New Health Forum Member

Polly: Toxins from intestinal bacteria, parasites and yeast can cause much more than an irritated or poorly functioning bowel. They can initiate fatigue, foggy thinking, muscle pain, depression, food allergies, hypoglycemia, migraines, sinus problems, frequent colds and earaches and/or a whole host of seemingly unrelated symptoms. Often people refer to this grouping of symptoms as the yeast syndrome or candida. (Candida is a type of yeast.) However, there is really a lot more involved to this syndrome than just yeast/candida. The liver, hormones, stress and the food you eat all play a big part in both developing and getting rid of this syndrome. We explore many of these aspects at our Internet site each day.

If you have many unexplained health problems along with some intestinal difficulties, then please picture yourself as a new member at our Internet forum. We offer you a warm welcome. You will probably have a few basic questions such as:

1) Do you think the wrong gut flora could possibly be the cause of my health problems?

2) What causes the yeast syndrome?

3) Why didn’t my doctor tell me that I had a problem with yeast, harmful bacteria, toxins, or parasites?

4) How do I find help?

Confused, Could Use Advice

Chris in Chicago: I have been sick for well over a year and have almost every candida (yeast) symptom. Night sweats are the worst symptom. I have had two different doctors perform all kinds of tests. Basically, they said I had microscopic colitis, but nothing else was really wrong with me. My general practitioner said they use the term microscopic colitis when they don’t know what else is wrong with you. Eventually I went to see a holistic doctor who did a stool test at Great Smokies Mountain Laboratory. The results said I had too much yeast (3+ on their scale) and zero L. acidophilus. He had me start taking all kinds of herbs, supplements and eventually Nystatin. Also, told me to go on the candida type diet, which I did for about three weeks. I guess I’m a little better in terms of energy, but while I was doing that diet I had some weird days where I felt totally spaced out. Even lights looked strange to me. I was also told to do some exercises called eurhythmics.

Anyhow, I had a follow-up appointment with my regular doctor and I showed him the results from the Great Smokey Mountains Lab. He basically told me it was total BS and that I was getting into some quack medicine. I have read how many of you have said you were diagnosed as having candida. I am wondering how that was done. You all seem like reasonable people. This is all terribly confusing to me. I don’t know what to do.

Sarjan: It is very confusing...so confusing...I can relate. I have seen three doctors in the last 4 months and they all tell me chronic candida doesn’t exist. When I got desperate and started paying the yeast doctor dearly out of my pocket, my regular doctor got hostile and angry with me. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what is right and what is quack medicine at this point. What I do know is that after 4 months of itching ALL THE TIME....NONE OF THE DOCTORS KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ME. At least the yeast theory offers me some direction ... something to try ... Good luck… Keep me posted if you do find some good information.

Kathy: Hi, Chris. How people get diagnosed with candida depends to some extent on what their symptoms are. I saw an ear, nose and throat doctor for chronic sinusitis; he also happens to be an allergist who “believes in” candida, so I was tested for allergy to Candida extract along with a lot of other things. I reacted to a number of the extracts, but my strongest reaction was to Candida. The International Health Foundation, Dr. Crook’s organization, has an information packet that includes a letter from Dr. Crook on candida that can be shown to prospective doctors. The letter sums up candida research and the evidence that this is, in fact, a serious illness. I don’t know if it would convince a doctor whose mind is already made up, but it’s worth a try. Even better, the packet also has a list of doctors who treat candida in each state. (Dr. Crook’s website can be found at http://candida-yeast.com.

Susan in Olympia: Chris, I’m kind of in a hurry today, so I’m not taking the time to read the responses you have already gotten. But my 2 cents’ worth: the doctor is the one who is ignorant. The lab tests are empirical and they show what they show (high yeast allergy counts). The results do mean something that has a direct effect upon your health. Don’t waste your precious (scant) energy on trying to educate the closed minded MD. Dump him. Find a doctor who has gone through the process of coming ’round to understanding candidas’ effect on health. Don’t even take two seconds’ time in worrying about that MD’s response. He isn’t living your life... and the problems that you deal with hourly are a mere blip on his screen. Go find help from someone who is able to give it to you. This syndrome is real. It won’t go away just because we don’t believe in it. Until you find help, you will stay the same or go downhill. Onward!! You can get better!! Best to you!

Later --- Susan in Olympia: More info for you, Chris. I still think you should forget about your doctor... chances are he wouldn’t listen to you even if you tried to give him something meaningful to think about. But it occurred to me today that maybe a part of your confusion is that you, yourself, don’t know whether or not the yeast diagnosis is “real.” I went through that and I remember that the “pooh-pooh’s” of my different doctors really had me doubting candidiasis. But eventually I came around to realizing that they were wrong, and that’s when I started treating the condition that was the root cause of my many really horrible symptoms. So! If you are the one that is confused or doubtful about candidiasis, I have a few good books to recommend. Everyone on the forum recommends Dr. Crook’s books (The Yeast Connection, etc) and I have them as well. They are not, however, my favorites. One of the reasons I like other books better is that I have found other books to use a more scientific tone. It isn’t that I don’t think Dr. Crook is legitimate, but his layman’s language may serve to make the whole diagnosis sound like a layman’s invention. Anyway, these are the books I recommend:

Candida Albicans by Leon Chaitow

Back to Health by Dennis W. Remington, MD and Basrbara Higa Swasey, RD

Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Michael Murray, ND and Joseph Pizzorno, ND (This one is a treasure trove of great information on a number of health conditions.)

Like others, I recommend the Amazon website: www.Amazon.com

as a quick way to purchase any reading material. These books really will get you thinking and possibly lead you to the answers you are seeking. Best of luck in your quest for health, Chris.

Chris in Chicago: Susan, I want to thank you for the words of advice and book recommendations. I am going to get them. You are absolutely right that I am doubting that I have this condition myself. Being educated in a scientific field, it is truly amazing to me that so many doctors refuse to acknowledge the possibility of such a condition when it seems so obvious that something is terribly wrong. Yet, even the holistic doctor I found who is listed in American Academy of Alternative Medicine (ACAM) is very vague about my situation and has suggested some things that just don’t seem to make sense to me. Thanks again for your encouragement. Look forward to future communication.

A Piece Of Advice

Mrs. Generic: My friends get upset when I try to explain my illness. What should I do?

Kippy: I know that my grandmother (who is 85 years old, legally blind and still buzzes around in her spit-shined Mercedes convertible at top speeds --- a scary thought) hates hearing about her friends’ various ailments. She calls most of her friends (who are 15-20 years her junior) the “old biddies” and goes off in hilarious parodies of them comparing illnesses.

