Candida

In the battle of Celiac Disease and dealing with its complications and contributing factors, the element of Candida keeps surfacing in research connected to Celiac. In fact, Candida and the damage it does to the body can be an underlying factor in more illnesses than it gets credit for. There’s a very good chance you are suffering from Candida, as it goes hand in hand with Celiac Disease and many other conditions.

Donald P. Ellsworth, M.D. is a medical doctor with personal experience with Candida. He witnessed the progressive Candida symptoms in his own body but had no base of knowledge about yeast overgrowth until one of his patients educated him. That started him on a journey not only to better health for himself, but on a mission to educate. He saw that Celiac-related problems are much more common than ever before and concluded from his research that it was due to the overgrowth of Candida in the gastrointestinal tract. The body reacts to both gluten and Candida in the same way by producing antibodies that attack both Candida and gluten. As Dr. Ellsworth says, Candida contains amino acid sequences that are identical or very similar to those found in the Celiac induced immune response. That’s why our recipes are designed to avoid the foods that feed Candida.

There’s a great deal of information available about Candida albicans stemming from personal experience, and it would be well for you to do your own research to better enable you to seek out treatments that are right for you. Here is some basic information to point you in the right direction.

Candida is otherwise known as Candidiasis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe it this way: “Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by yeasts that belong to the genus Candida. There are over 20 species of Candida yeasts that can cause infection in humans, the most common of which is Candida albicans. Candida yeasts normally live on the skin and mucous membranes without causing infection; however, overgrowth of these organisms can cause symptoms to develop.”

Candida albicans infection can be described as superficial, irregular white patches with a red base (Libonati). This overgrowth of yeast creates such an incredibly wide range of symptoms that the medical community has been slow to recognize its existence and danger. Coupled with the fact that Candida cannot be treated with traditional drugs, it is often overlooked by physicians. Many people have found it necessary to do their own diagnosing and then search out treatments. While we’re not qualified to discuss or recommend treatments, we can tell you what Candida feels like in the body and the problems it causes.

Candida is found in everyone’s body to some extent, and, for many people, the body’s own defenses keep it in check through the good bacteria in the intestinal tract. However, Candida can thrive and invade the body if conditions are right for it to multiply. Those conditions can include damaged or inflamed intestinal lining, lack of good bacteria in the intestinal tract, malnutrition, and a compromised immune system. (Libonati)

 

The Causes of Candida

There are multiple exposures that can be easily identified and can make conditions right for Candida to grow in our bodies. John E. Humiston, M.D. has written about Candida in terms that are easy for the layperson to understand.

From his clinical experience and research, he describes the exposures that most often cause Candida, listed from most common or frequent to least. “The earlier in life one is exposed, the more frequent the exposure, and the more types of exposure one can identify, the worse the Candida infection will likely be.” As an example, a child who had frequent ear infections, received repeated antibiotics, and swam regularly in a chlorinated pool in the backyard growing up, would almost definitely have more Candida symptoms as an adult, rather than a person who seldom received antibiotics during childhood, and swam in fresh water or the ocean.

Antibiotics are at the top of the list. While they kill disease-causing bacteria, antibiotics also kill off the normal, protective bacterial flora throughout the body. Most antibiotics are derived from the chemicals fungi make to protect themselves from bacteria, which is why antibiotics are so effective against bacteria. When all bacteria are destroyed, the fungi is then allowed to proliferate, and there’s no way to avoid this outcome.

Repeated exposure to swimming in chlorinated pools. Chlorine is a readily available chemical found in swimming pools and Jacuzzis and is used to kill bacteria and algae. Unfortunately, chlorine also kills the body’s normal bacterial flora but does not kill the yeast. The result is yeast growth in and on the body when the competing bacteria are eliminated.

