"The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."
- Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)
I have a theory and I want to share it with you. It's just a theory, but even so I think some of you may be able to glean some helpful information that may lead to better health and wellness.
The Theory:
Morgellons Disease (and possibly many other chronic conditions) is actually Invasive Systemic Candidiasis albicans in a parasitic fungal form.
I have been using my beloved Rife machine every day and every night for the last three months consistently, as well as taking herbal supplements. My health has improved dramatically - compared to where I was just a few short months ago, it's nothing short of miraculous. But I had some remaining symptoms that just wouldn't budge, the worst of which was the fatigue that would creep into my life and torment me periodically. I also had skin itchiness and extreme water retention/bloating to the point where I had gained almost 30 lbs. since May. I chalked it up to "herxing", which is a reaction to the die-off of pathogens in your body, and tried to focus on living my life and moving forward. The fatigue is what I dread the most because it is what keeps me from my friends and family and sometimes prevents me from showing up and being there for my kids. Basically, it prevents me from living. Fatigue terrifies me.
I finally decided that perhaps I needed to change the frequencies I was using on my Rife machine to finally achieve the full recovery that I knew was possible. I felt like I was missing a key piece to this puzzle. Up until this time, I had only been using the frequencies associated with Lyme Disease and it's co-infections.
I knew that I had Candida overgrowth. For years, I have suffered from chronic, recurrent yeast infections and oral thrush. Every time I took a round of antibiotics, my doctor would also prescribe and anti-fungal medication for the yeast infection that would surely follow. I had never really given it that much thought, although I had tried taking probiotics and herbal remedies to no avail.
Driving in the car one day, it hit me. Maybe I needed to set my Rife machine to the Candida frequencies to see if that would help in my healing process. I started asking my Lyme friends if they too suffered from this and the resounding answer was YES! I started researching Candida and realized that I was on to something. Other people online had also connected the same dots that I had and this just reinforced the theory that had begun to formulate in my mind.
As I have said before, I am not a doctor and I am not trying to convince you of anything. I simply want to share this information because I believe it has the potential to help many, many people suffering with chronic disease, not just those with Lyme & Co. So I will share what I have learned and what I believe to be true, and you can come to your own conclusions.
What is Candida?
Candida albicans, its scientific name, is a polymorphic, opportunistic fungus (or form of yeast) that, when it is allowed to overpopulate, can be the cause of many undesirable symptoms ranging from fatigue and weight gain, to joint pain and gas.
In healthy people, the Candida albicans yeast is a normal part of the gut flora, which is a group of microorganisms that live in your mouth and intestines. Candida albicans can also be found in the normal flora of your skin. Candida has many functions inside your digestive tract. One of the most important is to recognize and destroy harmful bacteria. As long as your immune system is functioning properly, the Candida growth is regulated, kept under control and welcomed by your body.
However, if your immune system is compromised in any way (e.g. Lyme Disease), the bowel flora can be upset and the "good" bacteria can start to diminish allowing the Candida to flourish and take control. Once this happens, the Candida transforms from a yeast form to a parasitic fungal form, weakening the intestinal wall, penetrating through into the bloodstream and releasing its toxic byproducts throughout the body. This is known as "Leaky Gut Syndrome".
As they spread, these toxic byproducts cause damage to your body tissues and organs, wreaking havoc on your immune system. The major waste product of yeast cell activity is acetaldehyde, a poisonous toxin that promotes free radical activity in the body. Acetaldehyde is also converted by the liver into ethanol (drinking alcohol). Some people even report feeling a drunk or hungover feeling along with debilitating fatigue from the high amounts of ethanol in their system.
In its yeast state, Candida is a non-invasive organism, however in its fungal state, it is invasive and produces very long root-like structures called rhizoids. These rhizoids can penetrate your intestinal walls, leaving microscopic holes. Undigested food particles (among other things) can enter the bloodstream through these holes, resulting in Leaky Gut.
