Month: July 2010

Ayurvedic Treatment for Hair Loss

Professional Ayurvedic Treatment for Hair Loss  is recommended if you have an ongoing problem with hair falling out.  However, there are several good ayurvedic treatments for hair loss which you can use as a preventative, and to help nourish your whole physical being, including your hair, bones, teeth and nails.

Hair loss, in Ayurvedic Medicine, is regarded as a Pitta condition.  This means that  more cooling foods should be eaten, and that heating foods should be restricted.

The Pitta idea is interesting, I think, because, in my experience, radiation from electromagnetic sources such as cell phone towers and the like, have caused hair loss whenever I have lived for a period of three months or so near electromagnetic disturbances. Electromagnetic energy  definitely has a heating influence on the body. This is something you need to examine if you have ongoing bad health, your hair is growing thin, and you cannot fathom what the cause is.

Ayurvedic Diet for Hair Loss:  Hair needs a good supply of calcium, zinc and magnesium for a start, so it is a good idea to eat more foods which supply these minerals if you want to maintain a good head of hair.

One of these such Aurvedic remedies which is high in calcium is Coconut. For  treating hair loss,  Coconut Oil, Coconut Milk, and the flesh of the coconut itself can all be used.   Coconut is a very rich source of calcium, protein and fats, all of which benefit your hair growth. 

Coconuts are  a valued part of the daily diet in the South Pacific Islands, where people have marvellous heads of hair.  Coconut milk is widely used in the Pacifica region as a protein and flavour enhancer for many dishes.  It is also used as a baby food and as an invalid food.  The oil of the coconut is used externally as a skin oil, and as a hair oil, to nourish the hair and the scalp.

Ayurvedic Medicine texts commonly recommend the use of coconut milk and flesh for helping restore hair growth: 

  • One source recommends the inner milk of the young coconut to be drunk each day,  half a cupful each day.  (if you have high cholesterol, you should check with your doctor, or health professional before using cocnut milk in the diet)
  • Make up a coconut milk at home by blending together 1/2  cup grated coconut; 6 soaked almonds; 1 tablespoon sesame seeds; 1 cup warm water.  This milk is good to drink. You can put it on your oatmeal porridge, which is also high in calcium, silica and other goodies which nourish the hair.  You can massage some of this milk into the scalp at night.  Leave the milk on the hair and wash out in the morning. This is a wonderful tonic for the hair:  it helps regrowth and puts a great natural shine to the hair.
  • You can rub coconut oil into the scalp and into the soles of the feet.  Leave on overnight.  You absorb nutrients from the coconut oil through the soles of your feet, and these will find their way, via your bloodstream,  to feed the roots of your hair.  Remember to wear some old cotton or woolen socks to bed when you treat the soles of the feet with coconut oil.
  • Castor Oil is used in Ayurvedic Medicine to treat a variety of conditions, one of which is hair loss.  Castor oil can be massaged into the scalp to help hair regrow.  It is a good remedy to promote hair growth in babies and young children. 
  • Castor oil can be rubbed onto the soles of the feet at night to improve the health of the hair.  Put on those old socks so that your sheets do not get marked.  Wash off the oil in the morning with soap.
  • Castor oil can also be taken internally to improve the condition of the hair. Taking 2 tablespoonsful in the morning on an empty stomach, twice weekly, will help your hair to regrow.  This treatment will also improve your digestion, as taking castor oil internally reduces the toxins in the liver, and helps to flush out the gall bladder and the bowels.

Dairy, or Soy Milk Tonic

  • Drink 1 cup of your favorite milk which has been blended with 1 tsp ghee, 1 tsp sesame seeds, and 4 almonds.  This is recommended for the health of the hair.  You take this mixture each morning, as soon as you get up, and before you eat anything else.

Aloe Vera Juice

  • Taking a cup of aloe vera juice two or three times a day is another Ayurvedic remedy for hair loss.  This is to be continued for 3 months.
  • Aloe Vera Juice can also be used externally, to massage into the hair and scalp.  Leave on for 30 minutes before rinsing out.

