# IBS and Candida



## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

I was just wondering if anyone has ever had an IBS flare up and contracted Candida because of it? I believe the antibiotics I used for my dental work up disturbed my IBS and every since then I have had symptoms of Candida, earaches, mouth and throat issues. Have an appt. soon but just wondering.


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## Brownish72 (Aug 26, 2012)

Did you get relief while on the antibiotics?


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

No. It was after taking the antibiotics from having dental work, that I got a bad IBS flare up and symptoms of Candida. I was wondering if anyone else experienced this. I am finally better from IBS flare but unfortunately still having issues with what I think is Candida. Going to doctor this week.


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## rellybelly17 (Jun 10, 2011)

I swear they are related....antibiotics alllllways make me flair because they kill the good bacteria that I already have so little of. Also, I have noticed that whenever I am having a really bad time with flairs, I get a yeast infection too (sorry if tmi). I take a probiotic every day and avoid antibiotics like the plague....like I will not take them unless I am dying.


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanx for sharing rellybelly17. It's not tmi because that's the best part of these kind of groups. It's nice to know we are not alone with these symptoms. Usually antibiotics don't bother me but I had to take 2 rounds of them a week and a half apart. One before dental work for a week then one round right after. Sad part is that I still have more dental work that needs to be done. I do not want to take the antibiotics.


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## rellybelly17 (Jun 10, 2011)

What sucks is that you have to take them, you don't want an infection....hopefully you will get back in balance soon!


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanx rellybelly17! I will be so glad just to get what I think is Candida in my mouth taken care of. The antibiotics disturbed a lot of things I guess. I know my tongue, throat, mouth and ears have never been like this before and it all started with the second round of antibiotics. It just didn't set right in my stomach. Started my acid reflux to act up then IBS. So basically my stomach, throat and mouth all because of an antibiotic that never use to bother me. Just want some relief.


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## rellybelly17 (Jun 10, 2011)

It will all be over soon! Just let your doctor know next time how badly you react to them and maybe they will consider some other options next time. I like yeast best when it is only in bread lol


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Lol. Me too rellybelly17. Lol


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

I'm a little late to this conversation, but I just joined the forum and I really want to add to the topic...

I have both IBS and Candida... Just like you, Rellybelly, I always have IBS flair ups after I take antibiotics because the antibiotics kills off what little good bacteria that I have left in my gut after years of IBS. The doctor that I'm seeing now doesn't want me to take any more antibiotics unless it's absolutely necessary. I also always get yeast infections when I take antibiotics, and I've had yeast infections that JUST WONT GO AWAY... literally for months.

Finally my new doctor diagnosed me with a Candida infection, and put me on Candicin to fight the infection and kill off the yeast in my body. The problem is that my IBS is flairing up really badly right now -- and so between the IBS flare ups and my body's reaction to the Candicin, I couldn't handle all the symptoms. I think the yeast that was getting killed off and dumped into my bloodstream even caused the IBS to worsen. So, my doctor wants to dial it back -- get my IBS under control first, then treat/kill off the Candida infection with the Candicin.

I have, however, found a diet that helps to naturally kill off yeast in the body. I left the book at home (I'm at work right now) so I don't have it in front of me, but basically it involves eating less meats, starches and fruits (high in sugars which feed the yeast infection, encouraging yeast to grow) and eating a lot of vegetables for a while (not forever). I'm going to try to include more vegetables in my diet and see if I can naturally reduce the yeast in my body, and then eventually go back to taking the Candicin.

If either one of you is interested in the low-yeast diet, I can post it later.


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

@ SLaurenAlise, yes I would be very interested in the diet. Please post when you can. I would appreciate it. My new doctor seems to have no interest in listening to all my ailments. I am getting a new one soon.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

I will post the specifics of the diet either tonight or tomorrow.

I will say this about getting a new doctor, though -- I think that if you have a multitude of health problems like I do (and it sounds like you do, too), it makes sense to consult a doctor who looks at the whole picture. I am tired of seeing specialists who only focus on a few of my symptoms/problems and don't take the time to consider how one aspect of my health impacts another aspect of my health. I currently have to see a nephrologist (for my kidney problems), a GP (general practitioner, for my high blood pressure), a hemotologist (because I'm anemic, stemming from my IBS), and a handful of other doctors, which gets to be very tiresome. Thankfully, my nephrologist and my hemotologist seem to be more holistic-minded and ask about the current state of my IBS and other problems when I go to see them, and my GP listens to all the details when I fill him in about what all the specialists have said, and then basically goes along with what the other doctors have already decided to do. So I feel pretty good about eventually having found at least a few doctors to consider the whole picture. All the systems in your body are interconnected in a million different ways, though, so I've decided that from now on, I'm not going to go without some kind of holistic doctor. I've just started to see a naturopathic doctor who practices homeopathy, Chinese medicine, accupuncture, Ayurvedic medicine, and works as a nutritionist. I'm not on board with the accupuncture and I don't really agree with the philosophies beyind homeopathy, Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines, but my doctor also has training as a nutritionist and I think that alternative medicines teach the doctor to focus on the whole picture, so I'm seeing how this works out. Whether or not you want to try alternative medicines, I would suggest looking for some kind of doctor that practices holistic medicine.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Here's the info on the diet guidelines for Candida Infections:

Cndida infections are a very common disorder that affect the gastrointestinal tract. The problem arises when there is an overgrowht of the yeast candida, which causes the condition of chronic candidiasis, or yeast syndrome. Infections can occur after taking antibiotics that destroy the friendly bacteria in the gut that keeps candida in check. Pregnancy and birth control pills also inhibit the body's ability to keep candida under control. Candida overgrowth and infections can also result from more indirect causes, such as a lowered immune system that gives the candida an advantage. Finally, other causes of candida include: eating disorders; laxative abuse; fasting; starvation; and excessive consupmption of artificial sweeteners, MSG, sugary foods, refined foods, canned foods, smoked foods, preserved foods, or fried foods.

