathy from Ozark, MO replies: "Hi Angie, I dry my dandelion with a convention oven. You can use an oven, just make sure they don't burn to a crip and they stay green. Make sure the dandelion has not been sprayed. I dry the whole plant with flower, seeds and root if I can get enough root when I pull. I am growing my own dandelions with some of the seeds I have harvested.
I hope this helps you, Angie.
Love and Blessings,
Kathy"
08/11/2008: Jonathan from NY, New York replies: "Hi I believe Ted recomends 1/8 of a teaspoon to 1 liter of water of borox 20 mule team the natural laundry detergent but not every day. I am not sure how many times a week. I think may be 2 or 3 times a week He believes it works much much quicker then the supplement form for osteo arthritis. I think it has an effect in about a weeks time. I take it sometimes and it does no harm to me. I do not have arthritis so I cannot give feedback regarding it. Check out how he says to use it on the the cures for osteo arthritis on this website."
| | | |
2 YEA
1 QUESTION
[YEA] 06/03/2009: Ms. E. from Washington, DC writes: "I have been taking GSE for some months now and it has really helped with this Monster, however, i am still eating the sugars and breads, not like I was, conversely, I want to know if anyone has taken GSE and continued to eat sweets/bread and the Monster was kept bay?
Confused in the Capital"
| | | |
[QUESTION] 01/30/2009: Cindy from CH, WISC, USA writes: "can anyone help with information as how to deal with sugar/bread/cookie cravings when you start to take grapefruit seed extract or borax to kill candida? thank you for any help."
01/30/2009: Hope from Sacramento, C replies: "You might want to try L-Glutamine, an amino acid. It is supposed to help reduce sugar cravings."
| | | |
[YEA] 03/21/2007: Lorenzo from Portland, OR writes: "I had a very bad case of Candida last winter. It was extremely harsh. My crotch and butt were itchy and sometimes burned, my mood was agitated, I was suffering from insomnia. To finally get rid of the ailment, I went on a sugar-free diet and took some medication from my doctor. This was great. It killed all the candida within days. My problem then became a severe flu, as my body was not getting rid of the dead candida fast enough. My body was basically experiencing toxic shock. I took tons of fiber, drank gallons of water over several days. This finally made me feel better. Now, I just take Grapefruit seed extract in water every few days to keep the candida at bay. It is very effective at eliminating candida after it has set in as well, but you should take a diuretic to get the dead candida out of you. For candida, take 5-6 drops of GSE in 20oz of water. Drink in one sitting. Do this once each day for 3 days. May cause heartburn. If so, water down the dosage or use fewer drops (3-4)."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 07/27/2007: Trish from Kansas City, MO writes: "Before you jump into curing your candida, try to figure out the unlying cause first. I have been trying different candida remedies...oil of oregano, parasite cleanses, cleaning up my diet...and I still suffer from all the terrible symptoms. One day I started reading out metal toxicity and how candida is farmed by the body to absorb the extra metal. So I decided to order an oral chelation kit for metal detox and something interesting has happened since. I have been on the program for about two weeks with no major physical improvements. But this morning I went to have my bi-monthly colonic and the lady who administers noticed that a LOT of yeast was coming out of my body! I do believe the metal detox is helping and the yeast is dying. Since then I have been feeling better today...more energy, slightly clearer head, and NO insane sugar cravings. If you have metal fillings like I do then you may want to seriously consider doing a metal detox and see if that helps with the candida. I plan to have my metal fillings removed when I have the money to do so. And make sure you get a good oral chelation kit, not just a cheap bottle of EDTA. Do your research...you need a good combination of other herbs as well to do a successful detox as well as a digestible antioxidant formula."
12/11/2008: Monique from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada replies: "Regarding symptoms suffered during candida die-off
I follow a program (called Yeast Buster by Inno-Vite) I bought in the local grocery store. There are 4 components to this program
Bentonie Clay which apparenty is the answer to lessening the effects of die-off
psyllium -- this will push the coconut oil into all the spaces in your colon where the yeast may be hiding so it can kill it
coconut oil -- to kill the yeast
mix this in the suggested proportions in water and drink every morning 2 hours before eating
DDS - acidophiles take at night to replenish the intestinal flora that gets killed off by the coconut oil.