Hearing about someone’s illness all the time could get very tiresome. I am not accusing you of speaking about your health problems all the time to your friends, but I find that it’s best if I share my feelings on the forum and not with friends or family. Even if I had a “normal” disease, like cancer, I’m sure people would tire of me speaking about it. It’s 10 times worse with an “abnormal” disease like the yeast syndrome that no one understands.

If you get tired of saying you can’t go out because you’re sick, then come up with another excuse. Otherwise, you shouldn’t have any reason to discuss your illness at all. Even if you’re out to dinner, it’s easy enough to get away with eating what you want without having to explain your food choices to others. People tire of this very easily --- believe me. I know this seems harsh, but it’s better to have friends and not share your health problems with them than to be left with no friends at all.

Polly: I think every member of the forum has encountered variations of this same problem. People think that if you look healthy, you can’t be sick. Fatigue is not obvious. At my lowest point, I remember taking several minutes to muster up the mental willpower to merely stand up and walk over to pick up a piece of paper on the floor. How do you explain that to someone who has never experienced it? Try explaining to a person who smokes cigarettes that the cigarette smell makes you faint. It doesn’t make sense to them. Try explaining that a food additive called monosodium glutamate (MSG) makes you violently ill. MSG doesn’t bother them, so why are you so sensitive? Your friends will think that you are just exaggerating or you have talked yourself into some foolish notions. You can’t blame people for feeling that way. This illness is too outside their realm of experience.

With some people, it is just not worth the effort to try and convince them that your symptoms are real. You just have to accept and love them the way they are. In this situation, I agree with Kippy. Hide your illness as best as possible. Yet defend your health. Don’t eat like everyone else just to make peace. You can’t do that if you are going to get well. If perfume makes you ill, politely ask your friends not to wear it when they visit. Ask them not to smoke in your presence or in your house. Do what you can to make peace and at the same time protect yourself.

What Causes Candidiasis/Dysbiosis?

Polly: Candida is actually just one of the many different kinds of yeast/fungus. Yet, often people use the word candida to refer to any yeast/fungus in the body. The word candidiasis just means an overgrowth of yeast/fungus. Often people will say they have candidiasis or candida. However, what they usually have is dysbiosis. Dysbiosis means the flora of the intestines is harmful. The harmful residents can be yeast, mold, bacteria, viruses, or parasites.

There are many things that can initiate or contribute to dysbiosis.

1) Overuse of antibiotics

2) Birth control pills

3) Environmental chemicals/poisons

4) Emotional stress

5) Vaccinations

6) Parasites

7) Heavy metal toxicity --- mercury from dental amalgams or from the mercury preservative in vaccinations is often suspected.

8) Low thyroid hormone levels --- the thyroid hormone supports your immune system, promotes normal intestinal movement, and increases secretion of digestive juices.

9) A recent illness or surgery --- life-threatening fungal infections can occur after an organ transplant, or if a patient has HIV, or certain cancers like lymphoma or leukemia. Dialysis patients are more likely to be seriously affected too. [1] However, it doesn’t have to be as serious as the above mentioned surgeries or illnesses before this physical stress can initiate a problem with dysbiosis.

10) Low cellular energy --- this is often associated with dysbiosis. It is easy to see how the toxins from the wrong flora can interfere with cellular energy. However, that does not rule out the possibility that low cellular energy allows the pathogens to survive.

11) Excess polyunsaturated oils in the diet --- corn, soy, cottonseed, safflower or other typical seed oils should not be used unless in very small amounts as naturally occurs in whole food.

12) Basic digestive system problems --- like poorly functioning ileocecal valve, a missing or poorly functioning intestinal housekeeper wave, not enough stomach acid, a lack of bile acid, or not enough pancreatic enzymes.

13) Diabetes --- it isn’t just the altered sugar levels that make diabetics more susceptible. There is something about the cells of a person with diabetes that makes yeast adhere strongly. This is independent of the amount of sugar present because they can show this result in a test tube where the sugar content is controlled. [2]

14) Chronic infections --- they can shift your immune system and make it difficult for your body to get rid of yeast. They can also produce toxins that damage the intestinal lining. Look for possible chronic infections of H. pylori, Human Herpes Virus number 6 (HHV-6), Lyme, mycoplasmas, Chlamydia, Epstein Barr, Rubeola, Strep, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Brucella and occult systemic coccal.

15) Root canals --- they can be an insidious source of toxins from an infection. This source of illness is often ignored or unrecognized.

Many of the above contributors to the problem can cause at least a temporary suppression of the immune system. A compromised immune system makes it easy for the candida/yeast, or bad bacteria to over-grow. Once the yeast have taken over, they shift the immune system to favor their survival. The yeast, bacteria, mold and parasite toxins also put a strain on the body’s energy generating capabilities. This scenario tends to keep the yeast or other pathogen infection in place even after the original precipitating incident or factor has been removed.

Not only do the yeast or other pathogens produce toxins, but also they crowd out the good bacteria. Without the good bacteria, it is hard to kill off the bad flora or yeast once it has taken hold. The good intestinal bacteria are needed to produce B vitamins and help in food assimilation. The good bacteria also produce a lot of immune stimulating factors. To get well and stay well, not only do you need to first rid the body of as much of the yeast and bad bacteria as possible, but you have to rebuild the immune system, repair the damage wrought by the yeast, and reestablish the good flora.

Which Pathogens Are Present?

Polly: Not everyone with “the yeast syndrome” has a problem with yeast. Some people harbor the wrong bacteria, or they harbor the right bacteria in the wrong part of the intestines. There are several tests that will help you figure out what is present in the intestines.

1) Urine test for bacteria and fungal metabolites (toxins) in the urine. The Great Plains Laboratory does this, phone (913) 341-8949 and website

www.greatplainslaboratory.com

. Stool test for bacteria, yeast and parasites. The Great Plains Laboratory and the Great Smokies Laboratories are examples of institutions that do these stool tests. (The Great Smokies website and phone is

www.gsdl.com

2) The hydrogen-lactulose breath test can be done by a gastroenterologist. This detects bacteria overgrowth in the small intestine. The bacteria count in the small intestine should be low. If high, then this will make you sick, even if the bacteria are normally considered “good” bacteria/flora.

3) Samples taken during a colonoscopy. The samples should be taken from several places along the colon and immediately fixed.

