Candida Treatment Questions

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

There are numerous questions that I commonly get asked when treating candida. Over the next few weeks I will try to address some of these questions for you.

Question 1.

Can I take vitamins on the candida yeast diet?

The answer is yes. There is no reason why you would want to stop taking vitamins and minerals. Candidiasis is an overgrowth of yeast that has come about as a result of ill health and imbalances of vitamins and minerals. Ceasing your vitamins and minerals may possibly make matters worse. If however you feel that you are taking way too many products already and don’t think you could cope with extra supplements for your candida, it will not hurt to temporarily cease your vitamins.

One supplement that is important to cure your candida however is zinc. When zinc deficiency occurs, the hydrochloric acid in your gut can be decreased. This creates the perfect environment for yeast overgrowth.

Question 2.

Side Effects of a Candida Diet

The candida yeast free diet is designed to decrease sugars that feed the yeast and promote its growth. By decreasing these in the diet, the yeast is weakened. This is the ideal time to give antiparasitic, antifungal herbs that eradicate the yeast overgrowth.

There are normally no side effects from treatments with high grade practitioner only supplements. Occasionally patients will experience symptoms of “die off” when there is abnormal bacteria or “bad bugs” in the gut. These symptoms generally resolve within 24 hours. Drink more water to flush out any dead bacteria.

As foods are removed from the diet, any antibodies produced by these foods are reduced. After a period of time the body becomes hyper sensitive to some foods and any reintroduction of foods can create symptoms.

Much of the symptoms of the candida diet are psychological ones. Decreasing sugar producing foods in the diet can be difficult for some especially if the diet is generally full of calorie rich, nutrient poor carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, cereal, biscuits or pastry.

To find suitable anti candida foods to replace these items, take a look at How to Beat Candida and Thrush, Naturally.

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Anti-ageing From The Inside Out

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Vivienne| Comments Off

Put simply, anti-ageing is all about good health. In some ways we are similar to a motor car or a house – with good maintenance we can look good and keep going for years and years. Anti-ageing is not about getting testosterone shots, taking human growth hormone, nips and tucks or botox. No matter how good looking a person is on the outside, without a good diet and lifestyle the body will still age on the inside.

Some research tells us that the length of life is not greatly different in those who have abused or looked after their health but what is different is the quality of life. So it is a matter of deciding if you want to be playing your favourite sport or doing your favourite leisure activity up till the day you die; or do you want to spend the last 10 years having numerous hospital visits, being immobile or perhaps suffering with a degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s?

Other research into the life of centenarians however, shows that people that live to a great age have some common factors in their lives. Firstly most centenarians are extremely active all their lives (doing farming work daily). They tend to be very social, living with their extended families and having regular contact with friends. They eat large amounts of freshly picked vegetables and fruit and smaller quantities of meat. Stress tends to be lower with time set aside for spiritual rituals and community. I am sure some of us would like to change our genes or our family health history. Unfortunately you cannot change your genetics, but what you can change is the expression of your genes. And it is the expression of your genes that is vitally important.

A healthy diet and lifestyle positively influences gene expression and subsequently turns down disease expression (i.e. reduces your risk of disease). If there is one word that you should become aware on your path towards health and longevity, it is “inflammation”. Think of inflammation as “a fire within”. Inflammation affects your genes in a negative way and predicts the appearance and progression of disease. Inflammation is the leading cause of ill health and death. It is the trigger for heart disease, pain, skin problems, cancer and more.

There are numerous causes of inflammation including:

1. Diet – excess sugar intake;

  •   excess refined starches (cereals and grains)
  •  excess saturated fat and trans fatty acids
  •  poor omega 3 intake
  • poor antioxidant intake

2. Excess body fat or obesity

3. Stress (physical, including injury or mental)

4. Exercise deficiency

 5. Toxicity

6. Gut barrier problems i.e. dysbiosis & irritable bowel syndrome

7. Infection.

 If you are truly concerned about maintaining your health and want to look and feel young for as long as possible, there are a number of things that you must do.