Eat Pumpkin Seeds and Alfalfa Sprouts for Zinc nourishment.  Eat a handful of sesame seeds each morning, unless you prefer to make up one of the above milk recipes with sesame.  A handful of sesame seeds contains about 1200 mg of calcium.  Eat plenty of the brassica family: these are cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale – all these contain high amounts of calcium and magnesium.  Eat carrots daily to provide you with Vitamin A.

You can supplement these home ayurvedic remedies with professionally applied shirobasti, which is an effective remedy for hair loss. See your ayurvedic professional about this.

A qualified ayurvedic professional can also apply nasya, which involves the application of special medicated oils into the nostrils.

Electromagnetic Sensitivity

We are all sensitive the the effects of electromagnetic fields.  Some people are fortunate enough to recognise the effects of an electromagnetic field immediately they enter it. If the electromagnetic field is a strong one, then they might straight away get palpitations, or tingling up the arms, or  a darting pain in the scalp, or bone ache in the limbs.

They might experience a sudden rise in temprerature, similar to a hot flush. Or they might feel nauseous, have stomach cramps, or get a nose bleed.  They might suffer vertigo, dizziness, and a feeling that their life force is draining away, as if it is being sucked into the earth. Perhaps a little like you might imagine dying to be.

Other people might not experience any of these electromagnetic sensitivity symptoms in such a dramatic way.

However, people do indeed still suffer ill health because of electromagnetic vibrations and radiation when they are exposed to these conditions over a  period of time.

People who live close to strong power sources such as cell phone towers, electrical high tension wires, and radio and television transmitters, or who use cell phones a lot, or who work in highly intense, electrically charged environments, will be seriously undermining their health, in the short term and the long term. 

It is well known that a higher electrical force is cabable of interfering with the current of a less potent electrical force. This has been illustrated  for me with two electrical appliances,  my cell phone versus my CD player:  When a text was received on  the phone, which was on the charger, sitting near the CD player,  this caused the CD player, which was playing a disc, to malfunction.  It would not play, and had to be reset for the disc to play.  Another text came in, and the same thing happened.  The CD lost its train of thought and could not sustain the energy to play the CD.    It is the same with your own sensitive electromagnetic field, your aura – whenever you come into contact with an electrical force which is stronger than your own electrical currents, your aura will be undermined.  This is one major cause of  memory loss and depression, as well as physical sickness such as candida, cancer and arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and other disease.

In Chinese medicine, the weakening of the auric body is equated to loss of Qi. or CHI. Qi is the vital force within us which gives us life, vitality, and optimism.  Healthy Qi levels keep us from getting sick.

Henry McGrath has written a book entitled ‘Traditional Chinese Medicine:  Approaches to Cancer’.  This is published by Singing Dragon, of London and Philadelphia.   Author Henry McGrath mentions a study done in Japan, where it was found that electromagnetic disturbance had increased the chances of children getting leukaemia.  He also mentions that cell phone usage has led to brain tumours.

In another study, in 1929, Gustav Freiherr von Pohl linked the 42 cancer patients in the town of Vilbisburg to negative energies caused by electromagnetic forces which came from underground water courses and natural stress lines in the earth.  He found that all the cancer patients lived within close proximity to electromagnetic forces.

Medicine Buddha Mantra

Usui Reiki Healing  and  the Medicine Buddha Mantra.

I have just read the Reiki Healer, A Complete Guide to the Path and Practice of Reiki, 2004,  by Lawrence Ellyard.  This book has given me much informaton on the practice of Reiki healing, including  the Medicine Buddha Mantra, and  some other Buddhist Mantras which are listed below in this article.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the history and the practice of usui reiki. It is published by Lotus Press, P.O. Box 325, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin 53181. The author Lawrence Ellyard teaches Reiki Healing and has a teaching practice  in Australia. Lawrence is happy to answer any queries on the practice of Reiki.