I have not had any serious side-effects using this program, although I did find it very pricey."
12/15/2008: Frank from Montgomery, AL. replies: "Instead of oral chelation please try an IV Chelation Treatment. Much quicker acting. The cost here is $100.00 for each treatment."
08/30/2009: Doug from Show Low, Az replies: "Trish, I completely agree with you that candida is the body's way of absorbing heavy metals. I have been on an eight year quest and have tried EVERYTHING, and I mean everything!!! When people kill off candida I don't think it is a Die Off. I have read that it is the body reabsorbing Mercury> I have tried garlic, cayenne pepper, H2O2, Threelac, Miracle Mineral supplement, Coconut oil, Caprilic acid, Aregeno oil, baking soda, I could go on and on. I mean it is the most frustrating thing ever, but once people realize that they have #1 take out their Amalgam fillings, then chelate the mercury from the body, then they will get rid of the candida too. I saw a huge reduction in my fatigue and other symptoms when I had my mercury fillings taken out, it was no coincedence, it was literally two days after they were out I was feeling much much better. Now ever since that time I have been trying to figure out the best way to chelate the mercury... I am currently trying Fulvic Acid w/ plant based minerals. supposedly this is the very best and quickest way to do so. I'm thinking about taking H2O2 to kill the candida then taking chlorella directly after to trap it and excrete it. If anyone else knows of a better way Please let me know too. By the way I Love this website, it is helping me to help others with their health problems... Thanks"
| | | |
11 YEA
1 BETTER BUT NOT CURED
1 SIDE EFFECT
07/07/2009: Wendy from Farmington, MI writes: "Peroxide and Candida: Hi, was wondering what Ted thought of this study I came across. Many people on this site and others have attributed their candida-free status to taking hydrogen peroxide. It seems to be more of a permanent cure than enzyme based treatment. But I ran across this link: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=269762&blobtype=pdf, the report from a study showing hydrogen peroxide encouraged candida growth in the blood. Is it possible we're trying to cure the wrong thing? Just wondering what you make of it."
11/19/2009: Rhonda from Providence, Rhode Island replies: "Hello Everyone ~ Would it be possible for a reader or Earth Clinic staff member, to recommend a REPUTABLE source for 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide?
I found a few sites online, but when I dug a little deeper, researching the companies, I found that there are several unhappy customers & possible unethical practices, etc.
Due to the fact that there are many precautions regarding the usage of this product, and since many of us are in weakened states to begin with, I'm hoping Earth Clinic will allow the mention of at least one safe source for 35% H2o2.
It would be especially helpful if one of Earth Clinic's members had used a particular product successfully.
Thanks so much Earth Clinic! So happy to see your site growing over the years that I've visited you! :-)"
11/19/2009: Rhonda from Providence, Rhode Island replies: "I think I've found a few reputable places to 35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide.
First, I called Artesian Natural Foods in Stockton, CA...since one of your readers said they carried it.
Most stores really have to research their sources before offering products to their customer, due to liability issues, so I thought this was the best way to go. I've felt very wary about ordering this product blindly from an internet site.
So, the Artesian store says that they stock Oxy-Tech 35 H202 ...it's not listed on their site, but you can call them and see if they can ship it. You'll have to pay extra for a "hazardous materials" charge,in addition to shipping costs, but the peace of mind, in my opinion is worth it.
http://www.artesiannaturalfoods.com (209) 952-8787
Once I found out the brand name they carry, I decided to search on the Oxy-Tech site and see if I could find a closer carrier:
http://www.h2o2oxytech.com/retailers.htm
I then called Living Earth Foods in Worcester, MA, and they are shipping my H2o2 out to me today, and the hazardous materials charge will only be about 10.00.
A very helpful young woman told me that the only brand of H2o2 that they've ever carried is Oxy-Tech and that all the users have been happy. She also mentioned that she take it herself.
http://www.lefoods.com 508 753-1896
I really hope this helps some Earth clinic readers! :-)"
| | | |
[YEA] 05/28/2009: Donna from Toronto, Ontario, Canada writes: "Hi there, I "discovered" your site at the beginning of this year and since then I have been reading as much as I could. I found the info here very usefull. I have been fighting candida for at least 3 years now, and I tried anything and everything to get rid of it. Of course, for about 2 years I trausted the doctors and ingested a lot of pills who were supposed to help me but didn't. I also used different lotions and ovules internally. My husband treated himself at the same time although he never had any symptoms.