*Foods that Aggravate Candida Infections*

Many foods can aggravate and exacerbate candida symptoms. Steer clear of anything made with yeast, as well as the following foods:


Pickled, smoked or processed meat
Pickled fish, such as herring
Bread, past and other gluten products
Vinegars and salad dressings
Mayonnaise
Chutney
Cream of wheat
Cheese
Melons and grapes
Bruised or moldy produce
Honey and other natural sweeteners
Mushrooms
Refined sugars
Peanuts and peanut butter
Pistachios
Tea and coffee, except herbal tea
Fruit juice

If you have a yeast overgrowth problem, you should also limit your consumption of non-sugary fruit, such as apples and grapefruit, to two pieces a day. Avoid fruit juice, which is loaded with sugar. Instead, enjoy nutrient-rich vegetable juice, which inhibits the growth of candida.

*Veggies that Fight Candida Infections*

Not only do vegetables starve the candida of its sugar and mold diet, they also absorb fungal poisons and carry them out of your body. Vegetables that may actually inhibit the growth of candida include raw garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli, turnip, kale, cucumber, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, peppers, celery, radish, eggplant, asparagus, spinach, zucchini, okra, tomatoes, and avocados. Eat them raw, cooked, or juiced to enjoy the benefits.

If you have a candida infection, avoid startchy vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams, corn, squash (except zucchini), beets, peas, parsnips, and beans (except green beans). They all contain sugar and can lead to candida overgrowth.

*Protein Consumption to Help Fight Candida Infections*

As part of your plan to starve the candida yeast, eat plenty of high-protein meals like organic fresh chicken, beef, fresh fish, and eggs, which are fere of sugar and mold and will fill you up while limiting the growth of candida.

If you need to lose weight, low-carb diets can also help reduce or eliminate candida by limiting the amount of sugars that you consume. In addition, nuts and seeds can help starve out candida and restrict its growth. Avoid peanuts and pistachios, as they tend to have higher mold content than other nuts.

Live yogurt cultures, probiotics, are a class of supplement that helps your gut repopulate the good bacteria it relies on to keep candida under control. The live bacteria in the yogurt will crowd out the candida yeast and help restore balance to your system.

Finally, green algae, including spirulina and chlorella, may be the most ancient organisms on earth, but they're also some of the current cures for candida. Scientists now know that green algae can restore balance to your gut and boost your immune system.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Now keep in mind that this "Candida DIet" doesn't take into account our IBS -- the challenge for me in implementing this diet is that a lot of the veggies that are good to fight candida are trigger foods for me (asparagus, kale, celery, eggplants, spinach, etc.) But if you can more or less follow these dietary guidelines, it should help. Good luck and let me know if you have any success!


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Thank you very much. I was noticing that a lot of the veggies are triggers. I'll just ease the ones I can tolerate into the diet. Scared to really eat anything besides yogurt. I will try it. Has a great doctor for years. My insurance changed recently and he does not accept it. Now, i'm kinda grazing the bottom of the barrel but I think I found a good one. I do have Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis and etc...so finding a good doctor is important to me. Thanx for the tip.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

I know the feeling of being afraid to eat much of anything!! Sometimes I have gone days at a time, only eating oatmeal and mashed potatoes!









If you have problems digesting veggies (like me), first try cooking the CRAP out of the veggies, and avoid the ones highest in fiber (like asparagus) even cooked. Heather van Vorous, one of the leading experts on IBS, recommends steaming/cooking all your vegetables, but doesn't go so far as to say to cook them until they're practically mush. When my IBS is really flaring up, though, the safest way for me to eat veggies is to make sure they're very, very cooked.

Next, if you can tolerate cooked veggies, try juicing. Juicing (vs. blending) actually removes the fiber that your body might have difficulty digesting, but allows you to get a lot of the important nutrients that you need. The info about the Candida diet that I provided actually comes from the juicing book that has become my bible: The Everything Juicing Book. There's a lot of information about the nutrients that your body needs in this book and how to address many different health problems with a natural diet. Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/The-Everything-Juicing-Book-delicious/dp/1440503265/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365643785&sr=8-1&keywords=everything+juicing+book

Add one or two veggies into your diet at a time, keep with the yogurt, and try quinoa (which isn't included in the above candida diet, but is a grain that's gluten-free and higher in protein). Quinoa + cooked veggies + low fat meats makes a good, well-rounded meal that fits into the Candida diet.


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Thank you. Gonna try this today. When u get a bad flare up, does it affect your chest and breast area? Ky doc says I also have Gerd. My breasts are soar and i get pain in chest qnd nipple area. This happened with my first flare up too which was last month.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Hmmmm. Weird. Here are my thoughts on that:

1. I had several yeast infections before I ever got IBS, and I never had sore breasts or nipples associated with those yeast infections.

2. I have not had any sore breasts or nipples associated with my IBS, nor have I had sore breasts or nipples associated with yeast infections following my diagnosis with IBS.

BUT

I do know that I've seen (only skimmed, not read up on much as of yet) that there are potentially links between fluxuating hormonal levels and IBS, and that many women experience IBS attacks that coincide or worsen with their period. My guess would be that instead of your IBS causing your sore breasts and nipples, that actually your IBS attacks and sore breasts/nipples are both caused by your fluxuating hormones. Does that make sense?

