The New Arthritis & Fibromyalgia Cure?

April 10, 2013 at 12:01 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Your Journey to Health)
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I subscribe to Dr. Bruce Fife’s enewsletter, and you should too! It’s loaded with fascinating research, and you know I am a big sucker for fascinating research. His latest article titled “The New Arthritis Cure” is one such piece of literature.

It addresses the very issue we have been discussing around here lately. Candida and what the heck to do about it. I was very surprised to hear that it can be one of the causes of arthritis as well. Here are a few clips pasted (in italyics) from his enewsletter. Read the whole article and see his references HERE.

If you missed me raving about Candida that bad, bad fungus you can read about it here:  RANT 1, RANT 2 AND RANT 3.

coconut and oil

The New Arthritis Cure  

“I have had chronic pain for 10 years,” says Barbara Moody of Redmond, Washington. “Because of the pain I had to end my career as a firefighter.” She also was an avid rock climber and runner, but had to give those up too. Barbara suffered from severe arthritis in her knees and back with accompanying nerve involvement in her feet. Walking summoned pain with every step. Over the years she endured four back surgeries and a spinal fusion. Despite medications and surgeries, her condition continued to worsen. Doctors recommended a fifth surgery and second fusion.

Conventional treatments for arthritis rely on drugs and surgery to calm inflammation and deaden pain. Doctors have yet to fully understand what causes arthritis. Treatment consists of trying to ease symptoms. This approach may help reduce the pain and discomfort temporarily but does nothing to stop the progression of the disease.

 Many doctors consider arthritis an unavoidable part of the aging process. They give their patients pain killers and tell them to “learn to live with it.”

As evidence mounts it is becoming evident that arthritis occurs as a consequence of infection, regardless of genetic susceptibility. Researchers have identified numerous bacteria, viruses, and fungi with the various forms of arthritis.

Lyme disease is a good example of arthritis developing from an infection. Lyme disease is caused by a bite from a deer tick that carries the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. If the bacteria happen to invade joint tissue, arthritis develops. Even after the systemic disease is gone, arthritis can remain indefinitely as a chronic condition.

Food poisoning has often been associated with the onset of chronic arthritis. The bacterium salmonella is a known troublemaker.5 In one notable instance in 2005, at least 592 individuals in Ontario, Canada developed acute gastroenteritis after consuming bean sprouts contaminated with salmonella. Approximately 46 percent of the victims afterwards developed chronic reactive arthritis.

Many of the organisms that are known to attack the joints are normal inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract such as salmonella, E. coli, and Proteus mirabilis. Proteus is also the most frequent cause of urinary tract infections, accounting for more than 80 percent of these infections. In one study, for instance, out of 76 rheumatoid arthritis patients, 33 percent showed evidence of Proteus or E. coli infection in the urinary tract. In 48 controls without arthritis, only 4 percent were infected.6

Another inhabitant of the intestinal tract that is known to cause joint trouble is Candida albicans. If researchers want to study the effects of osteoarthritis in animals, they can induce the disease by injecting Candida into the bloodstream. Osteoarthritis develops within days.7 Candida or yeast infections are very common. Many people are plagued by chronic Candida overgrowth. Women are the ones most troubled by Candida infections; likewise, they are the ones most affected by osteoarthritis.

Hi! I'm Coconut Oil. I am a saturated fat full of medium-chain fatty acids that will help you lose weight!

Hi! I’m Coconut Oil. I am a saturated fat full of medium-chain fatty acids that will help you cure many diseases! Eat me!

Ok I’m going to stop right here and interupt Dr. Fife for a moment. This article is very long, and is the introduction for his new book The New Arthritis Cure: Eliminate Arthritis and Fibromyalgia Pain Permanently by Dr. Bruce Fife, which I am of course going to buy asap.

He goes on to say that antibiotics do nothing to make arthritis, or the infections that cause it, better and in fact make the whole problem much, much worse. (we knew that right?) He then says that:

Step One

Strengthen the immune system with a diet that eliminates sugar and refined grains and to eat high quality meats and vegetables.

Step Two

The second step is to actively fight the infection within the body and the joints. Antibiotics have only a limited ability. They cannot fight viruses, fungi, or drug resistant bacteria. However, there is a natural product that can. That product is coconut oil. Coconut oil is composed predominately of a unique group of fat molecules known as medium chain fatty acids. These fatty acids possess potent antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral activity. Taking 2-4 tablespoons of coconut oil daily, with meals, can help rid your body of chronic infection.

 Step Three

The third step is to address your oral health. Since the vast majority of arthritis cases involve oral infections, this is an essential step. If you have any known dental issues you need to get them taken care of.  Regular tooth brushing, flossing, and the use of mouthwash are not enough to remove infection and keep it out. Many people with good oral hygiene habits still get infections. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 90 percent of the population has some level of tooth decay. So apparently these methods aren’t working. What does work is a process called oil pulling. Oil pulling is basically rinsing your mouth with oil, much like you would a mouthwash. However, in this case you would rinse your mouth for 15-20 minutes at a time at least once daily, before breakfast. After breakfast you would brush your teeth as usual. The oil attracts and collects the microorganisms in your mouth along with toxins, mucus, and pus. After swishing the oil in your mouth for the allotted time, spit it out, then rinse your mouth with water. Your mouth will feel clean and refreshed. There are other steps described in the book, but these are the most crucial.

