How to Cure Candida

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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! :(

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.

i would be interested in knowing how you cured your candida, thank you

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

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.

My local Walmart carries organic virgin coconut oil 16 oz. I prefer this over expeller pressed coconut oil. It has a different tast. So cold process or virgin does taste better. I use it in my teas. I cook my eggs with it. I use it in my hair as a conditioner. I have even used it up my nose for the sinus issues candida cause. I put some each nostril and lay down with a warm compress on my eyes. If you were congested you will get up and blow your nose and it feels great.

I have friends who have exemia and most of them said it is gone in 3 days.
I just tried the collidioal silver tonight in a nazal spray bottle. What a wonder full relieve not only 2 hours later, the 4 day headache is gone. Still have pressure by no where like before. Thanks

Caprylic acid has also worked for me. I was just on flucozanole for one month and didn't get better. I started back on caprylic acid capsules last night and today I have die-off, so I know that it is working. I also take oregano oil capsules with it--the double whammy. As for colloidal silver, I saw a man who took that and his skin turned silver and it will NOT go back to it's regular color. Stay away from that stuff!

Hello,

First I'd like to say I'm so thankful for this site. My question is what is the dosage for caprylic acid fsupplement or treating candida. I will be starting with Apple Cider Vinegar peroxide and caprylic acid. What would be the dosage if I just spooned organic coconut oil to really work? Thanks so much

I had four years of constant vaginal infections. I was then put on repeat presciption of diflucan and constant pessaries. Allergy testing for food indicated things like yeast and tomatoe but giving these up made no difference.I gave up the pill at the suggestion of a herbalist and the infections stopped. However, five years later i got a prolapse and I think this was caused by all the infections plus drug filled pessaries I was constantly using that then caused tissue weakness.

I've had thrush candida now twice since (in about a decade) and it's very easy to get rid of with a few drops of Red turkey st john's worth applied internally (i.e topically internally). A canadian herbalist told me about this rememdy and it's an unusual one. She just had nothing else in the house and it made logical sense to her 'cos of it's constituents. it worked for her and it worked for me.

good luck.

can anyone tell me what 'red turkey' st. john's wort is? is this a tincture? thanks

EC: A little sleuthing on the internet and we think we've figured it out...

Red Turkey looks like it is actually called Turkey Red Oil, or Sulphonated Castor Oil. So it looks like St. John's Wort may be mixed with the castor oil and then applied inside the vagina.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_oil

"Sulfonated castor oil, also called sulfated castor oil, or Turkey Red Oil, is the only oil that completely disperses in water. It is made by adding sulfuric acid to pure castor oil.[5] This allows easy use for making bath oil products. It was the first synthetic detergent after ordinary soap. It is used in formulating lubricants, softeners, and dyeing assistants.[6]"

I treated candida with Monarda tea & frequency generator backed with infrared:ranges from 2.5-12.o cps.The person was medically confirmed to have extensive candida overgrowth.They were medically confirmed to be free of infection the next day.Regarding parasites: I occasionally use diatomaceous earth powder 1 tbsp. which acts as fine razor like blades & shreds the buggers. It will not harm the host. blessings.

I have been taking Organic VCO before meals for the last 2 days. A single heaped table spoon. It's yummy. I felt a tense pressure in my baby belly and my stomach has not stopped churning very low pain levels. There is also discomfort to my lower back. I was surprised to find a huge discharge below totay. I was unaware of the fact that I had trush. It disclodged and evacuated more discharge than the prescription medicine I take when I feel the discomfort of thrush. I have also been having an unusually thin poo, not watery, loser than the norm. After the display with the discharge I just wonder what is leaving my stomach! The fact that I didnt know it was there is not reassuring. This is the best detox I have ever done. I think in 3 weeks I will reduce to 1table spoon a day, as well as skin and hair application. This site does a fabulous job, somebody needs to tell Oprah.

Caprylic acid is a good cure for candida and it is completely harmless, being a C8 acid extracted from coconuts. It is readily available as a tablet. I am not certain if it affects people allergic to coconuts.

my girlfriend wants to try this treatment but she doesen't know what dosage to use for candida albicans treatment

Natural Cures for Candida: First, thank you for this website. I read Christa's (from Canada) message posted here after searching for a natural remedy for a white tongue (another symptom of a systemic yeast infection). I followed her regime of 2 Tbs with 1/2 tbs Baking soda with a little hot water and a dash of pure apple juice 3 times a day. Within five days my white tongue was rosy again. I started taking 400 iu of Natural Vitamin E.Capsules; I had already been taking the Magnesium 25ml per day, for the menopause. And I also stop the sugar. Wow! I have more energy, sleep better,and oh, my joints are not painful, another symptom! Thank you!!

