Candida o. Monila albicans Anhängsel

 

Kann für Endocarditis bei Herzkathetern o. nach cardiovaskulären Eingriffen verantwortlich sein/Nagel-/Hornhautmykosen. Kommt vor im Intestinaltrakt/Haut(mykosen).

Behandlung = Diät ohne Zucker + Weißmehl. OBST/GEMÜSE. Nahrung ohne Hefezusatz/Sauerteig statt Hefeteig

Stevia/Lapacho/Annanas- + Papayaenzymen/Grapefruitkernenextrakt

 

Etwas ist "zum Krätze kriegen" = Ausdruck tiefer Verzweiflung erinnert daran, wie es früher war in eine kollektive Krätze/Seuche geraten zu sein. Erkrankt an einer Seuchenerkrankung mit schwer absehbaren Folgen für die nächsten Generationen. Ursache für die Seuchenkrankheit des Individuums = in einer bestimmten Zeit Mitglied eines bestimmten Kollektivs in einer bestimmten Gegend zu sein.

Im Zeitalter des Individualismus wehren wir uns gegen diese Tatsache/versuchen sie zu verdrängen/als ungerecht zu verurteilen/sie umzudeuten, doch das ändert nichts

an der grundsätzlichen Möglichkeit, dass zusätzlich zur Möglichkeit einer individuellen Erkrankung in jedem Kollektiv jederzeit eine Seuche ausbrechen kann, an denen

ihre „Mitglieder“ vor allem deswegen erkranken, weil sie zur jeweiligen Zeit gerade zum jeweiligen Kollektiv gehören.

Im übertragenen Sinne ist dies auch bei größeren Katastrophen und Kriegen so. Wer gerade zum "Kollektivkörper", z.B. einem Volk/Staat/Religion gehört, in denen Katastrophe/Krieg/Seuche ausbricht, den wird es mehr o. weniger erwischen, ob er persönlich dafür verantwortlich sein mag oder nicht.

Und so gibt es auch den Kollektivkörper, der von der Candida-Seuche ergriffen ist und dem wir alle mehr oder weniger angehören, nämlich unsere Gesellschaft in unserer Zeit. Damit gilt für uns alle mehr o. weniger: mit gefangen = mit gehangen!

 

Gascoigne: Cand. associated with pregnancy/sugar intake/tight clothes/synthetic material/allergic reactions/prescribed drugs (corticosteroids/female sex hormones/immunosuppressant drugs)/diabetes mellitus/AIDS/herpes simplex.

The pattern of progression. 1. hypoglycæmia, 2. diabetes. This emphasises the link between candidiasis and diabetes, as does the fact that the organism is identified by

the physiological character of its assimilation and fermentation of sugar. The use of Foll. successfully in candidiasis underlines the connection with female sex hormones.

The infection manifests commonly where the skin is moist/in contact with itself (groin/perineum/breasts/axillæ). Nail infections from Cand start at the base/forming ridges/

often accompanied by paronychia. On the mouth/genital mucosæ, white curd-like patches occur which, when scraped away, leave a bleeding base. Elderly:

Atrophy of gums and angular stomatitis occur. Vaginitis causes intense pruritus + thick creamy leucorrhœa. Systemic candidiasis .may present as septicæmia or with features

of infection of the œsophageal and gastrointestinal tracts, heart, lungs, urinary tract or brain meninges. There may be an appearance of a skin rash similar to eczema with redness, soreness and some scaling.

 

Interview

An interview with Elizabeth Crook and Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.

In 1984, Dr. William Crook published The Yeast Connection, a book that explained the subtle and frustrating effects that Candida yeasts can have on a woman's body.

Dr. Crook's goal was to teach women how to better care for themselves and control yeast overgrowths.

Twenty years later, the American public is still largely unaware about Candida yeasts and their effects. Dr. Crook's last work, The Yeast Connection and Women's Health, published in 2003, is an updated resource for understanding the relationship between yeast and so-called "unexplainable illness."

Nutrition Health Review had a chance to speak with Dr. Crook's daughter, Elizabeth, and Dr. Carolyn Dean, an expert on yeast conditions.

 

Q. What is yeast?

A. Yeast are microorganisms that live, normally, in everyone's body. There are many different kinds of yeast, but Candida albicans can overgrow in the gut and in the

whole body and can exacerbate a whole series of health complaints. Yeasts are part of the healthy flora and fauna in our bodies, and they grow in the warm, moist creases

of our body.

When the good bacteria get killed off by repeated doses of antibiotics or other things, our flora and fauna become unbalanced through diets that are high in sugar and carbohydrates, by birth control pills, and by just the normal fluctuation of hormones that women have — although men and women can both be affected by candidal overgrowth. Candida can create weaknesses in the intestinal walls, and this allows toxins to escape and to create havoc in all types of places.

 

Q. Are there different types of yeast?

A. (Carolyn Dean): According to Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., who founded DAN! the autism network, there are as many as 30 or 40 different strains of Candida.

 

Q. Can men have yeast infestations?

A. Absolutely.

 

Q. Do men have problems with it as well?

A. They do have problems, but men tend to get yeast less often because — number one — of their physiology. They do not have the warm, moist places like the vagina, they do not have hormonal fluctuations, and they generally see doctors less often than women, so they tend to take fewer antibiotics.

However, men can have all of the same symptoms. They can have everything from headaches, depression, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, and more obvious things like fingernail and toenail fungus or fibromyalgia. Many of the common complaints that are implicated with Candida can certainly affect men.

 

Q. Are we born with yeast, or do we pick it up at some point?

A. It's part of our natural healthy flora and fauna, but the problem comes when it overgrows, because the good bacteria that keep it in balance get wiped out from antibiotics

or become out of balance because we are feeding the yeast with a whole lot of sugar. Yeast is problematic only when it is out of control.

Physicians have recognized vaginal yeast infections for years, and there are certainly lots of treatments on the market for them, but what is more controversial is when yeast actually gets into our system.

 

Q. Are doctors aware of yeast-related infections?

A. Many physicians, if they know about yeast, disagree with it. Many times, when people see the physician and have many complaints, such as feeling sick all over, and standard kinds of blood tests are run, yeast does not show up. So people will go from doctor to doctor and get set up with antidepressants. Many people who suffer from yeast do not know that this is their problem. That is one of the challenges, and their doctors do not see it.

Many times I hear, "Someone gave me a copy of The Yeast Connection, and as I read it, I read about myself. So I went back to my physician and asked him or her to help me or work with me on dealing with a yeast overgrowth or at least exploring whether yeast overgrowth could be a factor."

 

Q. What good can yeast do?

A. (Carolyn Dean): We presume that our body is born "perfect" and that Candida (the budding form) is part of that perfection. Then, what purpose does Candida yeast in budding form -not the tissue invasive form- have in the body?

People who think about these things say that the purpose of Candida is to digest simple sugars and alcohol. We know this to be true of many other types of "friendly" bacteria that digest simple carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. For the most part, it works as a mutually beneficial relationship. We feed them, and in return they help to break down and digest food into a form that our body can assimilate. Because by the time foods are in the small intestine, they should be mostly broken down by gastric juices and pancreatic enzymes. If they are not beneficial, bacteria can go to work.

The same may be true for the Candida invasive state. The problem occurs when we eat excessive amounts of sugars and alcohol-containing foods; then, just like any substrate or ecological habitat, the yeast proliferates. So we overfeed the Candida flora and do not feed the other flora. Or we kill off other flora with antibiotics, and Candida overgrows and also feeds on a high sugar diet. As a result, other flora die off and Candida takes over our digestive system.

The ratio of candidal organisms to bacteria in the gut is supposed to be 1:1,000,000, but in many people it is the other way around.

 

Q. What are some of the types of yeast-related illnesses?

A. Well, clearly some things are directly linked, like vaginal yeast infections, but the reason that we use the words yeast connection is not necessarily because these things are caused exclusively by yeast. Yeast may be a triggering factor or a complicating factor for a whole host of conditions, ranging from depression, headaches, premenstrual syndrome, endometriosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and vulvodynia (painful vulva).

Some of the most common conditions are food allergies and food sensitivities. One thing that happens, because of the leaky gut syndrome, is that the toxins filter through the intestine walls from the stomach, and all of that is going to be spread throughout your system. It affects different people in different ways.

 

Q. If you have a dormant problem, could too much yeast trigger something that normally might not flare up?

A. I'm not sure that I would put it that way. In some ways, we all have dormant problems. We all have conditions that may be triggered by various and sundry things. There are people who carry the breast cancer gene, but not everyone who has that gets it. But why not? What is it that triggers some people's genes to start acting up? I don't think we know that.

 

Q. How does yeast spread in the body?

A. Yeast grows as you feed it sugar. It just multiplies just like any other microorganism in the body.

 

Q. Can it be spread through interpersonal contact?

A. Not necessarily. I can have systemic yeast and that is not going to be contagious, but things like vaginal yeast can be infectious.