I would hop on over to the Women's Health Issues Forums on this very site (http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/forum/8-womens-health-issues/), read some of the topics, and see if you can connect with other women whose IBS worsens during their periods. That might give you more answers.

Keep me posted on how you do with the diet!


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

As a matter of fact my period was on when I got this last flare up. I will see if anyone else complained of this. Have an appt in the morning with doctor. I will keep you posted. Thanx


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

There are several things that I find missing in the above discussion.

1) Fats in the diet can make a big difference with Candida. Saturated fats help kill Candida. Polyunsaturated fats help Candida grow in the intestines.

2) You may be sensitive to high oxalate foods like spinach if you have killed all the bacteria that break down oxalates. There are several things you can do about that. Join one of the low oxalate diet groups to learn more.

3) Why are the antibiotics needed? Is it mitral valve prolapse? That is commonly associated with Candida overgrowth. Mitral valve prolapse is also associated with a lack of taurine. Yeast and alcohol get rid of your taurine. However, if you start taurine, do so gradually. It will release toxins. You don't want to release too many toxins too quickly.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Polly,

That's really helpful to know! I think you've just explained why I can't tolerate spinach, even cooked or juiced. I'm going to look for a little more info on high oxalate foods.

It's also good to know that saturated fats help kill Candida, but the problem is that saturated fats are pretty bad for you overall, right? I'd love to know how to integrate saturated fats into my diet in a healthy way in order to help conquer my Candida...


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

Diet is very important when trying to get rid of Candida. However, there are also a lot of natural substances that can help speed the process along. I'm not talking just about things that kill Candida. If you have had Candida overgrowth for some time, it has gotten rid of certain nutrients. Your immune system needs those nutrients in order to eliminate the Candida. If you replace those nutrients, your body will have an easier time of getting rid of the Candida.

For instance, one of the things that Candida gets rid of is Coenzyme A. Oxalates also get rid of CoA. You need the CoA to get rid of the Candida. Pantethine (not pantethenic acid) will help with your CoA levels. Biotin is also needed to help with CoA. Biotin will be low if your oxalate levels are high. Some people on the low oxalate diet list are using very high levels of biotin. Please note, if you take a lot of biotin, you need inositol to protect the liver. If you take a lot of inositol, you need niacinamide to balance the effect inositol has on intestinal movement. Niacinamide slows down the growth of yeast and slows the formation of the yeast biofilm. You need methyl-folate for the body to use the niacinamide. The yeast toxin acetaldehyde interferes with methyl-folate. Sorry, but there is a lot to consider here. The good news is that there is a lot that can be done with nutrients. Take a look at this link. http://healthyawareness.com/thread-hello-some-thoughts-on-getting-rid-of-candida


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

SLaurenAlise said:


> Polly,
> 
> That's really helpful to know! I think you've just explained why I can't tolerate spinach, even cooked or juiced. I'm going to look for a little more info on high oxalate foods.
> 
> It's also good to know that saturated fats help kill Candida, but the problem is that saturated fats are pretty bad for you overall, right? I'd love to know how to integrate saturated fats into my diet in a healthy way in order to help conquer my Candida...


When you get rid of the oxalates in your diet, that might not eliminate your symptoms. The body may start dumping stored oxalates. It will take a while for those to get out of your system. In fact, you might want to take a little of the oxalates to slow down the dumping. The people on the oxalate list are using arginine to help eliminate the pain from the dumping symptoms. However, be aware, that if you use arginine, you need twice as much lysine as arginine, otherwise you encourage the replication of herpes viruses. The herpes viral family can be a very serious problem in some gut conditions. Crohn's and colitis are associated with herpes and parovirus in the intestines, even if these viruses don't show up in the blood. (Epstein Barr, HHV-6, and CMV are the herpes viruses found in these diseases.)

You want clean saturated fats to help you get rid of the Candida. This would be coconut oil, palm oil (not palm kernal oil), organic butter, and fat from cows and sheep fed organic food. Animals store pesticides in their fat. So, if you eat non-organic fat from an animal fed pesticides, you are getting a high dose of pesticides. This is generally more than you would get from eating just some non-organic vegetables. The pesticides have become concentrated in the animal fat. Dr. Mercola suggests that if you need to stretch your organic dollars, use them to purchase organic butter and organic meats. Next in priority would be avoiding the most heavily sprayed produce, like berries, and getting organic there.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

Sorry, I didn't fully address one of your questions. You asked if saturated fat is bad for you overall. No. Clean saturated fat is good for you. You want the majority of your dietary fat to be saturated. Olive oil is monosaturated, and is okay. Polyunsaturated oils like corn oil are a big oxidative stress on the body and they are not okay in large quantities. They aren't even okay even in small quantities if they aren't balanced with some saturated fats. At one time, industry tried to feed us a lot of polyunsaturated oils like corn oil with the marketing strategy that they were "heart healthy." You don't see those ads anymore because they proved that the polyunsaturated oils did the opposite. They harmed the heart. People with heart disease fed those oils were more likely to get worse and die. ( For one thing, the plaque on the arteries is composed mainly of polyunsaturated oils, not saturated oils.) The original reasoning behind the marketing campaign was that polyunsaturated oils lower cholesterol. Well yes, they do. They do so by a toxic effect on the liver, so that the liver cannot create cholesterol. However, when you give a person coconut oil (mainly saturated), cholesterol levels will decrease if the cholesterol levels are high, and they will rise if the cholesterol levels are too low. Yes, cholesterol can get too low. Cholesterol levels below 160 mg / dl is associated with problems thinking and increased mortality. Here is a video on the subject by the Great Plains Laboratory. 