I'd like to vouch for the suggestion of magnesium citrate. I experience heart palpitations that I believe might be caused by a recurrent candida problem (which I believe to be a complication of another problem), but ever since I started taking 250 mg of magnesium citrate before bed, the palpitations have ceased. Other symptoms of candida keep cropping back up, but magnesium stopped the rapid heartbeat problem very effectively!

Did you really mean 1/2 tablespoon baking soda to 2 tablespoons ACV or did you mean 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to 2 tablespoons ACV? 1/2 tablespoon baking soda seems like alot all at once.

Thank you for clarifying as my condition seems very similar to yours,
Beth

I was just wondering if whilst using ACV for candida you went on an anti-candida diet or not. I'm guessing this is probably the case but just wanted to check. Thanks

Joe

Just wondering can baking powder substitute baking soda, Should I just chug the mixture or slowly swish it around in my mouth and also I'm guessing the apple juice isn't necessary but can I replace it with cranberry juice?

@beth: It would HAVE to be 1/2 teaspoon, or tsp. of Baking Soda, as it is phenomenally powerful stuff. If it can neutralize the sulfuric acid in a car battery at that strength or less in a gallon, it would probably be too much for a person. Even the side of the box encourages extreme moderation when using as an antacid.

My partner had a course of antibiotics and within days had a white coating on his tongue which I instantly recognised as candida. I had had systemic candida a few years before and wished I had known then what I know now about the illness. I cured my candida after two years of feeling like death with oregano oil. I still take a course of it every now and then so I had some with me and got my partner to swill his mouth with the oil several times a day plus take it orally. The infection cleared up in four days.

Ted Help :Severe candida :
How am I supposed to eat protein if it is acidic? I have a difficult time digesting much of anything. If I eat some chicken another site says to eat protein meat so that the acids/chyme in the tummy will start producing so that I dont have such a hard time with digesting or to take Hcl. The acid needs carbonates (usually released by the pancreas) to neutralize the acid before released into our intestines. No one says how to know if you take HCL that your pancreas is releasing enough carbonates so no harm is being done to the intestines. Nobody ever gives directions except that you need to take HCL 45 min after you eat your protein.

I also have leaky gut and the acid will hurt my lining even more. Baking soda is fine to take with your meat if it doesn't make you dead thirsty and hands swell for hours afterwards like it did me but if I was taking it with my meat I would be neutralizing the acid used to digest my protein anyway. Directions like, wait two hours after eating your meat then take BS and then tell me why and if in those two hours the lining of my tummy has not been damaged even more.

When you folks give advice you really need to give more in depth information. Folks like me have been spending two hours a day or more on the internet for years trying to heal severe candida when we could be spending this time with are loved ones who I am sure really are sick of hearing about our diets, white mouth after eating anything that is not steamed veggies. This can be very hard on a relationship. I do love that this place is here, don't get me wrong but it can be so frustrating sometimes when all you can eat is food combined foods and very few of them at that. Thank You for reading my gripes and questions.

I agree it'd be easier if remedies were complete and easily summed up but keep in mind, this site is just regular people researching online and experimenting with what they find, like you, and reporting back here (especially when traditional medicine isn't working or is too expensive). If your candida and leaky gut is really severe and you need a lot of detailed info, it might be best to work with a local naturopath doctor of some sort (or even travel a little if need be). They do have a database of healers listed on this website (although its limited for WA).
https://www.earthclinic.com/Healers/00_database.html

Cricket, I found out the hard way to ingest these suggestions carefully. As much as I wanted to be mad at at the person who made the post, I had to assume personal responsibility. While I agree in some cases more information is needed, "some turmeric" Well how much is some, 1 teaspoon? A tablespoon?

Plus a big thing to remember, most of these people who write in their remedies are not holistic professionals. They are just folks who are sick of being sick and traditional meds have not helped. Not to discount the fact their remedies may work very well for them, but not for you.