 

(Carolyn Dean): If a woman has vaginal Candida, she can pass on Candida to her partner.

Q. Are yeast problems difficult to identify?

A. They are very difficult to identify, because it is not just a question of drawing blood and looking for yeast. One of the best ways is to do an inventory of your own system. If you see repeated use of antibiotics of steroids, these can all be indications that there is a problem.

 

Q. What are the symptoms from some of the yeast illnesses?

A. Well, you might think of them not as yeast illnesses but as illnesses that may have a yeast connection, so that if you can clear up the yeast, you will most likely feel better. That does not mean that all of our health complaints will go away, but it means that a big component of what is triggering and exacerbating our condition will go away.

I mentioned some of those (headaches, premenstrual syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, interstitial cystitis, chemical and mold sensitivities, food allergies, and asthma).

For many people, it is just feeling sick all over, tired, and foggy-brained.

 

Q. Are any symptoms unique to yeast illnesses?

A. (Carolyn Dean): The major symptoms seem to mimic medical diseases such as fatigue, headache, depression, suicidal depression, irritability, memory loss, menstrual problems, premenstrual syndrome, digestive disorders, skin problems, urinary disorders, muscle pain, impotence, respiratory problems, short attention span, hyperactivity, and learning difficulties. But what is fascinating is that these symptoms are all similar to those that are caused by low magnesium levels.

 

Q. Is there a time when people should suspect a yeast infection?

A. I think that if you are just feeling bad and not getting better, if you are trying things and nothing is working, if there is no physical diagnosis that your physician or health care practitioner can help you with, then it is worth checking out. The way to check that out is by looking at the questionnaire; if it turns out positive, you might want to begin by eliminating sugar and any fermented products from your diet and see if you start to feel better.

There are prescription antifungal medicines, as well, but those have to be prescribed by a physician.

 

Q. How serious can yeast illnesses get?

A. They can become very serious. We have seen letters from people who said that they lost weight down to dangerously low levels. There are people who have been hospitalized, and some have been placed in mental health institutions because they just feel so bad and couldn't find a way to get better.

 

Q. Can a yeast illness be completely cured, or is there always some sort of residual illness?

A. Many people have reported that they have been restored to perfect health. I think that some people will always have to watch their intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates.

 

Q. So diet is important?

A. Diet is a huge factor. There are many good dietary supplements that can support people as they work with yeast, but we have found that in order to deal with things most effectively, you need to work with your diet. You should eat fresh, preferably organic vegetables. It is important to eliminate sugar, because sugar is what yeast eats. That's how you make beer and wine. If you keep on feeding these organisms sugar, they are going to keep growing. The odd thing is that the more you feed them, the more cravings you have. A craving for sweet and starchy foods is also a symptom.

The five steps in dealing with C. albicans:

(1) eating a proper diet and performing exercise;

(2) taking the right dietary supplements;

(3) controlling chemical exposure, with care taken to avoid glues, paints, and solvents;

(4) examining the emotional and spiritual issues that may cause stress;

(5) seeking the advice of a physician or health care professional.

 

Q. Are there any tests that can identify yeast illnesses?

A. (Carolyn Dean): Skin allergy tests for C. albicans can be useful. Stool testing to compare intestinal organism quantity can be helpful, and immunoglobulins G M, and A (IgG, IgM, and IgA) tests are somewhat useful.

 

Q. Does alcohol have an effect on the growth of yeast?

A. Well, some alcohol is fermented, and also alcohol gets processed as sugar, so it does need the yeast. Many times, if people can get their system clear and clean, they will

be able to reintroduce some of these things back into their diet. You have to test a little bit to see if your symptoms resolve. If they do, you might want to back off again.

 

Q. Would people have a hard time with whole-wheat products, since they are more healthful than refined flour?

A. Well, if the whole-wheat products have yeast in them, there might be some difficulties. Many breads sold in markets have honey in them. As with all foods, you just have to read the labels and not the advertising copy. Something that may say "healthy" and "natural" might have cane juice in it or something. Cane is a natural substance, but it is sugar and it will be a problem.

 

Q. What are some common misdiagnoses of yeast-related illnesses?

A. The ones that first pop into my mind are mental health conditions. I think that when people feel sick all over and cannot get better and their blood work looks normal, they may well be told that "it's all in their head."

In the Yeast Connection, we talk about yeast-related illnesses; these are illnesses that are related to yeast overgrowth. We don't say "this is a yeast illness, as opposed to that."

 

Q. When was the first Yeast Connection published?

A. In 1984.

 

Q. What has changed since then?

A. I think that a number of things have changed. There has been a huge shift in individuals seeing themselves as active participants and partners with their health care professional. People do not have a notion that there is a silver bullet out there, and they understand that health is more complex than that and that it is more about diet. There has been a huge shift in the past 20 years with diets. When my father (Yeast Connection author William G. Crook, M.D.) wrote the Yeast Connection Cookbook IQ years ago, it was important to give people some sense of how to think about food and how the food they take into their body is going to make them feel.

I think that we are more knowledgeable and open about the increasing emphasis on the integration of our emotions with our physical wellbeing. I think that people now understand this relationship better.

I think that one of the shifts that we see, support, and promote is that individuals have their own feelings and intuitions about their bodies. We are coming to respect that, we hope. Intuition has been disrespected by mainstream medicine, and we have been told that the person with the answer is somebody out there in a white coat. Again, I think people are saying that they have a sense of what is wrong.

 

Elizabeth Crook is the daughter of William G. Crook, M.D., the author of the first Yeast Connection and Women's Health, and a pioneer in the field of Candida yeasts.

Ms. Crook currently works on behalf of womens health issues as a consultant to physicians, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, and other health care professionals.

Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. is medical advisor on Yeast Connection and Women's Health. She is the author of two other medical books.

 

[Donald Brown and Andrew Lange]

A Homeopathic Proving of Candida Parapsilosis

Candida parapsilosis is a common yeastlike organism that has been implicated in human infection. It has been recovered from respiratory secretions, urine, gastric washings, blood, vagina, oropharynx, skin, trans tracheal aspiration, stool, pleural fluid, ear, and nails. It is implicated in the following human infections: endopthalmitis, endocarditis, vaginitis, mycotic keratitis, external otomycosis, paronychia, and fungemia. In the vagina, it is found less frequently than Candida albicans and Torulopsis glabrata and is only rarely associated with vulvovaginal candidiasis as it is a less adherent organism.

Between September 10, 1989 and October 2, 1989, we performed a homeopathic proving of C. parapsilosis.

Methods.

Prover selection and population size. 20 participants, ages 25-65 years old were recruited to participate in the proving. Prior to entrance to the study each participant was interviewed for any concurrent illness and had a baseline CBC and urine analysis performed. Exclusion criteria also included concurrent use of a homeopathic remedy,

any prescription medications, and history of a Candida species infection within the last year. Following the above screening procedures and subsequent dropout of four participants, the final population size was 16 (nine females and seven males).

Medication:

A mother tincture of Candida parapsilosis was prepared by Sanum-Kehlbeck GmbH & Co KG in Hoya, West Germany. A 12x dilution of the mother tincture was prepared

by Chiron Consultants, Inc. in Calgery, Alberta (Canada). The 12x dilution was later increased to a 30x dilution by Life-Force Homeopathics in Brea, Cy. The Pharmacy of

the Natural Health Clinic of Bastyr College prepared two 2-dram vials, containing #20 lactose pellets, for each participant labelled "tube A" and "tube B" with the participant's code number on each vial. The test medication was randomly placed in either "tube A" or "tube B" for each participant with the other tube containing placebo. The code was retained by the pharmacy until the end of the proving and the participants and the principal investigators were blind to the content of each tube.

Procedure:

The proving received the approval of the Institutional Review Board of Bastyr College. Participants meeting entry criteria were asked to sign an informed consent form.

They then were instructed in the recording of symptoms and were asked to discontinue the use of any stimulants including caffeine and tobacco.

Participants were then dispensed their "tube A" by the pharmacy of the Natural Health Clinic of Bastyr College and were instructed to take one dose four times daily between meals for seven days. At the end of the first seven day period, participants were instructed to stop their "tube A" and were asked to continue recording their daily symptoms for another five days. At the end of this period, they were asked to report to the principal investigators with their first twelve-day symptom reporting log. Following a brief interview, participants were dispensed their "tube B" with the instructed to take the test medication 4x daily for 7 days. Another 5 days, medicine-free recording period followed.

At the conclusion of the 2nd 12 day cycle, participants were asked to return their "tube B" symptom log. Each participant was compensated for their participation in the proving. Participants were also asked to report the unfolding of any other symptoms and were informed that there would be follow-up. Following retrieval of all of the participants logs, the code was broken and given to the participating investigators.

Symptomology:

Mind:

Very tired and scatter-brained.

