Candidosis!
Do you have it?
OK, now this is a big one! Many people have it and do not even know, and if you are a woman you are ten times more likely to have it than men! Why do we not know about this? Does it exist? Many doctors will say no, but the evidence says YES! Very much so! With devastating consequences too. Candidosis is not that rare so don’t be surprised if after reading this article you feel like you know somebody suffering from this, I did. After studying this area I passed the information along with all of my study notes to a friend that always seemed to be ill with many different illnesses and after reading she agreed she had many of the unrelated symptoms and felt Candidosis was what she was really suffering from after countless amounts of doctors said ‘we don’t know what’s wrong’ , although one doctor would have maybe agreed as he did mention good bacteria but in more of a round about, wibbling, I could help you but then you will not buy my drugs kind of way.
Questions you may be asking by now. So what is this then? Is it really that bad? Yes, it is one of the most deliberating immune deficiencies and nutritional disorders of our time in comes in the names of Candidosis, yeast infection, monilia and thrush. There are that many symptoms of the yeast infection, almost too many to mention; chronic tiredness, cystitis and thrush are the most obvious. There are many problems the sufferer may experience as a result of yeast infection. Here are some of them; constipation, diarrhoea, premenstrual syndrome, fluid retention, uncontrollable mood swings, allergies, anxiety, depression, inability to lose weight, chronic skin problems – including acne, dermatitis and tinea. Every person suffering for candida is a hypoglycaemic which results in cravings for sugar and out of all of these seemingly unrelated symptoms the individual may be experiencing just one or possibly many. Neurotic behaviour can be the result of a severe infection.
Most alcoholics, M.E sufferers and advanced AID’s sufferers have yeast infection and it is only in the last ten years that the cause has been exposed. Two American doctors pioneered this, they are Dr Orion Truss and Dr William Crook. Their work contained startling findings and the protocol for treating this problem has been independently published .
Many medicinal practitioners even refuse to accept the existence of Candidosis despite the volumes of evidence to support their findings. Those who suffer the serious symptoms of neurosis are usually pointed in the direction of a psychiatrist for their ‘mental disorder’ and this is a real tragedy.
A large colony of bacteria populates our colons, these bacteria assist in the final stages of digestion as well as the manufacturing of some B vitamins. 80% of these bacteria are on our side and considered friendly bacteria. Many of these are the same as the culture in some yogurts and go by the name of Lactobacillus Acidophilus, the other 20% are yeast organisms known as Candida Albicans. Yeast is a single cell organism and very interesting too, it is related to moulds and fungi and is neither vegetable nor animal. You must understand that yeast is endogenous to the human body and will be found all over but the colon is the place where it is especially prominent and just like other bacteria yeast has a job to do too. Yeast will take advantage of any chance to reproduce at very high rates; you may call it a highly opportunistic organism. Although the friendly bacteria (Acidophilus, Bifidus, Bulagus and more) will usually keep the growth of the yeast in check along side a healthy immune system. The yeast will multiply when the regulating factors are disturbed. As well as stress the lack of nutrients from our diet will also reduce immune function and set the path for increased yeast numbers. The yeast will be allowed to reproduce at lightening speed if our friendly bacteria are imbalanced in any way. Broad spectrum antibiotics such as Tetracylin and Vybramycin, such as the ones used for nose, throat and ear infections can completely destroy our entire colony of friendly bacteria and leave the yeast intact. Sugar! This is what yeast feed on, and its growth is promoted by dietary yeast from sources such as bread, marmite, alcohol and other fermented products. The problem can also be promoted by the moulds and fungi found in damp bathrooms. Some people suffer from Candidosis some do not, some suffer mildly whilst some greatly, this can be explained by the biochemical individuality, and many of us will be susceptible due to poor diet and antibiotic use.
At a ratio of 10:1 women suffer with Candidosis more than men. Why? Well, progesterone, a female sex hormone plays a part in this as it is the production of this hormone that favours the growth of yeast. This hormone is also found in the contraceptive pill. The yeast growth is also promoted by other steroids like cortisone, this is usually used for skin problems and asthma. If you have diabetes then you are more susceptible too due to raised blood sugar levels. Other people in high risk include those who are exposed to long periods of antibiotic use for long periods for repeated infections like colds, flu and venereal disease as well as skin conditions. The gut is inoculated with intestinal flora as we pass through the birth canal and the number of good bacteria multiplies as the baby grows. If the mother has thrush at the time of delivery it may be taken on by the baby, if this happens then an early pattern of problems will begin as a result. Because of repeated colds and ear infections young children are often prescribed antibiotics, this too can result in Candidosis with often frightening results. When it comes to the occasional case of mild thrush or cystitis among women it is common, a course of antibiotics will often follow and the problem will correct itself, it will last a while but the balance of yeast will be corrected when the body overcomes infection.
