Pumpkin Seed-Garbanzo Dressing

Tonight on an inspiration for a thick dressing and not the lemony-squeeze I usually put over a salad, I started dumping items in the blender. And since on October 31, people like to incorporate pumpkin on their porches and in their meals, I used pumpkin seeds instead of the high glycemic pumpkin flesh ... ah, but my taste buds were delighted!!!

Pumpkin Seed - Garbanzo Dressing
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (soaked 1 hour then soak water dumped)
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1 1/2 cups garbanzo bean liquid
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/3 teaspoon cumin powder

Whizz in the BlendTec. Should be thick but easily pourable. And now that I've made it, I think it might even be better with a little fresh lemon juice, onion and/or garlic. Any of those three would add more zest ... :) The fresh onions in my salad really came alive with the dressing combo.

North African Millet Stew w/ Fresh Greens

This is a fast meal. It takes about an hour, but I can do other things while the stew is simmering. And wheeeee, it's a one-pot dish!

North African Millet Stew
1 1/2+ quarts water
2/3 cup millet
1/2 zucchini, cubed or sliced
1/3 head of cauliflower, cut small
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 firm tomato, cubed
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2" bit of fresh ginger***
1/2 ~ 3/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme (not N. African, but wow!)
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
a dash of cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
several sprigs of parsley
large handful of almonds (garnish)
a lot of chopped fresh greens of choice (garnish)

Step 1: In a 2-quart+ pot, add water and millet and bring millet to a simmer. Simmer for 35 minutes.
Step 2: Add the vegies - cauliflower, onion, garlic, zucchini (but not the tomato). Also add in the coconut oil, salt and other seasonings. Simmer another 15 minutes.
Step 3: Add the tomato and parsley. Simmer 5-10 minutes.
Step 4: Turn off the heat and serve immediately. Top the hot stew with piles of fresh greens (I used bok choy, an Asian green - ah, the irony for African stew :) and toss whole almonds on top. Stir and eat!


***Ginger is supposed to be anti-inflammatory, but several months ago I noticed that it was causing my mouth lining to swell (probably something related to vitamin A deficiency since that vitamin is important for the mucosa, among many other things). I stopped using ginger of course. As people with candida improve or get worse, their food sensitivities change. This is my personal sensitivity, and I rather doubt that all other people with systemic candida have the same reaction.

"Nutty" Spicy Muffins

The measurements are approximates as always. Also, if using oats or oatmeal, the recipe is not gluten-free, unless using a specific kind of oats or oatmeal that is labeled as gluten-free and which hasn't been cross-contaminated by wheat. However, not all celiacs or people with system candida can tolerate these gluten-free oats, so a word of caution here.


**HOW TO REVISE THE "OAT" INGREDIENT: Oats are lighter and somewhat glutinous so, keeping that in mind, substitute using one or a combination of the follow (I recommend a combination, but I also recommend not using pre-made flours but making one's own flour for increased nutrition and less likely exposure to molds and rancidity of grain oils. Having bad systemic candida, I really need to limit the "processed" grains - they irritate the GI track), but these are non-glutinous options: brown rice flour, buckwheat flour (strong flavor so go easy), amaranth flour (delicious flavor for muffins!), quinoa flour, tapioca flour (a good binder, flavorless, nutritionless).

Even though this is called "nutty", there are no nuts in the recipe. I prefer to eat most of my nuts raw or heated as little as possible in order to get the maximum benefits from them. The "nuttiness", however, comes from the crunchy whole millet grains. The yellow millet grains also give the muffins a very appealing look and a wonderful fuller flavor. By the way, this particular batch of muffins I made with red currants. In the experimental stage of developing this recipe, I diced up firm fresh papaya (only use fresh!) and folded them in, and oo-la-lah! What an amazing custard-like texture and with the cinnamon, the mouth was filled with sinless pleasure!