WHAT ABOUT BARBARA?

Barbara, who was mentioned at the beginning of this article, followed these steps. “Here are the results I have noticed so far,” she says after only four weeks. “Reversed documented nerve impingement and foot drop. Reversed documented osteoarthritis of my spine and knees. Avoided my fifth spine surgery and threatened second fusion. Restored my ability to exercise. I am able to walk down a flight of stairs without pain, limping, or gimping. I can also walk two miles without knee pain!…My prior problems were well documented with MRI and PET scans that showed nerve impingement, lack of ankle reflex and foot drop (inability to heel walk), inability to resist downward pressure on my great toe and foot. Then only four weeks later, I had a  perfectly normal EMG; I could kneel walk; and I had a  normal ankle reflex and good toe, foot, and ankle strength. The fact that this was so well documented, my doctors were completely amazed and interested. The doctor who did my EMG wanted the name of your book as did my surgeon.” A diagnosis of arthritis is not a life sentence. There now is a cure for arthritis.

The same is true for those with fibromyalgia. Although fibromyalgia is not a form of arthritis, it has a similar origin and those with this condition respond well to the protocol outlined in the book.

coconut milk

 Well readers, I apologize for the way too long article, but this stuff is so interesting to me. I have a million questions now. And I’m dying to hear yours! Question One: Oil pulling? I am going to research oil-pulling soon. I keep meaning to get around to that. I have heard good things, and bad things about it and I’m curious if it is really helpful or just a fad.  I think one of the things that comes to mind first is how smart fungi are. They are like bacteria in the way that they constantly change and mutate and adapt to their environment. That is why they can be so dangerous. They are smart and determined to survive no matter how hard we try to kill them! Did you find it shocking that the CDC says that 90% of Americans have some form of tooth decay?  I wonder what that percentage was 100 years ago? Makes you think….

Ask questions! I’m waiting to hear them!

9 Comments

Do Orthodox Cancer Treatments Work?

April 9, 2013 at 12:01 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Uncategorized, Your Journey to Health)
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two paths
A person diagnosed with cancer is pressured immediately by the American health care system to start a medical treatment program involving surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Most patients trust these “tested and proven” methods of orthodox treatment. But should they?

(1)”It does not matter how much or how little of a breast is removed: the outcome is always the same.”
(2) “It is complacent to continue subjecting at lease 70% of women with breast cancer to futile mutilating procedures”
(3) “There is no evidence that early mastectomy affects survival; if patients knew this, they would most likely refuse surgery.”
(4) “Despite various modifications of breast cancer treatment, death rates remained unchanged.”
(5) “Breast cancer surgery tends to increase the risk of relapse or death within three years. Surgery is linked to accelerating the spread of cancer by stimulating the formation of metastases in other parts of the body.”
(6) “Untreated post-menopausal women with breast cancer live longer than treated women. The recommendation is not to treat post-menopausal women for breast cancer.”
(7) “Metastasis is commonly triggered by medical intervention, including a biopsy or surgery unrelated to the cancer.”
(8) “Disturbance of a tumor causes greatly increased numbers of cancer cells to enter the bloodstream, while chemo and radiation suppress the immune system. This combination is a recipe for disaster. Primary tumors when left alone, and those in the breast particulary, can be relatively harmless. ”
(9) “While studying prostate cancer, we found that after 23 years there was no difference in the survival rates of those who had surgery and the controls who did not have surgery.”
(10) “No study has proved that early intervention improves the chances of survival. On the contrary, studies proved conclusively that untreated cancer victims live up to four times longer and with better quality of life than treated ones.”
(11) “Medical interventions for cancer have had a negligible or no effect on survival.”
(12) “Cancer Remains Undefeated”
(13) “Several large mammography screening studies found that mammography leads to more aggressive treatment with zero survival benefits.”
(14) “Chemotherapy for children with leukaemia and Hodgkin’s disease is the proud showpiece and the arguably only apparent success of orthodox cancer therapy. Now a long-term follow-up study shows that such children develop 18 times more secondary malignant tumors later in life. Even worse, girls face a 75 times (7,500%) higher risk of breast cancer by the time they turn forty.”
(15) “Development of deep or systemic Candida Albicans infections shortly after beginning chemotherapy seems to be the main problem.”
(16) “While studying ovarian cancer we found that the risk of developing leukaemia after treatment with chemotherapy increased by 2,100%.”
(17) “Many oncologists take for granted that response to therapy prolongs survival, an opinion which is based on a fallacy and which is not supported by any clinical studies.”
(18) “The commonest cancers are as resistant to treatment today as they were 40 or 50 years ago. Nothing is to be gained by pretending that the battle against cancer is slowly but surely being won.”
(19) “Long-term survival of common cancers such as prostate, breast, colorectal and lung has barely budged since the 1970’s. There has been no significant improvement in the last 70-80 years.”
(20) “It is now 32 years since President Nixon declared war on cancer. Since then, Two Trillion dollars has been spent on conventional cancer treatment and research, with the result that more individuals are dying from cancer than ever before.”

holistic

Did you know that patients who die during prolonged treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy are not counted in the statistics because they did not “receive the full treatment”.

Did you know that success commonly is judged by the percentage of shrinking tumors, regardless of the patients survival?