We, the nutritionist, are most interested in helping the moderate to severe cases as the symptoms can become an absolute nightmare for the sufferer, some may even say hell! To have a yeast infection and be diagnosed crazy would be a bit hard to imagine wouldn’t it? Well no, actually. Let me give you an example:
A yeast overgrowth can occur easily in women. If an average age woman lived on a fast food, junk diet, high in fats, sugars and processed grains and suffers a little from stress (sound familiar?) her immune system will be weak, she would not be able to fight of ‘the latest cold’ thus weakening her more. The next step would naturally be a visit to the doctor who would then prescribe her a course of antibiotics which are useless against anything of a viral nature, and they would both know this but the woman would probably not know what else to do. Now with the reduced immunity and absence of lacto bacteria (usually keeping the yeast numbers in check) the yeast will take advantage. Her high sugar diet would not help at all at this point and she begins to fall more ill she would fall back on more sugary/sweet things, and bread. Yeast thrives on sugar and yeasty foods like bread and marmite etc. and now they grow and develop unchecked. Soon the yeast will have multiplied so much they would not be able to find enough food. They would then grow a root like structure (a rhizoid) and burrow through the walls of her intestinal mucosa in the search of nutrients so the precious barrier between the internal and external environments and faeces is compromised. Toxins and macro molecules (proteins especially) slip through directly into the bloodstream and now the real problems begin. Because of her poor resistance she would suffer to some degree from food and chemical intolerance, but this is minor compared to the reactions she will experience from the proteins going directly into her bloodstream. Multiplying yeast can produce 80 different toxins and out of these 10 are proven neurotoxins (poisons which act on the nervous system). The next time she would visit her doctor with a whole load of symptoms (seemingly unrelated), these would include; chronic tiredness, vaginal cystitis or thrush or both, mood swings, sugar cravings, bloating, flatulence and allergies and maybe even skin problems, diarrhoea, constipation, P.M.S, inability to lose weight, depression and hyperactivity. Most of these would be present by now. She may even experience neurotic behaviour if she has developed chronic systemic Candidosis and by now she may even end up being diagnosed as suffering from M.E. Now this woman will begin to think she is going insane or a little mad and her problems would worsen still if she was taking the pill, cortisone or other hormonal therapy. Each time her monthly cycle came around, because of her raised progesterone levels the growth of yeast would be promoted and we have to then suppose that she would return to the doctor with thrush and other unrelated symptoms only for the doctor to give her an antifungal drug, nystatin, mycostatin or milstat or a topical cream containing nystatin. A short course (5-7 days) will often rid the thrush but it will return again next month if she has chronic Candidosis. If the doctor repeats the process it will only have the same results and by now her other symptoms like tiredness, mood swings etc. would be getting worse, at this point she would now definitely be thinking she is going crazy. The doctor will now probably try giving her something stronger like nizerol which would be very damaging to her liver and the doctor will say “this is the last resort”. This would not work either. By now the woman would be getting depressed. The doctor will be out of ideas and his next move would be to refer her to a shrink to deal with her emotional problems. She would have no problem at all with her mental state! She would be suffering from chronic allergies and yeast infection! ……………… This was an extreme case.
Makes you think doesn’t it?
Yeast as an organism is virtually indestructible because of its ability to survive without a cell membrane, I am telling you this because attacking a cell membrane and splitting it open is how most drugs work, as this destroys the organelles inside. However what makes yeast unique is that they can live quite content in a cell wall deficient form and with immunity to the effects of antifungal drugs, they may be supressed by the drug but as soon as the drug is taken away they revert back to normal again, grow roots and become stronger than ever before. There can be the occasion where antifungals can be a worthwhile part of an overall programme but there are methods better suited.
If you think you suffer with Candidosis or no someone who does or just find this subject interesting and want to know what to do next please read my next article ‘Candidosis – what do I do next?’
Kyle Kendall
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