How to Cure Candida

The best way to defeat candidiasis is an 80/10/10 diet, many people think sugar is culprit, we just realized that fat is the culprit because fat makes sugar stay in the body much longer and has a better chance for feeding candida. People got on anti-candida diet and still struggle with it. Ok check out this video and hope you get it, https://youtu.be/7vFcFARfYxY

Brewers Yeast is wonderful on salads, eggplant, even popcorn.

If patient has the yeast Pichia there will be no Candida. Bacteria/Fungus/Yeast all have to live harmoniously together. I just heard this on the Dr Gundry podcast. Hope this may help someone.

Hi Sidney, I was diagnosed with candida overgrowth 3 years ago, mainly the result of taking inhaled corticosteroids for many years for asthma (which I no longer have BTW). Anyway, one of the best things that helped me get a handle on starving and killing it off was hydrogen peroxide therapy, using 35% food-grade hydrogen peroxide diluted to a 1 to 11 ratio in distilled water. This therapy really helped clear out the pockets of fungus that kept showing themselves and really helped my body flush out the toxins. The full therapy takes a while to complete, but is very effective. Also I did not have any negative side effects at all.

What I did was put the drops of diluted H2O2 in 8 oz. of juice or tea and drank that every morning and afternoon on an empty stomach. I started with 3 drops and increased it by 1 drop every day until I reached 25 drops. I stayed at that level for 31 days before I started decreasing it by 1 or 2 drops until I reached a level of 15 drops. I stayed at that level for a couple of weeks before I decreased the dose again until I reached 10 drops, stayed at that again for a couple of weeks, and then decreased to 5 drops, and finally back to 3 drops, which I still maintain. To make the diluted solution, put 1 oz. of full strength 35% food-grade hydrogen peroxide into a glass container and add 11 oz. of distilled water. This should be stored in the refrigerator. Using an eye-dropper, add the drops to the juice and drink it all at once. Candida is a very persistent and strong parasitic organism and will be fighting for its life once you begin the therapy. If at anytime you experience extreme detoxing symptoms, do not increase the drops until your body stabilizes. If necessary, drop back to the dose you were able to take and stay at that level until you feel able to resume increasing drops.

I hope this is helpful and I wish you all the best in your journey to good health! Flower's Mom

This is amazing. Thank you. I believe this has controlled my life for so many years. I do not do sugar, except on occasions. Its a very bad thing for me. I know when I get sick and do miso with brown rice and veggies I feel better, but it doesn't stay. My gut balance has been out of whack for soooo many years. I am just finding out about food grade HP therapy. I read someone's post that said she uses HP in her ears for postnasal drip (3 drops each ear) and it has helped with a multitude of ailments. I tried that yesterday and it did help tremendously. The body is a miracle and if I can get back to a healthy balance I will be so grateful. Thanks.

Aloe vera gel is great for candida because it produces very little die off symptoms in my experience.

When it concerns hydrogen peroxide, less is more. Stay on the safe side with 1-5 drops in lots of water... It bleaches out clothes so it can certainly damage your internals.

Make sure you are not taking Vitamin C or citrus for about 2 hrs before and after the h202. cancertutor.com tells you all about it under their cancer protocol.

I read all these articles which assert the causes for candida, among them being poor diet diet high in processed foots and sugars, antibiotic use, 'acidic' pH and ''leaky gut.'' I don't agree. Being a puritan, these causes have never applied to me, yet I had recurrent thrush. I believe it to be stress related, for me. Whatever the reason, the remedy is more important than energy wasting digging for causes. Its an endless game. I'm shocked by some of the severe protocols suggested by some which I liken to applying agent orange to an environment, and these extreme protocols threaten to completely obliterate everything in the bodies ecosystem.

I've found Undecylenic acid. (10-undecenoic acid) is an eleven-carbon, mono-unsaturated fatty acid occurring naturally in the body's perspiration. While several fatty acids have beneficial effects on the flora that naturally inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, undecylenic acid is the most potent. It aids in the establishment of healthy gut and vaginal flora and is x6 beneficial than caprylic acid. It is a naturally occurring constituent of castor oil, which is isolated.

Along with the candida diet you need to start on a low dose and work your way up, because even for me the detox symptoms were pretty intense, although I didn't get the common ones. Mine were more ''emotional'' symptoms such as severe anxiety, ''flushes'', feeling ''spaced out'', fatigue, foggy etc. I really recommend everyone give it a go! I believe it is the most powerful antifungal out there. Still in the process but feel I'm on the way to restoring the imbalance. After all, candida was with us when we were born and will be when we die. Do you know that after the body dies, candida actually continues to live and ''eat'' the body? Its true. You cant eradicate it completely, but you can restore balance. All the best!

I have recently developed serious candida for the second time in 20 years. I was nauseated 24/7 but didn't know why -- until I figured out that I had stomach candida and that that was the cause of the nausea. (The why of how I got candida this time is a longer story that I'll skip.) I know all the candida remedies from my first bout 20 years ago -- and I decide to start with Grapefruit Seed Extract - which I've been taking for the past 3 days. The amazing thing is it's great clinical proof of the efficacy of GSE against candida. The moment I take the stuff the nausea decreases or goes away. Last night I made the mistake of having bread -- and within an hour or so I was really nauseated. I took the GSE and within minutes the nausea level had greatly declined. Great stuff. Just make sure you get a recognized brand that regularly tests their product so you don't run into the toxic contamination issue.

I have taken GSE off and on for years so I have a high tolerance and went straight to 15 drops in water 3 times a day -- pretty bitter -- but I'll drink as much I want of that glass over a period of about 4 hours until it runs out and then do it again.

Esophagus throat candida travels up into the face, ears and brain. This dangerous. That's why you had the ear problem. You must eliminate candida at a slower pass through out your body.to much die off will only plug your liver which will cause you more problems. Your liver can't filter all die off at once. Once a week, use 2 teaspoons of grey sea salt to one warm but not hot water1 cup of water. Stay home that day. It wil clean out the die off. You will poop possible 4 to 5 times your liver will be clear to filter more.

M: Always glad to help and hope you post your progress as people differ in severity of Candida. How do you rate your current anti-candida "food protocol"? How well is it working for you?

I guess my post went over into the spices and supplements category so not technically "food", but it would represent a big next level of treatment especially keeping the colon clean and the conversion of sugar into energy.