Alcohol beverages. Because alcohol is a fermented product it promotes the growth of yeast in the body, particularly affecting the liver. The liver’s function is to filter bacteria, viruses, and toxins out of the blood at the rate of 1.5 liters a minute. Its duty also includes breaking down alcohol so it can be removed from the body, but this magnificent organ is also susceptible to infections and problems from accumulated waste, or if the person ingests more alcohol than the body can process. Regular usage of alcohol encourages a fungal infection of the liver, which interferes with the liver’s ability to process what is eaten and drunk, slowing the activity of turning what is consumed into nutrients and energy. In addition to the increased imbalance of yeast in the liver, alcohol has been shown to affect the brain through altering neurotransmitters. The brain then desires more alcohol to rebalance these neurotransmitters, which perpetuates the cycle of damage to the liver.

Regular consumption of Candida-promoting foods. Just as alcohol invites Candida growth, foods that feed Candida can initially be craved, becoming the regular food source for a growing and deepening Candida infection. Foods most often craved are coffee, sugar, chocolate, bread, dairy products, vinegar, pickles, tree nuts, peanuts, and sweet fruits such as apples, grapes and bananas. Hormones and antibiotics introduced into our meats and dairy also contribute to Candida overgrowth.

Alcoholism in either parent ups the ante. Alcoholic parents of young children will unknowingly share fungal flora through normal contact with their children. Because they themselves crave Candida-promoting foods, their children’s diets will likely contain more of those foods. To a greater extent, Candida problems are observed more often in children of alcoholic parents than non-alcoholic parents.

Birth control hormones. During childbearing years, a woman’s body produces a carefully orchestrated pattern of estrogen and progesterone, hormones that produce fertility and menstruation. When birth control hormones are introduced in any form, the secretion pattern is completely altered through providing a steady level of hormone, which prevents eggs from being released by the ovaries. This unnaturally even level of hormone promotes fungal growth.

Mother was always ill. A mother has intimate contact with her child from birth through early childhood. When that mother’s immune system is compromised, as evidenced by numerous illnesses, her health has likely been affected by Candida overgrowth, either as a cause or consequence of the illnesses. It would be natural for the mother to unintentionally share this excess fungus with her child. But you cannot blame your mother! The true issue is a lack of understanding of this invasive problem and the chemicals and substances that cause it in our everyday world.

Consistent exposure to mold. Regular exposure to mold on a long-term basis suppresses the immune system and gradually, but surely, establishes a fungal overgrowth in the body. Inhaling mold spores for several hours on a regular basis, such as sleeping in a room with a mold problem, is especially dangerous, made more so by previous exposures such as antibiotics or chlorine. Mold in a home is most often caused by a constant leak in plumbing or a one-time flood experience that was not properly handled. Within a couple of days, mold establishes and grows in carpets, floors and walls, constantly sending spores into the air. If a moldy smell is detected or black mold is visible, you can be sure there is a significant mold problem, but mold may not be that obvious. If you live in an ocean beach community or a coastal area that is frequently overcast, the effects of a constantly wet environment should be considered.

Mercury and mercury fillings also known as silver amalgam fillings. Amalgam was first introduced in the United States in 1830, but was rejected by organized dentistry because of concerns about mercury poisoning. In 1859 the American Dental Association was formed and approved the use of amalgam fillings. The ADA and the Federal Drug Administration still approve its use despite the research and the fact that Norway, Sweden, and Denmark have banned the substance. Dental silver fillings are about 50% mercury by weight and research has proved that mercury vapors are released into the body from chewing action. As a result, mercury enters the digestive system and other body tissues. Mercury has antibacterial, fungal-friendly effects and promotes the growth of yeast wherever it resides in the body. Up until 1999, mercury was used as an antibacterial preservative in vaccines, which appears to also contribute to yeast overgrowth.

Common use of corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are man-made drugs that closely resemble cortisol, a natural hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. Names for this category of drugs are prednisone, hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, and fluticasone along with pretty much any name ending in -lone, -sone, -cort or -ase. You will find them in the forms of inhalers, pills, injections, or creams and primarily used to curb inflammation of allergies, skin rashes, asthma, joint pain, psoriasis, poison ivy and oak, autoimmune diseases as well as many other conditions. Unfortunately, they switch off the body’s normal immune reactions, leaving the person vulnerable to the growth of fungi and other microbes. If you read the side effects of the drugs, you will see fungal infections listed.

