Friday, January 28, 2011

How to Successfully Overcome Candida

How to Successfully Overcome Candida


IF THIS FORMAT IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO READ, DUE TO BRAIN FOG, THEN GO DIRECTLY TO HER WEBSITE WHERE IT IS IN A NICER FORMAT FOR YOU TO READ:
HERE: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/intro2.php


© Copyright Bee Wilder

Revised August 23, 2010 to remove nuts and seeds from the Candida Food List. To understand the reasons read the revised section Eliminate all grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes*.

Revised February 25, 2010, NOTE MAJOR CHANGES:
  • Removed taking all antifungals other than unrefined coconut oil — see Footnote 1 for reasons.
  • Removed taking any kind of probiotics — see Footnote 2 for reasons.

Your journey towards total health begins by reading and learning.
Bee's Candida Support Group that you are welcome to join.

Important articles and references you'll need in addition to this article:

Table of Contents

  • All About Candida





  • Bee's Candida Program





  • Step 1: Eliminate foods and toxins that feed Candida
    1. Eliminate sugars of all kinds, including fruits & dairy (except butter)
    2. Eliminate yeast, mold and fungi
    3. Eliminate foods high in carbohydrates
    4. Eliminate all grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes*
    5. Eliminate toxins





  • Step 2: Build up your immune system
    1. Bee's Candida Control Diet
    2. Take essential supplements
    3. Eliminate unnatural fats and oils, soy products, and processed foods
    4. Consume Low Carbohydrate Foods
    5. Improve digestion





  • Coffee enemas







  • The healing crisis, "die-off" symptoms, handling symptoms & other tips





  • Cooking and Food Storage







  • References






    All About Candida

    What is Candida?

    Candida is the short name used to describe yeast overgrowth in the body. The technical term for yeast overgrowth is "candidiasis," caused by the overgrowth of candida albicans. Candida albicans is a single-celled fungus that belongs to the vegetable kingdom. And like their "cousins" the molds, they live all around us.
    Normal candida albicans lives in mucus membranes, i.e. mouth, throat, esophagus, eyes, ears, nose, sinuses, stomach, intestines, reproductive organs, bladder etc. It is one of the billions of other friendly organisms that serve a useful purpose in the body.
    However, candida is not intended to overgrow and get out of control while the body is still living. That change is only intended to happen when the body dies, when candida's functions and characteristics change for the purpose of breaking the body down into dust (ashes to ashes and dust to dust).
    Candida puts out over 79 different kinds of toxins, most of which are alcohol, which breaks the body down, and can even cause brain lesions. When candida overgrowth occurs while the body is still alive, it causes innumerable symptoms, diseases and malfunctions.

    How Candida affects us

    When candida albicans is under control it poses no problem, but when it gets out of control it begins to overgrow causing numerous symptoms and health problems from the top of the head to the tips of the toes, from migraines to nail fungus. It can result in symptoms inside (pain and malfunction of organs, even brain lesions) and outside (eczema and hives). It can also cause problems with hormones, the mind and emotions.

    Symptoms, diseases and infections caused by Candida

    Allergies, Sensitivities and Intolerances:

    • Symptoms that worsen in damp, muggy or moldy places or weather that is damp, muggy, humid or rainy.
    • Hay fever and asthma.
    • Intolerances or allergies to perfumes, odors, fumes, fabric shop odors, grass, cats, dogs or other animals, tobacco smoke, chemicals, smog, molds, dust mites, dust, pollen, and other airborne substances.

    Symptoms:

    • Athletes foot.
    • Babies: colic, diaper rash, thrush (coated white tongue), and cradle cap.
    • Bruising easily.
    • Cheekbone or forehead tenderness, pain.
    • Cold hands or feet, low body temperature.
    • Cold-like symptoms: excessive mucus in the sinuses, nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs.
    • Cravings or addictions for sugar, bread, pasta and other high carb foods, and also alcohol.
    • Cysts and polyps, abnormal formation of, in different parts of the body, especially around the neck, throat, and ovaries, and in the bladder or scrotum.
    • Digestive problems (IBS): diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distension, bloating or pain, gas, mucus in the stools, hiatal hernia, ulcers, suffering from bacteria, i.e. salmonella, E. coli, h. pylori, etc.
    • Ears: ringing in the ears (tinnitus), sounds in the ears, ear infections, dryness, itchiness, ear pain, ear aches, ear discharges, fluid in ears, deafness, abnormal wax build-up.
    • Eyes: erratic vision, spots in front of eyes (eye floaters) and flashing lights off to the side of vision, redness, dryness, itching, excessive tearing, inability to tear, etc.
    • Fatigue (chronic fatigue syndrome or Epstein Barr) or a feeling of being drained of energy, lethargy, drowsiness.
    • Flu–like symptoms, coughs and colds.
    • Glands: swollen, too little saliva (dryness in the mouth), blocked salivary glands, swollen lymph nodes.
    • Hair loss, scum on the scalp, dandruff, itchy scalp, scalp sores and dryness.
    • Heart palpitations and irregular heart beat.
    • Headaches, migraines, brain fog, dizziness, etc.
    • Hemorrhoids, and rectal itching, rash, irritation and redness.
    • Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and diabetes
    • Hypothyroidism, Wilson's Thyroid Syndrome, Hashimoto's disease, hyperthyroidism, erratic thyroid function, etc.
    • Irritability, nervousness, jitteriness and panic attacks.
    • Lesions on the skin, and inside the body, i.e. the brain.
    • Male associated problems: jock itch, loss of sex drive, impotence, prostitis, penis infections, difficulty urinating, urinary frequency or urgency, painful intercourse, swollen scrotum, etc.
    • Feeling of swelling and tingling in the head, brain fog, inability to concentrate, headaches, etc.
    • Female health problems: infertility, vaginitis, unusual odors, endometriosis (irregular or painful menstruation), cramps, menstrual irregularities, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), discharge, painful intercourse, loss of sexual drive, redness or swelling of the vulva and surrounding area, vaginal itching, burning or redness, or persistent infections.
    • Fungal infections of the skin or nails, i.e. ringworm, saborrheic dermatitis, dark and light patches on the skin (tinea versicolor), etc.
    • Joint pain, stiffness or swelling (arthritis and other related diseases).
    • Kidney & bladder: infections, cystitis (inflammation of the bladder with possible infection), urinary frequency or urgency, low urine output, smelly urine, difficulty urinating, burning pain when urinating.
    • Lack of appetite.
    • Mind & Mood: anxiety attacks, crying spells, memory loss, feeling spaced out, depression (including suicidal feelings), manic feelings, inability to concentrate, mood swings, irritability, etc.
    • Mouth sores or blisters, canker sores, dryness, bad breath, a white coating on the tongue (thrush) and blocked salivary glands.
    • Muscle aches and pain, numbness, burning or tingling, and lack of strength and coordination.
    • Nasal congestion, postnasal drip, itching, dryness.
    • Odours: of the feet, hair or body that are not relieved by washing or deodorants.
    • Respiratory: cough, bronchitis, pneumonia, pain or tightness in the chest, wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma, etc.
    • Sick all over feeling.
    • Sinus inflammation, swelling and excessive mucus or infection.
    • Skin: dryness, dry red patches, acne, pimples, hives, rashes, itching skin, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoea, ringworm, contact dermatitis, rosacea, etc.
    • Stomach: h. pylori bacteria (causes ulcers), heartburn, indigestion, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, belching, vomiting, burning, stomach pains, needle-like pains, food that seems to sit in the stomach like a lump, etc.
    • Sleep: insomnia, waking up frequently, nightmares, restless sleep, etc.
    • Sore throat, hoarse voice, constant tickle in the throat, laryngitis (loss of voice), etc.
    • AND many more!

    Autoimmune Diseases, Cancer & the Candida Connection

    Autoimmune diseases and other diseases, such as cancer and autism, have a candida connection. When the immune system is severely depressed it can cause many viruses, bacteria, diseases and malfunctions, i.e. Adrenal malfunction, Arthritis, Cancer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Celiac Disease/Gluten Sensitivity, Crohn's Disease, Epstein-Barr Virus (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Fibromyalgia (muscle pain, stiffness and weakness), Thyroid Diseases, HIV/AIDS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Liver Disease, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis (a neuromuscular disease), Sjogren's (glands become blocked and inflamed, interfering with the production of tears and saliva), Rheumatoid Arthritis, and many others.
    Candida is very opportunist when the immune system malfunctions, with candida overgrowth found in most cases of disease, including cancer, AIDS, infection, etc. Diseases and malfunctions listed above, and all autoimmune diseases respond very well to this candida program, particularly the diet, because it builds up and strengthens the immune system enabling the body to heal itself naturally.

    What causes candida to get out of control?

    A healthy immune system keeps Candida in balance with other micro-organisms in the mucous membranes. But under certain conditions Candida begins to overgrow and get out of control. Anything that causes the immune system to become depressed can cause Candida to start overgrowing, but antibiotics are one of the biggest culprits because they wipe out friendly micro-organisms, particularly in the digestive system.
    Candida is resistant to antibiotics, except Nystatin (an antifungal antibiotic), so they are not killed by antibiotics like other micro-organisms. Candida actually starts overgrowing in order to protect the body from the effects of toxins, like antibiotics, heavy metals (it particularly loves mercury), drugs, vaccines, toxins in foods and drinks, etc. Other factors that depress the immune system include poor nutrition, environmental toxins, and stress, to name a few.

    Poor Nutrition

    Poor nutrition is one of the major contributors to Candida because it weakens the immune system which allows candida to overgrow. Today's standard diet lacks the necessary nutrients to maintain a healthy immune system. It is loaded with sugar, high carbohydrates, man-made oils and fats (margarine, Crisco, Mazola oil, Canola oil, etc., includes all vegetables oils except olive oil), white flour products, processed foods, food additives, preservatives, pesticides, and heavy metals. Sugar is the biggest contributor to candida overgrowth.
    The average person living in the western world consumes about 125 pounds of refined table sugar every year! In addition to the many other damages to health, sugar is the main food supply of Candida.
    The average person also consumes a diet very high in carbohydrates which also feeds Candida. Our high consumption of sugar, carbs and nutrient-devoid foods has been greatly influenced by the food industry. The food pyramid was greatly influenced by the food industry in order to sell their nutrient-devoid foods and chemicals. Their main motivation is money! The food industry would have us convinced that we restrict our eating to only dead foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever! Follow the money!
    Every year the food industry spends millions of dollars lobbying for laws so they can save time and money processing and storing foods, that allow chemical preservatives, additives, coloring agents, foaming agents, binders, thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and many other chemicals.
    These laws benefit the food industry but it means foods are stripped of nutrients, damaged by chemicals, high heat, hydrogenation, and pasteurization which are very toxic and damaging to the human body.
    Some laws allow the food industry to kill foods by irradiation, a process where foods are exposed to high levels of radiation, which disrupts the DNA of bacteria so that it cannot reproduce, thus extending shelf life; this is effect as microwaving foods or drinks. But in certain cases they are not required to label such foods. The current permissible radiation dosage is about 200 million times greater than a chest x-ray.
    When food is irradiated the radiation breaks up the molecular structure of the food and creates a whole new set of chemicals known as "unique radiolytic products" (URPs). These URPs include benzene, formaldehyde and a host of known mutagens (capable of inducing mutation) and carcinogens (capable of inducing cancer). Irradiation kills vitamins, friendly bacteria and enzymes, and effectively renders the food "dead."
    This makes these foods totally useless to your body. Radiation is used to clean up foods unfit for human consumption, such as spoiled fish, by killing odorous contaminating bacteria. It also kills some friendly bacteria that naturally control the growth of harmful bacteria.
    There are hundred's of tests that prove the damage irradiated foods cause to humans. Short term studies were done on children in India, and blood tests showed chromosomal damage to the children after 6 weeks. Short term tests were done on dogs using irradiated beef; the dogs ended up with enlarged spleens and swollen lymph nodes.
    Other studies, including those done under contract for the U.S. Government, indicate the possibility of immunotoxicity (destroys cells), kidney disease, cardiac thrombus (a fibrinous clot that forms in one of the chambers of the heart), testicular damage and fibroplasias (the formation of fibrous tissue). However, the food industry would rather irradiate instead of cleaning up their production system.
    Endocrine disrupters are exogenous (originating from outside the body) substances that cause adverse biological effects by interfering with the endocrine system and disrupting the production and function of hormones.
    The foundations of the endocrine system are the hormones and glands. Hormones are the body's chemical messengers, and they transfer information and instructions from one set of cells to another. Although many different hormones circulate throughout the bloodstream, each one affects only the cells that are genetically programmed to receive and respond to its message.
    The endocrine system mainly consists of the adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, and reproductive glands, which include the ovaries and testes. Hormones are also produced by the pancreas, brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, thymus, skin, and placenta.
    Meanwhile most of our food is grown on soil that is sadly depleted of life-giving nutrients, and many toxic chemicals are contained in our foods because of chemicals used to fight off predators, insects and disease. Again, these are done to save time and money, but they have absolutely no benefit for the consumer. In fact, the reverse is true.
    None of us choose to have hazardous pesticides in our bodies yet the Center for Disease Control found pesticides in 100% of the people tested. The average person in this group carried a toxic cocktail of 13 of the 23 pesticides that were analyzed. Many of the pesticides found in test subjects have been linked to serious short- and long-term health effects including infertility, birth defects and childhood and adult cancers.
    The combined effects of multiple exposures are unknown, but a growing body of research suggests that even at very low levels the combination of these chemicals are very harmful to our health.

