Biamonte Ctr - Treating Candida, part II

The Biamonte Center, which is specifically for treating candida, has developed a four-stage program for eliminating candida and rebalancing the body. For an overview of the center and its purpose, see the previous blog entry or go to the website.

Phase 1 : Eliminate the candida infection
Phase 2 : Detoxify the intestines and body
Phase 3 : Correct hormone or nutritional deficiencies
Phase 4 : Support and rebuild the immune system

Michael Biamonte, clinical nutritionist, gives an overview of each of the phases and includes some of the elimination drugs/supplements used as well as discusses the philosophy behind each phase. I do appreciate this information, especially some of the whys and wherefore being explained about the chronological process.

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PHASE 1 : Eliminate the candida infection

This is the "systemic phase", the phase that refers to treatment of the entire body and its systemic infection (caused by virus, bacteria, yeast, fungus or parasite).

In this phase there are two types of natural and herbal substances to be taken. The first is taken on rotation, that is, every 4 days one of the items is stopped and another is taken for 4 days. There might be 4-6 items in the rotation group with the products being taken for 30 days before re-evaluation, resulting in possible extention of treatment for another 30 days. The principle behind rotating these treatment herbs/supplements is that candida is able to build up immunity to an herb/supplement/drug after only 21 days (some say 7 days), and so to keep the process of elimination alive and continuous, rotation is needed. The carefully selected herbals/supplements in Phase 1 are chosen for their ability to be absorbed by the blood, travel through the bloodstream and lymphatic system, and be able to kill or eliminate most of the infection throughout most of the body.

Non-rotated supplements are the second group. The non-rotated items are to be taken every day. They aid the die-off of the infection. Products used are Biocidin or Bioradiance (the double-strength of Biocidin) accompanyied with Biotonic, products of Bio-Botanical Research Inc. These products are said to be very powerful so must be taken with food.

Resulting from the rotated and non-rotated herbals and supplements is the likely die-off reaction, also known as Herxheimer reaction. The reaction is due to a larger number of bacteria or toxins being dumped into the bloodstream, colon or wherever too quickly for them to be transported out, resulting in a toxic reaction. The toxic reaction in itself is a good sign of the products working, but it can affect the already weakened immune system; therefore, some of the doses should be lessened in order for the body, specifically the liver, not to be too overworked-overstressed. Reactions could be headaches, myalgia, fever, chills, fluttering heart, hypotension, flu-like symptoms, among others. During die-off, to lessen discomfort and reaction, continual flushing with fluids is strongly recommended - at least 4 oz. every half hour.

Through the Biamonte Center, this phase lasts 30 days before retesting, which determines whether the person procedes to the next phase or will repeat phase 1 again with perhaps a change in herbals/supplements and dosages. Urine tests are given to determine progress. The urine sample measures 3 things:

(1) pH which tells the likelihood of an active infection (should be about 6.4 but if 5 or especially below 4 the person is more infection susceptible; a pH between 6-7 shows little infection susceptibility)
(2) indican, which indicates the amount of toxicity in the colon and intestines. Indican is produced by food that is putrefying in the intestines, mixing with harmful bacteria, parasites or yeast, which is then releasing indole, a harmful substance. Indole gets absorbed in the blood and then is eliminated through urine as indican.
(3) protein waste product that is given off by parasites and yeast

Also in the non-rotated group are supplements, e.g. enzymes to help aid digestion, perhaps an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic or anti-yeast product.

What is not used in this phase are immune boosters and/or anti-oxidants. Taking such would counteract the herbals and supplements for killing off the candida by strengthening it. Anti-oxidants include beta carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, zinc, quercetin, pycnogenol as well as nutrients which stimulate and/or activate viruses/bacterias - calcium, vitamin D, copper, CoQ10, B-complex (individual vitamin Bs may be necessary though).

This phase will NOT eliminate all the symptoms or all the infection, but the severe symptoms of active infection are expected to go away. Once symptoms have been reduced and bloodwork determines that the infection likewise is reduced, the person procedes to Phase 2 with no "vacation" between herbal/supplement cycles. In fact, for best results, a three-day overlap of supplements in Phase 1 and Phase 2 is often encouraged.