You can’t just do one of these tests and think you have covered all the bases. If the problem is in the small part of the intestine, it could be missed by a stool test. Yet a urine test might catch it. The opposite is true too. Sometimes a stool test will find yeast or bacteria that are missed by the urine test. Both the urine and the stool test might miss a bacteria overgrowth in the small intestine if the bacteria in the small intestine are of a type that is normally present in the colon. In this case, a hydrogen-lactulose breath test will catch the problem. And finally, all of these tests could miss the problem. Parasites are particularly easy to miss.

Is There A Doctor In The House?

Alison: Look for a doctor at the Great Smokies Lab

www.gsdl.com

phone (800) 522-4762. You can call the number at the Great Smokies site, and they will mail you a referral list. William Crook, MD is one of the pioneers in the yeast field. If you write to him, he will send you a listing of physicians in your area, as well as information on how he treats his patients. His address:

International Health Foundation

Box 3494,

Jackson, TN 38303

His website is

http://candida-yeast.com

. Sherry Rogers, MD is another well-respected doctor who publishes a newsletter that carries a wealth of information. Call 800-846-6687 to order Dr. Sherry Rogers’s newsletters.

Linda in Virginia: Here are some more ideas for doctors. For one who believes in integrative medicine, try this website

www.acam.org

Look for doctors listed with YS (yeast syndrome) after their name. Try

www.naturopathic.org

for a naturopathic physician, or try

www.aaem.com

for an environmental physician.

Polly: There are all sorts of places on the web that are starting to gather up alternative doctor lists. Here are a few:

www.lef.org/doctors/doctors.html

www.AlternativeMedicine.com

http://members.tripod.com/~altmedangel/1.html

Also check your local health food store. They might have a list of doctors that their customers use.

I was lucky and found an extensive list of mercury-free dentists at my neighborhood health food store. However, when I checked the local phone book, I could only find a couple dentists that indicated they were mercury-free. I suspect that mercury-free dentists do not blatantly advertise their position because they are afraid of the political hot-seat. If you just want to have porcelain or resin fillings placed, then it should be fairly easy to call up several dentists until you find one that is experienced in placing these alternate materials in the mouth. If you want to remove the mercury, then you have a much more difficult task in finding an appropriate dentist. The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology may be able to help.

www.iaomt.org

Or try

www.talkinternational.com

To find books on mercury amalgams, try Dr. Hal Huggins’s website,

www.hugnet.com

or Dr. Sam Ziff’s website

www.bioprobe.com

Just because a doctor is “alternative” doesn’t mean he can help you, or that he knows everything there is to know about the yeast syndrome. You may have to try several alternative doctors, or sometimes even a conventional medical specialist. However, if you are pretty sure that you have “the yeast syndrome,” don’t spend too much time with the usual general practitioner before moving on.

Laurie Andreoni, DC (doctor of chiropractic): To all of you who are frustrated with the health care system, you are not alone. I certainly empathize with what you are going through. There is no one answer for anyone; I wish there were. After being sick for a long time, I know I would be depressed about it! But that is hardly classified as clinical depression. Health care is partly science, partly art, but it’s being handled by humans who aren’t always the most compassionate creatures.

I stop by to visit this web site periodically, sometimes adding my input. But with my practice getting busier, I have very little free time. I spend long hours at work treating patients and I teach health classes 1-2 nights a week; I spend at least half of my time away from work studying a vast arena of health information --- and there is still no one answer for everyone. We’re as different on the inside as we are on the outside, and it takes a lot of time, patience and work on the part of both the patient and the doctor to peel off these layers of illness and toxicity.

That’s why Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) or Nystatin or whatever, works great for one person and knocks out another one. Even though a lab test indicates a certain herb may kill off your strain of yeast, there may be other steps to building up your system that are necessary before you are strong enough to handle the detox process. It can take homeopathics, diet, medications, timing, emotional support --- the combinations are endless. Finding a “good” doc is almost like finding true love --- someone for you is out there.

Polly: Finding the doctor that meets your needs may take some time. So, do some networking. Join a local support group. They will know the better doctors. At the very least, ask the people at the local health food store. This can make an enormous difference. Also, don’t stick with any doctor for more than a few visits if he is not helping you. Try someone in a different field. There are so many different fields to choose from, such as: Chinese herbs, acupuncture, homeopathics, chiropractic, allergy, Reiki, breathing techniques, psychology, traditional gastroenterology and infectious disease. Each specialty has something different to offer. While you are waiting for that perfect doctor, learn to help yourself. There is so very much you can do by yourself before you find that “true love” doctor. Who knows? When you finally find that special doctor, it might turn out to be yourself!

Lyme Disease

Debbie in Michigan: One of my main problems with “certain” doctors is that they don’t believe that you know what your ailment is. I have a girlfriend who has Lyme disease. Many medical crises have resulted. She would be dead today if she hadn’t insisted on certain things to be checked. It is so frustrating, because the doctors are human too. Why don’t they listen to the patient?

Polly: All too often, Lyme disease is not diagnosed. Just because you live in a state where it is not epidemic, you are not entirely safe. Lyme disease can look like candidiasis, fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) or multiple sclerosis (MS). If you have fibromyalgia, definitely get tested for Lyme. The Nelson Medical Research Institute in Warren, Michigan is reporting a Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi in 40% of fibromyalgia patients. [3] If you have multiple sclerosis, get tested for the spirochete Spirochaeta myelophthora. There is also a growing realization that many cases of CFIDS are really Lyme. [4] Lyme can even be passed to an unborn baby.

There are many different tic-born organisms. Your symptoms will depend on how many and which organisms you have, as well as your genetic and initial health status. Lyme can cause hormonal problems, rashes, fatigue, joint pain, breathing difficulties, brain fog, muscle pain, etc. Problems can start gradually, but often people report symptoms started after a flu-like episode. Don’t count on the telltale rash or bulls eye for diagnosis. Most cases do not present this way. Since Lyme has a 28-day cycle, you might notice that you are more ill during a certain week of the month (often that of the full moon). That is the time to look for the infection in the blood.

Unfortunately, most doctors are not looking for Lyme. Many doctors, who do look, do not know enough about its diagnosis. Find yourself a Lyme specialist. Often you must perform the same test more than once. Since there are over 325 substrains of Lyme, one should try to use the lab that is local to the area where the infection was probably acquired. Obviously, a negative test for one of the common Lyme spirochetes doesn’t rule out the possibility that you have Lyme. Many times, the doctor must rely solely on clinical judgement to come to a diagnosis.

