Candida: Ill Health Begins in the Gut

Candida Albicans: Usually found in the intestines in small amounts in a healthy bowel. It is a fungus, yeast or mold depending on what you want to call it. 
Candida has in the alternative health community, been known for a long time to cause a huge array of health problems.  You can find lists of symptoms anywhere on the net.  I believe the list of symptoms should be a long as my list of the side effects of eating carbs and more!
However Candida is only just starting to be recognized in the general medical community.


This is an abstract from a recent study confirming the inflammatory effects of Candida on the bowel and the many diseases that are connected to this infestation:
Inflammation and gastrointestinal Candida colonization.

Kumamoto CA.

Source

Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA. carol.kumamoto@tufts.edu

Abstract

Candida organisms commonly colonize the human gastrointestinal tract as a component of the resident microbiota. Their presence is generally benign. Recent studies, however, show that high level Candida colonization is associated with several diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Further, results from animal models argue that Candida colonization delays healing of inflammatory lesions and that inflammation promotes colonization. These effects may create a vicious cycle in which low-level inflammation promotes fungal colonization and fungal colonization promotes further inflammation. Both inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal Candida colonization are associated with elevated levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17. Therefore, effects on IL-17 levels may underlie the ability of Candida colonization to enhance inflammation. Because Candida is a frequent colonizer, these effects have the potential to impact many people.

Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

General theories and treatment to get rid of this yeast is to
use anti fungals and to replace bacteria with probiotics.
-but Candida Feeds on Carbohydrates!

In people who have over eaten large amounts carbohydrates or who were born to mothers who were infected with Candida, it is not only found in huge amounts in the bowel but also elsewhere in the body where it causes all sorts of trouble.

This little critter cannot be killed, beaten or surprised by an attack of anti fungals.  It just does a metamorphosis and becomes a little different therefore eluding all attempts at it's eradication.
Try to temporarily starve it out and what happens when you start to eat "normally again"?  It comes back.


And so it should.  Why?  Because this little critter is trying to save your life.
The digestive system wasn't designed to digest such a huge load of carbohydrates and
doesn't actually have the where with all to do so.  It is designed to digest mostly protein, fats and a little carb.
Now that your intestines are absolutely loaded with carbs, which includes fibre in the form of cellulose, if has to figure out how to deal with all this so it ferments it with, yes, Candida Albicans.


Candida Albicans doesn't stay in the bowel to try and digest all those carbs it spreads itself around anywhere it thinks it can help.   After all it must save (you) it's host in order for it to survive.


This is why this is a program for life.  This program has the food your digestive system was designed to digest.  If you go back to eating high amounts of carbs again, you will again start growing Candida so you body can deal with it.
Simple as simple.  You can't eradicate Candida but you can cease to give it nourishment. While ceasing to give Candida nourishment you can nourish your body with good foods that don't nourish Candida.  Your body will heal, and Candida  will exist only in small amounts like the body used to have when healthy.


You will need supplements to build you body back to a healthy state
Using this program which includes good nutrition, and supplements your body will be built back up to where you were when you were healthy.  This could be as long as before birth depending on what your parents handed down to you through their own health problems.


When your body is working correctly and is not overburdened by toxins it can then exist on good foods alone.  Up until that point you will need to use additional supplements to heal.


An example of this was evidenced by my husband who used to have a huge need for Vitamin B before he went on this programme.  It would manifest as very sore gums (he's had false teeth since his teenage years due to excessive coke drinking and passive smoking as a small child from his dad's cigarette habit)
Sometimes he would need many Vitamin B tablets a day to get his gums to stop hurting.  Thanks to this program he no longer gets this huge need for this vitamin.  He is still healing though and we have our usual healing dose of  this vitamin.

What you might feel emotionally and how to help yourself

My acupuncturist was talking to me the other day and told me a story of a woman he treats who has been eating really well for 3 years.

 

She told him that, after being on a really good diet for 18 months, she was horrified when she found herself going into a cake store and buying a whole cake and stuffing the whole thing in her mouth as fast as she could. She said she couldn't seem to stop herself. She was berating herself mercilessly because it made her feel so terrible and she felt so sick.

My acupuncturist said one thing to her and to me,  he said,

 "You need to attend to that part of yourself that got comfort from foods you ate as a child. That part of you still needs comfort but you need to find a different way of getting that comfort. You can't just ignore that place hoping it will go away because it won't." 

When you start this program you probably will have feelings of deprivation and possibly depression.  If you can become aware of these feelings at the time then it is a really good idea to find some form of replacement for that nurturing  that you received from your comfort food.  

We need to retrain our minds to come up with other ways of nurturing our child other than food.