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PHASE 2 : Detoxify the intestines and the body

Phase 2 is to cleanse the body of viruses and parasites. Parasites are eliminated through cleansing the bowel. Viral conditions like Epstein-Barr or cytomeglio virus or other Herpes-type viruses usually associated with chronic fatigue are cleansed through the intestines and by cleaning the liver, the lymphatic system, the spleen, and various other organs and glands that are known to house viruses. Bacteria is eliminated in similar ways. Phase 2 has three steps.

Step 1 : Use 4-5 different supplements to kill the infection
.......... i. "looseners"
.......... ii. "bulldozers"
.......... ii. "digestive aids"
.......... iv. "mop-up items"
.......... v. "vermifuges" (some people only)
Step 2 : Introducing friendly bacteria
Step 3 : Repair the intestinal tract

Step 1 : Use 4-5 different supplements to kill the infection

The "looseners" - Their job is to loosen old debris, old mucus or fecal matter sitting in the intestinal tract and which hide yeast, parasites or harmful bacteria. Once loosened and removed, more intestinal tract surface will be available for the "good" bacteria to live and thrive. Castor oil, garlic oil, bromelin, pancreatin, pepsin (an enzyme produced in the stomach) and comfrey. Taken on an empty stomach 2-3 times a day and usually in high amounts, as in 4-8 "looseners" at one time - Example, 4-7 castor oil or garlic oil first thing in the morning and last thing at night and 4-6 pancreatin 2-3 times a day.

The "bulldozers" - These push out debris from the intestinal tract which the looseners have loosened. High fiber products commonly containing psyllium (a fiber) and benzonite (a highly absorbent clay capable of holding several times its weight in toxins and toxic matter). Taken on an empty stomach twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

The "digestive aids" - These help with rebuilding the digestive system or aid the overtaxed digestive system with its work. Enzymes, hydrochloric acid, pancreatin, bile salts - items the body needs and if healthy can produce on its own. Taken at meal and snack times.

The "mop-up items" - Also known as "candida killers" are to mop up any remaining substances secreted in hard-to-get areas. They are oil-type products that line the intestinal tract and absorb into it, reaching yeast that is unreachable by other products. These are products that absorb into the blood and travel throughout the body, killing yeast in obscure places. Taken with each meal but these supplements/oils needs to be rotated.

The "vermifuges" - These are "vermin" (worm or parasite) killers. Nasty as it may sound, almost everyone with candida has worms or parasites which must be expelled before real healing can be expected. K-min, black walnut and butternut bark. Taken on an empty stomach.

Phase 2 also has Herxheimer reaction, and some people have gastro-intestinal upset gas, bloating, poor digestion. Rectal itching is also very common, especially if a person has worms or parasites.

Step 2 : Introducing friendly bacteria

Friendly bacteria are started to be introduced into the system via FOS, a fruit sugar found in garlic, artichokes, bananas, and other fruits and vegetables which tend to selectively feed only friendly bacteria. Bifidofactor or Superdophilis are two powerful types of the DDS strain and which do a fast and thorough job. Dosages are half a teaspoon of Bifidofactor in the a.m. and half a teaspoon of Superdophilis in the p.m. while taking FOS three times a day at half a teaspoon doses. All should be taken on an empty stomach because the acid in the stomach can kill these friendly bacteria. The FOS is the most important because it will get into the intestinal tract and feed the friendly bacteria and get it to multiply.

In this phase it is very common to have intestinal bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort due to the growth of the friendly bacteria which produces gas and bloating as it wipes out the harmful bacteria. If the gas and bloating is bad, simply reduce the doses until no reaction in produced and then gradually try to increase the amount.

Step 3 : Repair the intestinal tract

Certain vitamins and nutrients are used for repairing the intestinal damage, like "leaky gut" or permeability, caused by the candida, thereby also eliminating the key symptoms of leaky gut which are arthritic symptoms and food reactions. Two categories of supplements are used - one for repairing and the other for reducing inflammation. Depending on the supplements, they can be taken with food or on an empty stomach.

At the end of Phase 2 a person should have vastly increased digestive ability, far fewer food reactions, better bowels movements and less gas and bloating. The person should now be ready to correct vitamin and mineral and other nutrient absorption.