"Nutty" Spicy Muffins
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats**
2/3 cup millet grain
3/4 cup cooked grain (millet, rice, quinoa)
6 tablespoons flaxmeal
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup olive or coconut oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4+ tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)***
1 1/2 cups chopped fruit (green apple, slightly green papaya, red currants, black berries)

Step 1: In the BlendTec whizz the whole oats/oatmeal and less than 1/2 of the millet to a flour.
Step 2: Pour the flour into a mixing bowl and mix with all remaining dry ingredients.
Step 3: Mix in the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Dice the fruit and fold into the batter. The fruits mentioned are some of the lowest glycemic fruits. However, if the candida is bad, reducing the fruit by half or completely might be necessary.
Step 5: Pour into a sprayed or oiled muffin tin, filling the muffin cups slightly more than half-way (If more, they will not bake through.) It's not necessary to use muffin papers as these will just dump out of the properly oiled muffin tins.
Step 6: Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The muffins will not really brown on the top but when pressed, they will be firm. Be aware that these muffins, without leavening (a fermented curse to the person with candida) will not be fluffy, but they will be a full-flavored.

***Nutmeg: I used to enjoy the rich flavor of nutmeg till I found out that it's hard on the liver. Oh sad, but people with candida (and cancer) have serious liver issues from the overload of toxins. Ugh. Great flavor ... but no good for me, so ... bye-bye nutmeg.

Pizza/Pie Crust

**Again, I'm using oats which are not gluten-free, so for alternative grains to use, please refer to blog on October 19.

Pizza/Pie Crust (for rolling)
1 cup millet
2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free)**
1 cup tapioca flour
1/3 ~ 1/2 cup flaxseed
1 heaping teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups water
5-6 tablespoon olive oil

Step 1: In the BlendTec, whizz the millet, oats and flaxseed to a flour, and pour into a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add remaining ingredients and mix to a dough.
Step 3: Roll dough out between tapioca-flour dusted wax paper or heavy seran wrap. (Some people have found that rolling out gluten-free dough is easier if it has been chilled.)
Step 4: Peel off one side of the wax paper and flip over a pizza pan or pie dish. Peel off the other wax paper.
Step 5: Flatten on pizza pan or press into pie dish. Do not pre-bake, or this dough will become tough.
Step 6: Top the pizza dough or fill the pie crust. Bake for 40 minutes (pizza) or 50+ minutes (pie) at 350 degrees.

This particular dough has really great flavor but it can be a bit tough. The toughness depends on too much needing, too much water and/or too much flaxmeal. You will notice that the pie crust is not flaky but it does hold its shape, and it turned out really good for a Moroccan-like quinoa pie stuffed with vegies, almonds, middle-eastern spices like coriander and cardamom, and with a hint of tartness with the red currants (as people with candida wouldn't dare touch pomegranates as they're as glycemic as raisins!)


Comparing this pizza crust with the previous pizza crust I made with zucchini, this crust is better for thin-crust pizza, as it holds it shape much better. I experimented with this dough in making chapattis. Ugh! The chapattis turned out as stiff and brittle as I-don't-know-what. I think with some tweaking though, this recipe could be as versatile as the other pizza crust recipe, especially as its better at holding its shape, which is amazing for a gluten-free dough!

Pizza Crust with Zucchini

In the previous blog, I commented on oats as being glutinous (unless using the specialty non-glutinous oats) and offered alternatives when adjusting recipes. The following crust recipes were made before I became intollerant to oats, which became apparent only last month. For the record, in September after returning to Korea, whenever I made a bowl of oatmeal slow-cooked overnight in my crock pot, I would experience tons of ear pressure which would last for several hours. I'm a teacher and need to listen to my students, and it was really embarrassing to ask students to repeat themselves. In class I was constantly equalizing the pressure in my ears, but instantly there would be pressure mounting again. It was a very distancing feeling and interfered with interaction. I quit using the oats, a very rough-cut, fibrous oat sold at the local health food store. I didn't have problems before with them, and maybe it was the batch, but because I'm going for the candida cure and I know that oats are a no-no glutinous grain, I nixxed them from my diet.

Anyway, the following recipe is one that I developed when at home this summer before I was reacting to oats ... so the oat-ingredient needs tweaking, but since I haven't experimented with other grains and measurements yet, I'll just post the recipes I formerly used. By the way, many people have commented on the flavor and texture of this recipe :)

Pizza Crust (for rolling)
1+ cup quinoa
1+ cup rolled oats (or alternative grains)
2+ cups zucchini whizzed to a liquid
1 rounded teaspoon sea salt
2+ teaspoons rosemary
2+ teaspoons thyme
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
water as needed