Lyme is treated with antibiotics. However, an adjunct treatment with herbs may be prudent. The Monastery of Herbs is one resource that I’m familiar with

www.monasteryofherbs.com

Also, here is an article about Lyme Disease and Chinese herbs

www.dr-zhang.com

There is also an herbal product called Spiro Kete found at website

www.kroegerherb.com

Jernigan Nutraceuticals carries an herbal product called Borrelogen, which helps strengthen your body's natural defenses against lepto-spirochetes and spirochetes like Lyme.

www.jnutra.com

Sorry, I don’t know how effective the above herbs may or may not be.

However, there is some very good news about a particular Cat’s Claw (TOA-free Cat’s Claw). A pilot study of 28 people with advanced Lyme Borreliosis showed very promising results. After 6 months on capsules of this product, plus other detoxification/drainage support, 85% tested negative for Lyme. [5] All of the patients on the Cat’s Claw extract plus other support showed dramatic clinical improvement. In contrast, a group of 14 patients were treated just with antibiotics. Of these, 3 slightly improved, 3 got worse, and the rest remained with no change in their clinical condition.

Enzymatic Therapy has a TOA-free Cat’s Claw called Saventaro. This brand is carried in many vitamin shops, so you can ask them to order it for you. Or here is website with discount prices on Enzymatic Therapy products.

www.totaldiscountvitamins.com/Merchant/enz.htm

or phone 1-800-283-2833. Another TOA free product is Samento as marketed by Nutimedix. Phone 1-800-730-3130 and website

www.nutrimedix.com

You will have to ask the companies which is the most concentrated.

A very important question for money concious consumers is whether or not these same results can be replicated with high quality Cat’s Claw that still has some TOA in it. Some people believe that all the TOA must be removed because it interferes with the immune system modulating properties of the rest of the Cat’s Claw. Yet that “fact” is debatable. Other studies show that the TOA also improves the immune response. [6] At least what most people can agree upon is that you must get the real Cat’s Claw. There is an herb very similar in appearance that dilutes / contaminants many products on the market. I once purchased an off-brand of Cat’s Claw tincture that was no good. So if you try Cat’s Claw, don’t look for the cheapest on the market. Go with a brand with an excellent reputation for herbs, like Rain-Tree. Website

www.rain-tree.com

or phone (800) 780-5902. Or just try a few brands. If you are like me, you will immediately feel the difference between good and poor quality Cat’s Claw.

Besides getting rid of the organisms that cause Lyme, you will want to get rid of the toxins produced by Lyme that interfere with cellular energy. Ritchy Shoemaker, MD, has had excellent success in treating Lyme, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue patients with cholestyramine, a drug that removes the toxins. Many of us should take note because this drug also removes certain fungal toxins, not just Lyme toxins. Dr. Ritchy Shoemaker has found that an eye test for contrast sensitivity will often show the presence of Lyme neurotoxins. (However, the neurotoxins could be from other sources too.) You can find the eye test at the doctor’s website,

www.chronicneurotoxins.com

There was a vaccine on the market to prevent Lyme. The government did not find any statistics that would indicate a problem with the vaccine, but many people claimed to have gotten ill from the vaccine. Sales plummeted and the vaccine was taken off the market because it was no longer profitable. [7]

Here is an introductory book on Lyme that you might like, Coping With Lyme Disease: A Practical Guide to Dealing With Diagnosis and Treatment, by Denise Lang. This website has many Lyme links,

www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/lyme-links.html

If you don’t have access to the Internet, contact one of the following organizations. Be sure to enclose a small donation to cover copy costs, postage and overhead.

Lyme Disease Resource Center

P.O. Box 1891

Sonoma, CA 995476

Cape Cod Lyme Disease Awareness Association

P.O. Box 1916

Mashpee, MA 02649.

The Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey

43 Winton Road,

East Brunswick, NJ 08816

Mrs. Generic: I am wondering if my husband’s arthritis is from Lyme Disease. He was treated for Lyme, and every symptom is gone except he now has a strange type of arthritis. Anyone had any experience with this?

Biella: I’ve got Lyme, though I don’t have arthritic symptoms. I have friends though, whose only symptoms are arthritic. It is worth checking out. Look at

www.igenex.com

IGeneX, Inc, Reference Laboratory is a good Lyme lab. Also look at

http://groups.google.com

and do a search for sci.med.diseases.lyme and you will find a good Lyme forum.

Polly: People consider arthritis a symptom of under-treated Lyme. The usual treatment for Lyme is a 2 to 4 week course of antibiotics. However, many people in the Lyme community claim that a short course of antibiotics is totally inadequate when a person has been infected for a long time. Treatment for six months, a year, or even longer with antibiotics may be necessary. See Dr. Joseph Burrascano, Jr., MD’s treatment protocol for Lyme at

www.Lymenet.org

The use of long-term antibiotics means that you must be very vigilant for complications like fungal infections and dysbiosis. [8] Antibiotics are not harmless.

Long treatment periods also mean that the antibiotics get very expensive and some insurance companies are refusing to pay. Unfortunately, doctors who openly treat Lyme with long-term antibiotics are often targeted by medical boards. [9] Some Lyme patients are quite scared. They fear that if they turn their prescriptions into the insurance company, they will lose their doctor and they will lose their chance to ever be healthy again. A popular Lyme testing Lab, IGeneX Labs of Palo Alto, California, also appears to be under increased scrutiny.

Update: there is a new test for Lyme — the Bowen Test. It checks for antigens rather than antibodies. You can measure the number of antigens before and after treatment to help evlaulate the effectiveness of treatment. See

www.bowen.org/research_updates.htm

Arrgh! Some Doctors are So Frustrating!

Laura Mc: I am 25 years old and I can’t stay awake past 8:00 at night. I’ve been on birth control for 14 years because of extreme abdominal pain during my periods. Told my doctor I want to go off the pill, but she encourages me to stay on it. She has prescribed other pills which I’m sure are just as harmful. I have suffered with sinus infections, headaches, dizzy spells, bad memory, and muscle pains and, as mentioned, always being way too tired for a 25-year-old person. I asked my doctor about candida, and she laughed at me. She isn’t giving me answers, but she laughs about the one thing that finally makes some sense to me. I have been reading the forum and getting names of products. I am trying the diet, but I am confused about what I can and cannot eat. I have been eating veggies, meat, eggs and seafood. I feel like I’m starving half the time. What can you suggest to start? I am taking garlic pills, flaxseed pills, ginseng, ginkgo, grape seed extract, calcium supplements and vitamin C supplements. Is there anything else I should do or take? There’s no way I’m getting Nystatin or Lamisil from my doctor.

