Anti-Candida Diets Are Bunk. And Lufenuron.

[Remy]

I went on the All Carbs Left Behind diet plan in January...I didn't really think I had a yeast problem until recently though when I finally got into more constant, higher level ketosis (which took forever but that's another post).

I learned that yeast like eating ketones just as much as sugar, so basically all the anti-candida low sugar diets are pointless because candida is just fine, thank you very much, with ketones for fuel instead. And in the case of my candida, apparently they like it even better. There are lots of reports around of systemic candida after switching to low carb diets unfortunately.

After screwing around for a few weeks, I finally have gotten serious and am taking Sporanox (itraconazole) twice a day, Nystatin once a day and now I've added in the lufenuron I bought online a few years ago when I started LDN and yeast flared its ugly head.

If the amount of gas that's being released is any indication, maybe my gut will finally stop looking bloated after all this? I think I need to treat yeast more aggressively in general if there is this much to flare even when I'm fairly asymptomatic. A fluconazole/itraconazole weekly or monthly and some Nystatin would probably go a long ways towards keeping things under control.

I bought the lufenuron from Sarah Vaughter's website a year or so ago but now it doesn't look like they carry it and I wonder why? Did they find it ineffective (I hope not!)? Dangerous (REALLY hope not!)? Or just get caught up in a bureaucratic crack down on selling it for human use?

I mixed it in guacamole which was delicious.

Here's Sarah Myhill's page on Lufenuron. And Mark's Daily Apple where he talks about VLC (very low carb) diets and candida. FWIW, other than the yeast, I feel SO much better on VLC that I am planning to stick to it. I've basically been eating 100-150g of carbs/day for the past 7 years and it has been horrible for my weight and my mood.

 

[Who Me?]

Glad you figured it out and hopefully you get some relief. Can you get the stuff without an rx from online bet sites?

FYI the candida diet I have used limits carbs to no more than 50 Gms /day.

 

[Remy]

Glad you figured it out and hopefully you get some relief. Can you get the stuff without an rx from online bet sites?

FYI the candida diet I have used limits carbs to no more than 50 Gms /day.

Lufenuron? I don't know what is the most reliable source for it anymore.

I've heard of this place, http://shop4lufe.com/, but Sarah Vaughter is very specific that it needs to be loose powder and not in capsules. You could always open up the capsules though. I'm not even sure if Vaughter is the authority on these matters! I wonder where Myhill instructs her patients to source it from?

I could never have gotten into ketosis on 50g of carbs a day. I struggled for constant ketosis for weeks on 20g/day and still will fall out of ketosis at the drop of a hat. Or a carb. Who knows what is going on with my crazy body!

 

[Who Me?]

Check eBay. They have caps. At least to get an idea of what's out there.

 

[Upgrayedd]

I could never have gotten into ketosis on 50g of carbs a day. I struggled for constant ketosis for weeks on 20g/day and still will fall out of ketosis at the drop of a hat. Or a carb. Who knows what is going on with my crazy body!

I hear that. I'm typically under 20gm. I'm really amazed to hear that candida can survive without sugar - that's always been the standard for the anti candida diets - no sugar.

I'm curious what you found that helped you get into or stay in ketosis. Also, how are you testing - urine, blood or breath? I haven't invested yet in a meter, but I'm thinking about it.

Do you feel better when you are in ketosis? Although I'm not testing yet, I feel like I know I'm in ketosis because I have more energy. I've been working on a very low carb diet for about 15 months now, and last year was the first year since I got sick that I could exercise without relapsing to significant degree. I actually went biking - not as far as I did before I was sick, but it was a huge accomplishment. But other times, I feel like my sick-self and cannot even think about exercising.

 

[Remy]

I'm curious what you found that helped you get into or stay in ketosis.

It was just being really strict about staying at "induction" levels. Basically I ate a LOT of lettuce, eggs, bacon, and blue cheese dressing. And then chicken caesar salad. For weeks. On end. Now I can have a bit more variation but I basically just stick to protein, fat and green veggies. I got wild and threw in some cherry tomatoes over the weekend!

