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Colon Detoxification
Candida albican - multiple symptoms
Candida is a yeast or fungal overgrowth of Candida albican.
Yeast or fungal overgrowth has been found to be a common occurrence with many disorders. It lives and thrives in millions of people who act as host to it. Most people cannot figure out what is wrong with them or what to do about it. Their visits to the western medical doctors often leave them with no answers, and when they do get an answer it's take anti-biotics ... which only server to make the candida worse.
Everyone exhibits different symptoms which can fluctuate in severity, or may even come and go. Most symptoms are invisible, which makes it difficult to pin this disease down. And, there is such wide array of debilitating symptoms, it makes diagnosis difficult.
If your illness is Candida related, you'll want to consider the combined use of two products. They're a bit pricey, but they work on Candida on a systemic level where other Candida products only have a temporary effect on yeast infections.
The two products are Three Lac Powder and Oxygen Elements Plus Drops.
Candida can exist in your body on a cellular level and killing it requires a strict diet in conjunction with these two products. We've personally used these products ourselves to rid our bodies of Candida and we can tell you honestly ... it works!
Part of the reason it works is that Candida cannot live in an oygenated environment. The Oxygen Elements Plus Drops are effective and also the best ones we tested. Other drops we tried became bitter tasting within a week or two after the bottle was opened, but the Oxygen Elements Plus Drops always maintained a very nice taste.
Three Lac Powder helps maintain your intestinal flora which will die off as your rid your body of the Candida. It's important to rebuilt your good bacterias in your intestines and colon, while killing off the bad bacteria (Candida). The good bacteria can thrive in an oxygenated environment. So the combination of these two products is very effective for getting rid of Candida.
Well, have more suggestions soon on other things you might want to consider, but for now ... this is what worked for us.
The most commom complaints are: an incapacitating fatigue, problems with concentration and short-term memory, flu-like symptoms such as pain in the joints and muscle, extreme tightness in the shoulders and neck, hyper-acidity or acid reflux, brown colored mucus in the back of the throat, blisters in the mouth, tongue or throat, either white or blood blisters, unrefreshing sleep, sore throat, white coated tongue, an aversion to being touched or jumping, crawling feelings of the skin, chronic sinus problems and headaches including migraines, chronic dental problems.
Visual disturbances may include blurring, sensitivity to light and eye pain. Soreness around the eyes.
Psychological problems may include depression, irritability, anxiety, panic attacks, personality changes and mood swings, irrational rage or crying for no reason, fear of talking to people orany kind of confrontation or isolation.
More of the physical symptoms may include chills and night sweats, shortness of breath, dizziness and balance problems, sensitivity to heat and/or cold, alcohol intolerance, gluten and/or casein intolerance, irregular heartbeat, irritable bowel, constipation and/or diarrhea, painful gas and abdominal bloating, low-grade fever or low body temperature, numbness, tingling and/or burning sensations in the face or extremities, dryness of the mouth and eyes, difficulty swallowing and in some cases, projectile vomiting.
Also menstrual problems including PMS and endometriosis, recurrent yeast infections, recurrent ear infections, rashes and dry flaking skin, eczema, dermatitis, acne, skin discoloration and/or blotchiness, dandruff, jock and rectal itching, chronic athlete's foot, chronic toenail and fingernail fungus, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), allergies and sensitivities to noise, sounds, foods, odors and chemicals, anemia, weight changes without changes in diet, light-headedness, feeling in a fog, fainting, muscle twitching and muscle weakness, jerky-leg syndrome and low sex drive and/or numbness in the genital area.
These are only the symptoms most commonly reported and documented.
Of course, with so many people suffering, the doctors cannot ignore the symptoms forever. Many more people are now being diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction), Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), Lupus, Hypothyroidism, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Crohn's Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Celiac Disease, chronic sinusitis, atopic eczema (and other skin disorders), GI dysbiosis, adrenal dysfunction, Rosacea, Psoriasis, Macular Degeneration, Barrett's Esophagus, Lactose Intolerance, Gluten and/or Casein Intolerance, Meniere's Disease, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and sometimes just depression (which can accompany many disease states), just to name a few. It can be an underlying condition in many diseases, but is often not diagnosed or is misdiagnosed, disputed to even exist or is disregarded altogether.