Did you know that patients who die as a result of the actual treatment itself are not counted, only those thought to have died of cancer? How in the heck do they know the difference?

Basically, all types and combinations of conventional breast cancer treatment appear to result in the same low long-term survival rates. The only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that conventional treatment does not improve long-term survival rates.

think-for-yourself1

REFERENCES:
(1) Skrabanek, P. ‘False premises and false promises of breast cancer screening’ The Lancet 2:316-19
(2) Baum, M. ‘The Curability of Breast Cancer’ British Medical Journal 1:439-42
(3) Cunningham, L. ‘Mastectomy for so-called lobular carcinoma in situ’ The Lancet 1:306
(4) Editorial, ‘Breast Cancer: Have we lost our way?’ The Lancet 341:343-344
(5)Baum, M. ‘Does surgery disseminate or accelerate cancer?’ The Lancet 347:260
(6) Gregl, A. ‘The life expectancy of the untreated mamma carcinoma’ Klin. Wschr 41:676
(7) Krokowski, E.H ‘Is the current treatment of cancer self-limiting in the extent of its success?’J. Int. Acad. Preventive Medicine 23-39
(8) Tagliabue, E. et al. ‘Role of HER2 in wound-induced breast carcinoma proliferation’ The Lancet 362:527-533 August 2003
(9) Iversen, P. et al ‘Radical prostatectomy versus expectant treatment for early carcinoma of the prostate’ Scand. J. Urol. Nephrol. 172:65-72
(10) Jones, H.B ‘Lecture at the American Cancer Society Conference, New Orléans, July 3 1969’
(11) McKinlay, JB. et al ‘A review of the Evidence concerning the impact of medical measures on recent mortality and morbidity in the U.S.A’ Int. J. Health Services 19:181-208
(12) New England Journal of Medicine 336:1569-1574 1997
(13) Olsen, O., Gotzsche, P.C. ‘Cochrane review on screening for breast cancer with mammography’ 358:1340-42. October 2001
(14) Bhatia, S., Robison, L.L et al., ‘Breast cancer and other second neoplasms after childhood Hodgkin’s disease’ New England J. Med. 334:745-51
(15) Klingspor, L. Stintzing,G.,Tollemar,J., ‘Deep Candida infection in children with leukaemia’ 86:30-36
(16)Riccardi,A.,Mora,O. et al., ‘Long-term survival of stage 1 multiple myeloma given chemotherapy just after diagnosis or at progression of the disease: a multicenter randomized study’ 82:1254-60 April 2000
(17)Abel, U., ‘Chemotherapy of advanced epithelial cancer: a critical review’ Biomed. Pharmocother. 46:439-52
(18) Gould, D. ‘Cancer: A conspiracy of silence’ New Scientist Dec 1976
(19) Moss, R.W ‘The moss reports #127’
(20) Begley, Sharon ‘New statistics show increase in cancer rates: cancer rates go up, not down’ Wall Street Journal October 16 2002. pg B1

Related Posts:

Is Cancer a Fungal Infection?

Is Candida Overgrowth a Real Problem?

The Easiest Cancer Cure in the World?

Candida Cleanse and What to Eat

My Anti-Candida Arsenal

4 Comments

Magnesium Oil and Restless Legs Update

April 7, 2013 at 12:01 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Homemade Hippie Beauty Products, How To, Make It Yourself, Non Toxic, Under $1.00, Your Journey to Health)
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Many of you have inquired about Rob’s restless leg syndrome. For those of you who missed it, the original post is HERE and how to make the Magnesium Oil for cheap is HERE.

I am happy to report that my darling bed-mate is no longer turning the sheets into a tiny ball in the middle of the bed, kicking me in the knee caps, running up and down the stairs in the middle of the night, sitting up in bed and loudly sighing, constantly twitching or flipping around the bed like a fish. My legs are back to being the normal pasty white color, instead of various shades of black, blue and purple. We are both resting well and I am not lying in bed awake dreaming up ways to smother someone more than  twice my weight with a pillow. In short, IT WORKED!

Rob has found over the months of trial and error that he does much better if he sprays with magnesium oil twice a day. In the morning before work, he sprays his legs and rubs it in until its dry, then gets dressed and goes about his day, leaving the magnesium oil on his skin. At night about 1/2 an hour before showering he sprays his legs, arms, and torso and rubs it in. He pays special attention and sprays an extra amount along his spine, as he feels that it absorbs better there. Zero scientific proof of that, but he ‘feels’ that it works better so that’s what he does 🙂 Sometimes you just have to listen to your body right? He lays around and lets it soak into his skin for at least 30 minutes, then gets into the shower and gets ready for bed.

I can attest that twice a day is much better than once. He is completely still at night! It’s amazing the difference between Crazy Twitchy Rob and Non-Heebie-Jeebie Rob. I don’t want to strangle the new guy. He’s so nice and peaceful to sleep with that I’ve decided he can stick around 🙂

This program has also turned out to be very affordable. You all haven’t forgotten that I’m a cheapskate have you? We are still using the original 2.2 lb bag of Magnesium Chloride Flakes that I purchased for $14.99. I am happy to report that I have since  found an even cheaper source for you HERE at Iherb. This is 2.75 lbs of very pure Magnesium Chloride for only $13.85!  IF YOU USE THE COUPON CODE HIF798 YOU WILL RECIEVE A $10 DISCOUNT. PLUS THEY OFFER FREE SHIPPING! YAY!