No matter what I tried, I maybe felt better for a few days and then, the infection came back stronger than before.
In February 2009 I started taking hydrogen peroxide 35% orally diluted in DISTILLED WATER. I took it only once in the morning because, in my opinion, only then is my stomach empty. Also, my daily schedule didn't allow me to take it during the day. I tought that if it were to work, I probably need to be patient because it will take more time than normal.
So, I started with 5 drops in water and increased by 1 drop daily until I reached 30 drops. 30 drops daily was my maximum dose. I stayed on it for 3 months and I can report now that I feel great. No more yeast infection, no more itching, skin rush, I have lots of energy and I wake up all by myself (no alarm clock) in the morning after 7-8 hours of sleep.
Side effects I experienced: I had a continuous heartburn for 4 days shortly after I started (probably when I was taking about 10 drops a day). Also, in 3 or 4 separate occasions I had diareea which passed by itself by the end of the day.
I would say that it really worked for me.
Good luck to all.
God bless."
| | | |
[SIDE EFFECTS] 03/16/2009: Bev from Pikeville, KY writes: "I have just started the 35% h202 program for candida. I am up to 3 drops in distilled water three times daily. It seems to be giving me very frequent and very runny bowel movements-4-5times a day. Just wonder if this is side effect that will go away because I don't want to loose weight as I am only 112-lbs now. Will this subside soon??? Anyone have similar effects? Sure would appreciate any input, Thanks, Bev."
04/11/2009: Mary Frances from Mineral Wells, Tx. USA replies: "This is an answer for "Rob from Maritta, Ga" who ask for a good book on H2O2, oxygen treatment. I have two good books, "Hydrogen Peroxide-Medical Miracle" by William Campbell Douglass, MD and "Flood Your Body with Oxygen" by Ed McCabe, you will find both of these books filled with information and instruction. Hope you enjoy."
| | | |
[YEA] 10/29/2008: RON from TAVERNIER, FL writes: "THE ONLY THING THAT POSITIVELY WORKS IS LIQUID OXYGEN IN HDROGEN PEROXIDE. DIETS WILL KEEP IT AT BAY ONLY TEMPORALY, BUT IF YOU WANT THE PROBLEM DESTROYED OXYGEN IS THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT AND I MEAN THE ONLY WAY PERIOD. I RECOMMEND A PRODUCT BASED IN ALOE VERA FROM PHOENIX NUTRITIONALS. GOOGLE IT TO FIND ON THE WEB. IT WORKS AND IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL POSITIVELY WORK.THERE ARE OTHER PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET AS WELL AND THEY WILL ALSO WORK.OXYGEN IS THE KEY TO DESTROYING CANDIDA. GET READY FOR SOME DIE OFF REACTIONS AND YOU MAY NOT FEEL WELL FOR A FEW DAYS AS THE DEAD FUNGUS MOVES OUT OF THE BODY."
04/08/2009: Rob from Marietta, GA USA replies: "I have been wanting to start taking hydrogen peroxide for some time now. I actually bought a 16 oz. bottle 2 years ago and it is still in my freezer. What is the very best book out there to read about taking h2o2? Can someone tell me how to take it, and how safe it is? Lot's of tiredness, candidia, extreme neck pain, digestion, muscle weakness.....
Very Grateful for all your help,
Rob "
| | | |
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 08/28/2008: Ann from Los Angeles, CA writes: "I am now still in early stages of using H2O2, so am avidly reading the entries for Candida.
For herpes, I was clued into l-lysine some years ago, and it is great. Foods high in L-lysine are listed on the internet, and also foods high in arginine, which is in chocolate, nuts, popcorn, brown rice and other foods. Arginine is used in labs to GROW the Herpes virus, so those chocolate and nut snacks can give you an attack! I have purchased l-lysine over the internet and also at some grocers and health food stores, and just keep it handy. Often when I want to eat some chocolate, I pop some l-lysine soon after and no problem. It is a harmless amino acid and resets the balance in your system.
