Conquering Candida— Part II

(Last issue we looked at the causes and progression of Candida albicans infection. This issue we will examine treatment.)

The best way of controlling Candida is with a multi-disciplinary approach that kills yeast in the digestive tract and other colonized areas, replaces beneficial intestinal bacteria, restores nutritional status, and regenerates immune function:

• The first step is diet—eating food that nourishes the body and not the yeast. This means using whole foods, no sugar, and minimizing simple carbohydrates. Most people will also have to eliminate fruit and high-starch vegetables like potatoes. Avoid refined flours, allergic foods, and mold-containing foods (if sensitive to them).
• Use powdered acidophilus purchased from the store’s refrigerator case to restore intestinal bacteria. Additional helpful supplements are caprylic acid and biotin.
• Many herbs are excellent antifungals, which act by either killing the yeast directly, or strengthening the immune response. Herbs that contain berberine fall under both categories, since this substance kills yeast and activates immune system white cells. Herbs with berberine include barberry root, Oregon grape root, goldenseal root, and Chinese amur cork tree bark. A good yeast killer is grapefruit seed extract—so effective that one large dose will sometimes cure a vaginal yeast infection overnight. Other helpful herbs include garlic, echinacea, pau d'arco bark, celandine, astragalus root, ginseng, Siberian ginseng, and holy basil.

Remember that our bodies, and the world, are covered with yeast. The object of healing is not to totally wipe out the yeast, but to adopt a strengthening lifestyle so that we can live in peace with them, because we sure can't live without them.

[Editor: Consult with a health professional or appropriate sources for details on the safe use of herbs.]  Based on information in: The Herb Quarterly, Summer 1996