2 Comments

My Anti-Candida Arsenal

April 5, 2013 at 12:01 AM (Almost Free, Buying in Bulk, Health, Herbal Medicine, Your Journey to Health)
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Natural Path Silver Wings, Colloidal Silver, 500 ppm, 4 fl oz (120 ml)

 
 
I purchased ALL of this at www.iherb.com and used the coupon code HIF798 for a $10 discount. They also offer FREE shipping which I love! I have been ordering from this company for years and they are significantly lower in price on every supplement that I buy. I also order a large amount of groceries like herbal tea, coconut oil, sweeteners, extracts, nuts and seeds etc from them and have never been disappointed. My orders arrive in 2-3 days max. I love it!
 
And yes I take all of this every day, including drinking the aloe vera juice right out of the jug 🙂 Until I feel I am fungus free this is the plan anyway. I’ll let you know how it goes. So far I am feeling great and my sinuses are incredibly clear. I didn’t really realize that they were congested until they weren’t congested anymore! Now I can breathe. I like breathing!
 
Happy Shopping!
 
Related Posts:

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Candida Cleanse And What To Eat

April 4, 2013 at 1:01 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Your Journey to Health)
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So I have decided that I’m going to give Gary Kaufmans “Phase One” diet a try and see what happens. I am going to follow it to the letter, including all of the anti-fungal herbs and supplements that he recommends in his books. And you get to follow along on my journey of pain and suffering whether you like it or not. If have no idea what I’m talking about READ THIS first.

Colorful vegetables and fruits

My Symptoms to Start:

  • Constantly and wildly fluctuating hormone levels
  • Hair Loss
  • Sinus congestion
  • Alternating Anxiety and Depression (are we having fun yet?)
  • Constipation
  • Brain Fog
  • Bloated Abdomen
  • Fierce Chocolate Cravings

We are about to find out if any of this is caused by a systemic fungal infection or if I am just a hypochondriac 🙂

grilled veggies

The Diet:

 Eat ONLY the Following Foods

Meats:

Beef, Fish, Poultry, Lamb, Turkey, Pork

Nuts:

Raw nuts, including pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pumpkin seeds.  Stored Nuts tend to gather mold, so be careful!
No Peanuts and No Pistachio’s

Vegetables:

Most fresh, unblemished vegetables and freshly made vegetable juice. (avoid mushrooms, corn, and potatoes)

Beverages:

Bottled or filtered water, non-fruity herbal teas, stevia sweetened fresh lemonade or limeade, freshly squeezed carrot juice.

Fruits:

Berries, grapefruit, lemon, lime, green apples, avocado, fresh coconut

Dairy:

Organic butter, organic plain yogurt, ( use the following very sparingly) cream cheese, unsweetened whipping cream, real sour cream


Eggs

Vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar

Oils:

Olive, grape, flax-seed, cold pressed virgin coconut oil.

Sweeteners:

Stevia,  Xylitol.

brussles sprouts2

According to www.knowthecause.com:

PHASE ONE DIET

“This diet minimizes fungal food, because it minimizes sugars that fungi require in order to grow.  Ask your doctor about experimenting with this diet for 30 days and monitor your results.   Many people keep a dietary log each day and share this with their doctor upon their next visit.  Often, people begin to challenge this diet, wanting back some of the foods they miss, after achieving good results within a month or two.  Most find that their symptoms begin coming back as they go back to their regular diets.  This indicates that the fungi were successfully starved, but perhaps not eradicated.  Many people, after reading our recipe books, realize that there are hundreds of wholesome and delicious recipes on this phase one diet.  With their symptoms much better and their diets now getting more exciting, this diet becomes the genesis of their health program.”

Ok Doug, we’ll see! I’ll share my arsenal of anti-fungal drugs and start on new recipes tomorrow. I’m scared! Did you notice the complete lack of cookies on this program? No cookies! Holy Crap! Wish me luck.

Related Posts:

Is Cancer a Fungal Infection?
The Easiest Cancer Cure in the World?
Is Candida Overgrowth a Real Problem?

 

4 Comments

The Easiest Cancer Cure in the World?

April 3, 2013 at 12:01 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, How To, Your Journey to Health)
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Well Perhaps. Or perhaps not. I tend to lean on the side of the guy who is not profiting from this whole cancer cure game. His name is Dr.Tulio Simoncini and he claims to have found the cure for cancer. Dr. Simoncini is an italian oncologist and he isn’t trying to sell anything, or patent anything or raise money for any kind of cause or race or magic cure. He says that he has been led by God to heal people and that is what he’s doing. Call him a quack if you want. But it’s awfully hard to argue with a 90% cure rate!

baking powder2

I would recommend that EVERYONE read this book. You can buy it HERE. I make no money from the sale of this book, I have read it cover to cover more than once and it seems ridiculous at first glance. When I read it the first time I had to put the book down. I was completely blown away. It was one of those moments when you realize that everything you believed was wrong. I started crying so hard for all of the people who died and are going to die because of the greedy bastards who don’t want to let this message get out. 

That something SO simple could work….. But it works! This man is curing people of ALL types of cancer at a 90% cure rate. Some of the trickier bone cancers are less successful, but oh geez you just have to read it!