Kate: I am brand new on this forum and I have not been diagnosed as having candidiasis. I have experienced all the symptoms you described, though. (My doctor also basically just laughed off candida). Start checking yourself for allergies, and try to eliminate those foods and environmental factors immediately.

Alana: Laura, In my opinion, I would go off the birth control pills. Just see how you do OFF them. That’s unfortunate that your doctor is not more supportive. I never felt right on the pill either. My doctor laughed too when I said they made me feel weird with low energy. (This was years ago...and I’ve never regretted my decision to go off them. The pill tricks your body.) Anyway, it sounds like you are right on track with supplements, diet and reading up as much as you can on this forum. I found eating a few carbohydrates helped with hunger pangs and energy. I found the The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet book a good source for information. This article,

www.wholeapproach.com/diet.html

may help.

Polly: Laura, you need to go off the birth control pills because they increase yeast growth. At the same time, you also need to take care of the menstrual pain. Often the pain is due to endometriosis. Dr. Lee’s book What your doctor will NOT tell you about Menopause will explain that enough NATURAL progesterone will give your body a rest and can help you get rid of the endometriosis. An appropriate amount of natural progesterone shouldn’t increase yeast growth. However, when you first start using the natural progesterone, there can be a flare-up of yeast symptoms as the body starts releasing estrogen from the tissue. There are several books on the alternative treatment of endometriosis. Ask at your local bookstore, or try a search at these on-line bookstores,

www.Amazon.com

and

www.barnesandnoble.com

Look up “menstrual pain” on the net too. Excess estrogen and prostaglandin release can cause the pain too. Work on the yeast overgrowth as well. This overgrowth is part of the problem as yeast can create estradiol and prostaglandin E2.

Here is another book to read, Hypothyroidism: the Unsuspected Illness by Broda Barnes. Since you probably also have candidiasis, there is a good chance that you will need some thyroid support. Natural thyroid will help you get rid of the yeast. Unfortunately, a conventional doctor will usually not give you a trial of thyroid. She will rely only on standard blood tests and will interpret them very conservatively. Hence, you will not get a thyroid supplement from that type of a doctor. If you need the thyroid, you will have to go to an alternative doctor to get a trial of thyroid. The thyroid will help your liver get rid of excess estrogen and correct your other hormone levels.

SR: Laura, your doctor caused your health problems by not taking care of you properly and giving you good health advice. SHE KNOWS IT, but will not take responsibility for it. She will not treat you properly, ever, period.... She sees you as just another one of her calves in the herd of patients. It’s a matter of saving face and especially saving her growing bank account $$$$$$$$. Your doctor will make tons and tons and tons of money, off of people just like you, in the years ahead. Your doctor will NOT make tons of money by curing you and everyone else she is manipulating with her abusive laughs!

Your doctor wants to control you and all her patients …as little more than a herd of returning cash cows. Most doctors need to do little more than give a few minutes of their time and few pill prescriptions, in order to reap huge profits on their HMO branded and corralled herds... Stop the madness of being forced to drink from toxic water holes and ludicrous salt licks. Find another doctor pronto, partner, and get your hormone levels back in the saddle... YEE HAAA........

Polly: I’m also upset with certain doctors for their immediate dismissal of the condition. However, I just can’t put the yoke of malfeasance on them. Doctors are doing the best they know how --- that which they have been taught. Unfortunately, alternative medicine ideas are not taught in school. That is why certain doctors don’t care if birth control pills promote yeast growth in the intestines. They were taught that intestinal yeast means nothing.

Yes, part of the reason the best and brightest go into medicine is to make a lot of money. Gosh, give them credit for being human. That doesn’t mean it is the only reason they are doctors. Most care. Most want to help and most feel they are right. In a way, we can’t blame a doctor if he acts condescending. Society tells doctors that they are very important members of the community. Medical school tells them that the conventional medicine they are taught is the very best, because it is “scientific.” Doctors must be taught to have confidence in their “science.” How else can they look a patient in the eyes and tell them to take chemotherapy? What a stomach twister!

Doctors are bright people. No question. If they don’t deviate from what they are taught in medical school, then there is no need to question what they do in practice. They are merely handing out medical “science” to the masses. However, what happens when doctors begin to question their schooling? Then they have to take responsibility for what they are doing. That is tough work indeed. A lot of soul searching needs to be done. Are they really confident enough in themselves and what their patients are saying to strike out and do something different? You can’t sue a doctor when his treatment harms your loved ones if he gave them the “standard and customary” treatment. Yet, if your doctor steps out of line and gives your loved one a different treatment, then he becomes liable under the law for any assumed damage. Pretty scary for any person who needs to protect himself!

Besides opening up himself to lawsuits from the patients, a nonconformist doctor faces the wrath of the medical boards. The boards can easily take away his license or ruin him financially. These boards set themselves up as true defenders of the prevailing wisdom. Those in power are not “all-knowing.” Yet by definition, “the prevailing standard of practice” is correct and to be adhered to. How can a doctor morally agree to administer the “approved” treatments, if his intelligence, experience and heart tell him that it is wrong? Must nonconformist doctors be driven from their profession and leave only those who are resigned to follow without question? Somehow, we have to make room for disagreement, not mayhem, but honest disagreement. Narrow definitions of right and wrong cripples the advancement of medicine and harms everyone.

Jane: Well-said, Polly! It is easy to “hate” the doctors, but they are only human too. It is, however, the SYSTEM, the board, that should be dealt with somehow. They have way too much power and do not allow any questioning or interpreting of studies.

SR: I, of course, understand what you are saying, and you did say it very well! In my post, I was referring to Laura’s case history and her particular doctor and to any doctor who “LAUGHS” at their patients. It’s abusive and manipulative. Any doctor adds insult to injury, when they “LAUGH” at a patient for any reason.

Also, I feel that most doctors are very aware of the truth these days and refuse to face it because they are afraid.... for many reasons, not the least of which is persecution, as you indicated.

But that is still NO reason for doctors to persecute their patients and allow them/US/ALL, to go ever downhill, with excuses of... “Oh sorry, I want to help you, can you see it in my concerned and caring eyes, but my hands are tied. (sob sob) I’m sooo afraid I will get in trouble.” BULLPOPPY! We are supposed to be dealing with professional adults, not sobbing backwoods bullies, who defend their kin’s feud lines and steam stills. If they are afraid, then tell us so and say to our faces that they cannot legally comment on alternative therapies and gently point us patients to the net or the local bookstore.

Polly: What we really need is a better understanding of this syndrome. When more doctors finally understand “the yeast syndrome,” then it will no longer be a figment of the patient’s imagination.