Important: Biochemical speaking make sure you are getting plenty of B vitamins like the ones I have recommended.  Or eat lots of beef liver.  Depression and low energy can be caused by not having enough of B-6, B-12 and Folate. 

The LCHF foods on this program are not addictive like carbohydrate foods.  I'm betting that most of the foods you have found comforting will have been pretty high in carbs.
It is not likely your comfort food was spinach or nuts!

You won't find yourself craving an egg or a curry  but you will come to really enjoy your food none the less.

Other peoples reactions
When you start having some great healing from this diet you will want to tell people what you have done.  Be prepared for some flack.  Some people can be very protective over there carbohydrate addiction.  
My Story-

  I was going through a really hard time at the beginning of this program, feeling really tired, doing a lot of healing and emotionally going through the withdrawal of the loss of my comfort foods (carbs). Right at this time my best friend told me that people can't live without carbs as they are absolutely necessary for life. I told him I was still eating carbs but only vegetables.  He ignored this and went on with telling me that it's just not natural to not eat carbs and people can't be happy without them.  It wasn't because he was mean, it was simply that he couldn't imagine himself without his comfort carbs.  
Funnily enough I finally encouraged him to start the programme as he is pre diabetic, overweight and always getting sick.  Although he loved bacon and eggs for breakfast and he lost a lot of weight, he wouldn't give up the fruit and so his addiction won out and he went back to his old high carb diet again.  Back to a muffin and latte for breakfast!  
"My body knows what to eat!"
People will tell you they know what their body needs and it lets them know what they need to eat, so they don't need help with their diet.  Of course they will say this and then in the next breath tell you of some ailment they have.
 If we were able to eat right from childhood the above statement would be true.  
However there are learned aspects of the hunger drive. These can be blamed on early childhood parental practices, in which parents put babies out of touch with the natural physiology of when, what, and how much to eat. Humans have this natural mechanisms, but humans have learned not to pay attention.
"Oh I've tried that", people will say

and then they proceed to tell you how it wasn't right for them.  Of course they usually haven't kept it up for very long because they start to have carb withdrawal symptoms and they think it't because their body doesn't like being off carbs.

 "The more technical term for carbohydrate withdrawal is “keto-adaptation,” because the body is adapting to the state of ketosis that results from eating fewer than sixty or so grams of carbohydrates a day.  This reaction is why some who try carbohydrate restriction give it up quickly. (“Carbohydrate withdrawal is often interpreted as a ‘need for carbohydrate,’ ” says Dr Westman.  “It’s like telling smokers who are trying to quit that their withdrawal symptoms are caused by a ‘need for cigarettes’ and then suggesting they go back to smoking to solve the problem.”)"

Quote from Gary Taubes author of Why We Get Fat.

Addictions for Wheat and Sugar
Some people can even get quite angry  when given the possibility that they could give up their comfort carbs. See my post on wheat and gluten for more information on this.
Sugar cravings for some people are similar to Heroin addiction cravings.
My Story-
I got the weirdest cravings in the beginning of the program.  I had given up gluten (bread) a quite a few years ago, so I was surprised when the visions of food I had was this white toast with margarine that I once had in my childhood.
 Hey, I can understand perhaps a buttery croissant craving, but give me a break, white toast and margarine? 
But then I realised there was a big emotional component to this craving, because it was a point in my childhood where my mum was working all the time at a hospital, I was lonely, but I was allowed to go to the hospital kitchen where the cook (she was nice to me) let me eat all this white toast (we only ever has wholemeal at home) and huge amounts of margarine (we only had butter at home).  
This was my comfort food at that time and that memory was being resurfaced because it was an old way I got comfort in a time of need.  I guess the feelings of needing comfort were surfacing because I wasn't squashing it down with any normal comfort foods.


Ways to Nurture yourself:
Stop eating all sweet things.  This is vital and will enable your addiction to abate and you will not longer crave carbs.


  Instead you could:      

•  Watch an inspirational movie
•  Watch or read something funny
•  Having a cup of good decaf with cream
•  Listening to my Daily Practice for Self Nurturing- here 
•  Journal your thoughts and feelings and needs
•  Read a great awe inspiring book
•  Go for a stroll really looking at your surroundings and appreciating them.
• Get support from a good friend who understands how important this program is to you and your health.

To download my Audio 'Daily Practice for Self Nurturing' right click the mousse on 'here'  above and go to 'save link as'
Here is a pdf list of Feelings and Needs to use with my Daily Practice for Self Nurturing.

  

Avoid TV commercials of other people eating.  Eating, is an overt and socially learned behaviour. Often we humans eat when others are eating, even if we are not hungry. Also advertisers use pictures of people eating when advertising food to get you to eat their food even if your aren't hungry.  