Exposure to pesticides. Pesticides came into common use in agriculture and even homes after World War II, with DDT being the most popular because of its low cost and effectiveness. Much research has been done on pesticides and their effect on the environment, especially when they enter the water supply. Since the primary purpose of pesticides is to inhibit growth of specific organisms, it appears when they enter the body, they continue on their mission of inhibiting normal flora. Individuals, who had significant exposure, especially as children whether living on former farmland or being directly exposed, can trace Candida symptoms directly to this exposure (Humiston. Candida risk factors).

 

The Body’s Natural Protection

Dr. Humiston goes on to explain that when our bodies are in a healthy state, they have natural protection against Candida in the form of bacterial flora and a type of white blood cells called neutrophils.

Bacterial flora are microorganisms that live in any area of your body that is not sterile, such as the skin, genital areas, ears, nose, mouth, throat, esophagus, and most of the intestines. In a healthy body, specific bacterial types will populate parts of the body in harmonious existence. Without bacterial flora, undesirable microbes can invade and grow creating a yeast overgrowth, viruses or more serious diseases.

About.com defines neutrophils as a type of white blood cell, produced in the bone marrow and circulated in the blood. Neutrophils are prolific and make up about 50% to 75% of the white blood cells. They respond to infection and attack bacteria and other foreign invaders in a direct way. They are, in fact, the first type of immune cell to arrive at the site of infection, often within an hour. Neutrophils are not limited to working inside the body but will work on the skin surface also. Pus, which is one visible sign of skin infection, contains mainly dead neutrophils, bacteria and cells.

Candida overgrowth occurs when the immune system is suppressed, bacterial flora are killed, and neutrophils are reduced or sluggish. When conditions are right for Candida to grow and the body consumes food such as fermented products, sugars, and anything with “malt” in its name, the expansion of Candida can be significant. It has been estimated that the majority of the population in the industrialized world has yeast overgrowth.

 

What Happens in the Body

Dr. Humiston explains the progression of Candida overgrowth and how it affects the body:

Candida overgrowth begins in the body due to contact with harmful chemicals, antibiotics, and other substances that suppress the natural immunity or provide food for fungi.

Candida invasion of organs begins affecting the liver to a large extent. Candida usually begins in the intestines. It should be noted that the liver directly receives a large blood supply directly from the intestines, moving Candida throughout the system.

Changes in the liver affect appetite. While it appears there has been no definitive and exhaustive scientific research done specifically to prove that the liver can determine what foods and substances the body desires, Dr. Humiston and others have drawn that conclusion from personal experience and clinical observations. He believes that when Candida takes up residence in the liver and grows, it chemically influences the appetite. The result is that a person will crave the foods that feed Candida—exactly the foods that should be avoided. Those foods include fermented products (including alcohol in all forms), aged cheeses, chocolate, bread, milk, tree nuts and peanuts, and sweet fruits like grapes, bananas and apples. If a person is seriously affected by Candida, there will be craving for vinegar, salad dressings, ketchup and pickles. Young children under eight years of age will typically crave peanut butter, milk, cheese, yogurt, and macaroni and cheese.

Diet causes Candida to become more deeply entrenched. The body will naturally crave more of the foods that feed Candida, causing further yeast overgrowth, often in an accelerated manner at this point. Candida invades the tissues of the body and even if the diet is altered, Candida will persist unless an effective treatment is undertaken.

Candida symptoms appear. Candida affects primarily the digestive, nervous, and immune systems manifesting numerous symptoms, which can range from annoying to serious. At this point, Candida has probably been developing for ten to thirty years after the initial yeast-promoting exposures, continuing to be fed through diet, medications and environment. Because a bewildering array of symptoms develop gradually, many doctors and patients do not recognize Candida as a real cause of disease.

