Category Archives: Candida

Candida, Candizolv, Probiotics, Wild Endive Formula A

Combating candida: how much do you know about yeast infections?

It’s a fact; it’s hard to prevent some living organisms taking residence on or inside of your body. Sure, it’s far from pleasant to contemplate, but it’s reality; many of our bodies contain a bug of some kind at any one time. Like it or not, the intestinal tract is often home to a good number of harmful organisms and bacteria, one of which is the yeast infection known as candida albicans.

Now, everybody has some amount of candida in or on their bodies, like it or not, but should you have too much (referred to as candida ‘overgrowth’), then its influence can be negative and harmful to your health; an imbalance of candida may affect your mouth, skin and genitals and not just cause discomfort but even prove life-threatening. Yes, really.

So, with all that in mind, here follow some further must-know facts about yeast infections (and, in particular, those concerning candida)…

 

Candida occurrence in – and on – our bodies is common

As noted, there’s no immediate cause for concern when it comes to candida in or on the human body; it’s normal, both on the skin and in the gastrointestinal tract. And this is because, so long as you’re healthy, your immune system and – especially in the gut – the symbiotic bacteria are effective at keeping candida and many similar fungal species in check, in balance and not enabling them to ‘overgrow’. The trouble then comes if your immune system’s compromised; should that be the case, the result could be candida overgrowth and unpleasant symptoms.

 

You may find a yeast infection in your mouth

Far from appealing it may be, but it’s entirely likely that, should you suffer from a yeast infection at all, there’s a decent chance it’ll strike you orally. In this form, it’s commonly referred to as thrush (similar vaginal infections in women are due to a slightly different kind of yeast, in fact). It’s especially common in new-born babies but tends to move on quickly in this instance. Yet, like it or not, candida overgrowth can occur in around 25 percent of all adults, most often as a result of poor oral hygiene. Studies have found that where plaque, tartar and amalgam fillings are present, there’s a chance candida will be too1.

 

Vaginal yeast infections aren’t easy to tackle

If you want to prevent yeast infections afflicting your body then one of the best practices is undoubtedly the practice of good hygiene. That said, though, supposedly good-health-ensuring washing practices of the female genital areas may have the opposite effect. For instance, frequent douching may lead to yeast infections and even over-the-counter-bought medication products marked as anti-fungal have, now and again, been possible causes of vaginal candidiasis2. Additionally, intrauterine contraceptives (such as coils inserted into the uterus) appear to potentially result in candida infections3.

 

Asthma inhaler use could spur on candida

For asthma sufferers, inhalers are crucial for alleviating their symptoms, of course, but unfortunately research suggests that, among adults, use of an asthma inhaler for more than six months could possibly lead to oral candidiasis4. To be fair, though, for anyone the use of an inhaler or any kind of oral ‘appliance’ (such as dentures, retainers and mouth guards) could possibly help expose them to candida.

 

There’s a connection between candida and diabetes

Yes, bad news for those who already have to deal with living with diabetes on a daily basis – although they may already be aware of it already – because they’re more likely to develop a genital yeast infection than the diabetes-free. Why is this? Well, quite simply, the increased blood glucose levels that diabetes sufferers experience allow for the sort of terrain that enables yeast growth. Moreover, as diabetes has a tendency to lessen immune responses, the likelihood or repeat infections is high. Plus, while women are likelier to get Candida albicans and Candida glabrate infections, men who aren’t circumcised might well become infected with Candida balaritis5.

 

Candida feeds on carbs

Diet, as you may have expected, influences the candida levels present in your body’s digestive tract. To wit, if you want to reduce the chances of candida overgrowth here, you may want to curb the carbs. Research seems to suggest that a diet rich in carbohydrates makes it more likely someone will develop candida overgrowth than consumption of a diet rich instead in amino acids, fatty acids and proteins – it seems candida levels can get a boost instantly after anyone eats carbohydrates7.

 

Candida boosts the risk of developing MS

This one should be a big, glaring lighthouse-flashlight of a warning of candida overgrowth because, yes, the chances of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) appear to rise following a candida infection. The evidence? A case-control study made the link between MS and candida infection thanks to proving that, among its test subjects, MS sufferers experienced higher overall blood serum levels of candida than those without MS8.

 

Probiotics can provide protection from candida

It’s only fair to say that once it’s set up home in or on your body, candida can prove stubborn to shift, yet can usually be eliminated in two to six months; although whatever you turn to for treating an infection needs to be combined with a low-sugar and non-alcohol diet.