Candex is very good for Candida but so expensive, I am happily taking the H2O2 and wanted to check increasing the dosage from 8 drops in an 8 oz glass of water 3X a day and here is all this information for me! My Mother and Grandmother died young of breast cancer and I began researching things that cure cancer as I realize the AMA is not chock full of 100% doctors, and found ESSIAC. The herbs can be purchased pre-measured from the Herb Products Company in Hollywood. I am 62, teach yoga and breathing techniques, doing them myself daily and am very healthy!
Ann"
10/09/2008: Mary from Regina, Canada replies: "Dear Ann:My naturopath tells me a good breast cancer preventative is Lugols solution Iodine. I have also read that cancer is yeast...Dr. Simoncini (book: Cancer is Fungus) and good preventative is baking soda.
All the best health"
| | | |
[YEA] 08/12/2008: Dave from Dallas, Texas writes: "35% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide--
I had crippling rheumatoid arthritis in 1985, where all the joints in my right arm were locked up and would not move. I was in constant, horrible pain and got no sleep for over 3 months. I began drinking extremely dilute amounts of the 35% HP DROPS in PURE WATER (NOT Tap Water!!)I also had candida albicans, and my cholesterol level was 465 as tested by my MD friend. Within 1 week the pain in my joints on my right arm was GONE and I was sleeping like a baby! Within one month I had free range of motion in all joints--from my fingers to my shoulder. My cholesterol was down to 289 and the candida symptoms were greatly reduced. By the end of the second month, my cholesterol was 155 (normal and safe) and all symptoms of candida albicans infestation were GONE. That was 28 YEARS ago, and I have had NO reoccurances of any of the above problems. I call that a "CURE!"
H2O2 amounts taken: Begin first day with ONE DROP H2O2 in 8 oz. PURE WATER. Second day: two drops H2O2. Third day: three drops H2O2...and so on until you reach 10 drops per day. Now, if the taste is too bad, split the HP drops into 5 in the morning, and 5 in the evening--near bed time. Work back taking 10 drops twice a day, THEN split it into THIRDS, AND begin taking 7 drops THREE times a day, or whatever you can handle. Slowly work back up to taking 10 drops THREE times a day. Don't go much higher than that, or you might want to stay at 7 drops, three times a day. Let your body determine your amount.
ALSO, do NOT drink any H2O2 water 45 minutes BEFORE OR AFTER EATING A MEAL OR TAKING SUPPLIMENTS! You may throw up (vomit.)
ALSO, take 500 mg. of Vitamin C once a day to neutralize any free radical formations that may have occured. The oxygen in the H2O2 attacks the iron in the blood and causes that reaction. The Vitamin C will clean it up, and Selenium may also be substituted for the Vitamin C.
MY SKIN CANCER (Melanoma) "erased" with topical application of 35% Food Grade HP: I had several dark mole-like formations on my forearms come up after being out in the Texas sun a lot. They itched, and my doctor friend said they were Melanomas and that I should see a professional about them. I knew what HP would do for them, so I took a nail file and GENTLY abraded the surface of these dark bumps, and then I applied straight 35% Food Grade HP to the spots with a Q-Tip (cotton swab on a stick) UNTIL THEY TURNED WHITE IN COLOR. I did this 3 times a day for a week. By the end of the week, they had turned to powder or dust, and were FLAT and GONE! There was no itching, NO pain, and they left a slightly lightened spot on my arm where they used to be. They never came back again, and that was over 20 YEARS ago!
ARTHRITIS IN MY KNEES: 17 years ago, I developed rhumatoid arthritis in both knees. I began the HP method by washing my knees with soap and water to remove any body oil, then MISTED them with a 3% solution of HP that was diluted down from 35% Food Grade HP (12:1) with PURE WATER. I wore shorts and then misted my knees, then waited until they were dry, then misted them again while I watched Television or did Computer work. I did this for at least 30 minutes at a time, and I did 4 HP misting sessions a day. My knees were back to NORMAL WITH NO PAIN in ONE WEEK!! I was so happy! I told my friends who had similar problems, and they said that they tried SOAKING their finger and elbow joints in 3% Food Grade HP by pouring the 3% HP solution into a shallow bowl and soaking them for 30 minutes 3-4 times a day. When finished, they would pour the 3% HP solution back into a one gallon plastic jug. The last soaking, they put it in the refrigerator for safe keeping overnight. The next day, they would remove the HP jug from the refrigerator and let it sit out until it had warmed to room temperature, then use in in the bowl to soak their joints until the evening. Worked great!! If you make up one gallon of 3% solution and keep it in the refrigerator, it should last at least one month before you need to make another gallon of it.