What I do is try the remedies that interest me, and leave the rest. I hope you cure your candida, from what I have read its a nasty condition that takes months to rid yourself of. Above all give the remedies a chance to work. It seems people who successfully remove candida are totally dedicated to some kind of routine. To me it makes sense to use an anti candida diet, eliminating refined foods, sugars, and even high sugar fruits. Good luck to you Cricket.

re: poor digestion -- yeast overbalence -- sinus congestion -- oil pulling (remedy). I tried the sesame oil pulling for the first time at the early hour 3:30 Am -- I could not sleep due to sinus congestion - my heart was beating 90 - 100 beats per minute mainly due to the yeast in my mouth and sinuses -- I took the unrefined sesame for 20 minutes and during the treatment my sinuses opened up completely -- after I finished I was so relaxed I could not believe it -- the thrust taste in my mouth was gone and my upset stomach had calmed down -- it has been 9 hours since the first treatment and I am as calm as a cucumber -- I can't wait until tonight to take my second treatment on an empty stomach right before I go to bed -- please spread the good word about OP and lets nip the pharma business in the butt - God bless everyone

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. "

Better But With Side Effects

Hi. I am a new user of ACV and am very pleased and surprised at the way it is helped me to feel better. I know that I have always struggled with candidiasis, but never got the complete relief from it using other remedies. The ACV has made an incredible difference in how I feel. I have also experienced the other benefits of increased energy, decreased anxiety, better sleep. However, there is one concern I have that I hope someone can help me with. Sometimes when I take the ACV it seems to upset my stomach. Help! I really value this remedy, but I'm concerned about stomach upset. Thanks.

Try diluting it in warm water if you are taking it straight. May help. Or try having your apple cider vinegar in your salad instead. Something in the stomach may also help.

If you put the acv in v-8 juice you can't even taste the acv.

Also, don't forget that yeast infections are prominent with diabetes. I suffered yeast infections for years because my blood sugar ran high at times! Make sure that you're blood sugar is stable!

Make sure you are taking the organic avc do not take the one that is already filtered. U need to buy the Apple Cider Vinegar from a health store

ThreeLac cured my Panic and Anxiety Disorder and other symptoms caused by candida albicans (yeast) including PMS, hypothyroid, depression. I felt worse for 7 days then for the first time in 18 months went shopping effortlessly! I dropped back but within 6 weeks began shopping again and now 9 months later can drive and shop everywhere - effortlessly! ThreeLac made the most difference. What kept me together until I found ThreeLac was high grade vitamins from womentowomen.com and Iodoral - an iodine suuplement known to help with hypothyroid. Email me anytime with questions or comments.

Instead of oral chelation please try an IV Chelation Treatment. Much quicker acting. The cost here is $100.00 for each treatment.

How did the fulvic acid work with the plant based minerals? Did you take the H2O2 and chlorella? I would greatly appreciate hearing how it went!

Check to see if you have Sjogren Syndrome: Sjogren Syndrom causes dry mouth and eyes and thrush in the mouth due to Candidas.

Would love to know more about this. At night mostly, I mostly have a very dry mouth. Doesn't matter how much I drink, always dry at night. At work my eyes are dry and my lips seem dry, but because I talk all day on phones, I can only sip or drink on breaks. There are times when my tongue actually sticks to my mouth when that dry. Awfull. Wondering if this is a something I need to worry about. I do have Systemic Candidiasis. So I am apt to have a whole lot of syndromes. Hoping this is not one to add to the list. Thanks LuAnn Got some advice?

RE: Dry Mouth. Are you on medical drugs? Toxins often make your mouth dry. Pesticides on plants, herbs, etc. also can cause dry mouth. Ny dry mouth goes away when I stop taking food or herbs that cause dry mouth. (I don't take "meds," since many are too toxic.

For DRY EYES, I juice about half a small onion with other vegetables, which makes my eyes quite moist. (Recall how you tear easily when peeling onions?) Also, for dry mouth, I eat mung beans SPROUTS. It naturally cleans my eyes and makes it moist. This might work for dry mouth. too.

I have the Inulin, the cream of tartar, but what is, where do I get, and how much is this 1 Flora? I am very interested in trying this formula because acv,baking soda, and borax aren't doing a thing for my systemic candida. Please respond soon!

EC: Looks like iFlora is a probiotic formula. Search for it on iherb.com.