As for adding White Willow Bark, I must admit it's somewhat of a guess on my part but it does seem to augment the efficacy of treatment in my case. Sulforaphane is the active chemical constituent in the Cabbage and Broccoli and the formula is (R)-1-isothiocyanto-4-methyl-sulfonyl butane. Adding a Salicylamide would tend the formula to the anti-protozoal drug Nitazoxanide which is similar to Metronadizole 2-(2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethanol. Nitazoxanide [2-[(5-nitro-1, 3-thiazol-2-yl)carbamoyl]phenyl]ethanoate is a synthetic nitrothiazolyl-salicylamide derivative and an antiprotozoal agent. Now I am guilty of diverting the discussion away from fungal and toward anti-protozoa or bacterial. Which is not a bad thing because we know these microbes are intelligent and conspire w/ one another for their mutual survival exploiting every human weakness possible.

I personally don't eat enough Cruciferous veggies but I do take a combination of Broccoli Sprout Extract/I3C/DIM/White Willow 2x per week w/ noticeable results of antipathogen and improved detox.

With all this information, I am amazed that all these good things have to be BOILED. Most of my life I know only home made steamed foods, using the liquid as well. I do not eat out.

I could never eat that many Brussels sprouts, why and what for?

Moreover, in the West, cabbage type veggies are boiled in water, resulting in a smelly house. Just try the East Indian method of slow cooking the cabbage without water and the result is a very nice dish without over powering smell.

Namaste, Om

Hi Robert Henry...You're absolutely right about doctor's having no idea how to diagnose candida. Candida exists in about 80% of the world's population today and this is fine as long as your healthy immune system can contain and dominate the candida in the lower gut. In fact, I read that 70% of your immune system's activity is purely dedicated to protecting the blood/fecal boundary in the intestines. If the local immune system in the gut is compromised then candida will dominate and spread. And if the gut cell wall suddenly becomes highly permeable or damaged in any way then that's when the brown river meets the red river and all sorts of poisons and autoimmune diseases will tend to arise and spread.

Dr Orian Truss identified the poor diagnosis of candida by doctor's -- that's why he called his definitive book on candida The Missing Diagnosis. Things haven't improved much when even people like the famous and influential Dr Weil decree and insist that there is no such thing as systemic candida -- that it doesn't exist as a common disease -- and that candida is really just a problem caused by nutrition.

But there's a very cheap and reliable way to confirm whether you have candida or not and it won't cost you a cent. Dr William Crook, who wrote the other definitive book on candida called The Yeast Connection, brought out a questionnaire that works off a points system and will tell you with fair accuracy whether you have candida or not. It's online for free -- here it is:

The Candida Questionnaire

In my own further understanding of candida, I discovered that candida will always initially attack the areas in your body that have mucus glands -- which contain immune system phagocytes, neutrophiles and eosinophils that are always the first line of defence against any external pathogen attack or invasion of the body. Mucus glands are found in the following areas of the body: skin, lungs, mouth, eyes, ears, nose, prostate, uterus, stomach, intestines, mammary glands. Then I realized that all these areas of the body can be attacked by candida and can show symptoms like athletes foot, jock itch, rhinitis, gut disease, ear ache, eye problems, allergies etc. In other words if your immune system activity is weak in your mucus glands then candida will have no trouble entering or infecting your body in large numbers. In this respect initial symptoms like sinusitis or rhinitis, IBS etc are merely local candida infections that will, in time, become systemic. And the reverse is also true. If you already have systemic candida then symptoms like low thyroid, bad athletes foot, sinusitis, jock itch, allergies etc can then suddenly arise and manifest as further expressions or symptoms of your systemic candida.

Recently I have also discovered the importance of taking bovine colostrum for autoimmune diseases -- including candida -- because of its multi-beneficial effects. It's one of the few nutrients I know that doesn't just cure you but gives you immunity against many common autoimmune and many infectious diseases. And its a food and completely safe. See the research here, here, and here.

Bill: It is so good to see your efforts on Candida infection as there are many folks in the dark and suffering the consequences.

Case-in-point. My last full-time employment was nurse & caregiver to a quadriplegic patient who was also a friend and former classmate. He fractured the C-6 w/ significant damage to the cord by diving head-first in a swimming pool. I was his first giver after returning home from Sheppard Spinal Center in Atlanta Ga. where he spent almost 1yr. There were significant changes and challenges in this situation.

Medical in specific, was keeping the bladder catheter clean and disease free. Dr's rotated antibiotics as the uti infections were problematic. Well, you know what the consequences of high dose, long term antibiotics is. The severity came down to having to re-bathe and cloths change shortly after breakfast because digestion had become impossible. I made an urgent request for Phil to bring this issue to his urologist, which was fruitful as he prescribed antifungal meds. I also recommended Cranberry for the UTI. It took some time but Phil finally began to perk up and function fairly well, and we even cut back on anti-depressant meds (another side effect of candida).

My health continued it's deterioration and the high demand job became too much and I was forced to quit, which really broke my heart as any quadriplegic patient needs specialized care and in this case wasn't receiving it.

Fast forward nearly to decades and last week my friend found freedom from his paralyzed body and doesn't need a wheelchair, daily meds, and constant personal care anymore.

Hi Cleopatra...Taking a natural thyroid hormone(NTH) like Armour can be very beneficial for thyroid problems. But you really need to know how to adjust the NTH dose properly. I also realize that visits to an iodine-literate doc or even the alternative healer can be quite expensive. So some ideas for you which I hope will help.

First you must realize that NTH therapy is only a support therapy -- it supplies T₁ , T₂ , T₃ , T₄ and supplies calcitonin(regulates bone formation) for the body. This therapy is highly useful for managing hypothyroid symptoms but, without supplementing higher dose iodine, it is not a cure for thyroid conditions -- which is normally caused by a lack of iodine(and minerals) in the diet. This NTH treatment just treats the symptoms of low thyroid hormone -- It just raises your thyroid hormone to correct levels again without the participation of your own thyroid gland. So what you must really work towards if you can is to heal your thyroid gland and bring it up to full operational health again with a view to eventually come off all meds. That should really be your goal. Why stay on any thyroid meds for the rest of your life just treating the symptoms? That's expensive!!

Furthermore, Dr Brownstein has now tested iodine levels in 5, 000 of his patients at his clinic and found that about 95% of them are deficient in iodine/iodine. So most people in America now have low iodine or hypothyroid conditions.

For some good information on supplementing NTH, see this link:

Natural Thyroid (101)

If you also have other separate problems like low blood iron levels or low cortisol levels then this may also cause T₃ levels to be too high in the blood thus contributing to other symptoms such as palpitations, anxiety, insomnia etc. If this is the case with you, then I would advise you to see a thyroid competent doctor in your area, since these problems, which are also tied into thyroid behavior, are much more complex and you will need to be properly tested and assessed.