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PHASE 3 : Correct hormone or nutritional deficiencies

This part of the program addresses issues of energy and also nutritional deficiencies. Blood testing and hair analysis (done through the Bio-Cybernetics Center) is used for assessing how to individually treat each patient. Blood shows transportation of say nutrients while hair shows storage of for example toxins like mercury, arsenic, lead, copper, bismuth, etc. Many people who have arthritis or any type of joint or muscular pain commonly have toxic metal poisoning, as do women with severe PMS or difficulties conceiving. Commonly also are people with candida or Epstein-Barr virus having excess copper (likely from copper pipes) or mercury (likely from silver fillings).

The adrenal glands and the thyroid are the energy producers in the body. Many people may also have energy issues due to deficiencies in their reproductive organs - the prostate and testicles for men, the ovaries, uterus and mammary glands for women. In fact, candida in women is very likely linked to issues of either too low or too much estrogen. Women need special attention in regard to rebalancing their reproductive organs as estrogen is always fluctuating throughout the month. In general although men may have hormonal imbalances, they need less attention to hormonal therapy.

To boost the energy level and to get the glands working properly, specific nutrients the person is deficient in are given, for example, vitamin A and C may show up as needed mutritional supplementation. Or B-complex. Mineral deficiencies may also show up, but supplementation may not be done with minerals as a further imbalance could be created with this micronutrient category. Protein concentrates are given and these are actual protein organ extracts of animals specifically raised for the purpose of gland and organ processing. Specific herbs for stimulating specific organs or glands could be prescribed.

On this phase diet is changed to address the issue of building the body's nutritional defences. The diet is changed to fit the person's fast or slow metabolism. If the person has a slow metabolism, the person should eat a meal high in protein and low in fat to stimulate the thyroid, adrenal glands and energy-producing glands for raising the metabolism and for burning more calories. Only protein is capable of increasing metabolism and the calorie burning rate. If the person has a fast metabolism (only about 20% of the American population), then he/she burns up carbs and starches too quickly and runs out of energy so needs to consume more fats and oil which are slow-burning fuels for maintaining a more constant level of energy within the body.

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PHASE 4 : Support and rebuild the immune system

This phase deals primarily with the immune system and to make sure the thymus gland, spleen and lymphatic system are functioning properly, and very importantly, to make sure the liver is producing antibodies and has an immune system response. Of course the adrenals need to be furthered strengthened, so reintroducing some of the Phase 2 supplements might be considered. Phase 4 has two parts - the first is to take nutrients for 1-2 months to build and repair the immune system, and the second is to use specific herbs which stimulate the immune system.

Part 1: Nutrients to build and repair the immune system

Which supplements are given are determined through blood and/or hair testing, or even occasionally through a special test for T-cells and B-cells (similar to the test given to HIV patients) for determmining exact immune system requirements. However, the principal test that will determine progress is by the white blood count and the many individual white blood cells which are measured on a complete white blood count: cenefils and basofils (white blood cells that indicate allergies), monocytes (tell how well the liver is functioning), and then the primary indicators, the nutrofils and lithocytes (which are good indicators of infection in the body). In another section on the blood test, the total globulin (a protein utilized by the immune system) also tells how well the immune system is doing, as also does the albumin (another protein). A test called totalbillyrubin can give some idea of the functioning of the thymus and the liver and also an idea of the immune system's response.

In the hair analysis, some of the principal minerals which indicate the immune response in the body are zinc, copper and iron. In an immune-deficient person an excessively low zinc and an abnormally high copper is common. A very low or high iron also tells how the immune system is functioning. The mineral selenium indicates how well the body is responding to chemical toxins or odors and fumes and things in the environment which cause sensitivities. Toxic metals such as cadmium, mercury, lead, aluminum, arsenic and copper also give an idea of how well the immune system is doing - the lower the metals, the better the immune response.