Let’s Support Our Doctors

Polly: One of the medical establishment’s latest attacks is on a Dr. Sinaiko. The California medical board has declared that yeast allergy and other such disorders or allergies “don’t exist” because they have not been “proven” to exist with “acceptable” studies. Besides financial punishment, Dr. Sinaiko has been ordered to undergo “rehabilitation” until he “admits” that all the disorders he treats --- chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, candidiasis, intestinal mold allergy, food-induced attention deficit disorder --- don’t exist. [10]

As patients, we can help. If you feel that alternative doctors should be protected from unwarranted attacks by the medical boards, a painless way to contribute is to buy your books using the link to the Amazon bookstore found at this website,

www.treatmentchoice.com

which belongs to the Progress in Medicine Foundation. Using this link costs you nothing, but the foundation will receive some money when you use this link. If you would like to make a cash donation, contributions can be sent to the following address:

Medical Defense Fund

PO Box 554

Mira Loma, CA 91752

Shula: Many studies support Dr. Sinaiko’s work and the treatments he uses. The Medical Board’s experts sweep all those studies away by saying that they are not “valid,” while presenting nothing to prove their own view. It is not surprising that doctors are afraid. I would be afraid. I would not like my child to grow up to be a doctor today.

On the other hand, it is not surprising to hear such testimony from good doctors who get their information from the studies supported by pharmaceutical companies and from the training provided by their medical board’s outreach and education services. All that training insures that most doctors color inside the lines and don’t learn anything else. Good doctors may be laughing at other treatments simply because they truly believe that those treatments are outrageous. After all, they have learned the party line very well, and have been taught that other ideas are foolish.

Polly: Yes, the pharmaceutical industry finances a great deal of our medical studies and our doctor’s education. That is a core problem. The money doesn’t necessarily turn good professors and researchers into dupes of the drug industry. I give people more credit than that. Yet only those people who agree with the drug industry viewpoint get financed. Hence we end up with biased viewpoints becoming the dominant offering in our medical community. Those promoted into power step in time to the dominant beat. Those who disagree, keep their mouth shut in order to survive.

PostScript --- The backlash to the treatment of Dr. Sinaiko is changing the situation in California. Governor Gray Davis replaced all the California Medical Board members by not renewing their appointments. More changes are to come, thanks to organizations like the California Medical Association (CMA) and the California Citizens For Health Freedom. As citizens, we need to support efforts to continue this health-medical freedom movement in all states. If you would like to help, read the latest at www.healthlobby.com and www.citizenshealth.org.

Any Good Books?

Becky H: Do you know if D’Adamo has written anything about candida? I’ve looked in vain and I can’t find anything.

Polly: No, I don’t think D’Adamo has written anything about candida specifically. Have you read The Yeast Connection and the Woman by William Crook, MD? It is fairly basic, and it contains a good questionnaire. The questionnaire can also be found at www.mall-net.com/cgibin/quiz4.cgi?quiz=crook.qa.

It is an excellent place to start, even for men. His newest book, Tired So Tired is also very good. However, you will need to learn more. There are two recent books that are much more informative. These are Digestive Wellness by Elisabeth Lipski and Optimal Digestion: New Strategies for Achieving Digestive Health by Trent Nichols, MD and Nancy Faass. Comparing the two books, Digestive Wellness has perhaps more basic definitions and Optimal Digestion goes a bit deeper into the theory and gives more information on supplements and treatments.

Have you read What Your Doctor May not Tell You about Menopause or What your doctor May not Tell You About Pre-Menopause, both by John Lee, MD? Every woman should read at least one of his books. If you like his books, and want to learn more about the subject of female hormones, read From PMS to Menopause by Raymond Peat, PhD. It is an amazing book, but there is too much new information in it for the book to serve as an introduction to the subject. The book is available at his website www.efn.org/~raypeat/index.html.

People like the book The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates. It is fairly easy to read and is pretty close to the mark. See website www.bodyecologydiet.com. I think the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) as described in the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle is a good diet for many of us. However, no one diet will be perfect for everyone.

An important book is Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness by Broda Barnes, MD. It is easy to read and entertaining. The book will convince you that the blood tests for thyroid function miss many cases of low thyroid. Living Well with Hypothyroidism, a more recent book by Mary Shomon, is outstanding. Besides giving you the views of several doctors, it lets you know what the patients think about proper treatment.

If you have “silver” fillings in your teeth, you may have a mercury burden that is making the yeast thrive. The book Uninformed Consent, by Hal Huggins will convince you that you need to take mercury poisoning from your teeth fillings seriously. Dental Mercury Detox by Sam Ziff is an excellent adjunct to Hal Huggins’ book.

If your illness started after exposure to pesticides, fungicides, fungus, pfiesteria, contaminated fish, or Lyme spirochetes, then you need to read Desperation Medicine by Ritchy Shoemaker, MD.

Unfortunately, with this yeast syndrome, many of us have brain fog, which makes it difficult to comprehend and learn. Start with the simpler books and try not to get overwhelmed.

Becky H: Thanks for all the reading suggestions --- this will definitely keep me busy for a while!

Sally: Dr. Sherry Rogers has a new book titled No More Heartburn. Subjects addressed are healing the gut in relationship to candida; heartburn; indigestion; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; colitis; chronic fatigue; depression; fibromyalgia; autoimmune arthritis; allergies to mold, food and chemicals; and cancer. It is available from N.E.E.D.S.. I haven’t read it yet but judging by her other publications, I would guess it would be great.

Polly: Thank you Sally for letting me know about this new book. I picked up a copy today. No More Heartburn is very easy to read, it is short, and it gives most all the basic concepts needed to heal digestive disorders. Dr. Rogers has outdone herself. After starting with the Yeast Connection and the Woman by Dr. William Crook, I’d suggest that people head straight for Dr. Sherry Rogers’ No More Heartburn book, and then Broda Barnes’s book on hypothyroidism.

Deb: These books helped save my life ---

1) The Yeast Connection by William Crook, MD

2) The Yeast Syndrome by Trowbridge, MD

3) From Fatigued to Fantastic by J. Teitelbaum, MD

4) Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, MD. and Phyllis A. Balch

5) Alternative Medicine Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Environmental Illness by Burton Goldberg

6) The Merck Manual of Medical Information: Home Edition by Robert Berkow

7) The Pill Book by Harold M. Silverman

8) Optimal Wellness by Ralph Golan, MD

Shelley, I have been reading Radical Healing by Rudolf Balantine, MD lately. Just wanted to say I think it is a really really good resource. Worth checking into.