Autism, ADD and ADHD:
The number of children born with Autism 30 years ago was approximately 1 in 500,000. The approximate number today is a staggering 1 in 200. Alzheimer's alone has been predicted to break our healthcare system in the next 20 years. See further down the page for a quote from Bruce Semon, M.D., Ph.D. regarding the effects of yeast overgrowth and Autism, ADD, ADHD, headaches, fatigue, depression and schizophrenia. William Shaw, M.D. addresses those issues as well as Alzheimer's.
"Candida albicans, a yeast fungus that normally exists in balance with other microorganisms in the body, can sometimes get out of control. The results include vaginal infections, intestinal upsets, and infections of the mouth and throat called thrush. These show up as white patches in the mouth, tongue, and throat that can be painful and make chewing and swallowing difficult.
In adults, the most common cause of thrush is using antibiotics, which wipe out both the bacteria for which they're intended and friendly lactobacilli that normally keep Candida in check. Thrush can also occur during pregnancy, and as a result of a poor diet or a depressed immune system (as in people with AIDS or on chemotherapy). Smokers, people who wear dentures and diabetics (the fungus thrives on high glucose levels found in saliva) are also at higher than normal risk of developing oral thrush. "
~ Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D.
What to expect as you rid your body of candid:
- sinuses will clear and breathing will return to normal
- sleeping the entire night
- elemination of sinus complaints
- bowel movements become normal
- the brain fog lifts
- energy levels begin to rise
- blurry vision goes away
- skin rashes go away
- sore throats heal
- low-grade fevers stop
- natural oil has come back into your body
- fingernails become strong and smooth
- general is more youthful
- brighter whites of the eyes
Diet:
An overgrowth of yeast or fungus can cause food sensitivities and/or food cravings in some people. If you are already on a restrictive diet, remain on it while you are ridding your body of the yeast. Once your system normalizes, you can begin slowly trying to add foods back into your diet.
If you crave things like sugar and carbohydrates (candida thrives on both), stop all sugar and don't go overboard on the carbohydrates while you are on the program. Stop consuming gluten products if possible. You may well find that once you are rid of the excess yeast, these cravings will actually subside.
More Information:
When our bodies lose their proper immune protection, this normal resident bacterias of our intestinal tract can change from being a beneficial yeast into a harmful fungus. In its fungal form it develops rhizoids (long root-like structures that are invasive and penetrate the mucosa). Once this happens, the boundary between our intestinal tract and the rest of the circulatory system breaks down (leaky gut), and this can allow partially digested proteins to travel into the bloodstream where they can act as toxins and cause all sorts of health problems.
Once you get the overgrowth under control, the intestines can begin to heal and toxins will not be able to travel into the bloodstream in the future. The liver works in conjunction with the colon, kidneys and skin to excrete toxins from your blood. The toxins from a yeast overgrowth may already have overloaded your liver and kidneys and they cannot be expelled fast enough. The body tries to expel any excess toxins through the skin, which can cause rashes, itching and even acne. That's why the skin is often called the third kidney. In order to have a healthy, functioning liver and kidneys take care of the problem in your intestines first. Once the colon is healthy, the liver and kidneys can become clean and healthy.
There is an article in the Articles section tab above (the very last article on that page), written by Miriam Brazel, author of the book, Hormone Imbalance, The Mysterious Illness that address the hormone or yeast connection as well as the connection to other diseases. She quotes a lot from William Crook, M.D., author of the book, "The Yeast Connection" and "The Yeast Connection for Women."
Why is it so difficult to remove?
Candida can manage to hide in parts of the body where traditional therapies don’t always reach. In the joints, for example, and the deep folds of the intestines. It thrives on the foods that are a large part of the typical American diet, which in addition alters intestinal pH unfavorably. Taking antibiotics, steroids or oral contraceptives can also trigger the change from good yeast to bad. Stress contributes to its proliferation, as does refined sugar. And, because of its adaptability it can be easily transmitted from person to person in a family. Mothers can pass it to their children through breast feeding, or through the birth canal and of course, through intimate contact with their partners. Candida can actually root itself at a cellular level into our DNS RNA strands and be passed from generation to generation. You could have been born with candida already in you body.
Since candida is always living in the gut in the yeast form, you don't want it to overgrow or change into the fungal form. Maintaining proper intestinal pH and a healthy flora balance is key to maintaining a healthy body.