    Environmental Issues

    Environmental issues also adversely affect the immune system, i.e. molds, chemicals, smoke, pesticide spraying, smog, electro-magnetic and radiation exposure (computers, TVs, microwave ovens, electrical outlets and appliances, power lines, etc.)
    The immune system is also depressed by many toxic substances including drugs, medicines, birth control pills, vaccines, fluoridated water, as well as toxic ingredients contained in household and personal care products, i.e. shampoo, body lotions, makeup, detergents, air fresheners, cleaning agents, synthetic carpets, etc.
    Emotional stress, losses, accidents, injuries, and financial worries and concerns also depress the immune system. Chemical compounds are found everywhere in our food, air, and water are now found in every person.
    The accumulation of these compounds in some individuals can cause a variety of dysfunctions, and in some cases outright disease. The systems most affected by these xenobiotic compounds (a chemical or substance that is foreign to an organism or biological system) include the immune, neurological, and endocrine systems.
    Toxicity in these systems can lead to immune dysfunction, autoimmunity, asthma, allergies, cancer, learning difficulties, mood changes, neurological illnesses, changes in sexual desire and functioning, reproductive dysfunction, and upsets in blood glucose levels, etc. with candida overgrowth the central factor in all of these health issues.

    Drugs

    No one ever gets sick from a lack of drugs. Any and all diseases and illnesses are due to a lack of nutrients and an overload of toxins. One of the major sources of toxins are drugs, including over-the-counter medicines, birth control pills, hormone replacement treatment, blood pressure lowering drugs, pain killers, anti-depressants, which are extremely toxic and poisonous to the body. The difference between drugs and natural substances is:
    Drugs "force" therapeutic actions to take place in the body that suppresses symptoms and has negative side-effects, while natural foods and substances nourish the body's ability to decide needed actions as it sees fit.
    Drugs are can only be legalized by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration), however the FDA relies on drug company studies and research, and a significant portion of their budget is funded by the very companies they are supposedly regulating. That means we are paying our own government agency, which is supposed to protect us, to actually make us sicker or kill us with drugs.
    Senator Grassley stated that "things that go on in the FDA don't really protect the consumer." Moreover, the FDA, in Senator Grassley's opinion, doesn't deserve the automatic "seal of approval" it possesses when it comes to drugs.
    Representative Joe Barton, Texas, stated "prescription drugs approved by the FDA should keep you out of the hospital, not send you to one."
    Prescription drugs supposedly taken for medical reasons often have no true medical function, like Ritalin, which is mainly used to keep children docile, and statin drugs to lower cholesterol, which treat symptoms but not actual health problems. On the other hand, many drugs that are banned, like marijuana, have demonstrated medical benefits. That in addition to the fact that many prescription drugs are addictive, and they kill more people each year than all illegal drugs combined.
    The real factor that determines whether a drug is legal or whether it is banned is not safety, addiction or medical function, but whether corporations or the government profits. Sometimes substances are banned in some forms but not others, i.e. Ephedra is banned when found in the unpatentable Chinese herb ma huang, but legal when found in profitable Sudafed and cold medicines. It's all about the money!
    The truth is that the current system produces a well-organized system for manufacturing, promoting, delivering and selling deadly, addictive drugs, in order to create corporate profits and tax revenues. What a sad state of affairs that is!

    Vaccines

    Vaccines are based on the "antibody theory" and the "germ theory of disease." Both of these theories are totally false. First of all you cannot and do not "catch" germs, bacteria or viruses, nor can you "catch" candida overgrowth or cancer. The following text disproves the "Germ Theory of Disease" as promoted by the medical industry today which started with Louis Pasteur in the early 1800s.
    Louis Pasteur was a French microbiologist and chemist, born on December 27, 1822 in Dole, in the region of Jura, France. His discovery that most infectious diseases are caused by germs, known as the "germ theory of disease," became the foundation for the science of microbiology, and a cornerstone of modern medicine.
    "Pasteur also developed 'pasteurization', which was named after him. Pasteurization is a process by which harmful microbes in perishable food products are destroyed using heat, without destroying the food." However, this is not true. Pasteurization does NOT kill ALL harmful microbes and it DOES damage the food by destroying natural enzymes and nutrients.
    However, Louis Pasteur was not an honest creditable individual. If you look back into the history of the medical profession and the various ideas regarding the cause of disease that were held by leading physicians before Pasteur first declared his notorious "germ theory", you will find convincing evidence that Pasteur discovered nothing, and that he deliberately appropriated, falsified and perverted another man's work.
    His true character and methods were brought to light by Miss Ethel Douglas Hume in her book "Pasteur or Bechamp" written in 1923, the title of which has since been changed to "Pasteur Exposed".
    It was Antoine Bechamp (1816--1908), a contemporary of Pasteur, who discovered the true nature of germs, bacteria, viruses, etc. and that they change form, called pleomorphism. He discovered they all arise from microbes called microzymas which exist everywhere in nature and are found in all animals, fish, plants, rocks, insects, and in human bodies.
    Under certain non-optimal conditions when the immune system is depressed or the body is overloaded with toxins microzymas change into viruses in order to affect healing and detoxifying of the body. When the body's condition is not improved viruses change into bacteria and so on. Eventually, in the deteriorating cycle, candida and other fungus evolve, and also cancer.
    Therefore viruses, germs, bacteria, candida, and even cancer, are not the cause of, but the result of, disease, arising from tissues rather than from a germ of constant form. This is also called the "cellular disease theory" - see The Germ Theory of Disease is False and The Antibody Theory is False.
    When it comes to the antibody theory please remember that antibodies are tested only in a laboratory, and as the article "Jabs and Journeys" states: ". . . vaccinations [to build up antibodies] are artificial procedures which can be found to be protective in artificial situations. What we want to know is how effective are they in the natural situation of the real world? See Antibody Theory Doesn't Make Sense.
    Also the antibody allergy test is based on the theory that high circulating levels of IgG antibodies correlate with clinical food allergy signs and symptoms, however high serum levels of IgG and other allergy tests has not been studied, nor verified, therefore it is quite a leap to conclude that IgG to food antigens correlates to signs and symptoms of food allergy. Also the fact is that laboratories do not use pure antigens to test the blood samples from patients.

    Allergic reactions are exactly the same list of symptoms as the list of healing reactions created by the body – Healing Reactions Versus Allergic Reactions.
    All vaccines introduce toxins into the body, depressing the immune system, and making people sick. There is proof that vaccines cause autism in children and that vaccines have never helped eradicate any disease, contrary to reports and statistics from government and the drug and medical industries.

    How candida overgrows, causing symptoms, diseases and dysfunction

    When Candida is allowed to get out of control it changes its shape and starts branching out raising large families called colonies. These Candida colonies excrete over 79 different types of toxins (chemicals) that circulate throughout the body weakening the immune system and causing numerous symptoms and dysfunctions throughout the body.
    Two toxins that are particularly devastating are called acetaldehyde and ethanol (a type of alcohol). Both act like poisons on the various tissues of the body and can cause lesions.
    These chemicals cause all of the cells in the body to go rigid/stiff, even white and red blood cells. Flexibility is very important for the functioning of cells, which allows nutrients and hormones to go in, and waste materials to go out, as well as other important activities.
    Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and must be flexible enough to squeeze down to about one-seventh their normal size in order to travel into the body's tiny capillaries. When they become rigid the transport of life-giving oxygen to all the tissues and organs is impaired. This causes the tissues and organs to lose their ability to function. It is also why many candida sufferers have cold hands and feet.
    White blood cells fight infection by wrapping part of itself around a bacteria or other foreign invader, swallowing the invader, and eventually destroying it. White blood cells that have become brittle and rigid by yeast toxins can not do their job. The result - you can't fight off infection as easily.
    There's more. Defective cell membranes may interfere with the ability of glucose (blood sugar) to penetrate the cells, a job normally accomplished with the help of insulin. When cell membranes are damaged, the insulin will have trouble doing its job – and insulin levels may have to be increased.
    This causes low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia; also called insulin reaction) resulting in low energy, light headedness, and sometimes even a coma. This exhausts the pancreas, causing it to dysfunction as well.
    Hormones regulate various body functions by traveling through the bloodstream to vital areas of the body, and Candida toxins interfere with this process. Candida toxins make all of the cells rigid in organs responsible for producing hormones, so they are less capable of producing hormones. Hormones that are produced enter the bloodstream yet they have trouble getting to their intended destination.
    Once they arrive, they have difficulty getting into rigid cell membranes. Hormones can not do their intended job if they don't achieve adequate levels in the body's cells! Such hormones include thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and many others, even those that regulate digestion and the release of digestive juices.
    Nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and other minerals also have trouble getting into rigid cell walls. This can result in fluid retention, electrolyte imbalances, and many other health problems.
    In fact every nutrient required by the body will have difficulty getting into rigid/stiff cells throughout the body, including protein (amino acids), fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and even water. Rigid cells are also not as able to get rid of their waste and regulate water balance.
    This, in addition to foods being irradiated (exposed to high levels of radiation to extend shelf life), foods being grown in nutrient-depleted soil, long storage and transportation times, and improper handling, along with improper cooking and microwaving that goes on in most homes, all result in depleted nutrients.
    All of these factors contribute to a weakened immune system.

    How do you know you have candida?

    With such a wide variety of symptoms that mimic many other diseases, how do you know that your problem is candida overgrowth? Unfortunately most laboratory tests cannot confirm the presence of candida. The reason is because candida is a normal inhabitant in all our bodies and everyone will have a certain number of yeast antibodies which are produced by a healthy immune system to keep yeast under control.
    Therefore the most effective way to determine whether you or your child have candida overgrowth is by taking a Candida Questionnaire:
    For Adults or Children 12 Years & Older: Dr. William Crook's Questionnaire.
    For Children Under 12 Years: Yeast Questionnaire for Children's Candida.
    However, even if you do not have candida yet you are very ill, if you follow the main principles of this diet and take the basic supplements recommended you will improve your health tremendously. This is a "healing" program, just as much as it is a candida program.
    Your body does not get sick from a lack of drugs; it gets sick from a lack of nutrients plus an overload of toxins, which includes drugs.

    Bee's Candida Program

    In order to get Candida overgrowth under control you only need to follow 2 important steps. It is best to start this program by making changes one at a time in order to allow your body time to adjust to each change so it is does not become overwhelmed or confused.
    A gradual approach will also not tax your ability to cope beyond what you can comfortably handle, giving you more control and success, therefore avoiding feelings of failure and despair.
    Steps 1 and 2 should be worked on at the same time. While you are eliminating sugar, grains, high carbs, etc., at the same increase proteins and good saturated fats. Good saturated fats provide an excellent, and much more efficient, source of energy than carbs/glucose for your body. They will also heal and strengthen the digestive system, and help pull nutrients out of foods.
    Proteins and good fats are much easier for the body to digest than any carbohydrates (any foods not classified as a protein or a fat).
    To gradually change over to this program see Curing Candida, How to Get Started.
    As you make changes you will experience withdrawal symptoms and cravings, as well as healing symptoms because your body is finally getting the nutrients it needs to heal itself. Many good uncontaminated foods will cause healing reactions, which should not be mistaken for allergic reactions - see Healing Foods, Herbs & Spices Cause Healing Reactions.
    For help with food cravings and reactions see these article: Curing Candida, How to Get Started





    Healing reactions are exactly the same reactions as allergic reactions, however healing reactions are mistaken as being allergic reactions. The body only has one way to respond to toxins or to good healing foods - see Allergies, What They Are, & How to Treat Them and Healing Foods, Herbs & Spices Create Healing Reactions.

    Step 1: Eliminate foods and toxins that feed candida

    Eliminate sugars of all kinds, including fruits & dairy (except butter).

    Candida's main food supply is sugar and all forms of it, including lactose in dairy products (except butter), honey, maple syrup, molasses, glucose, fructose, lactose, and sugar substitutes, i.e. NutraSweet, aspartame, saccharin, etc. – see list below. Eliminating sugar is the most important part of the Candida Program. Note: Even yogurt and kefir are not okay for candida sufferers even if they are fermented long enough to lower the lactose content, since lactose is changed into another sugar, called galactose, during the ferementation process.
    All fruits, except lemons and limes, are also very high in sugar (fructose) and should not be eaten until you have cured your candida. Some vegetables that are also high in sugar must also be eliminated, i.e. carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips, beets and others.
    Even though lemons and limes are allowed on the candida diet, which provide many health benefits, they should not be consumed in large amounts since they contain fructose, which feeds candida. However, the amount of fructose in lemons and limes is very low. But even then, some candida sufferers cannot tolerate any lemons and limes until they are further along in the program. So be cautious!
    Sugar is also contained is most processed foods such as smoked luncheon meats, ketchup, soup, etc. so reading labels carefully is very important. Reading labels can be tricky if you don't know the many names of sugar and sweeteners. Here's a partial list to help you.
    Names for Sugar and Sweeteners (partial list)
    • aspartame
    • carbohydrate
    • carob powder
    • corn starch
    • crystalline
    • dextrin dextrose
    • disaccharides
    • galactose
    • glucose
    • levulose
    • maltitol
    • maltodextrin
    • maltose (malt sugar)
    • malts of any kind
    • manitol
    • mannitol
    • mono-saccharides
    • NutraSweet
    • polydextrose
    • polysaccharides
    • ribose
    • saccharin
    • sorghum
    • suamiel
    • succanat
    • sucrose
    Please note, not all sugar substitutes directly feeds Candida, but all of them damage the immune system, and most are neurotoxic (causing damage and disturbances to the brain and nervous system). Stevia is the only sweetener that is allowed by candida sufferers, but it should only be consumed in very small amounts, because like all sugar, it will increase cravings for sugar and high carbohydrate foods. Also be sure to buy ground green stevia leaf, and not any kind of processed stevia. However, some candida sufferers are unable to tolerate any stevia for until they have progressed further on the candida program, so be cautious!
    The fact that sugar greatly depresses the immune system has been known for many years, mainly because of Linus Pauling. He is the only person ever to receive two unshared Nobel Prizes – for Chemistry (1954) and for Peace (1962). He concluded that white blood cells need a high dose of vitamin C, and so he developed his theory that high doses of vitamin C were needed to combat the common cold, the flu and even cancer.
    Did you know that vitamin C and sugar have similar chemical structures so that means they compete with one another for entry into the cells. If there is more sugar around less vitamin C is allowed into the cell, and vice versa.
    It is interesting that taking vitamin C also helps curb sugar, alcohol and high carbohydrate cravings. Since our bodies cannot make vitamin C on it's own it must be obtained from foods or supplements on a daily basis.
    Here are a few of the 146 bad effects sugar has on health – for a complete list see Sugar, 146 Ways it Can Ruin Your Health:
    • Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection
    • Sugar upsets mineral relationships in the body
    • Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium
    • Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein
    • Sugar can change the structure of protein
    • Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention
    • Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances
    • Sugar is an addictive substance and can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol
    • Sugar decreases oxygen to the cells