IN DALLAS, TEXAS, I found 35% Food Grade HP at "Roy's Natural Market" 6025 Royal Ln. Ste 130
Dallas, TX 75230-8857
Phone: (214) 987-0213. They have been selling HP for many years, and it is about $16.00 (US) for one quart, which will last a long time when you are spraying it.
Enjoy being pain-free!"
| | | |
[YEA] 02/20/2008: Kimberly from Scottsdale, AZ writes: "re: chronic systemic candidiasis/numbness/agression/depression/acne/bedwetting. My whole family has been overrun by candida. Our ph has been off for years. As a result, many, many health problems. Found a website with info on 35% grade h202 and of course your site for the ACV and oil pulling.
Gradually building up from 1 drop in 6-8 oz of water 3x's daily of h202 until you reach 25 drops 3x's daily over a course of 2 weeks(for those who can stomache this, please note this is only for CHRONIC ailments and 35% FOOD GRADE h202 ONLY, purchased online or at health food stores). After 2 weeks, once you are up to the full doasge, continue for a week (may need to keep going for weeks, even up to 4 months, depending how bad your case is) and then slowly taper off, decreasing each dosage by 1-2 drops until you reach a maintaining level of 1-3 drops daily, or every other day, depending on what is best FOR YOU. Note: 35% food grade h202 needs to be handled with kid gloves. It is very strong and MUST NOT be abused or taken in large quantities. Death can occur if taken at full strength. Keep in refigerator and if contact with skin, rinse area immediately.
I think if I had to do it all over again, I would have gotten our ph levels balanced BEFORE starting course of h202 therapy, but as it was, I was already in the middle of it when I stumbled upon this site for using ACV in hopes of curing other ailments we all had. For the ACV therapy I used the standard 2 Tbl ACV (organic unpasteurized is best, NOT white vinegar!) mixed with 1/4 tsp baking soda.
Finding the right dosage for your younger children will have to use some smart thinking and regulating. Only you know your child best. Always start with smaller amounts when in doubt and gradually build up. My 16 year old could not stomache more than 20 drops of 35% h202 3x's a day. For my 11 year old I did a max of 14 drops 3x daily and my 6 year old, 8 drops 3xs daily. I have heard lecitin can be used to help lessen the nausea that is often associated with taking h202 orally, though I have not personally tried it.
As for the ACV, my teen was ok with the adult dosage and my younger two by cutting it in half.
Ted has stated on this site that h202 and ACV should not be mixed, so either do one or the other, however, I found for my husband as well as myself, alternating days has been working out so far. In other words, one day doing h202 and then the next day only using ACV.
Oil pulling has also proved beneficial for us, 1 Tbl EVOO (extra virg. olive oil) swishing and pulling through teeth until it turns white and liquid like. Twice weekly.
Ok, here is the list of ailments we had that have been greatly helped by, if not completely cured by doing the 35% food grade h202 drops, ACV/baking soda and the oil pulling:
-CHRONIC systemic candidiasis
-CHRONIC vaginal itching (would get pap smears and tested for yeast infections which would all come up negative, found out from another Dr that lab results for the testing of candida have a 55% inaccuracy)
-MRSA (kept re-occuring and Dr's could not find the reason for it, have spent weeks in the hospital for this)
-numbness in whole body (was running 20 miles a week, had to cut down to zero because of this, Dr prescribed anti anxiety medication for this and of course it didn't work)
-heart palpitations
-fungus (Dr's could not cure for years and years)
-allergies (we have taken EVERY known allergy med out there, none worked)
-bloody nose (2-3 x's a week)
-night time bed wetting (one son did not have a dry night since he was born and now is on his way to never having to wear "pull-ups" ever again--we got all types of conflicting medical advice from different Dr's over this one and not one of them worked to "cure" this)
-acne (Dr put him on 3 month course of tetrycycline to no avail)
-insatiable appetite
-weight gain (we have all lost 3-4 inches around waist)
-chronic mucous in lungs (one son was diagnosed with asthma and put on meds, only to aggravate the stuation, my son was going nuts,to the point of a mental melt down; he would also wake up in the middle of the night gagging on this mucous-phlegm like substance, eventually leading to him throwing up...not fun)
-anxiety
-depression
-low energy (I would need 14 hours of sleep some days)
-aggression/irritability(my temper was so bad that my family was becoming scared of me!)