Medicine Buddha is a Buddhist Archetype common to the Mahayana and Vajrayana Bhuddhist traditions. These traditions of Medicine Buddha are known in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and  in Japan, within the Shingon Buddhist tradition. Medicine Buddha is the central deity used in the Reiki system of healing.

The Medicine Buddha Mantra is used to invoke the Archetypal Deity, Sangle Mendela. This is the Medicine Buddha, the Buddha of Healing. His Mantra, as given in the book called Reiki Healer is:

  • TAYATA OM BHEKHANDZE BHEKHANDZE MAHA BHEKHANDZE BHEKHANDZE RANDZA SAMUNGATE SOHA

The translation for this mantra, as given by Lawrence Ellyard  is:  “Thus gone, healer, great healer King, accomplish healing, let it happen’.

The Medicine Buddha Mantra is an especially powerful mantra, even when used on its own without the added transmission of empowerment from a qualified Lama. However, it is recommended by qualified reiki therapists, including Lawrence Ellyard,  that a Lama  from a Mahayana or Vajrayana Buddhist center bless you and your use of the mantra before you begin to use it.

Basically, the Medicine Buddha healing ritual involves visualising the Blue Medicine Buddha above the head of the person who is receiving the healing.  The Medicine Buddha is visualised facing in the same direction as the person receiving healing.  If this  is yourself, then you imagine the Buddha a tenth the size of yourself, sitting above your head, looking frontward, as you are.  If you are giving healing to someone else, then you imagine the recipient with the Blue Buddha above the head of that person.  If the recipient is facing you, then both the Buddha and the recipient will be looking towards you.

Whilst saying the mantra, one visualizes the healing energy coming down towards the recipient, as if  a thousand tiny blue healing stars are falling down and being absorbed into the crown chakra of the recipient.  From there, the powerful healing rays being eminated from the Blue Buddha continue down through the body to the heart chakra, where they are retained.

The heart chakra is considered the most vital chakra in Medicine Buddha philosophy, as the heart is at the core of our functioning and our emotions.  It is important to nourish and develop a good heart if we want to develop spiritually and develop compassion.

Why is Medicine Buddha also known as the Blue Buddha? I have made my own assumptions here:  It is easy to work out why Medicine Buddha is sometimes referred to as the Blue Buddha…………….

The Medicine  Buddha is The Buddha of Healing. His other name, in Tibetan Buddhism, is ‘Sangye Mendela’, which is translated as ‘King of lapis lazuli radiance’.

Lapis lazuli, which is the color of Medicine Buddha, is a semi precious gemstone which has a distinctive, radiant,  intense dark blue color.

Healing Gemstone:  Lapis lazuli has always been regarded as a healing gem. It  is used in India and in other parts of the world to aid healing and to invoke healing power. It is associated with the planet Uranus in some schools of color therapy and astrology.

Lapis Lazuli is thought to be helpful in enhancing and balancing the spiritual chakra of the body. This is the Crown Chakra, which is sensitive to the vibrations emanated from Lapis Lazuli. Visualizing the color of lapis lazuli  in meditation is supposed to encourage higher thought and promote healing and spiritual aspirations. This  perhaps explains why the Medicine Buddha is the color of Lapis lazuli, and  why Medicine Buddha is sometimes referred to as the ‘Blue Buddha’.

Other Buddhist Mantras, some of which are given in the book called  Reiki Healer are:

  • OM MANI PADME HUNG.  This is a powerful healing Mantra, as it evokes the Buddha of Compassion. In some texts which teach Thai Massage,  this is written as OM MANI PADME HUM.  This Mantra is still widely used today, especially in Tibetan Buddhist practice. It is also used as a healing prayer by some practitioners of Thai massage, and other healing modalities,  to evoke the qualities of the Buddha of Compassion before beginning a healing.   The Mantra  originated  in the Sanskrit language, in ancient India.  Translated, it means, literally:  “Om jewel of unfolding Hung’.   A more beautiful translation, taken from the Thai usage, is:  ‘May the jewel of the lotus flower send out a light of love and compassion to unite all existence as one’. This mantra is to the Buddha Avalokiteshvara. His Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Loving Kindness and Compassion’.
  • OM MANI PADME HUM: (in addition to the above) The OM sound is the  universal vibration of all existence.  MANI is the diamond, the jewel which represents clarity of mind and purpose, resulting in wisdom.  PADME is the lotus flower, the symbol of beauty, purity and compassion. The Lotus flower is the miracle of light and wonder which blooms after arising out of the muddy depths of unclean water. This represents the evolvement of the  human spirit.  HUM is a heart open to all, one which unifies through love, kindness and compassion.
  • OM AMI DEWA HRIH. Translated, this means: ‘Om Lord of Limitless Light  Hrih’.  This mantra is to the Buddha Amitabha. His Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Limitless Light, Guardian of Dewachen (Pure Realm).  This Mantra is recited to assist the journey of a deceased person to the realm of Dewachen. Prayers are offered within the first 30 minutes of death, on the third day, after seven days after the event of death, then on the same day of death each week,  up to the seventh week, which is 49 days. The procedure is fully described by Lawrence Ellyard in his book Reiki Healer.
  • OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA. Translated, this means: ‘Om Liberitous, Liberate now’.  This mantra is to the Green Tara Buddha. This Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Great Liberation’.
  • OM BENZA SATO HUNG. Translated, this means: ‘Om Diamond Being Hung’.  This mantra is to the Buddha Dorje Sempa. His Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Purification (Diamond Mind).
  • OM ARA PA CHA NA DHIH. There is no literal translation for this mantra in English, but the Mantra represents ‘Perfect Wisdom’ This Mantra is to the Buddha of Wisdom Archetypal Deity.
  • OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SOHA. The translation for this is: ‘Om gone, gone, gone completely beyond, awakening, let it happen’. The Archetypal Deity is ‘Mother of all Buddhas. This Mantra is to the Buddha Prajinaparamita.

Home Remedy For Acne

Try a Home Remedy For Acne:  Here are some tried recipes for home treatment of acne. These ideas have worked for many people, although this is no guarantee that you will necessarily have success with any of these remedies: there are different strains of bacteria and conditions which cause acne, and so every case is different. What works for one may not work for another.

Go to a doctor or an alternative health therapist if your condition persists, in case there is a hormonal imbalance, thyroid disfunction, candidiasis, or some other underlying condition which predisposes you to acne.

The First Home Remedy for Acne on our list is the 

Chick Pea Cleanser.  This idea comes from Ayurvedic medicine. It has a cleansing effect on the pores of the skin and helps to dry out  acne. It is a good alternative to soap, which tends to make the skin too  alkaline.  Chick pea flour helps to whiten the skin, and has a mild tightening effect.

To Make the Chick Pea Cleanser: Take a portion of chick pea flour and mix it with a little water, just enough to make a smooth paste. Massage this gently into the skin. Rinse off with warm water.

The Chick Pea Cleanser can be followed with another home remedy for acne which will moisturise the skin a little. This Yogurt Turmeric Treatment recipe has added antifungal and antibacterial qualities because of the lactobacilli organisms in the yogurt, and because of the use of turmeric, which is a strong antiseptic. Here is the

Yogurt Turmeric Treatment for acne.

To Make: Simply add one teaspoon of turmeric powder to half a cup of probiotic yogurt, preferably one which has L. acidophilus added to it. Yogurt which still has live probiotics in it, such as L. acidophilus, will contain bacteriocins. These are are compounds which help inhibit the growth of disease producing microbes.  These bacteriocins should, hopefully, help your skin to heal.

Mix well together, then apply to the  yogurt to the areas of skin which are affected by acne. Leave on for 20 minutes, then wash off in warm water. Use for a week, or less if the acne  condition has cleared up.

If you do not enjoy the slightly  yellowing effect of the turmeric in the above recipe, which will wash off within a few days, then omit the turmeric from this recipe. However, the turmeric which remains on the skin is helpful in treating acne.