Also, how are you testing - urine, blood or breath?

All 3. I use the blood meter the most (unfortunately because the strips are pricey) and the urine strips and the Ketonix only occasionally. I don't know why I don't use the Ketonix more except that it is kind of a PITA to get it set up and the interface is not very user friendly. I'm thinking about selling it actually.

Do you feel better when you are in ketosis?

I do feel better. More clear headed and more energy. That's why this yeast issue sucks so hard because it takes away the gains of the diet to be on the antifungals that don't make me feel so great.

but it was a huge accomplishment

It is a huge accomplishment! Congrats!

 

[Seanko]

Whilst reading around on the gut biome, came across a few interesting things.

Carbs aren't a problem per se in the diet, it is the fact that they are so refined in the modern diet with lots of processed food. If you look at any type of flour, its consistency is much finer than 100 years ago with pretty much the texture of talc. So the sugars get into body much quicker. If you are eating a rustic bread then the digestive process takes much more slowly & the gut bacteria digest the fibre producing short chain fatty acids which are the building blocks for so many chemicals needed in the body.

Regarding gas, it could be down to FODMAPS (Fermentable, Oligo-saccharides, Di-saccharides, Mono-saccharides And Polyols). Stanford University Medical Centre produce a good lealflet on FODMAPS

Low FODMAP diet: Stanford University

 

[Wayne]

I think I need to treat yeast more aggressively in general if there is this much to flare even when I'm fairly asymptomatic. A fluconazole/itraconazole weekly or monthly and some Nystatin would probably go a long ways towards keeping things under control.

@Cort

Hi Remy,

Very interesting discovery you made about candida thriving on on a low-carb diet. I ran across the following (historical) story a couple years ago that describes using iodine to treat candida overgrowth. I think you might find interesting if candida is still a concern for you. This story still kind of knocks my socks off whenever I get around to re-reading it.

Dr Orian Truss
In 1953 Dr Orian Truss discovered the devastating effects of antibiotics in an Alabama (USA) hospital. During a hospital round Truss was intrigued by a gaunt, apparently elderly man who was obviously dying. However, he was only in his forties and in hospital for four months. No specialist had been able to make a diagnosis. Out of curiosity Truss asked the patient when be was last completely well.

The man answered that he was well until six months before when he had cut his finger He had received antibiotics for this. Shortly afterwards he developed diarrhoea and his health deteriorated. Truss had seen before how antibiotics cause diarrhoea. It was known that Candida was opportunistic and thrived in debilitated patients, but now Truss wondered if it might not be the other way round, that Candida actually caused the debilitated condition.

He had read that potassium iodide solution could be used to treat Candida infestation of the blood. So he put the patient on six to eight drops of Lugol's solution four times a day and soon the patient was again completely well.

Soon afterwards he had a female patient with a stuffy nose, a throbbing headache, vaginitis and severe depression. To his amazement all her problems immediately cleared with Candida treatment. Some time later he saw a female patient who had been schizophrenic for six years with hundreds of electroshock treatments and massive drug dosages. He started treating the woman for sinus allergies with a Candida vaccine. Soon she had recovered mentally and physically, and remained well.

From then on he treated his patients against Candida at the slightest indication of its presence. Many of his patients made remarkable recoveries from most unusual conditions including menstrual problems, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, autism, multiple sclerosis and auto-immune diseases such as Crohn's disease and lupus erythematosus.

Every experienced naturopath can relate similar success stories. Ironically, antibiotics are usually not necessary in the first place. In a few per cent of the cases in which they are necessary their serious after effects could easily be avoided using fungicides and lactobacilli.

Many people doubt the effectiveness of natural therapies against apparently serious infections, but my experience leads me to believe that frequently natural therapies are more effective, without causing the repeated and chronic infections seen after antibiotics. I have seen patients who have been unsuccessful on long-term antibiotic treatment recover within days or weeks with natural therapies.