Bill and/or Ted,

So is it okay to take the sodium citrate (referred above in the text regarding Cream of Tartar) instead of sodium bicarbonate? You mention above its superior than sodium bicarbonate but will it keep me from retaining so much water for the candida protocols?

I would like to find a safe, quality method of ingesting the sea salt and baking soda without gaining 7 lbs! I had stopped using them for a few days and dropped most of the weight within 5 or so days.

Thanks for your advice,

Robyn

My daughter is sensitive to chicory root. Do you think she'll have any problems with gas from the Chicory root?

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.

First the important info some of you may be looking for to kill that nasty, debilitating disease Candida, then I'll give my experience with it. I know I was getting frustrated searching on here for help & having to read & read posts & posts for hours to find something helpful, so I give YOU the IMPORTANT INFO FIRST! )

CANDIDA: Terrible, Terrible thing to have. I have been dealing with it for 3 months, & FINALLY (!! ) something worked! :: T*H*I*E*V*E*S O*I*L!! (Google It!! )

Within 2 days of my applying it to the soles of my feet, my facial rash practically cleared completely up!

Yes, there are manufacturers for Thieves Oil, but I made my own. Relatively inexpensive (compared to advertised "cures" <---- don't believe the HYPE! ) I discovered it on SteveQuayle.com back when the H1N1 Virus was all in the news in 2009. If you go to his site, type in "thieves oil" in the search bar & Google will re-direct you to the article (linked to Dare To Prepare's website)

THIEVES OIL: (you will need)

Eucalyptus Oil - 75 drops

Clove Oil (or Clove Blend) - 200 drops (or 1/2 oz.)

Rosemary Oil - 50 drops

Lemon Oil - 175 drops

Cinnamon BARK Oil - 100 drops (probably the most important of the bunch! & not cheap -avg. $20 for 10ml.)

[The brands I used were : Snow Lotus (Cinnamon Bark Oil) the rest were from Aura Cacia]

MIX THESE IN:

1 small GLASS Bottle (this is a strong oil mixture, I would not trust mixing & storing in plastic! )

*you can buy all these things at your local health food store, typically - roughly $60 in all*

**Note: Thieves Oil got it's name from groups of thieves in the 1400's who would rob corpses/graves of victims of plaugue for their jewelry/valuables etc.. Once they were caught, the judge/town officials demanded they explain how they were able to handle the bodies without contracting the sickness/plaugue themselves in exchange for lenient sentences. The thieves explained that they used a mixture of strong aromatic oils on their hands, neck & temples before going near the dead bodies.***

My experience with CANDIDA has been a pretty humbling one. The symptoms I had (bc it does affect people differently) were muscle aches (neck & shoulders - I have read this may be the underlying cause for fibromyalgia), slight joint pain, very cloudy thinking (weeks kept going by & I would look back & realize hardly anything was getting done for my work. I could not focus for the life of me... It was absolute hell! ) and inability to focus/concentrate, insomnia & then minimal/fitful sleep (maybe 4hrs a night & an hour nap a day -not what I call "restful sleep"! ) and an ugly rash around my eyes & corners of my nose. I am fair skinned/blonde hair -so the rash (at least to me) was very evident in the mirror. It looked like I was in a fist fight. The rash would develop small pustules, but there was no "head" to them, just small, slightly raised bumps ( I had at first mistaken this for dermadex or roseacea, but after treating with ACV/Borax & Tea Tree Oil & seeing some improvement, I would notice that the rash came back after certain foods or drink, 12 hrs or so later - THAT's WHEN I FIGURED OUT IT WAS CANDIDA & DIGESTION RELATED! ). The skin areas affected would feel bruised & swollen. My eyes in the AM were swollen with fluid & made me look at least 10 yrs older. I had been on Earth Clinic many times , searching & searching & searching for something, ANYTHING to help.

*Note: If you are showing signs of a skin rash at this point, the Candida has become serious. It is now a blood infection, and the body is finding ways to relieve the toxins somehow. This is very serious & should NOT be taken lighly (but also, no need to "freak out" either - it's treatable and curable, you just have to be disciplined and smart about it). Just take it as a sign that your body is telling you you need to take some time to restore it back to balance & good health.