Kiwifruit Juice Home Remedy for Acne

Kiwifruit has strong enzymes and acids which work well as antifungal and antibacterial agents. Its enzymes also aid digestion.  Kiwifruit is a great healer, both internally and externally. Eat plenty of Kiwifruit to cleanse out the bowels and kill off unwanted organisms. This will help your skin condition.  The beneficial bacteria do not seem to be harmed by Kiwifruit, as digestion improves from eating Kiwifruit.

Use Kiwifruit juice  directly on the skin as another Home Remedy for Acne.  Leave the juice on overnight, and wash off in the morning,  for the best results. Otherwise, you can apply the juice and wait for it to dry before rinsing off.

Another simple Home Remedy for Acne is the Watermelon Treatment. Watermelon also has enzymes which benefit the skin and which work as bacteria inhibitors. Eating watermelon is good for your skin also, as it cleanses the intestines, and also helps the kidneys, which in turn will benefit your skin.

Watermelon Treatment: Simply smear the juice over the skin. Let dry, and leave on overnight. Rinse off in the morning.

Aloe Vera Juice is another home remedy for acne. You can grow this herb at home. The aloe vera juice can be applied to the skin and left on overnight. You can also take aloe vera juice raw as an internal medicine. Aloe vera juice taken internally has proven beneficial to people whose immune systems are weakened. It has helped some people to cure themselves of cancer, in combination with other treatments.

Apple Cider Vinegar sometimes is effective in treating acne. Apple cider vinegar works as an antibacterial agent, and provides potassium, pectin, and other beneficial minerals to help the skin remain healthy. Dab the undiluted cider vinegar onto the affected areas. Note: if your condition is severe and painful, then see your doctor or alternative therapist.

Wine  Paste As a Home Remedy For Acne

This recipe uses wine as an antibacterial agent, with pea flour and egg yolk.

  • Take half a cup of pea flour
  • Add half a cup of red wine. Mix well.
  • Add one egg yolk to the mixture.
  • Finally, stir in two teaspoons of almond oil, or grapeseed oil.

Add a little more wine if necessary. The  constituency of the mixture should be paste-like, but thin enough so that you can apply it easily to the skin.

Apply the wine  paste to the areas which need treatment. Leave on for half an hour, then wash off.

Hot Water Remedy:  Drinking from four to eight glasses of moderately hot water throughout the day can have a beneficial effect on the skin.  Hot water flushes out the toxins from the body quickly, which is why it is so effective in many cases.  Wait until the water has cooled a little. It should be fairly hot, but not straight from the kettle.

Ayurvedic Medicine gives a breathing technique which is worth a try.  This is involves shutting off the right nostril with the thumb, middle finger and index finger resting on the eyebrow center.  Breathe in and out through the left nostril only. Do for about five or six breaths.  Build up to ten breaths in and out through the left nostril.  This has a cooling, pacifying effect on the senses, This  can help soothe the emotions, which is helpful to the acne condition.

Diet for Acne: It is best to avoid dairy products for the meantime. Avoid cheese, especially, as this putrifies in the bowel readily when your digestion is functioning poorly, and this causes a build up of toxins in the body.  Avoid wheat products, especially bread. Wheat turns to sugar very quickly, and this can cause problems with your sugar metabolism, so it is best to avoid wheat. Bread contains yeast, and yeast is best avoided when you are treating acne.  Avoid all yeast products, and foods which have been fermented such as alcohol, miso, tempeh, tofu, vinegars and soy sauce.

Eat brown rice instead of bread and pasta and potatoes, at least until your skin has recovered.

Eat more protein, and less of  the grain foods. Eat plenty of fish, especially those which have omega 3 fatty acids such as sardines, mackerel, tuna and salmon. Eat organic free range eggs.

Eat plenty of high fiber greens such as broccoli, cabbage, celery, spinach, kale and leeks. The brassica family, such as cabbage and broccoli, are high in calcium , iron, and other nutrients which boost the immune system and help the skin.  Eat plenty of onions and garlic. Eat carrots, unless you have a problem with candida.