Chronic Sinusitis:
Following is an excerpt from an article written on September 9, 1999 from CNN.com/Health featuring interviews with Dr. Jens Poinkau of The Mayo Clinic by CNN Medical Correspondent, Dr. Steve Salvatore:
"Fungus may be the cause of almost all cases of the most frequently reported chronic disease in the United States, sinusitis, instead of only a few as previously thought. The Mayo Clinic research team looked at 210 patients with sinusitis and discovered more than 40 different kinds of fungi in their nasal passages.
"We were able to find fungus which was never thought to be there in almost every case of chronic sinusitis," said Mayo Clinic's Dr. Jens Poinkau. He goes on to say, "The problem is that patients are sensitive to the fungus. And until we find something to change the DNA of that person, or the genetics of that person, change their sensitivity to the fungus, they are always going to be sensitive to that fungus." The last sentence of the report reads, "They estimate it will be two years before any treatments are available."
They have since made exciting progress in their research, as reported on the front page of The Wall Street Journal the 4/30/03: Mayo Clinic Update (see Articles link below).
To read all articles, click here: Articles
To read the actual Mayo Clinic report, click here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/sinusitis-rst/fungi.html
A standard and universally accepted written questionnaire was developed by William G. Crook, M.D. and will help you and your Doctor determine the level of yeast in your body. It is a comprehensive questionnaire and the one I prefer. It can be a real eye opener, as most people don't realize all of the symptoms they are suffering with can be yeast related. To take the Long Questionnaire and for more information about available tests, click here: Yeast Tests.
Dr. William Shaw, scientist and founder of The Great Plains Laboratory, has been studying for decades the microbial ecology of the GI tract and the role several species of yeast and fungi play in various diseases, including autism, Attention deficit disorder (ADD), Rett's syndrome, Ulcerative colitis, Seizures, Depression, Child Psychosis, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Pervasive developmental disorder, Colitis, Schizophrenia, Migraine headache, Alzheimer's disease, SLE, Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette's syndrome, Inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease. Here are some of his findings:
Microbial Ecology of the GI Tract
"The number of microorganisms in the GI tract approaches the total number of cells in the body. Approximately 500 species of bacteria are present, of which 30-40 species of bacteria predominate, including several species of yeast and fungi.
The greatest number of species are anaerobic or facultative anaerobes. Yeast/fungi and Clostridia species are widely known to accompany the use of broad spectrum antibiotics. Furthermore, recent research indicates that the growth of certain Candida types is markedly stimulated by antibiotic addition to the culture media.
Books like The Yeast Connection and Yeast Syndrome have spread the knowledge about the health effects of Candida to the general public, but are widely ignored by a large segment of the medical community."
His treatment protocol focuses on prolonged doses of the antifungal medications, including Nystatin, Lamasil, Sporanox, Nizoral, Diflucan, Caprylic acid, grapefruit seed extract and garlic extract.
He found that the drugs worked well as long as the patients were taking them. When the drugs were discontinued, the symptoms would reoccur. These are his words:
"I have now detected this same phenomenon in hundreds of other cases. Even after six months of antifungal treatment, there is often a biochemical rebound and loss of improvements after discontinuing antifungal therapy. This rebound also occurs after other antifungal drugs as well."
Several explanations are possible for this phenomenon:
Because of one or more defects in the immune system such as IgA deficiency, IgG deficiency, or severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) which are found in most children with autism, the yeast which are everywhere in our environment including the food we eat repopulate the intestinal tract very rapidly.
Candida yeast are very resistant and if they have not been completely eliminated even after six months of antifungal therapy they can be very difficult to rid the body of. The yeast genetically transform some cells of the human body that line the intestinal tract, meaning that some of the human cells now contain yeast DNA. The genetically transformed human cells produce both yeast and human products. They are also somewhat sensitive to antifungal drugs, but are not killed by them instead producing yeast products whenever antifungal drugs are absent.
Some of the yeast are hidden in recesses of the intestinal tract or in the deeper layers of the mucosa that line the intestine. Deep in the mucosa the bad yeasts are relatively safe from anti-fungal drugs. Candida will rapidly repopulate the intestine after antifungals are stopped.
