Candida
More and more people are tracing various health problems to stubborn, yeastlike fungi called Candida albicans. Not a foreign invader at all, Candida occurs naturally in the vagina, on the skin (especially in moist areas such as the armpits) and especially in the digestive tract. Only when it gets out of hand and grows disproportionately in the intestines does candida begin contributing to various health problems, including appetite loss, belching and an overabundance of stomach acid. One of the biggest concerns is graphically termed a "leaky gut." This condition occurs when the intestinal wall becomes too porous, allowing undigested proteins to pass through it into the blood, which increases the risk of developing food allergies. Candida is usually concentrated in the digestive tract. "Systemic" candidiasis, which occurs when Candida gets into the blood and travels to other parts of the body, is fortunately quite rare—it usually occurs only in people whose immunity is compromised, such as people with AIDS or those undergoing chemotherapy. Unfortunately, many physicians do not see candidiasis as much of a problem until it becomes this serious, and they generally do not diagnose it as such until it becomes systemic. And because Candida has been getting a lot of press in natural health magazines and booklets, many people who are in the habit of diagnosing themselves often think they have Candida simply because they have gas and indigestion, are fatigued or feel fuzzy-headed. So before you jump on the Candida bandwagon, consider that there are many other disorders that produce similar symptoms.
There are a number of herbs that can help control Candida. Studies from Germany, Russia, England and Hungary show that the fungi are inhibited by many plants whose essential oils are potent antifungal agents—cloves, cinnamon, allspice, tea tree, lavender, garlic and chamomile. In one impressive study, the fresh husk of the black walnut was shown to destroy Candida better than a commonly prescribed antifungal drug. Echinacea, valerian and berberine (from goldenseal, barberry or Oregon grape root) have been shown to inhibit Candida in various studies.
My friend David was convinced that Candida had overrun his digestive system. His doctors told him that he did indeed have thrush, an invasion of Candida that was making his mouth sensitive and sore, and they prescribed a common antifungal drug used to treat candidiasis. But David found himself on a healing roller coaster—getting better, then worse, then better and worse again. David decided to concentrate on improving his diet and taking nutritional supplements. But it wasn't until he started taking an herbal tincture similar to the recipe provided below that he saw permanent results. In fact, the herbs worked so well that David decided to enroll in an herbal training program to learn all he could about preventing other health problems.
Candida Tincture
1 ounce tincture of black walnut husk (must be fresh)
½ ounce each tinctures of lavender flowers, valerian root and pau d'arco
10 drops tea tree essential oil
Combine ingredients and shake well before using. Take 2 to 3 dropperfuls a day. You may find similar formulas sold in natural food stores. A tincture is the best way to take black walnut. Tea tree is currently sold only as an essential oil.