Go to celebrations having already eaten a full meal and bring something to munch on also.

Food is associated with celebrations, and usually food is part of the celebration. In most cultures, it is not acceptable to say "no thank you" to a dessert, such as a birthday party for example.  You will need to make a stand for yourself at this point. 

 Say something like, "I'd love to have some cake, but my doctor would kill me."  

Unconscious Eating
You may find yourself eating something before you actually become aware of what you are doing.  Forgive yourself and get back to the program right away.


If you cheat forgive yourself!
More than likely you will cheat sometimes.  Don't use it to give yourself a hard time nor to give up.  Yes, you have made it harder on yourself physically but no need to make it harder on yourself emotionally.


Keep a journal
 The road to health, despite so many in the Low carb community saying it's only the beginning which is rough, has its low points every now and again.
The road to great health will take time and there will be moments that you feel fantastic and THEN...there will me moments of healing reactions.  
These moments will often come just after a time when you have been feeling good because its then your body has reached a place where it can now do some more healing.  Thus the healing reactions.
At the very start of this program think of all your health challenges and write them down in a health journal.
You will need your journal because it will remind you of all the health problems that have already disappeared and so reinforce your commitment in the times when things aren't quite so easy. 
I guarantee you will forget the health challenges that quietly disappear.
I have had to remind my husband, of many of his health problems that have gone.  I would ask him, "How's your scaly head?, which he had had for more years than we have been married. "Oh it's gone", he says.  He just didn't and still can't remember ailments that have gone unless I remind him.


And most biggest of all: Get Support from others who are successfully on the program
It is so important to have peer support from others who have gone through the same problems as you and have come out the other side while being on this program.
No matter how silly the question might seem I can guarantee others have gone through something similar and can be there to reassure you.
This is something I would like to offer you on this Blog.


And last but not least check out some of the other Blogs online to see there are some really sane people doing the same program as you
For instance Dr Michael Eades has a blog and does the program himself: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/#
Dr Jay Wortman also has a blog.  He did a study and movie using this diet on Eskimos.
He and his family are dedicated HFLC's:

What you can expect for a LOW FAT, HIGH CARB diet

The reason for the Low Carb, High Fat Program that I recommend comes from the myriad effects eating a High Carbohydrate and Low Fat diet has on the body. 


Firstly, what are Carbohydrates (Carbs)? 
Although people talk about carbs I have found they don't really know what they are.
When you understand what a carb is you will understand why they are not good for you.


Carbohydrates are classified as either simple or complex.
Examples of simple carbs are sugar and honey.  
Examples of complex carbs are food in many foods including potatoes, bread and grains.  
Simple carbs contain one sugar molecule, or two sugar molecules linked together.
Complex carbs contain many sugar molecules linked together called polysaccharides.
But all carbohydrates act like sugar in our bodies.
Complex carbs will break down more slowly than simple carbs, but they will break down into simple sugars.
Carbs are simply different forms of sugar.
So lets get real about carbs - they are sugar!


What are Fats?
Fats are also called oils. 
Fats protect the body from toxins, they help to balance the hormonal system,
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be digested, absorbed, and transported in conjunction with fats. Fats are also sources of essential fatty acids, an important dietary requirement.

There are two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated.
Examples of unsaturated fats are soybean and canola oil. They incorporate polyunsaturated oils. We are told these are 'healthy' oils.  These oils are highly unstable especially when extracted and easily go rancid.  With rancidity they become free radicals in the body.


Examples of saturated fats are coconut oil and lard from animals. We are told these a dangerous oils.  Some saturated fats provide medium chain triglyceride's (MCT oil) which some experts are starting to believe are actually an essential fatty acid in some people.  For example, people with metabolic syndrome, diabetes and Alzheimers disease (type 3 diabetes).
Formula fed to babies now include MCT oils as it has been found essential to babies health.
Mothers manufacture this fat in their breasts for breastfeeding.


There is also a third fat called Transfats 
Examples of Tranfats are margarine,  and any partially or fully hydrogenated oils.
The process of hydrogenation is used to harden vegetable oils for use in processed food, etc and to lengthen shelf life.  Although this process does make vegetable oils stable, unlike polyunsaturated oils, is also becomes a unrecognisable substance to the body and as such becomes very damaging.