 One of the reasons you want to keep cholesterol levels up is that LDL cholesterol protects the body from the toxins generated in the gut. Another reason is that you need the cholesterol to form your T cells. Unfortunately, the yeast toxin acetaldehyde will lower your cholesterol. Some people have to resort to taking pills of cholesterol to keep their levels up. This theoretically helps get rid of the gut infections.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Wow, you are right... there is a lot to consider here! I am going to try to absorb all this information, then take all of this info with me to my next doctor's appointment. My doctor and I had agreed that the first thing that we have to do is get my IBS to calm down, and then address the Candida infection. My thoughts are to start with the diet high in vegetables that I posted, avoiding starches, etc, even while I am still working to get my IBS under control. Then my doctor and I can set up a diet/supplement regimen that kills off the Candida infection, using all this info.

Thanks for posting! I'm sure that this will be helpful for both me and Nicole 585.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

Almost anything on that anti-Candida list at the healthyawareness site is going to also help get rid of your IBS. However, be careful with Diflucan and other antifungals. The prescription antifungals have made the oxalate problem worse in some people. I don't know for certain why this occurs. It might be the antifungals are increasing oxidative stress and this causes the body to produce more oxalates, or it might be that tne antifungals are killing the bacteria that breakdown oxalates.(Antifungals also have some antibiotic properties. For instance, Diflucan kills H. pylori.)

I don't think IBS and Candida are two separate problems in your case. All the conditions in the body are so very interconnected. Since you know that yeast and probably oxalates are part of your problem, I would start there. For instance, the yeast and oxalates get rid of your CoA. if you increase CoA, your body will be able to create more acetylcholine. The acetylcholine is going to help reduce inflammation and improve the functioning of the phase three migrating motor complex in the gut, which will in turn help you get rid of any SIBO, small intestine bacterial overgrowth. SIBO is well known as one cause of IBS. Also, less inflammation means it will be harder for E. coli to take over the gut.

You can't try every natural supplement in that list all at once. You would be taking 50 pills a day. Plus, you wouldn't know which supplements didn't agree with you. You should only make a few selections based on what you know about yourself, and start there. Start slowly and observe. Later, try something else. There is a long list there to try. However, experience has shown that one of the things you want to try early on is increasing your fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2. These are very important for getting rid of IBS. (Carotene doesn't always increase vitamin A. So get a supplement of vitamin A.)


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

There is something else that I forgot to mention. You are probably low on active B6, and you need it to lower your oxalate production.You should probably try some Active B6 in the form of pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P) or pyridoxamine. (I happen to like Country Life's Active coenzyme B6. It isn't expensive and it has some alpha ketoglutaric acid in it.)

The reason you are low on the active B6 is the yeast. The yeast toxin acetaldehyde interferes with the conversion of B6 into its active form. The active / coenzyme form of B6 inhibits the formation of oxalates from glycolates in the body.


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanx for the info Polly wnd SLauren. My doctor actually told me.to tell my Dentist to use Diflucan. @ Polly, I was using antibiotics because of dental work. Everything was fine until then. I had two rounds of antibiotics one before dental work and one after a week each. Second round of antibiotics made everything go haywire and my stomach and mouth. I will use all this information.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

Hi Nicole,

The dentist probably only gave you one pill of Diflucan. That probably wasn't enough to start a problem with oxalates. It may have prevented the yeast problem from getting worse though. So, I think it was a good idea.

Dentists do not give antibiotics to every patient. As far as I'm aware, they only give antibiotics to patients with a heart problem. They do this just in case some of the bacteria in the mouth make it into the bloodstream and infect the heart. Often dentists only give antibiotics for one day, not a whole week. Did they give you a whole weeks worth of antibiotics????

You have noticed your monthly hormonal fluctuations making a difference with your IBS. That is quite typical if you are estrogen dominant. Here are two books about estrogen dominance. What your doctor may NOT tell you about Menopause and What your doctor may NOT tell you about pre-Menopause. Both books are by John Lee, MD. I like the first book better. I think the information is clearer. Even if you aren't near menopause age, there is a lot of information there that applies to younger women. To help keep you from becoming estrogen dominant, you need enough thyroid. Thyroid also helps you get rid of yeast and IBS. Here is an introductory book on thyroid that you might like. Hypothyroidism: the unsuspected illness by Broda Barnes, MD.

If you happen to have excess bacteria in the small intestine (SIBO), then you might want to consider using calcium-d-glucarate. The liver dumps unwanted estrogen into the intestines for disposal. It often binds the estrogen to glucuronic acid so that the larger molecule won't be absorbed back into the blood stream from the intestines. However, if you have excess bacteria in the small intestine, the bacteria might be of the kind that break that bond. Then the estrogen comes flooding back into the bloodstream. The calcium-d-glucarate stops the excess intestinal bacteria from breaking the bonds between glucuronic acid and estrogen. Hence calcium-d-glucarate improves the body's ability to dispose of excess estrogen, especially if there is excess bacteria in the small intestine.

If you want to try the calcium-d-glucarate, you start with just a tiny amount, and gradually work up to 1,500 mg with each meal. (usually three pills). When you want to stop the calcium-d-glucarate, you also do so gradually. The gradual starting and stopping is so that you don't have a sharp change in estrogen levels. Sharp changes can initiate a migraine. Some people notice very little improvement using the calcium-d-glucarate. Others notice a dramatic improvement. The calcium-d-glucarate not only improves the body's ability to get rid of estrogen, but it also improves the body's ability to get rid of certain drugs. You might ask your pharmacist if the disposal of any drugs you are currently taking would be affected by the calcium-d-glucarate.

