If you have a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or allergies, it's possible you're suffering from a hidden epidemic that's destroying your health. And it's very likely your doctor has completely missed the problem.
Truth is there are few doctors who are able to find the cause of many ailments because they're not trained to find them. That's right! Most doctors are taught how to diagnose symptoms and treat them with drugs.
These drugs can help you feel better temporarily, but they don't find and correct the cause of the problem. So what I'm about to tell you now may come as a surprise....
I've found that a whole host of chronic diseases have one thing in common — they share the same underlying root cause! And it can do a world of damage without coming up on your doctor's radar screen.
What is the root cause?
We've already explored two causes for chronic illnesses in previous issues: poor digestion and inflammation. But I've found another one and it's a lot more difficult to find than the other two. So this month, I'm going to show you how to determine if you have this problem and what you can do to heal yourself.
If you're still sick after improving your digestion and reducing inflammation, you need to determine if you have an overgrowth of a yeast called candida. Too much candida can keep you from getting well.
If you have any of these conditions, keep reading
Candida lives in all of us. But an overgrowth can contribute to Crohn's disease, irritable bowel, colitis, asthma, sinusitis, psoriasis, acne, eczema, allergies, and food sensitivities. It can also cause a hypersensitivity that triggers hives, eczema, and chronic vaginitis or autoimmune diseases like celiac disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroiditis.
One of the toxins created by candida causes the inflammation associated with psoriasis. Others may affect the brain and nervous system causing brain fog, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. My good friend, psychiatrist Hyla Cass, MD says you can't simply run a test to see if candida is causing your troubles. "The only way to know that these mental or emotional problems are caused by candida is when they disappear after going on an anti-yeast program," she told me.
Four causes for candida overgrowth
Antibiotics kill off the friendly bacteria that keep candida levels low. The result is a candida overgrowth. If you've taken antibiotics for more than two months at any time in your life, it's very possible you could have a yeast problem.
Sugar, candida's primary food, and refined carbohydrates like white flour, feed the yeast. If you eat sugar, you could make your condition worse.
Progesterone — Fluctuating hormone levels can trigger candida growth.
A study published in the early 1990s found an association between high levels of progesterone and high candida. So if you're taking progesterone — even the natural kind — and you're still sick, this could be why. Ask your doctor to check your progesterone level and make sure it's not too high.
Genetics — You may have a little-known genetic predisposition that allows candida to flourish. Here's how:
Your immune system contains a protein that attaches itself to the sugars on candida cells. Then, cells that destroy bacteria and cell debris wipe out the yeast.
Usually, only 10 percent of all women have low levels of this candida-lowering protein. But I spoke with Steven S. Witkin, PhD, a professor of immunology at Cornell University. He said a whopping 62 percent of women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis have low concentrations of this protective protein in their vagina.
If you have a genetic tendency for low levels of this protein, you'll have to work harder to control your candida than other women. But I promise you, it can be done.
The anti-candida diet
Candida lives on refined sugars. The most important single action you can take is to starve this yeast. Eliminate all white sugar, brown sugar, pure cane sugar juice, corn syrup, molasses, and honey. Limit your sweets to one piece of fruit a day (no juices). This isn't a permanent diet — just one you need to follow until you lower your candida colonies. Unless you totally eliminate sugar for at least three weeks, you won't get your candida under control.
I wish I could tell you differently, but I can't. There's no room for cheating if you want to get better. Don't eat any processed food with any sugar in it for at least two months. Use stevia, found in health food stores, as a sweetener instead.
Eat a high-protein, low-carb diet, at least for a few months. This includes avoiding starchy vegetables. You know that corn and potatoes are high-carb vegetables. But others, such as raw green beans, are also. To learn the best foods to eat or avoid, get The Yeast Connection and Women's Health (Dr. William Crook, 800-241-8645). His daughter Elizabeth and Dr. Cass completed this book when Dr. Crook, the "Father of Candida," died suddenly last year.