    Insulin Resistance

    Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. It helps the body utilize blood glucose (blood sugar) by binding with receptors on cells like a key would fit into a lock. Once the key insulin has unlocked the door, the glucose can pass from the blood into the cell. Inside the cell, glucose is either used for energy or stored for future use in the form of glycogen in the liver or muscle cells.
    The body's cells become insulin resistant because they are trying to protect themselves from the toxic effects of high insulin which is required to regulate blood sugar levels when the diet is high in sugar and/or carbohydrates. This causes the cells to down-regulate their receptor activity and the numbers of their receptors, so they don't have to receive 'that noxious stimuli' all the time.
    It is like having this loud disgusting music being played and you have to turn down the volume. Insulin resistance leads to blood sugar problems like hypoglycemia and diabetes, and to high blood pressure.
    A less known fact is that insulin also stores magnesium. But if your cells become resistant to insulin you can't store magnesium, so it is lost through urination. Intracellular magnesium relaxes muscles. What happens when you can't store magnesium because the cell is resistant? You lose magnesium and your blood vessels and muscles constrict.
    This causes blood pressure to increase and reduces energy since intracellular magnesium is required for all energy producing reactions that take place in the cell. But most importantly, magnesium is also necessary for the action of insulin and the manufacture of insulin. When your insulin is raised, you lose magnesium, and the cells become even more insulin resistant. It becomes a vicious cycle that begins even before you were born. This is another very good reason not to eat sugar and high carbohydrate foods.
    Fat cells in the body are the last kind of cells to become insulin resistant, compared to muscle cells, so insulin has more lasting affects on them. Insulin causes the body to turn glucose (carbs) into fat, and it doesn't allow the body to burn fat for energy so a person can maintain their weight. This is the main cause of overweight and obesity. Contrary to popular belief, overweight people do not gain because they consume more calories than they burn, nor it is caused by a lack of exercise. All exercise does is increase hunger, which causes a vicious circle for people who are overweight - this information is from the book Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taube. Also it isn't the number of calories that cause weight gain, instead it is the "kind of calories." The way to lose weight is to consume high "good" fats, moderate protein and very low carbs as this program recommends. With that kind of diet the body will change over from running on glucose/carbs to running on "good" fats, enabling it to burn up fat tissues (utilize the fatty acids in fat cells), so the person will lose weight.
    When the body changes over to running on fats, rather than glucose/carbs, it goes into a condition called ketosis. Ketosis is a very normal and natural condition for the body, which is not dangerous in any way. Unlike ketoacidosis, which is a life-threatening condition commonly associated with Type 1 diabetes and insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes, dietary ketosis is actually beneficial. Actually the heart, brain and nervous system are healthier running on ketone bodies, rather than glucose, and the overall need for glucose by the body will be much lower. Also 58% of protein and 10% of good fats turn into glucose inside the body, providing plenty of glucose for maintaining blood sugar levels. For more information see Ketosis Myths and Facts on the Low-Carbohydrate Diet.

    Eliminate yeast, mold and fungi

    Elimination of yeast, mold and fungi in foods, drinks, and the environment is important for most Candida sufferers in the initial stages of the program, and it may be longer for sensitive individuals. That is because candida feeds off of fungi, molds and yeast, along with toxins, just like it does sugars and high-carb foods.
    However, Nutritional Yeast "Flakes" recommended for B vitamins, are not yeasty like yeast in baked goods, brewer's yeast, and nutritional yeast that are not the "flakes."
    Fermented foods and drinks are also not yeasty, moldy, nor do they contain fungi - for more details see Why Fermented Foods & Drinks Are Healthy. Generally fermented vegetables are very beneficial for health, particularly good unpasteurized unheated sauerkraut and cabbage rejuvelac. However, candida sufferers cannot tolerate fermented dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir, since they contain too much natural sugar - see Probiotic supplements for more details.
    Many foods also contain fungi-type toxins, called mycotoxins (fungal-type toxins, produced by fungi). Mycotoxins are found in grains and other processed foods that contain fungi and mold, including processed meats. The most commonly contaminated crops are peanuts, corn, and wheat. Often, other foods such as barley, apples, sorghum, rye and oatmeal will also be contaminated. Antibiotics are also mycotoxic and must not be consumed.
    Yeasty, moldy, and other fungi-type foods and drinks that must be eliminated (foods that not allowed on the candida diet that are also in this category are not listed):
    • Canned or boxed foods of any kind.
    • Leftover foods that have collected mold.
    • Vinegar and vinegar containing foods like mayonnaise, pickles, mustard and relish – see Note*
    • Malt products or foods containing malt.
    • Edible fungi, including all types of mushrooms and truffles.
    • Processed and smoked meats: sausages, hot dogs, corned beef, pastrami, smoked fish, ham, and bacon.
    • Fruit juices (no fruits are allowed on the candida diet, except small amounts of lemons and limes): all packaged fruits and fruit juices may potentially contain molds, including Real Lemon and other concentrated lemon or lime juices.
    • Dried foods, i.e. seaweed.
    • Pickled foods.
    • Some vitamins and minerals, including most B vitamins, "unless otherwise stated on the label that is does not contain yeast".
    *Note: Some candida sufferers may do okay consuming good apple cider vinegar, that is unpasteurized, unrefined and unfiltered, like Bragg's or Eden's. But be cautious, since most candida sufferers are not able to tolerate any kind of vinegar.

    Eliminate foods high in carbohydrates

    Candida also feeds on high carbohydrate foods such as starches and grains, including breads, pasta, pizza, cereals, baked goods, beans, potatoes, peas, lima beans, etc. Some vegetables must also be avoided because they are also high in sugars and/or carbohydrates, i.e. beets, squash, corn, parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, etc.
    These high carb, or starchy, foods store their energy as complex strands of sugar molecules (starch), which acts just like sugar in the body. That is why grains are just as addictive as sugar. After being off all sugar and grains for a few days you will find your craving for both of them will decrease. A high-complex-carbohydrate diet is nothing more than a high-glucose diet or a high-sugar diet.
    All carbohydrates turn into glucose (blood sugar) in the body, and 58% of protein and 10% of the fat are also converted by the body into glucose. Our bodies can fulfill all of its blood sugar requirements by a diet of proteins and good nature-made fats alone. That is why Eskimos are very healthy on their natural diet of only meats and fats.
    These are all good reasons why Candida sufferers must eliminate starches and grains, and some high carb vegetables.

    Eliminate all grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes*

    *Note: Legumes (a French word), are plants with seed pods, i.e. beans and peas, but they do not include green, yellow, wax or string beans.
    All grains feed Candida because they have a high glycemic index just like sugar, and like sugar they feed Candida and create insulin resistance within the cells.
    Also, some grains contain gluten, which is an elastic gluey protein found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut, triticale, and it is hidden in an endless variety of processed foods. Triticale is a new hybrid grain with the properties of wheat and rye, while spelt and kamut are gluten-containing wheat variants (despite claims to the contrary) and are likely to cause problems similar to other wheat varieties.
    Gluten is a protein that is very difficult to digest, and causes a great deal of intestinal damage. This damage, combined with the effects of yeast overgrowth, makes the intestines incapable of absorbing nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and even water, in some cases.
    Most Candida sufferers are gluten intolerant, and have often been diagnosed with Celiac Disease prior to finding out about candida.
    Grain foods also contains mycotoxins (a toxin produced by a fungus), found in corn, wheat, barley, rye . This toxin is inherent in the grain during growth and it cannot be removed. Mycotoxins feed candida, bacteria and cancer, and are very toxic/poisonous for anyone, even healthy people.
    Grains that are safer to consume are more seed-like than grain-like, and they do not contain gluten. These grains include amaranth, buckwheat, millet and quinoa. Brown rice is also a safe grain. However, these grains are high in carbs, like all other grains, which feeds candida, so they should not be consumed until you've progressed far enough on the candida program so your body can handle them.
    Even when it is safe for you to consume grains and legumes, they must all be properly prepared in order to make them fit to eat. This is because they have a coating on them called phytic acid which combines with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and blocks their absorption. They also have an enzyme coating that interferes with protein digestion.
    This is why a diet high in such foods may lead to serious mineral deficiencies, bone loss (osteoporosis) and other related diseases, including Parkinson's, and erratic unstable heart beats. Also improperly prepared grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, bran, etc. can cause irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, Crohn's diseas, and many other adverse affects.
    Since grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes are plant foods (carbs), like all plant foods, have cell walls made out of fiber, called cellulose, that our bodies are unable to digest. All of the nutrients in carb/plant foods are inside their cell walls, i.e. locked inside unless they are released by breaking down the cell wall.
    The only way to obtain nutrients from carbs, and make them digestible to humans, cell walls must be broken down. There are only 2 ways to breakdown the cell walls of all carbs/plant foods:
    1. By fermentation, i.e. like sauerkraut is fermented.
    2. By cooking them long enough.
    So even after soaking grains, nuts, seeds or legumes they must be fermented or cooked long enough. That's why sour dough fermentation of grains are safe to consume but they are still high in starches that change directly into sugar/glucose in the body.
    Safer grains like brown rice, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and quinoa, and legumes like peas, lentils, kidney beans, chick peas, navy beans, lima beans, etc. must be cooked long enough, however because they are high in starch they are NOT on this program.
    There are many more problems with nuts and seeds, since they cannot be fermented, and if they could, no one would like eating them.
    Cooking nuts and seeds also presents problems. Cooked nuts wouldn't appeal to most people, unless they were added to foods like stew, chili, soup, etc. that are cooked long enough, so the nuts cook at the same time. Even then nuts should be crushed up or ground so they cook more easily.
    Roasting or toasting nuts and seeds may not cook them long enough, depending upon the hardness and size of the nut or seed. Sesame or celery seeds might cook long enough when toasted since they are small. Almonds would have to be finely sliced, but it is likely they will burn before they are cooked long enough. That is why nuts and seeds are also NOT included on this program.
    The fact is, IF you consume any carbs (plant foods) that aren't fermented or cooked well enough they end up in your large intestine undigested. Any undigested foods forces your large intestine to ferment them by creating bacteria and yeast to break them down. In other words, your large colon changes into a fermentation chamber, which is what causes digestive issues, i.e. gas, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's, etc.
    Animals that nourish themselves primarily on grain and other plant foods are called herbivores. Some have as many as four stomachs, with teeth that grind, longer intestines and their digestive system are also longer than Humans. Many animals, including man, have one stomach, and a much shorter intestine compared to herbivores.
    These features allow man to digest animal products and natural fats easily, but they make him less well adapted to digest plant foods, particularly grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. In fact the human digestive system is totally unable to break down fibers (cellulose) in plant foods.
    The more fibre foods that are consumed, the harder it is on the intestines, which have to work very hard at getting rid of all of those fibers. This makes the bowels move too quickly so nutrients aren't absorbed like they should, and forces the large intestines to ferment them, which causes gas, bloating, and many other digestive problems, i.e. irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, colon cancer, etc. Fibers are never a solution for constipation. The solution to constipation is plenty of "good" saturated fats, meats, eggs, and consuming low-carbs that are properly prepared. Those good fats also slow digestion so more nutrients are absorbed, and fats help pull nutrients out of foods.
    In fact meats, eggs and natural fats from animals are the very easiest foods for humans to digest. That's why the Eskimos and Masai Warriors in Africa were the 2 healthiest groups Dr. Weston A. Price studied, which is documented in his book Nutrition and Physical Degenerationn but this online source does not include all chapters. You can buy his book at Amazon.com.
    For more information read about human digestion, fibers, etc. read Comparison Between the Digestive Tracts of a Carnivore, a Herbivore and Man by Barry Groves, and Fiber Menace Book, Chapter 1.

    Eliminate toxins

    Make every effort you can to eliminate as many sources of toxins you can - see Sources of Toxins & Poisons and these articles: Toxins, which cover all kinds of toxins in your home, environment, etc.

    Step 2: Build up your immune system

    Candida can only be cured by building up the immune system with "proper nutrients" (diet plus supplements) so it becomes strong enough to "make" candida "change back" into the friendly organism it is supposed to be in the body.