RESEARCH STUDIES AND UNBIASED STATISTICAL ANALYSIS SHOW THAT THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR ORTHODOX CANCER TREATMENTS LIKE SURGERY, CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIATION THERAPY AND THAT THESE TREATMENTS  DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD!

6 Comments

Is Candida Overgrowth a Real Problem?

April 2, 2013 at 9:56 AM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Your Journey to Health)
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Is Candida Overgrowth a real problem  or just something that has been really blown out of proportion over the years? Sure we get yeast infections once in a while, but a little dose of an anti-fungal pill and we’re back to normal right? We all know that probiotics are important, but they won’t save your life or anything! Right?

Well I’m not sure either way, but it is something I’m researching right now, and something that I tend to take seriously. Especially if you are a fan of Doug Kaufman or Dr. Tulio Simoncini. You know who you are! So help me figure this out will ya?

morel-bowl

Symptoms:

A person with Candida overgrowth may have only 2-3 of these symptoms, or may identify with many.

Mental/emotional/nervous system:

  • Headaches and migraine headaches
  • Depression
  • Sleep problems difficulty falling asleep, or waking up in the middle of the night with a mind that won’t calm down (typically between 1 and 3 am)
  • Irritability and confusion
  • Poor memory
  • Anxiety attacks, panic attacks
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Heart beating too fast or irregularly
  • Sexual problems — impotence or lack of desire, or excessive sexuality
  • Attention deficit, hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD)
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness
  • Feeling of floating or not quite being in your body
  • Indecisiveness, difficulty organizing and cleaning messy areas

Digestive system:

  • Cravings for sugar, chocolate, milk, cheese, vinegar, pickles, alcohol, bread, nuts or fruit
  • “Metabolic syndrome” which includes the following: large abdomen (“beer belly”), adult-onset diabetes, high cholesterol or triglycerides, high blood pressure
  • “Beer belly,” also called truncal obesity — excess weight centered around the abdomen
  • Acid reflux/GERD (heartburn)
  • Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
  • Bloating, flatulence or abdominal pain
  • Rectal itching
  • Constipation and/or diarrhea
  • Excessively thin or anorexic/bulimic

Skin, eyes, hair:

  • Skin and nail fungal infections (current or past), including: athlete’s foot, vaginal yeast infections, fungal toenails, ringworm, jock itch, tinea versicolor or itchy eyelids
  • Skin problems like eczema, rashes, psoriasis
  • Prematurely graying hair
  • Pupils always dilated
  • Unusually green eyes, or eye color has turned greenish

Immune disorders:

  • Asthma and allergies
  • Recurring infections — colds, ears, bladder, sinus
  • Autoimmune disease (lupus, hypothyroidism, arthritis, others)
  • Penicillin allergy

Whole body:

  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or joint pain, fibromyalgia
  • Cold feet, cold hands, sometimes cold nose
  • Sweating, especially at night
  • Uncomfortable at any temperature

Women’s health issues:

  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
  • Vaginal Yeast Infections
  • Endometriosis (chronic pelvic pain)
  • Infertility (female), some miscarriages, toxemia of pregnancy (pre-eclampsia)

Symptoms seen particularly in children up to about 8 years old:

  • Early allergy to foods like milk
  • Infections as a baby
  • Child had or has frequent ear infections, tonsillitis, strep throat or bladder infections, especially if these infections were treated with antibiotics
  • Cravings for milk, cheese, yogurt, macaroni and cheese, or peanut butter
  • Asthma
  • “Drama king” or “drama queen” — complains quite vocally and often
  • Poor sleep patterns — difficulty going to sleep, sleeps too lightly or has frequent nightmares, and wakes up too early (or sometimes too late)
  • Too thin or overweight
  • Attention deficit with or without hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD)
  • Aggressive, poor social interactions, can’t stop moving, frequent fights or arguments, frequent crying
  • Autism
  • Pale complexion, dark circles under the eyes

List compiled from www.candidamd.com

essential oils3

CAUSES:

Improper pre-natal and infant nutrition (both emotional & physical): lack or insufficiency of breast milk. Introduction of animal proteins at too early an age, producing life-long food allergies leading to weakened immunity in childhood and adult life.

Frequent use of antibiotic therapy in childhood and adult life in cases where antibiotic therapy could have been avoided. Vaccinations may also undermine normal immune capacity.

Consumption of de-mineralized, de-vitalized, and processed foods. The chief culprits being white sugar and white flour. The minerals in our foods allows the body to neutralize so many of the harmful acids that can accumulate in the system. Most of the commercially raised foods are grown in extremely mineral depleted soils. Health promoting foods are grown in healthy soil that is naturally fertilized and not over-farmed.

Consumption of chemical food additives, preservatives, stabilizers and coloring agents and artificial flavorings and sweeteners.

Commercially raised animal protein such as beef, chicken and farmed fish that contains trace amounts of antibiotics and/or artificial hormones.

Overeating, skipping meals on a regular basis, under-eating, having coffee instead of breakfast, etc..

Overuse of low quality fats, hydrogenated fats and trans-fatty acids such as margarine.

Insufficient amounts of fiber in the diet.

Insufficient production of stomach acid (HCL), very common in those over 40 years of age, most often mis-diagnosed as overproduction of stomach acid.