Part 2 : Specific herbs for boosting the immune system

Vitamin C flush - Sometimes a vitamin C flush is necessary for boosting the immune system. The flush gives the system very high doses of vitamin C to the point where it totally saturates the system. For this flush, vitamin C is given every hour (strict records are kept documenting time and amount as well as outcome, e.g. loose stool, diarrhea). For example, if someone takes 1000mg of vitamin C every hour for 6 hours and then has loose stool or diarrhea, then 6000mg was consumed before reaching evacuation. So, subtract 1000mg from the total to reach 5000mg, and then in the next 3 hours the high tolerance doses of 5000mg is given to saturate the body and boost the immune system. Another example, is a person takes 12,000mg before having loose stool, and so subtracting 1000mg, the high vitamin C dose of 11,000mg is given within the next 3 hours. The high dosages would continue for up to 3 days at 3 hour intervals, but every time 1000mg less would be given, and the outcome of the doses would no longer result in loose stool or diarrhea. This is the vitamin C flush. [The reason for achieving loose stool is for the body to indicate that it is totally saturated by vitamin C. The flush has been shown clinically to raise the immune response as high as possible by the megadoses.] High power vitamin C used in this program could be Ultra Potency by Metagenics or another high powered one by Alacer company or a supplement called Emergency-C or even another kind.

The mineral germanium - [Purpose : unclear] Another mega-dosing program is with the use of the mineral germanium, to be effective, taking germanium in a 4-day to 1-week course. For example, a person might start with 25mg one day, the next take 50mg, then 100mg, then 150mg, then 200mg, and then 250mg. Perhaps then the person would take a 2-day break and then start over at the 25mg dose and work up in the same way. The cycle could even be repeated again.

Vitamin A - For mega-dosing with vitamin A, water-soluable A (a kind of vitamin A that does not accumulate in the liver for long periods of time) is used and in dosages of up to 250,000 units. The 250,000 dosage can be maintained for 2-3 weeks and then dropped down to 50,000 units for 1-2 weeks, and then brought up to 250,000 units for another few weeks before being dropped back to 50,000 units for a week or so. So, one could conceivably be taking 250,000 units a day for 2-3 weeks, and 50,000 units for 1-2 weeks. This again serves to stimulate certain parts of the immune system at a very high level.

Glandular concentrates - Certain other glandular concentrates from the thymus, lymphs, spleen, adrenals and liver are also used in very high doses in order to generate and increase immune response. Sometimes they may be taken every hour.

The vitamin C flush, germanium, vitamin A and the hourly technique of taking glandular concentrates may also be used if the person is feeling on the verge of a relapse or coming down with a cold or flu. Echinacea, a commonly used herb for the immune system, can also be used to ward off an oncoming cold or flu. The dose is 2-3 teaspoons, 3 times a day, and then after the inital high dosages, dropped down to 1/2 teaspoon 3 times a day.

Phase 4, the rebuilding of the immune system which took years to destroy, takes the longest; it may very likely take as long as a year. In this very individualized phase, fiber supplements to keep the bowels moving, some flora supplement for aiding correct bacteria growth, and digestive supplements for assisting with digestion are employed. Energy boosters from Phase 3 might even be continued in addition to the mega-dosing techniques above.

Sometimes in this phase a rash or pimples might appear. These are primarily the result of the lymphatic sstem and the immune system cleansing themselves. If this happens, a dry massage to massage off dead skin can be done to activate better circulation of the vascular and lymphatic systems which will help push poisons out of the skin. Saunas and steam baths are even more efficient for cleansing impurities out.

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Other principles to keep in mind:

Phase 1 and Phase 2 are done under a very carefully regulated diet. The Biamonte Center has three diet choices: a high-protein diet that includes meat with few carbs, a vegetarian diet which includes a few more carbs, and the caveman diet which is for toughest candida (mainly meat protein with low carb vegetables).

Phase 1 and Phase 2 primarily eliminate the total infection; Phase 3 and Phase 4 build back the immune system and repair the damage caused by the infections.

Phase 1 handles active infection; Phase 2 handles the digestive system and nutrient absorption; Phase 3 addresses energy; Phase 4 aims for rebalancing the immune system.

Rule of thumb - Liquids are taken on an empty stomach; all tablets or capsules are taken with meals.

At no time in the program does a person want constipation. Drinking plenty of water and eating lots of fiber is to help flush the body regularly and speedily from the toxins that are poured into the colon, but if constipation occurs, the toxins build up and are reabsorbed back into the bloodstream and possibly making the person very ill indeed.

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All the of the above material came from the Biamonte Center's webpages, specifically under the category of "Tour Our Program". I have tried to condense the pages describing the program as succinctly as possible without changing any of the therapies or nuances of the 4 phase candida cleansing and repair program. I do NOT agree with everything in the program, but this summary is just what it is, a summary of a program and devoid of my opinion.