                                                                                                    1. Ensure you are getting regular exercise, enough to get your heart rate up and make you feel puffy. Despite what some of my patients try to tell me, this does not include running around after the kids or having sex!! This means 40 t0 50 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 days a week. Aerobic exercise includes fast walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, rowing or playing an active sport such as netball or football. If this is too much initially then, set yourself a goal for when you will achieve this – add a little bit more time to your exercise program every day.

 

2. Eat plenty of vegetables especially the green leafy ones. You should have around 4 or 5 serves of vegetables daily. Enjoy 1 to 2 pieces of fruit daily also (keep is to one if you are over the recommended body weight).

3. Increase your proteins until they make up around 30% of your diet. Decrease your carbohydrates to 40% of your diet. A good way to do this is to get rid of all breads, biscuits, cakes and cereals – you will be amazed how by doing just this, you will decrease your total carbohydrate intake and trans fatty acids. A bonus is you will probably decrease excess body fat also – another cause of inflammation. For most people breakfast is the worst meal of the day. Try replacing cereals and toast with a protein shake or an egg or two (yes eggs, they do not cause cholesterol problems and are a fantastic food).

 4. Decrease sugary foods. This is easy if you are sticking to vegetables and proteins such as fish, dairy, cheese and moderate meat intake. One of the worst habits in society today is consuming soft drinks and cordials. Try cooled herb teas or watered down juice. Read the labels of all processed foo

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Free Candida Diet Recipe

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

                                                                                   

 Sticking to an anticandida diet can sometimes be challenging, especially when it must be adhered to for around 6 to 8 weeks, and in some cases longer. Sometime it is not just certain foods that we miss but the texture and feel of those foods.

For example you may miss the feel of a carbohydrate such as a cracker or a muffin. Or maybe one of your favourite foods is mashed potato and you enjoy mopping up the sauce or gravy on your plate with it.

Well here’s a few sample recipes to overcome some of these problems. These recipes are low in carbohydrate, yeast free, and gluten free.

Garlic White Bean Mash

2 can of white bortolini beans                  1 tablespoon of butter
1 to 2 tablespoons of garlic                       Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cream (optional)
 
Add the butter and garlic to a heated saucepan and allow to cook for a minute. Meanwhile wash the beans and then add to the browned garlic. Take off the heat whilst you mash the beans and mix through the garlic butter.
Return to heat through, stirring regularly to ensure that it is not sticking. If you prefer a lighter consistency add a tablespoon of cream and mix well.
 
This recipe has a low glycaemic load so is great for fat loss diets even with the yummy cream which is low in carbohydrate. Serve with your palm size serve of meat and other low glycaemic vegetables. Garlic is a fabulous antifungal so add as much as you find tasty.
 
For those of you missing your cakes or breads, here is a simple muffin recipes. Because it doesn’t contain flour and is made with nut meal, it is much heavier than your normal muffin, but of course much healthier and more filling.
 

Berry Muffins

50 gms rice flour                    50 gms hazelnut meal
75 gms almond meal             3 eggs
1/4 tspn baking soda            1/2 tspn stevia or xylitol to sweeten
1 tblspn coconut oil               50 gm frozen cranberries or strawberries
 
 
Allow the frozen berries to thaw slightly.
Mix the flour, nut meal, sweetener and baking soda in a mixing bowl. In a seperate bowl whisk the eggs then add to the flour mixture. Thoroughly mix in the coconut oil. Add the thawed berries and beat through.
Lightly grease a mini muffin tray with olive oil or coconut oil. Add some mixture to each muffin cup. Cook in a moderate oven until browned on top and cooked through. You can check whether they are cooked properly by piercing with a scewer or knife – it should come out clean.
Makes  6 mini muffins.
Coconut is fabulous for boosting the immune system so use it liberally.
For more recipe ideas and an effective natural treatment for candida you can purchase How to Beat Candida and Thrush Naturally.

