By Michael Biamonte, C.C.N.

To properly detect candidiasis we must understand the nature of the beast. It is normal to find a few candida cells living in your intestines. Antibiotics, cortisone, birth control pills, chemotherapy, improperly done colonics or enemas, in short, anything that disturbs that normal bacteria in your bowel (which normally digests excess candida and other harmful organisms) will allow candida to rapidly multiply. As an organism, it grows in a plant like form, sending roots into your intestinal wall looking for food. These roots bore holes through the intestinal tract causing a condition now known as “leaky gut syndrome”. This means that damage to the intestinal wall is allowing bacteria, bacterial debris, foods, pollens, environmental pollutants and many other materials to pass by the normal protective barriers and enter the body. This, then, causes a host of allergic and digestive complaints (which are incorrectly treated and diagnosed based on the individual symptom). This causes further immune suppression. The candida organism also changes forms if threatened. It can live as a yeast, which will ferment sugar, but not spread to other tissue or cause damage. It can also exist as a fungus,. In the fungal form it will grow very long root like structures and cause damage. It will also travel through the blood stream and reach other tissues. The thyroid, adrenals and ovaries are known to be effected. In the case of endocarditis, the yeast will infect previously damage heart valves or become active after heart surgery.

More commonly candida, is known as the organism which causes vaginal infections. If friendly bacteria in the vaginal area are destroyed, yeast cells quickly multiply causing an infection. Antibiotics and feminine hygiene sprays or powders are the most common killers of friendly bacteria. The discharge is usually thin, watery with white cottage cheese material. Itching and burning are common. Candida can also appear as a fury white growth in the corners of the mouth and tongue. This is called thrush. It may also cause diaper rash, painful swelling of the toes and of the fingernails, jock itch or rash in the groin of a male, and also athlete’s foot. As a living organism, candida feeds on fecal matter in the bowel. Sugars and carbohydrates are its favorite food.

Any food that has undergone fermentation (which breaks down sugars in simple easy to absorb forms) will have had its sugars readily available for the yeast to absorb and feed on. B complex vitamins taken along with carbohydrates or sugars are a perfect food for candida. Vitamin D, calcium and copper all are protective in nature to candidiasis. Vitamin D and calcium strengthens its metabolism. Deficiencies of Selenium, and antioxidants have been found to predispose one to candidiasis, as well as any medication or drug (pot, cocaine, etc.) which can depress the immune functions. Iodine deficiency, which can lower thyroid function and cause inactivity of immune protecting enzymes, has also been implicated as a cause. Hypoxia, which means low oxygen can be among the problems. When in a low oxygen environment candida releases high amounts of toxic substances which damage the intestinal wall and interfere with red and white blood cell functioning. Epstein Ban virus is also a known predisposing factor in chronic candida (CMV, another virus similar to EBV, as well). Most commonly, a person who has numerous deficiencies and stress, will take a medication and the yeast cells will overgrow due to the medication disrupting the balance of good and bad bacteria. Once the good bacteria has been destroyed and the yeast has multiplied, taking the good bacteria can do little good.

Lactobacillus has not been seen to regrow in a bowel which is inhabited by yeast overgrowth. The yeast must first be eliminated before the lactobacillus can regrow.To get an accurate picture of a candida patient’s true condition, three tests are probably required. We now refer to these three as the “trio.” These three are required for complete diagnosis in a woman’s case. The first is a microbiology analysis of the stool. In many cases the stool will not pick up actual traces of candida. This is because candida does not grow in the bowel in a uniform fashion. It does not coat the bowel like rust around a pipe. It grows in streaks and bunches. Due to this, the stool may not have contacted and picked up enough for the lab to find. The true value in the stool test is to determine the balance of the normal flora or “good bacteria”. If the good bacteria is missing then we know candida has an excellent chance to grow.

The stool test can also pick up other harmful bacteria that can work with the yeast.The next test is called a candisphere. This has been found to be the most accurate test to determine if someone has an overgrowth of candida anywhere in the body. It has been found 92% accurate. This is a blood test, different from any other. It will only be positive if the person has a large, abnormal number of candida cells which are causing harm in the body. The third test is called a vaginesis profile. This is a test of the vaginal mucus to detect normal and bad bacteria, candida or any other possible organism which can cause an infection. Also, the many other factors which can predispose someone to vaginal infections are tested. These three tests when used together can spot any possible organism or groups of organisms which may be causing infections. It will locate whether or not they are moving from the bowel to the vaginal area or moving back and forth. They will also explain what predisposed the person to begin with. From all three we can get an idea of where the yeast has more forcefully attached in the body.

For a man, only two of the tests would be needed, we call these the “duo”. The candisphere and microbiology test. When these tests have confirmed the presence of candida overgrowth, 4-5 natural and non-toxic substances can be used to do the following: 1. Alter the environment surrounding the candida to inhibit its growth. This can be done by changing the Ph of the body. 2. Provide more oxygen to the body. This kills the harmful organism. 3. Kill organisms by using substances which digest them. 4. Destroy the membrane of the candida cell. 5. Help the body’s own immune system to attack the yeast without over-stimulating it. After seven days most virus, bacteria and fungal cells begin to resist attack from any remedy. Therefore, they should be taken one at a time for four days and then stopped and another started and used for only four days. Each one should be used in this way. After this is accomplished the intestines should be cleansed, repaired and the proper friendly bacteria put back. This can only be done after enough or all yeast die while on these first two phases, as no one would want to feed an enemy. In the third phase, the body is now ready to accept vitamins without getting ill from them. Many people who get ill from taking vitamins have yeast overgrowth. Now, major deficiencies and imbalances can be addressed. The last phase is to now repair and strengthen the immune system.

The first phase is a bypass of your own immune system. The second is to clean out the old fecal matter the yeast was feeding on, to clean out dead yeast cells, to repair the intestinal damage and regrow the friendly bacteria. The third phase is to address the major deficiencies which exist. The last and most important fourth phase is to repair the immune system and strengthen it so that this problem does not repeat. This process is like a “race” from the first phase to get to the last. The purpose of the first three phases is to get the person in good enough shape so that the immune system can be repaired and the results will be as permanent as possible. If someone moves quickly through the first three phases to the fourth without excessive stress, wrong foods, or lapses in correctly doing the program they will get good results.

Anyone suffering with any abnormal condition of their reproductive system, asthma. bronchitis, earaches, cystitis, diabetes, unexplained confusion or foggy feelings, who also has developed allergies and digestive problems with a general drop in their resistance to colds and infections may have a candida overgrowth as the underlying, hidden cause of their complaints. I myself did not believe in candida some years ago. As a clinical nutritionist I believed more in deficiencies. However, when people did not get the results they should have from my programs and would get strange reactions from taking health building substances, I was forced to look for a reason, and I have found that one out of every three people living in the U.S. has an overgrowth of candida. I hope this data is useful.

REFERENCES

1. Candida Albicans and Oxygen free radical process – Stephen Levine, M.D.
2. Candida Albicans: An unsuspected problem – Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D
3. Epstein Barr virus and its treatment. Michael L. Culbert D.Sc., Robert Bradford D.Sc.
4. Oxygen Immunity, Cancer and Candida Albicans – Stephen Levine Parris Kidd.
5. Holistic protocol for the Immune System – Scott Gregory.
6. Great Smokies Medical Lab