Lack of fresh vital foods high in naturally occurring enzymes and friendly bacteria as well as neglect of probiotic supplementation after antibiotics were administered.

Drinking insufficient quantities of water to meet the body’s requirements (8 fl. oz. / 250 ml. per 25 lbs. / 12 k. of body weight per 24 hours).

Chronic constipation.
Overconsumption of alcohol, use of “recreational drugs”, dependence upon or overuse of pharmaceuticals.

Mercury containing dental amalgam fillings, undiagnosed dental infections and root canalled teeth that may be infected.

Other heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, etc. can predispose the system to yeast proliferation. (all of which are in most tap water)

Medical treatment involving high dose, intravenous or long-term antibiotics.

Pharmaceutical birth control pills

Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications which may cause damage to the integrity of the intestinal lining (some individuals may suffer damage with just short-term or “normal” use.)

Insufficient or excessive exercise, over-strenous exercise for prolonged periods of time ( excessive exercise weakens the body’s defences, insufficient exercise lowers metabolic, circulatory & self cleansing functions.)

Insufficient sleep, getting to sleep too late, shift work, frequent air travel through several time-zones. Getting to sleep after 10 PM on a regular basis will deplete normal adrenal reserves and stress the entire system.

High pressure work with insufficient rest or monetary compensation, leading to long term stress and / or anxiety.

Stress caused by living in overcrowded conditions leading to frequent anger and / or frustration.

Stress caused by long-term relationship incompatibilities with frequent emotional upset.

Lack of sufficient love and nurturance in childhood leading to constant emotional insecurities in adult life that undermine normal, healthy immune and glandular functionality.

Poor air and / or water quality as well as insufficient air circulation at home, at work or while traveling / frequent exposure to recirculated air in sealed buildings or aircraft

Chemical contamination of work place and/or home. Persons who handle or inhale chemical fumes / solvents in their work or hobbies.

Damp environments, mold and/or mildew in home, at workplace or in vehicle (ventilation ducts in the home or work place, as well as old car air conditioning systems often harbor considerable mold and mildew colonies, they should be cleaned on as regular a basis as possible. Filters should be changed more frequently than typically recommended).

Insufficient exposure to sunlight and consequent fatigue and vitamin D deficiency.

Living in proximity to commercial agricultural regions where agricultural chemicals are routinely sprayed.

Living in near  high power electric lines and other electro magnetic field disturbing influences.

Exposure/overexposure (there are no truly safe levels) to ionizing radiation.

Candida infection can rarely be sexually transmitted and is most easily contracted by individuals with lowered immune function.

Individuals infected with HIV / AIDS can, as a consequence of impaired immune function, develop systemic yeast overgrowth.

So what do you think? Is the prevalence of Candida Overgrowth under-stated or over-stated? Is this a growing epidemic caused by the over-consumption of grains and sugar and carbs in general or is it something that “health nuts” like to rant and rave about? I would LOVE to hear your opinions!

 And if it IS a real problem, what do we do about it? More on that tomorrow!

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Is Cancer A Fungal Infection?

April 1, 2013 at 3:38 PM (Health, Herbal Medicine, Non Toxic, Simple, Your Journey to Health)
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I just recently read this article from www.knowthecause.com. I have long been a fan of his podcasts. If you haven’t heard of Doug Kaufman, check out his information. It definitely makes you think about cancer in a whole different way. Tomorrow I will share my protocol for avoiding cancer and fungi in general. It’s ALOT easier than you think!

A Testimonial By Penny Mullens

Written by Know The Cause

 
 
I was diagnosed with aggressive, infiltrating stage III breast cancer in 2002 when I was just 47 years old, with six of my eight children still at home. The youngest ones were 5, 8, and 10. I was 10 years younger than my maternal aunt was when she was diagnosed.   p-mullens
The traditional route of treatment was offered to me. When breast cancer is diagnosed, you’re made to feel like you have to make a decision yesterday, and before you can blink, you’re scheduled for a double mastectomy (with reconstruction) and shuttled back and forth between oncologists, tests, and scans. Your world has been turned upside down, and while spinning out of control, you’re supposed to make informed, well-researched decisions. You do what you’re told. You follow the pack. You choose the known, I’m ashamed to say.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars, 77 linear inches of incisions, AND seven drain tubes later, I was sporting reconstructed breasts. I lived in a motorized recliner for six weeks, and I couldn’t lift anything heavier than 1/2 gallon of milk. I couldn’t walk upright for 13 weeks. Huge doses of antibiotics were administered routinely. Powerful narcotics kept pain managed and allowed me asleep. It took a terrible toll on my immune system.

I had another surgery to install the port: more anesthesia, more drugs for pain. At this point, I was gearing up for the first round of Adriamycin and Cytoxin – every 21 days for almost six months, to be followed by Taxotere and possibly radiation. Gearing up means filling all the drugs to manage the side effects, signing all the paperwork acknowledging that you’ll not hold anyone liable for anything and agreeing that you understand that the result of treatment for your cancer may mean permanent heart, liver, lung, eye, and kidney damage. Hair can (and does) fall out, nails may be permanently misshapen, discolored, or never grow back… and on and on. This paperwork that signs away your life takes hours and is terrifying if you really listen and read. (Who really does under these circumstances? If one really did, one would bolt out of there!)