Step 1: In the BlendTec, whizz the quinoa and oats to a flour.
Step 2: In the food process, whizz about 1/2 a zucchini to a liquid. Should make about 2 or so cups.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl mix the flours and zucchini liquid, and add remaining ingredients.
Step 4: Form the dough into a ball (adding more flour or water/oil as needed) and with oiled hands spread out the dough onto a greased pizza pan.
Step 5: Top the dough with pizza toppings. Pictured here the toppings were a home-made pesto-sauce (tomatoes are very acidic, and store-bought tomato sauces have citric acid!), thinly sliced zucchini, onion slices, a heap of spinach leaves over an inch thick and topped with more onion slices and tomatoe slices (I added tomatoes to my diet this summer - oh yum!). Very lightly drizzle olive oil and liberally sprinkled with fresh or dry basil, parsley, oregano, sea salt and garlic powder (early on, I had trouble with garlic and onion powders ... I wonder about their chemical processes used in making them ... research needed).


By the way, these final particular pizza toppings aren't for the candida person. People with systemic candida cannot have mushrooms (fungus!), olives (fermented plus acidic with vinegar!), sprinkled with nutritional yeast (created from a fermentation process!) instead of using cheese (a dairy derivative and loaded with aged bacteria!).
Step 6: Bake the pizza for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

This crust has many uses. I've used it for making crusts for vegie pies and quiches, for making hand-held stuffed pies and calzones (add a couple tablespoons of flaxmeal for thickener or the dough with break), and also for quick wrappers for vegetarian "pigs-in-the-blanket". I've never tried it for tortilla-like salad shells but I supposed it could work quite well. For a sweeter crust, use coconut oil and eliminate the herbs, possibly adding cinnamon and cloves.

Cashew Waffles, gluten-free

Of course when making food for people with candida, gluten and all sugar must be stricken from the menu. But for the strict candida diet, eliminating eggs, all dairy, yeast, baking soda and baking powder, vanilla with alcohol and/or corn syrup is also important. Even tiny amounts feed millions, if not billion, of bad bacteria; they love those tasty "goodies", so steady strictness will eventually starve those little buggers.

Tonight I was hungry for waffles, which I have had probably two times in the past year because they are made with processed flours. Well, mine weren't. Tonight I rationalized again that if I ground my own grains, maybe they wouldn't be like the typical processed flours that sit around in storage and get moldy or go rancid from the quick aging of their oils. So I started pouring stuff in the blender, and came up with this recipe. However, be informed that these measurements are only approximates.

By the way, I use a high-speed blender, a BlendTec. I used to have its competitor, VitaMix (a 5200 VitaMix), but the BlendTec only needs one canister to make smoothies, soups, dips, sauces AS WELL AS grind grains! An amazing little machine and much lighter and easier to wash than my VitaMix, and so I bought one on the spot! [This is not an advertisement although I wouldn't mind working for BlendTec, traveling around and giving demonstrations!!!]

Cashew Waffle Recipe

1/3 ~ 1/2 cup soaked cashews (soaked 1-2 hours)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla (non-alcoholic, w/o corn syrup)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 - 4 tablespoons flaxseed
1 1/3 cups brown rice
1 cup millet
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cloves (optional)

Step 1: In the BlendTec, whizz the brown rice, millet and flaxseed to a flour.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients, and whizz to a somewhat thick batter.
Step 3: Lightly oil the waffle griddles with a paper towel dipped in coconut oil, and then pour the batter into the waffle maker. The waffles will be a bit heavier than traditional waffles made with glutinous grains and leavening; they will also take a bit longer to cook. However, they come out tanned golden and taste marvelous!

Cleansing and Repairing the Body: 7 Stages

This is an interesting and intense (mostly) holistic way of getting rid of candida. I think that the stages for cleansing and repairing the body are important and so I post the article here. The article has been abbreviated from Stage 3 onwards, so for viewing the whole article click on Shasta Wellness Center. Posting this article does not mean that I advocate any of the products used. In fact, I would like to keep my cleansing and repair as natural as I can, but many of the candida killing products have ingredients in them that I just don't want in my body. However, the steps to cleansing are well said here, and the cleansing tools are ideas for me to immulate with natural cleansers (like grapefruit seed extract, oregano oil, cinnamon oil, garlic, onions, coconut oil, pau d'arco ...)