As I've said, NTH can be very useful so you should continue using it but also you should take the full iodine protocol with companion nutrients as well(to actually cure your low thyroid problem). The best way to test your thyroid levels is to check your body temperature fist thing in the morning when you wake up. Don't get out of bed. Use a basal thermometer to check your body temperature(under your armpit). The correct healthy body temperature should be 98.6 F/37 C. This is one way to regulate your NTH and LI intake.

I would like to comment on heavy metal detox candida and other symptoms associated.

First of all candida and parasites form a synergy with heavy metals in your body and create biofilms to shield themselves from the body's mechanisms of defense. It is scientifically proved that candida and parasites can hold even hundreds of times more heavy metals than their host. So this way their demand is always supplied by their host ( lead in apple, grape and other commercial juices, chocolate, red and white wine as well as old paints and fertilizers. Mercury in fish, high fructose syrup, amalgams and pollution from the manufacturing process and energy saving light bulbs to mention some) increase the deterioration in our health. What to do? First, identify your heavy metal toxicity sources in order to reduce or eliminate you exposure, then modify your diet to stop feeding the creepy creatures in your system, start taking supplements to reduce your parasites and candida burden, last start a meticulous chelation that starts slowly, since your candida might overgrow as you start pulling mercury and lead from within your deeper tissues to your stomach, the most recomendable therapy, in my opinion, is that of Dr Andrew Cuttler described in his book Amalgam Illness.

Please do yourself a favor before starting any chelation protocol, inform yourself well and never start an iv chelation since pulling too many metals suddenly could be dangerous for your body. :)

I have just started taking borax for my candida and need some advice. I have battled candida for years and currently it is systemic following a bout of antibiotics 2 months ago. I am high in heavy metals, namely lead, and have been taking iodine for a while to cure FBD but unfortunately it seemed to make my candida worse, perhaps because it mobilised the metals which spread the candida.

Anyway I heard about Borax some time ago but was too scared to try but now in desperation I have just started taking 1/16th of a teaspoon in 750 ml of water and sipping it throughout the day. I have been doing this for 5 days now. My question is, is this the right amount? I haven't noticed much yet, other than being a bit more tired and a slight headache and some aches and pains in my chest area. I normally get severe herx reactions from any antifungal so I thought I'd start slow, but perhaps I'm not taking enough? I have read about some amazing cures on this forum just one or two days into using Borax. I have continual brain fog and blocked sinuses on and off, just some of the symptoms of my candida, so I am waiting in hope that this will clear suddenly.

Also why do some take Borax for 4-5 days and then stop for a couple of days? Should I be doing this? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks :-)

Hi Cindy...The iodine you have is not strong enough. When you compare 1 drop of your iodine forte(150 micrograms of iodide) against 1 drop of 5% lugols iodine(6.25 mgs) then the one drop of lugols contains 41 times more iodine than one drop of Iodine Forte. This means that one drop of 5% Lugols Iodine equals 41 drops of Iodine Forte in terms of iodine content.

Also, you have the potassium iodide form which is certainly useful but not as useful as LI which contains all three forms of iodine in solution -- iodine, iodide and triiodide. Since your Iodine Forte is just potassium iodide it will therefore not have the same benefits as LI because it does not contain the other two forms -- iodine and triiodide -- in solution.

That's why it might perhaps be better and more effective to use Lugols Iodine. Also remember that you can use Iodoral if you wish which is just LI in a pill. You can find and order Iodoral easily on the internet.

If you have already bought the Iodine Forte I wouldn't throw it away -- you can still use it for other things.

Pamela: Candida is not your disease, it's the effect of some other disease like parasitic infestation (very high risk for pet owners) or any number of pathogens that are the primary cause resulting in immune dysfunction.

I would recommend taking Oregano Oil extracts in the a.m. and garlic oil extract before retiring as a simple first step. An herbal parasite formula like "Black Walnut Complex" is advised. Also take 25-50 mg Zinc Citrate w/ 10, 000 iu Vit-A daily (this will boost immune function and protect the gut from invading pathogens. L-Glutamine will boost the immune cells in the intestines.

Start w/ this and continue for a few wks and if you don't see much good results fallow Bill's anti-candida protocol which is available in full version in his new book "Killing So Sweetly" or the truncated version here on E.C.

Hi Larry...For a source of Sodium Molybdate -- try ebay.com. See this link. If you buy the powder then you will probably need to also buy a digital weighing machine to measure out the correct 10 mg to 20 mg dosages that Ted recommends. And you may want to also buy a pill making machine as well to make the pills in batches for convenience.

Hi Vanessa...Bentonite clay will certainly help against candida. Bentonite should be taken in a glass of water outside mealtimes together with psyllium husks for best effect. Azomite is another one that is used in the same way. What I would also advise is to add a squeezed lemon to the bentonite, psyllium and water as well as to regularly take milk thistle and a magnesium supplement(Magnesium Chloride or Magnesium Citrate forms are best).

Bentonite is renowned for its detoxing properties which include removal of parasites, bacteria, toxins and many heavy metals. For more on Bentonite's health properties see here and here.

One caveat with Bentonite. Don't use bentonite together with allopathic drugs at the same time -- because bentonite will also act to remove synthetic drugs from the intestines as well. So do not supplement bentonite within 2 hours of any allopathic drug use.

Also, supplementing Molybdenum or sodium molybdate acts to generate and increase an enzyme in the body called aldehyde dehydrogenase (AD) which is the main enzyme that removes aldehydes and alcohols from the body. The majority of toxins emitted as waste by candida are aldehydes which can seriously effect the brain and mood. The AD enzyme converts aldehydes to acetic acit which is actually beneficial for the body. Additionally, adding pantethine and pantothenic acid to this protocol will also help to remove and safely neutralize dangerous candida toxins in the blood and this will consequently help to remove the depression and improve your husbands mood. Because sodium molybdate also kills candida -- this means that candida will be killed while, at the same time, acting also to neutralize and remove candida toxins so no side-effects on the mind should happen on die-off. See this link for the full details on dosages for molybdenum, pantethine and pantethenic acid(Vitamin B5). Taking a regular laxative (Philip's Milk of Magnesia should also be used -- this will also help to kill candida because of its high alkalinity and will remove alot of intestinal debris quickly).

Since your husband has had candida for over 40 years, then its practically a certainty that his fungal infection will be system wide or a systemic infection -- this means that his candida infection will not be just in the intestines but will also be in the blood, organs and tissues of his body.