Polly


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## celestin (May 20, 2004)

"Another reason is that you need the cholesterol to form your T cells."

>>??only the T cells?!!


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Polly,

Thanks again for posting all that information. I'm starting to read though the info that you posted on the healthy awareness site, but it's taking me a while to get through a process it all!

I'm definitely not planning on trying to take all those supplements at once. My plan is to take this information to my doctor, and then work with her to try one or two of these supplements at a time, along with the Candicin pill that she originally suggested for me.

The ingredients in the Candicin (a Genestra product) are as follows:


Oregano Leaf Oil
Clove Leaf Oil
Ginger Root Oil
Wormwood Leaf Oil
Evening Primrose Seed Oil

I'm curious what you think about those ingredients for treating a Candida infection. The Candicin started to do something for me, as I experienced the beginnings of a vaginal yeast infection when the yeast started to die off and enter my bloodstream, which is how my doctor explained it to me. But then my IBS attacks grew worse as well, and we decided that we needed to step back and treat my condition more slowly so that I wouldn't experience so many difficulties with the IBS.

And just out of curiosity, are you a dietitian or something? Or have you just done a ton of research on your own about Candida?


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

celestin said:


> "Another reason is that you need the cholesterol to form your T cells."
> 
> >>??only the T cells?!!


Your normal cells need the cholesterol too. I mentioned the creation of T cells because these are very important for your immune system. I took some notes from the video on cholesterol that I referenced. If interested, here are the notes:

LDL cholesterol protects the body from the toxins generated in the gut. A blood reading of below 160 mg / dl is considered too low. Low cholesterol is associated with increased gut infections, aggression, premature birth, low birth weight, depression and suicide. Cholesterol is important for temperature control. Cholesterol is important for the production of T cells and for immunity. In particular, cholesterol helps to eliminate tuberculosis, strep and staph infections. Cholesterol is needed for oxytocin to bind to its receptors. Thus it is important for social development. On average, it is low in autism. In this video 



 they gave an example of an autistic child who wanted to sleep all the time until her cholesterol levels were increased. There have even been autistic adults who spoke for the first time when given enough cholesterol. Among the population of autistics who could speak, these people say the cholesterol makes them feel better.

Here is link to information about the cholesterol and heart disease myth. 



 Here is a link to a little written information about the problems with low cholesterol. *www.soniccholesterol.com*

New Beginnings has a pill of cholesterol which you can purchase with the approval of your doctor. If you wish to purchase the New Beginning's sonic cholesterol pills, the company wants your doctor to FAX them a recommendation printed on the doctor's letter head.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

SLaurenAlise said:


> The ingredients in the Candicin (a Genestra product) are as follows:
> 
> 
> Oregano Leaf Oil
> ...


Those are good ingredients. However, you might want to try only one or two at at time. The clove and wormwood are to treat parasites. Those made me dizzy the first time I tried them. However, my doctor said to add American Saffron tea three times a day in-between meals and Slippery Elm tea at night. Those teas allowed me to tolerate the clove and wormwood.

A more gentle approach to starting a Candida cleanse is posted here. http://healthyawareness.com/thread-the-attogram-program?pid=80#pid80 You want to start with things to absorb the Candida and their toxins. One of the things suggested is charcoal. Drink plenty of water with the charcoal, as it may cause constipation otherwise.

You ask my background. I've done a lot of reading about Candida because I used to have yeast overgrowth in my intestines along with plenty of IBS symptoms, lots of food allergies and brain fog. I'm fine now, although it took a long time for me to get better. Now that I know more, I try to educate others about their options for getting well. My formal training is a Ph.D. in System Science Engineering, which is heavily math based. I've no formal training in health. Anything I know there is self taught.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Polly,

That's awesome... I also want to become more knowledgeable about different aspects of nutrition, first for my own sake, but then to share my knowledge with others as well.

I didn't have a particular reaction to the clove and wormwood -- I definitely didn't get dizzy, thankfully! I just started to develop a vaginal yeast infection (as I stated above) as a side effect of the Candida starting to die off. My doctor wanted me to quit the Candicin for now because my IBS is already acting up so badly that she doesn't want me to have to suffer the yeast infection just yet... Once I get my IBS under control, though, I'm willing to just go after the Candida infection full force, even if it means that I have to suffer through a vaginal yeast infection for a while. I'd rather just take the Candicin (as long as it doesn't make me dizzy) and kick this thing in the ass... I can't do that with the IBS obviously, but at least I could finally get rid of the Candida which has gone undiagnosed for years (thanks to all the doctors who haven't bothered to notice the symptoms, which my new naturopathic doctor recognized immediately) but has clearly been impacting my health for a very long time. Does that sound unwise?


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

SLaurenAlise said:


> I just started to develop a vaginal yeast infection (as I stated above) as a side effect of the Candida starting to die off.


I hadn't heard of that happening before. If you take something to kill Candida and then the Candida gets worse, that just doesn't sound very logical.

"I'd rather just take the Candicin (as long as it doesn't make me dizzy) and kick this thing in the ass.."

My experience has been that taking things to kill yeast just doesn't work in the long term. You need to replace the missing nutrition and bring down the inflammation.

I don't know what your doctor means by treating the IBS "first" before going after the yeast. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. For instance, niacinamide should reduce yeast growth and reduce yeast biofilm formation and the niacinamide would bring down the inflammation caused by gram negative bacteria. With less yeast, there will be less PGE2 and less inflammation. With less inflammation, there will be less E. coli. With less E. coli, it will be easier for the immune system to kill the yeast. It is all interrelated. Maybe she just means that the Candicidin was too strong for you and so she will start elsewhere.