Dr. Crook was an allergist who discovered that many of his patients with candida had a hypersensitivity to yeasts and molds. This is why he took everyone with a candida overgrowth off all fermented foods, yeasts, and mushrooms. But unless you're a highly allergic person, this is not necessary.
Very few of my patients have had to avoid fermented foods or a slice of bread containing yeast. And I'm not alone. Gynecologist Uzzi Reiss, MD told me that he allows mushrooms and fermented foods for most of his candida patients.
Three important candida-fighting supplements
Anti-fungals are the first line of defense to eliminate a yeast overgrowth. You may need a prescription drug like Diflucan or Nizoral, or you may get good results from a non-prescription supplement like caprylic acid, pau d'arco, or oil of oregano, found in health food stores.
There are many strains of candida, and people react differently to various anti-fungals. Dr. Crook used pharmaceuticals, while Dr. Cass told me she uses herbal anti-fungals successfully. Ask your health provider to help you design an anti-fungal plan.
If you're prescribed Nyzerol, you need to know that it could be toxic to your liver. If you take Nyzorol, get a liver function blood test every three months.
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that keep candida colonies in check. If you have too much candida, you have too little acidophilus, bifidus, and other good bacteria.
Not all probiotics are the same. Get the strongest formula you can find and afford. One strong probiotic formula that sticks to the intestinal lining without needing refrigeration is TheraDophilus (ProThera, 888-488-2488). Two other potent formulas are Culturelle and Natren's Healthy Trinity (found in health food stores). TheraDophilus is one-fifth the price of the others, but all of these products are excellent if you suspect candida.
Immune-boosting nutrients, such as good quality medicinal mushrooms, allow your immune system to fight off all infections and even a candida overgrowth. I frequently suggest that my patients with candida or chronic illnesses take medicinal mushrooms. Dr. Crook might not agree, but Janet Zand, acupuncturist, author, founder of McZand Herbals, and longtime friend, would. When I asked Janet about using medicinal mushrooms for people with a yeast overgrowth, she said she's seen people with candida and chronic fatigue benefit tremendously from using them.
My favorite medicinal mushroom formula is MycoPhyto Complex (Women's Preferred, 800-728-2288). Start with three capsules three times a day. After one month, one capsule three times a day may be sufficient. Instead of mushrooms, or for additional support, try ProBoost's Thymic Protein A (800-933-9440), which jump-starts the immune system.
You can't cure your chronic illness until you identify and treat all of its underlying causes. At most, you'll be fighting an uphill battle just to keep from getting worse. The good news is you can get better! The steps I listed here are sure to defeat an overgrowth in candida and possibly resolve your chronic illness. I've seen it happen and you can, too!
Crook,William G., MD, Hyla Cass, MD, and Elizabeth B. Crook. The Yeast Connection and Women's Health, Professional Books, 2003.
Witkin, S.S., et al, personal conversation. Clin Infect Dis, 2003;37:733-737.
Sugar-Water Injections
If your doctor has told you you'll need surgery on your knee to relieve the pain and discomfort, don't let him rush you into the operating room. Instead, there's a therapy I've told you about before that can relieve many causes of knee pain and save you from surgery.
How do I know?
It worked for me!
One morning, I kneeled down to look under my bed. "Ouch!!" I had a sharp pain on the outside of my left knee. I touched the spot and it was tender. Apparently, I had bumped my knee without paying much attention to it. The pain would get better in a few days, I thought. But it didn't.
Two months later, my knee was still extremely painful if I knelt on it. So I paid a visit to my favorite osteopath, Dr. Terri Turner. Osteopaths are medical doctors who are skilled in manipulating bones and muscles when they're misaligned. I knew she'd do more than give me a prescription for a pain pill, and I was right.
She ended up by giving me injections of sugar water!