STAGE I - FIX ALL WEAK SYSTEMS IN ENTIRE BODY
We need to make sure that all your body function's are working efficiently with daily bowel movements in order for the Candida to be removed completely. Depending on the severity of the Candida overgrowth, the Candida can be killed off in vast numbers in a short period of time. As they are killed they release substances which are toxic to the body. If this process more quickly than the toxins from the blood or lymphatic system can be eliminated by the body, a temporary toxic reaction can occur. The technical name for this experience is a herxheimer reaction, it is more commonly referred to as detox symptoms or die off. Usually die off lasts only a few hours, though it can last several days. It can usually be controlled almost entirely by making sure your body pathways stay supported. Signs of the detox reaction can be many and varied but generally involve such discomfort as aching, bloating, dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, nausea, flu like feeling or a worsening of the original symptoms. Fortunately the die off is generally short in duration, and although uncomfortable, is at least a confirmation of the presence of Candida and that something "good" is happening. Exercise as well as insuring proper, daily bowel evacuation has been reported as being helpful in countering the adversities of die off. Maintaining a high daily intake of pure filtered or spring water is also important to keep the channels of elimination open. The following suggestions of supplements will make your journey easy if you are experiencing any of the following conditions before you get started.

FATIGUE: Solaray/Hawthorn Berries, Dr. Haberski/Organic Flax Oil, BEST Process/Alka Green, Aura Patch/Energy & Stamina, Aura Patch/H-GH4

CONSTIPATION: Solaray/Cascara Sagrada, Solaray/Senna, BEST Process/Alka Cleanse, Solaray/Psyllium Husk, BEST Process /Alka Green, Dr. Haberski/Organic Flax Oil, Pure Body Institute/ Colon Program

STOMACH UPSET/NAUSEA: BEST Process/Alkadophilus, Solaray/Ginger Root, Aura Patch/Digestive Comfort, Pure Body Institute/Indigest Free

BLOATING: BEST Process/SuperDigest, BEST Process/Alka Pan, Thorne/Biogest, Aura Patch/Digestive Comfort, Pure Body Institute/Indigest Free

LIVER ISSUES: Solaray/Dandelion, Solaray/Artichoke Leaves, Solaray/Schizandra, Kroeger Herb/Livah, Thorne/Liver Cleanse, Thorne/Lipotrepein, Pure Encap/Liver-G.I. Detox, Aura Patch/Kidney Adrenal Thyroid, Pure Body Institute/Liver Balance Plus

KIDNEY ISSUES: Solaray/Juniper Berries, Solaray/Marshmallow, Kroeger Herb/ Black Radish & Parsley, Aura Patch/Kidney Adrenal Thyroid, Pure Body Institute/Kidney Rescue

STAGE II - DESTROYING CANDIDA THROUGHOUT YOUR BODY
The primary remedies of this program are exceptionally effective against Candida and fungal organisms and are taken on a rotational basis. To kill the Candida in the intestines and throughout the body a minimum of three or more products are recommended to do a good job. The more primary products chosen the quicker the Candida will die off. The more support products chosen the easier and less the detox symptoms will occur. The support remedies complementing the primary remedies are taken on a daily basis to support the digestive functions and to aid in the elimination of mycotoxins produced by the yeast and fungal organisms.

PRIMARY REMEDIES: Kroeger Herb/Kantita, Kroeger Herb/Foon Goos #2, Pure Encapsulation/ A.C. Formula, Pure Encap/Microdefense, Thorne/Formula SF722, Aura Patch/Candida, Pure Body Institute/Para Cleanse & Colon Booster

SUPPORT REMEDIES: BEST Process/Alkadophilus, Dr. Haberski/Organic Flax Oil, BEST Process/Alka Cleanse, Aura Patch/H-GH4, Aura Patch/Recovery

STAGE III - ELIMINATION OF ALL ORGANISMS AND OBSTACLES
Eliminating all other obstacles including, parasites, bacterial infections, heavy metals, other chemicals like fluoride, chlorination, amalgam contained dental fillings, root canaled teeth, artificial sweeteners, all medications, insufficient or excessive exercises, insufficient sleep, damp environments (mold exposure), chemical fumes and solvent exposure, living in close proximity to high power electric lines and other electro magnetic field disturbing influences.