In Dr. Humiston’s clinical experience, a typical patient might develop depression, frequent headaches, sleep problems, fatigue, and/or poor memory around age 35, when the actual cause can be traced back to antibiotics received for ear infections as a young child, chlorine exposure from swimming as an older child, and later being on the high school swim team. (Humiston. Candida infection)

 

Symptoms of Candida

All sources agree that the symptoms of Candida overgrowth can be extensive and, because they are so commonplace in our society, you may think it’s simply normal for everyone to have at least some of the symptoms. Dr. Humiston makes it clear that none of these symptoms are part of normal health. We can become desensitized to the symptoms if many people around us are ill. Multiple symptoms may become common, but that doesn’t make them normal. Many of our everyday illnesses, such as asthma, diabetes, epidemic obesity, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, ADD/ADHD, autism, and panic attacks were virtually unheard of before the 1970s. In the 1950s, antibiotics were given out freely. From 1945 on, pesticides have been used on the crops and foods we eat. Chlorinated swimming pools, hormones, and antibiotics given to commercial animals we eat, along with the proliferation of birth control pills, have made conditions favorable for Candida to grow. In the 1990s, barley malt was introduced into nearly every baked food along with high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener. Both foods feed Candida. (Humiston. Candida symptoms)

Following is a list of symptoms associated with Candida overgrowth, compiled from various sources and personal experience. While you may experience only a few of these symptoms, more than likely you will identify with many. Please see the end of this chapter for the sources and resources.

Mental/Emotional/Nervous System:

• Headaches and migraine headaches
• Depression
• Sleep problems: difficulty falling asleep, orwaking up in the middle of the night with amind that won’t calm down (typicallybetween 1 and 3 a.m.)
• Irritability
• Confusion
• Brain fog
• Crying spells
• Poor memory
• Anxiety attacks, panic attacks
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Sexual problems: impotence or lack of desire,or excessive sexuality
• Attention deficit, hyperactivity(ADD/ADHD)
• Dizziness

 

• Numbness
• Feeling of floating or not quite being in your body
• Indecisiveness, difficulty organizing and cleaning messy areas
• Apathy
• Fainting
• Persistent extreme fatigue
• Feelings of rage
• Hallucinations
• Nightmares
• Learning disorders
• Mood swings
• Tingling
• Seizures
• Sleepiness
• Poor coordination

 

Skin and Hair

• Skin and nail fungal infections (current orpast), including athlete’s foot, fungal toenails,ringworm, jock itch
• Skin problems like eczema, rashes, psoriasis, hives, dermatitis
• Body odor
• Prematurely graying hair
• Acne
• Cysts

 

• Dandruff
• Dryness/oiliness
• Flushing
• Pallor
• Sores/infections

 

Digestive System

• Cravings for sugar, chocolate, milk, cheese, vinegar, pickles, alcohol, bread, nuts or fruit
• “Metabolic syndrome” which includes adult-onset diabetes, high cholesterol, or triglycerides, high blood pressure
• “Beer belly,” also called truncal obesity: excess weight centered around the abdomen
• Acid reflux/GERD (heartburn)
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Bloating
• Stomach cramps
• Rectal itching
• Constipation and/or diarrhea
• Excessively thin or anorexic/bulimic

 

• Belching
• Burning sensation
• Gas
• Hunger/thirst
• Nausea
• Indigestion
• Pain
• Rumbling
• Stomach ache
• Soiling
• Vomiting
• Mucus in stool
• Hemorrhoids

Eyes:

• Tinea versicolor or itchy eyelids
• Blurred vision
• Pupils always dilated
• Unusually green eyes, or eye color has turned greenish
• Circles under eyes
• Puffy eyes

 

• Eye pain
• Red eyes
• Sensitive to light
• Spots/floaters
• Tearing

Nasal

• Itchy nose
• Nosebleeds
• Chronic post-nasal drip
• Runny nose
• Sinus discomfort/face pain
• Sinusitis
• Sneezing fits
• Stuffy nose/sinus congestion

Ears

• Earache
• Ear infections
• Extreme sensitivity to sound
• Full/blocked/pressure
• Itching
• Ringing in ears

Throat, Mouth, and Gums

• Bad metallic taste
• Bad breath
• Canker sores
• Choking
• Sore throat
• Thrush (white coating on tongue)
• Dry lips
• Swollen lower lip
• Cracked tongue
• Hoarse voice