After my exam, she announced, "Your knee's not tracking properly. If I did nothing, the pain would gradually increase." Most doctors would then recommend arthroscopic surgery. Instead, Dr. Turner adjusted my knee. In fact, she adjusted it three times. But the adjustments didn't hold because the ligaments that keep the knee in place were loose. Like other parts of my body, they had gotten a little flabby! Weak ligaments cause joints to become loose. To compensate for flabby ligaments, the muscles around them tighten, causing pain.
A crazy-sounding solution to knee pain
Dr. Turner's solution to strengthen my weak ligaments was prolotherapy. Prolotherapy is a brilliant technique that strengthens ligaments by injecting them with a solution of vitamin C, salt water, or sugar water.
Injecting any of these creates a slight inflammation in the weak ligament. Then, cells called macrophages rush in to remove the inflammation. Others follow to rebuild the tissue, laying down new fibers. The result is a tighter, stronger ligament.
Chronic inflammation, as I've explained many times before, is harmful. But not all inflammation is bad. In fact, this low-level temporary inflammation actually helps repair loose ligaments and tendons.
Prolotherapy treatments are painful,even with pain-killing lidocaine added to the solution. It's not unbearable, but it's darned uncomfortable. After getting the injection, the area may become hot and sore for a day or two. This is due to the inflammation. Ice packs help reduce this temporary pain, but you can't take aspirin, Advil, or Motrin. These are anti-inflammatory medications and this is one time when you want inflammation. If you're taking anti-inflammatory herbs, nutrients, or medications, it's important to stop taking them temporarily.
The number of prolotherapy treatments that are needed to strengthen loose ligaments can vary from one to over a dozen. In my case, I had four injections for the inside ligament of my knee, and two for the outside ligament. After the first two treatments, I felt very little pain or discomfort.
Would I do prolotherapy again? In a heartbeat. Especially if it meant avoiding surgery. It didn't just remove my pain. It corrected the problem!
Injecting any of these creates a slight inflammation in the weak ligament. Then, cells called macrophages rush in to remove the inflammation. Others follow to rebuild the tissue, laying down new fibers. The result is a tighter, stronger ligament.
Chronic inflammation, as I've explained many times before, is harmful. But not all inflammation is bad. In fact, this low-level temporary inflammation actually helps repair loose ligaments and tendons.
Prolotherapy treatments are painful,even with pain-killing lidocaine added to the solution. It's not unbearable, but it's darned uncomfortable. After getting the injection, the area may become hot and sore for a day or two. This is due to the inflammation. Ice packs help reduce this temporary pain, but you can't take aspirin, Advil, or Motrin. These are anti-inflammatory medications and this is one time when you want inflammation. If you're taking anti-inflammatory herbs, nutrients, or medications, it's important to stop taking them temporarily.
The number of prolotherapy treatments that are needed to strengthen loose ligaments can vary from one to over a dozen. In my case, I had four injections for the inside ligament of my knee, and two for the outside ligament. After the first two treatments, I felt very little pain or discomfort.
Would I do prolotherapy again? In a heartbeat. Especially if it meant avoiding surgery. It didn't just remove my pain. It corrected the problem!
More information
If you're interested in reading more about prolotherapy, an excellent book is Prolo Your Pain Away 2nd Edition, by Ross A. Hauser (Beulah Land Press, 1998, 800-RX-PROLO).
To find a doctor in your area who uses prolotherapy, write to the American Association of Orthopedic Medicine, 90 S. Cascade Ave, Suite 1190, Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (800-992-2063) or the American College of Osteopathic Pain Management and Sclerotherapy (ACOPMS), 107 Maple Ave, Silverside Heights, Wilmington, DE 19809 (302-996-0300). You can also go to www.getprolo.com for a list of some doctors around the country who use prolotherapy.
Hauser, Ross A., MD. Prolo Your Pain Away!, Beulah Land Press, 1998 (800-RX-PROLO).
Three Steps to Affordable Health Care
If your health insurance is Medicare, an HMO,or limited to preferred providers, it may not pay for the type of health care you want. This is especially true if you prefer complementary medicine like I do. Few insurance programs cover acupuncture, naturopaths, Chinese medicine, chiropractic manipulation, or nutrition.