Total "loss of mind": seeing red lights and thinking they were green.

Mind races and words come out in wrong order or mispronounced.

Spacey and poor concentration. Concentration difficult (several provers).

Extremely anxious.

More easily aggravated and frustrated.

Explosive anger at minor incidents - as though their rights were being infringed upon.

Forgetful

Unusually irritable.

Vertigo:

Dizziness and hot flushes - better in open air.

Head:

Pain - Frontal constriction: worse in direct sunlight.

Wakes with a headache - `banging' sensation.

Donald Brown and Andrew Lange

Outer edges of scalp itch.

Eczema-like patches on hairline - red, scaly and itching.

`Sick' headache with frontal aching and mild throbbing.

Eyes:

Itching (2)

Burning pain - wakes at 1 h. with burning eyes.

Eyes bloodshot - worse medial to iris.

Nose:

Sneezing

Left nostril bleeding - bright red block

Stuffiness (3 provers).

Face:

Tiny, white pimples with dry skin.

Lower lip burning and tingling.

Lower lip: Small dry patch- flaking skin (1 x 1/2 cm)

Swollen feeling around face - sensation of fine vibration.

Mouth:

Burning and tingling of mouth and lower lip with a hot feeling down the esophagus into the stomach.

Boil on buccal mucosa of left cheek.

Woke with hive-like swelling of lower lip.

Tingling of lips immediately after taking medication.

Sensitive nodules on posterior tongue bilaterally - like an aptheous ulcer.

Throat:

Itching throat.

Woke at 1 h. with burning throat and thirst.

Stomach:

Decreased appetite (1)

Very thirsty

Increased appetite (3)

Craves - salt (2)/pickles and garlic

Abdomen:

Abdominal cramping four hours after eating lunch - > flatulence.

Abdominal cramping 5 hours after lunch.

Gas and bloating after eating with heartburn.

Fullness in stomach two hours after eating - duration of seven days.

Flatulence - odorous and frequent with lower abdominal cramps.

Lower left quadral abdominal pain - cramps.

Rectum:

Constipation (2)

Stool:

Well-formed and hard.

Loose stools.

Green, acidic stools.

Bladder:

Increased urge to urinate.

Urine:

Intense smelling urine. Strong-smelling urine with very dark, yellow color.

Male Organs:

Decreased sexual desire.

Female Organs:

Itching in pubic hair - red and sore - > bathing.

Vaginal itching.

Clear vaginal discharge.

Fertile mucous for the entire active proving (7 days) when 1-2 days is normal.

Menses eight days late.

Egg-white leucorrhea - dripping discharge.

Larynx and Trachea:

Heartburn

Esophageal reflux

Burning and tingling with hot sensation down esophagus.

Chest:

Sensation of arrhythmias with light-headed feeling.

Prominent, quick heartbeat which reverberates through the chest.

Violent heat flutter for five seconds which caused immobilizing fear - occurred while lying on left side.

Worst premenstrual breast-tenderness ever.

Limbs:

Woke with hive-like swelling on the right hip.

Forearms very itchy and slightly red on volar surface - < with a wool shirt on.

Itchy heel - pruritus.

Two, small vesicles on right arm under watch - very red and itchy.

Back:

Recurring, burning spot on medial border of left scapula - feels as if stung by a scorpion. Upper, lateral aspect of right scapula - point feels as if bitten but no lesion present.

Skin:

Pimple-like sore on buttocks - pink and raised and sore to touch.

Itching all over as if a bug or other irritant were on skin scratching skin relieves temporarily.

The proving shows connections with allergic asthma and polyarticular arthritis.

 

 

Candida and the Sycotic Diathesis close correlation between Candida in potency and Thuj. + Med. (Julian)

Candida is morphologically closer to Treponema pallidum (syphilis) than Neisseria gonorrhœa (gonorrhœa), and as saprophytic fungi flourish in decaying organic matter,

this points also to the syphilitic diathesis.

Candii an apparently close association with conditions involving some degree of compromise to the proper functioning of the immune system in affected individuals,

most frequently of iatrogenic origin. Self-help regimes: bodily cleanliness/diet/dietary supplementation/Lactobacillus acidophilus.

 

Features: Commonly found as an endogenous inhabitant in alimentary tract/mucocutaneous regions of the body, “where it lives in a delicate competitive balance with bacteria and other microflora of the digestive tract”.

Endogenous organism in humans/animals/has been isolated from the faeces of animals (swine)

Feeds in the bowel on sugars, simple carbohydrates and fermented products (alcohol/cheese).

Found worldwide on fruits and vegetables/in polluted fresh and marine waters.

Colonies mature in 2 - 3 days.

An important characteristic is adhesiveness/remains firmly attached to mucous membranes [less so in Candida parapsilosis].

 

Genus Monilia is now been divided into two distinct genera. The generic name Monilia is reserved for species pathogenic to plants/fruits [causing brown rot in stone fruits]/placed in the family Sclerotiniaceae [fungi forming sclerotia].

The generic name Candida: is preferred for species that have their reservoir in humans and animals. Some members of the genus Candida are normal components of intestinal microbiota. Disturbance of the gut flora can trigger them to overgrow and become pathogenic, either locally or systemic.

The vast majority of Candida infections (yeast infections/Candidiasis) caused by Cand.

Problems occur when the numbers of Candida in the body get out of control. This is due to disturbance of the microflora and may result from: abuse of antibiotics/

hormonal imbalance [use of oral contraceptives]/pregnancy [vaginal secretions have higher glycogen levels during pregnancy]/stress/poor nutrition [overuse of sugars or

diets rich in yeast-containing foods]/diabetes/invasive procedures [such as cardiac surgery/indwelling catheters]/immunosuppression.

Proliferating in the intestines, Candida changes its anatomy and physiology from the yeast-like form to the mycelial fungal form. [Dimorphism.]

While the yeast-like state is non-invasive and sugar-fermenting, the fungal state produces invasive, very long root-like structures that penetrate the mucosa.

The establishment of infection with Candida species appears to be a property of the host, not of the organism. The more debilitated the host, the more invasive the disease.

In the past 2 decades Candida spp. have become 5th most common cause of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections.

Candidiasis has as one of its characteristic symptoms “greed for Pane [bread]/Potatoes/Pizza/Pasta.”

 

[Ainsworth]

“The expression of candidiasis is remarkable for its diversity”.

“With the exception of the hair, virtually no part of the human body is immune from infection which may occur at any time from the prenatal and neonatal periods to terminal illness in old age. The classical location for candidiasis is the mouth [thrush in infants/denture stomatitis associated with Candida in the elderly has a higher incidence].”

In general, two major clinical types can be distinguished: Candidiasis of skin and mucosa, and Invasive [or Systemic] Candidiasis.

 

Candida spp. most frequently Cand., are part of the normal mouth flora in 25 - 50% of healthy individuals, influenced by such factors as salivary flow, salivary pH,

and glucose concentration.

The notion that thrush and other mycoses are affected or even caused by constitutional factors is one of long standing.

Thrush treated with borax or potassium chlorate and honey. In Sweden, thrush lichen or lichen moss [Peltigera aphthosa] boiled in milk was a folk cure for thrush. [Ainsworth]

Thrush is observed in patients with diabetes mellitus and debilitating diseases [cancer/tuberculosis/oral contraceptives and a deficiency of riboflavin (= vitamin B2)]

also predispose to this overwhelming growth of C. albicans. [Kern]

Raue, writing in 1896, gives an excellent description of thrush and some factors that favour its appearance:

Parasitic Stomatitis; Thrush.

This affection is produced by a parasitic fungus, the oidium albicans, and is characterized by the formation of numerous, milk-white patches or elevations which are difficult

to remove. They are not the result of an exudative inflammation, but due to the extensive development of the above named fungus within the mucous membrane.

We may frequently foretell its coming, when we observe that the mouth of the infant is getting dry/hot/red/sticky/its secretion gives an acid reaction. Then after a few hours

white points of the size of a pin’s head appear mostly at first on the inner surface of the cheeks, quickly spreading over various other places and soon covering in some cases the entire buccal cavity, and even the pharynx and oesophagus with a white membrane. After a while its white colour turns yellowish or brown if bleeding occurs from rough handling. The first few days this membrane adheres firmly to the mucous membrane; later, on about the 3rd - 4th day, it becomes loose and can easily be wiped away.

[Candida colonies mature in 3 days.]

During the continuance of this fungous growth the mouth of the nursling is hot, has an acid reaction and is sensitive to touch in a degree that even nursing often is painful to the child.

But as long as the affection is not complicated with intestinal catarrh, its course is quite mild and short, and passes away in a few days if proper attention is paid to cleanliness.

It is different with artificially fed children when an intestinal catarrh is superadded to the trouble. Under it the child may sink with signs of follicular enteritis.