And, indeed, the especially good news is that there are many probiotic- and non-probiotic supplements on the market specifically produced to help prevent and fight candida overgrowth – and yeast infections, in general. Among the high-quality, natural candida supplements available through us at The Finchley Clinic are the following:

Candizolv – our suppliers inform us that this supplement is definitely effective against candida overgrowth; fat soluble, it establishes itself in the fat cells of your body, but is slowly released over time to weaken all fungal yeast cells, no matter where they are within the body

Wild Endive Formula A – maintains an acceptable balance of candida toxins, aiding the work of the liver, for those who may be concerned about a possible ‘die-off’ when undergoing a candida cleanse.

 

 

Fivelac – similar to Threelac but packing more of a punch (it contains five anti candida probiotic strains instead of three), this supplement’s a good candida fighter; not suitable for vegans as it contains a small amount of lactose.

 

References:

  1. Muzurovic S., Babajic E., Masic T., Smajic R. and Selmanagic A. ‘The relationship between oral hygiene and oral colonisation with Candida species’. Med Arh. 2012; 66 (6) :415-7.
  2. Ekpenyong C. E., Inyang-etoh E. C., Ettebong E. O., Akpan U. P., Ibu J. O. and Daniel N. E. ‘Recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis among young women in south eastern Nigeria: the role of lifestyle and health-care practices’. Int J STD AIDS. 2012 Oct; 23 (10): 704-9. doi: 10.1258/ijsa.2012.011382.
  3. Güdücü N., Gönenç G., Içi H., Yiiter A. B., Basüllü N. and Dünder I. ‘Clinical importance of detection of bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas vaginalis, candida albicans and actinomyces in Papanicolaou smears’. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2012; 39 (3): 333-6.
  4. Pinto C. R., Almeida N. R., Marques T. S., Yamamura L. L., Costa L. A. and Souza-Machado A. ‘Local adverse effects associated with the use of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with moderate or severe asthma’. J Bras Pneumol. 2013 Jun-Aug; 39 (4): 409-17. doi: 10.1590/S1806-37132013000400003.
  5. Nyirjesy P. and Sobel J. D. ‘Genital mycotic infections in patients with diabetes’. Postgrad Med. 2013 May; 125 (3): 33-46. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2013.05.2650.
  6. Fidel P. L. Jr. ‘Immunity to Candida’. Oral Dis. 2002; 8 Suppl 2: 69-75.
  7. Hoffmann C., Dollive S., Grunberg S., Chen J., Li H., Wu G. D., Lewis J. D. and Bushman F. D. ‘Archaea and fungi of the human gut microbiome: correlations with diet and bacterial residents’. PLoS One. 2013 Jun 17; 8 (6): e66019. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066019. Print 2013.
  8. Benito-León J., Pisa D., Alonso R., Calleja P., Díaz-Sánchez M. and Carrasco L. ‘Association between multiple sclerosis and Candida species: evidence from a case-control study’. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2010 Sep; 29 (9): 1139-45. doi: 10.1007/s10096-010-0979-y. Epub 2010 Jun 17.
Candida, Threelac, Wild Endive Formula

The Candizolv Solution and More: Supplements To Combat Candida

Many of us are aware that we should take care of our bodies and maintain a sensible, balanced, healthy lifestyle so we don’t become obese and avoid the potential onset of type 2 diabetes. Yet far fewer of us are aware that doing those things are good for us because they also help to avoid an ‘overgrowth’ – or imbalance – of a particular kind of harmful yeast in our bodies, namely candida alcibans. If this micro-organism is allowed to run riot it can cause us all sorts of issues and ill-health – but, happily, it can be pretty easily treated, so long as you’re in the know!

Like it or not, candida alcibans is present in the bodies of billions of us humans; in fact, more than half of all of us on the planet – it can be found on the skin, in mucous membranes and in the gut (the intestinal system)1. That’s nothing to be afraid of in itself, however; so long as there’s a balance – especially in the gut – between ‘good bacteria’ (of which probiotics, a term you’ve no doubt heard of and may be familiar with) and ‘bad bacteria’ (candida, other yeasts and other potential micro-organisms), or a tipping of those levels in the good bacteria’s favour, then there no reason to worry. The trouble comes when those levels tip in the bad bacteria’s favour. Indeed, one such reason can be because of a suppressed (or weakened) immune system – possibly owing to an illness such as AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) or debilitating but necessary chemotherapy treatment – and don’t doubt it; the result can be candida going haywire and quickly spreading through your entire body2. Not pleasant.

