Monday, October 8, 2012

Candida What Is It?


What is Candida and What Causes It?

Candida is a short name used to describe Candida Albicans, which is yeast or fungus overgrowing in the body. It mainly occurs in mucus membranes, i.e. mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, intestines, ears, eyes, genitals, bladder, etc.) but it can also occur on the skin and hair and also around nails.
However, candida is not the only kind of fungus created in the body, because there are many other kinds of funguses that can be created in many areas of the body, as needed, in order to clean up toxins. Examples include:
  • Aspergillosis is the name given when aspergillus fungi is created in the body, which can occur in the lungs, ears, and sinuses.
  • Cryptococcosis is the name given when cryptococcus neoformans, cryptococcus gattii or cryptococcus grubii funguses are created in the body, which can occur in wounds or on the skin, in the lungs and in the brain.
  • Histoplasmosis is the name given when histoplasma capsulatum fungus is created in the body, which mainly occurs in the lungs.
  • Paracoccidioidomycosis is the name given when paracoccidioidal brasiliensis fungus is created in the body, which can occur in mucous membranes, lymph nodes, bone and lungs.
The technical term for candida/yeast overgrowth is "candidiasis," which means "an overgrowth of candida albicans in the body." Candida albicans is a single–celled fungus that belongs to the vegetable kingdom, similar to their "cousins" the molds that occur in foods and Nature. Cancer is also a fungus!
Candida is the "result" of disease, just like heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, asthma, obesity, etc. because of these primary reasons for ALL failing health:
  1. Lack of the correct combination of nutrients that all humans need in order to be healthy
  2. Lack of oxygen at a cellular level, when cells change from oxygenation to fermentation
  3. Accumulation of toxins, poisons, and waste from normal internal body processes and from outside sources. Toxins accumulate because the body has become unable to detoxify itself like it should.
  4. Lowered vitality (energy) due to stress, shock, injury, emotional upsets, losses, relationship or financial worries, being sick and unhealthy, etc.
  5. Poor "Nutritional status" acquired from parents upon conception.
God provides many ways of dealing with poor health, as it does in the environment, soil, plants, and all animals, that is called "homeostasis" which means:
  1. The ability of an organism or a cell to regulate it's internal conditions, usually by a system of feedback and controls, in order to stabilize health and functioning.
  2. The ability of the body or a cell to seek and maintain a condition of stability and health within its internal environment when dealing with internal or external changes or influences.

Understanding Candida

  • Candida overgrowth in the mouth


    Candida is a fungus also referred to as Candida albicans, a yeast infection, and monilia. It is a fungus that generally grows in the mucous membrane areas like the mouth, the vagina and rectum. The Candida fungus can also travel into the blood stream affecting the intestines, the heart valves and the throat. This fungus becomes infectious when it grows out of control within the body. Over 100 years ago, a Candida infection was very uncommon. It was uncommon because, during that era, people ate foods that were fresh and alive with energy. People were also not exposed to the antibiotics, fast foods and processed foods that are high in sugar and corn syrup content. They were also not open to the elements of excessive pesticides, herbicides and other toxic materials. Most of the foods produced for consumption today are 50 percent away from its original, natural state. One hundred years ago, foods were free from herbicides, pesticides, chemical processing and microwaving. Eating foods as such causes an overgrowth of Candida in the body resulting in a weakened immune system.

Candida and Cancer

  • Candida albicans


    Eating foods that are processed and very high in sugar and syrup content on a daily basis will feed and encourage the Candida yeast fungi to grow in the body. When these types of foods are eaten on a daily basis, it creates an excessively acidic environment in the body causing the Candida albican yeast to produce a substance referred to as mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxins that are actually the fecal waste of the Candida albicans. The mycotoxins travel into the cells of the body, the blood and lymph fluids which are located all over the human body. When the immune system is weakened due to the overgrowth of Candida, it can not function as it should which results in excessive growth of bacteria  and cancer cells.

Prevention of Candida Growth in the Body

  • Candida on the arms


    The kidneys, liver, immune system and digestive system are not capable of processing the chemically processed foods that so many people eat on a daily basis. Due to daily intake of these types of foods, it is becoming more difficult for the various defense systems within our bodies to filter and clean out all of these noxious, toxic invaders. As a result, the more unnatural foods that we intake that are high in sugar and chemical content, the more we feed and encourage the Candida bacteria. The Candida, therefore, continues to feed off of the human body's vital fluids and tissues. However, there are ways to prevent Candida from excessively growing within the body. One major way is to avoid ingesting certain types of foods and substances that create and sustain Candidiasis. The foods and substances to avoid to discourage Candida include white sugars, white flours, white potatoes, corn syrup, high fructose, sorbitol, dried fruits, honey, processed beets, fruit juices and refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates convert very quickly to sugar within the blood. Sugar is a major culprit in encouraging Candida overgrowth. Stored grains are also a concern in regards to Candida overgrowth. This is because stored grains ferment within three months and begin to produce mycotoxins. Alcohol, tobacco, antibiotics and birth control pills also have a negative effect on the body and can encourage the overgrowth of Candida. Therefore, these foods types and substances should not be taken on a daily basis.


