Control candida with homeopathic immune support

Liz was a bouncy, middle-aged, red-haired lady with a smile that would melt ice caps. She looked like a twin of Pam Ayres with the same wicked sense of humour. We got along famously.

Her problems, for once, were relatively simple: a long-term, chronic vaginal discharge that refused to respond to any prescription; nasty, painful, bright-red, swollen skin around most of her fingernails (paronychia); painful stomach symptoms; a “hard”, bloated abdomen; scalp hair becoming increasingly sparse; eyebrow hairs that had all but disappeared; poor dental health; a yellow exudate from certain areas of her skin that was not associated with sweating — these included neck, back and shoulders and any parts where “tight” clothing left marks, particularly bra and waist regions.

The vaginal discharge varied in colour from white to dirty cream to bright yellow, was exceedingly irritating and even slightly corrosive. Liz had a history of fibroids and heavy spotting between periods; sore, knotty breast lumps from time to time; and crippling calf and foot cramps that were relieved by taking high doses of magnesium.

Scratching her skin caused severe reddening and blistering. One last, strange sign also involved Liz’s hands. At a specific time each day, her finger pads would begin to pucker and the digits would end up looking like raw prunes. No amount of hand lotion or other emollients provided relief. The problem was cosmetic rather than pathologic. However, as Liz stated with a wry twist of her lips, “Having fingers that look a hundred years old when I’m only 40 is not very attractive.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Liz’s test results, apart from a rampant fungal sensitivity but nevertheless was surprised at the findings.

Liz’s results

Liz’s results showed:

• Organophosphate sensitivity. These toxic compounds have been widely used all over the planet for some 40 years, largely in agriculture as well as being used as cockroach and whiteant deterrents. Accumulation occurs via skin, gastrointestinal tract or inhalation. There are more than 100 versions of these chemical agents, classified according to their toxicity and usage.
• Dioxin sensitivity. Noxious dioxins contaminate our general environment and enter our food chain via water, plants, meats, dairy produce and seafoods. They are very stable compounds and can remain active for long periods of time. In clinical practice, dioxins have posed a recurring hazard for many years in female clients using bleached sanitary protection. We always advise sticking to organic, unbleached cotton products. Regretfully, these days, it’s not a question of if we are carrying a toxic burden but rather one of how much.
• Sensitivity to multiple fungal species, especially Cladosporium, Candida, Stachybotrys, Mucorand Curvularia
• Inefficient activation of many liver enzymes
• Deficiency of amino acids proline, arginine, carnitine and tryptophan
• Abrogated steroid hormone synthesis
• Underactive hepatic and renal thiamine metabolism
• Sensitivity to inorganic copper compounds
• Impaired tissue uptake of dehydroascorbate
• Impinged oxygen distribution to the brachial plexus
• As I have found consistently over the years, there just is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to health issues. Fifty people may have gallstones or blocked sinuses, but the combination of contributing factors in each case is quite unique. This means that remedial recommendations also have to be tailor-made to address each individual’s particular biochemical needs.

Liz’s treatment

Liz’s program had three targets: liver metabolism, the brain-gut axis and her innate and adaptive immune responses.

Amino acid requirements were addressed by emphasising dietary intake of nonpareil almonds, carob, cashew nuts, raw organic peanuts, beans and wheatgerm. Before too many readers gasp in shock at the inclusion of peanuts for a lady with chronic fungal infections, let me assure you that, in my experience, strict so-called antifungal diets are holding measures at best. I’ve seen far too many people — mostly women — struggling for years on anti-fungal regimes that Band-Aided without ever solving the problem.

There is endless emphasis by most practitioners on the anti-yeast diet and anti-fungal remedies when, in fact, the innate immune system should be receiving all the attention. Our innate immune systems, when working efficiently, have the wonderful capacity of dealing with all fungal pathogens, all bacteria and all viruses. These wee beasties have particular “markers” that enable our immune responses to recognise them as a species — not just one particular individual member of that species. Therefore, a well-tuned immune system will be triggered by these “pathogen-associated” molecular patterns and march into action against them. This process is in contrast to antibiotics, which not only have limited capacity to annihilate bacteria but also strengthen their targets’ resistance.

Continuous systemic monitoring of potentially hazardous micro-organisms is a protection we are born with (or should have been). Instead of singling out candida or golden staph for attack, a healthy innate immune system has the capacity to sweep away all pathogenic sources of acute, inflammatory and potentially degenerative damage.

Taurine proved to be Liz’s greatest friend. Most people interested in healthy liver function have heard of this protein building block. However, very few are aware that taurine, in its role as a neurotransmitter, has been shown to regulate a wide range of functions, including central nervous system support and nerve protection, mineral ion homeostasis, cardiovascular integrity, sound sleeping habits, insulin release, cell membrane stability and neutrophil or white blood cell ordnance capacity.

In Liz’s case, further support was provided by mineral baths, zinc and proanthocyanidin supplements. Her very own unique remedy was prepared specially for her: homoeopathic penninite to stimulate liver immune pathways.

Liz’s progress remained a mystery until just recently. She had spent a couple of years overseas and wrote to let us know she was very satisfied with all aspects of her health these days.

Karin Cutter runs a naturopathic clinic in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. T: +61 2 6582 4435