I tried Borax (externally on my face), and it was somewhat helpful. I noticed it helped with the rash. I tried applying Apple Cider Vin. , it helped some as well. I tried yogurt, same difference. I tried applying Tea Tree Oil -honestly, I think the Tea Tree Oil expedited scaring & wrinkles to the eye lid area - it would dry out the skin like a sunburn & the next day I would notice my wrinkles becoming more evident - I would NOT reccomend it, it didn't do much good anyway. I tried applying Coconut Oil (and still do) but it will only do so much. Candida is a very powerful FUNGUS. Funguses are some of the strongest organisms on earth. They can mutate & metastasize , even against strong synthetic antibiotics. It is better to take the fight to them with an even stronger NATURAL cure so that you don't kill the good flora in your intestines etc (that is what the prescribed antibiotics do and therein cause a vicious cycle of infection/healing/stronger infection/healing etc. - plus many MD's are practically CLUELESS to Candida being an underlying cause of many, many misdiagnosed conditions - a fine result of our "Big Pharma" driven health care industry.... But that's another discussion for another time).. I had also tried creams (Nystatin & Vagisil on my face - it hardly helped at all! ) VERY FRUSTRATED AT THIS POINT!

So I began to search online for cures for Candida etc.. I saw posts, videos, websites, forums etc... & many times ThreeLac was mentioned (an herbal remedy) -from what Ive seen it is a highly touted "cure", but you must detox your self for 8 weeks to lower the Candida infection so that the ThreeLac can effectively kill it. Even then , supposedly, Candida can burrow deep within your intestinal walls with it's spores & "re-activate" itself should you go back to eating & drinking poorly etc.. ONE OTHER PRODUCT I found is: CandElim (Google it) - this product is supposed to be stonger than ThreeLac. I am actually waiting on a bottle of CandElim, so I will update this post once Ive begun using it. Also, I want to point out that for the last 5 or so weeks, I have been trying to stay on a STRICT DIET.

I will say that I am guilty of having a latte here & there (i. E. Sugar) -which BTW is not helpful, I know this, BUT: other than that, my diet has been Greek style Yogurt (organic) , eggs (scrambled) , chicken & lots of broccolli & asparagus. You must try to keep fat at a minimum (for the eggs I would eat 2 whole & 2 whites). Fat (lipid molecules) will bind to the sugar or carbohydrate (glycogen essentially) in your bloodstream and it will take longer to process the sugar/carb - therefore it just sits in your bloodstream, feeding the growth of the candida. This is why it is best to avoid starch (bread, potatoes, pasta, no cheeses, milk, fruits etc.. ). No alcohol (esp. Beer, wine & whiskey / dark distilled spirits) Basically you want your diet raw, green and very very low fat (with the exception of natural fat in lean meats or chicken, or low fat yogurt). Drink both spring & distilled water & see the thread (Earth Clinc) on Borax for hormone regulation - it helps with the insomnia associated with Candida. And that would be 1/4 tsp in a litre of water (if you're older start with about 1/8th of tsp first bc it can be a little uncomfortable on your kidneys (don't freak out, it's a very minor reaction), but gradually you wil be used to it - yes: Borax.... The '20 Mule Team' kind). I have also been taking a multivitamin, Vit. B stress complex, MSM, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Biotin & drinking a 1/2 tbsp of Sodium Bicarbonate (ALUMINUM FREE!! /ORGANIC) with water 3x/day, as well as 1 to 2 tbsp of Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil (virgin) is very important to prevent constipation associated with Candida. You want to flush out wastes & toxins as often (NATURALLY, of course) as you can. The ASPARAGUS is excellent in flushing out the MICOTOXINS that Candida produces as it wrecks havoc on your intestines, organs, bones & tissues. If you notice a strong headache & body aches etc.. When you begin to get SERIOUS about getting better from this disease, you will know that you are impacting it for the better, those are "die off" symptoms. But do not be overconfident as you see yourself getting better etc.. -Candida is VERY, VERY SERIOUS! If you let it go, resume bad old habits too early etc... It can literally kill you (slowly, but nevertheless). Candida exacerbates potential secondary infections and illnesses with organ failure etc.. It can create the right environment for cancer, diabetes etc... - it is not to be taken lightly, though it is not impossible to recover from either. Treating it dilligently - from what Ive read- should continue for at least 6 months (diet, treatments, healthy supplements, exercise, lots of water etc..)