For now, because of the amount of candida in his body and his extreme sensitivity to die off, I would simply concentrate on the complete removal of all candida from his intestines which always tends to be the throne of candida. Once this has been achieved and the symptoms reduced then perhaps you can move him on to a proper and full anti-candida protocol that will get rid of the candida and other bacterial infections from his blood. If you do not attempt to remove the systemic candida form from his blood, then it will simply act to come back in to repopulate and re-infect his intestines later. There is a full candida protocol, which includes diet here on EC.

Iodine may be your answer. Try googling iodine therapy for effective elimination of candida.

@Tinetine: As for prevention of Candida take 200mcg Chromium Picolinate 2x day and take Cinnamon caps 1 or 2 per day. These two nutrients combined will help your body convert glucose to energy and kill candida at the same time. If you have underlying issues you will need to do more aggressive treatments as listed here: https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/candida-diet-protocol.html.

Let us know of your progress.

Gingermegs: The live brewers yeast used to make bread is a very effective home remedy. There are before and after photos on the web of children who had thrush who were cured in a very short time.

I am having a real hard time believing brewers yeast could be an answer to the horrible systemic Candida that I have been fighting against for years, I say this because every time I eat even a little bread Candida rears its ugly head and all my symptoms are back. I have been for most part, eating the healthiest foods, and no beverages but water. Food grade hydrogen peroxide I thought was the answer to my problems, it makes me feel symptom free, but I have to stay on a long term high dose to maintain and people are putting fear in me by saying long term use is highly dangerous. I am beside my self and think this nightmare will never go away, as you can tell it has me down today. I don't think there is any real cure, just ways to knock it back, and I have so many of them and spent a lot of money, has any of you ever heard or talked to anyone who has truly beat Candida?

I would like to share this story with you!

I've researched about Candida for quite a while in order to help my mum that has been suffering from Candida for about 25 years and it got worse and worse. She had to brush her tongue and her teeth several times a day, she also had Candida on her nails. Her digestion was bad, her energy was low, she was a rather negative person. She really suffered. I also need to tell you that many people with Candida should first get rid of their Amalgam teeth fillings and then divert it correctly (you'll find information about that online easily)

Desperate enough, she was willing to try something new with me being her "supervisor".

We did the following:

10-days green juice fast, strict diet and colon cleanse once a week

after those 10 days fasting she had to follow a very strict diet: No sugar, no alcohol, no carbos, no nuts, no animal products (besides once a week a small piece of meet or fish), no nuts and seeds, no RAW food, no artifical food products (like the "E's"), if possible organic. So in short, she has been eating mainly steamed or stired veggies with a sauce (oil or coconut milk or soy cream with lots of amazing spicies and herbs), avocado purée with lemon, salt and pepper for breaky or Hummus.

After one month Candida was reduced for about 40 to 50%.

The second month she was allowed a little more but only because we had really good results. Once a week she was allowed to eat: meat, fish, a glass of good wine. Every day she chose different carbos and ate them in small quantities (only eat a specific sort once a week max): brown rice, spelt, rye, quinoa, millet, corn (no wheat if poss).

After the second month she was an almost different person - spreading so much love and light!

She will have to continue another 3 to 4 month I guess. And she felt very weak in the beginning for about one month. It is a lot. But it is so worthwhile if you get to the point where everybody could be: feeling light, authentic, loving towards yourself and others... And she has become so easy-going, so relaxed;)

Hi A question for Bill, you the man. I have a bad case but not as bad as some here. I am pretty healthy but have had jock itch for about a year now. Went through the usual doctor channels with no luck. I have been doing Teds akalizing and 3 % HP plus the sea salt now himalayan pink salt for about a month. The rash seems to be spreading more down my thigh and on my balls, yuck. I am hoping it is a die off and things get better soon. I have used a mix of Apple Cider Vinegar and 3% Hp and just 3% HP splashed on.

My question is how did you treat your jock itch?

Thanks. Keep up the good work...

Hi Ben im afraid you havent just got jock itch, you have basicly athletes foot of the crotch, a fungal infection made worse by sweating, I bet your scrotal sac feels leathery as well. The cure is the usual treatment for athletes foot in a tube of white cream from the chemist. Lamasil cream is the best to use, use sparingly and try to get three to four weeks out of the tube.

It will cure it up in a couple of weeks. When it clears up wash regularly down there, and when dry rub some coconut oil in the area and that will stop it reacuring. You might have it at the corner of the lips as well, put the cream on there as well.

Hello Sandra,

I recently wrote about this very subject and the reason that Candida Albicans can be difficult to get rid of, especially if you have had it for a long time. I included ways to help deal with it based on the current science. Here is a link to that article :

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/how-to-inhibit-candida-biofilm.html

Let us know how you do!

Art

I used to buy tons of colloidal silver. If you buy online you could get for over 10 dollars. I make my own now. Buy 99.999 pure silver lods and buy battery. Go to radioshack and buy alligator clip. Connect to a glass cup. And use distilled water. And connect to the battery. Run for several hours. If you check internet there are tons of info and pics. You can make gallons for cost of a cent.. You will use this silver rods almost forever.

And Silver saved my mental health.. When you kill off candida, you will understand we are very intelligent beings who are actually calm.. I was anxious entire life. And there was a period time that I couldn't remember 3 sentences in a row. Now I can memorize pages no problem. :) I really think there is no other supplement cheaper and stronger than silver.. I know for some people money is issue. If so then dig here :)

There was a guy who took so much silver that he turned bluish. I think he took the wrong kind and way too much, like gallons instead of tablespoons. If you take the right kind and in the right dose, it'll be fine. Do some homework, learn as much as you can and then go for it.

Dear Gypsyangel, You are having a bit of a die off effect which is good. It means that your efforts are working and soon you will feel much better. It is very common with any yeast treatment. Keep up with the Baking soda and eventually the symptoms will start to go away.

Better But With Side Effects

I have had candida symptoms for almost 3 years. I got several rounds of prescriptions for fluconozole 100 mg. Everytime the symptoms disappeared within 3 days but returned after 3 or 4 months. I tried taking ACV everyday (2 tbsp diluted in a glass of water) for a while. It made me feel better but not completely cured. In the last 3 weeks I have had severe depression for the first time in my life and an overall "depleted" feeling. I finally decided that it might be linked to the candida. I had 20 mule borax in the house and decided to start taking it as prescribed by Ted: 1/8 tsp in a liter of water throughout the day, everyday for 5 days.

I am on day 5. I started feeling better after day 3. Now on day 5, I woke up with severe flu like symptoms, feverish, headache, extreme weakness, fever blisters, sinus congestion, and a crawling sensation under my skin. I am thinking that either I caught a bug or these are "candida die off" symptoms, which I never experienced with fluconozole. I will stop the borax cure for 2 days as prescribed by Ted and then resume for 5 days. I will post again to share the results.