The Candida can also penetrate your intestinal walls and enter your bloodstream. Once the Candida has access to your whole body, you have a system-wide or systemic Candidiasis. While the Candida is in your bloodstream, it plays a game of hide and seek with your immune system. Your body knows that something is wrong but it cannot find the Candida.
While it is looking for the Candida, your body may start attacking different things looking for the invader, and sometimes it attacks itself! This is the start of auto-immune problems such as Chronic Fatigue, Crohn's Disease, Fibromyalagia, MS, Arthritis and Lupus. Sometimes the body doesn't attack itself but it attacks harmless particles from the environment and you end up with allergies or food intolerances.
Other Candida related conditions include: Acid Reflux, ADD, ADHD, Arthritis, Asthma, Autism, Cancer, Celiac Disease, Chronic Sinusitis, Crohn's Disease, Depression, Diabetes, Eczema, Food Allergies, Interstitial Cystitis, IBS, Nail Fungus, Nasal Allergies, Obesity, PMS, Psoriasis, Thrush, Toenail Fungus, Ulcerative Colitis, Vaginal Yeast Infection and Weight Loss.
Many things can cause this imbalance including antibiotics, oral contraceptives, vaccines, a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates, alcohol, pharmaceutical medications, street drugs and even stress. Many sufferers of Candidiasis remain undiagnosed by their doctors and can't figure out why they feel so awful.
"Untreated Systemic Candidiasis has a mortality rate approaching 100%. Delay in treatment is dangerous and will almost certainly end in death of the patient."
- Dr. Richard Hurley, London
Symptoms of systemic invasive Candidiasis albicans include:
- Oral thrush
- Frequent, recurrent yeast infections
- Fungal infections in finger or toe nails
- Constipation/diarrhea
- Bloating, gas
- Abdominal pain
- Indigestion
- Heartburn
- Tired, lethargic, drained
- Poor memory, spacey, unable to concentrate
- Depression, mood swings
- Irritability or jitteriness
- Anxiety, panic attacks
- Incoordination
- Headache
- Dizziness, loss of balance
- Failing vision, blurry vision, spots in front of eyes
- Burning or tearing of eyes
- Pressure above ears, feeling of head swelling and tingling
- Nasal congestion or discharge
- Postnasal drip
- Nasal itching
- Sore or dry throat
- Recurrent ear infections, fluid in ears, burst eardrum
- Ear pain or deafness
- Burning, tingling, numbness
- Muscle aches, weakness, paralysis
- Pain in joints
- Swelling in joints
- Cough
- Pain or tightness in chest
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Women: troublesome vaginal discharge, burning, itching
- Men: prostatitis, impotence, urinary burning
- Abdominal pain
- Spots in front of eyes, vision fading
- Women: premenstrual syndrome, severe cramps and/or other menstrual irregularities
- Men: frequent rashes in groin area
- Women: Endometriosis
- Loss of sexual desire
- Cold hands and feet
- Dry mouth
- Blisters in mouth, tongue and on lips
- Mucous in stools
- Hemorrhoids
- Non-healing skin lesions or rash which is itchy and/or painful
- Urinary urgency or frequency, burning on urination
- Weight gain/loss
Direct Candida Causes:
- Pharmaceutical Medications
- Antibiotics
- Dental Fillings Made with Mercury
- Vaccinations (most contain mercury)
- Birth Control Pills
- Steroids
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Pain Killers
- Cortisone-type drugs
- Poor Diet
- Sugar
- Aspartame
- MSG
- Consistent Alcohol Consumption
- Nutritional Deficiencies
- Overeating
- Junk Foods
- Refined, Canned, Smoked, Preserved and Fried Foods
- Eating Disorders
- Starvation
- Diet
- Taking Laxatives
Indirect Candida Causes:
- Stress
- Trauma
- Long Term Infections
- Excessive Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol
- Environmental Toxins
- Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water
- Chemicals Leeching from your Carpets
- Pesticides
- Herbicides
- Synthetic Fertilizers
- Food Additives
- Shampoo Additives
- Skin Lotion Additives
- Fragrance Additives
- Diseases
- Lyme Disease (weakened immune system cannot fight off the fungus)
- HIV/AIDS (weakened immune system cannot fight off the fungus)
- Diabetes (more sugar in the blood in urine which feed the yeasts)
- Cancer (radiation kills the beneficial bacteria in your intestines; chemotherapy damages your immune system)
How does this relate to Lyme Disease, Morgellons Disease and other chronic conditions?