 

The formation of this fungus is favoured by acid fermentation. Secretion of the mouth is a mixture of saliva + mucus. The saliva reacts alkaline, more after a meal, less on an empty stomach. The buccal mucus, however, has an acid reaction, which is visibly increased on contact with atmospheric air, when acid fermentation at once begins.

In young infants the secretion of mucus is in preponderance over the secretion of saliva; there is therefore a physiological tendency to acidity in a young child, and if, in addition, the child is nourished artificially/improperly by substances which easily undergo acid fermentation [sucking-bags/poor milk from badly cleansed bottles/ready made nutrition] an outbreak of thrush is sure to follow.

We find that thrush attacks more frequently children artificially fed than breastfed  and for this additional reason that the latter in sucking draw the saliva out of their salivary glands, while the easy flow from the bottle requires nothing but swallowing. I would rather have the baby fed by the spoon, as in this way chewing motions are induced and a more thorough mixture of the food with saliva is ensured.

We find thrush also in adults, but it is of rare occurrence, and then always in consequence of protracted and exhausting diseases, such as phthisis, diabetes, cancer, etc.

 

Candida hypersensitive syndrome:

After the American paediatrician William Crook published in 1986 his book The Yeast Connection, in which he postulated that the overgrowth of Candida causes a host of symptoms which he coined the “Candida Hypersensitivity Syndrome”. Since the mid-1980s, several physicians have reported that while treating female patients for candidiasis, they seem to have inadvertently - at first - relieved symptoms of other problems. These include PMS/sexual dysfunction (ranging from nymphomania to loss of libido)/depression. They hypothesize that the cause and effect are not just coincidental but that, in fact, some traditionally psychological disorders may be the consequences of above normal populations of C. albicans.

Dr. W.G. Crook, author of The Yeast Connection and one of the pioneers in this area of medical investigation, suggests several possible mechanisms for the unexpected effects of the yeast. They include toxin production by C. albicans, yeast-induced nutrient imbalance, and ethyl alcohol fermentation. Critics of Crook’s work argue that evidence to support his contentions is wanting. In fact, clinical trials comparing reactions of patients treated with or without the antifungal drug nystatin showed no differences in the test populations. Nonetheless, the debate continues with a small but vocal cadre of medical professionals convinced that C. albicans is responsible for much more disease than it gets credit for.

[Hudler 1998]

With the public media, health writers and health magazines jumping on the bandwagon, the syndrome grew into a “Candida-Related Complex” of truly miasmatic proportions. Some authors even speak of a “hidden epidemic” that, fuelled “by everything from diet to medication to environmental factors,” affects “as many as 90% of Americans/Canadians.” Candidiasis has become a fashionable diagnosis, culturally defined and anything but individual, consistent with Dr. Crook’s conclusion that “your health problems are probably yeast [Candida] connected if you crave sweets, feel sick all over, have taken many antibiotics, and have seen many physicians and have not found help.”

Many complaints and chronic health problems are, according to Crook, related to Cand., ranging from “fatigue, headache and depression in adults to ear problems, hyperactivity, attention deficits and autism in children,” and include, in addition, “PMS/sexual dysfunction/asthma/psoriasis/digestive and urinary problems/MS/muscle pain.”

 

[Luc de Schepper]

Psychological profile of the Candida patient. It is not based on clinical cases treated homeopathically, but on general observations concerning patients with candidiasis, similar to the way in which currently, ‘miasms’ such as Malaria, Ringworm, or Cancer are built up.

A summary: Feelings of frustration/being misunderstood/being rejected seem part of life experience. To a Candida patient, these feelings are often magnified; life seldom seems to treat the Candida patient fairly.

In the early childhood experience of the Candida patient, abuse often has been present. The experience of sexual/emotional/physical abuse are indications of a traumatic childhood, in which emotional nourishment/encouragement to set a goal/simply the coherence of a healthily functioning family are absent.

This fear-inducing environment influences one’s immune system in a weakening manner, leaving one susceptible for invasion of diseases.

According to rules of Acupuncture, each emotion is linked to a certain organ.

Fear decreases the energy in the kidneys;

Worry and pensiveness decreases the energy in the spleen etc.

Deficient energy in the kidney organ leads to more fear and anxiety creating a vicious circle etc.

Following next is the common nightmare of the Candida patient. As a child, most of these patients are subjected to an increased antibiotic intake and our modern diet with preservatives and sugars. Most of the symptoms will appear a couple of years later.

Sometimes immediate yeast-related signs surface: mood swings/depression/suicidal tendencies. The sudden mood swings are the most startling symptoms. Patients look and act joyful at 10 h. and are threatening to kill themselves at 14 h. We can understand the scepticism and disbelief of professionals and family; nobody, not even the patient, expects these sudden variations. In the end, the patient is convinced that s/he has become crazy: it is the only possible answer to this yo-yo behaviour.

The real problem of the Candida patient starts (in beginning stages) look too healthy/too handsome. Looking too good to have any kind of disease. Outwardly, it does not look like a disease. The allopatic physician looking for objective signs hardly finds them. How can you see “fogginess” in the brain, burning urination, severe PMS symptoms, decreased attention span … At most, the patient looks depressed.

The emotion though, that predominates this disease, is ANGER. Candida patients have a reservoir of anger, mostly deeply hidden. There is a need to understand the origin of anger and to seek means of dealing with the factors involved. Do not believe that this anger will always show in violent behaviour. There are other levels of manifestation of anger: ulcerative colitis/hypertension/eczema/migraine attacks/depressions/suicidal tendencies can be expressions of this emotion. Most patients will not even admit that they are angry. A lot of expressions imply underlying anger.

Patients who find no place to put their anger, are ridden by guilt, which offers no relief.

Another manifestation of hidden anger in almost every Candida patient is in the bodily reactions. An almost constant symptom in these patients is the pain in the neck and shoulder region, caused by anger and refuse to accept it or are not allowed to bring the anger outward.

Of course, this chronic disease solicits anger as well from the patient as from the rest of the family (partner). Anger may build up for all kinds of reasons7feel constantly rejected/always questioned and doubted about the existence of their disease, and simply because being outside the mainstream and not getting their share of the world’s excitement and rewards. Partners resent this disease immensely because it makes him a prisoner in his own house, without having the disease. They are inconvenienced by their partner’s illness, leading to feelings of frustration and resentment.

DIE-OFF REACTIONS

It will require careful and accurate homeopathic prescribing of Cand. to establish a made-to-measure drug picture that goes beyond the universal character of candidiasis. The symptoms associated with the latter might apply to almost all individuals at some time. We can draw parallels with a remedy like Carcinosin. To narrow down the abundant symptomatology to its possible essence it might help to

consider a phenomenon that occurs during the first days or, rarely, weeks of the treatment of candidiasis with antifungal antibiotics. The phenomenon is termed “die-off” or Herxheimer’s reaction and is mainly observed with the use of nystatin and, to a lesser degree, with other antifungals or with natural treatment. [Herxheimer’s reaction is not uncommon in the treatment of spirochete infections - syphilis, Lyme disease - and with antibiotics in general.]

Nystatin was isolated in 1950 from bacteria of the genus Streptomyces, which, like other soil bacteria, are the natural adversaries of microscopic fungi. Nystatin destroys the cell wall of Candida, with the result that the contents leak out and the cell “bleeds to death.” With the leaking of protoplasm and electrolytes, a number of toxins also escape, the sudden release of which produces a temporary toxic or allergy-like reaction in the host. This is not an adverse reaction to the nystatin itself since it clears up as the nystatin is

continued. The die-off reaction resembles the initial aggravation induced by homeopathic remedies.

Both are, in fact, temporary intoxications, energy-wise or physically, and both evoke body responses to turn the economy into order. Kent compares the initial aggravation with “a process of house cleaning,” a process of elimination, “probably from the bowels, or stomach, by vomiting, by expectoration, or by the kidneys, in those cases where everything has been suppressed.” Die-off reaction includes elimination processes as well

as symptoms caused by the release of Candida toxins. If Candida treatment requires reducing or avoiding coffee/alcohol/chocolate/dairy products/sugar/wheat/yeastfermented foodstuffs, part of the die-off reaction may be due to withdrawal symptoms.

The following is an overview of common die-off reactions, accompanied by some of the comments by the authors of the listing.

Allergy reactions often increase during Candida treatment or if you never had allergies or food sensitivities before, they may temporarily crop up during this time.”

Anger and aggression.can be common during treatment. Tolerance levels seem lower. One reason may be that the yeast is agitated; it in turn agitates you, and you pass it on. During treatment, quick anger is generally a body response - not a real emotion.”

Bloating. “This is common during Candida treatment and cleansing.”

Constipation/Diarrhoea.

Blood sugar problems.

Bruise easily. “Usually only very sensitive people have problems with this.”

Colds. Sore throat. Cold extremities.

Crying.

Depression.

Energy lows.

Emotional experiences.

Headaches.