..... PARASITE CLEANSE
..... BACTERIAL INFECTION
..... HEAVY METAL CLEANSE
..... CHEMICAL/SOLVENT CLEANSE
..... ELECTRO MAGNETIC CLEANSE

STAGE IV - BALANCING CHEMISTRY, PH AND DIET
..... RESTORING pH

STAGE V - RESTORING AND REPAIRING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
..... LEAKY GUT REPAIR
..... IMMUNE SYSTEM REPAIR

STAGE VI - REPLENISHING YOUR ENTIRE BODY

STAGE VII - MAINTENANCE

Killing Off Candida

There are three key points to always keep in mind for killing off the candida (aka mold) infection. I've borrowed these points from a Chronic Candidiasis website. The website explains the 5 stages of systemic candida (candiasis) and I would say that I was well into Stage 4 before I just started eating vegies out of desperation. Not the right vegies (more on that in a later blog) but at least the pain and bodily destruction was minimized until, months later, I could finally identify the prob.

(1) KILL OFF YEAST by a special diet (NO starches, NO sugars, NO yeast, and NO dairy products for a period of at least four weeks). *Yeast-killing medicinal herbs and/or drugs MAY be taken as well, but they are optional, short-term, emergency treatment only. The ultimate GOAL is to restore THE BODY'S OWN ABILITY to control its own yeast. This can never be accomplished as long as drugs or medicinal herbs are being used to SUBSTITUTE for the body's proper, natural function.

(2) FLUSH OUT DEAD YEAST with pure water/herbal cleansing teas. Drink plenty.

(3) EAT ONLY RAW, WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOODS so that the body gets the level of nutrition required to (1) HEAL itself (regenerate tissues damaged by yeast) and (2) KEEP its own yeast under control from this point on.

*NOTE: The short-term, rigid diet alone, although very important, is NOT sufficient to regenerate health and balance. Yeast-killing herbs and drugs may help destroy the yeast colonies, but they cannot, in themselves, lead to the regeneration of the body. Following a whole food, intense nutrition program without adherence to the diet markedly limits success. In sharing with people in all stages of Candida, my experience has been that it takes all three of the above steps to fully recover.

An Overview of Candida Albicans (Yeast)

Candida albicans, also known as yeast infection, candidiasis, thrush, candidosis, moniliasis and oidiomycosis. In most cases from the age of 6 months, the majority of population has this bacteria in the intestinal tract. However, candida albicans is not the only type of candida, for in fact, there are as many as 81 identified kinds! Candida albicans is the one which happens to get the largest diagnosis, probably because the symptoms become most apparent - e.g. a white film in the mouth or on the tongue, fungus in the nails, vaginal discharge, and other vaginal and penile fungal problems.

The following information was taken from an article written by Gary Farr. I recommend reading more about candida on this site as Dr. Gary Farr packs in a lot of information that is well organized and an excellent overview for the candida problem. The information below are excerpts, but keep in mind that when the term "candida" is used, it does not necessarily have to be candida albicans.

Facts to know about candida:

... Candida can occur both in the digestive tract and can spread systemically.
... Going from doctor to doctor and switching from product to product is not a solution to handle Candida.
... Candida has the ability to change from a yeast and become a fungus. As a fungus it operates in a similar fashion to any other fungus such as athletes' foot fungus, etc. Candida is kept at low levels by the friendly bacteria that also reside in the digestive tract.
... Candida creates chaos in the intestines and diseases of which the doctors have little or no answer and can use only medicines to treat it.
... Candida can spread throughout the intestinal tract causing bloating, gas, food reactions and allergies, constipation, diarrhea and a host of digestive complaints.
... Any medication or drug that can cause a gastrointestinal side effect may cause yeast growth by disturbing friendly bacteria.
... Many people have a low iron content because this mineral is hard to absorb when Candida is present, and therefore have little oxygen in the tissues.
...Candida itself is totally preventable and if you have this condition, there is a special way in which it can be completely and permanently eliminated.

Hmmm, on this last point. Since the "good" bacteria feed off of candida, why would I want to completely and permanently eliminate it? And how on earth is that possible since it's a shape-shifter?!?!