Interestingly, many of these symptoms overlap with the symptoms of Lyme and Morgellons Disease. One of the defining symptoms of Morgellons Disease is the fibers or granules that emerge from both unbroken skin and open lesions. These fibers have been consistently identified as the yeast candida, or cellulose. This would explain why, upon biopsies being performed on their skin lesions, Morgellons sufferers are almost always told by doctors that nothing unusual was found. This would make sense because candida yeast and cellulose normally and naturally occur in the skin flora of all healthy people - just not in overabundance as in the case of Morgellons sufferers! This discovery was an 'aha' moment for me. Things were starting to make a lot more sense...the countless pieces to this puzzle finally starting to resemble an actual picture.
Autoimmune diseases, including Fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, often respond to anti-fungal treatments. Evidence exists that fungi, through their production of mycotoxins, initiate many autoimmune diseases by triggering inflammation in the intestinal tract, which in turn leads to the development of Leaky Gut Syndrome. Diseases of 'unknown etiology' often have a fungal connection and upon treatment of the fungal infection, improvement or elimination of the disease ensues in most cases.
Candida albicans overgrowth primarily targets the nerves and muscles, yet it can attack any tissue or organ in the body depending on your body's predisposition. Emotional/mental imbalances are a common occurrence with Candida albicans overgrowth. Depression is an almost constant component of chronic yeast growth in the tissues. The reason for this is the link between the gut and the brain. 'Leaky gut' allows the fungus and toxins to reach the brain, especially with a liver that is overtaxed.
As I mentioned above, once the friendly bacteria in your gut has been destroyed, the yeast begins to overgrow and take over the digestive system. Left untreated, it becomes a fungus and grows into a plant-like structure complete with roots. These roots break through the intestinal walls, allowing it to spread and becomes a fibrous network all over your body. This would explain why many Morgellons sufferers, myself included, describe seeing "subdermal worm-like structures" under the surface of the skin. If this is true, then the fibers that emerge from the skin could very well be pieces of that fibrous network!
Symptoms of Candidiasis vary greatly from person to person depending on their diet, exposure to toxins, stress level and geographical location (like any mold or fungus, heat and humidity help it to grow and spread). This would explain why it is so difficult to diagnose and people are so often told that "it's all in their head".
Additionally, it makes it extremely frustrating for anyone with this condition to determine exactly what is wrong with them. Billions are spent each year on antibiotics, creams, nasal sprays, unnecessary hospital visits, operations, antidepressants and much, much more due to the ignorance and arrogance of medical professionals. It is written in their own journals that antibiotics can cause this condition yet they continue to boldly prescribe them and are resentful when discussing their side effects. One doctor who was backed into a corner on this subject during a talk radio show became hysterical with fear and began screaming: "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CANDIDA!".
Not only do the symptoms of Candidiasis vary, the causes do as well. In the great majority of cases, mine included, it is a multitude of factors, usually building over the course of many years, which leads to this condition, which muddies the waters even more. In my case, I have an underlying Lyme infection which I believe started with a tick bite when I was sixteen and living in Connecticut. Around that same time, I started on a long course of antibiotics (Tetracycline) for teenage acne that lasted a couple of years, maybe three. Tetracycline, as well as Doxycycline, which, ironically, is a routine treatment for Lyme Disease, are both particularly effective in causing Candida overgrowth. The perfect storm - Lyme disease lowers my immune system, Tetracycline wipes out the good bacteria in my gut and the ideal environment for Candida to flourish is created. It was around the age of 18 or 19 that the fatigue, headaches and general malaise began to set in.