Hyperactivity. “During treatment, this may occur when overworking or overplaying is done. …

Not enough food or too high a Candida treatment dosage can lead to hyperactivity, too.

… Parasites can contribute to this, as they are greatly agitated during treatment.”

Indigestion.

Lack of coordination. “May occur more often during treatment.”

Mental confusion, spacey.

Mucus.

Paranoia. “Temporary mental problems and confusion can be caused by parasite treatment. Poisons being eliminated can flood the body and brain and may contribute to creating delusional thoughts and emotions.”

Skin problems. Skin irritations or rash. “Temporary food intolerances may become evident during treatment. One could become agitated by dairy foods/tomatoes/meats/nuts/other foods you are not normally allergic to.”

Sleepless.

 

[Jeanne Marie Martin + Zoltan P. Rona]

Anger, expressed or suppressed.

The phenomenon of suppression is very evident in Cand., first of all in the form of suppressed anger. During the provings, rage was experienced directly and immediately. However, in practice I usually saw conditions of suppressed anger, of anger that was not allowed. In many cases the anger could not be kept down and was therefore permanently looking for an outlet.

Wut im Bauch haben’ is a common idiom in the German language, which could be translated as ‘having anger in my belly’. This expression fits very well with the central physical symptoms concerning the digestive system [flatulence/fullness/diarrhoea/cramping]. It has been confirmed in this proving, as well as in others, that mental and physical symptoms form a corresponding unit and the disease is reflected on

different levels.

The aggression itself can be completely hidden, but can also be very violent, almost driving the patient mad. There may be an impulse to destroy everything, simply smash everything to pieces. A typical expression of one of the provers is: ‘I feel such tremendous aggression in me that I can hardly handle it. I have to muster all my strength not to destroy something.’

Fatigue.

Another striking symptom is the tremendous lack of energy in this remedy. [Is this a result of the suppressed anger?] Tiredness up to severe exhaustion occurred in the whole proving and in many of the treated cases.

Craving for sweets.

We could understand the greatly increased desire for sweets, certainly a high degree symptom, as an attempt to make up for the lack of energy. [This craving is also common to the mycosis-patient.]

Overwhelmed.

The Cand. patient seems to be a typical ‘product’ of modern western society, which is characterized by the following features:

Too many demands made upon a person by a tough, efficiency-oriented society which is too complex for the individual to grasp and experienced as threatening.

A multitude of daily impressions to which he is exposed, can overwhelm the individual.

A hectic state, tension, stress and a daily feeling of ‘too much.’

Ignored emotions and an outward presentation of a smooth and clean surface.

Too many requirements/expectations/impressions [odours/noises etc]. Too much to do and no way out …

The basic sensation of ‘too much’ is a feeling of inability to cope, of being overburdened, a feeling of not being able to fulfil the demands of everyday life and sometimes even of the whole life. [A typical phrase from the proving is: ‘Even the little demands of everyday life are too much for me.’]

Cand. patients feel overwhelmed by daily routines/requirements/duties. A feeling of restriction develops and takes over, and they cannot get rid of it.

Restless and hectic.

The reaction [to the inability to cope] is that they feel restless and hectic. RestLESS remedy/ceaselessly in action [or more precisely, the feeling of being ceaselessly in action]/always having something to do/no time to relax.

They quickly get into a state of stress and tension. Examples in the provings are: ‘I cannot get anything done. This is the most stressful week. Dates, driving. Everything is too much.’ And: ‘Towards the evening everything is too much; a feeling of being hurried and rushed. A strong desire for rest and being alone.’

Chaos.

Forgetfulness/lack of concentration/sometimes real confusion + other symptoms. Chaotic conditions are central. One prover wrote: ‘I was very confused and had to think about normal routin before carrying them out. I had forgotten what I had planned to buy in the supermarket and once in the car park,  I had to think where I was, where I wanted to go and how to get there.’

Background.

In order to answer the question of ‘what is the cause of this kind of manifestations, why is this anger not allowed to be expressed, why are these people so confused,’ etc., we should look at a number of cured Cand. cases.

These people have been inhibited/often hindered and suppressed in expressing their free will and this suppression had become the central theme of their lives. [DD: Carcinosin]

We talk about dominated people who were not allowed to develop their own personality. In some way we could say we are dealing with parasitic relationships. We observe exploitative relationships, with the Cand. patient being the victim, being used or abused, in which the equilibrium of giving and taking has been

shifted. The tendency towards exploitative relationships often continues and is repeated again and again according to a fixed pattern. Candida patients usually react helplessly and defencelessly in this kind of situation, showing vagueness and indirect and ineffectual aggression.

They are unable to be clear and precise and cannot set limits. In some cases the patient repeatedly became the involuntary supporter of a partner or a parent; the used, abused or energetically sucked out ‘victim.’

Dreams.

The most important themes in the dreams: Blood/brutality/murder/bombs/explosion/hell/rape.

Appetite + Digestion

Constant hunger. Can’t stop eating; fasting impossible. Overeating; stuffing oneself.

Craving for sweets

Constant sensation of fullness and satiation.

Desire for high-calorie foods, < in evening; i.e. chocolate/cold milk/remoulade/crisps/pizza.

Weight gain.

Gnawing pain in stomach, as from an ulcer, > eating.

„As if lump“ in stomach, pressing upwards.

Watery diarrhoea, smelling like rotten eggs.

Constipation with sensation of fullness in rectum and flatulence.

Pressing frontal headache > stool.

Peculiars

Painful swelling of axillary lymph glands.

Offensive axillary perspiration.

Sensation of emptiness in chest and abdomen.

Tickling in chest > swallowing.

Palpitations before falling asleep, > hand on chest.

Painful stiffness in hollow of feet in morning on rising.

Buzzing sensation in arms, legs, and down the back.

 

Clinical simptoms

Delusion/sensation: alone in the world/about to sink into annihilation/powerless/defenceless/persecuted/despised/eaten up/consumed/internal emptiness/surrounded by enemies/floating in air/forsaken/helpless/caught/imprisoned/separated from the world/stupid/thin /time passes too quickly/unloved by parents, partner, friends/has done wrong

Anxiety/Fear: business failure/bankruptcy/money matters/poverty/impending disease/health (own/relatives)/something will happen/punishment/robbers/thieves;

Concomitants

Headache + empty sensation in head

Headache + sensitivity to strong odours

Coryza + itching of eyes and lachrymation

Throat pain + nausea

Stomach pain + vertigo

Food/Drinks: <: Apples/farinaceous food/fish/milk/sweets; Desires: choc./cold drinks (milk)/salt/sweets;

Modalities

Headache < coughing exertion light  before menses noise stooping

change of weather

Clenching teeth firmly together at night

Burning pain in oesophagus < concentration [mind]

Itching external throat < scratching

Heartburn after eating or drinking

Abdominal cramps + heat/at night

Sensation of rectal constriction after stool

Difficult respiration < lying/> sitting

Constriction chest > weeping

Profuse perspiration at night

Itching at night  < scratching

 

[Dr. Kurt A. Moosburger]

Seit vielen Jahren wird in regelmäßigen Abständen immer wieder das Thema „Darmpilze“ aktualisiert. Man liest oder hört darüber in gewissen Medien, die sich als „Gesundheitsmagazine“ verstehen. Urheber ist ein

bestimmter Teil der Ärzteschaft, die „alternative“ Medizin betreiben und propagieren und die Glauben machen wollen, daß sämtliche Krankheiten ihren Ursprung im Darm haben („Der Tod sitzt im Darm“).

Dadurch werden die Menschen einseitig bzw. fehlinformiert und zwangsläufig verunsichert. Verängstigte PatientInnen glauben sich krank, weil „verpilzt“ und unterziehen sich einer fragwürdigen Stuhluntersuchung

auf Candida. Nicht selten wird trotz Beschwerdefreiheit eine „Darmverpilzung“ festgestellt und dann eine bestimmte Diät, manchmal sogar Antimykotika (chemotherapeutische Antipilzmedikamente), verordnet.

Eine medikamentöse Pilzbehandlung muß jedoch medizinisch gerechtfertigt sein und bedarf einer strengen Indikation. Das kann z.B. bei hartnäckigem Nagelpilz der Fall sein. Die sogenannte „Darmverpilzung“, die

immer wieder bei gesunden Menschen festgestellt wird, ist aber weder eine Erkrankung noch Ursache für angeblich so viele Beschwerden und Krankheiten, wie oft behauptet wird, und somit nicht behandlungsbedürftig.