Are you taking fat soluble vitamins? I think you would be less likely to react adversely to them compared to the Candicidin.These are very important. For instance, according to Dr. Lars Hanson, in rats, vitamin A deficiency causes

"a contaminated bowel syndrome, accompanied by a very abnormal immune response with IgE antibody formation to the bacteria, dyspagocytosis, increased translocation [leaky gut], and a number of other abnormalities, such as increased nitric oxide production." *

*Hanson, Lars a., and Yolken, Robert H., Probiotics, Other Nutritional Factors, and Intestinal Microflora, Nestle Nutrition Workshop Series, Vol. 42, Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1999,


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Polly,

I think maybe I've mis-stated my doctor's approach a bit -- it's not so much that we're "treating" the IBS first as that we're trying to get my system to calm down first, before we go after the Candida. I started having much more severe IBS attacks after she put me on a fairly intense regimen of probiotics, vitamin and mineral supplements, and the Candicin all at once. We realized that one or more of those supplements was irritating my digestive track, so we are going back to square one and building up my regimen slowly.

Because my intestines have been spasming so much in the past two weeks, I've scaled back to the following regimen:

Morning: Peppermint Oil, Fish Oil, and Vitamin D (gel capsule)

Mid-Day: Peppermint Oil, Fish Oil and Potassium Citrate (prescription)

Afternoon: Ferrum Phos Homeopathic Pellets

Dinner: Peppermint Oil, Fish Oil and Paxil (prescription)

Night: Losartan, Amlodipine and Estrostep (all prescriptions)

As needed: Lycopodium 200c, several Arsenicum Album 6c (the only dosage I could pick up at the store)

I'm debating what I should add into my regimen next, once I am able to go a few more days without any serious attacks of diarrhea. Options include Probiotics, an Iron Supplement, Liquid Vitamin B, Liquid Multivitamin, and Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C). I'm leaning toward adding either the Liquid Multivitamin or the Probiotics back into my regimen next... have any thoughts or suggestions?


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

I have several suggestions.


Careful with the amount of fish oil you are using. Balance it with saturated fat. Perhaps use cod liver oil instead, which would give you some vitamin A and D.
Get more vitamin A, D, E and K2.
Get off the birth control pills if possible.
Get your T3 thyroid levels measured, and perhaps talk to your practitioner about getting a prescription of Cytomel, which is T3 thyroid.
Talk to your practitioner about trying methyl-folate

More details on each of the above suggestions follow:

You are taking fish oil. Sometimes that helps with IBS. However, you need to make sure you are balancing it with enough saturated fat, and that you aren't using very much omega-6 oils. In mice, if you feed them a lot of omega-6 oils , like found in the typical USA diet, then you give the mice fish oil, it actually makes their gut flora worse. Here is the reference.

Of mice and men: Experts challenge omega-6, omega-3 mouse gut health study

Leading omega-3 experts have challenged results of a study with mice that found that a diet rich in omega-6 fatty acids may disrupt gut microbiota, and that supplemental fish oil may make things worse.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Of-mice-and-men-Experts-challenge-omega-6-omega-3-mouse-gut-health-study

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Have you had your vitamin D levels measured? Dr. Stasha Gominak's finds that her patients do best when their vitamin D 25(OH) levels are kept in a narrow range of between 60 and 80 mg/ml. This is much higher than what they define as adequate in a blood test. Here is one of her videos. It is excellent. *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7cbBB1c0IM*

If you are quite low in vitamin D, a typical amount prescribed would be 50,000 IU of vitamin D to be taken three times a week for 6 weeks. Then you need to have your vitamin D level measured again. Most doctors will prescribe D2, which is the only prescription form available. However, vitamin D3 is considered a better form of the vitamin. (Vitamin D3 is available over-the-counter.) The only place I know to get 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 in one pill is from International Anti-aging Systems.

Be aware that when you bring up vitamin D, you are going to increase your absorption of calcium. That is generally good. However, you need that calcium to go in the right place. You don't want it to harden your arteries. You want it used for your bones. Vitamin K2 is going to help you do that. (Vitamin K2 is also anti-inflammatory.) The vitamin D may bring down your blood pressure. So, monitor your pressure when you take this. You might not need your blood pressure medication. If you take blood pressure medication when you don't need it, you might faint.

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Your hormones have probably been thrown off by yeast, Paxil and birth control pills. As you have probably heard, birth control pills and shots are notorious for initiating a yeast overgrowth condition. (If possible, don't use them.) One means by which birth control pills increase yeast growth is by suppressing your conversion of thyroid into its active T3 form. Paxil also suppresses your liver's ability to convert thyroid into its active T3 form. (It does so by increasing the amount of free serotonin.) So, there is a decent chance that you are low on T3 thyroid. Here is an article that says T3 may get rid of depression all by itself. Or it can be used in conjunction with an SSRI. http://www.drmirkin.com/morehealth/G171.htm

You need to talk to your ND about measuring your T3 levels and perhaps getting a prescription of T3. It used to be, that the only T3 prescription in the USA was Cytomel. However, now they have generic T3 prescriptions available. Unfortunately, there are reports of people finding the generic not nearly as effective as the original Cytomel. If you are prescribed T3, you may have to start on the T3 very slowly. T3 thyroid sensitizes the body to adrenaline, thus sometimes it will produce a rapid heartbeat. Most people have no noticeable change in heart rate. Others have to start by just licking the T3 throughout the day. Sometimes more B vitamins or adrenal support will mitigate this type of a reaction.