And it’s an issue that’s only becoming more recognisable for people – estimates suggest that in the United States alone now, 25,000 people develop a candida imbalance each year. This is something worth worrying about – and undoubtedly necessary to address. Because, as noted, candida can be effectively nipped in the bud when it begins to thrive, yet only with the right treatment; increasingly so, it appears that the traditional methods are the wrong treatments (like many infections, the fungal-type’s becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics and other synthetically-produced drugs).

This means then that today, without the right treatment, up to 1.5 million people around the world could actually die from fungal infections like candida each year3 – a staggering thought, but entirely preventable thanks to naturally-derived candida-combating supplements, such as one of the latest available through The Finchley Clinic, Candizolv (more on that to come).

Candida overgrowth causes

As noted above, it’s important to try to avoid candida overgrowth before it takes hold (prevention’s always the best cure!); to that end such causes to be wary of include:

  • Alcohol – just as a poor, sugar-rich diet can contribute to microbial imbalance, so too can chronic alcohol consumption; far from everyone is likely to develop a candida overgrowth through this, of course, but owing to the levels of alcoholic indulgence in the UK, it’s certainly worthy of mention4
  • Antibiotics – while they’re far from effective at tackling fungal infections, antibiotics can actually help fuel them (in part, that’s precisely why they struggle to treat them); because, if they’re doing their job, antibiotics will kill all bacteria, inevitably upsetting the bacteria balance (or microbiome)
  • Compromised immunity – an effectively functioning immune system is crucial to help keep us fit and healthy; in order to fight all the infections that find their way into our bodies through the food and drink we consume and the air we breathe and, inevitably this goes for keeping candida in check too (note that your immunity can be compromised by many and various medical conditions and their medications5, 6, 7)
  • Diabetes – as mentioned at the outset, diabetes and candida imbalance can both occur simultaneously, thus the latter is common among sufferers of the former; specifically, high blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia) challenges the immune system, thus diminishing the urine’s ability to carry away antibacterial content and impeding the digestive system as a whole8
  • Other health factors that may cause candida overgrowth are kidney failure (or haemodialysis treatment), organ transplantation or even possibly pregnancy.

Candida symptoms

So much for the causes, but how can you tell you may be suffering from candida imbalance? Well, if you experience a number of the following symptoms simultaneously, it’s well worth checking with a professional health practitioner, as the reason could be candida or fungal overgrowth:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Anal, penile or vaginal itching
  • Arthritis-like joint pains
  • Bloating, constipation and indigestion
  • Ever increasing food allergies (for instance, gluten or celiac problems)
  • Eyesight issues
  • Fatigue and exhaustion
  • Halitosis (bad breath)
  • Itching eyes
  • Loss of hair
  • Mucous drainage from ears
  • Oral thrush
  • Seemingly incurable weight gain (or weight loss)
  • Significant sinus drainage
  • Sweet food cravings
  • Skin rashes (i.e. eczema or atopic dermatitis; in skin folds or around the groin)
  • Struggling to focus and concentrate
  • Toe-nail fungi

Combating candida the natural way

So, with laboratory-produced medication proving increasingly ineffective in restoring balance to the microbiome and ceasing the spread of candida throughout the body, the natural alternative is to, yes, turn to natural solutions. Recent research suggests that the likes of lavender oil9 and garlic may prove beneficial in boosting immunity and combating candida, but just how effective they are is open to question; more research is necessary here. As is the case with the potentially promising antifungal properties of colloidal silver10.

What’s in far less doubt, though, given their efficacy has been proven via rigorous testing and customer feedback, are that naturally-derived products created specifically to tackle candida and restoring the microbiome to healthy levels are likely to prove a better bet. To that end, we recommend you take a look at the ‘Candida’ product section of our website, among which you’ll find these three excellent Candida supplements:

candizolv

Candizolv – a blend of chitinase, chitosanase and other yeast dissolving enzymes, this fat-soluble candida infection solution targets the body’s fat cells themselves; slowly releasing its anti-fungal properties over time, thus weakening all yeast cells effectively, no matter their location in the body.

threelac

 

Threelac – our best-selling probiotic, this supplement (along with its sister product Fivelac) is consistently highly reviewed by satisfied customers, aiming as it does to control digestion and stomach problems and crowd out harmful flora in the intestines.

wild-endive-formula

Wild Endive Formula – a botanical food supplement that goes together well with Candizolv as part of a candida-balancing regime, owing to the fact it may well help treat the effects of die-off reaction (the release of metabolic by-products following the destruction of candida cells).