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Is Your Diet a Little or a Lot SAD?

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

 The acronym SAD stands for Standard American Diet. But it is indeed “sad” because it produces many negative health effects. It is referred to as the Standard American Diet because it is what the average American is eating. Not only is it the average American who is eating this diet, but also many people in westernized society where we rely upon processed foods.

    
 
This compares to A Wellness Diet which is anti-inflammatory and the opposite of the SAD diet. It is low in:
  •  sugary foods
  • trans fatty acids
  • saturated fats
  • foods that are low in nutrients.

It is high in:

  • Phytonutrients
  • anti-oxidants
  • vitamins and minerals
  • essential fatty acids such as fish oils
The Wellness Diet subsequently has an anti-inflammatory effect. An anti-inflammatory diet also tends to be a low reactive diet (low in allergy producing foods) and has less foods exposed to chemicals.
 
 For long term good health, the Wellness Diet is recommended to boost health, prevent and treat the myriad of health problems that go hand in hand with inflammation.
?For more wellness information, take a look at How to Fix Fatigue: The Energy Makover.
 
 
The problem with the SAD diet is that it is pro-inflammatory. Inflammation is best explained as being like a “fire within”. Or if you can imagine what inflammation on the outside of the body looks like, such as a cut, it is red, sometimes swollen or hot and indicates an immune reaction is taking place. On the inside however it is marked by the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines which are produced by the lymph cells. The job of the pro-inflammatory cytokines is to protect the body against infection and invasion. Inflammation that is happening inside the body will eventually causes health defects – it is yet another promoter of fatigue and sickness behavior in the body.
So what is this Standard American Diet?
 
The Standard American Diet typically consists of foods that are high in simple sugars, trans fatty acids (the type that are found in margarines and most commercially produced bakery produce), saturated fats and refined foods. These foods have a high glycaemic load (see How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome Book to find out more). These foods are also low in nutrients.
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Are Late Nights Making You Fat?

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

It is no secret that the size of our population is increasing. And I do mean outwards rather than in numbers. Discussions as to why this is the case are numerous. Anything from the type of food that we eat, the serving size, gut toxicity and hormones can contribute.

A recent study (St-Onge, March 2011) has found that not enough sleep can contribute. The study found that women ate around 328.6 extra calories a day compared to men who ate 262.7 extra calories a day when tired.

Having worked night shift for some years, this really comes as no surprise to me. Without adequate sleep it is difficult to motivate oneself to cook a healthy meal. For me personally, waking up after only a few hours sleep, always ended up in a trip to the fridge. Having witnessed what gets eaten on night shift by my fellow workers in the hospital (sweets & lollies, chips from the vending machine etc.), it is also of no surprise that sleep deprived people put on weight.

But when it comes to putting on weight and sleeping irregular hours, other factors also come in to play. The body has its own 24 hour clock called the circadian rhythm which is programmed for sleeping and eating at specific times of the day. For example our adrenal hormones are raised early in the mornings to support us becoming active as we prepare ourselves for the day. Our digestive function is supposedly at its most active at 8am in the morning.  So going to sleep at this time of day is fighting against these inbuilt functions.

Stress can often be the cause of problem sleep, especially if a person is waking between  2 and 3 am. Raised cortisol levels can be the result of stress. These hormones are glucose based so can disrupt the burning of fat.

As tempting as it may be to stay up late to watch a movie or to go out clubbing at 10 o’clock at night, remember that these habits do not support your health. If working night shift is unavoidable, plan ahead to ensure that you have plenty of healthy food available in the house, otherwise you may be tempted to grab the first thing at hand when you wake up hungry. Take a packet of nuts to work with you – nibbling on these is a healthy option that provides a good source of protein, fat and carbohydate. If you take food to work, you are less likely to join in the early morning sugar hit that many of your work mates will be relying on to get them through their shift. Try to avoid eating 4 hours prior to sleep time or having caffeine drinks late into your shift. This will only make sleep matters worse. And be prepared to change your exercise habits – abandoning them while doing night work will not help with sleep or burning those extra calories that might sneak in each day.