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The yeast acetaldehyde interferes with methyl-folate. Methyl-folate is sometimes added to help with depression.The methyl-folate is needed for the brain to create its neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Methyl-folate is available as a prescription called Deplin. (See the Deplin website for depression studies).The Deplin pills come in 7 mg and 15 mg. Methyl-folate can also be purchased over-the-counter. Often the over-the-counter price is better, unless you have very good insurance. Lots of companies now sell methyl-folate in pills of about 1 mg. (Do a search on methyltetrahydrofolate). If you need a higher amount, it is cheaper to get a product from Neuro Biologix called Methyl-Folate Plus. (That product also includes some niacinamide and formyl-folate.)

There is a lot of information about methyl-folate or methyltetrahydrofolate at www.mthfr.net At that website, they caution you to start slowly, just in case it doesn't agree with you. Also, they say if your methionine levels are high, you should first start with some pyridoxal-5-phosphate to bring the methionine levels down. If you react poorly to the methyl-folate, they also suggest adding in some niacinamide to mop up the methyl groups.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

Somehow I managed to leave this reference out of the above posting. It is a study of how much vitamin D supplementation is needed to bring up blood levels of vitamin D in a reasonable amount of time.

Evaluation of Vitamin D Repletion Regimens to Correct Vitamin D status in Adults. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2683376


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks again, Polly! I will wade through all this information and try to figure out what's best for my body in particular. Given your suggestion to get more Vitamins A, E and K2, I think I may try adding the Liquid Multivitamin into my regimen next and see how that goes.

I have been tested for Vitamin D, and my GP put me on 5000 IUs daily, which has brought my levels up to an appropriate level, but it unfortunately hasn't helped to lower my (high) blood pressure any demonstrable amount.

I'll talk to my doctor about my T3 thyroid levels and ask if that is a particular concern for me, given my specific health problems. My preference, though, is to stay away from as many prescriptions as possible and stick with vitamin and mineral supplements (which are only a replacement for what I can get more naturally through the foods that I eat, while I am struggling to get my IBS attacks under control and heal my stomach lining).

I am confused, though -- that link that you posted to the study about omega-3s and omega-6s (http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Of-mice-and-men-Experts-challenge-omega-6-omega-3-mouse-gut-health-study?utm_source=copyright&utm_medium=OnSite&utm_campaign=copyright)seems to be contradicting what you're saying, unless I'm understanding you incorrectly. The article is about the researchers and experts that are disagreeing with the initial study.

Here, this Professor Holub is disagreeing with the findings of the study. Also, I haven't actually had my levels of omega-6s measured, but as I eat a diet low in processed foods, carbs and gluten, which is where a large amount of the omega-6s in the American diet are hidden, I am probably not consuming as much of the dangerous levels of omega-6s that doctors and scientists/researchers usually caution us against consuming.

In general, it seems to me that this article is disagreeing with the findings of the study that is in the headline and reiterating the point that fish oil pills and omega-3s are helpful for reducing inflammation, something that my husband and I have also read in the book Inflammation Nation: the First Clinically Proven Eating Plan to End Our Nation's Secret Epidemic by the highly credentialed researcher Floyd H. Chilton, Ph.D.

Am I misunderstanding what you're saying about omega-3s and omega-6s?


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

Nicole585,

Polly and I have sort of hijacked your topic -- but I hope you're getting some use out of all this information, too! How are you doing?


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## Dianaearnshaw (Feb 22, 2013)

Take fresh sauerkraut daily - especially when you are given antibiotics. Best to take it every day - one teaspoon before meals to replace the bacteria that have been destroyed during antibiotic treatment - which is what allows the candida to take a hold in the first place.

PollyH is right - saturated fats do help and for candida, the best one is cold-pressed organic coconut oil.


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

I'm agreeing with the study, not the critics. Well before this particular study came out, I had read that too much polyunsaturated oil, even fish oil, can cause leaky gut. Even before that, I had come to the conclusion that too much fish oil was wrong given my personal experience. I was pretty bad off with leaky gut at one time. (I was tested, and I was allergic / sensitive to every food on the list.) I noticed that fish made me feel better. So, I started eating fish every day. (A lot of sea bass and salmon usually.) After a month, I started to feel worse. So, I stopped eating all that fish and limited my fish consumption to once a week. This same phenomena was observed by a friend of mine who had a lot of food allergies. A little fish helped, but too much made them feel worse.

You might ask why a moderate amount of fish oil usually helps with IBS. Fish oil contains things besides fatty acids. When you read about how wonderful omega 3 oils are, the studies have usually been done with fish oil. (You can't always generalize to other omega-3 oils with these studies.) In the case of fish oil, the reason I think a moderate amount can help is the effect of fish oil on platelets. Fish oil helps to keep platelets from being so sticky. You don't want platelets to stick together too readily. When platelets stick together, they release serotonin into its free state. (Free means it is outside of cells rather than inside. Serotonin in its free state is very damaging to the body.) So, a little fish oil will reduce free serotonin. However, too much fish oil or other polyunsaturated oils will increase the leakiness of cells and more free serotonin will end up in the tissue. Thus, a little fish oil can help reduce this free serotonin problem, but too much fish oil will make it worse. A lot probably also depends on the ratio of the fish oil to saturated fat in the diet. In that study, they were using polyunsaturated oils with the fish oil. Not saturated fats. Little or no saturated fat and lots of polyunsaturated oils was probably why the addition of fish oil was so damaging.

