Lack
of energy and digestive disturbances, arthritic joint pains,
skin disease, menstrual problems, emotional instability
and depression. All symptoms of what I call the 'antibiotic
syndrome' which have greatly increased in frequency in recent
years.
On
further examination, more symptoms may be discovered. Most
of the gastro-intestinal tract is tender when pressed, especially
the small intestine, liver and gall bladder. There may even
have been a gall bladder operation that failed to improve
the condition, sometimes even worsening the symptoms.
There
could be a history of thrush or oral, anal or vaginal itching.
When these are present the diagnosis of Candida is obvious
but it may also be present in the absence of these manifestations
and that can be somewhat confusing. The yeast or fungus
Candida albicans, of course, thrives during antibiotic treatment.
I regard it as reckless negligence to prescribe antibiotics
without simultaneous fungicides and replacement therapy
with lactobacilli afterwards. I believe that this practice
has greatly added to our vast pool of a chronically sick
population.
However,
the 'antibiotic syndrome' is not just due to Candida. I
regard it more generally as a 'dysbiosis' where the wrong
kind of microbes inhabit the intestinal tract, not just
Candida and other fungi, but many types of pathogenic bacteria
including coli bacteria which are normal in the colon but
become disease-forming when they ascend into the small intestine.
If
the problem has existed for years, there is usually a lack
of gastric acid which then allows the stomach to be colonised
by microbes, causing inflammation with pain and later, ulcers.
The toxins released by the microbial overpopulation cause
in addition chronic inflammation of the liver, gall bladder,
pancreas and intestines. I regard it as rather likely that
a chronic inflammation of the pancreas is a major contributing
factor in the development of insulin-dependent diabetes.
Bacterial
Attack
Specific
types of pathogenic bacteria appear to cause or contribute
to specific autoimmune diseases. One variety of coli bacteria,
for instance, produces a molecule that is very similar to
insulin. When the immune system becomes activated against
this molecule it may then also attack related features at
the beta cells of the pancreas
Another
type of bacteria, Yersinia enterocolitica, induces an immune
response that attacks the thyroid gland and leads to Grave's
disease with a serious overproduction of thyroid hormones.
Ulcerative
colitis is linked to overgrowth with pathogenic microbes,
the same as Crohn's disease, osteoporosis and ankylosing
spondylitis. In ankylosing spondylitis the vertebra of the
spine fuse together causing stiffness and pain. Other joints
may in time become affected.
Klebsiella,
another type of pathogenic bacteria, produces a molecule
that is similar to a tissue type found in people with this
disease. When Klebsiella numbers in the gut decrease, related
antibodies in the blood decrease and the condition improves.
Rheumatoid
arthritis is linked to other bacteria, called Proteus. Proteus
is also a common cause of urinary tract infections. Women
suffer urinary tract infections as well as rheumatoid arthritis
twice as often as men, while men usually have higher levels
of Klebsiella and three times more ankylosing spondylitis
than women.
In
addition microbial overgrowth dam ages the intestinal wall
so that only partly digested food particles can pass into
the bloodstream, causing allergies. In this way all autoimmune
diseases can be linked to food allergies.
While
rheumatoid arthritis is a frequent feature of the antibiotic
syndrome, and I regard it as relatively easy to cure, not
many sufferers of this disease seem to be interested in
this natural approach. The other day a young man with severe
rheumatoid arthritis knocked at my door to collect money
for a medically sponsored walkathon. When I told him that
I do not give money for drug treatment as it can be overcome
with natural therapies, he shouted: 'You are mad!' and left
visibly upset.
Other
autoimmune diseases that have so far been linked to dysbiosis
are psoriasis, lupus erythematosus and pancreatitis. When
remedies are given that bind bacterial endotoxins, these
conditions usually improve. A further consequence of dysbiosis
is susceptibility to food poisoning as with salmonella bacteria,
while a healthy intestinal flora prevents these from multiplying
and causing trouble.
Staphylococcus
aureus or golden staph cause serious infections in hospital
patients. It has been found that not only golden staph but
also other infections are greatly potentized when they occur
with a Candida overgrowth. As Candida overgrowth is a natural
outcome of the standard hospital treatment, it is easy to
see why golden staph is so deadly in hospitals.
A
similar picture emerges with AIDS. People do not die from
the AIDS virus but from Candida-potentized bacterial infections.
I also see the antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in babies and
infants as the main cause of their frequent infections,
glue ear and greatly contributing to cot death.
While
it used to be uncommon for children to have more than one
or two infections a year, now more than six is the norm.