As I am about 8 weeks into my diet, and 4 days into using the Thieves Oil, I feel better... Much better than I did in the beginning when I discovered I had Candida. I will update this post in a few weeks with the results of taking CandElim along with what Im currently doing. If I can help 1, ... Just 1 person with this post, than my job is done. I never thought I would EVER come down with something like this, but in hindsight it was a blessing in disguise to have the rash, bc Candida is so subtle in it's symptoms (in the early stages) you most likely would never guess you had something like it. Had I not had the rash as a "wake up" call, my condition could have gotten gravely worse - irreprably worse. I wish everyone the strength/hope/and fortitude to keep fighting and be postitive to get through this, you'll come out stronger than ever on the other side. Get the Thieves Oil, apply it on the soles of your feet 3x a day (be fairly "liberal" with applying it -a few drops here & there aint gonna do the job, but don't go crazy with it either -dig?), you should see improvement. God Bless.

I am looking into the CandElim. Did you start it? And do you think it's legit?

Hello, In your comments on earthclinic, you mentioned a kidney flush. Would you mind expanding on this? Thank you for your comments on candida treatment.

3 months ago, I had a really bad infection in my mouth, so painful that I could not sleep. Orajel helped, but temporarily. I came across this website and decided to give it a try. When I woke up the next day, the pain was gone! No soreness, nothing. Not even a twinge. I stopped doing it for a couple of weeks, and all my health problems came back. Abnormal discharge, candida, and other female issues. I'm doing this again in the hopes that my issues will go away for good. Will keep you all updated on my progress.

Very few people, except maybe doctors, know that candida albicans grows when your body's pH is acid and therefore, it makes for feasibility of taking baking soda to raise your body's pH but also using some potassium carbonate to further raise the pH as a means of killing Candida albicans appears to be quite feasible.

Candida albicans optimum growth pH is a 4, but it can grow between pH 3 - 7, however most hospital's antiseptic is usually acid which makes it rather ineffective in the killing and the spread of candida albicans. The research below also implies that taking digestive enzymes supplements will also destroy the candida also. Ted

Here is a research abstract:

Effect of pH and human saliva on protease production by Candida albicans.

G R Germaine and L M Tellefson

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Abstract

The elaboration of extracellular proteolytic activity by Candida albicans during growth in laboratory broth or in human whole salivary supernatant was investigated. Growth of the organism in broth at pH 3 to 7 followed by assay of culture supernatants at pH 4 (optimum for activity) indicated protease was only present in cultures grown at a pH of less than 5. In contrast, growth in sterile human whole salivary supernatant over the pH range of 3 to 7 uniformly failed to result in production of protease. Growth of the organism at pH 4 in broth supplemented with saliva resulted in a saliva-dependent inhibition of protease production. Although the addition of up to 16% (vol/vol) saliva had essentially no effect on growth, 4% saliva caused a 50% reduction in proteolysis of substrate protein. Due to the low pH requirement for protease production and activity and the demonstration that saliva is a potent inhibitor of protease synthesis, we conclude C. albicans most likely does not produce extracellular protease in the human oral cavity.

Hi Ted, Could you please kindly explain more about how the Ph will influence the virulence of Candida. Because the body will never become Alkylin neither acidic. The homeostatiea always will keep the body acidity around 7±0.4. If the blood becomes ph 6, it means we will die, and if it reaches 8 the same thing.

Regarding the article that you put and explains the activity of the protease of candida, it doesn't say that Candida is unactive at the mouth but it just explains that candida has no protelytic activity in the oral cavity.

I will very pleased to hear from you.

Thank you very much.

I think it really depends on why a person has a candida overgrowth in the first place. I have been sick with candida overgrowth for several months. This was caused by taking too many courses of antibiotics. The antibiotics killed the good bacteria that competed with the fungi in my body. My point is- yes, vinegar is anti-fungal but it is also anti-bacterial (which is something I'd rather not mess with). Instead, I'm trying to work on increasing the levels of good bacteria in my body than risk killing off even more of it.

Thank you. You have greatly improved my life.

I would imagine that the reason hydrogen peroxide works so much better than other antifungals such as oregano, grapefruit seed extract and colloidal silver is because its oxidizing action also destroys the Candida biofilms?

So the silver and other antifungals can kill the Candida that is "free", but all of it within biofilms is effectively within an "impenetrable fortress" that only oxidizers and a few other things (like maybe specific enzymes) can get into?