    Bee's Candida Control Diet:

    1. Moderate protein from animal meats, eggs, and seafood.
    2. High "good" fats and oils, including oil soluble vitamins and omega-3 essential fatty acid supplements.
    3. Eliminate unnatural fats and oils, soy products, and processed foods.
    4. Low carbohydrate foods.
    The recommended ratios of proteins to fats/oils to carbs are calculated according to "The Optimal Diet" – see details at the end of this section, just before Essential Supplements.
    All foods must be as fresh and natural as possible (unprocessed), and free of additives, pesticides, heavy metals, irradiation, mycotoxins, neurotoxins (MSG, carrageenan, etc.), etc.
    • Mammal meats such as beef, lamb, and bison should be from "certified organic" grass-fed free-range animals.
    • Pork should be from pigs that are free-range and fed their natural diet.
    • Chicken should be free-range and allowed to eat their natural diet which includes insects, worms and meats, like other birds.
    • Fish should be from non–farmed sources, and as free of mercury and other pollutants as possible.
    • Good fats and oils include coconut oil, butter, palm oil, lard, chicken fat, tallow, goose fat, fish oils, etc. The reason these are good fats is explained later on in this section. Fats and oils should not include any "new-fangled" man-made fats, including all oils, shortening, and margarines from vegetable sources, except extra virgin olive oil.
      Damaging unnatural man-made fats and oils include those made from canola (rape seed), safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, etc. and any hydrogenated fats or oil (trans-fats), along with all improperly processed oils.
    • Vegetables should be from reliable organic or "certified organic" sources. Use of the word "organic" is not regulated, therefore it can be used by anyone at will and therefore it has no meaning. "Certified organic" is highly regulated and has to meet certain standards in order to carry the designation.
      "Certified organic" standards are different in each country, with places like Chili and Mexico having lower standards than the United States and Canada.
    Moderate protein from animal meats, eggs, and seafood
    It is important that Candida sufferers eat the amount of protein required by their bodies from a selection of quality protein foods such as animal meats, eggs, and seafood. Proteins are found in all types of food, but only meats, eggs, cheese and other foods from animal sources contain complete proteins, providing the eight essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own.
    Vegetables, fruits and grains contain incomplete proteins, and also do not contain the fat-soluble vitamins required by the body for utilizing protein and other nutrients.
    Amino acids (made by the body from protein) provide the structure of all living things and in the human body they make up the muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs, glands, nails, hair and body fluids (except bile and urine). Enzymes, hormones and genes also are comprised of various amino acids.
    Protein in the diet has the unique quality of slowing the breakdown of carbohydrates, which decreases the need for insulin secretion by the pancreas and it also stimulates glucagon release, that hormone that unlocks our stored fuel. Protein also helps produce hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
    The best protein sources are meats that are not mass-produced, such as lamb, buffalo, bison, ostrich, venison or other wild game, or naturally raised meat, including poultry, eggs, beef, and pork, and seafood that are not farm-raised.
    Poultry - Chickens and turkeys that are pastured naturally will come from farms that are lush with pastures, and they will be healthy, producing deep yellow to orange colored egg yolks and yellow fat. Local farms are a good source of free-range certified organic or organic poultry that are free of antibiotics, hormones, pesticides and herbicides.
    These poultry are not "stressed," while mass-produced chickens are raised in severely cramped quarters and fed foods that are unnatural to them. This results in not only reduced health value, but less taste and less good fat.
    Please note: Use of the word "free-range" is not regulated, so it can be used by anyone at will, just like the words "natural" or "organic."
    Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. They are a great source of high-quality protein and are rich in vitamins and nutrients essential to health, including B vitamins, vitamin A and vitamin E. In fact the only reliable and absorbable sources of vitamin B12 are from animal products, especially organ meats and eggs. Vitamin B12 is vital to a healthy nervous system and healthy blood and the one of the important nutrients lacking in vegetarians.
    Raw, whole, organic or certified organic eggs are very inexpensive, and are an incredible source of high-quality nutrients that many of us are deficient in, especially high-quality protein and fat.
    The easiest way to consume eggs is by making Bee's Egg Drink - also see these articles about Eggs.
    Contrary to popular belief Eggs Not a Likely Source of Salmonella Contamination.
    Grass-fed beef. Beef that is truly grass-fed is a natural source of omega-3 fats (essential fatty acid) and vitamins A, D and E. True vitamin A, or retinol, is only found in animal fats and organs like liver. On the other hand plants contain beta-carotene, a substance that the body can convert into vitamin A (retinol) if certain conditions are present.
    But some people have difficulty converting beta-carotene, especially those with thyroid problems. Most candida sufferers have thyroid problems. Beta-carotene is not "true" vitamin A.
    Grass-fed beef is also an ideal source of taurine and carnitine, needed for healthy eyes and a healthy heart, and it contains Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), another key nutrient for the cardiovascular system. Beef is also an excellent source of minerals like magnesium and zinc.
    All cattle are grass-fed to some small extent, but during the few months prior to being processed most cattle are fed grains in order to fatten them up. Feeding them grains seriously depletes the nutrients in the meat and also makes the animals sick, which requires high doses of antibiotics.
    The best sources of grass-fed meats are local farmers that practice organic farming and provide their animals with lots of room to free-range and forage on grass. Beef should be butchered in the fall after a summer of feeding on fresh grass.
    Fish, unlike mammals, birds and reptiles do not respond to sunlight and must feed upon phytoplankton and other fish in order to obtain and store significant vitamin D in their fat, flesh, skin, and organs.
    Unfortunately, most fish available contains high mercury levels and other toxins, particularly farm-raised trout and salmon. The safest sources of fish are fresh and wild-caught from the ocean, and not from inland lakes, rivers or streams.
    Fresh fish is not labeled thoroughly so it is wise to ask about the source of the fish, i.e. from farm, lake or ocean, in order to find out whether it is fresh, wild-caught ocean-going fish, or shell fish and fish roe (fish eggs) in season from clean waters.
    Good fish include Wild Alaskan or Pacific salmon, Summer Flounder, Croaker, Haddock, Arctic Char, fresh sardines, shrimp, herring, and anchovies. Fresh cold-water fish are also good, i.e. tuna, cod, haddock, herring, perch, and snapper are also good since they spend their lifetimes in the open seas distant from contaminated coastal waters.
    Canned skipjack or albacore tuna are safer than canned bluefin or yellowfin tuna. Small seafood, such as oysters, sardines, anchovies and shrimp are okay to eat since they are small enough to have minimal contamination. Buy all canned fish that is packed in olive oil or spring water.
    Avoid fish species that stay in coastal waters, or from inland lakes, rivers or streams, and those that consume near the top of the food chain, i.e. bluefish, carp, catfish, striped bass, trout, etc.
    High "natural" fats and oils, including oil soluble vitamins and omega-3 essential fatty acids.
    Good fats and oils are equally important to protein in the diet and they are essential to health. They not only increase the body's ability to absorb nutrients from the foods but also provide the most efficient source of energy.
    Carbohydrates require a lot of the body's resources and energy in order digest and utilize them, whereas good saturated fats go directly into the bloodstream, providing a direct efficient source of energy and nutrients. They also provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances.
    Natural fats act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other processes. The kinds of fats consumed greatly influences the assimilation and utilization of vitamin D as well.
    Cholesterol is a molecule which is also called a lipid or fat. It is a soft, waxy substance found in all cells in your body. Contrary to propaganda from the drug and medical industry, cholesterol is produced in the liver from carbohydrates, not from fats or oils. It is an important part of a healthy body because the body uses it to form cell membranes, some hormones and for many other important functions.
    The word "cholesterol" is confusing because foods also contain cholesterol, which are fats or oils, i.e. animal meats, egg yolks, dairy products, nuts, avocados, olives, coconuts, and palm. However dietary fats and oils are not the same as the cholesterol made within the body by the liver.
    Cholesterol has been unjustly demonized by the food, drug and medical industries, when in fact it is your best friend. Cholesterol's job is to repair and protect, and it is essential for nourishing the brain and nervous system.
    The brain is 70% cholesterol and it could not function properly without it. Hormones, like estrogen and testosterone, are made from cholesterol and bile salts (for digestion) are made from cholesterol. Cholesterol is also a powerful antioxidant.
    Cholesterol is a substance vital to the cells of all mammals. There is no such thing as good or bad cholesterol. In fact your body produces three to four times more cholesterol than you eat, and because cholesterol is made from carbohydrate foods your body would make cholesterol even if you consumed absolutely no fats and oils.
    The eminent American physician and scientist George Mann called the diet-heart idea "the greatest scientific deception of this century, perhaps of any century."
    The right kind of fats are natural, from animals, fish and olives, which includes many saturated fats, in spite of what we've been led to believe. It plays many important roles in body chemistry.
    Unfortunately saturated fats have been given a bad name by the oil and food manufacturing industries, with the sole purpose of selling their products. This is also true for drug companies who perpetuate the cholesterol myth and low-fat diets in order to sell drugs.
    The truth is, natural fats and oils have components found only in them, which are health-promoting, and all newfangled man-made fats are now known to be disease-causing. Health-giving saturated fats are stable and do not become rancid easily, and they do not draw upon the body's reserves of antioxidants, nor do they initiate cancer or irritate the artery walls like man-made fats and oils.
    Healthy saturated fats are an important part of any healthy meal. It draws nutrients out of foods and slows digestion so that natural enzymes and the assimilation process can take place. Healthy fats include butter, tallow, lard, poultry fats, fish oils, and tropical fats from palms and coconuts.
    Butter from raw milk produced by certified organic grass-fed cows is a tasty, important saturated fat in the diet. Butter added to vegetables and meats, ensures proper assimilation of minerals and water-soluble vitamins in foods.
    Some people can be intolerant of the proteins in butter, so they should have ghee, which is called clarified butter which is a process that removes the small amount of milk protein or casein contained in butterfat. Ghee can be used for cooking and eating. You can make your own ghee or buy it. Here's superior Grass-Fed Ghee, made from raw milk produced by certified organic grass-fed cows, which is very healthy and nutritious! The company is located in Princeton Junction, New Jersey, U.S.
    Many trace minerals are contained in butterfat, including manganese, zinc, chromium, and iodine, as well as Vitamin D and many other nutrients. In areas far from the sea, iodine in butter protects against goiter (enlarged or underactive thyroid). Butter is also extremely rich in selenium, a trace mineral with antioxidant properties.
    Butter is a unique dairy product because pasteurization does not destroy its fat soluble vitamins. These include true vitamin A (retinol), vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E, as well as all of their naturally occurring cofactors needed to obtain maximum effect. Butter is the best source of these important nutrients.
    In fact, vitamin A is more easily absorbed and utilized from butter than from other sources and it is the best source of true vitamin A. Beta Carotene is not true vitamin A, which is contained in some vegetables. Beta carotene must be converted in the body to retinol (true vitamin A), which cannot be done by most candida sufferers or people who are not healthy.
    Coconut Oil is another healthy saturated fat that contains many beneficial properties and helps prevent bacterial and viral infections. It is also a fabulous antifungal. It supports immune system function, supplies important nutrients necessary for good health and improves digestion and the absorption of nutrients from proteins and carbohydrates.
    The fat in coconut oil is easily digested and absorbed, unlike the unnatural man-made fats or oils that act just like plastic in the body. It puts little strain on the digestive system and provides a quick source of energy necessary to promote healing.
    Coconut oil, butter, and palm oil are absorbed into bloodstream directly from the intestines through the lymph system, whereas other fats require pancreatic enzymes and bile to break them into smaller units and then they transported to the liver, where they are processed before entering the bloodstream.
    That is why these good saturated fats put very little strain on the digestive system, even for people who have had difficulty digesting fats, have gall bladder problems or if they do not have a gall bladder.
    When buying coconut oil look for one that is cold- or expeller-pressed, unrefined, unbleached, undeodorized and non-hydrogenated. Extra virgin is the highest quality – see the Coconut Oil articles for more information, for the survey done on our group, and sources of unrefined coconut, with websites.
    Coconut oil is highly resistant to spoilage and has a long shelf life (2 years at room temperature), so it is not kept refrigerated. It is kept in the cupboard or on the kitchen counter. Like other saturated fats coconut oil goes solid when cooled below room temperature.
    Coconut oil has a high burning point and is the perfect oil for cooking. It can be used alone, or mixed with butter, lard or other good fats for cooking and frying.
    Coconut oil can be taken by the spoonfuls with meals to aid digestion or melted on cooked foods. The recommended therapeutic dose for candida sufferers or anyone who is unhealthy is 5-6 tablespoons per day, taken in divided doses, preferably with meals that contain protein.
    Coconut oil is a very healing foods which will cause healing and detoxifying reactions. The most common healing reactions are stomach upsets and diarrhea, which are way the body gets rid of toxins. Other healing reactions may include increased mucus in the intestines, throat, nose, sinuses, lungs, etc.
    To minimize healing reactions or die-off start taking coconut oil at a low dose (1/2 to 1 teaspoon three times a day) and gradually increase the amount every 4-5 days, or more depending upon your die-off symptoms, until you reach the maximum therapeutic dose of 5-6 tablespoons per day. It is also important to take coconut oil in divided doses during the day and not all at once.
    Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) The human body can produce all but two of the fatty acids it needs, which are omega–3 and omega–6 fatty acids. These two fatty acids are called essential because we have to get them from food since our bodies cannot manufacture them from other fats.
    Most diets today contain an excessive amount of omega–6, therefore it is important to ensure the diet contains more omega–3 rich foods to offset this imbalance. Good sources of omega–3s are meats and eggs. However, the best source of omega–3 is found in fish. That is because omega–3 in fish is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, which are called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These two fatty acids are essential to health, and also in preventing heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. EPA and DHA from fish do not require conversion by the body like alpha–linolenic acid (ALA) found in flaxseed oil.
    Flaxseed oil is not recommended for omega–3 because it contains a form of omega 3, called alpha–linolenic acid (ALA), that must be converted by the body to the forms it can use, which are EPA and DHA (found in fish oils, and cod liver oil). Most unhealthy people are incapable of making the conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA, therefore they need to get their omega 3 from fish and not take flaxseed oil.
    Evening primrose oil and borage oil are recommended by many health practitioners however they contain omega–6 and no omega–3, and the diet contains plenty of omega–6 without taking any extra supplements.
    Fat–soluble vitamins include true vitamin A, called retinol, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K, as well as all of their naturally occurring cofactors. All of these fat–soluble vitamins are essential to health and a healthy immune system.
    Vitamin A is all–important in our diets since it enables the body to use proteins and minerals, ensures proper vision, acts as an antioxidant, enhances the immune system, enables reproduction, and fights infections. It is also important for the formation of bones and teeth. Protein cannot be utilized by the body without Vitamin A.
    Beta carotene, found in plants, is not a true Vitamin A since it requires conversion from carotene to vitamin A in the intestines in order to be utilized by the body. Most candida sufferers and unhealthy people are unable to make this conversion, so it is best to consume enough "true" oil soluble vitamin A from meats, liver, eggs and take a cod liver oil supplement, which contains Vitamin D, Vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acid.
    Vitamin D is required for calcium and phosphorus absorption and utilization. It is necessary for growth, for healthy bones and teeth, for proper development of the brain and nervous systems and for normal sexual development. Vitamin D normalizes blood sugar when there is adequate calcium in the diet. Vitamin D is actually more of a hormone than it is a vitamin.


