How Fungi Can Affect Health
Fungi harms us by triggering allergic reactions...causing either localized or systemic infections...and exposing us to poisonous waste products called mycotoxins, which have been shown to depress immune function (and have been linked to certain types of cancers) and promote inflammation (associated with heart disease). Lifelong exposure to fungi leaves the body vulnerable to disease. There's growing evidence based on research in the US (at the Mayo Clinic) and around the world linking fungi to many ailments, including...
- Eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions
- Upper-respiratory tract symptoms
- Chronic sinusitis
- Kidney and bladder diseases
- Parkinson's disease
- Dementia and Alzheimer's disease
- Cancer of the liver
- Tumors of the kidneys, urinary tract and colon
- Endocarditis (inflammation of the heart lining and valves)
- Atherosclerosis
- Diabetes and hypoglycemia
- Hormone imbalance
- Weight gain
- Kidney stones
Blood tests that detect fungal infections have not yet been developed, although sputum culture tests (for lungs) and stool tests (for the digestive system) can detect fungus.
For those with the conditions listed above who get sick often or whose conditions do not improve with treatment, the best way to determine if your health is being affected by fungi is to go on an antifungal diet. This type of eating kills off the fungi inside your body by starving them of the nutrients that they need.
Going on an antifungal diet before you have a disease such as Alzheimer's can reduce your risk for the disease. If a fungus is causing a disease (such as liver cancer) to thrive, getting rid of the fungus may slow the progression of the illness. And if your chronic condition is caused by a fungus, you may be able to relieve some of your symptoms.
The Antifungal Diet
One of the best sources of information on fungus is Doug Kaufmann, who has specialized in these infections for 30 years, after suffering from one himself. He teamed up with David Hollander, MD, to create Know the Cause, a Web site and syndicated television show on the subject. They have created a multiphase antifungal diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
Fungi thrive on sugar and high-glycemic carbohydrates (which the body easily converts to sugar). The antifungal diet eliminates these foods and increases those that inhibit the growth of fungus. For the first phase of the antifungal diet...
Avoid...
- Grains, including rice, corn and wheat
- All sugars
- Pistachios and peanuts
- Potatoes and mushrooms
- Processed foods
- Eggs
- Beef from cattle that has been grass-fed, which reduces the likelihood of fungus contamination
- Fish and chicken (all types)
- Nuts, other than pistachios and peanuts
- Vegetables, including carrots, broccoli, cabbage, onions
- Green apples (which have less naturally occurring sugar than other apples), berries, grapefruit, lemon, lime, avocados, flaxseeds
- Plain yogurt, real butter
- Oregano
- Coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, flaxseed oil
Comment: All Grains should be avoided, to learn more about Why Refined Grains Are Harmful read the following articles:
A Reversal on Carbs
Going Against the Grain Towards Better Health
Is gluten from grains making you sick?
The Many Heads of Gluten Sensitivity
Other Ways To Reduce Fungus
If the antifungal diet does not improve your condition or if you want a more aggressive approach, try one or more natural remedies (in combination with the diet), sold separately as olive-leaf extract, grapefruit-seed extract, oregano (fresh, dried or oil), garlic, herbal pau d'arco tea, zinc, citrus bioflavonoids and d-limonene (oil extracted from citrus rind). Or look for a combination formula, such as CandiGONE by Renew Life (800-830-1800). Take as directed on the label for one month.
If your symptoms do not improve, speak to a physician about a prescription antifungal medication, such as nystatin (Mycostatin) or fluconazole (Diflucan).
Reader Comments
Well I guess we just need to realise FOOD is no good for us. Every day it seems there is something that will kill us. Perhaps many have allergies and should avoid any food they find personally to be an alergin. We all have different experiences. I don't appear to have any issues with gluten, meat, vegetables, fruit grain or sugar. I don't like boxed food for many reasons. I avoid processed foods. Buy organic meat, dairy, cook like a gourmet chef for myself and my boyfriend (and friends often). Even make homemade croissants and pastries. Zero high fructose corn syrup and zero soy.
I must say the food is great and our health - well it just doesn't get better. Seems these hardcore nutritionists just have a bone to pick with certain foods. Kinda like a vendetta.
You are very lucky if your body or genetic type tollerates wheat products or some of the more modern varieties of foods.
My wife developed a chronic lung problem after a severe cold. A couple of rounds of antibiotics did no good. Finally her doctor
sent her to a Pulmonologist. He finally took a culture and found Aspergillus. He gave her a round of antifungal and pronounced her cured. She still had symptoms and from reading, we understood that this is likely very difficult to eradicate.
We began researching alternatives and tried Grapefruit seed extract, Oil of Oregano, Tea Tree oil, various immune boosters. Many of these seemed to help but did not eradicate the infection. After taking a round of Gerovital shots, my wife slacked off on
her treatments as she seemed much better. After a few weeks it came back with a vengeance. I decided to try using colloidal
silver in a nebulizer. This seems to be working quite well as it isn't irritating, but seems to improve her lung function. Time will tell if it does the trick.
One of the things we observed was that when the antifungals were kicking in, white spots began to appear all over her skin. It
appeared that there was fungous throughout her body. Conventional wisdom is that only severely immune suppressed individuals
could have such a condition. She usually fights off colds etc fairly well, so this seems unreasonable.
She did have a long term chronic sinusitis and we live in swampy south Florida...
BTW, the Pulmonologist casually commented that he sees Aspergillus almost weekly!
Thanks
Pivoine
Truthhunter, I had a similar problem which started back in 2010. There was a cold first, ear infection, pulmonary infection, repeated treatments with antibiotics to no avail. Summer 2010 I started fasting, only 4-5 apples a day for 10 days. It cleared immediately. The trouble is as soon as I started eating it came back. I felt it all starts in the stomach and particularly the liver. I read in the book of malahov- a Russian healer that one method of flushing it is cold shower. I also remembered that my uncle 85 years old who still cycles every day has told me he takes one every day. I started summer 2011 and I have to say since then I seldom get even a sniffle. I go to sauna first, then take a cold shower. It seems raising my body temperature and the dropping it quite low made my body a not very comfortable breeding ground for all invaders who apparently like 36 degrees celsius. Try that, it should work.
I'm less concerned about natural occurring substances like black mold, fungi than I am with the man made toxins in our food and environment.
You can also change your internal flora and naturally restore the balance of infecting microbes by including probiotic cultures : namely, Kefir. Kefir, unlike yoghurt, will recolonise your guy, restoring the natural balance of beneficial flora throughout your body, not just in the gut. Kefir, kombucha and tibicos, three of our oldest friends, are severly neglected here in the west, but have been staples of man since time immortal: Tibi is prized in tibet as a holy substance of healing.
Personally, Kefir has completely cured my allergies: I used to suffer hayfever & sinutitis quite reguarly and badly: none since its inclusion in my diet.
We [should] all know that dairy is not good for you; but kefirs fermentation makes it completely digestible, lactose free [when matured] and the general health benefits are astounding: they will help your body fight infection from all microbes: not just bacterium, but fungi too.
Coconut oil is a very powerful anti-fungal and anti-yeast when taken internally. It works pretty well for fungal infections of the nails when applied topically too.