In addition to the immune system taking inventory of its own cells, it seems increasingly likely that the immune system also takes an inventory of bacteria and yeast cells present in the intestinal tract soon after birth. This inventory is performed by a group of cells called the CD5+ B-cells, which are among the very first immunological cells to appear in the developing embryo and appear to play a role in tolerance to intestinal microorganisms in postnatal life. These cells may play a role in regulating the secretion of IgA, the antibody class that is secreted into the intestinal tract and which may select which microorganisms are tolerated in the intestinal tract. Furthermore, the eradication of normal flora especially when antibiotics are administered repetitively during infancy may cause the CD5+ cells to reject these normal organisms at a later age. Any cells that are on this early inventory may be awarded immune tolerance and will not be attacked later on by the immune system. Either antibiotic use in infancy or yeast infection of the mother during pregnancy may result in later immune tolerance to yeast.
Not surprisingly, neurofibrillary tangles similar to those found in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims have also been reported in the brain of an autistic person at autopsy. It has been reported that frequent urinary tract infections and high amounts of circulating immune complexes are associated with more severe Alzheimer disease. The use of antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections would of course lead to yeast overgrowth of the gastrointestinal tract.
Elevation of yeast metabolites are found in many of the same disorders and are even more common in autism, SLE, Alzheimer’s disease, fibromyalgia, attention deficit hyperactivity and chronic fatigue syndrome.
The finding of pentosidine in the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer’s brains and its absence from normal areas of the brain may indicate a direct role of a yeast byproduct in accelerating the normal aging process. Tartaric acid from yeast overgrowth has a direct toxic effect on muscles and is an inhibitor of a key Krebs cycle enzyme that supplies raw materials for gluconeogenesis and offers an explanation for many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Interestingly, tartaric acid and/or other yeast byproducts are also elevated in urine samples of adults with the disorder fibromyalgia; a debilitating disease associated with muscle and joint pain, depression, foggy thinking, and chronic fatigue. (Dr. Kevorkian has assisted in the suicide of two people with this disorder, which is tragic since a simple antiyeast treatment may help relieve the symptoms of this disorder.)
Richard Jaeckle, MD, a psychiatrist and allergist in Dallas, Texas has treated a number of psychotic individuals using antifungal therapy and finds that psychotic patients with elevated CPK, uric acid and white cell counts may respond favorably to antifungal treatment. Patients with psychotic behavior may have gastrointestinal overgrowth of both yeast and Clostridia.
The toxic yeast products were just discovered, but as knowledge of them increases, acceptance of the yeast-related illnesses will increase.
As the philosopher Schopenhauer said, "All truth goes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Then, it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident." Within five years, people who ignore the importance of yeast-related illness will be in the same camp with those in the Flat-Earth Society.
While their work is extremely exciting, they do not warn of the dangers of long term usage of some of these potentially highly toxic drugs, such as liver damage and/or failure. And even Dr. Shaw concedes that the yeast overgrowth reoccurs after treatment is stopped.
Yeast in the birth canal - Thrush - Autism - ADD - ADHD - Depression - Schizophrenia
Here is information from Dr. Bruce Semon, M.D., Ph.D., who has been treating yeast overgrowth with Nystatin and anti-fungals (the drugs of choice for M.D.s). He is quoted as saying:
"The yeast Candida albicans affects the brain directly by producing toxic chemicals that slow down the brain. I call this the 'toxic chemical slowdown.'
To better understand, know that the yeast Candida albicans is a normal resident inside of our intestinal tract. This yeast can also be found at times in the mouth and in the birth canal. Sometimes this yeast overgrows and the doctor recognizes this overgrowth of yeast as a yeast infection of the birth canal or in the mouth, where this infection is commonly called thrush.
Bacteria are also resident inside the intestinal tract, sharing space with the yeast. After the use of antibiotics the yeast grow to fill in the space left by the removal of the bacteria. Even after the antibiotics have been stopped, the yeast continue to grow at a higher level.
Pregnancy and the use of birth control pills can also make yeast grow more.
Yeast make a number of chemical compounds which are then picked up and absorbed into the body. These compounds are quite toxic to the nervous system. These compounds include toxic alcohols and aldehydes, as well as the powerful nervous system poison hydrogen sulfide.
Alcohols depress the nervous system and at least some aldehydes are anesthetic agents, which of course put the brain to sleep. These chemicals slow the brain down so that the brain no longer works correctly. These chemicals should be cleared by the liver so that these chemicals never reach the brain.
However in some people, these chemicals are apparently not cleared, reach the brain, and cause mental symptoms. If such chemicals start to act early in life, the result is autism, an illness in which the brain functions do not develop properly.