Hi Ben... In answer to your questions:

How do I take Lugols 2% to get rid of Candida?

First you should test a few test drops of lugols iodine on your arm and leave it for an hour or so. If it develops into a red itchy area then you are probably allergic to iodine -- but only 1% of people are allergic so this is rare. Next, try orally taking one or two drops of the lugol's in a glass of water for a few days. Take this at least one hour before meals or two hours after meals. If you're OK with this then you have no stomach sensitivity to iodine and so you can use the full dose.

Dr Orian Truss used a stronger 5% lugol's iodine to successfully cure candida and used dosages of between 6 - 8 drops a day in split doses. With this he could cure candida problems in about 1 to 2 months.

Therefore for a 2% lugols iodine solution I would recommend between 12 -- 16 drops of lugols a day -- in four split doses of between 3 or 4 drops taken 4 times a day. If it was a 5% solution of lugols iodine -- which is higher strength than 2% lugols -- then I would just recommend 2 drops 4 times a day.

Are there any interactions to watch out for as well?

There should be no interactions provided you take lugols with water outside mealtimes.

But -- at the start of taking lugols -- you WILL get a Herxheimer or candida die-off reaction. This is when the lugols iodine kills large amounts of candida in you body. The liver therefore comes under stress to clear the candida from the blood. This gives rise to symptoms like: flu-like symptoms, nausea, low energy, feeling tired and feeling generally awful. The length or duration of this die-off reaction will depend on the extent of your candida invasion and will also depend on how healthy your liver is. This is why it is also advisable to take liver support herbs like Milk Thistle or Chanca Piedra during the die-off period.

I suffered from candidiasis after I had had 4 days of iv antibiotics (in hospital) for a bowel infection - and then, while my intestines were quite vulnerable (flora imbalance), I ate a mouldy pancake (unknowingly of course). Huge, itchy red welts spread over my body withins days. I even had white fungus growth in my ear canals (my ENT specialist showed me on his video screen). I tried most of the remedies on this site with some success (oregano oil, bicarb in drinking water, kefir and h2o2 etc). With each remedy that I tried, I got better but found it was true that I had to make sure I was trying new anti-fungals and alkalining remedies to keep on top of the infection (apparently, it mutates very quickly). It wasn't until I drank Chamomile tea that all my symptoms finally disappeared.

I had 3 cups of hot and v strong chamomile tea within a couple of hours (I used tea bags, although I imagine loose leaf would have been better). It gave me a big headache but I kept it up with at least 2 cups per day, for the next week.

I have been free of candidiasis for 2 years now and feel that the combination of exercise, healthy eating (alkalising foods), rotating anti-fungals and especially chamomile tea helped me enormously.

For a yeast infection that you get only occasionally, Grapefruit Seed Extract works miracles... usually in hours...not kidding Take 10-15 drops 3 times a day in juice... it's very bitter, so watch out!

If your Candida is systemic, chronic and ongoing:

1) Get on the low-fat, mostly raw Vegan train right now! Have copious amounts of organic fruits ONLY on an empty and wait 2 hours before eating anything else...have most of your fruit in the morning. As long as you have no fat or a very low-fat diet, you should not have reactions to the sugar in fruit. FRUIT is healing... You need it... Going long periods without it puts you at great risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The theory is that when you consume a lot of fat, even the healthy kinds, you are coating your intestines and the sugars that should normally be released quickly into your blood isn't released. The fruit, or other carbs, just sit there putrifying, clogged up with the fat, and the candida get to FEAST and make you feel terrible too.

As your only grains, I recommend organic quinoa and organic brown rice and if you are really craving protein, have only wild Alaskan Salmon.... but that's it...no nuts, no red meats or pork - they will only clog you up... No adding excess oils to your meals - just maybe a tsp. Oilve oil per serving of a dish...and no more than half an avocado per day. You'd be wise, at least for the first few days, to eliminate all oils completely to cleanse your system.

2) Take the Niacin... 300-1000mg each day... working your way up slowly by taking 25mg 3 times a day with meals...eventually the flushing will be over or entirely tolerable and you can easily take 1000mg a day, no problem.

3) Take epsom salt baths... 1 per day, if you can.

4) Take about 3-5 capsules of SF-722 with each meal, which can be bought from Vitacost.com.

5) Buy gallons of spring water and put in at least 1 heaping teaspoon of SEA SALT in it and drink it all day...stay hydrated... Use only spring water in your cooking -- avoid tap water like the plague.

5) Do salt water flushes... as much as you can tolerate. Some say, do it 1st thing in the morning, but I like to do them in late afternoon on a day I'm not working - that way, the whole process is done within about 3 hours and I can have a good night's sleep afterwards.

Salt Water Flush Instructions >>>

The Salt Water Flush is performed by warming up one quart of water, only enough to make it lukewarm, not boiling. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt (not table salt), and include juice from a lime or lemon to improve taste. Drink the entire amount in one sitting, do this at sunrise every day for seven days. Make sure to sip the drink rather than gulping it. Within 30-45 minutes of drinking the saline solution, you will feel the need to have a bowel movement. Depending on your diet, and how many times you have performed the flush, you may feel bloated and the elimination may not come within the specified time frame. Fortunately, there are some simple exercises to speed up the process. The first recommended exercise is the Kogasana or Crow pose. Simply squat down with your back propped against a wall while you sip water.

Another exercise is to rub your stomach both clockwise and counter clockwise. Thirdly, you may try spreading your feet apart and spinning your body from left to right (this is a great stretch for the lower back and abdomen). Lastly, the traditional Cobra position is also great for stimulating the intestines.

You are almost set to begin your first Salt Water Flush, but don't begin before you read these tips:

* The Salt Water Flush is useful before beginning a new naturopathic program, such as a new dietary or vitamin regimen. It allows you to start with a clean state and observe the unadulterated benefits of the new program.

* Speak with a physician first if you have ulcers, appendicitis, tuberculosis, or cancer.

* Celtic Sea Salt is reported to make the taste more tolerable.

* Using a straw may help with the taste of the drink.

* A flush will not work properly if performed too soon after your last meal. Wait at least eight hours.

* Plan to be near the toilet for two hours after you drink the solution.

* Headaches are a frequent detoxification symptom. They usually disappear by day four.

Subject: ELIMINATING SUGAR CRAVINGS & BROWN RICE AS HEALING FOOD

I wish to offer a suggestion in regard to a craving for sweets that the writer of the above email refers to as being difficult to manage. At times I have found myself in the same predicament, and there is a really great solution to this problem, a solution one can use when working on getting rid of candida, or attempting to lose weight.

