Candida

Dear Friend,

I have noticed from your questions, that so many issues pertain to the gut, bowels, digestive disturbance and other matters that could be related to overgrowth of yeast in the body. Overgrowth of yeast, sometimes referred to as Candida Albicans or Candidiasis is more prevalent than most people realise.
It often goes misdiagnosed as well. Many years ago when I was unwell, I suffered for more than a year with a severe migraine. In those days, nobody talked about Candidiasis; but it turned through Lab tests to be the cause of most of my problems back then. When I was able to rid my body of the excess yeast, my symptoms disappeared and so did the migraine.

Therefore, I want to empower you to help yourself too. After many years of research and working with patients at the Clinic, I have developed an excellent Anti-Candida Plan to help reduce yeast in the body and get you feeling really well. So I am providing you this exclusive Plan that only my private patients would normally get.

Please consult with your GP or medical specialist before embarking upon this or any other nutritional programme. I am only providing this Plan to you for general nutritional education purposes only, and NOT for personal or individualised care. Always consult with your medical doctor first and follow his/her advice.

CANDIDIASIS

Perhaps the greatest threat of candidiasis is that it is so frequently misdiagnosed or ignored. An array of symptoms could overtake a candida sufferer’s life which might include: chronic fatigue, headaches, digestive disorders, bloating feeling of heaviness, oedema, mental dullness, confusion, severe and multiple allergies and chemical or food sensitivities. When the yeast is reduced, the allergic patient is inevitably freed from allergies and sensitivities. Finally, I have found that with my own patients, the presence of excess yeast seems to either predispose the person to parasitic infections, or at least correlate in some way to such parasitic conditions.

Thus, I think it’s now time to share my own very personal candida story with you:

Seventeen years ago, I was very ill. I suffered with chronic fatigue, facial pains and stomach pains, gas, bloating, indigestion, continuous nausea, allergies, debilitating PMS and a severely excruciating migraine for two years that would just not leave me. I would lay in bed most of each day.

When my symptoms worsened, I started on the medical establishment roller coaster. I visited dozens of specialists; each one prescribing more drugs than the previous one. I became even more debilitated. Finally, I met a brain surgeon who predicted that I had a life-threatening brain tumour. The doctor wanted me in the hospital as soon as possible for a brain scan. Luckily, at the time, I was producing and co-hosting a radio show called Healthline Across America from New York. I somehow managed to peel myself out of bed just to do the show. (Imagine the irony of it all: A young girl producing a health radio show who spends most days in bed because she’s so sick!). Anyway, on one of the shows, we had an energy (or spiritual) healer as a guest. This healer offered to work on me after the program. I reluctantly agreed. As she placed her hands on my arms, I felt a jolting ‘electrical’-like impulse travel up my arms, neck and finally to my head – at which point my headache shifted from one side to the other for the first time. She then said that there was absolutely no need to go for the brain scan. Instead, she insisted that I be tested for severe allergies to yeast and moulds. At first, I actually thought this woman was crazy. Then I figured that she was just a kind woman trying to encourage a positive attitude, as if that could will away my brain tumor. I remember saying to her, “You’re a nice lady, and I appreciate your positivity, but they really do think that I have a brain tumor.” She retorted, “If you’re going to die, then why not wait one more week before doing the brain scan, and first get tested for yeast and moulds. I was actually too weak to argue with her. Skeptically, I complied; and sure enough, she was right. Biochemical tests revealed that I was suffering from a rampant overgrowth of the yeast Candida Albicans in my blood, now called Candidiasis. In those days, very little was known about Candida, and thus it was frequently misdiagnosed.

I then spent years re-educating and retraining myself in Nutritional Biochemistry with a Doctoral PhD (after graduating from the University of Edinburgh and University of Pennsylvania – USA) to find the path to perfect health. In total, I would ultimately work more than fifteen years researching the superfoods, or what I now refer to as living foods. These are the very foods that healed me and now keep me strong. These living foods include live growing sprouts, super grains such as millet or quinoa, seeds, sea vegetables (seaweeds), essential fatty acids, barley grass and other plants and herbs along with wild blue green algae. This was the only way that I could have recovered from my own illnesses. I ate these superfoods everyday.

Now as Director of the McKeith Research Center (London), I can report key clinical research and case studies to support the efficacy of these living goods on preventing and treating Candida problems. For those patients who do exactly what I tell them, they generally have an excellent success rate in combating the Candidiasis.

What is Candida Albicans?