    Ordinarily in summer months the sun produces vitamin D on the oils of the skin. However, I believe it is difficult, to almost impossible, for most people today to get vitamin D from the sun since there are so many factors involved, including having enough oils built up on the skin, not showering or bathing too often using chlorinated water and soap which removes natural oils, etc. - see Vitamin D - Amount of Sun Exposure Required for more details.

    For that reason I recommend everyone take cod liver oil all year. See Cod Liver Oil Brand with Nutrient Levels which compares some brands, and gives doses, and extra supplements that are required in order to obtain the recommended daily amounts.
    Some brands of cod liver oil are processed to remove all the vitamins A and D and then synthetic vitamins A and D are added back in. These products are acceptable if the daily recommended amounts are taken, because too high levels can be toxic. However this is easily handled by not taking it one day every month. The synthetic form of vitamin D is found in some supplements, which is designated as D2, also called ergocalciferol. "True" vitamin D is designated as D3, called cholecalciferol. Also synthetic forms of vitamin A are in some supplements. True vitamin A is called "retinol."
    If the cod liver oil brand available does not contain enough vitamins A and/or D, buy vitamin A and/or D separately from cod, halibut or shark "liver" oil capsules, which contain vitamins A and D, or vitamin A only, as required.
    Note: Fish oil products only contain omega-3 (EPA & DHA), so you also need to get separate vitamin A and D supplements from cod, halibut or shark "liver" oil capsules.
    Please note that Krill oil is not recommended because it contains 48 times the antioxidant capacity of regular fish oils, and it is more highly absorbable than other fish oils - that's a hugh danger signal to me. Dr. Weston A. Price used cod liver oil successfully, but he also warns not to take too much because it will create imbalances and can even be toxic. That's why my recommendations are modest, aligning more with Dr. Price's research.
    Vitamin E is a very effective antioxidant that can be depleted by a low–fat diet or by a diet that contains unnatural fats and oils like canola, soybean, corn, safflower, etc. Vitamin E improves circulation, promotes normal blood clotting and healing, repairs tissue and reduces blood pressure.
    Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting and plays an important role in bone formation. It also converts glucose into glycogen for storage in the liver. Vitamin K is made by the body in the large intestines. Most candida sufferers have digestive problems and may not be able to make vitamin K but there is an abundant supply in many foods, so there is no need to take extra supplements. The best sources of these important fat–soluble vitamins are animal meats, fish, and their by–products.

    Eliminate unnatural fats and oils, soy products, and processed foods

    Candida sufferers cannot afford to jeopardize their health by consuming toxic and damaging oils and fats, so they must avoid all of man-made hydrogenated (trans-fats) and polyunsaturated fats and oils made from vegetables oils, except extra virgin olive oil. These man-made fats and oils are not only toxic and increase the body's need for vitamin E and other antioxidants, but they also greatly depress the immune system.
    They act just like plastic in the body. You wouldn't melt down Tupperware and eat it, so you do not want to eat any plastic fats and oils.
    The hydrogenation process makes trans-fats, which are more damaging than any other oils and fats because it employs: 1) high heat, 2) a metal catalyst such as nickel, zinc, copper, or other reactive metals and 3) hydrogen gas. This is a volatile combination designed to extract and process oils, but it results in an extremely toxic product that the body reacts to like other toxins.
    Also these fats and oils go rancid very easily, even when refrigerated and often they are rancid when purchased. The most common man-made fats to avoid are derived from plants such as canola (from rape seed), soy, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and corn. To learn more about the damage these fats and oils cause go to: Know Your Fats?.
    The plants from which these oils and fats are produced have evolved a variety of toxins designed to protect themselves from "predators" such as grazing animals, and their seeds contain a variety of toxins that seem to be specific for mammalian ingestion.
    The seed oils themselves block digestive enzymes that break down protein in the stomach, and these digestive enzymes are necessary for proper digestion, production of thyroid hormones, clot removal, immunity and general adaptability of cells. Therefore using such plants to produce oils and fats is unnatural, and very damaging to the body.
    Unfortunately the body will incorporate these fats and oils into every cell, which changes the cell membrane's structure. When these plastic fats and oils are incorporated into the cells it makes them flabby so that they lack integrity and necessary stiffness, which also makes them weak.
    Weak cells allow toxins to enter them, which further damages health, as in the case of lung cancer from inhaled toxic substances such as cigarette smoke. Healthy cells are made of 50% saturated fats, and they do not allow such toxins to enter them.
    For this reason all unnatural man-made fats and oils, found in margarine, shortening, mayonnaise, salad dressing, canned meats, most commercial baked goods and processed foods, should not be consumed, even by healthy people.
    Do not eat Soybeans and Soy-based foods, additives or derivatives – Soy and all soybean based products, milks, oils, etc. are toxic and extremely damaging to the body!
    Soybeans contain large quantities of natural toxins or "anti-nutrients," including potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of enzymes needed for protein digestion. These inhibitors are "not" deactivated during ordinary cooking and can produce serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in amino acid (proteins) uptake.
    In test animals, diets high in enzyme inhibitors cause enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, thyroid malfunction and other diseases including cancer.
    Soybeans also contain haemagglutinin, a clot-promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together, and it contains one of the highest percentages of pesticides of any of our foods, as well as being 99% genetically modified. Soy causes a great deal of damage to the thyroid and other organs in the body.
    Soybeans are also high in phytic acid, present in the bran or hulls of all seeds, which blocks the absorption of essential minerals - calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc - in the intestinal tract. Soy is not healthy for anyone, so all soy and soybean based products must not be consumed.
    Please note that lecithin contained in many foods is very often derived from soybeans. For more information about the damaging effects of soy and soy based products go to: Myths & Truths About Soy.
    Processed Foods should be eliminated. Not only do they contain damaging substances and ingredients like additives, preservatives, pesticides, emulsifiers, etc., but it almost impossible to find products that do not contain soybean, man-made oils and fats such as canola, safflower, corn, etc. Any processed foods that contain water will contain fluoride, which is very toxic and damaging.
    Processed products such as grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes are not properly prepared prior to processing so enzymes that block mineral absorption and interfere with protein digestion are still intact. Even healthy people should not consume such processed foods. Candida sufferers also cannot tolerate the high carbs and starches contained in such foods because they feed candida.

    Consume Low Carbohydrate Foods

    Low carbohydrate consumption is an important aspect of the Candida Control Diet because high carbohydrate foods feed the Candida. Carbohydrates are any foods not classified as protein or fat, including vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits.
    Since grains, legumes, and fruit (except lemons and limes) are not allowed on the Candida Control Diet this leaves a wide variety of vegetables that are healthy to consume. Vegetables that contain the lowest carbohydrates and sugars include green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, turnip, spinach, asparagus, celery, peppers, kale, mustard greens, and Chinese cabbage to name a few. Some vegetables also inhibit the growth of Candida such as raw garlic, onions, horseradish, cabbage, broccoli, turnip, and kale. For a more complete list of vegetables that are allowed see the Candida Diet Food List.
    Since it is very important to consume high fats, moderate proteins, and low carbs on this program you will need to Calculate Protein, Fat & Carb Ratios.
    Some foods contain all three food groups, i.e. eggs, some vegetables, herbs, spices, etc. To find out the amount of grams of each food group contained in foods you eat go to: http://www.fitday.com. You need to sign up, but there is no obligation. Do not translate your gram ratios to to any kind of weight or measurement. Instead, use a nutritional calculator to find out the quantity of foods to consume to obtain your ratios.

    Take essential supplements

    Candida sufferers need to build up their immune system, not only with a nutrient-rich diet, but also by supplementing with basic essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
    Only Take Recommended Supplements
    You will be much more successful if you only take the supplements listed below. If you are currently taking any other supplements, herbs, or other treatments, it is advisable that you gradually go off of them. Any treatments that interfere with "proper nutrients," particularly hormones, drugs, other kinds of supplements or even herbs will slow or stop the healing processes.
    The reason is because too many unnecessary supplements, other kinds of treatments, toxic drugs and hormones, will interfere with the natural healing processes. That is because your body is just like you when you have too many things coming at you at once. Like you, your body will become confused and overwhelmed, not knowing what to do. This can cause your body to go into apathy and not do anything. In other words, it will stop the healing process.
    Many supplements, herbs, extracts, and other natural substances are recommended by some naturopaths, dieticians, and other healthcare practitioners because they do not know or understand what constitutes a "truly" good nutritious diet. Consequently they recommend many things that are easily obtained from this diet.
    Your body is smart enough to balance out all of its nutrient and nutrient levels if it is given the basic "proper nutrients," which is what this diet and the supplements recommended provide. Remember that "More Is Not Better."
    Many healthcare practitioners, although well-meaning, treat specific symptoms and disorders, much like doctors do with drugs. They may perscribe extracts to treat the thyroid, adrenal glands, and so on. However this often causes more harm than good. That is because such substances can throw off already delicate hormone balances. Therefore the focus must be on treating the "cause" and not the symptoms.
    Also, as the body heals and the immune system becomes stronger all of the organs throughout the body will begin to normalize. However, if you are taking hormones or other nutrients, like iodine or medications for the thyroid, or adrenal hormones it will throw those organs into a tizzy; so they won't be able to recover and function normally. Instead its functioning will become extremely irratic and unpredictable.
    Most "extra" supplements are totally unnecessary, often causing adverse side effects or they are a waste of money. A good example of this are iodine supplements like Lugol's, as well as kelp, seaweed and other green supplements. Not only are many green supplements too strong for sick people to handle, often overwhelming the body, but they also contain too much iodine.
    Iodine is only required in trace amounts (minute amounts) and all of your body's requirements can easily be met by eating butter, by taking at least 1 teaspoon of a "good" ocean sea salt per day and by drinking natural water. The fact is that too much iodine causes just as much damage to the thyroid as too little.
    Amino acids in supplement form, or powders, are another example. Such supplements are processed and most often they are derived from soybeans and are usually hydrolyzed. Hydrolyzing is a chemical method of producing monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG is a neurotoxin, meaning that it is poisonous to nerve tissue, the brain and the spinal cord.
    Animal studies have linked MSG with brain lesions, retinal degeneration in the eyes and obesity. Such products may be advertised as "all natural," but they are far from it, and they cause a lot of serious damage. Also the word "natural" is not a regulated term so any company can use it irregardless of whether their product is "truly" natural or not.
    Unfortunately, MSG and related substances are not always labelled. Calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, textured protein, hydrolyzed protein, carrageenan, and citric acid always contain MSG, and soy foods, some nutritional yeasts, protein powders, malt flavorings, amino acids and various mixes labelled "flavorings," "natural flavours" or "seasonings" usually contain neurotoxic substances.
    MSG is frequently formed during food processing even if not deliberately added to a food product – which is just one more reason to avoid all processed foods, protein powders, and even undenatured whey protein supplements - see Protein Isolate Powder Not Recommended [Includes Whey].
    Your body makes amino acids very easily from real foods like meats and eggs, and they are so much easier to digest than any type of processed amino acids. Also see Not Recommended Treatments, Supplements, Etc..
    Macrominerals
    There are only seven (7) macrominerals required by the body in amounts of 200 mg or more per day – all of the rest of the minerals are only required in "trace"amounts:
    • calcium - supplement required
    • magnesium - supplement required
    • chloride - contained in ocean sea salt
    • sodium - contained in ocean sea salt
    • Note: chloride plus sodium IS salt.
    • phosphorus - found in all animal meats and eggs
    • potassium - found in many foods, i.e. eggs, meats and vegetables (especially green one)
    • sulphur - found in eggs, meats, lemons, garlic and many other foods

    Essential Supplements List:

    Some supplements like calcium, magnesium, vitamin B complex, and vitamin E must indicate on the label that they are "free-of" yeast, soy, wheat, gluten, dairy, sugar, preservatives, and additives. However, some additives in supplements are unavoidable since they are used to keep capsules or tablets from sticking to the machinery at the factory. Other additives may be in such small amounts they won't cause problems.
    It is very difficult to find vitamin E supplements that are not derived from soy. Dr. Joseph Mercola says that soy oil in vitamin E does not contain damaging substances found in other soy products, however I doubt that is true since I react negatively to vitamin E derived from soy. The soy industry has caused so much damage to people's health, so it is better not to support it in any way. Buy a dry-base or clear-base formula vitamin E, like Natural Factors Brand Clear-Base Vitamin E, that are not derived from soy.
    Calcium and Magnesium Citrate should be bought separately and taken in equal amounts. When bought separately it is easier to take more or less of each as needed, in case you need to take more or less of either one. Many products combine calcium and magnesium supplements with a ratio of 2:1 (calcium to magnesium), in which case a separate supplement of magnesium citrate is necessary in order to equal out the ratios. Do not buy calcium or magnesium supplements containing other nutrients like potassium, zinc, vitamin D, etc.
    Most physicians, health care practitioners, and nutritionist recommend taking 1,000 to 1,500 mg of calcium daily. Taking high amounts of calcium without magnesium will deplete magnesium in the body, so taking such high amounts of calcium will be very damaging in the long run. Some may recommend magnesium also be taken, but many do not. Some may only recommend a ratio of 1:3 calcium to magnesium. However, this is not correct and it can hurt many people.
    Most people nowadays are more deficient in magnesium than in calcium, so it is important to take at least an equal amount, or a 1:1 ratio, until you see how your body reacts. The amounts may vary, a little, depending upon the amount of calcium in your diet and the condition of your digestive system.
    Most people will do very well on 600 mg each of calcium and magnesium per day, taken in two doses of 300 mg each. If you get muscle cramps you need more magnesium since it relaxes muscles, and it possibly means you need to take less calcium. Calcium and magnesium have left-hand and right-hand receptors on the cells, so they work together. Therefore if you get more cramps and muscle pains on your left side it indicates your calcium intake is either too high or too low, and if you get more cramps and muscle pains on your right side it indicates your magnesium intake is either too high or too low.
    If you get muscle cramps, first increase magnesium by 100-150 mg. If that doesn't help, lower calcium by 100-150 mg. Ensure you are also taking vitamin D as recommended - listed under "Vitamins A, D & Omega 3 Daily Amounts" below. Don't expect the cramps to go away in a couple of days, since it can take 5 days or longer for your body to adjust to changes in the amounts.
    However, other things can lower the levels of minerals in the body. They including comsuming "too much" tea, caffeine, some herbs and green leafy vegetables, which are diuretic, meaning they cause the body to get rid of water along with important minerals. So it is best to consume these diuretic foods and drinks in moderation. Of course caffeine is not included on the program - see Caffeine in Not Good for Your Health.
    Also consuming grains, nuts, and seeds that aren't properly prepared binds up minerals in the intestines, so they are unavailable to your body. That is because Nature coats them with a substance called phytates which is necessary to protect them, which must be removed by proper soaking and/or leavening (like sourdough) before they are fit for human consumption. They also are coated with an enzyme that interferes with protein digestion - see Grains, Nuts, Seeds & Legumes Must Be Properly Prepared. No grains are consumed on the Candida Diet.