Take  Non-acidic Vitamin C such as Ester C, or Calcium Ascorbate,  in 1000mg doses. You can take this dose up to four times a day. Use only for several days, to help clear your body of unwanted toxins, then reduce the dose to 1000mg of Vitamin C a day. If you take 1000mg last thing at night, this will help you to sleep well, as Vitamin C is a mild tranquillizer.

Take Halibut liver oil capsules. Use as directed on the label.

Take a Vitamin B Complex.

Take Zinc and Magnesium.

Iodine is essential for healthy skin and for hormonal harmony. Paint a few dabs of liquid iodine onto the scalp or the soles of the feet once or twice a week.

Note: Ask your doctor about taking these supplements, just to make sure. You should not take supplements  without professional guidance if you are on any blood-thinning medication such as warfarin, or aspirin, or other drugs.

Candida Yeast Infection Treatment

Candida Yeast Infection can cause many problems with the health. The range of symptoms resulting from a candida infection is numerous.

Digestive disturbances usually accompany candida infection. These may  include gas problems, bloated stomach, reflux,  constipation and/or loose bowel motions; irritable bowel syndrome sometimes can be the result of  candida overgrowth. Even bleeding can occur if the walls of the intestines have been damaged because of the effect of candida overgrowth.

Other symptoms which may occur are  anaemia, inability to put on weight, eating disorders and cravings, being overweight, ear infections, sinus infection, infections of the urinary tract, vaginal infections, infections in the mouth, acne and eczema,  migraines, insomnia, depression, and addictions.

It is thought that the reason so many people become addicted to alcohol is because of a sugar-craving,  out-of-hand candida culture in the intestines.

Candida infection can be difficult to treat, especially when the infection has become well established. If candida albicans have been allowed to proliferate to the extent that they have colonised the intestines, to the detriment of the ‘good’ and beneficial organisms, and caused damage to the bowel, then the candida yeast is able to travel freely to other parts of the body. When the body is invaded by candida yeast, the condition is known as systemic candidiasis.

It takes time to reverse the train of events which have led to the undermining of health through candida infection. In my experience, allopathic medicine on its own is not effective in the long term, if at all. It really is a good idea to get the help of an acupuncturist, a naturopath or chinese herbalist, an ayurvedic specialist,  or another health professional, to assist you in speeding up your recovery.

It is important that your candida yeast infection treatment be one which is going to restore you to health. It is necessary  to take all those measures to ensure that the candida infection does not return. You must work at getting your health restored so that your body is strong and able to counteract infection, and you are feeling great again.

In my experience, environmental contaminants were the main reason that my immune system was  severely undermined. Chemical poisoning  led to a rampant candida infection, or systemic candidiasis, on more than one occasion. These chronic candida infections  took more than a year to cure.

However, most people, hopefully, have not been exposed to aerial spraying of 245T, or to asbestos and heavy metal poisoning, do not have cancer, or AIDS, and do not have the chronic type of candida known as systemic candidiasis which might accompany these conditions. Recovery, then, should be only a matter of weeks for mild candida infection, given the right treatment.

If you do systemic candidiasis, then it will take some time to become well. Even with the supplementation of  beneficial bacteria, such as acidophilus, it takes time for the immune system to recover from chemical, or radiation damage. You really have to pull out all stops and be vigilant in following your candida yeast infection treatment to fully recover.

If you have an on-going mild infection and you have not been exposed to chemical sprays, or radiation, and you do not work in a hazardous toxic environment, then your system should respond more quickly to anti-candida treatments.

Many people have candida yeast infection as a result from using antibiotics and other medications. Using probiotics such as L. acidophilus and B. bifidum will help to restore your intestinal flora if this is the case.

Even if you do not use antibiotics very often, chances are that you will be ingesting them through the animal products, or dairy foods and eggs, which you eat. Unless these foods are specified as certified organic, then these foods will be contaminated with hormones, cortizones and antibiotics which will affect the functioning of your body and its immune system.

Herbicides, insecticides, antibiotics, preservatives in food, and radiation all harm the cultures of healthy organisms which we have in our intestines.  Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of the main ones which is destroyed by harmful environmental pollutants, radiation,  overuse of antibiotics, and antibiotics in our food.  Bifidobacterium bifidum is the other main one which is affected similarly.