Candida Albicans is a yeast-like fungus that breeds in the intestinal tract, throat, mouth and genitalia. This fungus is supposed to live in a healthy balance in the digestive (and vaginal tracts for women). However, certain internal or external conditions may cause it to multiply out of control, a condition known as Candidiasis. This condition prevents the proper assimilation of essential amino acids and other vital nutrients. It is an insidious yeast infection of the mucous membranes of our digestive systems due to toxins produced by the yeast. Primary diagnosis is through a test that shows abnormal production of the alcohol ethanol in the gut. The Candida problem is much more prevalent in the modern population than most people realise. While it strikes women in far greater numbers than men, I still see patients with Candidiasis from both genders and all walks of life. The greatest tragedy, however, is that Candidiasis is so frequently misdiagnosed. In fact, in the depths of my own despairing illness, one health professional even recommended that I see a psychiatrist because he felt that I was “imaging things”. This kind of attitude has often been rendered toward Candidiasis sufferers. Therefore, I wish to provide you with the following Candida Self Check so that you may evaluate your own symptoms.

If you think that you may have Candidiasis, consult with a qualified medical doctor.

Signs To Look For:

What Causes Candidiasis?

Modern life is probably the best explanation for the cause of Candidiasis. The following are more specific causes:

· Pregnancy
· Birth Process
· Overuse of Antibiotics or Drugs
· The Birth Control Pill
· Overworked
· Low Immunity
· Poor Diet
· Chronic Infections
· Alcohol
· Saturated Fats
· Excess Sugar
· Environmental Pollutants
· Weakened Organs (i.e. Sluggish liver, spleen, kidneys etc.)
· Stress
· Elevated Mercury Levels (old dental fillings are often the culprit).

THE McKEITH CANDIDA PLAN

At the McKeith Research Center, we utilize a multi-phase approach in correcting yeast overgrowth.

STAGE ONE: Modify The Diet (Month 1)

In some severe cases of candidiasis problems, the patient must avoid fruit totally for a period of time.

STAGE TWO: Build the Nutritional Foundation (Month 2)

(a) Wild Blue Green Algae
The algae essentially dries the excess mucous and helps to drain dampness from the body. This is the first critical step to perfect health. This algae helps to support the organs and liver, and raise the levels of micronutrients like Zinc, Selenium, Iron, Magnesium and Calcium – common deficiencies amount Candida patients.

(b) Biotin 1000mcg daily
Prevents the yeast from budding full circle.

(c) Aloe Vera Juice
Anti-fungal and anti parasitic. Drink ¼ cup of aloe vera juice daily. Add some apple juice for taste.

(d) Gillian McKeith’s Living Food Energy Powder strengthens digestive organs, re-balances healthy flora, and contains vast amounts of active enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. The most advanced nutritional foundation.

STAGE THREE: Strengthen Your Liver (Month 3)

(a) Silymarin
Silymarin stimulates the manufacture of new liver cells, and increases the production of glutathione and bile. It has been found particularly useful in long-standing cases of chronic candidiasis. Candida Albicans essentially can choke the liver, causing a domino effect of adverse events. Thus, by strengthening the liver, you enhance the attack against the yeast overgrowth. (Scand. J Gastroenterology, 1982; 17: 417-21; Min Med 1985; 72:26-79-88; J. Hepatol, 1989; 9: 105-13).

(b) Lipotrophic Formula
The nutrients Choline, Betaine and Methionine enhance liver function and increase the levels of two important liver compounds: S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and Glutathione. (Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 1993; 17:552-5, and FASEB J, 1991; 5: 2093-8)

STAGE FOUR: Rotation of Anti-Fungal Herbs (Start Month 4)

The following are some of the anti-fungal herbs we use at the McKeith Clinic to battle the yeast. I use one herb only per week. At the end of the week, move on to the next herb.

For example, use Pau D’arco every day for one week. Then stop the Pau D’arco a the end of the week, and start Red Clover during week two. At the end of week two, discontinue the Red Clover, and begin on Burdock Root for example, and so on. If you use these herbs in tea form, then drink 2 to 3 cups a day of the tea. If you are using herbal capsules, tablets or tinctures, then please follow directions on the label. I normally have my own patients on two capsules three times daily, and sometimes in addition to the tea. Generally, you should not be taking more than one herb at a time. Remember to change and rotate to the next herb at the end of the week. At the end of the full rotation, you could repeat again if you still display signs of Candidiasis.

*PROPOLIS should be taken during the entire herbal rotation in addition to at least one other herb.

STAGE FIVE: Strengthen The Digestive System and Organs Affected (Month 5)

(a) Guar Gum - 1 capsule 3 times daily for 3 months

(b) Triphala - 1 capsule 3 times daily for 3 months

These above colon cleansers keep the fecal matter moving through the bowel, thus destroying the yeast breeding ground.

(c) Digestive Enzymes Complex

Take one with each meal. They break down food and its absorption into the bloodstream for travel to the liver. Enzymes contain proteases which help keep intestines free of parasites and yeasts.

STAGE SIX: Introduce Friendly Bacteria Into The System (Month 6)

(a) Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacteria Bifidus
Available in powder, capsules or cultured yoghurts. Take 1 capsule 2 or 3 times daily with meals.

(b) Homeopathic Thuja
200D every night for 7 days. Thuja CM on 8th day and Thuja 6D morning and night for 7 days.

©COPYRIGHT Gillian McKeith 2004