Brown rice is a complex carbohydrate and very nutritious. My preferred type is Lundberg organically grown that here in Canada can be purchased in health food stores. It has to be simmered to about 45-50 minutes. The best and most therapeutic way to consume it is to eat a small amount - perhaps 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup every 2 hours or so, but it should not be eaten as one would eat regular food; rather, it should be MASTICATED IN THE MOUTH UNTIL IT BECOMES LIQUID, which will mean that one has to chew it about 100 times. If you pretend to have a chewing gum in the mouth instead of food, and it will be easy. This is extremely valuable as nourishment, for much of the breakdown of the food will have occurred in the mouth by the enzymes in the saliva, which is very helpful for those that have a compromised digestive system. Furthermore, the complex carbohydrates of brown rice will stabilize the blood sugar and sugar cravings will vanish. Consumed in this way, simple brown rice ends up being a highly beneficial balancing, nourishing and healing food. It also is rich in roughage and will promote excellent elimination.

Many blessings of health and joy to all......... Imma

Just wanted to say thank you for writing back. I have tried almost every remedy on here for the past seven years, you name it I have tried it , researched, cross referenced , tried again. I have so much knowledge and have studies enough mycology reports to fill many of desks. I dont want this to be my life. Some things work some don't. I guess the most important thing to me in my life is my husband and this stuff has really taken up a lot of the creative space. I am a very strict eater and sometimes its easy and I know what to do but other times I worry because my husband is thin and a candida diet is hard to keep weight on him and carbs help with energy but are not aloud and protein is hard to digest and is acidic. I think clear when I have carbs and I feel stronger when I have protein but I don't very often anymore because of all the different answers. I just started Apple Cider Vinegar and baking soda and I am trying not to get my hopes up. I digress.. I am here to say thank you for your words.... Blessings

Hi Becky...If you have a fungal infection in the ear then this could just be an external symptom of systemic candida(infecting your blood). So you should continue with the anti-candida protocol.

You could also perhaps try using 1% solution of hydrogen peroxide. Fill a dropper with 1% HP and squirt it carefully and slowly into the infected ear. Tip your head and massage around the ear lightly and allow the HP to go deep into your ear passages. And yes, it will tickle and fizz which is proof enough that HP is killing the pathogens in your ear. If you can, keep the HP in your ear until the fizzing greatly reduces or stops. When you're finished just tip the HP out of your ear into the sink. You should use this protocol for both ears -- at least once a day until the infection disappears.

You should not really eat sweet fruit or honey of you have candida. Most sweet fruits contain fructose which is a favourite food for candida and other pathogens. So you should really try to avoid avoid sugar, carbohydrates and fruits as best you can if you have systemic candida issues.

You are also right -- I did eat fruit in the beginning when I took my protocol but eventually gave it up to good effect. Don't forget that was over 11 years ago -- I know a heck of alot more about candida now than I did all those years ago.

I must also admit that I do eat fruit now for breakfast depending on seasonal availability -- sometimes yellow mango or carabao mango, native pineapple (not Del Monte), pomelo (grandfather of the grapefruit), dalandan (small, sour native orange), rambutan (a bit like lychees), apple, lanzones, soursop (like graviola), grapes, calamansi (like small lime -- used in hot or cold sour drinks and dips), mangosteen, tamarind fruit(unprocessed), coconut water. Always fresh and never in excess.

I followed Dr. Jennifer Daniel's with the TURPENTINE protocol. Cheap, fast and wonderful.

I have Candida but my symptoms are a little different. My eyesight is getting worse and my eyes are sensitive to light, I have this woozy feeling in my brain causing me to have vertigo, forgetfulness, and a limited vocabulary. For some reason I can't seem to remember the names of things. Like I'm trying to explain something and I completely blank out and can't find the word I'm looking for.. I've developed an allergy to dairy and I believe it has to do with it causing mucus. I had tingling feelings in my toes, I started getting yeast infections once a month (they have since stopped). Heart palpitations, feeling drunk, not coordinated, anxiety (never had it before), toe fungus, constipation.. I think there's more but I believe I'm forgetting a few symptoms (damn candida).. I went to my doctor and they found nothing, I went to the neurologist had my brain scanned and they found nothing, went to the ENT and same thing... NOTHING!

So I started doing my own research. I googled My brain feels woozy.. And I found some forums where people were talking about vitamin deficiencies.. So I started researching vitamin deficiencies... I found that I lacked magnesium, D and B-12. So I went to the store and bought them on my lunch break. Took them and OMG I felt a shift in my brain. Very weird. Everything seemed to look very clear. And I had more clarity to my thoughts. I have started doing many different things. I took dairy out of my diet. Eating way more fibrous vegetables, Lots more fruit (candida friendly). Started with Ted's Lime bicarbonate (not so sure its working). Taking Selenium, Probiotics, Oil of Oregano, magnesium, garlic and I just ordered Grapefruit Seed Extract.

Hi Joe... The question of alkalinity can be confusing. But you must also consider that there are two areas that you must alakalize -- the blood terrain(extracellular) and the cell terrian(intracellular). You can certainly have alkaline urine, which means that your blood may be alkaline, but this does not mean that your intracellular environment is alkaline. My favourite ways of alkalizine now are to just use Ted's lemon/lime remedies or to use Ted's Baking soda plus Sodium citrate and potassium citrate mix. Both of these will create the necessary citrates for intracellular alkalinity. Also, if you add magnesium citrate or bicarbonate to your protocol this will go further to balance the calcium and also help with increasing the alkalinity too. Anyway, here is another more in depth explanation that I found from Ted, which should help you to understand body alkalinity better:

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/pH_questions.html#Question_2557

