THE “UNTOLD” PROBLEM WITH DIGESTIVE HEALTH

  *YEAST/CANDIDA*

by William E. Richardson, M.D. and John Richardson, MBA who together direct the 
Atlanta Clinic of Preventive Medicine, Inc.  
For more information call (404) 350-9607.

While Digestive Diseases are the #1 Medical Complaint in America, you should also know that 
Digestive Disorders are also probably the #1 most Mis-diagnosed Complaint.  Many people go to their well-meaning DOCTORS with serious complaints of Digestive Problems and then their DOCTORS may run all kinds of blood tests including: blood work, upper GI series, barium enemas, colonoscopies, flexible sigmoids, motility studies, etc. and then tell the patient that “you are fine” according to these ‘TESTS’.  Or their DOCTORS prescribe the latest “suppress the symptom” drug to “temporarily” abate the “symptom”, which in turn can eventually create more dysfunction and rather serious side-effects and toxicity.  I am here to tell you that while a poor diet, bad life-style, lack of exercise, nutritional deficiencies, stress, and etc. lead to poor digestive health....  We must not overlook the Untold Story of: Yeast or Candida Infections.

Often times, in my office, we find this culprit that is an underlying ROOT Problem leading to POOR DIGESTIVE HEALTH, resulting in a HOST of Digestive Problems and many other Diseases.

While almost all diseases have a very significant digestive-malfunction connection, we find that Yeast Overgrowth is especially of concern involving conditions and illnesses including: poor digestion and absorption of your foods, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, constipation,  gas and bloating, recurring colds/flu/sinus problems, autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, impaired immunity, chronic diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, acne, acid indigestion, nausea, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, colitis, eczema, food allergies, chronic fatigue, etc.

Yes, we find that patients complaining of these problems (and many others) have a serious problem with YEAST/CANDIDA.

So now let’s break down an underlying ROOT cause culprits that microscopically is disrupting the DIGESTIVE Health of millions of Americans.

First of all, YEAST/CANDIDA, technically known as Candida albicans, is a type of parasitic yeastlike fungus that inhabits the intestines, genital tract, mouth, esophagus, and throat.  Normally this fungus lives in healthy balance with the other bacteria and yeasts in the body; however, certain conditions can cause it to multiply, weakening the immune system and causing an infection known as candiadiasis.

We regularly test and find an enormous number of patients have Candiadiasis (i.e. Yeast Overgrowth).  You may have it.

Consider the following Questions that have a strong Yeast/Candiadiasis link:

Have you recently taken repeated rounds of antibiotic or cortico-steroid drugs or acne drugs for 1 month or longer?  Have you been troubled by PMS, vaginitis or vaginal yeast infections, endometriosis, abdominal pains, prostatitis, or loss of sexual interest?  Are you bothered by unexplained frequent headaches, muscle aches, and joint pain?  Do you crave sugar, bread, or alcoholic beverages?  Are you frequently bothered by chronic fungal infections, such as ringworm, jock itch, nail fungus, athlete’s foot? Or hives, psoriasis, eczema, or chronic dermatitis?  Are you over-sensitive to tobacco, perfume, insecticides, or other chemical odors?  Do you have recurrent digestive problems, gas, or bloating?  Do you have chronic constipation alternating to diarrhea?  Are you now taking, or have you previously taken birth control pills for more than 2 years?  Have you been pregnant more than twice?  Are you bothered by chronic fatigue, erratic vision, spots before the eyes, poor memory, or continuing nervous tension?  Do you feel depressed and sick all over, yet the cause cannot be found?  Are the symptoms worse on damp, muggy days with joint and muscle pain?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, “you” may have Candiadiasis or Yeast Overgrowth!

Because candiadiasis can affect various parts of the body --- the most common being the mouth, ears, nose, gastrointestinal tract, and vagina --- it can be characterized by many symptoms.  These include: constipation, diarrhea, colitis, abdominal pain, headaches, bad breath, rectal itching, impotence, memory loss, mood swings, prostatitis, canker sores, persistent heartburn, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, congestion, nagging cough, acne, severe itching, clogged sinuses, burning tongue, white spots on the tongue and in the mouth, extreme fatigue, vaginitis, kidney and bladder infections, arthritis, depression, hyperactivity, adrenal problems.   Symptoms often worsen in damp and/or moldy places, and after consumption of foods containing sugar and/or yeast.  Because of its many and varied symptoms, this disorder is often misdiagnosed.

When candida infects the vagina, it results in vaginitis characterized by a large amount of white, cheesy discharge and intense itching and burning.  When the fungus infects the mouth, it is called thrush.  White sores may form on the tongue, gums, and inside the cheeks.  In a baby, the white spots of oral thrush may resemble milk spots.  Oral thrush in an infant can spread to the mother’s nipples by breast-feeding, and can lead to a situation in which mother and baby continually reinfect each other.  Thrush may also infect a baby’s buttocks, appearing as diaper rash.  Candida infection may also take the form of athlete’s foot or jock itch.  Systemic candiadiasis is an overgrowth of candida everywhere, throughout the body.  In the most severe cases, candida can travel through the bloodstream to invade every organ system in the body, causing a type of blood poisoning called candida septicemia.   This condition almost always occurs in persons with serious underlying illnesses, such as advanced cancer of AIDS.

Candiadiasis may affect both men and women; however, it is rarely transmitted sexually.  It is most common in babies (an infected mother may pass the fungal infection to her newborn) and in persons with compromised immune systems.   Anyone who has been on long-tern antibiotic therapy, or has taken antibiotics often, probably has an overgrowth of candida somewhere in his or her body.  Antibiotics weaken the immune system and also destroy the “friendly” bacteria that normally keep candida under control.  As it proliferates, the fungus releases toxins that weaken the immune system further.  Other factors that increase the chances of contacting a yeast infection include pregnancy and the use of corticosteroid drugs.

Golden Rules for controlling candida overgrowth:  Candida albicans is an opportunistic yeast strain that takes advantage of lowered immunity to overrun the body.  Healthy liver function and a strong immune system are the keys to lasting prevention and control of candida overgrowth.  The whole healing/rebuilding process usually takes from 3-6 months or more, and is not easy.  The changes in diet, habits, and lifestyles are often radical.  Some people feel better right away; others go through a rough ‘healing crisis’.  (Yeasts are living organisms - a part of the body.  Killing them off is traumatic.)  But most people with candida are feeling so bad anyway, that the treatment and the knowledge that they are getting better, pulls them through the hard times.  Be as gentle with your body as you can.  Give yourself all the time you need, at least 3 to 6 months.

A Comprehensive, Successful Protocol for Overcoming this Disease includes the Following Stages:

Stage 1: Kill the yeasts through diet change and supplement therapy. Avoid antibiotics, corticosteroid drugs, and birth control pills, unless there is an absolute medical need.

Stage 2: Cleanse the dead yeasts and waste cells from the body with a soluble fiber cleanser or bentonite. Colonic irrigation and herbal implants are effective here.