In my twenties, I was diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition of "unknown causes" which I now believe was caused by systemic Candidiasis. For years I suffered from chronic, intense abdominal pain and terrible menstrual cycles. This also resulted in problems getting pregnant for which I took Clomid, a strong fertility drug. During one of my pregnancies, I herniated a disc in my lower back which also led to chronic pain. I was on pain medication on and off for almost twenty years plus I was getting injected with cortisone 4 to 5 times a year. A couple of years ago, knowing I was done having babies and fed up with the endometriosis, I had a full hysterectomy which of course led to a synthetic estrogen patch. Last year, right before the acute phase of this disease began, I received another cortisone shot and I think that is what sent me over the edge. I had also gone through a very stressful time in my life several months before and I believe that contributed to it as well. The perfect storm.
As soon as I started focusing on the Candida issue, my symptoms really started to improve and I could feel in my gut that I was finally in the Recovery phase - finally! Two friends from my Lyme community have followed suit and both feel the exact same way. Although I have changed my diet dramatically and started taking herbal supplements designed to kill the Candida, I attribute most of my success to my Rife machine. It has truly saved my life and I can't imagine ever living without one again.
Specifically, here is the protocol I followed:
- I programmed my Rife machine (Rife Digital Professional) to the "Candidiasis" frequency set listed in the back of the manual and used it every night while sleeping and as much as possible during the day. I did not use any other frequency sets during this time.
- I followed a "Candida Diet" - eliminated sugar (including fruit), carbs, dairy, and alcohol from my diet for two weeks. (I am now following a more lenient Candida diet but the first two weeks it's critical to be very strict - lean protein and organic, raw veggies)
- I started drinking purified water with a 9.5pH or higher with fresh, organic lemon juice.
- I ingested as much garlic as possible - a natural anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial (chopped into tiny pieces and swallowed like a pill)
- I avoided at all costs any foods known to make Candida worse such as moldy foods (blue cheese, peanuts), carbohydrates, processed foods, and sugar.
- I took herbal supplements called 'Candidase' by Enzymedica, 'Molybdenum Amino Acid Chelate' by Douglas Laboratories and 'Rhodiola Recharge' by Rainbow Light.
- Drank lots of Nettle Tea with unsweetened coconut or almond milk.
- Took 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day.
As soon as I began this protocol, a herx reaction immediately ensued - a pretty severe one so please be prepared for a few days of feeling worse - but remember that feeling worse is actually good news because it means you are treating the right condition and that it's working! I was exhausted and the skin on my arms, shoulders, chest and neck broke out in a painful, prickly rash. It felt like toxins and yeast were being eliminated from my body through my skin.
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| My arm on Day #2 of Candidiasis Protocol |
By Day #5, I started to feel significantly better. My skin began to dry up and heal and my energy level increased dramatically. It's been about 2 1/2 weeks now and I feel better than I have in years. I actually drove (by myself!) my daughters to Tahoe for a soccer tournament this past weekend, something that would have been impossible a few short months ago. I continue to take the herbal supplements and use the Candidiasis frequency set on my Rife machine every night but I have started adding some fruit (green apples and berries) into my diet.
To me, this illustrates how out of whack our society is today and I am truly saddened to think that this is the legacy we are leaving our children. When did money and power become more important than human suffering and human lives? At the same time, I believe that all is not lost - there is more good in this world than bad, and if we, as individuals, can learn to live our lives filled with gratitude, intention and honesty, if we can focus on being of service to others, rather than obsessing about our next fabulous vacation or fancy new car, then we might just have a shot at a world where joy and happiness is in abundance and selflessness is the quality most people strive for as opposed to financial success and collecting material items to prove that success to the world. The change starts with you...don't be afraid to be extraordinary.