You say that you aren't eating a lot of fat. The ratio of the different types of fat in the diet is very important. So, if you aren't eating any saturated fat, but you are eating a moderate amount of fish oil or omega-6 oils, then this is very damaging. For instance, one of the critics of the fish oil study suggested that perhaps the fish oil was oxidized /rancid. As you know, if you leave fish out of the refrigerator, it goes bad very quickly. What do you think happens to fish oil when it is in a nice warm body with plenty of oxygen? The fish oil would go bad very quickly unless protected. People like Dr. Mary Enig suggest that saturated fat probably affords some protection for the fish oil. You can keep coconut oil sitting on the shelf for a year without it going bad. Try that with fish oil.

Free serotonin is useful if you want to stop bleeding. It causes constriction of blood vessels and initiates fibrin formation /clotting / scar tissue. However, if you aren't trying to stop bleeding, then free serotonin in tissue is pretty detrimental. When cells are exposed to free serotonin, it poisons the cells' mitochondria. This disrupts energy production and causes fatigue. Free serotonin increases an inflammatory cytokine called IL-6. Free serotonin increases blood clotting and fibrin formation. It interferes with microcirculation by causing blood vessel constriction. In the lungs, it causes bronchial constriction. Too much serotonin exposure can interfere with sleep.

This is off topic a bit, but maybe you will find it as interesting as I do. Free serotonin might be a major player in the formation of the hardened / thickened intestinal tissue found in Crohn's Disease. They have found Epstein Barr, increased IL-13, and increased serotonin in the damaged intestinal tissue of people with Crohn's Disease. Epstein Barr increases the formation of IL-13. The IL-13 increases the production of 5-HTP. The 5-HTP increases serotonin production. More serotonin increases the presence of free serotonin. More free serotonin causes fibrosis. This whole sequence of events might be a major cause of the fibrin formation / scar tissue found in intestines of those with Crohn's Disease.

There are things you can do to protect yourself from excess free serotonin. For instance, taurine and magnesium will improve the integrity of your platelets. More calcium and lysine will reduce the replication of Epstein Barr and other herpes viruses. Getting rid of the intestinal irritation will help reduce exposure to free serotonin. Thyroid, protein, carbon dioxide, decreased tryptophan consumption, vitamin B1, progesterone and exposure to light will help reduce your exposure to free serotonin. Glycine will help counter some of the harmful effects of free serotonin. Also, Dr. Raymond Peat suggests that magnesium, niacinamide, taurine, glycine, saturated fats, thyroid hormone, antihistamines, antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory agents can help to reduce or reverse fibrogenic processes.


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## Dianaearnshaw (Feb 22, 2013)

This may be of interest if you think you have any yeast/candida/fungal infections.
http://coconutoil.com/coconut-oil-and-candida-yeast-infections/


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## PollyH (Oct 17, 2009)

I just listened to a series of 7 podcasts by Byron Richards about how to eliminate candida. The lecture is very good, and if you spend the time to listen to the lecture, I think you will be pleased. His list of things to get rid of candida is different than what I presented at the healthyawareness website, although there is overlap. I assume the differences have a lot to do with our experiences. He lists what has helped his patients, whereas my list has a lot to do with what helped me personally and others that I happened to talk to. However, the two of us agree on most of the basics:

1) You have to get rid of the majority of polyunsaturated oils in your diet.

2) Cut down on carbohydrates and sugar.

3) Thyroid and adrenal support is important.

4) Digestive enzymes may help.

I think fat soluble vitamins (A.D, E, K) should also be included in the basic strategy for everyone. He didn't talk about that specifically. Although he did talk about the form of vitamin E called tocotrienol. He did mentioned shark liver oil, which would include some of your A and D vitamins. He did talk a lot about lactoferrin and colostrum. I know lactoferrin and colostrum help some, but when I finally tried it, it wasn't what I needed. Maybe it depends on what stage of healing you are at. Here is the link to his Candida lecture. Enjoy.










http://www.wellnessresources.com/health_classes/candida_class.php


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## Dianaearnshaw (Feb 22, 2013)

Some other useful websites for education are:
*For general health and nutrition*:
www.second-opinions.co.uk
www.westonaprice.org
www.mercola.com

*And for candida (lots of advice here just follow her diet)*
www.doctor-natasha.com/index.php


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Hi. I am doing ok. Just spent hours the other night in the ER for stomach, chest, breast, rib cage and back pain. Doctors did a lot of blood work, EKG and x-rays. Everything came back normal. Said it has to do with my Gerd and IBS. That's when it all started during a flare. I have an appt Monday with GI doctor so I hope everything is alright. Been taking some of the advice you have given. Learning to eat better. It has helped some. Don't think me being a nervous wreck is helping any. But I'll keep my head up. Thanx for all t


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## Nicole585 (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanx for all the info you and Polly have shared. It does help.


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## SLaurenAlise (Apr 10, 2013)

I want to second Nicole's thanks -- Polly and Diana, I'm looking into the info that you posted as time permits. You've given us a lot to explore, and it's been very helpful. Thanks!


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## Akande Tope (Jul 8, 2013)

Hi All,

I found a cure for candida overgrowth.The cure is Jesus Christ.He is the number one healer in the whole wide world.I had all the symptoms of candida and i was miserable for months,along the line i stumbled upon this forum and i read a lot about the treatments

and i even applied most of the treatments but all to no avail.But when i took the sickness to God i was healed of all symptoms.I can eat anything i want now without the fear of candida coming back.I promised God that if He could heal me of every symptoms, i would come to this forum and tell people about him. I want you to know that no matter what you are going though be it candida overgrowth or any other sickness, He can deliver you. All you need do is to confess him as your Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead and you will be saved.After which you can pray to him and ask anything of him and he will do it for you.For further information you can contact me via [email protected]

GOD BLESS YOU ALL


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