For more information about fat loss and how to avoid heart disease, diabetes and insulin resistance see How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome, Naturally.

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Stress: Too Much or Too Little Can Affect Your Energy

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Energy production and the lack of, is something that tends to affect most people at some stage of their life. Sometimes it is just due to circumstances such as overworking or “burning the candle at both ends”. Sometimes however, it is a sign that something is going amiss in the body. There are multiple causes for fatigue and stress is just one of these.

Some degree of stress is imperative for health. It is only when stress becomes excessive that it has a negative impact. In fact animals normally live in what is known as the ‘hormetic zone’. This described the situation where their environment is not too comfortable but not too harsh either. In this natural state where there is mild stress put upon the body through exercise, periods of fasting and temperature extremes, the body is naturally stimulated to produce more of the mitochondria batteries (mitochondrial biogenesis).

Our modern lifestyle has sought to decrease many of these stressors which would have been a natural stimulus for the production of energy in our ancestors. For example, the necessity to do physical activity in order to attain food and shelter or the periods of famine that occurred as part of a normal yearly cycle, would have acted as stimulants in the hermetic zone.

Excess stress on the other hand can have numerous adverse affects upon the body. The gland that responds to stress is the adrenal gland. The adrenal gland works hand in hand with the thyroid gland, and suppresses its function during times of stress. As slow thyroid function can impact on our energy levels, this is just one of the reasons why we can feel flat.

 Stress can induce magnesium loss and this loss can have a significant impact on energy levels. This loss of magnesium occurs as a result of increased stress hormones (catecholamines and corticosteroids). Physical stressors can include such things as trauma, temperature extremes, exertion, surgery or burns. Emotional stress includes such things as depression, pain, anxiety or excessive excitement, lack of sleep, worry and information overload. Environmental stressors can also have negative impacts upon magnesium levels, as can dietary stressors such as a nutritionally inadequate diet, an acid forming diet or alcohol.

Good health is always about balance and this includes a balanced amount of stress – enough to be stimulatory but not so much that the body’s healing abilities and normal function is interfered with. Activities such as regular exercise, meditation and time out each have a part to play in maintaining healthy stress levels, so make sure you enjoy some of these de-stressing activities every day.

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Abnormal Discharge Down Under? Could It Be Thrush?

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

An unfortunate and difficult subject, I know. But let’s face it – candida and thrush is common place especially in females. In fact it is estimated the 75% of females will contract candidiasis of the vagina during their lifetime, usually in the reproductive years. Candidiasis causes inflammation of the vagina and occurs as a result of yeast overgrowth.

The risk of vaginitis is increased with;

  •  
    •  
      •  
        •               the use of broad spectrum antibiotics
        •               the third trimester of pregnancy
        •                low vaginal pH
        •                diabetes mellitus

So what are the signs of thrush? Typically a young female will experience excess vaginal discharge that is described as thick and “like cottage cheese”. There is often itching & burning around the genital area.

This compares to the normal discharge which is designed to keep the vagina moist. Throughout the cycle the thickness and consistency of the mucous will change, however it should remain clear to a light yellow in colour. The odour should not be unpleasant.

A candida yeast overgrowth tends to produce a yeasty smell compared to a bacterial or parasitic infection that can produce a more unpleasant (even foul) smell.

If you think you may have thrush or candida, be aware that swabs have a positive predictive value of only 56%. Other more reliable tests are available plus there are numerous other symptoms that can assist with diagnosis.

This is one of those conditions that doesn’ t go away without treatment, although it can quieten down temporarily. For more information on the subject see How to Beat Candida and Thrush, Naturally.

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Mmmm! Chocolate and Red Wine. Who said being healthy is no fun??

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Yes really! Chocolate and red wine are both healthy for us. The secret is to have not too much of the right type.