Chemotherapy ranks up there with the worst experiences of my life. Everything that could go wrong did, so through the continuing haze of nausea, constipation, injections for low white blood cell counts, I decided that I would choose a shorter life expectancy than to continue with this protocol. When begging my oncologist (and family doctor) for ideas on a lower dosage or alternative treatment, I was told that this was the “gold standard” of breast cancer treatment. I was told that if I didn’t take it, I’d have two years to live. But I wanted to try something different, and I asked if the oncologist would at least follow my progress and perform routine tumor markers. He dismissed me.

Enter the “anti-fungal” approach! Through a series of people, I was introduced to the work of Doug Kaufmann. I devoured The Germ that Causes Cancer, read with my finger in the glossary. But, I saw myself in the pages of the anti-fungal questionnaire (constant sinus infections, excessive antibiotic use, high carb consumption, exposure to environmental mold, weight issues, major stress, fatigue), and I embraced the whole theory as making complete sense. I saw the duplicity in the medical/pharmaceutical industry. I saw the money trail. I saw the science behind mycology. I saw the chain of sickness caused by fungus, treat the fungus with antibiotics, another illness, treat with antibiotics… I GOT IT ALL!

I actually found the program to be really do-able and completely affordable (most OTC anti-fungals are less than $12 monthly). The food was plentiful and tasty. There was a learning curve for the first weeks, but really, it was super easy. I never felt better! Though in my late forties, I felt like I was in my twenties; my skin and hair were healthy, and I went my merry way optimistically. My tumor markers remained low and all x-rays clear.

Over the long haul though, as one gets further removed from the “scare”, old habits creep back in and improper responses to stress return. And in my case, another mold exposure problem ensued; in November 2013, ten years later, I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer metastasis to my bones. I was told there was no cure and that prayer was my best hope.

I immediately returned to what I knew to do – the anti-fungal diet, OTC anti-fungals, and several rounds of prescription anti-fungals. All were inexpensive and easy. Three and a half months later, I was pronounced “in complete remission” with “no evidence of avid malignancy”.

I keep asking, “Really? Really! Can it be this quick, this cheap, this easy?” Folks, it is! The cancer industry has us snookered! I’m walking proof!

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Aromatherapy Part 2: The Dark Side

June 2, 2012 at 1:01 AM (Aromatherapy, Health, Herbal Medicine, Your Journey to Health)
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Although essential oils are natural products, it is still necessary to follow certain precautions when using them. Essential oils are very concentrated and volatile, this is why they work so well! There are certain essential oils that should never be used in aromatherapy. They are all either narcotic, toxic, capable of causing miscarriage, likely to provoke epileptic seizures or can seriously damage the skin.

Dangerous Essential Oils

These oils should Never be used

  • Aniseed Pimpinella anisum
  • Arnica Arnica montana
  • Boldo Leaf Peumus boldus
  • Calamus  Acorus calamus
  • Camphor Cinnamomum camphora
  • Cassia Cinnamomum cassie
  • Cinnamon Bark Cinnamomum zeylanicum
  • Costus Saussurea lappa
  • Bitter Almond Prunus amygdalis
  • Bitter Fennel Foeniculum vulgare
  • Elecampane Inula helenium
  • Horseradish Cochlearia armorica
  • Jaborandi Leaf Pilocarpus jaborandi
  • Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris
  • Mustard Brassica nigra
  • Origanum Origanum vulgare
  • Origanum (spanish) Thymus capitatus
  • Pennyroyal (European) Mentha pulegium
  • Pennyroyal (North American) Hedeoma pulegioides
  • Pine (dwarf) Pinus pumilio
  • Rue Ruta graveolens
  • Sage Salvia officinalis
  • Sassafras Sassafras albidum
  • Sassafras (brazilian) Ocotea cymbarum
  • Savin Juniperus sabina
  • Savory (summer) Satureia hortensis
  • Savory (Winter) Satureia montana
  • Southernwood Artemisia abrotanum
  • Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
  • Thuja (cedarleaf) Thuja occidentalis
  • Thuja Plicata Thuja plicata
  • Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens
  • Wormseed Chenopodium anthelminticum
  • Wormwood Artemisia absinthium

Rosemary: Should not be used by people with epilepsy

In addition to the above list, there are a number of oils that do have valuable therapueutic properties, but need to be used with caution.

Oils that should not be used by people with Epilepsy

  • Fennel (Sweet) Foeniculum vulgare
  • Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
  • Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis

(plus Sage and Wormwood, from the previous list)

Geranium Oil: Do not use during Pregnancy

Oils That Should Not be Used During Pregnancy

  • Basil Ocimum basilicum
  • Birch Betula alba, B. lenta, B.alleghaniensis
  • Cedarwood Cedrus atlantica
  • Clary Sage Salvia sclarea
  • Cypress Cupressus sempervirens
  • Geranium Pelargonium asperum
  • Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
  • Jasmine Jasminium officinale
  • Juniper Juniperis communis
  • Marjoram Origanum majorana
  • Myrrh Commiphora myrrha
  • Nutmeg Myristica fragrans
  • Peppermint Mentha piperata
  • Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
  • Tarragon Artemisia dranunculus
  • Thyme Thymus vulgaris
  • Camomile Anthemis nobilis, et al.
  • Lavender Lavandula vera
  • Rose Rosa centifolia, R.damascena  