These  beneficial organisms, known as probiotics because they assist life, are very sensitive to unusual environmental influences. Chemicals affect them, but even living near high electromagnetic forces, such as cell phone towers, or electricity transformers, or high tension electricity wires, will upset these beneficial organisms in your intestinal flora. When these two beneficial organisms become depleted in the body, then candida albicans takes over. The candida albicans organism is found naturally in the intestines, but in only in small numbers in a healthy body.

Candida yeast infection really does cause so much harm: the ‘good’ bacteria on their own will help you to digest fats and proteins, will help lower your cholesterol level, and manufacture several vitamins and enzymes in the bowel, including B vitamins. When the ratio of organisms gets upset and candida is allowed to predominate, then you do not get all these wonderful benefits which the lactobacteria normally provide for you.

So – How To Get Well From Candida Yeast Infection:

The length of your recovery time really depends on how toxic your body is, and how damaged your immune system has become as a result of accumulated poisons.

A detoxification programme is important to begin your candida yeast infection treatment. It is essential to rid the body of all those acculmulated toxins as quickly as possible, if you want to get your health and vitality back soon. Unfortunately, all those lovely sweet  fruit fasts such as the apple diet, or the grape diet, or the carrot juice fast, are often not the best to use in the early stages, as the high sugar content in fruit feeds the candida. If your infection is not too severe and you have not been exposed to chemicals, then these could still be effective, but generally, it is best to avoid all foods high in sugar, and this includes all fruits.

Detox with a High Fiber Cleanse: Do this high fiber cleanse for three days in a row. Use as necessary after that. You might find benefit in continuing the treatment every morning. The recipe: Take a teaspoon of psyllium husks, a teaspoon of flaxseed, and a teaspoon of cranberry seed or pectin. Put into two cups of water. Stir.  Take in the morning on an empty stomach, 20 minutes before breakfast. Repeat  with one more dose 20 minutes before the evening meal.

Going for a colonic irrigation at a clinic is a good idea, as this will clear all the effecte matter out of your bowel, leaving it clean so that the candida can’t proliferate so readily. This will give you a jump start in combatting the infection, and improve your digestion immediately.

Home enemas can be effective also, and if you cannot afford the professional colonic irrigation, then a home enema is recommended.

Benefits of Castor Oil on Treating  Candida: However, the most effective home treatment for quickly cleaning the intestines, and reducing candida infection, is  that old remedy – castor oil. This works extremely well, as it not only rids the intestines of the pollutants, it attacks the candida as well. Candida albicans do not like oils in the diet, especially castor oil, which has an antimicrobial effect in the intestines.  At the same time, the castor oil does not seem to affect the beneficial bacteria adversely, as they can readily multiply after the rubbish has been eliminated from the bowel.

Incidentally, a specific anti-fungus agent called Undecylenic acid can be bought at some health food shops. So -can you guess what this is derived from? – Yes – Castor Oil. The dose for treating candida is, according to one source, 200 mg three times a day. But I still think you cannot go past the original, old-fashioned, Castor oil in treating serious illness, and in treating candida infections.

So – Now you are working on revitalising your immune system. Already, the infection will be dramatically  reduced after cleansing, so that you can better digest your food. While you have a rampant candida infection, those busy candida organisms will be taking the best out of your food. They will leave you malnourished, tired, and create a whole lot of candida toxins which further poison your system.

Taking supplements of probiotics such as L. acidophilus and B. bifidum can boost the intestinal flora which helps to keep the candida yeast in check. After the initial stages of cleansing, you might try using these in a sugar-free and allergen-free supplement. If you are not sensitive to dairy products, then using a yogurt with these supplements will help to allay another candida attack, once you have first cleansed the candida overgrowth from the intestines.

