CANDIDA
and the
ANTIBIOTIC SYNDROME
By Walter Last
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.
1. There may be strings like legs extending down into the water from the saliva floating on top
2. Cloudy saliva will accumulate at the bottom of the glass
3. 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.
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
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
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 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.