-acid reflux
-stomache ailments (husbands stomache was terribly distended)
-sore joints/muscles (to the point where I needed my sons and husband to literally POUND on my back as hard as they could in order to alleviate the achiness)
-insomnia
-headaches (800 mg of ibuprofen was no longer working)
...basically being a part of the dead, rather than the living!
Thanks to all who have passed on info in order to improve the quality of life for others. You guys rock Earth Clinic, (and a shout out to Dr. David G. Williams for h202 therapy as well)!"
[YEA] 08/28/2008: Ann from Los Angeles, CA replies: "I am now still in early stages of using H2O2, so am avidly reading the entries for Candida.
For herpes, I was clued into l-lysine some years ago, and it is great. Foods high in L-lysine are listed on the internet, and also foods high in arginine, which is in chocolate, nuts, popcorn, brown rice and other foods. Arginine is used in labs to GROW the Herpes virus, so those chocolate and nut snacks can give you an attack! I have purchased l-lysine over the internet and also at some grocers and health food stores, and just keep it handy. Often when I want to eat some chocolate, I pop some l-lysine soon after and no problem. It is a harmless amino acid and resets the balance in your system.Candex is very good for Candida but so expensive, I am happily taking the H2O2 and wanted to check increasing the dosage from 8 drops in an 8 oz glass of water 3X a day and here is all this information for me! My Mother and Grandmother died young of breast cancer and I began researching things that cure cancer as I realize the AMA is not chock full of 100% doctors, and found ESSIAC. The herbs can be purchased pre-measured from the Herb Products Company in Hollywood. I am 62, teach yoga and breathing techniques, doing them myself daily and am very healthy!
Ann"
12/25/2008: Christina from Meridian, MS replies: "Hi Kim, I enjoyed your post as I believe all of my family are suffering from candida as well. I am going to do the H2O2 therapy you suggest. Aside from this, was there anything else you did? Such as eliminating things from their diet? And what did you do to rebuild intestinal flora? Thanks, Christina"
| | | |
[YEA] 02/20/2008: Kimberly writes: "Please web search 35% h202 and look for any and all titles with Dr. David G. Williams. He has a very detailed dosage chart and lists what to do and what NOT to do while doing the hydro-therapy. There are a few important factors I have failed to mention in my previous entry that are important. As you become more comfortable taking 35% h202, you can adjust accordingly with slight variations like I have."
| | | |
[YEA] 02/11/2008: Mlodye from casa grande, arizona writes: "I was ill for 2 years with severe candida throughout my entire body. Nothing worked to take away the pain from infected ovaries, kidneys,unrinary tract,bowel etc...as I was given copious amounts of antibiotics to supposedly cure me - I just got sicker. Some elderly lady in a health food store told me to do a total elimination diet. I subsisted on short grain brown rice and steamed vegetables with disilled water for 2 months coupled with food grade hydorgen peroxide in specific amounts and intervals. On the third month I was finally pain-free the candida completely gone! It was a miracle and 15 years later I'm as normal as can be and am able to eat and drink whatever I want. I still take the H202 and aloe vera juice or Cider Vinegar in the mornings and am very aware of what I eat and drink. Being sick teaches you a lot of lessons. It also told me about the power of prayer and positive thinking."
09/30/2009: Maria from Monroe, La replies: "Did you go to a doctor to find out you had candida? What tests were done to know that you even had this?"
| | | |
 Prev 1 2 3 4 Next  |