In
the 1940's Candida was found in only three per cent of autopsies,
now the figure is nearer thirty per cent. There are, of
course, other factors that can cause dysbiosis - the contraceptive
pill, steroids and other drugs, radiation treatment and
chemotherapy - but the main culprits are, without doubt,
antibiotics.
Closely
related to Candida are the mycoplasms or pleomorphic organisms.
These have been shown to be a main factor in the causation
of cancer. Therefore, antifungal therapy has also major
benefits in cancer treatment.
Dr
Orian Truss
In
1953 Dr Orian Truss discovered the devastating effects of
antibiotics in an Alabama (USA) hospital. During a hospital
round Truss was intrigued by a gaunt, apparently elderly
man who was obviously dying. However, he was only in his
forties and in hospital for four months. No specialist had
been able to make a diagnosis. Out of curiosity Truss asked
the patient when be was last completely well.
The
man answered that he was well until six months before when
he had cut his finger He had received antibiotics for this.
Shortly afterwards he developed diarrhoea and his health
deteriorated. Truss had seen before how antibiotics cause
diarrhoea. It was known that Candida was opportunistic and
thrived in debilitated patients, but now Truss wondered
if it might not be the other way round, that Candida actually
caused the debilitated condition.
He
had read that potassium iodide solution could be used to
treat Candida infestation of the blood. So he put the patient
on six to eight drops of Lugol's solution four times a day
and soon the patient was again completely well.
Soon
afterwards he had a female patient with a stuffy nose, a
throbbing headache, vaginitis and severe depression. To
his amazement all her problems immediately cleared with
Candida treatment. Some time later he saw a female patient
who had been schizophrenic for six years with hundreds of
electroshock treatments and massive drug dosages. He started
treating the woman for sinus allergies with a Candida vaccine.
Soon she had recovered mentally and physically, and remained
well.
From
then on he treated his patients against Candida at the slightest
indication of its presence. Many of his patients made remarkable
recoveries from most unusual conditions including menstrual
problems, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, autism,
multiple sclerosis and auto-immune diseases such as Crohn's
disease and lupus erythematosus.
Every
experienced naturopath can relate similar success stories.
Ironically, antibiotics are usually not necessary in the
first place. In a few per cent of the cases in which they
are necessary their serious after effects could easily be
avoided using fungicides and lactobacilli.
Many
people doubt the effectiveness of natural therapies against
apparently serious infections, but my experience leads me
to believe that frequently natural therapies are more effective,
without causing the repeated and chronic infections seen
after antibiotics. I have seen patients who have been unsuccessful
on long-term antibiotic treatment recover within days or
weeks with natural therapies.
The
Spit Test
A
simple Saliva Test for Candida is as follows:
Immediately
after rising before you eat or drink anything fill a clear
glass with water at room temperature. Spit some saliva into
the glass of water. Then check from time to time for up
to an hour to see what happens. If Candida is present, you
will see one of three things, or a combination of these.
- There
may be strings like legs extending down into the water
from the saliva floating on top
- Cloudy
saliva will accumulate at the bottom of the glass
- Cloudy
bits will remain suspended in the water.
The
quicker and stronger the strings grow and the sooner the
saliva sinks, the more Candida is in the sample. If there
are no strings and the saliva is still floating after one
hour, you probably do not have systemic Candida but may
still have a localized problem in the intestines, the skin
or the vagina, and you may still have dysbiosis and infestations
of other pathogenic microbes.
Even
after systemic Candidiasis has been eliminated the spit
test may still remain positive because of fungi living within
the mucous membranes of the mouth which may then regrow
in the night. This may be eliminated by repeatedly swishing
MMS for several minutes in the mouth before swallowing it.
Alternatively you may try swishing Lugol's before swallowing,
or diluted hydrogen peroxide or diluted sodium bicarbonate,
the last two best before going to bed. At other times it
is also good occasionally to keep culture of lactobacteria
in the mouth.
Curing
the 'Antibiotic Syndrome'
The
main treatment for the 'antibiotic syndrome' is sanitation
of the gastro-intestinal tract combined with a low-allergy
diet. In this way most acute problems can be overcome within
weeks while degenerated joints or organs can start a slower
road to recovery.
One
unpleasant side-effect of most methods used to reduce the
pathogenic microbial overgrowth of the intestines is the
Herxheimer reaction - a sudden worsening of symptoms due
to toxins released by the dead or dying microbes. This is
sometimes used as a diagnostic tool, especially for Candida.
I
recommend flushes combined with anti-microbial remedies
to avoid or minimise unpleasant side effects. An Epsom salt
flush may contain one tablespoon of Epsom salt, more or
less according to need, in a large glass of water and is
useful in cases of constipation and with raised blood pressure.
