an illustration of candida albicans in the body

Though poorly understood by most physicians, treating this underlying infection can have profound health benefits!

Diagnosis

Immune dysfunction (i.e., being more susceptible to infections) can occur for many reasons, such as poor nutrition or not getting enough sleep.

Unfortunately, standard medicine does not recognize fungal infections unless they affect the nails, skin, hair or groin areas — or they are in the blood and can kill you.

Because there is no test to clearly diagnose overgrowth of bowel or sinus Candida, many doctors say it doesn't exist.

Symptoms

That there is no blood test does not mean there is no way to tell if you need treatment.

You should treat for suspected Candida, yeast, or fungal infections if you have ANY of the problems below:

  • CFS/fibromyalgia — if you have either of these, presume the Candida is overgrowing and treat for it.
  • Chronic sinusitis — which is usually caused by yeast.
  • Spastic colon and/or irritable bowel syndrome.

When you treat the yeast, fatigue and pain will often improve, and sinusitis and spastic colon will often go away as well.

As fringe benefits, most of you will find (if you take the Diflucan medication part of the treatment) that your dandruff and the feeling that you want to stick your finger in your ear to scratch it will also go away!

Treatment

It takes about 3 to 5 months to restore balance between the healthy bacteria and the yeast in your body, but most people will be feeling better at about 1 month into using the prescription antifungal "Diflucan."

Here is your "recipe" for treating the yeast:

  • General Diet Advice

    • Avoid sugar

      (Except for dark chocolate, which is a healthy food in moderation.) Sugar feeds yeast, so substitute Stevia, a healthy natural sweetener. Sugar free chocolate is also an option. (My book "Beat Sugar Addiction NOW!" can make this much easier.)

  • Recommended Supplements

    • Probiotics

      Take probiotics (healthy bacteria) to fight the yeast for 3 to 5 months (take as directed). Use the variety advertised as "pearls,” as these keep your stomach acid from killing these healthy bacteria on their way to fighting the yeast.

    • Antifungals

      At the same time, begin taking an herbal antifungal mix for 3 to 5 months (take as directed).

  • Medications

    • Diflucan

      After 1 month on the above, add the medication Diflucan 200 mg a day for 6-12 weeks. Get the generic form fluconazole.

      The brand name is $600 for 6 weeks. The generic is available for only $40 for 42 tablets at Consumers Discount Pharmacy (phone 323-461-3606).

More Information Online

Contributor

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is a board certified internist and author of the popular free iPhone application “Cures A-Z,” which was ranked in the top 10 of all health/wellness downloads on iTunes.

Dr. Teitelbaum is the author of the perennial bestseller From Fatigued to Fantastic! (Avery Penguin), which has sold over half a million copies; Pain Free 1-2-3 (McGraw-Hill); Three Steps to Happiness: Healing Through Joy (Deva Press); the Beat Sugar Addiction Now! series (Fair Winds Press);  Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale Press); The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution (Penguin/Avery); and his latest, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction (Fair Winds Press, 2015).

More of Their Content