    It can be difficult to balance calcium and magnesium, but it is important for each person to find their own optimal levels by trial and error. As your digestion improves and your immune system gets stronger doses may need to be decreased. Since the body can only handle a maximum of 500 mg of calcium at a time, individual doses must be 500 mg or lower.
    Eggshells are a great source of calcium. Eggshell calcium contains healthy, balanced calcium because it also contains trace amounts of other minerals. Eggshell calcium is probably the best natural source of calcium, and it is easier for your body to digest and absorb than tablets or capsules. One-half (1/2) teaspoon of powdered eggshells equals 400 mgs of calcium. Please see "Eggshell Calcium, How to Make It". Calcium and Magnesium Doses: Take 300 mg of calcium citrate two times a day, and take 300 mg of magnesium citrate two times a day.
    Vitamins A & D, and Omega-3, Recommended Daily Amounts:

    Vitamin A: 20,000 to 30,000 IU
    Vitamin D: 800 to 1,200 IU
    Omega-3*: 2,000 to 3,000 mg
    *The forms of omega-3 are DHA and EPA, which are listed separately on the label.
    In Summer the sun produces vitamin D on the oils of the skin, however, I believe it is difficult, to almost impossible, for most people today to get enough vitamin D from the sun since there are so many factors involved, including having enough oils built up on the skin, and not showering or bathing too often using chlorinated water and soap which removes natural oils, etc. - see Vitamin D - Amount of Sun Exposure Required for more details.
    For that reason I recommend everyone take cod liver oil all year. See Cod Liver Oil Brand with Nutrient Levels which compares some brands, and gives doses, and extra supplements that are required in order to obtain the recommended daily amounts.
    Some brands of cod liver oil are processed to remove all the vitamins A and D and then synthetic vitamins A and D are added back in. These products are acceptable if the daily recommended amounts are taken, because too high levels can be toxic. However this is easily handled by not taking it one day every month. The synthetic form of vitamin D is found in some supplements, which is designated as D2, also called ergocalciferol. "True" vitamin D is designated as D3, called cholecalciferol. Also synthetic forms of vitamin A are in some supplements. True vitamin A is called "retinol."
    If the cod liver oil brand available does not contain enough vitamins A and/or D, buy vitamin A and/or D separately,found in cod, halibut or shark "liver" oil capsules, which contain vitamins A and D, or vitamin A only, as required.
    Note: Fish oils only contain omega-3 (EPA & DHA), so you also need to get separate vitamin A and D supplements, found in cod, halibut or shark "liver" oil capsules.
    If the cod liver oil brand available to you does not contain enough vitamin A and/or D, buy a separate capsule containing vitamin A and/or D, available from fish "liver" oils like cod, halibut, shark, etc.
    The best overall brand of cod liver oil of those evaluated, is Garden of Life, Olde World Icelandic Cod Liver Oil (glass bottle).
    • Option 1: Take 2 tablespoons per day.
    • Option 2: Take 1 tablespoon per day plus a capsule or soft gel that contains 10,000 IU vitamin A and 400 IU vitamin D found in fish "liver" oil, i.e. halibut, cod or shark.

    Vitamin B Complex
    Two alternatives:
    1. Nutritional Yeast "Flakes" - ensure you buy the "flakes" and not just "nutritional yeast" of any kind, which are very different and will cause problems for candida sufferers. There are many good brands available, including Red Star, Frontier, NOW, KAL, etc. Take two (2) heaping tablespoons per day, mixed into water, soup, Bee's Egg Drink or other foods. It has a nutty flavor which most people and children like. It contains Niacin (B3) which will cause a flush, including red and itchy skin, which is nothing to be concerned about - see Niacin for more information.
    2. Vitamin B Complex tablets or capsules — Buy a Vitamin B Complex brand that is balanced (also called synergistic, which means the same thing), since all of the B vitamins work together. It should contains the following B vitamins (Note: Buy a brand that contains most of the B vitamins listed below, and is in the amounts given):
    • 50 mg Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine)
    • 50 mg Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin)
    • 50 mg Niacin (not niacinamide which is synthetic) – see Note Below
    • 50 Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine)
    • 50 mcg Vitamin B-12
    • 50 mcg Biotin
    • 1 mg Folic Acid
    • 50 mg D-Pantothenic Acid
    • 50 mg Choline
    • 50 mg Inositol
    • 50 mg Para Amino Benzoic Acid (PABA)
    Note: If you cannot buy a vitamin B complex that contains niacin, you should buy "true" niacin (B3) separately and take it in addition to the vitamin B complex that contains niacinamide. Niacin causes a flush, which includes red and itchy skin, but that is because it dilates blood vessels, even the tiniest capillaries, which releases radiation and other toxins from the body. For more information see Niacin (Vitamin B3).
    Radiation from the sun and other sources, along with many other toxins, build up in the body – remember all those terrible sunburns? Radiation is eliminated by taking niacin (B3), which also helps the body get rid of heavy metals, other toxins, and it oxygenates the body. Niacin is very important for the detoxification pathways in the body so they can function well. But as always, all nutrients work together, so Niacin alone doesn't help.
    A niacin flush causes discomfort which lasts less than 1-2 hours, but it isn't harmful in any way. Do not buy non-flushing niacin, called niacinamide since it doesn't provide the same benefits that "true" Niacin (Vitamin B3) does.
    Vitamin B Complex Dose: Take 50 mg twice a day plus 50 mg of niacin twice a day at the same time, if it is separate. If you wish to take more niacin to flush out radiation and toxins, you can gradually increase it up to 400 mg per day, but do not exceed that amount since many other supplements must also be increased for doses of 400 mg and over. Taking more will also not speed up the healing processes, since it will still take 1 month for every year you've been unhealthy.
    Nutritional Yeast Flake Dose: Take two (2) heaping tablespoons per day mixed into water or other liquids, or into foods.
    Vitamin C that contains rosehips, citrus bioflavonoids, hesperidin and rutin.
    Note: Some vitamin C supplements may not contain all of these substances, which is fine. To avoid getting loose stools (diarrhea) from vitamin C, which is called the bowel tolerance level, start with 500 mg 2-3 times a day and gradually increase it. Diarrhea is also a die-off/detoxifying symptom that your body creates in order to get rid of toxins, so don't always suspect vitamin C when it occurs.
    Ascorbic acid powder or crystals are much less expensive to take than vitamin C tablets. If you wish to take ascorbic acid, take 3,000 mg per day and 1,000 mg vitamin C tablet, which is a total of 4,000 mg vitamin C per day. Because ascorbic acid can upset the stomach it is best to take it with meals. Also it can be hard on the teeth, so rinse your mouth well after drinking it.
    Do not use sodium ascorbate, since it contains calcium and magnesium, or possibly baking soda. If there is any calcium and magnesium in your vitamin C you won't be able to regulate taking the correct amounts of calcium and magnesium. Baking soda is high in sodium which is diuretic, meaning it makes the body get rid of water and minerals along with it.
    Vitamin C Dose: Take 4,000 mg total per day, in doses divided between 3 meals. Start with 500 mg twice a day and gradually increase it to avoid getting loose stools. If you get loose stools lower the dose for awhile and take more time to increase the amounts.
    Vitamin E
    Vitamin E (natural source only). Natural source vitamin E is indicated by the "d" in front of the different types of vitamin E, i.e. d-alpha-tocopherol. The synthetic version begins with "dl", i.e. dl-alpha-tocopherol. Clear Base or dry base formulas are soy-free, but evidently soy-derived vitamin E supplements do not contain the damaging substances found in other soy products.
    Vitamin E Dose: Take 200 IU twice a day or 400 IU once a day. If you are already taking a higher dose of vitamin E continue on that dose since your body will be used to it. However, no one should take more than 800 IU per day, except for short periods of time since high doses can suppress the immune system.
    Minerals
    The best way to obtain all of the minerals your body needs is:
    • Eat the correct ratios of protein to fat to carbs from nutrient-dense foods as close to Mother Nature as possible — see Calculate Protein, Fat & Carbs Ratios. The high "good" fats diet, along with supplements, helps pull nutrients out of all foods consumed, including minerals, and there are many important minerals in meats and eggs.
    • By taking calcium/magnesium supplements, noted above.
    • Consume at least 1 cup of a mineral-rich bone broth per day. It should be a "true" bone broth where the bones have been soaked and cooked in an acidic medium and cooked long enough to pull the minerals out of the bones – See Mineral-Rich Bone Broth recipe.
    • By drinking, and cooking with, good filtered water that contains natural minerals as close to Mother Nature as possible.

      Do not use reverse osmosis or distilled water, since they are devoid of minerals, and actually leach the body of minerals. Adding minerals to them doesn't help, since it won't stop the leaching, and it isn't possible for processed minerals to duplicate Mother Nature's natural minerals.

      Therefore it is better to use a simple filter, like Brita or PUR, which filters out chlorine and some contaminates, so you are getting natural occurring minerals, or buy a good reputable Spring water. Another alternative is to boil water for 30 minutes to get rid of chlorine and some contaminates.

      Do not be concerned about fluoride in your water, since you will be eliminating all other sources of toxic fluoride on this program, including dental treatments, toothpaste, and processed foods and drinks. Fluoride is much more dangerous when there are many sources which accummulate in your body, rather than just one source like water.

      You should never drink softened water since it is high in sodium which is diuretic, meaning it makes the body lose water along with minerals.
    • Consume a minimum of 1 1/2 teaspoons of a "good" ocean sea salt per day (in divided amounts), which contains over 84 minerals, i.e. Celtic (Nature's Cargo in Canada), Himalayan, or a less expensive ocean sea salt like this one Le Paludier – Organic Unrefined Coarse Grey Sea Salt, which is available in many health stores and online.

      Ocean sea salt provides proper amounts of "true" sodium and chloride, which are 2 of the 7 macrominerals required in higher amounts by the body. As noted above, adequate macrominerals, other than calcium, magnesium, sodium and chloride, are contained in the diet, i.e. potassium, sulphur, and phosphorus.

      Do not use Redmond's Sea salt since it only contains 54 minerals, and not 84 minerals like "true" ocean sea salts do.

      The grey color of ocean sea salt indicates the minerals in it, and it should be moist. The larger the crystals and the moister it is, the more minerals it will contain, as opposed to finer grades of the same salt that are lighter grey.

      Since good ocean sea salt is coarse and moist it isn't possible to grind it in a regular pepper or salt grinder, so special grinders must be used. It can be ground it up in a coffee grinder. But it is much better to sprinkle large moist crystals on foods or into drinks with your fingers, rather than grinding them up.
    • Electrolyte Drink (optional): 1/4 teaspoon of ocean sea salt and the juice of 1/2 of a freshly squeezed lemon added to 6 ounces of filtered water (use less salt if you like to add it to foods) - drink 6 times a day (drink 3 of those glasses with meals to aid digestion). But some people are unable to tolerate lemons when they first start on the program, so be cautious about having this drink.

    Improve Digestion

    Most candida sufferers have digestive problems, including nausea, stomach aches and upsets, acid reflux (heartburn), Hiatal Hernia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, etc. While many candida programs recommend cleansing or cleanses of the bowels and other organs in the body, these treatments can be very harsh. Liver, kidney and gallbladder cleanses dump too many toxins into the body at one time, which most candida sufferers are too sick to handle.
    There have been cases of people with life threatening conditions caused by such cleanses, requiring emergency room treatment. Also, liver and gall bladder cleanses can release liver and galls stones into the bile ducts that can block and tear them, requiring emergency surgery.
    All cleanses are a combination of herbs or ingredients which many candida sufferers cannot handle, not only because it causes too many toxins to be dumped into the system at one time, but also because the ingredients themselves are often too strong, causing adverse reactions.
    However, this candida diet contains high "good" fats, including fat soluble nutrients (omega 3, vitamins A, D & E), which are very important for liver and gall bladder health. Over time the diet will normalize the functioning of all organs, including the liver, gall bladder and adrenals, and it may dissolve any stones that present.
    The candida diet, supplements and other treatments recommended will do a good job of increasing digestion, strengthening the walls of the intestines (mostly with good saturated fats), increasing good motility of the intestines, clearing out the liver, adrenals and gall bladder, increasing kidney function, etc. and will also cleanse and help detoxify the entire body. It also get rids of all heavy metals such as mercury, lead and aluminum, etc.
    Therefore cleansing treatments are not recommended at any point during the candida program, including liver, kidney, gall bladder or bowel cleanses, except for self-administered enemas – see the Enema articles.
    Fasting is also not recommended. Even though fasting is intended to give the body a rest and/or to allow it to clear out toxins and wastes, while your body is fasting it is also not getting the nutrients it needs for healing and energy. It is more important to give the body what it needs so it is able to heal itself naturally, which includes cleansing and detoxification.
    Between meals it is important that your body fast so it can assimilate and utilize the nutrients without having to direct its energies towards digesting more food. That is why snacking is not recommended.
    Some people do a type of fasting where they only consume the Bee's Egg Drink for a few days at a time. That is not considered "true fasting" and it wouldn't cause problems because you would be getting plenty of nutrients and energy from the drink.