Lemon Oil: Do not use for prolonged periods

Essential Oils with a Risk of Chronic Toxicity

Do not use these oils for more than a few days at a time

  • Basil Ocimum basilicum
  • Cedarwood Cedrus atlantica
  • Cinnamon Leaf Cinnamomum zeylanicum
  • Eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus
  • Fennel (Sweet) Foeniculum vulgare
  • Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
  • Lemon Citrus limonum
  • Orange Citrus aurantium
  • Nutmeg Myristica fragrans
  • Thyme Thymus vulgaris

Clove Oil: Can irritate the skin

Skin Irritants

Always dilute these oils to 1% before using

  • Angelica Angelica archangelica
  • Black Pepper Piper nigrum
  • Cinnamon Leaf Cinnamomum zeylanicum
  • Citronella Cymbopogon narus
  • Clove (all parts) Eugenia caryphyllus
  • Ginger Zingiber officinalis
  • Lemon Citrus limonum
  • Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus
  • Lemon Verbena Lippia citriodora
  • Orange Citrus aurantium
  • Nutmeg Myristica fragrans
  • Peppermint Mentha piperata

Bergamot Oil: Can cause sunburn or sun damage

PhotoSensitising Oils

Do not use on skin before sun exposure

  • Angelica Angelica archangelica
  • Bergamot Citrus bergamia
  • Lemon Citrus limonum
  • Orange Citrus aurantium

I certainly don’t mean to scare anyone away from using essential oils, but I think a lot of us (myself included) think we can just go around using essential oils without a care in the world, without realising that they are incredibly strong and can have harmful effects if used improperly. It’s easy to think of the as just fancy scented oils, that you can add to whatever you want. For example, if you add lemon or orange oil to your body lotion recipe and use it every day, you run a risk of toxic levels building up in the body over time. Also be careful about gift giving. I was going to make peppermint shower scrub as a Christmas gift last year, until I researched peppermint oil and found it can cause spontaneous abortion!

Honestly if you are nervous, I would contact a Certified Aromatherapist (which is where I got these lists). I have been using essential oils myself for many years, with no ill effects, but I always research an oil before I use it.

Related Posts:

Aromatherapy Part 1: How it Works

Essential Oil of Bergamot

Essential Oil of Geranium

Essential Oil of Thyme

Cinnamon Bark: A Dangerous Essential Oil

27 Comments

Aromatherapy Part 1: How it Works

June 1, 2012 at 1:01 AM (Aromatherapy, Health, Herbal Medicine, Your Journey to Health)
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Aromatherapy is the use of plant oils in treatment. Although the word aromatherapy was first used in 1937 the principles on which it is based are very, very old. The use of infused aromatic oils, made by macerating dried plant material in fatty oil, heating and then filtering date back to the first century.

The lungs and the skin are both vital to the practice of aromatherapy, as these are the two routes by which essential oils enter the body.

Essential oils evaporate on contact with the air, so when breathed in they are carried with the inhaled air through the nose and into the lungs. The two primary bronchi, which first bring air into the lungs, divide into smaller passages, which in turn divide and subdivide into tubes of every decreasing size The smallest being called the bronchioli. The bronchioli then lead to the even smaller alveolar ducts, which look like tiny balloons or bunches of grapes. These alveoli, supply oxygen to the blood and remove waste matter in the ‘exchange of gases’. The walls of the alveoli are made of the thinnest tissue in the body, and through this fine membrane fluids can pass. The surface of the membrane is always moist, so that oxygen and other soluble particles dissolve before passing through it.

The importance of this process is to understand that the particles of essential oils that have been breathed in can pass directly through these thin-walled structures, and enter the bloodstream for circulation to other parts of the body.

What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the base materials of the aromatherapist. They are the pure cells of a plant extracted by distillation.

We use the term essential oil loosely to describe all the oils used in aromatherapy, but strictly speaking only those extracted by distillation should be called essential. Some oils are extracted by pressure (most citrus oils) and should be called “Essence of”. Some are solvent extracted (most floral oils) and should be called “Absolute of”.

Essential oils are very highly concentrated, and should only rarely be used undiluted. They are very volatile and evaporate quickly. They should be kept in airtight bottles in a dark and quiet place. They are damaged by sunlight, temperature changes and even loud noise.

Carrier Oils from Mountain Rose Herbs

Even though they are called oils, they are light and non-greasy. They dissolve easily in fatty oils, but not in water.

Essential oils are highly complex chemically and this makes them both versatile and safe, since many properties act together to balance them out. Some people are surprised by the many therapeutic properties mentioned for a single oil, but this reflects the complicated chemistry of the oil.

How you apply essential, or aromatherapy, oils has an impact on their healing capabilities.  Because they are so highly concentrated, it is not often recommended that you apply essential oils in their pure form directly to the skin.

Baths- A few drops of oil directly in water

Massage- A few drops of essential oil added to massage oil or any carrier oil (almond, jojoba, coconut etc)

Vapor Inhalation- 5 drops in steaming water. Inhale the steam using a towel tent over the head

Lotion/Cream/Salve- Essential oils added to these products are absorbed through the skin

Compress-Add essential oil to warm water. Dip in a cotton cloth and wring it out. Place this on the body.

If you don’t know where to start with aromatherapy, I buy all of my supplies from Mountain Rose Herbs. You can find them on my blogroll. Enjoy!

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