With rising health care costs, how can you afford the type of health care that treats the cause of your problem and not just your symptoms? Let me give you some ideas.
Step #1: Reduce your meds and their cost
The first step to affordable health care is to see if you can take fewer expensive prescription drugs. Most Americans are over-medicated and don't have their medications re-evaluated regularly.
Ask your doctor to re-think your need for each of your medications. If you have several doctors, choose one to evaluate your entire protocol. You may not need all the ones you're currently taking. Please don't do this on your own. It's not safe or healthy.
Your pharmacist is an excellent resource. He or she can check your medications for drug/drug, or drug/nutrient interactions. Some medications should not be taken with other drugs. Others can cause side effects when taken with specific vitamins, minerals, or herbs. Report any interactions to your doctor for a revised treatment program.
Ask for the least expensive drug in any category. Generic drugs are usually cheaper than those with recognizable names. Among non-generic drugs, some cost less than others. Substitute one identical medication for another and save money without compromising quality.
Ask your doctor if there's a less expensive, less toxic natural product that can replace any of your medications. If your present doctor doesn't know, a pharmacist or a doctor of complementary medicine may. You could be able to afford integrative care if your drug expenses are lower.
Step #2: Add integrative care as needed
Don't let your insurance coverage dictate who you see. If you're not getting better, consult with someone who has a different point of view from your doctor's, even if you have to pay out of pocket. One or two visits with an integrative health care practitioner could save your health and even your life.
Insurance rarely pays for doctors who practice integrative, or complementary, medicine. Most doctors of integrative medicine know that you may not have insurance that reimburses you for their services. These doctors are usually sensitive to your financial situation. They are often willing to see you for an initial consultation and then on an "as needed" basis.
These doctors are excellent "go-between" doctors. They will often call your primary care doctor and explain their reason why they're suggesting particular laboratory tests and therapies. This keeps your primary care doctor in the loop, able to understand your decisions and preferences.
Don't be afraid of hurting your doctor's feelings. Doctors who have your best interests in mind do not get their feelings hurt easily. Explain your plans to your doctor. Then tell him you value his opinion and want him to remain on your health team to monitor your progress.
If your doctor is so entrenched in Western medicine that he cannot accept your seeing someone else, you have two choices. You can find a more open-minded primary care doctor, or you can go behind your doctor's back and see someone who practices complementary medicine. Personally, I prefer having my doctors talk with one another. I would look for a different primary care doctor.
Step #3: Investigate natural therapies
Re-aligning your body and eliminating nutrient deficiencies are two natural therapies that save you money.
How? By treating the cause of your problem, not the symptoms.
Do some research and look for natural approaches that can help you get well. Osteopaths, chiropractors, and practitioners of Feldenkrais are examples of therapies that help re-align your body. Naturopaths, some doctors of integrative medicine, and nutritionists can help you fine-tune your diet. As a nutritionist in practice for more than 25 years, I'm still amazed at the many diseases and imbalances that are corrected with the proper diet. Choose someone who designs individual dietary plans, not one who gives out a "one-size-fits-all" diet.
Walk through the maze
It's difficult to know what to do at times because the field of complementary medicine is filled with truths, half-truths, and down-right misinformation. That's why I pack this newsletter with specific natural solutions for chronic and acute health problems every month. The information I give you is based on solid science, not marketing ploys. My goal is to help you understand complex information and help you save money by using less expensive, safer treatments.
Nutrition Detective
Indium Warning
Like many of you, my name is on many mailing lists. Recently, I received a small book about a trace mineral called indium. The book claims that indium is a newly discovered substance that will enhance your health.
Maybe it will, but I'd have to see some studies — not just hear testimonials — before I believed any health claims. Unfortunately, there are only a few animal studies on mice conducted in the 1970s. Indium's present benefits are based on theories from these few studies. So much for a "newly discovered" wonder supplement.