References:

  1. ‘Tracking down pathogenic yeasts’. Fraunhofer. https://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2010/09/biotechnica-2010.html. Sep 2010.
  2. Hickman M. A. et al. ‘The ‘obligate diploid’ Candida albicans forms mating-competent haploids’. Nature. Feb 2013; 494 (7435): 55
  3. O’Meara T. R. et al. ‘Global analysis of fungal morphology exposes mechanisms of host cell escape’. Nat Commun. Mar 2015; 6: 6741.
  4. Choi J., Lee C., Lim Y., Kang H., Lim C. and Choi J. S. ‘Prevalence and Risk Factors of Esophageal Candidiasis in Healthy Individuals: A Single Center Experience in Korea’. Yonsei Med J. Jan 2013; 54 (1): 160–165.
  5. Maksymiuk A. W., Thongprasert S., Hopfer R., Luna M., Fainstein V. and Bodey G. P. ‘Systemic candidiasis in cancer patients’. Am J Med. Oct 1984; 77 (4D): 20-7.
  6. Fichtenbaum C. and Aberg J. ‘Candidiasis and HIV’. HIV InSite. Knowledge Base Chapter. Feb 2006.
  7. ‘Medications that Weaken Your Immune System and Fungal Infections’. CDC. cdc.gov. Page last reviewed: Jan 2017.
  8. Casqueiro J., Casqueiro J. and Alves C. ‘Infections in patients with diabetes mellitus: A review of pathogenesis’. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. Mar 2012; 16 (Suppl1): S27–S36.
  9. Zuzarte, M. et al. ‘Chemical composition and antifungal activity of the essential oils of Lavandula viridis L’Hér’. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2011; 60, 612–618
  10. Groosh A. et al. ‘The prevalence of opportunistic pathogens associated with intraoral implants’. Lett Appl Microbiol. May 2011; 52 (5): 501-5.
Candida, Colosan, Immune health, Threelac and Fivelac, Women’s health

Combating candida: a natural way to keep at bay enemy yeast

Many of us have experienced it. Tiredness or even exhaustion and, at the same time, stomach pain and unease in the digestive system. Few of us perhaps would draw a direct line between the two; many of us would probably think that a feeling of lethargy and indigestion and a more than usual amount of gassiness occurring together was a coincidence. But there’s a good chance they’re not. There’s a good chance we may be experiencing the effects of candida overgrowth.

Candida albicans is a single-celled organism that likes to live on our skin and in our digestive tract, especially our intestines. If allowed to remain in the latter unchecked the result can be candida overgrowth, which often sees the tiny yeast-like organisms create multiple different types of toxin (more than a hundred, in fact), all of which can be absorbed through the intestinal wall and spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. Needless to say, when this happens it can cause us harm.

Indeed, it appears that infections due to the presence of candida in our bodies are rising – estimates suggest that around 25,000 people in the United States alone develop them each year. Yet, despite this, the efficacy of medication prescribed to treat these infections is slipping as they’re becoming increasingly drug-resistant1.

Candida overgrowth – causes and symptoms

Naturally, for people who manage good, balanced diets, exercise regularly and get an appropriate amount of rest, intestinal issues don’t tend to crop up very often and candida overgrowth doesn’t often affect them. This is because their candida levels are successfully regulated by their immune systems and the presence of other microbes (‘good bacteria’) in their digestive systems.

So it’s when somebody’s immune system becomes suppressed that candida over-grows, causing an imbalance in the intestines and, as mentioned, enabling it to spread elsewhere in the body2. In addition to poor diets (with an overabundance of carbohydrates and high sugars), the onset of diabetes, stress, pregnancy and even the use of antibiotics and birth control medication can help cause candida overgrowth3. Symptoms sufferers may experience commonly include abdominal pains, indigestion and excessive gas; irritability, tiredness and trouble concentrating; anxiety and mood swings; cravings for sugars and breads; skin infections, eczema, psoriasis and acne; and oral or vaginal thrush4.

Treatment suggestions

So what can we do about it if too much candida’s taken up residence in our bowels and is spreading to other parts of our bodies? If traditional medication is proving less and less effective a weapon to fight its overgrowth, what can we turn to?

Some experts have recommended consuming lavender oil, colloidal silver or garlic; however, research for these natural remedies have so far proved rather inconclusive. For many experts, the smart money’s instead on supplements for candida, not least because they contain naturally-derived ingredients (indeed, research has suggested that for sufferers from thrush who’ve undergone repeat treatment from antibiotics but still experience a recurrence of symptoms, probiotics can be very helpful5).

And, at The Finchley Clinic, we have many supplements available that we recommend trying to combat candida – it goes without saying that, of course, some may work better for some people than others, but we highly recommend all of the following:

Threelac

 

References:

1 Hickman, M. A. et al. “The ‘obligate diploid’ Candida albicans forms mating-competent haploids”. Nature. 494.

2 O’Meara, T. R. et al. “Global analysis of fungal morphology exposes mechanisms of host cell escape”. Nature Communications. 6 (6741).

