Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; Yogurt Questions

Hey, Shelli:

Quote:

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Am I making this difficult or is it really this complicated?

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NO: Yes...it really is more complicated even than we can make it seem through this medium (forums).

The yoghurt has (at least) a dual purpose: 1) Help the intestines to heal and 2) Provide bacteria that might both attack and displace the C. albicans fungus. It has been used universally against candidiasis, but I do recommend (and take myself) very small quantities, since it can be a two-edged sword.

Certainly, we could get a lot of bacteria by taking a probiotic, but most of the substrates (the medium used to grow and sustain the bacteria) are starchy. I believe that someone found a good brand that uses pectin.

The thing is, you really could get worse before getting better--there is the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction that will result in a flare due to killing off the fungus and also, once this is pulled out by its roots (in a way...), the problem remains of the gap left by the hyphae--these "holes" become even larger until we can heal them.

So, we are in a race to constantly provide the right healing raw materials to our tract, and at the same time not allow these materials to feed our nemesis bacterium. And the added burden of the fungus can really complicate matters, since what we WANT to do for this is not always what we SHOULD do for our AS.

The oregano oil: Please don't buy the liquid; it is just too hard and harsh. The Baar's have some that is enteric-coated, and also NOW brand. I'm sure that there is one maker of this formulation: 181mg Oregano oil, 17.6mg Ginger oil, and 19.3mg Fennel oil in a 'softgel' that is enteric-coated. It is important to take these pills in the middle of a meal--'bracketed' with food, otherwise you will KNOW when the pill opens!...it feels like a major cramping episode for about five minutes and then the pain subsides. Two--no more--per day and you will be able to smell the fragrant oregano at certain times. In addition to this, the caprylic acid, and fresh raw garlic, some castor oil (1-2tbs daily) can be taken internally (I found this out recently reading a naturopath's book).

I think that you are dedicated enough to overcome both of these problems through diet and whatever else it takes, and I hope that, between Zampieron, et al, Wallach (he likes stomach acid augmentation and germanium, in addition to many other things), and many other references we can find whatever works best for You and this will serve as a guide for many others with this very common complication or even primary trigger of AS.

Hope this helps, but I'll try thinking about it a bit more...

Health,
John

John:

Thanks, that was really helpful. It seems so strange to me that all this could be going on inside my body. It would be so helpful if we could just see inside and know exactly what the problem is and what to do to fix it--instead of all this strange science of trying to figure it out by trial and error. But I can't afford to go have all those expense tests.

I appreciate your warning about the oregano oil. Sounds potent! I did find the NOW brand with the other two things added. Wild Oats supposedly carries it. It they don't have it in stock maybe they will order it for me.

Hey, I'm not familiar with the Wallach that you mentioned. Is that another book I should look into? And what does the castor oil do?

Everytime you answer my questions, I come up with new ones. . . .

~Shelli

Hey, Shelli:

Dr. Wallach is a crackpot guy who has delivered the entertaining lecture "Dead Doctors Don't Lie." I have the book that also contains "Let's Play Doctor," which is a good source of information and ideas. When a friend knew that I was suffering with kidney stones, he made me sit and listen to Wallach's tape, that occasionally gets recycled and updated, but that was the last of my kidney stones, so I respect Wallach's advice, despite the fact that he told me that his 'Pig Pack Plus' would straighten me out...

He has (probably) correctly identified mineral and EFA deficiencies as the most serious problems in health issues today.

I was reading Dana Myatt's "Physician's Diary," and she mentions the use of castor oil, internally, in fighting candidiasis. Apparently it is an original source of caprylic acid (I think it comes from coconuts, commercially), and I believe 1) It can't hurt to have caprylic acid in its original form, since there are usually co-factors that we miss out on when stuff is isolated and 2) castor oil is very good for lymph flow and may help in the tract very much (in small quantities). If you are taking the Zampieron daily limit of caprylic acid, you may not want to take the castor oil, otherwise, castor oil could be very beneficial, even in addition to the caprylic acid.

Hope that's it, with the questions (no, I'm only kidding!),
John

Have any of you thought about making your own yogurt so you know exactly what is in it? It is so easy! I used to make it when my kids were babies. It can be done in a thermos and there are several online sources of instructions. Here is one: http://www.stretcher.com/stories/01/011112h.cfm I originally found the instructions in an old book at the library which also suggested using skim milk and then adding non-fat powdered milk, (before incubation,) to make it thicker like full fat yogurt and to up the protein content.
Anyway, just a thought, Wendy

I've been eating Seven Stars Farm brand of plain yogurt, which only lists milk and yogurt cultures for ingredients. I think anything that only lists milk and yogurt cultures is worth a try! I'm actually surprised that Stoneyfield Farms yogurt has been tried so successfully, because it does have thickeners. I'm afraid to try it myself.

Shelli - Check this product out: In-Liven probiotic superfood.

http://www.chooseorganics.com/mivitality_inlivenprobiotic.htm

Looks good, buy it dry, very pure, make up as you need, and excellent shelf life - get over that problem of your ordering up a 32 pack container! Have a chat with this lass, name of Sharon, Sharon Hoehner. She is excellent, very approachable, E-Mail: hotmocha@telus.net

Have just re-checked the ingredients and maybe a no-no as has starches and legumes (I was thinking to get for myself, but...). What do members think? DragonSlayer, John?

Molly
Keeping on Keeping on (humming - today is another humming day)

I used to make "yogurt" out of coconut milk. It doesn't solidify but I believe if you add some sugars for the bacterias to eat it does provide a reasonably good growing medium. Adding pectin or gelatin gives it more solidity.

John,
I am interested in the castor oil as a source of capryllic acid. I recently found out that I am allergic to coconut ( a positive blood test and very definite gut symptoms with coconut oil). I had used a capryllic acid treatment for candida a year ago, before I found out about the allergy. I wasn't able to do the treatment for more than three weeks at half dose, because of intestinal pain. I wonder if using a castor oil source instead might be more tolerable. Of course, capryllic acid is a skin irritant, so maybe it will irritate the gut, regardless of its source.

Do you know of a good source for castor oil? I will ask my naturopath, when I see her next. Of course she will recommend a dosage so high it would give a horse the runs...
Thanks, Jan

Hey, Jan:

Yes, the Baars have castor oil that is 'hexane-free;' or a safer extraction method suitable for internal use. Also, Heritage Products (the Cayce ARE "frozen" formulation people), offers castor oil extracted via older methods.

Best to You,
John

Hi Shelli - I was wondered if you solved the yogurt puzzle?

I have started eating yogurt, and now am making my own. I tried the recipe with 1% milk and nonfat powdered milk, but I didn't like the texture. Now I am just making it with my favortie brand of organic whole milk. I also started it with the Natren Yogurt Starter:

http://store.natren.com/Merchant2/mercha...tegory_Code=005

Whole Foods ordered it for me. Now I can save 1 cup of yogurt to start the next batch, etc.

I incubate it for about 5 hours, so its not very tart. It's so much better then what you can buy in the store. Really amazing. And since shopping is a problem for you, you might just invest in a machine, I got an inexpensive one from Amazon.com (only about $20, it makes 1 quart at a time). I follow the recipe/instructions at the Natren website. You will need a candy thermometer, and double boiler. I add one extra step, and strain it through a fine mesh strainer as I am pouring it into the machine for incubation. The texture is much smoother and creamier now.