Candida ist kein „Feind“ im Darm! Wir alle haben diesen Hefepilz in uns - er gehört zu unserer normalen und natürlichen Darmflora, die ja aus unzähligen verschiedenen Keimen besteht. Auch auf unserer Haut lebt

eine Heerschar von Pilzen, ohne daß wir deshalb krank sind. Nicht „Stress“ oder „falsche“ Ernährung machen aus den Hefepilzen ernstzunehmende Krankheitserreger, sondern vielmehr eine schwerwiegende Schwächung

des Immunsystems, wie es bei AIDS, schwerer Leukämie, Knochenmarkstransplantation oder hochdosierter Zytostatikatherapie von Krebserkrankungen der Fall ist. Dann nämlich können die Darmpilze ihre Wohnstätte

verlassen und andere innere Organe besiedeln, wie z.B. die Lunge (Pilzpneumonie) oder zur „Blutvergiftung“ führen (Pilzsepsis.). Das sind lebensbedrohliche Komplikationen, weshalb man Risikopatienten mit geschwächter Immunabwehr in der Regel schon vorbeugend Antipilzmittel verabreicht

Bei den vielfältigen Magen-Darm-Störungen darf nicht voreilig Candida als Ursache angeschuldigt werden - damit würde man es sich zu einfach machen -, sondern muss eine sorgfältige Abklärung betrieben werden.

Auch wenn man hier bei nicht immer sofort „fündig“ wird, sollte man als Arzt in diesem Fall eher an ein Reizdarmsyndrom als an Candida denken und nicht eine unzweckmäßige „Pilzdiät“ verordnen oder sogar

Antipilzmedikamente aufgrund der „Darmverpilzung“, die, wie schon gesagt, keine Erkrankung darstellt, verschreiben.

Immer wieder kann man hören oder lesen, dass starkes Verlangen nach Süßem auf Candida zurückzuführen ist, weil der Pilz Glukose (Traubenzucker) aus der Nahrung entziehen soll. Dies ist jedoch eine irrige, naive

Vorstellung über den menschlichen Stoffwechsel. Hiefür gibt es andere, nachvollziehbare Ursachen als den vermeintlichen „Feind im Darm“. Ebenso besteht kein nachweisbarer, geschweige denn logischer Zusammenhang

zwischen “Darmverpilzung“ und chronischer Müdigkeit, Depressionen, Kopfschmerzen usw. bis hin zu mangelnder Libido... Auch hier gilt es, die wirklichen Ursachen zu finden und zu beheben. Unser Organismus besteht

ja nicht nur aus dem Darm mit seiner Flora, sondern ist sehr komplex, und es kann mitunter schwierig sein, anhand der Symptomen die eigentliche Krankheitsursache zu diagnostizieren. Candida ist jedenfalls nicht der

„Sündenbock“!

Nun zur „Pilzdiät“, die den Darmpilz „aushungern“ soll. Dabei wird eine zucker- und weißmehlfreie Kost verordnet, die jedoch keinen Sinn macht. Erstens genügt dem Hefepilz schon der Zuckergehalt im Speichel,

um zu gedeihen und zu wachsen -man dürfte also niemals den eigenen Speichel schlucken. Zweitens macht die zucker- und weißmehlfreie Diät keinen Sinn, weil auch die komplexen Kohlenhydrate im Verdauungstrakt

(beginnt bereits in der Mundhöhle) in Zucker (genauer: Traubenzucker = Glukose) aufgespaltet werden. Es kann nämlich nur Zucker aus dem Darm ins Blut aufgenommen werden. Fazit: Im Darm ist immer Zucker -auch

als Nahrung der Pilze- vorhanden, auch wenn wir uns zuckerfrei ernähren!

Abgesehen davon ist ein maßvoller Zuckerkonsum -auch Honig, der keineswegs gesünder ist, wie viele glauben- ohnehin Bestandteil einer gesunden Ernährung. Und niemand wird wohl auf die absurde Idee kommen,

eine kohlenhydratfreie Kost zu propagieren...

Also: keine unbegründete Angst vor Candida und „Darmverpilzung“!

 

Dr. Kurt A. Moosburger

Link: Candida - “Anti-Pilz-Diät“ als Therapiemaßnahme sinnvoll?

Stellungnahme Prof. Dr. Volker Eckardt (Gastroenterologe in Wiesbaden) in der Medical Tribune Nr. 1/2, 12. Januar 1996:

Heilpraktiker und Ärzte, die sich als Heilpraktiker betätigen, haben eine neue Einkommensquelle entdeckt, nämlich die “Mikroökologie“ des Darmes. Das Prinzip ist einfach: zunächst schürt man die Sorge der

Bevölkerung vor Erkrankung, bietet dann kostenintensive Verfahren zur Frühdiagnose an und verspricht schließlich Heilung durch dubiose Therapiemethoden. Ein Paradebeispiel für dieses Vorgehen sind die Diagnose

und Therapie von Pilzen im Darm.

Ein mittelhessisches Institut für Mikroökologie suggeriert in Hochglanzbroschüren, dass 30 bis 40 Millionen aller Bundesbürger an Pilzbefall erkrankt sind, ohne für diese groteske Aussage auch nur den geringsten Beweis

anzutreten. Hier wird offensichtlich Pilzerkrankung mit Pilzbesiedlung verwechselt. Ersteres ist eine Rarität und findet sich fast ausnahmslos bei vorgegebener Schädigung des Immunsystems oder der Integrität der

Körperoberfläche. Letzteres ist dagegen als Normalzustand zu betrachten und bedarf vor allen Dingen keiner therapeutischer Maßnahmen.

Dass Pilzbefall für unspezifische Symptome wie Meteorismus* und wechselnde Stuhlgewohnheiten verantwortlich ist, ist wilde Spekulation und widerspricht jedem erwiesenen Konzept der Pathophysiologie

gastrointestinaler Symptome. Viel eher sind diese Symptome auf bakteriellen Metabolismus von Kohlenhydraten und Motilitäts- bzw. Sensitivitätsstörungen des Darmes zurückzuführen. Der Versuch, das Colon irritabile

zur Pilzerkrankung zu deklarieren, mag zwar dem einen oder anderen Institut zur Existenzsicherung dienen, beinhaltet jedoch erhebliche ökonomische Schäden für unser Gesundheitssystem und eine zusätzliche Belastung

für den ohnehin psychisch vorgeschädigten Patienten.

(* “Blähungen“)

Zusammenfassung:

Die Pilzbesiedlung des Darmes ist physiologisch und nicht gleichzusetzen mit einer Pilzerkrankung, die vorwiegend bei Patienten mit verminderter Immunkompetenz vorkommt.

 

[Luc de Schepper]

Psychological profile :

Feelings of frustration, being misunderstood and rejected seem to be part of our life experience. To a Candida patient, these feelings are often magnified; life seldom seems to treat the Candida patient fairly.

In the early childhood experience of the Candida patient, abuse often has been present. The experience of sexual, emotional, or physical abuse are indications of a traumatic childhood, in which emotional nourishment,

encouragement in goal-setting, or simply the coherence of a healthily functioning family are absent.

This fear inducing environment influences one's immune system in a weakening manner, leaving one susceptible for invasion of diseases. Ancient medicine practices, such as Acupuncture and Homeopathy,

have indicated the relationship between physical illnesses and emotions. According to the philosophy of Acupuncture, each emotion is linked to a certain organ. Fear, for instance, will decrease

the energy in the Kidney organ, worry and pensiveness will do the same in the Spleen. A sudden, extreme shift in one's emotions, thus, will effect one's equilibrium, leaving one temporarily open to the invasion of viruses,

bacteria, yeast cells, or in the worst case, to the onset of debilitating disease. A good example is the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis after a sudden, extreme fearful event: a divorce, sudden death in the family, loss of

a job are all situations related to extreme anxiety and fear. This negative emotion will deplete the energy in the Kidney organ, and usually leads to the onset of the first arthritis attack

a couple of months later. What makes it even worse, deficiency of energy in the Kidney organ leads to more fear and anxiety, pulling the patient in a vicious circle. What fear does to the Kidney, worry does to

the Spleen.

People get obsessed with the past, isolate themselves, leading to a crash down of energy in the Spleen.

What follows next is the common nightmare of the Candida patient. As a child, most of these patients are subjected to an increased antibiotic intake and our modern diet with preservatives and sugars.

Most of the symptoms will appear a couple of years later, but sometimes immediate yeast-related signs surface: mood swings, depression or suicidal tendencies. The sudden mood swings are the most startling symptoms.

Patients look and act joyful at 10 a.m. and are threatening to kill themselves by 14 h. We can understand the skepticism and disbelief of professionals and family; nobody, not even the patient, expects these sudden variations.

At the end, the patient self is convinced that s/he had become crazy: it is the only possible answer on this yo-yo behavior.

You know where the real problem of the Candida patient starts?

Most of these victims, especially in the beginning stages, look too healthy, too handsome . . . In fact, they look too good to have any kind of disease! This is the Catch-22: outwardly, it does not look like a disease.

And, for the text-book physician, looking for objective signs, he hardly finds them. How can you see "fogginess" in the brain, burning urination, severe PMS symptoms, decreased attention span... The most, the patient looks

depressed. "Go shopping'/"Eat a cake',' (how ironic) or "Take a short vacation',' are frequently heard and well meant advices.