Any Good Websites?

Alison: Here are a few sites on diet:

www.wholeapproach.com/diet.html

www.panix.com/~candida/candiet.txt

www.howdyneighbor.com/jbayliss/foods.htm

www.mwilliamson.com/yeastdiet.htm

Do not be surprised if you see conflicting statements on foods. Everyone has their own “opinion” of the right way to eat --- I am still learning what works best for my body.

Polly: As far as web sites that could help, everyone seems to like what Doc Darren has to say,

www.cfs-recovery.org/docdarren2.html

Then there is a site on Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS). It has many excellent links to other sites. It is worth checking out even if you don’t have CFIDS.

www.beatcfsandfms.org

Here is another similar site,

www.chronicfatigue.org

Dr. Leo Galland has written a good article on leaky gut, at

www.healthy.net/library/articles/galland/Leakygut.htm

At the same site, you will find another article worth reading. It is “Introduction to the Digestive System” by Michael Schachter, MD. The article includes a good explanation of the liver‘s role.

www.healthy.net/library/articles/schacter/digest.d.htm

If you are interested in any particular subject, go to one of the search engines and type in a few key words. My favorite is google. I also like altavista because you can translate foreign languages there. If you want an easy way to look up a technical article, first go here and then click on “pubmed.”

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

references

1. The list of possible infectious agents came from various newsletters of the Candida and Dysbiosis Information Foundation. Some of the other information is from this article: John H. Rex, MD, “Managing Fungal Infections in the New Millennium,” as part of the Continuing medical education lectures dated. April 6, 2000, /

www.medscape.com/Medscape/ID/TreatmentUpdate/2000/tu03/public/toc-tu03.html

2. Peat, Raymond, PhD, “Endocrine System and the Candida Patient”, 1985 lecture given to the Candida and Dysbiosis Information Foundation

3. Mattman, Lida H. Cell Wall Deficient Forms: Stealth Pathogens 2nd edition. CRC Press 1993 pp 222-224

4. Wiseman, Dana, MD “Antibiotic-Responsive CFIDS or Seronegative Lyme Disease?” The CFIDS Chronicle Physicians’ Forum Fall 1993.

http://x-l.net/Lyme/Lymecfs.htm

5. Allergy Research newsletter, October 2003, “Study Shows Pentacyclic Alkaloid Chemotype Uncaria tomentosa to be Effective In Treating Chronic Lyme Disease (Lyme Borreliosis)” investigators William Lee Cowden, M.D, Hamid Moayad, D.O., Joan Vandergriff, N.D., Luis Romero, M.D., Ph.D., Svetlana Ivanova, M.D., Ph.D.

www.allergyresearchgroup.com/news/letters/ARGFocus_October2003Newsletter2.pdf

6. Taylor L, ND “The Cat's Claw TOA / POA Controversy” November 15, 2002 found at

www.rain-tree.com/toa-poa-article.htm

Referencing United States Patent 4,940,725 Keplinger , et al., July 10, 1990. "Oxindole alkaloids having properties stimulating the immunologic system and preparation containing the same."

7. Neergaard L, (AP Medical Writer) "Lyme Vaccine Pulled Off Market" as published on the internet by The Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey, Inc.

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000073.html

8. Patel R, et al from Mayo Clinic. “Death from inappropriate therapy for Lyme disease” Clin Infect Dis 2000, Oct;31(4):1107-9 A 30-year-old woman died as a result of a large Candida parapsilosis septic thrombus located on the tip of a Groshong catheter.

9. Unger R, “Germ Warfare” New York Magazine February 28, 2000

www.nymag.com/page.cfm?page_id=2225&position=2

10. Townsend Letter News Brief, “Robert Sinaiko, MD Placed on Probation”, January, 2000

1) Do you think the wrong gut flora could possibly be the cause of my health problems?

2) What causes the yeast syndrome?

3) Why didn’t my doctor tell me that I had a problem with yeast, harmful bacteria, toxins, or parasites?

4) How do I find help?

Confused, Could Use Advice

Candida Albicans by Leon Chaitow

Back to Health by Dennis W. Remington, MD and Basrbara Higa Swasey, RD

Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Michael Murray, ND and Joseph Pizzorno, ND (This one is a treasure trove of great information on a number of health conditions.)

Like others, I recommend the Amazon website: www.Amazon.com

as a quick way to purchase any reading material. These books really will get you thinking and possibly lead you to the answers you are seeking. Best of luck in your quest for health, Chris.

A Piece Of Advice

Mrs. Generic: My friends get upset when I try to explain my illness. What should I do?

What Causes Candidiasis/Dysbiosis?

There are many things that can initiate or contribute to dysbiosis.

1) Overuse of antibiotics

2) Birth control pills

3) Environmental chemicals/poisons

4) Emotional stress

5) Vaccinations

6) Parasites

7) Heavy metal toxicity --- mercury from dental amalgams or from the mercury preservative in vaccinations is often suspected.

8) Low thyroid hormone levels --- the thyroid hormone supports your immune system, promotes normal intestinal movement, and increases secretion of digestive juices.

11) Excess polyunsaturated oils in the diet --- corn, soy, cottonseed, safflower or other typical seed oils should not be used unless in very small amounts as naturally occurs in whole food.

15) Root canals --- they can be an insidious source of toxins from an infection. This source of illness is often ignored or unrecognized.

Which Pathogens Are Present?

1) Urine test for bacteria and fungal metabolites (toxins) in the urine. The Great Plains Laboratory does this, phone (913) 341-8949 and website

www.greatplainslaboratory.com

www.gsdl.com

3) Samples taken during a colonoscopy. The samples should be taken from several places along the colon and immediately fixed.

Is There A Doctor In The House?

Alison: Look for a doctor at the Great Smokies Lab

www.gsdl.com

International Health Foundation

Box 3494,

Jackson, TN 38303

His website is

http://candida-yeast.com

. Sherry Rogers, MD is another well-respected doctor who publishes a newsletter that carries a wealth of information. Call 800-846-6687 to order Dr. Sherry Rogers’s newsletters.

Linda in Virginia: Here are some more ideas for doctors. For one who believes in integrative medicine, try this website

www.acam.org

Look for doctors listed with YS (yeast syndrome) after their name. Try

www.naturopathic.org

for a naturopathic physician, or try

www.aaem.com

for an environmental physician.