My vote is a big NAY!

Boric Acid is a systemic poison. It is used as an insecticide! Actually works great. Kills roaches almost as soon as they ingest it. It is highly absorbable through mucos membranes - such as the vagina. The lethal dose is approximately 15 grams. On-line recommended doses for vaginal yeast infections vary between 1 and 2 capsules as suppositories per day for 14 days. Wikipedia references 600 mg per day as a suppository for 14 days - which if you care to do the math adds up to 8.4 grams. If you double this number to get 2 capsules for 14 days the result is a whopping 16.8 grams which goes well beyond the LETHAL DOSE! 00 capsules hold between 540 and 1090 mg! I would NOT recommend using Boric Acid to anyone I cared about!

For the past 3 months I have been suffering with BV & yeast infections. I've never had this problem before, at least not simultaneously. My Dr. has tried a few creams and nothing has worked. Most recently she prescribe Boric Acid suppository's for 14 days. This seems to be doing the trick however, I was just told by another Dr. (in the same office) that the Boric Acid might not be safe while I am breastfeeding. My daughter's pediatrician wasn't sure either. Can anyone clear up this contradictory information? It seems Dr.'s become numb when it comes to medicine & breastfeeding and I feel like I'm left to fend for myself. Thank you in advance for your information.

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 1/4 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

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

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

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

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

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.

If you wouldn't mind, please let me know of the products, and the process that you describe in your post. I have been a sufferer of Candiasis for 17 years and have tried many things to remedy this condition. I have done a sugar free, limited grains diet, Caprylic acid (it worked the best) but when I quit taking it the "yeasty beasties" came back...in triplicate. Thank you for giving my request your consideration.

-Ivena

I had thrush about a month ago and they gave me Nystatin for it. The doc says it's gone, but my tongue is patchy white. I was wondering if I still have it and should try some of theses remedies, If so which ones? Would gargling with Tea tree oil 2 or 3x a day be a good start? Am kinda confused on the ACV thing, do you just mix it together and drink it or gargle? Thanks, Tim

I've had what I think is candida for years but all the physicians I've been to have run tests and say it isn't so, however, I get this white junk that builds on my tongue and the more sugar I ingest the worse it gets. I also get tired, have gas, diahrea, joint pain, sore eyes, and many other problems when ever I eat foods with sugar. I tried the oil pulling starting about 5 weeks ago and at first had itchy rashes for a few days. This went away and I continue to oil pull twice a day for 30 min each. All my symptoms have decreased substantially, particulary the thrush (or whatever it is). I've been to doctors all over the country, have had tests from A to Z, and none have found anything. I oil pull with olive oil.

How much ACV do you take a day? Are you still Candidia free? I take ACV daily, but my Candidia is out of control. I wonder if I am not taking enough???

Hi, great website of candida information. I too have had great challenges with this candida syndrome. However, my major changes happened when I incorporated really two things in my life. I use live sauerkraut and a fabulous probiotic drink which are so very high in lactibacilus bacteria, enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids!! Greatest thing that I ever did do for it. Also to detox mercury from the body, I used a brown algae originally from Russia. This product is so beneficial for nutrients and also for removing the heavy metals that you will be totally amazed, no kidding.

When I say live sauerkraut I mean that it must be raw to be effective. All of the old countries did use fermented LIVE, not cooked fermented foods for health. Believe me when I say I knew of everything that you listed on your website because I too have been there. These two items do tremendous jobs at eliminating the problem and making your life much more enjoyable. I have one more thing that I am experiencing with to help the body with the breakdown of this infestation. Remember, candida is really not the true enemy, our immune system in our body is very weak. What creates disease is a LACK of nutrients and this in turn creates a situation of the body not being able to detoxify. There are many nutrients involved but one of the key ones associated with fungus is Silica!! Believe me I have talked with people all over the world, and have researched this immensely. This is what I do for a living. Thank You.

You are so right about eating live, unfermented, raw fermented foods like sauerkraut (and Kimchi! ) to help fight yeast! I found kimchi works best for a sinus infection. Sauerkraut & Kimchi also both clear up acne in days (my whole life I had cystic acne so bad I was on rounds of the very dangerous drug Accutane! ) I am convinced that yeast is a causative factor in acne. Please try these remedies!

Happy to hear. What brand kimchi and sauerkraut? Thanks!

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!