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Candida & Oral Thrush
Candida albicans is a tiny yeast-like fungus that is present in every individual, and normally lives harmlessly in the gastro-intestinal tract. However, it can over-populate and cause many imbalances within the body. Many people have a problem with candida for years and not realise it! It thrives in damp, humid conditions like during pregnancy, as a result of hormonal changes, or due to antibiotic usage (which wipes the colon clean of all necessary microflora), all of which cause an imbalance in the gut and bowel flora, allowing the fungus to proliferate. It can have a bewildering number of symptoms and causes. Candida can spread to anywhere in the body and is frequently found in the mouth, stomach, bowel, vagina or anus – it can infest the whole body if left untreated. Other causes include low hydrochloric acid levels in the gut, poor digestion, stress, low immunity, mercury fillings, bad diet - especially sugars.
Symptoms include stubborn weight gain; bad breath; anal itching and vaginal thrush; athlete’s foot; bloating; wind; chronic fatigue; loss of energy; irritability; mood swings; bowel problems such as IBS, constipation, diarrhoea; low blood sugar; alcohol intolerance; cravings for foods rich in carbohydrate or yeast; PMT; depression; decreased libido; lack of concentration; joint swelling and pain; reddish pink blotches on the face, trunk, legs, feet or abdomen; fungal nail infections; night sweats; kidney and bladder infections; pains across the chest mimicking angina; hypothyroidism; adrenal weakness; allergies; chemical sensitivities and lowered immunity.
Nutrition
It is important to follow a specific diet and it is likely that necessary lifestyle changes will need to be made, but by following these guidelines, elimination of symptoms, re-balancing of the vital gut flora and a sense of well being is achieved.
Consume nothing that contains antibiotics - meat and fish do most of the time. Choose organic meat and fish and eat organic vegetables and fruit, if possible.
Cut out alcohol, tea, coffee, carbonated drinks and tobacco and eat no sugar - for a period of at least two weeks and then have occasional fruit, but no fruit juice initially because the concentration of sugar is attractive to candida fungus. If you have a sweet tooth, enquire about Stevia Tea. Drink fresh lemon juice in water (lemon juice becomes alkaline when ingested and is therefore very cleansing).
Eat food with plenty of uncooked, cool spices and herbs. Do not eat cooked chillies or other 'hot' foods. The 'heat' will attract the candida fungus.
Include lots of garlic, as it will decrease the levels of fungus. Include 3 - 4 whole cloves of garlic daily if possible, either added to cooked food or eaten raw in salads or drinks. Treat it as a medicine rather than a food source.
Cut out all yeasty or fermented foods i.e. Marmite, mushrooms and other yeast based spreads and sauces. Also avoid apple cider vinegar normally suggested for poor digestion and low hydrochloric acid levels. Instead drink Meadowsweet Herb Tea.
Avoid all refined carbohydrates - that is, any processed junk food.
Take acidophilus to repopulate the bowel with beneficial bacteria capable of overpowering the fungus. These are available from your local health shop. I recommend ‘PreBio 7’.
Eat only eat whole grains and raw foods - grains, vegetables, seeds and nuts.
Avoid tinctures because of their alcohol content; however you can put tinctures in boiling water for five minutes; this removes 98% of the alcohol and will then they will be acceptable to use.
Natural Healing
The Three Stage Colon Cleanse is very much designed to help eliminate candida as it commonly infests the large intestine. Continued use of Gentle Barberry & Fennel capsules for bowel maintenance will be vital after the cleanse. If you are pregnant do not attempt the colon cleanse, but enquire for more information.
Perform a mild liver cleanse. (Enquire for details).
Take hot and cold showers - always finish with cold water. Never go to bed straight after a hot bath - only after a cold shower. Saunas help - but it's vital to have long, cold showers during and after the sauna.
Get plenty of sleep and use cotton sheets; under-bedding and quilts should also be of natural fibres as these breathe, allowing moisture to escape and will prevent incubating the fungus further.
Herbs
Use chamomile flowers, passionflower, and valerian root if sleep is a problem. Daytime nerve support herbs may also be required.
Take a variety of hormone herbs to include squaw vine herb, wild yam root and red raspberry leaf to balance the hormones. Add Siberian ginseng root as an overall tonic, especially for adrenal and thyroid restoration.
The use of the pre-menstrual herbs will be vital to help the mood swings and emotions that are aggravated by candida at this time of month!
Strengthening and supporting the immune system will be vital - echinacea root, and particularly pau d'arco bark. Drink two cupfuls of these as a decoction once a day.
Grapefruit seed extract is also very useful - just a few daily drops will go a long way to eliminating candida. [WARNING, do not combine with St Johns Wort]
Highly diluted tea-tree oil can be used to treat external fungus, but be careful to really dilute it because used neat or overly strong the tea-tree can cause deep and angry flesh burns. Use 5mls tea-tree to 250mls of safflower and olive oil. Use neat lavender oil on fungus, it may tingle, but it will not harm. A few drops added to the bath will also help.
If vaginal thrush is a problem, use a douche bag, or pelvic muscle exercises in a bath, which contains a few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oil and five tbsp of apple cider vinegar, every few days. Natural yoghurt offers great relief – but can be a bit messy! Best applied before going to bed and wear a sanitary towel in bed with cotton underwear!
If possible avoid oral contraceptives as they can upset the micro-organism balance in the body. Ensure that you use alternative contraception.
Herbal Formulae Suggestions
Pau d'arco bark tea. Other herbs like Meadowsweet and Stevia may also be useful. Also try Red Zinger Immune Herb Tea.
Barberry & Fennel Capsules (for a sluggish bowel and to counteract the fungus). Aloe & Cascara Capsules and Bentonite Clay Powder Formula will also be necessary to perform the Three Stage Colon Cleanse.
Monthly Balance Formula during the month and Pre-menstrual formula at the appropriate time.
‘The Green Stuff’ multi-vitamin & mineral food concentrate offers optimum nutritional support.
Metaphysical
Candida represents ‘Feeling very scattered. Lots of frustration and anger. Demanding and untrusting in relationships. Great takers. (Thrush) Anger over making the wrong decisions. (Yeast Infections) Denying your own needs, not supporting yourself.’
Affirmations: ‘I give myself permission to be all that I can be and I deserve the very best in life. I love and appreciate myself and others.’ (Thrush) ‘I lovingly accept my decisions knowing I am free to change. I am safe.’ (Yeast Infections) ‘I now choose to support myself in loving, joyous ways.’
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