    Stomach Acid Problems

    Many people today, and most candida sufferers, have digestive problems, which is mainly caused by the stomach producing "too little" stomach acid. We may think our stomachs are "overly acidic" because of heartburn, sour stomach, or overall stomach upset, nausea and pain, when in fact having "too little acid" creates exactly the same symptoms as an "over acid" stomach.
    The technical term for low stomach acidity is "hypochlorhydria," and a stomach that is not producing any acid is called "achlorhydria."
    The most common symptoms of low stomach acidity include:
    • heartburn (if there isn't enough stomach acid the valve that closes the end of the esophagus won't close properly, so even low stomach acid can burn the esophagus)
    • upset stomach, nausea
    • vomiting
    • sour stomach
    • a heavy feeling, as if the food is just sitting in the stomach in a lump
    Our stomachs are supposed to be acidic, so it important that it produce high concentrations of hydrochloric acid (HCl). When the stomach produces HCl it also produces bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) which protects the lining of the stomach from being damaged or eaten up by HCl. When the stomach doesn't produce enough HCl, it also will not produce enough bicarbonate of soda so the stomach can become ulcerated.
    When hydrochloric acid is low it causes malnutrition and many digestive problems. HCl mainly digests protein, breaking it down into small molecules, which are further digested in the intestinal tract.
    Low stomach acid is associated with a higher incidence of gastrointestinal problems like h. pylori bacteria which cause stomach ulcers, acid reflux (heartburn), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's Disease, diarrhea, constipation, etc.
    Our stomachs need adequate acid so we can get the benefit of a good diet and the nutrients it contains, and in order for digestion to proceed like it should throughout the intestines.

    How Foods Are Digested

    Carbohydrates (carbs) start being digested by enzymes produced in the mouth - carbs are all foods that are not classified as protein or fat, including vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, sugar, starches, herbs, spices, etc. Some carbs also contain protein and fat, such as grains, nuts, seeds and some vegetables. Some proteins also contain carbs and fats such as eggs.
    Hydrochloric acid (HCl) or stomach acid mainly digests protein. When a person starts to eat the stomach is stimulated to start producing hydrochloric acid (HCl). Stomach acid gradually increases during a meal. When the stomach acid gets high enough, which normally takes about 20-30 minutes after eating, it neutralizes enzymes from the mouth so the digestion of carbohydrates stops.
    Digestive enzymes from the mouth only work on carbs while the mixture is alkaline. Therefore, if HCl supplements are taken too early it stops carb digestion in the stomach too soon. HCl also neutralizes any digestive enzyme supplements, so taking them is a waste. That is why it is important to take HCl supplements 30-45 minutes after eating a meal.
    When the mixture of food, water and HCl (called chyme) empties out of the stomach it has to go through a small hole 10 mm, which is slightly larger than the end of a pencil, called the pyloric valve. The mixture squirts through that small hole in spurts. The rate at which foods empty out of the stomach is highly regulated. If the mixture is too solid and doesn't contain enough fluid it isn't as able to get through that small hole. That is why drinking enough fluids with meals is also very important.
    When the mixture starts squirting through that small hole, if the pancreas detects it contains enough fluids and HCl it is able to do its job. First the mixture must be made alkaline, so the pancreas pours lots of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) onto the mixture as it is squirting through that small hole. Pancreatic digestive enzymes only work on an alkaline mixture, just like enzymes in the mouth.
    Next, the pancreas produces several enzymes which digest carbs, fats and further digests protein, i.e. protease digests protein, amylase digests carbs and lipase digests fats. The small intestine also produces digestive enzymes that only work on an alkaline mixture.
    Therefore taking HCl supplements and improving its production in the stomach, along with having enough fluids with meals, is very important for proper digestion, whereas taking digestive enzymes is a waste and doesn't help digestion.

    Improve Digestion with Foods, Spices and Herbs

    The following foods, spices, and herbs stimulate stomach acid production, but sometimes it is necessary to also take HCl supplements.
    • Meats and eggs.
    • "Good" fats such as coconut oil, butter, lard, naturally occurring animal fats, etc.
    • Good ocean sea salt.
    • Mineral-Rich Bone Broth
    • Spices, teas and herbs, i.e. camomile, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. Caution, do not drink a lot of tea since they are diuretic, which means they make the body get rid of water and minerals along with it.
    All dried spices and herbs must be organic or certified organic from the health store, since most commercial
    products are irradiated (zapped with radiation) which change and damage the body's cells if consumed.

    How to Increase Stomach Acid Production

    Nature provides the most effective stomach acid regulator, which is unpasteurized unheated sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is unique because it increases stomach acid "if" it is too low, and it decreases stomach acid "if" it is too high. Eating 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sauerkraut with meals is one of the best ways to improve digestion.

    Ensure you buy a good unpasteurized sauerkraut or make your own. You can heat sauerkraut slightly, but be cautious not to get it too hot since heat will destroy it's benefits.
    • Take betaine hydochloric acid supplements (HCl) 30-45 minutes after eating – see How to Take Hydrochloric Acid Supplements.
    • Avoid raw vegetables until digestion improves, except for fermented raw vegetables like sauerkraut, kimchi (kimchee), etc., which are actually pre-digested. All plant cell walls are made of cellulose fibers, and the human digestive system is incapable of breaking them down. Therefore, the cellulose cell walls of plants must be broken down before they are digestible, and in order for nutrients, including minerals, and enzymes to be available - see Why Cooked Foods Are Healthier. Also see Raw Versus Cooked Vegetables & Fruits, of course candida sufferers would not have any fruits, except small amounts of lemons.
    • Do not cook meats or eggs using high heat, and do not overcook them. Cooking proteins actually pre-digests them, called denaturing. However overheating or overcooking them makes them lose moisture and binds the protein molecules tighter together which makes them harder to digest. Meats can also be pre-digested (denatured), by soaking them in acidic mediums such as lemon or lime juice, tomato juice, apple cider vinegar, etc. Marinating meats is a good way to pre-digest or pre-cook them.
    • Eat protein and "good" fats with every meal. Protein stimulates stomach acid production, and protein and fats stimulate the gall bladder to dump bile into the small intestines. Good fats also are needed by the liver in order to produce bile.
    • Use spices, since they stimulate stomach acid production and appetite.
    • Always have ocean sea salt with meals since salt is important for proper digestion and it also stimulates stomach acid production.
    • Drink enough fluids with meals so the mixture in the stomach is able to squirt through the small opening from the stomach into the first part of the small intestines. Bee's Electrolyte Drink (freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/4 teaspoon of ocean sea salt in 6 ounces of non-chlorinated water) is excellent for increasing stomach acid production. Drink a few sips just before you begin to eat a meal, and sip the remainder of the 6 ounces throughout the meal.
    • Chew foods thoroughly to stimulate digestive enzymes in the mouth, and to break up foods into the smallest particles possible for better digestion.
    • Eat enough foods at each meal that includes a good balance of proteins, good fats (coconut oil, butter, lard, etc.) and vegetables.
    • Eat at least 2 complete meals per day, but not more than 3 meals.
    • Avoid snacking in between meals in order to allow time for your body to digest foods properly.
    • Eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup of unheated sauerkraut or kimchi (kimchee) with each meal. Kimchi contains lots of foods that are antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral, which can cause "healing reactions" if you have candida or any kind of bacteria or virus - see Healing Foods, Herbs & Spices Cause Healing Reactions.










        Is your gallbladder ready for fat?

        If you live in North America, chances are you have experienced gall bladder problems at one time or another. Two things the gallbladder doesn't like are bad fats and no fats. Bad fats, like man-made processed vegetable oils, are difficult to digest and put a lot of stress on the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a little sac that sits alongside your liver. The liver produces bile, a substance made from cholesterol that emulsifies fat and makes it easier to digest.

        The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, and then secretes it into the small intestines when fats and proteins are present. If you do not eat fat, the gallbladder won't get any exercise and can begin to atrophy.
        If you've eaten mostly unnatural man-made fats or have spent many years on a low-fat diet, chances are your gallbladder will need a little work before you will be able to completely digest generous amounts of good fats in your diet. Start by eating the recommended amount of proteins, fats and carbs and by practicing good digestive (above).
        Natural fats, i.e. coconut oil, butter, lard, etc. are very easy on the gall bladder because they do not require bile salts in order to be digested. If you are just beginning to add fats to your diet after many years of low-fat foods, your best choice is to start with coconut oil and butter. For more information see the Digestion articles.

        Coffee enemas

        The benefits of a coffee cannot be overemphasized. Many people have experienced tremendous relief of their symptoms and renewed energy levels after enemas. Coffee enemas will decongest and flush the liver and the lymphatic system, which includes the adrenals.





          Enemas can be done anytime during your treatment program, but they are highly advised early on when you are experiencing the most healing/detoxifing symptoms. In fact coffee enemas and/or plain water enemas will lessen symptoms. For complete information on enemas and how to administer them see Enemas articles.

          The healing crisis, "die-off" symptoms, handling symptoms & other tips

          The Healing Crisis

          The healing crisis is an acute reaction that is the result of the activity of nature's healing forces in overcoming chronic disease conditions. It is brought about when the body becomes overcrowded by wastes and toxins. Cells and tissues begin to throw off the waste and carry it from the bloodstream to various eliminating organs including the bowels, kidneys, lungs, skin, nasal passages, ears, throat, and genital organs.
          These organs, in turn, become congested and irritated, producing symptoms such as colds, flue, boils, skin problems (rash, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, etc.), kidney and bladder infection, headaches, ear or eye infection, diarrhea and/or constipation, and fever, to name a few.
          That is the healing crisis, which is a form of healing and elimination. First the toxins are removed and then the tissues are renewed. These symptoms and the process of elimination are part of the cure and should not be suppressed. Although a healing and disease crisis may look alike they are very different.
          A disease crisis is when the body is loaded to the toleration point with wastes and toxins. The body arouses itself in self-defense and brings on an acute inflammation such as a cold, fever, etc. If the wastes and toxins are not eliminated the body adapts itself to function at a lower energy level. However these wastes and toxins accumulate and inhibit the organs from performing their normal functions until a chronic disease occurs.
          On the other hand a healing crisis develops because the healing forces are strengthening. By changing the diet to a highly nutritious one, and by eliminating as many sources of damaging substances as possible, i.e. sugar, soy, grains, chemicals, mycotoxins, preservatives, molds, etc. the body gets stronger, digging into the tissues and eliminating old chronic waste and toxins.
          Skin problems occur because of toxins being eliminated through the skin, but also because the body externalizes healing to the skin to protect vital inner organs.
          Excessive mucus will also be created in order to clear out toxins, which occur in the nose, sinuses, throat, bronchial tubes, lungs, digestive tract, etc. This does not mean there is an infection present, therefore the symptoms should not be suppressed. This is a time when your body needs help with its detoxifying efforts.
          The most important aspect of the healing crisis is to never go to extremes when making changes to your diet or life style. It is important to gradually introduce changes one at a time, allowing the body to adapt to the changes and adjust itself.
          Trying to change too many things at once can be counter-productive, discouraging and postpone the goal of overall superior health. Make changes one step at a time. As you make positive changes to your diet or life style and as each one becomes well-integrated into your daily routine, they will replace old "bad" habits with new "good" habits resulting in a healthier happier existence with your body. This also allows your body to do its job better, which is healing and maintaining health. For more information see the "Healing Naturally" articles.

          How Long it Takes to Get Healthy

          It takes 1 month of natural healing for every year you have been unhealthy, which for most people today is since before they were born. That is because most people today have inherited a very poor "nutritional status" from their parents upon conception. Therefore, many people today are born with candida.
          But even if you were not born with candida, you acquired it some time later due to poor health leading up to that point in time. Poor health doesn't just happen overnight, it sneaks up on us slowly but surely, so it may be impossible to pinpoint exactly when it all started. You can bet it started when you and/or your parents consumed modern foods and drinks that are damaging to health, and you acquired toxins. In other words, your health problems started WHEN you were not consuming "proper nutrients" and eliminating toxins and damaging foods.
          This health program does more than just cure candida, since is an overall healing program. That means it heals your body of other health problems and issues, not just candida.
          So it is important to stay on this program long enough to handle all of your health problems and issues, and not just long enough to overcome candida. Your healing time starts once you are totally on the diet, taking all of the supplements, and you are not taking any drugs, hormones, supplements or other treatments that interfere with nutrients.
          That means that most people will need to stay on the program for the number of months they are in age, i.e. if you are 40 years old you need to stay on the program for 40 months. However, if you experience a lot of stress, get injured, etc. it may take you a lot longer.
          Even after you are healthy, you cannot eat modern foods and take in toxins which caused you to get sick in the first place. In order to maintain life-long health you need to consume "proper nutrition" and eliminate toxins and damaging foods, otherwise you will become sick again and again.
          The healing processes follow these natural laws, called Hering's Law of Cures:
          1. Symptoms of a chronic disease disappear in definite order, going in reverse through every previous ache, pain, disease, illness, symptom, injury, etc. This is called "re-tracing."
          2. It takes about one month of natural healing for every year since the health problem first appeared.
          3. Healing progresses from the more vital organs to the less vital organs; from inside of the body towards the skin and from the top of the body down.
          For more information see Retracing, Healing Reactions & Flare-Ups.