Lactobacillus acidophilus has been used successfully to treat cases of candida yeast infection in the urinary tract.  It has also been used successfully, both internally and externally, to treat yeast infection of the female parts. This is because the Lactobacillus acidophilus occurs naturally in the bladder and reproductive parts, where it helps maintain the health of these organs. When antibiotics, or some other chemical or environmental factor causes the probiotic organisms to get out of balance in the bowel, this also affects their growth in other parts of the body where they are needed.

What Can I Eat? The best diet whilst on the candida yeast infection treatment is on which implements the following strategies:

  • Eat more good quality protein in the diet. Beef, chicken, fish, eggs are just great. Almonds nuts and sunflower seeds are good too, but these are best left for a week or two until your condition has improved, as these foods sometimes have yeast on them which may not be helpful in combatting the candida.
  • Eating oily fish is very good. Of the tinned varieties, canned tuna fish in olive oil is helpful, I have found. Sardines in oil are also good, and provide extra calium in the bones, as well as iodine: both calcium and iodine are necessary supplements for the  recovery from candida infection
  • Make sure you eat good quality fats and oils in the diet. Candida thrives in diets which exclude these items, and protein. Olive oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil and other cold pressed oils inhibit the growth of candida, and also give you Vitamin E and other nutrients which are helpful in restoring health and improving your immune system.
  • Eat plenty of green vegetables in the diet.
  • Plenty of fiber is essential. Not fruit, or carrots, initially, – but green vegetables.
  • Add garlic to everything. Garlic works well as an anti-fungal, anti-yeast, antimicrobial agent in the body.
  • Avoid all sugar. This means any kind of sugar, cane sugar, maple syrup, golden syrup, honey, malt sugars and fruit sugars.
  • Avoid all fruit in the meantime, until you are better.
  • Avoid all alcohol completely. Beer, wines, cider, spirits – all of these help destroy the beneficial bacteria in the bowel.
  • Avoid wheat products for now. Wheat turns to sugar too quickly in the gut, and these sugars help to feed candida albicans. Avoid other processed grains.
  • Eat brown rice instead of wheat products. Use a little olive oil or some other good oil on your rice, to help slow down the absorption of sugars. Eat protein and green vegetables with your rice. Have some brown rice cooked each day and left in the fridge, so that you can eat this instead of going for that wheat pastry, cookie, or bread.
  • Avoid all products which have been fermented. This includes all alcohol, vinegars, and sauces such as soya sauce, tomato sauce because it contains vinegar, tempeh and tofu and miso – and breads.
  • Avoid dairy products for the meantime, until you are better. Then, you might experiment with acidophilus yogurt if you do not have a sensitivity to dairy products. Some people who are lactose intolerant find that they can use moderate amounts of probiotic yogurt once they have conquered the candida infection. Some people find that, after recovery, using probiotic yogurt actually helps them digest other dairy products. Some people cannot abide it at all.
  • Supplements which might be  helpful  are:    Caprylic acid. This is a fatty acid which has definite anti-candida properties. 1000mg of Caprylic acid can be taken daily; 1000mg morning and night can be taken over a brief period for people who have systemic candida infection. It is best not to take caprylic acid for long periods, though, as it can put a strain on the kidneys. If you have kidney weakness, then you might be best to avoid it, or use it for only several days.  Ask your doctor or naturopath about taking Caprylic Acid for candida.
  • Benefits of Probiotics:   L. acidophilus and B. bifidum taken half an hour before each meal may prove beneficial. These probiotics are available in a non-dairy, non-gluten form in some specific health products. If you are not lactose intolerant, then yogurt enhanced with these probiotics may work for you.
  • Non-acidic Vitamin C is an inhibitor of the candida yeast. This helps to detoxify the body as well, and will aid your sleep if you take a dose last thing at night. 1000mg of Ester C, or Calcium Ascorbate can be taken once, or up to four times a day in cases of chronic candidiasis. Reduce the dose once the toxins have been initially cleared.

Read merrilyn’s post entitled Probiotic Advantage for more information on the use of probiotics in treating candida and improving the immune system. Also see Foods to Eat On a Candida Cleanse Diet and Curing Candida/Chronic Poisoning.