Refrigerate the water to make it taste less bitter.
Add
a crushed clove of garlic to the flush to reduce the microbial
overgrowth. If garlic cannot be used then several drops
of Lugol’s solution or a teaspoon of bicarbonate, or up
to two teaspoons of three per cent hydrogen peroxide may
be added instead. You can take another glass of water after
the Epsom salt to wash down the bitter aftertaste.
The
flush will carry most of the dead microbes and their toxins
out of the body and minimise any unpleasant reactions. However,
if the flush should not be sufficient to produce a strong
bowel movement within two to three hours and you start feeling
unwell, then another spoonful of Epsom salt may be taken.
If overweight and with constipation you may take already
2 tablespoons to start with.
Other
laxatives that may be used for a flush are Glauber Salz
or sodium sulfate, castor oil or senna. You may need to
experiment with your chosen laxative to find the right amount
to take with the garlic so that it is effective within a
few hours.
Psyllium
is excellent and most recommend for long-term use. If you
are not overweight or constipated you may start the Ultimate
Cleanse this way instead of using Epsom salts. Psyllium
is especially effective for removing endotoxins from the
intestines and reducing allergic and autoimmune reactions.
In
a large glass of water add a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate
and a heaped teaspoon of psyllium hulls, stir and drink
immediately followed by another glass of water. Until you
start with the systemic antimicrobial therapy add chopped
garlic or another antimicrobial to the psyllium drink but
continue adding a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate as long
as there are signs of pain, inflammation, Candida or overacidity.
If you suspect intestinal parasites also add MMS or Lugol’s
solution or wormwood or essential oils to the psyllium.
With
Candida overgrowth any sexual partner should also use antimicrobial
therapy. Some individuals are highly sensitive and with
multiple allergies. In this case it may be necessary to
proceed very slowly, remain on a stable low-allergy diet,
use anti-inflammatory measures, such as slippery elm powder
before meals and ginger with meals, and introduce probiotics,
lactic acid fermented food and anti-microbials only very
gradually.
For
sensitive individuals it is most helpful yo alkalize the
body. Sodium bicarbonate is a strong fungicide and potassium
bicarbonate is even stronger. Half to one teaspoon of bicarbonate
in a glass of water taken on an empty stomach or 2-3 hours
after meals can be used up to seven times daily to sanitize
the intestinal tract and alkalize the lymphatic system.
Acidophilus
& Bifido
This
leads us to the next step: replacing the decimated pathogenic
microbes with desirable lactobacilli. This must be done
in a massive dose 30-60 minutes after each flush; otherwise
the unwanted microbes may grow back to full strength after
the next meal. Acidophilus culture is used to repopulate
the freed-up spaces at the walls of the small intestines,
while bifido bacteria are the protective inhabitants of
the colon or large intestines.
There
are several possibilities. These bacterial cultures are
available from health food shops as powders in brown glass
bottles that should be refrigerated before and after sale.
You may buy a mixed culture and take two teaspoons in water
or vegetable juice or one teaspoon each of the separate
cultures. If you suspect cows' milk allergy, which is rather
frequent in this condition, then use milk-free cultures.
Alternatively, you may take several high-potency capsules.
High-potency cultures should contain 10 Billion (or more)
live bacteria per gram or per capsule.
However,
it is even better to regularly use fresh self-made yoghurt
or other lactic-acid fermented food, initially combined
with high-potency capsules or powders. You may use any suitable
cultures as a starter to make your own yoghurt. Because
of the frequent problems caused by cows' milk, I usually
prefer goats' or sheep milk, self-made almond milk or fermented
bee pollen. These do not set as firm and creamy like cow’
milk but that does not matter as the beneficial bacteria
are in the liquid whey; for different ways to make yoghurt
see Recipes.
Take
a cupful of this yoghurt, best together with acidophilus
powder or capsules, after each flush, using more before
other meals. Continue taking either the cultures or yoghurt
for several months after you have stopped taking a flush.
Women should also for a few days or weeks apply yoghurt
or acidophilus powder to the vagina. It is preferable initially
for a few days to douche with diluted hydrogen peroxide
solution at a strength of one teaspoon of three per cent
peroxide to a glass of water, or more or less according
to sensitivity. For sensitive individuals and if there is
pain or inflammation strongly acid ferments should be nearly
neutralized before ingesting, you may just use bicarbonate
for this purpose.
For
those who do not ingest lactic acid fermented food or other
acidophilus/bifido products regularly it would be good to
take a course once a year just as a precaution, but especially
with or after taking any drugs, medical or recreational,
or when leading a stressful life. The diet during therapy
should be free of sweeteners, sweet foods, yeast, alcohol
and, initially, fruits.