Polly: There are all sorts of places on the web that are starting to gather up alternative doctor lists. Here are a few:

www.lef.org/doctors/doctors.html

www.AlternativeMedicine.com

http://members.tripod.com/~altmedangel/1.html

Also check your local health food store. They might have a list of doctors that their customers use.

www.iaomt.org

Or try

www.talkinternational.com

To find books on mercury amalgams, try Dr. Hal Huggins’s website,

www.hugnet.com

or Dr. Sam Ziff’s website

www.bioprobe.com

Lyme Disease

Lyme is treated with antibiotics. However, an adjunct treatment with herbs may be prudent. The Monastery of Herbs is one resource that I’m familiar with

www.monasteryofherbs.com

Also, here is an article about Lyme Disease and Chinese herbs

www.dr-zhang.com

There is also an herbal product called Spiro Kete found at website

www.kroegerherb.com

Jernigan Nutraceuticals carries an herbal product called Borrelogen, which helps strengthen your body's natural defenses against lepto-spirochetes and spirochetes like Lyme.

www.jnutra.com

Sorry, I don’t know how effective the above herbs may or may not be.

www.totaldiscountvitamins.com/Merchant/enz.htm

or phone 1-800-283-2833. Another TOA free product is Samento as marketed by Nutimedix. Phone 1-800-730-3130 and website

www.nutrimedix.com

You will have to ask the companies which is the most concentrated.

www.rain-tree.com

or phone (800) 780-5902. Or just try a few brands. If you are like me, you will immediately feel the difference between good and poor quality Cat’s Claw.

www.chronicneurotoxins.com

Here is an introductory book on Lyme that you might like, Coping With Lyme Disease: A Practical Guide to Dealing With Diagnosis and Treatment, by Denise Lang. This website has many Lyme links,

www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/lyme-links.html

If you don’t have access to the Internet, contact one of the following organizations. Be sure to enclose a small donation to cover copy costs, postage and overhead.

Lyme Disease Resource Center

P.O. Box 1891

Sonoma, CA 995476

Cape Cod Lyme Disease Awareness Association

P.O. Box 1916

Mashpee, MA 02649.

The Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey

43 Winton Road,

East Brunswick, NJ 08816

Biella: I’ve got Lyme, though I don’t have arthritic symptoms. I have friends though, whose only symptoms are arthritic. It is worth checking out. Look at

www.igenex.com

IGeneX, Inc, Reference Laboratory is a good Lyme lab. Also look at

http://groups.google.com

and do a search for sci.med.diseases.lyme and you will find a good Lyme forum.

www.Lymenet.org

The use of long-term antibiotics means that you must be very vigilant for complications like fungal infections and dysbiosis. [8] Antibiotics are not harmless.

www.bowen.org/research_updates.htm

Arrgh! Some Doctors are So Frustrating!

www.wholeapproach.com/diet.html

may help.

www.Amazon.com

and

www.barnesandnoble.com

Also, I feel that most doctors are very aware of the truth these days and refuse to face it because they are afraid.... for many reasons, not the least of which is persecution, as you indicated.

Let’s Support Our Doctors

www.treatmentchoice.com

Medical Defense Fund

PO Box 554

Mira Loma, CA 91752

Any Good Books?

Becky H: Do you know if D’Adamo has written anything about candida? I’ve looked in vain and I can’t find anything.

If your illness started after exposure to pesticides, fungicides, fungus, pfiesteria, contaminated fish, or Lyme spirochetes, then you need to read Desperation Medicine by Ritchy Shoemaker, MD.

Unfortunately, with this yeast syndrome, many of us have brain fog, which makes it difficult to comprehend and learn. Start with the simpler books and try not to get overwhelmed.

Becky H: Thanks for all the reading suggestions --- this will definitely keep me busy for a while!

Deb: These books helped save my life ---

1) The Yeast Connection by William Crook, MD

2) The Yeast Syndrome by Trowbridge, MD

3) From Fatigued to Fantastic by J. Teitelbaum, MD

4) Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, MD. and Phyllis A. Balch

5) Alternative Medicine Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Environmental Illness by Burton Goldberg

6) The Merck Manual of Medical Information: Home Edition by Robert Berkow

7) The Pill Book by Harold M. Silverman

8) Optimal Wellness by Ralph Golan, MD

Shelley, I have been reading Radical Healing by Rudolf Balantine, MD lately. Just wanted to say I think it is a really really good resource. Worth checking into.

Any Good Websites?

Alison: Here are a few sites on diet:

www.wholeapproach.com/diet.html

www.panix.com/~candida/candiet.txt

www.howdyneighbor.com/jbayliss/foods.htm

www.mwilliamson.com/yeastdiet.htm

Do not be surprised if you see conflicting statements on foods. Everyone has their own “opinion” of the right way to eat --- I am still learning what works best for my body.

Polly: As far as web sites that could help, everyone seems to like what Doc Darren has to say,

www.cfs-recovery.org/docdarren2.html

Then there is a site on Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS). It has many excellent links to other sites. It is worth checking out even if you don’t have CFIDS.

www.beatcfsandfms.org

Here is another similar site,

www.chronicfatigue.org

Dr. Leo Galland has written a good article on leaky gut, at

www.healthy.net/library/articles/galland/Leakygut.htm

www.healthy.net/library/articles/schacter/digest.d.htm

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

references

www.medscape.com/Medscape/ID/TreatmentUpdate/2000/tu03/public/toc-tu03.html

2. Peat, Raymond, PhD, “Endocrine System and the Candida Patient”, 1985 lecture given to the Candida and Dysbiosis Information Foundation

3. Mattman, Lida H. Cell Wall Deficient Forms: Stealth Pathogens 2nd edition. CRC Press 1993 pp 222-224

4. Wiseman, Dana, MD “Antibiotic-Responsive CFIDS or Seronegative Lyme Disease?” The CFIDS Chronicle Physicians’ Forum Fall 1993.

http://x-l.net/Lyme/Lymecfs.htm

www.allergyresearchgroup.com/news/letters/ARGFocus_October2003Newsletter2.pdf

6. Taylor L, ND “The Cat's Claw TOA / POA Controversy” November 15, 2002 found at

www.rain-tree.com/toa-poa-article.htm

Referencing United States Patent 4,940,725 Keplinger , et al., July 10, 1990. "Oxindole alkaloids having properties stimulating the immunologic system and preparation containing the same."

7. Neergaard L, (AP Medical Writer) "Lyme Vaccine Pulled Off Market" as published on the internet by The Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey, Inc.

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000073.html

9. Unger R, “Germ Warfare” New York Magazine February 28, 2000

www.nymag.com/page.cfm?page_id=2225&position=2

10. Townsend Letter News Brief, “Robert Sinaiko, MD Placed on Probation”, January, 2000