3 Ecandidacom. (2016). Ecandidacom. Retrieved 4 July, 2016, from http://www.ecandida.com/candida-albicans

4 Ghthealthcom. (2016). Ghthealthcom. Retrieved 4 July, 2016, from http://www.ghthealth.com

5 Richardson, A. “Natural remedies for the treatment and prevention of vaginal thrush infection”. bodykind blog. 05/082009.

Candida, Ozonated Olive Oil, Skin care

Medcare: the single skin condition solution

So, it finally feels like summer’s on the way here in London, which for most of us means one thing above all else: sun. We love to spend time outdoors on sunny days, don’t we? And many love to get a tan too. The downside to that, of course, is that we have to be careful just how much sun we expose our skin to – obviously too much can be bad for our health. And for that, of course, we use the likes of sun cream as protection.

Some of us, however, are unlucky and can suffer from minor or major skin complaints out of the sun as well – in many cases these are temporary; in other cases they afflict sufferers all the year round. Again, there are all sorts of different treatments for these various complaints. So, you might conclude, it’s all covered, right? Well, maybe not. Because, you may not know it, but there’s a product on the market that, when applied to one’s skin, can treat a huge variety of different skin conditions – from swelling and redness to cuts and bruises, from skin wounds and ulcers to sore muscles, and even from haemorrhoids to, yes, sun burn.

The wonder of Ozonated Olive Oil

medcare-ozonated-olive-oil

Medcare (Ozonated Olive Oil) is available via The Finchley Clinic and is unsurprisingly a very popular product. Basically put, this gel treatment can be used for almost any skin condition, in part, because it’s so good at reoxygenating skin tissue topically, which means it operates as a therapeutic antioxidant, forcing toxins and lactic acid out of the pores of the skin and so cleaning and sterilising the epidermis – and that means it’s terrific for facial application too.

In actual fact, Ozonated Olive Oil – or Medcare, its brand name – isn’t a new product at all. Its first recorded use as a topical skin application dates back to Edwardian times more than a century ago; thus, its beneficial effects are well established and highly recognised. It takes its name from its production process, which sees ozone bubbled through olive oil for a continuous period of time to produce the off-white paste recognisable as Medcare. Originally, this process was extremely long-winded (it took as much as three to six months, 24 hours a day), but in recent years thanks to state-of-the-art equipment the manufacture time has been greatly reduced, ensuring the product is more widely available for those who’ll benefit from it.

Medcare – so many benefits

Neither restricted by an expiry date nor requiring refrigeration, Medcare is bought by many of our customers to treat the symptoms of thrush, while others find it particularly great for the likes of athlete’s foot and other forms of ringworm and skin fungi, as well as eczema and alopecia. Indeed, why not check out its reviews section on our website? You’ll see just how popular it is because of just how much it’s helped our customers’ different skin ailments.

Aside from the aforementioned ways Ozonated Olive Oil for skin can be used, it can also be applied to help with all of the following:

  • bed sores
  • candida and tinea versicolor (skin yeast)
  • carbuncles
  • diaper rash
  • increasing both cellular function and cellular memory
  • makeup removal
  • moisturising the face
  • reducing cellulite
  • reducing scarring
  • sebaceous (sweat) gland infections
  • stimulating skin cell growth
  • wrinkles

So, wherever on your body you’re suffering from epidermis – or exterior oral – issues, why not try out Medcare (Ozonated Olive Oil); the chances are your skin will thank you for it!

Candida

Candizolv Your Candida Away

For the last year or so, we’ve been selling a new product called Candizolv for candida overgrowth, which provides a completely different approach to the more common approaches of using antifungal herbs and probiotics. Although it’s early days we have been getting some very good feedback on it, and we are ready to share the good news with customers. It uses two very specific protein digesting enzymes as it’s core ingredients to literally digest the candida rather than kill it. It does this by digesting the outer cell wall of the candida organism. However it specifically targets the candida wall, and not healthy cell walls of your other cells, as these enzymes have an affinity specifically (and only) for breaking down a particular compound only contained in the candida cell wall called chitin. I have waited for some time to write about it, because it’s relatively pricey, and I wasn’t prepared to say too much about it until we were confident that it got good results, which were consistent enough to justify the cost.