"The potassium is the primary method of getting alkaline pH. Actually, extracellular fluids is like a highway system where toxic wastes are rid of from the cells. So getting alkaline urine is important. The exception appears that if a person is deficient of potassium, then it's the intracellular fluids that is acid. Two intracellular fluids are required, magnesium and potassium, and traces of phosphate. In practice potassium will get you alkaline pH fairly quickly, but if the body's accessibility to buffers are limited due to circulation then a carbicarb is required to reach those. In any event, I don't use what present conventional medicine (in Europe, at least) and has long modified them to be a carbicarb potassium mix. Which technically speaking is a equimolar concentrations of carbicarb. A more powerful potassium is the tripotassium citrate. You have to realize that the alkaline bandwagon started in the early 1990s before it hit popularity with the internet around the late 1990s. However, I have been doing this since the late 1960s, and Dr.Carey Reams started somewhere in the 1970s. My idea wasn't even original one either. It was first suggested by Edgar Cayce the importance of alkaline foods found in vegetables, but I found that inconvenient and settled for baking soda instead. An Australian marketed Unique Water that had Magnesium bicarbonate to alkalized the intracellular fluids which I h ave known that long time before it was even patented. In any event, the primary vehicle to alkalized the salivary pH is fairly quick and I have noticed that you may not have even added potassium citrate (tripotassium citrate), or potassium bicarbonate to a large extent in the dosing in alkalizing, which is why the salivary pH still remains at an acidic range. It appears that the body remains low on potassium and perhaps another one was also ignored, which is the magnesium, preferably magnesium bicarbonate. In practice a magnesium bicarbonate doesn't exist in dry state so I would either use a magnesium citrate or a magnesium chloride to replenish electrolytic deficiency and imbalances in the intracellular makeup of magnesium and potassium. It takes a bit longer to alkalize the salivary pH as opposed to urinary pH. The lag time for urinary pH is only an hour or two, while a potassium pH lags about 12-24 hours. In effect, if regular frequent measurements and proper dose were observed, the potassium's effect of salivary pH would have been noticed anyway. A salivary pH of 5. 5 is a seriously distressed body. In any event, there IS a possibility where potassium has little effect on salivary pH. That has a lot to do with poisons added into our food where the body is seriously distressed in metabolic acidosis. That I found came from excitotoxins of aspartame that is now present in thousands of consumer products, including Gatorade, xylitol chewing gums, Clorets, Flintstone vitamins, many effervescent products (such as to reduce stomach acid) that required a much larger dose to neutralize these. Hence, to have any DENT on increasing salivary pH, excitotoxins, such as aspartate (e. G. Lithium aspartate, or anything with aspartate name), Monsodium Glutamate, and other amino acids of excitoxins should be avoided as if the neural system is destroyed, the body's natural restoration of pH is affected and both urinary pH and salivary pH is stubborn to change to more alkalinity. A long term metabolic acidosis, especially acid intracellular fluids has a much better chance ot becoming cancer causing. It's also interesting to note that hydrocarbon exposures such as benzene found in softdrinks from the use of sodium benzoate, which breaks down into benzene causes both metabolic acidosis and neural damage. Whatever the arguments, present researchers have a long way to go in understanding these pH issues. Issues such the body's electrical capacitance, electrical conductance, body's electrical potential, are other issues that had not given importance, the effects of difference buffering, and even something as simple as a electrolyte drinks are currently missign magnesium, the ignorance of the toxicity of lactates and lactose, the hydrocarbon causing metabolic acidosis, are some of the topics today's writers should cover but are only just barely even going beyond baking soda. Has anyone ever had a look at other kinds of buffers yet, besides bicarbonates yet? Such as carbicarb, citrates, etc.?

For cures, i strongly recommend both quitting smoking and balancing the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio, especially in regards to curing candida. Candida thrives in a low oxygen system, and i realized this meant smoking after a year of trying everything on this site to no avail. i quit smoking weed and my symptoms stopped very quickly. after that, i still wasn't myself, and balancing my omegas 3 and 6 to becoming a 1:1 ratio brought me back to my old self. i have a theory that weed becomes far more desirable when one has candida, as after it has gone away, i can resist cravings alot easier, but this is the same for everything regarding candida that happens to help it flourish. the omega thing i was very surprised not to find on this site, but i found that when i was researching peanuts/mold/carcinogens and i read another reason why peanuts were bad were because of their high level of omega 6. that lead me to find out that having the "normal" american balance of 20:1 omega6: omega3 is linked to.... SURPRISE! all the symptoms of candida. anyway, just a thought. i will write a report on your site of my experience as soon as summer comes into full swing and i have time. obviously the state of this email dictates that i don't have it, but please if you can add these sections so i can be the first to add my experience. if i helped one person through the struggles i went through, it would give me comfort for the other couple billion too wrapped up in their own world and or symptoms to realize that they could be better off.

ps. I am going to college at uc merced in california, and it is a very terrible situation here. this is major farmland, and student after student i have talked to has agreed that their freshman year here was medically the most miserable year of their lives. i believe this is because of the pesticides, factories, and sudden breakfast/lunch/dinner fast food plan every student is forced into by the university. there is something called the "freshman fifty" which dictates that some freshman have gained up to fifty pounds their first year on campus. my generation is really headed into dark times if the medical industry doesn't fix itself soon. i personally want to devote my life to that change (my dads a doctor and have witnessed the effect of capitol ism on the medical industry my whole life to much disgust even before celiac disease, candida, mcs, adhd cfs and so on struck in my late teens) but i have no idea what direction to take career wise as i would rather be a part of the big change than just being a practitioner helping with individual cases.

anyway, without this site my life today and possibly years in the future would be intolerable. i would go so far as to say that you guys saved my life, for a life with all these terrible things is not much of a life at all. thank you!

I suffered from candida infections virtually all my adult life. It started after I used antibiotics in my early twenties and became chronic. This changed once I started to use virgin coconut oil for cooking at age 38. What a relief!
I went to a food intolerance check in my local health food shop. The man was all set to diagnose me with candida because then he would be able to sell me lots of medicines (his major source of income) - or so it seemed to me. However, he checked and checked and could not find the candida. He seemed astonished because apparently he found the fungus in everyone. Anyway, I am free of candida for the last 10 years and as an added bonus I also suffer less from herpes outbreaks that I used to have much more frequently.

Addrienne from Chicago: I see you have the same question I do. I take ACV and I am trying to make my daughter take it as well for her candida symptoms but that's her argument; that she is not supposed to ingest vinegar. Well I have google ACV for candida and it is a big yes! Here is a copy of one the sites I went:
"If apple cider vinegar helps cure candida yeast infections, then why do some people say to avoid fermented foods for candida?"

The recommendation to avoid fermented foods and vinegar in order to cure candida is misleading. I believe it comes from the desire to avoid moldy foods and fermented yeasty beverages like beer and wine.
Mold aggravates candida symptoms and alcohol is a yeast fermentation product, where, in some cases, yeasts can still be present in the beverage. Some people feel it's best to avoid yeast in any form when following a candida diet (but that's for another page altogether).

Alcohol is a waste product of yeasts eating sugar. The reason it's best to avoid alcohol when doing a natural candida cure diet is because the candida yeasts excrete alcohol as a byproduct of sugar metabolism, which contribute to the feelings of brain fog, lack of coordination, fatigue and muscle weakness. We don't want to add even more alcohol to a body which is already a little "drunk".