Coconut
Oil
The
medium-chain saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are potent
antimicrobial agents, effective against fungi, viruses and
many bacteria. The most effective fatty acids are caprylic
acid (with 8 carbon atoms), capric acid (10 carbon atoms)
and lauric acid (12 carbon). They appear to work by causing
microbial cell walls to disintegrate.
Coconut
oil appears to be effective within days. With Candida take
initially 4 tablespoons of coconut oil spread out during
the day, and after improvement you may reduce this to 2
tablespoons for several more weeks. This seems to be effective
against systemic as well as localised infestations, including
those of the genitals. However, it is advisable to apply
coconut oil topically as well.
The
best commercial product is cold-pressed or virgin coconut
oil. However, this has been heat-stabilised to destroy lipase.
Therefore, my preference is self-made raw coconut cream
or milk: press coconut pieces through a low-speed juicer,
or alternatively blend with water, strain and refrigerate.
For
topical applications and for those with fat malabsorption
the lipase-rich coconut milk can be expected to be much
more effective than heated coconut oil with only a very
low concentration of free fatty acids. Alternatively, you
may use lipase supplements with coconut oil.
Lugol's
Solution
Iodine
appears to be the best remedy to eliminate systemic yeast
infections. If you have reason to believe that other measures
have not eliminated all Candida in the blood or internal
tissues, take a course of Lugol's solution. That is how
Dr Truss originally cured his patients.
Lugol's
solution is an internal iodine solution designed to eliminate
Candida and possibly viruses and other microbes from the
bloodstream. Obtain 100ml of Lugol's solution, also labelled
Aqueous Iodine Oral Solution B.P., from a chemist. It should
contain 10% of total iodine. In the US you may also buy
iodine in tablet form as Iodoral equivalent to 2 drops of
Lugol’s solution per tablet. Take a test drop in liquid
other then just water to make it taste less strong. If this
does not cause a reaction, continue to take 4 x 6 drops
daily in liquid or mixed with food, but not directly together
with vitamins A, C, E, grape seed extract or cysteine.
Continue
for 3 weeks, but interrupt if you develop a serious reaction.
If necessary, repeat the course after several months. In
the meantime continue taking several drops of Lugol’s solution
daily mixed with food or drink. If Lugol’s solution is not
available you may try a saturated solution of potassium
iodide (SSKI) taken in similar amounts.
Other
Remedies
The
most effective method is to follow up the iodine with a
course of MMS (acidified sodium chlorite) as explained in
The Ultimate Cleanse. You can obtain Lugol’s solution and
MMS from www.strideintohealth.com. Bicarbonate solution
is very effective in direct contact such as for rinsing
out the mouth, sinuses or vagina or as packs over sites
of fungal infection and tumours.
Some
other antifungal remedies are pau d'arco, propolis, wormwood,
and the oils of tea-tree, neem tree, cinnamon, eucalyptus,
mustard and thyme. Pau d’arco, also called taheebo or lapacho,
has the advantage of tasting reasonably pleasant. Wormwood
may be used if you want to eliminate fungi and parasites
at the same time, for details see The Ultimate Cleanse.
Many
with Candidiasis have benefited from using inulin, a non-digestible
polysaccharide, which helps to feed the beneficial intestinal
bacteria, especially in the colon. It is present in Jerusalem
artichokes, chicory roots and dandelion roots, and may be
sold as a white powder, see http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_prebiotic_probiotic.html.
It may be used together with un-denatured whey powder high
in alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin and bovine serum
albumin, and with selenium for improving the immune system
and glutathione production.
In
addition you may use a Beck-type blood purifier or zapper
to eliminate Candida and other fungi and infectious agents
from the blood, for details see the article Electronic Zapper
& Magnetic Pulser. Furthermore, the magnetic pulser
may help to sanitise pockets of Candida infestations inside
the mouth, vagina or underneath affected skin areas.
Some
individuals have found urine therapy effective against Candida,
parasites, intestinal inflammations and Leaky Gut Syndrome;
for details see Urine & Urea Therapy.
Don't
let the antibiotic syndrome creep up on you. Always try
natural alternatives in preference to antibiotics, but when
they are absolutely necessary, supplement your treatment
with a fungicide and probiotics.
For
more detailed instructions to treat Candida, parasites,
autoimmune diseases, intestinal inflammatory diseases and
“Leaky Guts Syndrome” see OVERCOMING CANDIDA and Other Infections
at: http://www.the-heal-yourself-series.com.
Drugs
for yeast infection are not recommended. Consult with your
naturopath before attempting to treat any yeast infection
with drugs.