    How Do I Get Rid Of Candida?

    First and foremost, you need to stop feeding them. Since sugar is their number one source of fuel, the typical effective “anti-yeast” diet looks a lot like Atkins (very low carb). That means you avoid sugar, grains, alcoholic beverages, and yeasted breads. Even fruits (dried or fresh) are eliminated during the Candida “kill-off” phase. (You can eat all the grass-fed beef, free range poultry and eggs, vegetables, yogurt, nuts and seeds you want.)


    While starving the yeast cells, you want to make sure to nurture the good bacteria that keep them in check. The best way to do this is with probiotics. Lactobacillus probiotics are particularly good at keeping Candida under control,2 but a good broad-spectrum probiotic supplement containing lactobacilli and bifidobacteria is always a good idea.

    Remember, probiotics are living organisms, and like Candida, they need their own source of fuel. Probiotics love to dine on FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides). These molecules are also called “prebiotics” and many good probiotic formulas also contain some of these as well.

    Many other substances are helpful in killing off Candida. At the top of the list is garlic (“my personal favorite,” says Lipsky), caprylic and lauric acids (both found in coconut oil), oil of oregano, pau d’arco and grapefruit seed extract.

    Another terrific weapon in the anti-Candida arsenal is olive leaf extract. Olive leaf contains the active ingredient, oleuropein, which has strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex is a particularly recommended brand that comes in a liquid form that’s easy to take and tasty to boot.

    Many practitioners recommend a strict “anti-yeast” diet for at least three weeks, and then suggest reintroducing “banned” foods slowly as your gut gets healthier. When Candida are killed, it may produce an antibody response that can result in a temporary worsening of symptoms (the “die-off” effect).

    Because of this, “it’s important to begin therapeutics gently with small doses and gradually increase,” says Lipsky. “If your symptoms are still aggravated, cut back (on the yeast killers) and then gradually increase.”

    And for women, for whom vaginal yeast infections are a particular concern, consider internal applications of healthy bacteria in addition to oral supplementation. Ann Knight, DC, a holistic chiropractor in Thousand Oaks, California has had much success with this protocol that uses a full-fat plain yogurt. “A broad spectrum probiotics mixed with yogurt and inserted into the vagina can be very effective,” she says.

    In some cases more serious weapons like the antifungal med Nyastatin may be called for, but remember, if you’re still feeding the yeast with sugar (and foods that the body treats as sugar) you’re defeating the purpose.

    The cornerstone of the best diet for getting rid of yeast is eliminating sugar, which is also, come to think of it, one of the cornerstones of the best diet for overall health.
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Monday, October 1, 2012

Chock Full Chemicals Lovin’ the McRib

The fact that most fast foods are not a smart, healthy diet choice is well documented by now. Still, it never ceases to amaze us here  just what kind of harmful garbage fast food companies put in some of their most popular items.

Take the McRib sandwich from McDonald's. Considering its ingredients, it's a good thing that the fast food chain only offers it once in a while.

According to the restaurant's website, here are just three of the 70 chemicals and ingredients the sandwich contains: azodicarbonamide, ammonium sulfate and polysorbate 80.

Chock full of...chemicals

"These components are in small enough quantities to be innocuous. But it's still a little disconcerting to know that, for example, azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent that is most commonly used in the manufacture of foamed plastics like in gym mats and the soles of shoes, is found in the McRib bun," Time magazine reported, noting that the compound is banned in Europe and Australia as an additive to foods (the U.S., meanwhile, limits it to 45 parts per million in commercial flour products, according to an analysis of laboratory testing).

In fact, the United Kingdom's Health and Safety Executive has classified azodicarbonamide as a "respiratory sensitizer" that can potentially contribute to asthma via exposure on the job.

Why the attention? Because the sandwich has developed a sort of cult-like following since it was first introduced, writes Brad Tuttle at Time's Moneyland.

"Few fast food menu items can say they have their own Facebook page. Then again, few fast food items have experienced the roller coaster-like ups and downs of the McRib," he writes. "First introduced in 1982, the sandwich first disappeared in 1985, but then has periodically resurfaced in McDonald's in the U.S. and abroad. The McRib's cult-like following has generated not only Facebook pages, but McRib Locator websites and a Twitter account."

Perhaps if more Americans actually knew what was in a McRib they would be far less eager to find one. Besides the presence of a plethora of questionable ingredients, the sandwich itself is just over the top in terms of sodium content (980 mg - more than half of the daily recommended allowance) and saturated fat (10 g - not exactly heart-healthy).