More facts about candida:

... Yeast secrete an enzyme that digests the lining of the intestines.
... Yeast shifts the immune system from Th1 to Th2. This sets the stage for allergies and viral infections.
... Yeast enzymes break down IgA. IgA is the most predominant type of antibody that is found covering the gut mucosa. IgA keeps toxins and bacteria from binding to the cells that line the intestines. Without enough IgA, the intestines become inflamed, and the lymphoid tissue in the gut swells.
... The byproducts of certain yeasts or fungus are able to alter the bacterial content of the intestines. (The fact that fungal metabolites can do this should come as little surprise. Many of our antibiotics are made from molds.)
... Candida secretes an enzyme that reduces the body's ability to kill Staphyloccocus aureus, a common pathogen in human intestines.
... Yeast creates toxins like tartaric acid, acetylaldehyde and arabinol that interfere with the body's ability to produce energy.
... Drs. Truss, Galland and Ionescu have all measured reduced levels of amino acids, imbalances of fatty acids and deficiencies of various vitamin and minerals in their yeast syndrome patients. In particular, yeast reduce the body's coenzyme Q10, coenzyme B6, alpha ketoglutaric acid, taurine, and asparagine. Some types of yeast promote the formation of pentosines. These create a functional deficiency of B6, lipoic acid and folic acid.
... The most dramatic proof of harmful yeast toxins comes from the Great Plains Laboratory. Tartaric acid from yeast causes muscle weakness. Dr. Shaw discovered very high levels of tartaric acid in the urine of two autistic brothers. Both had such severe muscle weakness that neither could stand up. When treated with an antifungal called Nystatin, the tartaric acid measurements declined, and the children improved. When the Nystatin was discontinued, the tartaric acid levels rose, and the children got worse. Often, Dr. Shaw also finds tartaric acid in the urine of those with fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by muscle pain, poor sleep and tender points.
... Yeast can be present in the intestines even if they don't show up in a stool culture. Dr. Leo Galland has shown that the yeast can be damaged and not grow in a culture, even though the yeast were present in a stool sample.
... The most harmful place for yeast seems to be in the small intestine. This was shown in a study of children with failure to thrive. Biopsies of the upper small intestine were taken and were examined with an electron microscope. The yeast were embedded in the intestinal lining in their invasive fungal or mycelial form. Some of these children had no yeast showing up in their stool. Yet the yeast in this first part of their intestinal tract was interfering with their nutrition.

"The digestive system is a complex system consisting of multiple organs. Candida can affect multiple organs in the digestive tract."

"Candida is a yeast that lives in the human digestive system. It has the ability to change from a yeast and become a fungus. As a fungus it operates in a similar fashion to any other fungus such as athletes' foot fungus, etc. Candida is kept at low levels by the friendly bacteria that also reside in the digestive tract. The friendly bacteria feed on the Candida, thus a balance in the body is maintained. Modern medicine's "gift" of antibiotics, birth control pills, cortisone and chemotherapy kill this friendly bacteria as do street drugs, alcohol, and junk food diets. Once this friendly bacteria has been destroyed, the yeast begins to overgrow and take over the digestive system. Left untreated, it becomes a fungus and grows into a plant-like structure complete with roots. These roots can break through the intestinal walls, allowing the yeast to travel to other areas of the body such as the sinuses, throat, reproductive organs, the lungs and skin just to name a few. It is capable of producing over 100 symptoms. This makes it extremely frustrating for anyone with this condition to be able to find out or understand what is exactly wrong with them.

"Billions are spent each year on antibiotics, creams, nasal sprays, unnecessary hospital visits, operations and antidepressants, due to the ignorance and arrogance of the medical profession. It is written in their own journals that antibiotics can cause this condition, yet they continue to boldly prescribe them and are resentful when discussing their side effects. One doctor who was backed into a corner on this subject during a radio talk show became hysterical with fear and began screaming, "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS CANDIDA!"

Well, this has been my experience with candida. Modern-day medical doctors, following the Greek Hippocratic school of thought, that is, demarking a clear separation of body and mind, do not recognize the multitude of symptoms created by candida as stemming from a bacteria wildly out of control. Instead, non-holistic treatment is performed. Namely, if a patient has an ear-infection, that patient is never questioned about any other possible occurring symptoms - the ear is the sole location of treatment.

For patients with systemic candida who more than likely have a bizarre assortment of ailments, doctors feel forced to prescribe prescription drugs to manage the symptoms. Or if looking for the source but no specific bloodwork problem surfaces, then, since the body is "obviously not ailing" it must be the mind ... and psychiatric treatment is prescribed, blaming the patient's mental state rather than admitting a physical state unknown to the doctor. I've heard many doctors tell me that I didn't have candida, or "Of course you have candida, everyone has it", which is true, but doctors in my experience don't admit that candida is the source of the problem. Haha, I can imagine many of them wanting to scream at me, "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS CANDIDA!"