The emotion though, that predominates this disease, is ANGER!

All Candida patients have a reservoir of anger, mostly deeply hidden.

There is a need to understand the origin of anger and to seek means of dealing with the factors involved. Do not believe that this anger will always show in violent behaviour.

There are other levels of manifestation of anger: colitis ulcerosa, hypertension, eczema, migraine attacks, depressions and suicidal tendencies can be expressions of this emotion. Most patients will not even admit that

they are angry. However, a lot of their expressions imply underlying anger. "I am bitter the way my doctor treats me" or "I am fed up the way my husband denies this problem',' "It irritates me, I cannot get

any explanation from anyone" are only anger in disguise. In fact, anger, frustration and irritability are all emotions linked in acupuncture to an imbalance in the Liver organ.

However, I feel that it makes more sense to recognize and accept the anger as such. Patients who find no place to put their anger, are ridden by guilt, which offers no relief. Letting the anger out, little by little, is like relieving

some steam. Somebody in a support group said, "Since nobody seems to understand my problem, I stopped talking about it" She might not be aware of it, but there is an immense amount of anger behind this passive

behaviour.

Another manifestation of hidden anger in almost every Candida patient is bodily reactions to it. An almost constant symptom in these patients is the pain in the neck and shoulder region. We know the expression, "You are a

pain in the neck',' these patients actually have pain in the neck because they ARE angry and they refuse to accept it or are not allowed to bring the anger outwardly.

Of course, this chronic disease solicits anger as well from the patient as from the rest of the family, especially the partner. The patient may build up the anger for all kinds of reasons. They feel constantly rejected, are always

questioned and doubted about the existence of this disease, and simply because they are outside the mainstream and do not get their share of the world's excitement and rewards. The partner resents this disease immensely

because it makes him a prisoner in his own house, without having the disease.

They are inconvenienced by their partner's illness, leading to feelings of frustration and resentment.

Why do some of these patients turn out well, while others go completely on the wrong track, socially and healthwise? I believe that we use the frustrations of growing up to form a certain force that will be constructively for

the first group, but destructively for the latter one. Candida patients, as a group belonging to the most abused ones, unfortunately use that energy to manifest their anger, isolating them as "trouble makers',' "nuts',' and "lazy people" Crying spells in a Candida patient are nothing else but an expression of their anger, it is, in fact, in a lot of cases, their sole outlet for it. At least it might trigger more sympathy than overt hostility and irritability, but in essence,

it will be the same. During their whole lives, anger has been built up, there is a whole storage that needs only a small stimulus to erupt in a volcano of stored-up emotions, unfortunately, easily put on the wrong persons.

Children have an easier time expressing their anger, directly towards the person involved. My son, at the ripe age of six, expresses his anger towards me very easily, "I hate you'.' It does not make him a monster, all he is saying is,

"I am angry at you'.'

Returning to the Candida patients, their mood swings can turn into suicidal thoughts. Again, this is the ultimate form of their bottled anger, turned against the self. The anger and frustration can be so big, that they are literally

"trying to kill themselves'/ mainly as an ultimate expression of their anger and dejection, turned inward. What can the patient do to channel this anger in a positive force?

First, the patient has to accept that there is anger. It is my experience that most Candida patients do this. Their first sentence to me is often, "I am angry at all these doctors..." For them to identify the source of this emotion,

is not so difficult, at least not a first hand.

Doctors who are not able to diagnose the disease are the main culprits for their "lost years'.' However, there might be some displacement involvement. I am sure some of these doctors deserve the anger they get for being

narrow-minded and incompassionate. It is typically for abused children to feel guilty. "They must have attracted this abuse because of their behaviour." However, since this anger had no outlet in childhood,

the doctor-patient relationship is perfectly suited to let some steam off and to direct some anger at another person.

Of course, many Candida patients know exactly why they are angry. They have been wandering around for years, suffering with pain, depression, fatigue, but the man they turned to for help, their doctor, failed to recognize

the source of their problems. Once the patient realizes it was NOT "all in his head',' and lost, therefore, years of his life, s/he naturally berates all those doctors for not supplying the help they need.

How can we deal with this anger?

We might confront those doctors that failed to recognize our condition. However, in case of the Candida patient, it might be a catch-22: still now, most doctors deny the existence of this disease, adding fuel to our anger.

So, it might be necessary to find some other outlets for our emotions. Do not fall into the trap that you are angry! Better communication with the direct family to create an immediate support group is a satisfactory solution.

And, it is an excellent idea to take the spouse along to Candida support groups, to meet other people with the same problems. Having gone through these different steps should really solve the problem. Unfortunately, life

is a lot more complex, and theory does not always translate into practice. However, dealing better with your anger will avoid from turning this negative feeling against yourself, therefore, hampering your full recovery.

Drive, determination and a positive mental attitude will prevent breakdowns. The real key to resolve most of the problems for any patient is good communication.

 

[Mary-Jane Sharratt]

My experience prompted me to write my college project on the subject of candida, and its homeopathic and naturopathic treatment.

In the two and a half years since completing the project I have treated almost thirty people exhibiting the symptoms of candida, and I have seen some common themes emerging. Consequently there are certain homeopathic

Remedies I find myself using time and again, with which I have obtained some good results.

Symptoms of candida overgrowth

Candida is the popular term used for an overgrowth of the yeast candida albicans (Chaitow 2003) This yeast is normally present in a healthy person in small amounts and, if kept in balance, it doesn’t cause a problem.

Numerous factors can upset this balance (see below). When the balance is altered, candida overgrowth may result which can cause symptoms of disease.

Candida prefers the warm moist conditions found in the intestines and mucous membranes of the body, and is most common in the ascending colon, mouth, oesophagus and vaginal tract.

There is no accurate data on the number of candida sufferers - many individuals may not realise their symptoms are a consequence of candida. Women are thought to suffer more commonly than men.

The term candida is often used interchangeably with thrush, indicating an oral or genital fungal infection, often with soreness, itching +/o. discharge. There can be candida overgrowth but no evidence of thrush, but other

symptoms will be evident.

The most common indications of the presence of candida are:

• Fungal infections - thrush, athlete’s foot, or fungal problems of the skin or nails

• Digestive problems - lethargy and bloating after eating; excessive wind; food cravings (sweets)/carbohydrates, yeasty food and alcohol; < after eating yeasty or sugary foods

• Environmental sensitivity - food allergies and intolerances; hay-fever and increased sensitivity to smells and chemicals

• Mental symptoms - foggy brain, depression, lethargy, fatigue and mood swings

• Menstrual problems - irregular menstrual cycle; bleeding or excessive discharge between periods and pre-menstrual tension

• Joint pain and arthritis - swollen, painful joints; muscle aching, tingling, numbness or burning

• Ear, nose and throat symptoms - sinusitis, post-nasal drip, itching in nose or ears

• < damp weather, sugar, bread, drinking alcohol, exposure to chemicals, petrol fumes, perfume.

Assessing the presence of candida

As homeopaths we treat the totality of symptoms and not the disease; so whether the symptoms are a result of an underactive thyroid or candida, the most appropriate remedy will be prescribed for the individual.

However, an awareness of the symptoms that indicate candida can be useful when considering nutritional advice or organ sup port remedies. It is also common for patients to believe that their symptoms are caused by candida

overgrowth as, although GPs are often dismissive of it, there is frequent mention of it in the media and a wealth of information on the internet, resulting in self-diagnosis in many cases.

Numerous tests are available to test for candida, but as it is naturally occurring, they are not always accurate. A clinical questionnaire is considered to be one of the best methods of establishing the presence of candida.

It can also be beneficial to refer a patient for allergy testing to ascertain if there is a maintaining cause such as toxicity or a deficiency of a particular vitamin or mineral.

Particular areas to cover if there is a suspicion of candida (Winderlin 1996):

For many years I suffered from severe bloating after meals, and the problem continued even when I stopped eating wheat, and later, dairy products. I finally acknowledged that I had a problem with yeast overgrowth and

embarked on a full, restrictive anti-candida diet, complete with numerous supplements. Although I generally felt well when following the diet, as soon as I began eating ‘normally’ again, the candida symptoms returned.