We have been told for many years that saturated fats are very bad for us
This was  a ruse begun in the 1970's by a scientist called Ancel Keys who conducted a study using 26 countries for data collection.  His study was to find out the dietary reasons for heart disease. 
The only trouble is he only put his attention on 6 out of the 26 countries, the ones that concurred with his hypothesis.  If he had not been working with and for the soybean industry he would have come to a completely different dietary conclusion.  He would have found that is was a high carb/sugar consumption not a high saturated consumption that was the cause of dietary heart disease.
For reasons of industrial might (Monsanto), he was able to get his flawed message out to the masses and we have been followed his extremely flawed argument about 40 years. 


This is a list of the many health problems associated with a high carb, low fat diet:
Eating low carb, high fat can-

• Suppress the immune system.
• Upset the body’s hormonal balance.
• Cause infertility.
• Cause menopausal hot flushes.
• Contribute to menstruation problems.
• Lead to Alzheimer’s disease
• Lead to Dementia
• Lead to eczema.
• Lead to psoriasis.
• Lead to dermatitis.
• Contribute to Autism.
• Contribute to ADHD.
• Contribute to and acne.
• cause itchy skin rashes.
• Upset the body's mineral balance.
• Cause hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties, and crankiness in children.
• Cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
• Adversely affect children's school grades.
• Produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
• Contribute to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
• Cause kidney damage.
• Cause kidney stones.
• Reduce helpful HDL (high density cholesterol)
• Increase small LDL (low density cholesterol) (Not to be confused with light fluffy LDL’s which are helpful to the body)
• Lead to chromium deficiency.
• Cause zinc deficiency.
• Cause copper deficiency.
• Cause iron deficiency.
• Increase the bodies need for Vitamin B
• Increase the bodies need for Vitamin C
• Interfere with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
• Lead to cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, and rectum (all glucose (sugar) feeding Cancers)
• Can cause colon cancer with an increased risk in women.
• Be a risk factor in gall bladder cancer.
• Increase fasting levels of blood glucose.
• Weaken eyesight.
• Raises the level of a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which can narrow blood vessels.
• Cause hypoglycemia.
• Produce acidic stomach.
• Raise adrenaline levels in children.
• Increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and gray hair.
• Lead to alcoholism.
• Produce tooth decay
• Increase tartar growth on the teeth.
• Contribute to weight gain and obesity.
• Increase the risk of Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
• Lead to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
• Cause a raw, inflamed intestinal tract in person with gastric or duodenal ulcers.
• Cause arthritis.
• Cause asthma.
• Cause candidiasis (yeast infection).
• Lead to an unbalanced ratio of bacteria in the intestines.
• Irritate the intestines.
• Lead to the formation of gallstones.
• Lead to the formation of kidney stones.
• Cause ischemic heart disease.
• Cause appendicitis.
• Exacerbate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
• Exacerbate the symptoms of Epilepsy
• Indirectly cause haemorrhoids.
• Cause varicose veins.
• Elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraception users.
• Lead to periodontal disease.
• Contributes to osteoporosis and osteopenia.
• Contributes to saliva acidity.
• Cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
• Leads to a decreased glucose tolerance.
• Lead to decrease growth hormone.
• Can increase total cholesterol.
• Lead to increase in systolic blood pressure.
• Causes the body to retain sodium in the kidneys.
• Change the structure of protein causing interference with protein absorption.
• Cause food allergies.
• Lead to diabetes.
• Cause toxaemia during pregnancy.
• Contribute to eczema in children.
• Can cause cardiovascular disease.
• Impair the structure of DNA.
• Cause cataracts.
• Cause emphysema.
• Cause atherosclerosis.
• Cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.
• Lowers the enzymes' abilities to function.
• Cause the loss of tissue elasticity and function.
• Cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
• Increase the amount of fat in the liver.
• Increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
• Overstress the pancreas, causing damage.
• Increase the body's fluid retention.
• Cause constipation.
• Cause myopia (near sightedness).
• Compromise the lining of the capillaries.
• Cause hypertension.
• Cause headaches, including migraines.
• Cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind's ability to think clearly.
• Cause depression.
• Increase insulin responses in those consuming high-carb diets compared to low-carb diets.
• Increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.
• Increase blood platelet adhesiveness, which increases risk of blood clots.
• Lead to low hydrochloric acid in the stomach
• Cause hyperinsulinemia
• Cause diabetes.
• Cause an enlarged prostate, BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia)
• Cause less than optimal nutrition.
• Contribute to skin cancers.
• Can lead to age spots.
• Cause brain fog.
• Cause a weak bladder.
• Cause weak rectal muscles.
• Interfere with sexual libido.
• Cause thrush.
• Causes inflammation
• Can cause GERD
• Can cause Hypothyroidism

This list is by no means inclusive of everything that eating carbohydrate foods have been linked to in studies and anecdotally by many peoples testimonials.


So you were saying...about that new bread you found at the bakery....?
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