Note: That's why my candida recipes are all low carbohydrate; carbohydrates are sugars. Sugars feed candida. Candida produces alcohol as a waste product of eating the sugars.

Alcohol and vinegar both go through a fermentation process, in fact, vinegar is made from alcohol!

But they're not the same. Just as mold and naturally fermented sauerkraut are quite different from each other.

In very simplified terms - Wine is made from fruit juice which has undergone a yeast fermentation, where the yeasts ferment the sugars into alcohol. Making vinegar from wine involves another fermentation process, called acetobacter fermentation. Acetobacter is a kind of bacteria which converts alcohol into acetic acid (the major component in vinegar).

By the time something has been fermented into vinegar, there are no more yeasts or sugars to worry about.

Along the same fermentation lines as apple cider vinegar (and therefore similar in its benefits) is sauerkraut that has been fermented by lactic acid bacteria. Cabbage is one of the easiest vegetables to ferment, as its naturally loaded with lactic acid bacteria.

Sauerkraut is sour because the bacteria has fermented the sugars in the cabbage. It's the same reason vinegar tastes sour. Fermented foods like vinegar and sauerkraut are not at all like wine, beer, or mold.

Stay away from mold whenever possible."

I hope this helps if not just google Apple cider vinegar for candida. Good health to you.

It is GREAT for the body and for candida... Work up to 1/4 cup three times a day along with kelp, echinacia, and plenty of fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, protein and healthy fats!

Also try FERMENTED rice vinegar... It is great too because it is a PREBIOTIC like ACV, oat bran, wheat bran, flax seed, chia, etc. You need plenty PREBIOTICS to rebuild good bacteria to fight off candida and other diseases.

Adequate Chewing of Food

During a battle with candidiasis, I learned just how important it is to REALLY chew up your food.

"Human saliva is composed of 98% water, while the other 2% consists of other compounds such as electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds, and various enzymes." - Wikipedia

Digestion begins in the mouth. This is very important. Since I put proper chewing into practice, I found that I eat much less, and that I've become more lean and have more energy! Also my stomach is flatter, either from eating less, or from not being blocked up anymore. It's a very simple practice that everyone can improve upon. If you think you already chew enough, chew more! Perhaps this could have it's own remedy page...?

Betty, I have never tried urine therapy, not because I am not curious about it but because I believe that if you have a health problem, you many times find out because of the stuff that comes out in your urine so why would I want to be drinking the bacteria or whatever else that makes me ill in the first place? Just imagine a bladder infection, don't you find out what it is exactly because of the bacteria found in your urine? So far no one has been able to give me a satisfactory explanation for that an? Therefore I have never tried.

True, it sounds a bit far fetched but as far as being disgusting what do you think about other therapies being used all over the world which kill people and are no good except for those making money from them, do you find that disgusting too? I could mention a few, like chemotherapy, needless operations, treatments that make people worse then they were when they started, completely wrong nutritional advice that has impared a whole generation..... Ever thought of that as disgusting? What about all the medication sold in perfectly honorable pharmacies that have killed hundreds of thousands of people? Disgusting too? Or have you never thought about that? Compared to all that maybe Urine Therapy is not that disgusting after all!

One last thing..... What about the trying to prevent anyone finding a cure for illness like cancer that kill people in droves all over this planet and cause huge suffering so that they earn more money or the "right" person gets the Nobel prize for it? Disgusting as well? And the persecution of all those who have fought for our wellbeing? See... I believe you are a good person but I also believe that you are a person who needs to do a bit of independent research so that you know where you stand! And.... there will always be treatments you agree with and which work for you and those which don't, that's life.....

Hang on!! If someone is badly burnt and nothing is available to treat the burn... believe it or not urine is the best remedy.. After a while in the air it turns into streptomyacine.. and all the broken down cells act as a nutrient. There have been many cases where really bad burns have been healed with little scaring. Nature wastes nothing.

TRUST ME, THIS IS ABOUT CANDIDA...

I didn't get over my illness until:

1) I discovered that I had been living with intestinal parasites. My physicians didn't believe that I was ill at all. They didn't want to waste their time and resources testing, don't you know. I was so happy to have them *diagnose* the animalia I presented to them in a box.

(a) the parasites, worms, protected themselves by secreting a biofilm which is both immunomodulating and immunosuppressing. Do you honestly believe my physicians knew / told me that?

2) My physicians explained, (ie., LIED), to me and explained that I had "IBS". Try googling the two words: "IBS" and "TRASHCAN DIAGNOSIS".

(a) "IBS" is a catch all *syndrome* which physicians use to substitute for real medical diagnosis, given that they do not have the time, inclination, energy or desire to solve your health problems for you. They have other things to think about.

3) Once I discovered, after nearly two decades of living in a near constant state of hopelessness, that there was an alternative, legitimate community of health care providers known as alternative, holistic, integrative and herbal medicine, I decided to take the initial plunge into the world of colon hydrotherapy.

(a) This felt great.

4) I went on a candida free diet. I went to an alternative health clinic. I paid $40 for a refrigerated, very fine grain powder, mycostatin. In 3 weeks, I was 85% better. I can now eat fruit, veggies, grains, eggs, etc.,. I had not eaten these things in over a decade. How awful is that!

5) I returned to my HMO with the good news. They were upset. Pissed off even. They couldn't believe that I would BETRAY them like that! How dare I go outside of my HMO! I had gotten off their hook!

(a) I visited a gastroenterologist at my HMO, for kicks. I asked him to take a look at the word, nystatin, which is the generic form of mycostatin. He had never heard of it before but he was willing to do what I asked. It turns out, my HMO's database stated that NYSTATIN WAS INDICATED IN THE TREATMENT OF IBS. Funny thing is, nystatin is a broad spectrum antifungal. And very, very few doctors in mainstream medicine are using it to treat IBS. I met a woman suffering from the same thing I had. She gave me the name of her gastroenterologist. Same dude. I asked her if he had given her a prescription for nystatin. She told me, "No, what is that!"

And so it goes...

To reply to Tamra from Falcon, Colorado.

If you are having ill effects, such as but not limited to: weight loss or gain, hair loss, cancer, tooth loss, brittle bones or respiratory problems, or even brain tumors, please listen closely. I learned the hard way that the water there is contaminated. If it happens that you have a fairly shallow well into the Arapaho aquifer or if you are on the Sage Water Users Assoc. there, that's your problem. We had perchlorate (rocket fuel) in our water (4 times higher than the theoretical "safe" level), along with fluoride, nitrates, high sodium, high calcium and heaven knows what else. I tried to tell everyone the water was polluted....