Menu Close

Case studies – Candida

Candida albicans is a well-known example of a pleomorphic fungus[1]. Pleomorphic micro-organisms can change form such that fungi might be a mould in some conditions and a yeast in other conditions. Thrush, can be identified as a mould and yeast can be diagnosed as Candidiasis, but it is essentially the same micro-organism.

You may have read that Candida or yeast overgrowth is very difficult to get rid of. Here are a few examples of my patients who successfully addressed their confirmed yeast overgrowth in on average 3 months. Once you read these accounts you may accept that if you do test positive for Candida all is not lost and that help really is only a consultation away.

Case 1

Heather came to see me in May 2010 with symptoms of fatigue, aneamia, depression, stomach pain, diarrhoea, food intolerance and headaches. These symptoms affected her so much that she was at the point where she had to choose between working and living as she simply did not have the energy to do both. She also stated that losing weight would be an added bonus.

Diagnosed hypothyroid and already taking high doses of prescribed thyroxine and a host of other medication, we decided to investigate Heather’s gut health further, always being mindful that no treatment would interfere with her prescribed medication. A non-invasive comprehensive stool analysis revealed that Heather had very little beneficial gut flora and an abnormally high level of yeast.

The basis of all my recommendations is the incorporation of functional food with emphasis on balancing macro-nutrients, which was the starting point of Heather’s protocol. Specific, therapeutic supplementation recommendations were also considered and implemented.

Three months after her initial test we re-tested the gut environment and Heather was absolutely astonished to find she was now completely yeast free. Her energy levels had improved such that she was enjoying work again and was also living a much more active life than before.

She sent me this note:
Just to let you know I had a lovely Christmas and New Year, with no symptoms at all!

Case 2

Nigel consulted with me because he wanted to address his presenting symptoms which included bloating, stomach cramps, flatulence and lower back pain. A full comprehensive stool analysis revealed that Nigel had dysbiotic yeast, called Saccharomyces cerevisiae/boulardii at a very high level. He additionally had a mild overgrowth of Candida albicans.

Specific functional food recommendations combined with dose specific anti-fungal supplementation were incorporated and a re-test three months later showed absolutely no yeast being present in his gut.

Case 3

Amy, a stay at home mother, first came to see me in March 2010 looking for a reason why she was suffering with flatulence, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, stomach pain, headaches, cramping and PMS. These symptoms started with the birth of her 1st child back in 2005 and worsened with the birth of her second daughter. We discussed her family history, lifestyle and food choices and agreed that testing was the natural next step.

A comprehensive stool analysis revealed a yeast overgrowth of Candida inconspicua at a very high level. Amy also had two different parasites in her gut. We agreed to specific food choices combined with therapeutic supplementation for a short period of time. Four months later we re-tested Amy’s gut environment and were both delighted that not only was the yeast completely eradicated, there was also no longer any parasitic infection present. Additionally Amy’s beneficial bacteria profile, which was severely lacking when first tested, now showed a significant improvement. To support the test findings Amy also felt much improved and that is the most important indicator of a successful protocol.

Case 4

Charlotte desperately wanted my help with her symptoms of depression, fatigue, thrush, poor memory and concentration. Charlotte, a vegetarian since the age of 14, cannot tolerate alcohol, dairy or coffee and suffers with indigestion. As with all my patients we started the investigation into the root causes of Charlottes state of ill health with a comprehensive stool analysis. A nasty bacterial infection, Citrobacter freundii, and Candida albicans were identified. Due to Charlotte’s ongoing fatigue the suggested saliva cortisol test identified adrenal underfunction.

A lot of vegetarians enjoy meals which do not include essential macro-nutrients and Charlotte and I agreed that some additions to her existing diet needed to be considered. Over the next three months Charlotte paid particular attention to her food intake and agreed to specific supplementation suggestions, which were chosen to support her goal of improved health. Upon re-testing we noted that both the yeast and bacterial infection had been successfully addressed and Charlotte was elated that all her hard work had paid off.

She sent me this note upon receiving her test results:
I’m thrilled!! That’s really food news, so glad that it has all paid off, thank you for all your help with it.

Reference:
1. Nicolle L and Woodriff Beirne A (2010). Biochemical Imbalances in Disease. Singing Dragon, London. ISBN 978-1-84819-033-7