Candizolv is brought to you by Global Health Trax (GHT), who also manufacture Threelac and Fivelac. These two products have been our two most popular candida management products for over 10 years, and they help many people. But individual results do vary with ALL products and Candizolv should be considered by those who are not getting better, and those who are improving, but not improving enough. It is a blend of chitinase, chitosanase and other candida dissolving enzymes in perfect balance that is completely safe and effective against Candida overgrowth.

According to the suppliers : –

  • Candizolv is fat soluble and establishes itself in the fat cells of your body.
  • It is slowly released over time to weaken all fungal yeast cells, no matter where they are within your body.
  • Candizolv need not be taken all the time. One bottle lasts 30 days at 2 capsules per day. Over that first 30 days it stores itself in fat cells and then continues to release in your body for an additional 30 days.
  • Candizolv and Threelac (or Fivelac) together form a complete Candida programme. They kill both the systemic form of the yeast and also attack the fungal factory in the gut.

As with all GHT products, it comes with a 60-day money back guarantee, so if you are unhappy with your purchase, your investment is virtually risk-free. We say virtually risk free, as we do make a small charge to cover our shipping and processing costs (although it does not cover the payment of import tariffs, so we do make a loss on refunds, just a smaller one than if we included these costs too), but the refund is covered to 90% of the order value.

Can Candizolv Cause Die-Off  / Herxheirmer reactions?

We have heard claims (from a company selling a competitor product) that the proteolytic enzyme approach to eradicating candida cannot cause die-off reactions. However we know this is nonsense for two reasons. Firstly because we have had reports ironically from the users of the same competitor product that it did. Secondly, because we know from many years experience that any genuinely robustly anti-candida product that’s any good can and will cause yucky symptoms in some sensitive individuals as the body eliminates the candida. This occurs as result of the extra burden put on the organs of elimination and the immune system. If you are sensitive to die-off reactions, we recommend you to combine Candizolv with Wild Endive Formula – formulated specifically to help mitigate the die-off reaction, and Burbur if necessary for additional effect.

Men’s or Women’s Candida symptoms may include some of the following.

  • Fatigue
  • Brain “fog” -hard to focus or think straight.
  • Oral Thrush (a white film on tongue or in the mouth)
  • Bad breath, foul taste in mouth
  • Abdominal pain
  • Bloating and indigestion
  • Increasing allergies to foods (gluten or celiac problems can be a direct result of Candida overgrowth) more
  • Constant craving for something sweet!
  • Joint pain with arthritis-like symptoms
  • Chronic sinus drainage -which antibiotics don’t help!
  • Weight gain (or loss) and the inability to change it.
  • Fungus on the toe-nails
  • Itching, red eyes
  • Ear drainage
  • Candida Skin rashes on the body (eczema, atopic dermatitis)
  • Candida Rash around the groin or in the folds of skin
  • Anal, penile or vaginal itching
  • Hair loss
  • Vision problems
  • Depression

If you’ve been suffering for a long time, and nothing has helped, try Candizolv (which you can combine with any other anti-candida products), and let us know how you get on. This isn’t stated glibly – we genuinely like to know when people get better….and when they don’t.

Mark G. Lester

Director – The Finchley Clinic Ltd

www.thefinchleyclinic.com

 

Candida

Botanical Solutions to Candida overgrowth

Although we sell a lot of probiotic products to help with candida overgrowth and intestinal dysbiosis, botanical remedies are also very potent. In some cases they can even be too potent which will be discussed briefly in Part III of this article. Single herbs (of which we sell quite quite a few here) can be very effective. Of the single botanicals, we get some great results with Samento and Cumanda – sometimes where everything else fails. But in the main, I tend to recommend single herbs largely to sensitive individuals who don’t easily tolerate products with multiple ingredients.

However where severe sensitivity is not an issue, I tend to recommend multi-herb products on the basis that the sum of the ingredients are greater than the individual parts. I am going to subdivide them into two categories. The stonger ones and the gentler ones. Please do not assume that gentler is a byword for “ineffective”. We will NEVER sell ineffective products  – at least not while I’m in charge round here. Why would I bother to sell junk when there are plenty of good products out there? But the gentler products can be more suitable for sensitive individuals, and it’s probably also fair to say that that generally speaking (though not always) they take a bit longer to work. However no matter which botanical remedy you use, if you are expecting to start taking it on Monday and be cured by the following weekend, you are really wasting your time and money, and not going to get anywhere. Natural medicines work with the rhythms of nature and typically need 8-12 weeks to assess whether they are helping, and if they are, another 2-3 times that period to enjoy their full benefits. The rest of this article will now be subdivided into….