Chocolate is good for your health

Chocolate is loaded full of antioxidants if you get the right type. Eating a Mars Bar, a Snickers or  Kit Kat simply won’t cut it. You need to look out for the 85% cacao versions, which are now readily available in supermarkets. Cacao contains just one third of a gram of saturated fat per cup compared to 8 grams of fat contained in a 40 gram chocolate bar such as white chocolate bars. 

As I tell me patients who complain about the taste – it really is a matter of what your body is used to. If you are frequently eating sugary foods such as sweets, lollies and desserts, then you have trained your body to be used to this taste. You are big boys and girls -so get used to the taste of chocolate that isn’t laden with sugar. After a while, I can promise that you really will enjoy it.

As well as being laden with antioxidants, chocolate also provides a fabulous boost to your serotonin – the feel good brain neurotransmitter. A small amount is especially good in PMT times for the ladies. So fellas, next time you buy your other half a box of chocolates, you can do both of you a favour by buying 75 or 85% chocolate.

In case it has slipped your mind why antioxidants are so good for you, you may recall that free radicals are produced as a byproduct of oxygen utilization. That is why people who exercise a lot frequently produce  more free radicals. Free radicals produce oxidation (a bit like rusting of a car). Antioxidants on the other hand prevent this problem.Chocolate has been found to contain nearly twice the amount of antioxidants as red wine and three times more than green tea. It also contains phenolic phytochemicals or flavanoids that help fight cancer, heart disease and other ailments. How do phenolics work ? Basically these plant based compounds protect the plant from parasites and insects and continue to work even after they are processed into foods.

Try drinking unsweetened cacao as a hot drink. Add some xylitol to sweeten. Add cream instead of milk to keep the carbohydrate content low. Suck on a piece of dark chocolate to assist with swallowing difficulties.Red wine will also assist with getting your antioxidant content up. Red wine contains a powerful property known as resveratrol. Resveratrol has powerful anti-ageing affects – but unfortunately you need around 2 litres a day to get a beneficial amount (hence tablets are recommended).

Now some people (including myself) aren’t great fans of green tea. As one of my lecturers once commented “drinking green tea is a bit like licking cement”, so more red wine and chocolate sounds like the perfect combination to me.

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Is Your Life Worth Saving??

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Part 1.

Of course the answer to this question is yes. But unfortunately a vast majority of people forget about this fact and from one day to the next, they do little things that chip away at their good health. Worldwide catastrophes make up the news headlines but we pay little attention to the crisis that may be going on inside our own body. This health catastrophe is at epidemic proportions and may be happening in of our own homes or neighbourhood.

Is it another SARS or a Chicken Flu that we might catch? Is it something that you can get an injection for?

Fortunately the answer to both of these questions is no. It is a condition that you are able to treat and avoid without any type of drug intervention. It is a condition that relies on you taking some responsibility for your health however and living life to the full.

The condition I am referring to is a major contributor to all sorts of health conditions including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, alzheimer’s disease and some forms of cancer. Metabolic Syndrome is an extremely serious but little known condition. Sometimes known as MetS or previously Syndrome X, Metabolic Syndrome is creating havoc in developed countries and is expected to produce a major strain on health budgets around the world. The cause of metabolic syndrome is even affecting reproduction with females developing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and males erectile dysfunction.

MetS is a pre-diabetic, pre-heart disease condition. Heart disease is responsible for  17.1 million deaths per year according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Are you concerned yet? Hopefully so because 32.5 percent of 50 to 59 year olds have the condition and 42.5 percent of 60 to 69 year olds in the USA have MetS. Statistics for other westernized countries are very similar. This statistic is linked to another statistic which is also on the rise worldwide – increased weight and obesity. The increase in weight and body size does not have to be significant in order to put us at risk. In fact in females a waist measurement of 88 cm or above or in males a waist of 102 cm or above is the first risk factor.

In part 2 of this article, I will discuss the other factors that lead to a diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome and what you can do to protect yourself. In the meantime, find yourself a tape measure to determine if you might be at risk.

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