• Medication - history of using antibiotics, steroids, HRT, contraceptive pill, Mirena coil

• Endocrine imbalance - history of pregnancy, menstrual problems, including bleeding between periods, PMT, hypothyroid symptoms, blood sugar imbalance (weakness, emptiness, dizziness, sweating or nausea > eating)

• Digestive complaints - lethargy or bloating after eating, excessive wind and flatulence, food cravings, (sweets, carbohydrates, alcohol), diarrhoea or constipation, < after eating yeasty or sugary foods

• Fungal infections - history of athlete’s foot, fungal infection of the nails or skin (a yellowing of the nail bed or surrounding skin); oral or genital thrush; vaginal discharge or irritation; rectal itching

• Mental symptoms - mental symptoms of candida should not be used as the sole guiding factor; however, they commonly include depression; poor coordination and balance; forgetfulness; fatigue and lethargy; mood swings

(PMT); diminished libido; sleepiness in the morning

Musculo-skeletal symptoms - include unexplained joint pain or swelling of joint and muscle aches, tingling, numbness or burning

• Ear, nose and throat symptoms - may include post-nasal drip or persistent itching in nose or ears

• Environmental sensitivity - may include allergies or intolerances to a number of foods; hayfever and other allergies (in adulthood); sensitivity to perfume, chemicals, petrol fumes, tobacco smoke

• Modalities:

< damp weather

< eating sugar, bread and other yeasty food

< drinking alcohol

< exposure to chemicals.

What causes candida?

There is unlikely to be any single cause of candida, however the most common ones (or a combination of them) are:

• repeated prescriptions of antibiotics

• exposure to chemicals and toxic metals

• use of hormone-mimicking drugs and creams including the oral contraceptive pill, HRT and progesterone creams

• the presence of parasites in the gut

• excessive stress

• excess sugar consumption

• severe emotional trauma or separation from a parent.

It is common for sufferers of chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes and hypothyroidism to have clear symptoms indicating candida overgrowth.

What is less clear is whether the candida overgrowth contributed to their condition. Case-taking often reveals that the symptoms of candida were present before the symptoms of the chronic disease, so it is

possible that, in some cases, chronic disease is the next stage of systemic candida.

Sugar addiction can certainly be a maintaining cause in cases of candida. It is worth noting that those who claim not to have a ‘sweet tooth’ may get their sugar from alcohol (see Case 1). This is often the case

with men, who may eat little sugar but crave alcohol.

Since completing my college project I have treated 28 patients with clear evidence of candida overgrowth and I began to see some themes emerging. In a short space of time I saw four new female patients,

all of whom were seeking treatment for candida. Two had been adopted in the first year of their life, one had been abandoned by her mother when she was four and the other had been in and out of care for her

first few years. I started getting good results from remedies which helped patients to deal with the issues around separation, such as

Nat-m. Carc. Lac-h. Lac-c.

This prompted me to review all my candida cases, and of 28 patients there were 17 (60%) who had either suffered the death of a family-member at a young age, were adopted or abandoned or are now estranged from

one or both parents after a poor relationship with them in childhood. How significant this is as a cause of candida is impossible to say, but those patients who are no longer showing symptoms of candida report

that they have come to terms with issues from their childhood.

Treating candida

Originally I drew up a treatment plan which included following an anti-candida diet and using a wide range of supplements. However, I now find many of the supplements unnecessary. I often give a digestive support

alongside the remedy best indicated for the presenting complaint.

Many naturopathic texts on candida overgrowth refer to ‘die-off’.

Remedies such as Carcinosin and Nat-m. can be useful in cases of chronic candida where there is history of grief over separation

Excessive stress is a common cause of candida.

This occurs when a rigorous diet and supplementation programme is followed; the excess candida dies and then has to be excreted from the body. Commonly this results in a worsening of symptoms as the

body is unable to excrete the dead yeast sufficiently quickly.

Many patients suffering from severe candida are in a state of low vitality both physically and emotionally and, in my view, expecting them to suffer a worsening of symptoms is not reasonable. For this reason,

at the first appointment, I ensure that the bowels are working effectively so that any die off can be efficiently removed, but I do not impose a rigorous diet.

At the first appointment I will usually prescribe as follows:

• a remedy based on the presenting symptoms (thrush is often the main complaint)

• a digestive support

• if the patient is constipated or stools are inadequate, a remedy specifically to improve bowel action (it may be the same remedy required for the treatment of thrush)

• advice to take a good quality probiotic

• advice to eat regular meals three to five times daily, which will help to stabilise blood sugar levels and reduce cravings

• nutritionally if there is one food that appears to be aggravating the symptoms I recommend that they remove it from their diet (try asking what food they couldn’t live without - this is frequently the one that

aggravates the most). Patients often expect to be given a stringent diet to follow; however, if their energy is low it can be difficult to make significant nutritional changes. Removing one aggravating food can result

in a significant improvement in symptoms.

I have found that giving a deep emotional remedy early in the case can cause aggravations. For example, if a patient who was adopted presented with severe thrush symptoms, Lac-h. may < if given before the thrush has

subsided.

The following remedies have proved useful in treating patients with thrush (see chart, right)

:Frequency and potency depend on the severity of symptoms, but I usually start with C30.

 

Remedies for sugar addiction Keynotes Modalities

Ant-c.: Huge appetite, with over-consumption of food; < heat & cold bathing

Thickly coated white tongue

Bloated after eating with frequent belching

Diarrhoea # constipation

 

Lac-h.: Separation from mother at an early age (either permanent or temporary) < alcohol/before menses/eating;  > from sex, eating

Patients who were not breast-fed. Food/alcohol addiction and issues around food such as history of anorexia or bulimia

The remedy can bring up emotional memories

If an early separation was experienced, keep appointments frequent to sustain a link with the patient

Lyc.: Craves sweets < 16 - 10 h./missing a meal/eating re-heated food/cold food and drinks;

Chilly;

Bloated, distended abdomen > rubbing abdomen/hot food and drinks;

Appetite increases/reduces while eating;

Eats quickly

Nux-v.: Reliance on stimulants < coffee, alcohol, stimulants; > sleep, rest, loose clothing;

Sugar is obtained primarily from alcohol

Over-indulgence in rich food

Food has significant impact on mood (the patient may not acknowledge this)

Sacch.: Secretive addiction < morning/warm weather/eating/sugar/chocolate;

> evening/eating/after breakfast;

Suppressed anger

Ailments from grief/disappointment

Insatiable appetite (sweets)

Indigestion and hard, swollen abdomen

Can be taken every time a craving becomes over-whelming

Syph.: History of addiction to sugar and < night/damp/other stimulants; > daytime;

Sabotages own efforts to eat healthily

 

Remedies for thrush Keynotes Modalities

Ars.: Acrid, thick yellow leukorrhoea < standing/after midnight;

Restless

Thirsty

Borx.: Oral thrush < fruit, tobacco

Ulcers

Dry, cracked tongue with a bitter taste

Craves sour food

Calad.: Most commonly used to help smokers to give up, this remedy affected area

> masturbation, rubbing the also has the symptom of itching of vulva and vagina with burning

China.: Candida symptoms < diarrhoea been present since food poisoning or after a severe bout of diarrhoea, even if this occurred months or years ago

Recommend 6c daily for 2 to 4 weeks

Helon.: Foul, curdled, lumpy leukorrhoea < pregnancy; pressure of clothes

Vaginitis with backache and > keeping busy; holding abdomen consciousness of womb

Urinations with burning and frequent desire

Kreos.: Foul, acrid leukorrhoea which stains < 18 - 6 h./cold/rest/menses;

Craves smoked food > warmth/hot food

Pressure in region of spleen

Lac-c.: Feels dirty, self-loathing < night/cold air;

Useful for cleansing toxicity (pesticides)

Vulva is sore and itchy with discharge

Tender breasts, particularly before menses

Lacks confidence and may be confused with Lyc.:

Med.: Thin discharge with fish-brine smell Itching > rubbing and bathing

Itchy vagina < daytime/damp conditions;

Thirsty

Craves sweets and oranges

Particularly useful for cases of thrush after a new sexual partner or after multiple partners

Morgan gaertner.: All bowel nosodes are useful > passing wind; hot food

But Morgan gaertner in particular is excellent for treating symptoms of candida which appeared since antibiotics.

Similar to Lyc. seems to have a deeper action on the digestive tract.

Recommend 30c daily for 5 days

Nit-ac.: Acrid, offensive discharges and redness < milk

Splinter-like pains

Itching, burning foreskin

Vaginal itching after sex

Offensive smell of urine

Plat.: Painfully sensitive genitals, which < touch; sex cannot bear touch

The avoidance of sex is likely to be a big issue for the patient suiting this remedy – they will tell you about it!

Puls.:

Thick, bland or yellowish-green < rich foods

discharge > fresh air; company

Thirstless

Sep.: Leukorrhoea with large lumps < before menses/sex/touch;

Bearing down feeling in abdomen > crossing legs/vigorous exercise + vinegar, sweets

Often useful for women who feel irritated by their husband and/or children

Staph.:

Thrush after sex, particularly if < grief/anger/indignation/after sex;

relationship is problematic, or after emotional upset or indignation

Thuj.:

Profuse, thick, green discharge < cold; damp heat; sweets

Very sensitive vagina > warmth

Male: sweetish smell of genitals, and offensive smell of semen

 

 

Vorwort/Suchen                                Zeichen/Abkürzungen                                    Impressum

 

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