Q & A: Candida Albicans: Often-Overlooked Cause of Adrenal Fatigue and Hypothyroid

Q: Adrienne writes:
Dear Galina, I just stumbled upon your website and it is so interesting.  We don’t
officially have colitis here, but we have other issues.  It appears that I have
candida but I do have hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue and some starting
insulin resistance.  My son has vitamin D deficiency, life threatening food
allergies, probably candida and asperger\’s (autism spectrum) and dyspraxia.
He has been casein free for  life and is now gluten free (has been for about 2
years).  He is almost completely off sugar now but I haven\’t thrown him
completely onto the candida diet.  I was looking at the SCD diet simply due to
Natasha Campbell-McBride\’s book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome.  I find your
thoughts very balanced though.  I was thinking that there is too much honey and
fruit on this diet and I was worried since my son can\’t have eggs and most
nuts that this would be too limiting.  And probably too much sugar for 2 persons
w/ candida issues.  Is there anything that you are working on or are familier w/
that could help?  I would appreciate any direction that you can give.  Thank you
so much in advance!

A: Thank you Adrienne for recognizing my balanced thought process! You are asking excellent questions, and your gut instinct is right about SCD diet.

SCD Diet and Yeast Infections

If your disease is the result of a yeast infection, SCD can be harmful because it allows for certain food items (such as honey, cheese and fruit juice) that help yeast Candida growth and therefore support propagation of a fungal infection.

Also, SCD diet allows consumption of diet soft drinks sweetened with saccharin, which may cause cancer. Your diet and supplements should support the growth of good bacteria and discourage Candida overgrowth. I will give detailed instructions on the yeast control diet and supplements in my “Candida Cleanse Manual”.

Endocrine System and Candida

In 1985, Dr. David Feldman presented his research (at Symposium on Yeast-Human Interaction) on how Candida Albicans attaches itself to adrenal steroids causing adrenal insufficiency or as you call it adrenal fatigue.

Also, it is known that Candida can contribute to disruption of the endocrine system causing hypothyroidism (as in your case), thyroiditis, hypoparathyroidism and even diabetes. Therefore, by eliminating Candida albicans, you could normalize your thyroid and adrenal function. So, once again for clarity: we address Candida first, and then thyroid and adrenal problems will be resolved.

Candida Cleanse

To suppress Candida albicans growth, proper yeast free diet should be combined with proper Candida cleanse supplements. The emphasis is on the word proper. But, we are all different. And although people affected by Candida infection may share some common symptoms, individual’s biological profile ultimately determines the effectiveness of the treatment. So, how can you know what is proper for you?

Precision Nutrition

The answer is to do the test to determine what is effective for you. I called it precision nutrition (vs. shot gun approach). Digestive stool analysis can help you to identify what kind of pharmaceuticals and/or natural supplements and herbs you should take in order to eliminate Candida infection in your specific case.

Please be aware that not all the tests are made equal. Testing methodology and human error often cause inaccurate results. I have researched and selected the most reliable test for fungal infection. As a health care professional, I recommend this new state of the art DNA based stool analysis test to my patients to remove the guesswork and to learn THE TRUE REASONS behind Candida infection and other gut related symptoms. Please visit www.metametrix.com to learn more about GI Effects Stool Profile, which evaluates your stool for yeast overgrowth, bacteria, parasites, gut inflammation, digestion, protein, fat malabsorption and much, much more. Most importantly, this test identifies antibiotics and herbs that are particularly effective FOR YOU in eliminating your Candida albicans and other gut infections. Although, I found that there is no such a thing as 100% accurate test, I personally rely on those I have selected to guide the health recovery process of my patients.

Parasites and Candida Connection

Also, parasites tend to coexist with Candida, so Stool Analysis will reveal this valuable information.

I offer this valuable test to my patients/members/subscribers.

To conclude: As you have guessed, you and your son have a complex medical situation. While general recommendations on yeast free diet and supplements may be effective for some less complex cases, there is nothing that can substitute individually tailored advise that would be based on results of your tests and medical history.

I wish you and your son total health and well-being! Your son is very lucky to have such a smart and caring mom!

Good Luck! Galina