Part I: The strongest products

Part II: The more gentle products

Part III: Products for those who can’t tolerate any anti candida products (those who believe themselves to be very severe candida should read this)

Part I: The strongest products

Oregano Oil Blend

  • Organic Mediterranean Oregano Oil
    Oregano is toxic to harmful organisms including fungi and rich in many minerals including calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, copper, boron, and manganese as well as vitamins C and A (beta carotene) and niacin.
  • Organic Extra Virgin Cold-Pressed Olive Oil
    Olive oil is an excellant though gentle candida fighter
  • Organic Peppermint Oil
    Supports healthy digestion. Where it comes to candida the general resistance of essential oils to fungus is well documented and peppermint oil is no exception. Indian and Iranian researchers have shown that peppermint oil holds potential for managing fungal infections, including candida. Their assertion was backed up by the Institute for Biological Research in Serbia where researchers observed fungicide behavior from peppermint oil. [13] The Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran also, after comprehensive review, concluded that menthol is resistant to fungus, including candida.  Similarily, Brazil’s State University of Campinas found essential oils of three different peppermint varieties to be anti-candida.
  • Cayenne Oil (250,000 Scoville Heat Units)
    Cayenne pepper has many, many health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants, it’s toxic to harmful fungal, yeast and bacterial organisms, and it helps to cleanse the body. Cayenne is a well-known digestive aid. It stimulates the digestive tract, increasing the flow of enzyme production and gastric juices. This aids the body’s ability to metabolize food (and toxins). Cayenne pepper is also helpful for relieving intestinal gas. It stimulates intestinal peristaltic motion, aiding in both assimilation and elimination.

Please note, this product is too strong to take neat, mostly because of the cayenne which is very powerful. We supply this blend with capsules, which should be be filled with the liquid according to the dosage suggestion on the label.

Thyme Formula

For those who prefer capsules to a liquid, Thyme Formula is very competitively priced and just as powerful as the Oregano Oil Blend.

In an article in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine in June 1993 entitled “Conquering Candida”, the original formulator described the way that the forerunner of Thyme Formula “has simplified the treatment of candidiasis enormously.  We used to spend much time at each consultation identifying the various organs infected by Candida and would then test a variety of supplements for their activity at these sites.  We often found that several supplements had to be combined in order to achieve the spectrum of activity that we needed to eliminate Candida overgrowth completely.  Now, in all but the most complicated of cases, we have been able to abandon this tedious procedure.  We also found that resistance to individual supplements would sometimes develop, necessitating a change of supplement half-way through treatment. This hardly ever occurs with {with the forerunner to Thyme Formula}, presumably because of its highly composite nature“.

Ingredients: Thyme, Licorice, Rosemary, Marigold, Cayenne, Turmeric, Pomegranate.

Part II: Gentler products

Oregano Formula

Oregano Formula is gentler than the Oregano Oil blend above (mostly because it does not contain Cayenne) but is still much more effective in most cases than single herbs. It was originally designed to be an alternative to Thyme Formula where Thyme Formula was too strong OR to be taken at the same time as Thyme Formula for those who want to widen the its therapeutic effects OR for those who had used Thyme Formula for a reasonable period of time already (meaning a good 12 weeks) and either were not improving or improving too slowly, or had improved initially but were not making any further progress.

Ingredients: Cinnamon, Lemon Balm, Ginger, Yellow Dock, Oregano, Cumin, Cranberry.

Candiclear

Another gentle but powerful candida cleanser, which used persistently over a several months will (with a low sugar and no alcohol diet), like other well formulated polyherbal products bring candida under control, and then eradicate it.

Two capsules of Candiclear typically provide:
350mg Calcium octanoate (providing 262.5mg Octanoic acid) 350mg Magnesium octanoate (providing 304.5mg Octanoic acid), (these first two ingredients have very similar effects to the better known caprylic acid from coconut) 50mg Pau d’arco (Lapacho), 50mg Thyme, 50mg Rosemary, 50mg Lemon Balm.

Encapsulated with these natural ingredients: 
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (carrageenan, pectin), vegetable magnesium stearate*, silicon dioxide.

*(Please note, we competely reject the absurd scare stories around magnesium stearate and have published an article about this nonsense on the web site).

Part III: For those who can’t tolerate any anti candida products (very severe candida sufferers)

Wild Endive Formula

Where people report that they can’t tolerate most anti-candida products at all, this is usually because the sufferer has such high level of candida toxins that they really need to focus on reducing these waste products for a couple of months before even thinking of attacking the candida head on. The core products for this are Wild Endive Formula, or for those who cannot even tolerate even the most minimally anti candidal products, it’s sister product, Wild Endive Formula A. I beleive that these two products are two of our most important (and undervalued) products. Yes, they don’t have swashbucklingly glamorous labels like some of the products made by the bigger suppliers, and not amongst our top sellers either. This should not put people off as in the right situations they are truly invaluable.