          Die-off symptoms and how to handle them

          When you change your diet, particularly when you eliminate foods and toxins that feed candida, candida starts dying off. As a result the reactions and symptoms you will experience are called Die-Off Symptoms. Therefore when the numbers of candida begin to decrease (are dying off) you will feel the effects, which causes many symptoms and reactions, which are mainly due to the high numbers of toxins that are being released.
          Withdrawal Symptoms are some of the reactions you will experience. That is when your cravings for sugar, carbohydrates, alcohol, grain products, etc. will increase. At times it may make you feel as if you are starving, when you actually aren't. For help and more information see Food Cravings, How to Control Them and Withdrawal Symptoms, Cravings, Etc..
          Cleansing/Detoxifying Reactions - "Die-off" symptoms include cleansing/detoxifying reactions, which produce "flu-like" symptoms. This is because the body is trying to deal with the large numbers of toxins being released by the dead candida. This will results in excessive mucus being produced in the mucus membranes, which include sinuses, nose, throat, lungs, the digestive tract, reproductive organs, etc.
          These flu-like symptoms may also include an upset stomach, nausea, gas, bloating, belching, muscle and joint aches and pains, clumsiness, headaches, "brain fog," etc. Often you may feel like you have been drugged, with symptoms similar to a bad hangover. That is because most candida toxins are alcohol, which cause hangover-type symptoms.
          "Die-off" symptoms are also called the Herxheimer reaction, which is caused by the rapid killing of candida and other harmful pathogens, with large quantities of toxins and cell particles being released into the bloodstream and the entire body.
          Healing Reactions – In addition to withdrawal symptoms and cleansing reactions you will experience symptoms that are clearly healing reactions. The severity and/or number of healing reactions you experience depends upon how often your body has been exposed to toxins and/or traumatized during your lifetime with injuries, disease, or illnesses, and how much detoxifying and healing the body can accomplish.
          To help you "endure" these reactions and continue with your program, keep in mind that any reactions means you are successful in ridding your body of candida, other toxins, heavy metals, etc., and that "healing" is taking place. Every drugless healing practitioner is well aware of such healing reactions.
          For example: The Cancer Clinics in Mexico explain to their patients that without a healing reaction within the first two weeks of the program they must be re-evaluated for what could be causing the delay. (This could be from ingesting things that counteract the program or from using personal care items such as lotions, cosmetics, hair care items, etc. that interfere with the program, or not taking the prescribed amount of coffee enemas.) When a patient experiences a healing reaction all of the staff rejoices with the patient.
          Symptoms Intensify - When high numbers of candida are being killed off, any symptoms experienced while candida was growing out of control may intensify. This is different person to person, depending upon areas of their body that were most affected by candida overgrowth. Women who have had vaginal yeast infection will find such symptoms will become more intense and they may change as well.
          If someone has experienced a lot of digestive problems, their digestive upsets and disturbances will increase. If someone had a lot of head-related symptoms, their symptoms will become worse. And so on.
          Symptoms do get worse before they get better. However, as you progress on the program, your good days will increase and your bad days will decrease. Natural healing takes time, patience and persistence on the healing program.

          Healing Reactions are Not Allergic Reactions

          An allergy is defined as: "A condition in which the body has an exaggerated response to a substance introduced by inhalation, ingestion, injection, or skin contact, often manifested by itchy eyes, runny nose, wheezing, skin rash, hives, diarrhea, gas, bloating, headaches, aching muscles, joint pain, and many others. Please note that these reactions are exactly the same symptoms as healing reactions.
          These reactions are created by the immune system, as a healing response, indicating that it is working very hard to eliminate and/or minimize the effects of toxic overloads on the body, or the ingestion of a poison. Candida overgrowth itself contributes over 79 different types of toxins, most of which are alcohol.
          Handling this overload is like trying to handle a hangover every single day of your life until you get rid of the candida overgrowth. There are many other toxic sources in our environment and foods as well, which add to the toxic overload on the body. Some substances aren't merely toxic; they are poisonous, which causes direct debilitating damage.
          It is widely published that allergies are caused by a depressed immune system. At the same time allergic responses and symptoms means the immune system is working extremely hard. When the immune system isn't working up to par, it results in a total breakdown, so that bacteria, viruses or diseases, such as cancer, are allowed to take over. However, a healthy immune system is designed to destroy bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, etc.
          Many people mistakenly assume they are allergic to many healthy foods, herbs, spices, etc. because of allergy tests or body reactions, which doctors also label as allergic. Please note that almost all allergy tests are inaccurate and they should not be relied upon to determine your allergies. Some allergies are obvious, because they are caused by toxic substances, i.e. room deodorizers, smoke, chemicals - in the air, body care products, cleaning products, etc.), smog, chemtrails, pesticides, etc.
          But allergies to animal dander, dust mites, dust, mold, pollen, etc. are less obvious. However, not everyone reacts negatively to these substances, which obviously points to a depressed immune system in those that do.
          It is a fact that the body can, and will, react to good unadulterated foods with "allergic-like"symptoms, which is exactly the same way it reacts to toxins or poisons. However, reactions to good foods are not allergic reactions, they are healing reactions. When the body receives the nutrients it needs to heal, it goes into high gear, doing its job of healing, which creates healing symptoms.
          The long list of healing symptoms are exactly the same as the long list of allergic reactions, i.e. increased mucus in all mucus membranes (nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, intestines, stomach, etc.), headaches, stomach upset, gas, bloating, difficulty breathing, inflammation, heart palpitations, swelling, rashes, hives, diarrhea, constipation, fever, etc.
          In fact hives are a healing reaction too. It is caused by the immune system releasing histamines and other chemicals into the bloodstream to handle toxins or to affect healing. Histamines causes hives, rashes, itching, swelling, and other related symptoms. Although hives may be uncomfortable, they are generally quite harmless and disappear on their own.
          Therefore, do not be alarmed if you get healing reactions from good unadulterated foods like eggs, coconut oil, butter, etc. If you get reactions that are alarming or intolerable just cut back on the amount and gradually increase it.
          Try this mild treatment to minimize your die–off/healing symptoms or to improve your digestion - see 9–Day Program.

          Die-off symptoms can also be alleviated by the following:

          • Vitamin C & take 4,000 mg when the symptoms first start to appear, and take 1,000 mg every hour until the symptoms subside and/or bowel tolerance is reached, i.e. you get loose stools or diarrhea. When you reach bowel tolerance take a little less vitamin C each hour until you reach bowel tolerance again, and so on. Vitamin C helps the body detoxify since it is a powerful antioxidant.
          • Ensure you are taking enough calcium and magnesium according to the Supplements list above. They help minimize aches and pains.
          • Take baths with Epsom salt, salt, baking soda or 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide. Baths help draw toxins out through the skin which helps minimize symptoms. Add two cups of Epsom salts or one cup of salt to the bath (you can also mix Epsom salts and salt 50/50). Or use 1 cup of baking soda. Use 1/2 cup of 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide in 1/2 a bathtub of very warm water. Soak in the tub 15-20 minutes or until you sweat.
          • Drink 2-4 cups of Pau D'Arco tea per day. It is a powerful antioxidant and it will help your body detoxify, however it is also antifungal, so be cautious about drinking too much early on in your program.

          Do Not Push or Overwhelm Your Body

          "More is not better!" You can overwhelm your body by over-treating it, and by taking too much of a good thing, which can stop or slow down natural healing processes. One of the important keys to healing naturally is not to push the body.
          If you do too many treatments, exercise too much, take other unnecessary supplements, herbs, hormones, drugs, etc. your body becomes confused and overwhelmed because "too much is being pushed at it" so it is not as able to heal like it should.
          "Proper nutrients" (diet plus only the supplements recommended) are what heals the body because they provide the body with what it requires in order to heal itself naturally the way Nature intended. So they need to be consumed consistently and for long enough in order to become healthy.
          For that reason some direct treatments can be done to help alleviate the discomforts of symptoms, but they shouldn't be done for long periods of time, nor too intensely, because they can also interfere with the healing processes.

          Simple Things to Help You

          • For relaxation do this for 15 minutes every day. Lie down on the floor with your feet on a chair so your thighs are at a right angle to the seat of the chair and the calves of your legs are lying across the seat of the chair. It is as simple as that.
          • Do dry skin brushing daily, which will stimulate the liver and adrenal glands, increasing their ability to handle the toxins – for instructions see Dry Skin Brushing.
          • Thump your thymus to stimulate it. Using your knuckles thump gently but firmly on your middle of your breast bone.Thump about 10 times in a row.Do this several times a day to wake up your thymus which is very important part of the immune system.
          • Do things that help your body detoxify, and which do not interfere with "proper nutrients" and do not deplete energy levels, such as taking Epsom Salt baths, doing Coffee Enema for Liver and Adrenal Detoxification, mild exercise such as dry skin brushing (above) or walking.
          • Do regular Deep Breathing Exercises to change your body over from running on its sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight nervous system) to its parasympathetic nervous system (calm nervous system). The parasympathetic nervous system works to calm us down and to heal. The sympathetic nervous system is called the fight/flight nervous system because it is activated when one needs to get out of a dangerous situation, or when we are under a lot of stress, including the stress of being sick. When the sympathetic nervous system is activated it puts the body and mind in an alert mode, which causes constant stress to the body, interferes with healing, and depletes energy, reserves and nutrients.

          Cooking and Food Storage

          When cooking and handling food it is important to handle, store, and cook food correctly in order to retain healthy live-giving nutrients available in them.
          Do not cook foods at high temperatures. Cooking at low temperatures for a longer period of time is better than cooking at high temperatures that can damage foods.
          All vegetables should be cooked to obtain nutrients from them. This is because their cell walls are made of cellulose, and our digestive system is not capable of breaking down cellulose. Therefore, cellulose cell walls of all plant foods must be broken down before they are easily digested, and in order for the nutrients in them to be available, including minerals. This is done by cooking them - see How to Get the Most Nutrients from Vegetables.
          The best cooking oil is coconut oil. Of all the available oils, coconut oil is the best for cooking because it is nearly a completely saturated fat, which means it is much less susceptible to damage when it is heated, and it can withstand higher heat than others (up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit). It can be mixed half and half with butter to increase the flavors in certain foods.
          Do not cook or heat olive oil, since heat damages it so it becomes oxidized, which causes damage to the body - see More Scientific Support For Using Olive Oil. However, unheated extra virgin olive oil can be used in salad dressing, mayonnaise, or added to foods after they are cooked.
          Anytime you need an oil to cook with, coconut oil can automatically be used in place of butter, margarine, olive oil or any other type of oil in all recipes. Buy a good quality unrefined coconut oil for cooking as described in the Coconut Oil section above.
          Do not microwave food, water or drinks. The most important rule in cooking is not to microwave any food, not even to heat leftovers, water or drinks. Recent research shows that microwaved food causes severe molecular damage in the body. When eaten it causes abnormal changes in human blood which can be seen in a live blood cell analysis.
          These changes cause deterioration and damage to the immune system. In simple terms, microwave ovens change the molecular structure of food with radiation. If manufacturers would have more accurately called them "radiation chambers" it's doubtful they would have ever sold one, but that's exactly what a microwave oven IS. For more information see: Microwave Cooking is Killing You and Microwave Cooking, the Hidden Hazards.
          Do not buy irradiated foods. When food is irradiated the radiation breaks up the molecular structure of the food and creates a whole new set of chemicals known as "unique radiolytic products" (URPs). These URPs include benzene, formaldehyde and a host of known mutagens and carcinogens. Irradiation kills nutrients in food, and effectively renders the food "dead," which is useless to your body. For more information see Microwaving & Irradiation.
          Regulations vary from country to country, and even in the United States they can vary between states. Check regulations in your area to find out what foods have been approved for irradiation. As far as we know all spices in the United States and Canada are irradiated, and in the United States some fresh produce and meats are also irradiated.
          The kinds of pots and pans to use: Cooking pots and pans must not be aluminum nor Teflon coated. Teflon releases a gas that is harmful when ingesting foods cooked in them.
          Pots and pans made of cast iron are best. They need to be well-seasoned with coconut oil before use unless they are already seasoned. There are also good pots and pans made of cast iron that are coated with heavy enamel, which are very good too. High grade stainless steel pans are also good, as well as glass or stone. For more information see Cookware & How to Season Cast Iron and Cookware, Non–Stainless Steel Alternatives
          Containers for storing foods should be made of glass, and not plastic, since plastic releases gases that leach into foods.

          References

          1. Dennis W. Remington, M.D., et al, Back to Health, Provo, Utah, Vitality House International, Inc., 1986.
          2. The raw (and ugly) truth about the war on drugs, by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor.
          3. FDA Blasted For Drug Safety Debacle
          4. Louis Pasteur And the Myth of Pasteurization
          5. "The Dream and Lie of Louis Pasteur"
          6. "Antoine Béchamp.org"
          7. Michael Nightingale, "Jabs and Journeys," Epoch Magazine, 1982
          8. Antibody Theory
          9. Everybody Reacts Positive on the ELISA Test for HIV
          10. IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA - What Do They Really Tell Us? by Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic
          11. Bee Wilder, "Allergies, What They Are & How to Treat Them".
          12. Sunlight Actually Prevents Cancer

          Footnotes:

          1. All antifungals other than unrefined coconut oil have been removed from Bee's Candida Program because candida cannot be cured by "killing it off." Candida can only be cured by building up the immune system, just like any other health issues, by:
            1. Consuming "proper nutrients" (diet plus supplements).
            2. Eliminating toxins and foods that feed candida (they also feed bacteria and cancer).
            3. Eliminating damaging foods.
            4. Eliminating toxins in general.
          2. The reasons probiotics are removed from Bee's Candida Program is because the body is smart enough to create any probiotics required, when, and if, needed, just like it balances out all nutrients if given "proper nutrients" (diet plus supplements). Also probiotics taken by mouth couldn't reach the large intestines where they are "supposedly" needed, since probiotics can only be implanted in the large intestines with an enema.
          This information is all from this website here:: Healing Naturally By Bee: http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/intro2.php