 

• Increased salivation
• Itching
• Mucus
• Sensitive teeth
• Bleeding gums
• Soreness
• Swelling
• Puffy face
• Tightness in throat/difficulty swallowing pills or food

Respiratory System

• Chest pain
• Persistent cough
• Mucus in throat
• Hay fever symptoms
• Difficulty in breathing
• Pounding pulse

 

• Rapid breathing
• Rapid or irregular pulse (heart palpitations)
• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in chest
• Wheezing

Genito/Urinary

• Bed wetting
• Breast swelling
• Frequent urination
• Impotence
• Loss of libido
• Painful urination
• Urgency to urinate
• Recurring yeast infections
• Recurring UTIs (urinary tract infections)
• Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder)

Immune Disorders

• Asthma
• Allergies
• Recurring infections–colds, ears, bladder, sinus
• Autoimmune disease (lupus, hypothyroidism, arthritis, others)
• Penicillin allergy
• Sensitivities to food, fragrance and chemicals

Weight Problems

• Easy gain
• Easy loss
• Fluid retention
• Food aversions
• Food cravings
• Night eating
• Need to gain
• Need to lose

Joints

• Chronic body pain and/or joint pain
• Red/warm
• Swelling
• Muscle aches and stiffness

Whole Body

• Fatigue
• Muscle or joint pain, fibromyalgia
• Cold feet, cold hands, sometimes cold nose
• Sweating, especially at night
• Uncomfortable at any temperature
• Generalized swelling
• Low/high blood pressure
• Low body temperature
• Spontaneous bruising
• Sweating
• Aching/pain: neck, back, legs
• Shakiness: neck, back, legs
• Weakness: neck, back, legs
• Persistent low-grade fever

Women’s Health Issues

• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Endometriosis (chronic pelvic pain)
• Infertility (female)
• Miscarriages
• Toxemia in pregnancy (preeclampsia)
• Menstrual irregularities
• Vaginal discharge
• Vaginal yeast infections

Symptoms seen particularly in children up to about eight-years-old

• Early allergy to foods like milk
• Infections as a baby
• Child had or has frequent ear infections, tonsillitis, strep throat, or bladder infections, especially if these infections were treated with antibiotics
• Cravings for milk, cheese, yogurt, macaroni and cheese, or peanut butter
• Asthma
• “Drama king” or “drama queen”—complains quite vocally and often
• Autism

 

 

• Poor sleep patterns—difficulty going to sleep, sleeps too lightly or has frequent nightmares, and wakes up too early (or sometimes too late)
• Too thin or overweight
• Attention deficit with or without hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD)
• Aggressive, poor social interactions, can’t stop moving, frequent fights/arguments, or frequent crying
• Pale complexion, dark circles under the eyes

Dr. Humiston is careful to point out that while all of the symptoms listed are definitely seen in Candida patients, and there is evidence that Candida causes or strongly contributes to the development of these problems, Candida may not be the only culprit. Metal toxicity (often mercury), consistent excessive electromagnetic field exposure, and underlying viral infections and petrochemical exposure may cause some of the same symptoms. Treatment for Candida alone will usually bring about significant improvement in symptoms, but further treatments may be necessary to restore health. Support aimed at improving liver, adrenal or thyroid function, or correcting immune and allergy problems may be necessary.

Why Doctors Aren’t Getting With The Program

With all this evidence of Candida and the long-term damage it can do, you may be wondering why medical doctors are not more knowledgeable about this serious health risk. Dr. Humiston addresses this question from his own personal professional experience. He says, in medical school and family practice, he was taught that Candida could be damaging only in those patients whose immune systems were severely compromised, such as those with terminal cancer or AIDS patients, which is not true.

He goes on to explain the reasons why Candida is not acknowledged by most physicians:

1. The myriad of Candida symptoms develop over time, often 10 to 30 years. Most doctors are not trained to look for evidence of Candida, so they miss the big picture. In medicine, doctors tend to look at diseases and symptoms in a singular manner, dealing with one symptom at a time, one disorder at a time, and ignore the interconnectedness of symptoms. This oversimplified approach to disease impedes the physician’s understanding of a complex disease such as Candida with its multiple symptoms in various organ systems. Numerous symptoms that progress gradually will appear to be unrelated to a doctor untrained in the complexities of Candida.