Licorice Formula

(and Licorice Formula A for those who find Licorice Formula over stimulating)

A second reason why some people struggle to tolerate anti candida products is because their system, particularly their adrenals, is so sluggish that they can’t cope with an anti candidal regime. In this situation, Licorice Formula, designed to support healthy adrenal function, can be very helpful in strengthening immunity, life force energy, physical energy, and hormonal balancing (particularly of course adrenal hormones). As with all botanical approaches, it’s not normally an overnight cure. But as the suppliers state “Over the last decade or so we have seen only four people with healthy adrenals and only four people who tested negatively for Candida overgrowth (based on kiniesiology testing), and yes, they were indeed the same four people. This reminds us that the adrenals are an integral part of the immune system. Also, candida can produce adrenal insufficiency symptoms because the candida yeast can bind adrenal steroids, rendering them ineffective”. As with Wild Endive Formula, Licorice Formula is a wonderful, and grossly undervalued product.

Ingredients: Vegetarian capsule shell (cellulose derivative & water), Licorice, Brazilian ginseng (Suma), Sarsaparilla, Guarana, Siberian & Korean ginsengs.

As always there is far more that could be said, but as this is meant to be a newsletter, not a book I’m going to shut up now and end with the message: Go forth and eradicate your candida overgrowth.

Mark G. Lester – Founder & Director – www.thefinchleyclinic.com

 

Candida

Understanding Candida Overgrowth – A Visual Guide

Candida is a type of yeast that lives naturally on the body. Under certain conditions, its numbers can multiply, and lead to unpleasant symptoms. These are frequently mild, but can be serious in some instances. Understanding candida is relatively complex, but we have tried to simplify the issue in the form of this infographic. Here, we describe the various candida symptoms and treatments.

What is candida?

Candida is a type of yeast, and is therefore a micro-organism. It lives in our intestines in small quantities alongside our natural populations of beneficial bacteria. However, when the immune system has been disturbed or compromised, candida is believed by holistic practitioners and doctors to be able to develop a harmful fungal form which grows out of control, disturbing the natural balance of healthy bacteria in the gut. Natural health practitioners also contend that the fungal form can also take up residence in other parts of the body and cause symptoms throughout almost every organ and system. Things that might lead to an overgrowth include a compromised immune system, a recent course of antibiotics or other medications, stress and dietary imbalance – particularly over-consumption of sugar.

infographics08

What are the symptoms of candida?

People commonly associate it with vaginal and oral thrush, and while this is true, these are far from being the only possible symptoms. Candida symptoms are many and varied. Some of these symptoms can be extremely long-standing, such as intestinal discomfort including constipation, bloating, indigestion and diarrhoea; fatigue; and recurrent bouts of thrush. Symptoms can be debilitating, e.g. brain fog, or merely an irritation, e.g. athlete’s foot. It can also have a negative effect on other systems within your body, leading to a compromised immune system, which in turn becomes susceptible to other illnesses.

What causes these symptoms?

Most experts agree that it is the by-products produced by the yeast, rather than the yeast itself that cause the symptoms. There are a number of by-products, but they tend to fall into three categories: neurotoxins, osteopathic, and hepatic. In other words, it causes brain issues, bone and joint issues, and liver damage.

How do you develop an infection?

Many of us may be carrying  candida, but only a minority of these fall ill. Usually, the body’s own bacteria keep the yeast at bay. This is because there are certain conditions that make it more likely for the candida to proliferate. These conditions include recent antibiotic use, contraceptive pills, fluoride, and stress.

What is the treatment for candida?

Candida requires a holistic approach and is a huge subject which is discussed more here. It is often necessary to tackle the issue on several fronts. There are various candida management products and treatments that will help to reduce numbers. These products include specialist healthy bacteria products like Threelac and Fivelac, liquid oxygen products, botanical products such as Thyme Formula or Oregano Formula, and for local thrush management, products such as Medcare. It may also be necessary to boost your body’s natural immunity with products like Antioxidant Supreme and OREA (which also helps reduce heavy metals in the body); supportthe adrenal glands to promote immunity with products such as Licorice Formula; and heal the gut lining (also known as treating “leaky gut”) with products such as Marshmallow Formula. Finally, it may be necessary to cleanse the colon with products such as Oxy-Powder.

Our infographic reproduces the above information in visual form, so that it is easier to understand the candida infection, its causes, symptoms, and treatments.