Indium is a trace mineral that's used to make water-soluble solder paste and transistors. It's a by-product of zinc ore processing. There's much more about indium's use in industry than in health, so be careful about taking it as a supplement. There are too many unknowns about this supplement for me to either take it myself or recommend it to you at this time. Show me the science first. Then I'll read the testimonials.
Lyons, Robert, ND. Indium, the Missing Trace Mineral, New Health Press, Inc, 2001.
Build Your Bones Faster With the Right Protein Powder
I add a scoop of protein powder to my cereal or breakfast drink each morning. It's an easy way to get additional protein in my diet. But what's the best kind of protein powder to get?
It all depends on your age. If you're either perimenopausal or postmenopausal and not on hormone replacement therapy, a soy-based powder could do more to save your bones than a high-calcium, milk-based protein powder.
A three-month study proves this. Some women were given 40 grams of soy protein, while others took the same amount of milk-based protein. Both protein powders helped build bone, but the soy did a better job. It slowed down the natural breakdown of bone. In addition, the women who used the milk-based protein powder excreted 33 percent more calcium than the women who used soy protein. If you don't take hormones, eat some soy foods to protect your bones.
Arimandi, B.H., et al. "Soy protein has a greater effect on bone in postmenopausal women not on hormone replacement therapy, as evidenced by reducing bone resorption and urinary calcium excretion," J Clin Endocrinol Metab, March 2003; 88(3).
Ask Dr. Nan
Q: You say to take equal amounts of calcium and magnesium in supplements. Yet most people advise twice as much calcium as magnesium. How do I know who to believe? — D.D., e-mail
A: First of all, the controversy surrounds supplements, which accounts for only part of your calcium and magnesium intake. You get more from your diet. The world's expert on magnesium is Mildred Seelig, MD, who writes textbooks on magnesium for doctors. She's just written an important book for all of us called The Magnesium Factor (Avery Publishing, 2003). Dr. Seelig recommends from 1:1 to no more than 2:1 calcium to magnesium.
What amount do you need? It depends on a lot of factors including your present health and both past and present diet. Dr. Seelig has an excellent questionnaire in her book to help you determine just how much magnesium you need.
Because so many of us are magnesium-deficient I stand by my 1:1 ratio.
In fact, some people need to take twice as much magnesium as calcium for awhile to begin to achieve a better mineral balance. This is especially true for people who consume dairy products two or more times a day, and who eat few nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, and dark green leafy vegetables — sources of high magnesium.
Q: I got your booklet and color filters. The information looks to be very valuable. The question I have is this. I have seen an ad in the Inner Balance catalog for "Protective Color Therapy Eyewear." This is a set of non- prescription tinted glasses, one for each of the seven primary colors. Would wearing these glasses have the same benefit as shining a colored light at yourself? Thanks. — Tricia S., Brewster, MA
A: The frequency of the colors helps determine their effectiveness. The color filters we sent you match the exact frequency of those originally used in color therapy. The glasses you describe do not place colors on the body, but instead would affect how you see. They would not have the same effect as you'd get by shining a color with a particular frequency on various parts of the body. This is apples and avocados — not even apples and oranges. But an interesting question. I hope you enjoy the results you get from the filters. For those of you who don't have the book and filters yet, you can order them by calling 800-728-2288.
Q: My sexual desires really bottomed out when I went though menopause. I've tried all the synthetic and natural hormones and the products in the health food store to boost my libido, but nothing seems to work. Can you help? — Mary K., via e-mail
A: You could be the perfect example of how a candida overgrowth causes problems without detection. It's possible you may have low hormones, but it doesn't sound like that's your problem. It very well could be too much candida.
All yeasts and molds grow in warm, dark places. Candida flourishes in the vagina and bladder where it can cause a burning in the vulva (vulvodynia), painful intercourse, interstitial cystitis (a painful chronic bladder inflammation), low libido, and an inability to orgasm.
While supplement companies and gynecologists recommend hormones for sexual dysfunction (as you found out), you may just need to reduce candida colonies instead.