If such compounds start to act later, Atention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may result. Later in life, depression and schizophrenia may occur. These chemical compounds are toxic to humans and can cause such problems as headaches, fatigue and depression. Pregnancy and the use of birth control pills can also make yeast grow more. From the intestinal tract, Candida albicans can release immunosuppressive factors, which again enable it to grow at a higher level. These immunosuppressive factors will circulate and prevent the body's immune system from responding to and clearing yeast at other sites, such as the birth canal. So even after an anti-fungal creme is applied to a yeast infection, the yeast which remain can grow back because the body's immune response to such yeast is suppressed by factors released by Candida in the intestinal tract. As long as the intestinal yeast is present and is making and releasing immunosuppressive factors, the body's immune system will have a difficult time clearing yeast from that area of the body. To clear yeast from that area, the yeast in the intestinal tract need to be cleared first."
The following is an excerpt from Dr. William Crook's book The Yeast Connection:
"Children with ADHD often give a history of repeated ear infections in infancy."
"Such ear problems are usually treated with amoxicillin and/or other broad spectrum antibiotic drugs."
"A research study found that 69% of children being evaluated for school failure who were receiving medication for ear infections. By contrast, only 20% of non-hyperactive children had more than ten infections."
"Antibiotics wipe out friendly bacteria in the gut while they’re knocking out enemies, as a result, the usually benign microorganism, Candida albicans, multiplies."
"A study from St. Jude Children Research Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee showed that gastrointestinal growth of Candida albicans was approximately 200 times greater in mice who received dextrose than in a control group. Dextrose availability allows C. albicans to colonize in the GI tract in an enhanced degree compared to xylitol and control groups. (P=0.001)."
"Changes in the gut flora play a part in causing increased permeability in the intestinal membrane (a "leaky" gut). As a result, endotoxins, enterotoxins and food allergens are more apt to be absorbed, leading to further symptoms.""In 1987, W. Allan Walker, M.D., of Harvard University Medical School, discussed the role of the intestinal mucosal barrier in handling antigens. In a comprehensive review of antigen handling by the gut, he said:
'Increasingly experimental clinical evidence suggests that large antigenically active molecules can penetrate the intestinal surface not in sufficient quantities to be of nutritional importance, but in quantities that may be of immunological importance.''This observation could mean that the intestinal tract represents a potential site for the absorption of bacterial breakdown products, such as endotoxins and enterotoxins, proteolytic and hydrolytic enzymes or other ingested food antigens that normally exist in the intestinal lumen.'
"A British physician, J. O. Hunter, FRCP, presented a hypothesis to explain the mechanisms that take place in people who experience adverse food reactions, including those with eczema and hyperactivity. In his discussion he said that patients with food allergies have an abnormal gut flora, even though pathogens are not present. And he stated:'If food allergy is not an immunologic disease, but a disease of bacterial fermentation in the colon, it might be more appropriately named an ‘enterometabolic disorder.’ ... Modern microbiology has opened the way to the manipulation of bacterial flora to allow the correction of food intolerances and thus the control of disease.' "
Recommendations about how to begin and proceed:
The most important piece of advice we can give you is to take a good fiber product for the first several weeks at least, and drink lots of water to keep things moving. Even if you think you're having good bowel movements, it is very important to scrape the intestines out on a daily basis.
The vast majority of people report improved bowel function, but a small number may experience constipation or may be already constipated. It is important it is to keep your bowels moving. The die-off symptoms are caused by the dead yeast and toxins sitting in the bowels. Flax seed oil is also very good for constipation, as well as just being good for you in general.
What if my symptoms return?
Keep in mind that a candida overgrowth can come back if not kept under control. Once an overgrowth has occurred, we are especially susceptible to it's return. How long it will take to get it under control depends entirely upon the severity and the general health of the individual. We will always be subjected to reinfection in our lives (after a round of antibiotics, for example), just as we got it in the first place. If this happens, begin the program again.
What is a Systemic Condition?
When the invasive fungal form of yeast penetrates the gastrointestinal mucosa, it breaks down the boundary between the intestinal tract and the rest of the circulation in the body. This allows partially digested dietary proteins to travel into the bloodstream where they exert a powerful antigenic (antibody-stimulating) assault on the immune system. This breakdown also allows the yeast or fungus into the bloodstream itself. This is the condition known as having a systemic yeast overgrowth.
With most of us, getting control of a yeast/fungal overgrowth is a two or three month or even longer process. Sometimes what you experience will be some die off symptoms where toxins are released by dead yeast.