Even 'healthy' fast food...isn't

The McRib revelations go hand in hand with earlier field research that has found fast food wanting in terms of providing consumers with a healthy choice - even when the same fast food restaurants are hawking supposedly "healthy" choices.

Again, consider McDonald's. New York Times food writer Mark Bittman wrote that the chain's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, which was introduced in early 2011, isn't even marginally better for you, in terms of caloric intake, saturated fats, etc., despite being sold as a "bowl full of wholesome."

The oatmeal and McDonald's story broke late last year, when Mickey D's, in its ongoing effort to tell us that it's offering "a selection of balanced choices" ... began to sell the cereal. Yet in typical McDonald's fashion, the company is doing everything it can to turn oatmeal into yet another bad choice. ... A more accurate description than "100 percent natural whole-grain oats," "plump raisins," "sweet cranberries" and "crisp fresh apples" would be "oats, sugar, sweetened dried fruit, cream and 11 weird ingredients you would never keep in your kitchen."

Some people might even justify this by saying that buying the McDonald's version of oatmeal is at least much more convenient than making it at home, but many of those people likely have never made oatmeal at home. Besides, what about the waiting in line and the additional cost?

Other so-called "healthy foods" that are being misrepresented by fast-food chains include:

-- McDonald's Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken (220 cal., 6 g of fat and 5 g of sugar per serving - without the dressing).

-- Jamba Juice's Mango Mantra Light Smoothie (Mango-a-go-go contains 85g of sugar - far above the daily limit of 34g of added sugar for women and 36g for men that is recommended by the American Heart Association).

-- Subway's Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich (contains 760 cal. and 2,020 mg of sodium - that's 520 mg more salt than the USDA recommends that children, those with high blood pressure, the elderly and African Americans should consume in an entire day; it also contains 34 grams of sugar, all you should reasonably have in a single day).

Sources:

http://healthland.time.com

http://www.ohsrep.org.au

http://healthland.time.com

HUGE LIST OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED GROCERY FRANKENFOODS-



I have always wanted to know which foods I have been eating are genetically modified. This article is quite ironic because I just ate a Hostess Cupcake (which I normally never eat) as a lunch treat. It tasted aweful!
I remember when I was little how good foods used to taste. Reeses peanut butter cups used to be good too, now they taste like detergent. Fruits and vegatables used to be crisp and juicey, now they're mushy and dry. Dorito's used to be a favorite of mine, now they're disgusting.
I just found this article, and the foods listed shocked me. Cheerios are GM food! This is another list of products everybody should boycott, just like the "Outsourcing," list I posted last week, thanks to Lou Dobb's and his fantastic coverage.
GM labeling on all food products is mandatory in Europe, but here in America consumer's are left in the dark as to exactly what they are eating.
Here is the list of Genetically Modified Foods - get ready to clean out your pantry!
FOR A FULL LISTING OF NON-GM FOODS, the link is posted above for the Truefoodnow website. Prepare to blow chunks, this list is shocking. A few general observations: The availability of Non GM food vs. GM food is about 50/50. Most "brand name," products and corporate giants genetically modify their foods. Most foods listed under the "non-genetically modified," section are not well known and are not considered "mainstream."


Report: Male Genitalia Shrinking

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – While searching the internet for stories that get you talking, we came across this report about some of the weirdest scientific studies. According to the report on Chacha.com, if size matters, male private parts are apparently shrinking. According to the report, the study’s leaders claim to have bona fide research that says the average size of a penis is roughly 10 percent smaller than it was 50 years ago. The post on the study doesn’t say how the research was conducted or give numbers. But it does provide several reasons for the supposed shrinkage, including weight gain, stress, smoking and alcohol. The report also says air pollution has been shown to “negatively impact penis size.” For more information, visit: www.chacha.com.

Baby Boomers’ Health Very Poor, Getting Worse


washington.cbslocal.com
October 1, 2012
The Baby Boomer generation’s overall health has been on a sharp decline.
Australian researchers from Adelaide’s three universities have completed the first stage of a report on the generation born between the end of the Second World War and the mid-1960s.
Obesity among baby boomers is more than double the rate of their parents at the same age, and boomers with three or more chronic conditions was 700 percent greater than the previous generation.

Modern wheat a "perfect, chronic poison," doctor says


October 1, 2012
Modern wheat is a “perfect, chronic poison,” according to Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist who has published a book all about the world’s most popular grain. Davis said that the wheat we eat these days isn’t the wheat your grandma had: “It’s an 18-inch tall plant created by genetic research in the ’60s and ’70s,” he said on “CBS This Morning.” “This thing has many new features nobody told you about, such as there’s a new protein in this thing called gliadin. It’s not gluten. I’m not addressing people with gluten sensitivities and celiac disease. I’m talking about everybody else because everybody else is susceptible to the gliadin protein that is an opiate. This thing binds into the opiate receptors in your brain and in most people stimulates appetite, such that we consume 440 more calories per day, 365 days per year.”