2. Candida is so widespread that your own doctor probably has it and doesn’t know. If your doctor has record of you experiencing similar symptoms but he or she is not familiar with the complexities of Candida, you will not be accurately diagnosed. When so many people have similar symptoms, it’s more difficult for doctors to think of those symptoms as abnormal, especially without a single defining identifying symptom.

3. At present, reliable lab tests to diagnose Candida do not exist. Candida grows through forming tentacles around cells rather than moving loosely through the blood, so standard or even invasive medical tests cannot accurately report the extent of Candida growth, even though Candida can be seen in biopsies. Clinical diagnosis through assessing the exposures and counting up the symptoms is the only diagnostic tool available. It should be noted that other diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, mental illness, and migraine headaches are diagnosed in this same manner.

4. Eradication of Candida is very difficult, and almost none of the treatments are effective, including prescription drugs and over-the-counter treatments. The medical community, and even many patients, are resistant to embracing any treatments aside from prescription drugs, and without an effective treatment for Candida, physicians have little interest in educating themselves or patients about this disorder. There are particular medical properties found in nature that cannot be accurately synthesized in a laboratory, which means drug manufacturers are neither interested in the research into this disorder nor the search for effective treatments.

5. Standard medical diagnostics and treatment is focused on treating the symptoms, not correction of the underlying cause. Unfortunately, simply treating the symptoms of Candida will bring temporary improvement, but lasting effects will not be achieved until the fungus is killed.

6. Doctors are afraid to do what other doctors are not doing. Recognizing and treating Candida falls outside the comfort zone of the medical community and requires courage and innovative thinking. Most physicians are not willing to open themselves to criticism even if current methods of treatment are ineffective.

7. Candida is not a high-profile disorder so finding relevant information for doctors is difficult. Many doctors rely on medical journals as their main or even sole source of keeping abreast of medical advancements. It is unfortunate that the large volume of published studies appearing regularly in medical journals are statistical comparisons of patented drugs, sponsored by drug manufacturers, and almost nothing of new, innovative ways to treat disease is being published, especially if it has to do with natural substances. Medical journals cannot afford to lose the advertising revenues from drug manufacturers, which greatly limit their ability to provide any new information of substance. For the same reasons, significant funds are not being set aside for research on Candida. Much of the information available has come from individuals and professionals with personal experience with Candida. (Humiston. Candida and the medical profession)

Treatment of Candida requires diet changes, and many people feel it would be too painful to give up certain foods. This fear is expressed by people who have tried an ineffective program or who are thinking about attempting treatment. In reality, any emotional discomfort or physical craving that is experienced from the elimination of certain Candida-promoting foods is greatly offset by the reduction of symptoms.
The severity of Candida symptoms will vary with each person and the level of infection. For me (June), at the height of my Candida overgrowth, I had an unexplained and persistent low-grade fever that went on for weeks. My body reacted within minutes to anything fermented—especially vinegar, and I could count on immediate gas, bloating, a vaginal itch, and fever.

Another contributing factor to be considered is whether your sexual partner shows any signs of Candida. It is possible to pass Candida back and forth. As a rule, if one of you needs treatment, you both do.

Our goal is not to promote a specific treatment but to simply make you aware of Candida and how it may be affecting your health. At the very least, you can avoid the foods that feed it, and that’s why you won’t find any dairy products, sugar, artificial sweeteners, sweeteners with a high glycemic value, sugary fruits, tomatoes, yeast, or fermented products in our recipes. The only exceptions are two bread recipes clearly labeled with small amounts of vinegar and yeast.

In our book, we present gluten-free recipes that are satisfying, exciting to your palate, and do not feed Candida. Our recipes are not meant to be a treatment for eradicating Candida but are, instead, simply aimed at diminishing the exposure to foods that feed the fungi. If our recipes spark creativity in you to design your own dishes, then our goals have been doubly met.