with Stephen Harrod Buhner, master herbalist
In fighting my Lyme with herbs I’m still having a hard time controlling candida. I have often wondered if my remaining Lyme symptoms might be due to systemic candida rather than just Lyme as the Lyme symptoms (energy-related, and sometimes mental alertness) seem to wax and wane based on my diet and intake of probiotics or other anti-yeast meds. I take a LOT of probiotics, both as pills of various brands, and as fermented foods- yogurt, sauerkraut, and rejuvelac, and it’s been 4 months since I’ve stopped antibiotics. I’ve tried oral nystatin and oral diflucan at various times, and it still comes back. My experience with the candida now is similar to what I experienced while on antibiotics, although not ‘quite’ as bad now that I’m just on the core protocol. I eat a very low-sugar diet, which doesn’t seem to help, and am just starting to try to cut out grains. sugary vegetables and potentially moldy foods for a few weeks as an experiment per the Yeast Connection book. One question that’s come up on the Lyme forums is whether any of the core protocol herbs might be killing ‘friendly’ bacteria along with other bacteria. It really feels like everything I’m doing should have controlled this candidiasis by now and I’m trying to figure out what other factors could be contributing. I know one of the core protocol herbs is antifungal but other herbal antifungals don’t seem to help in my case.
Stephen’s response:
This is such a tough problem for some, especially after long term antibiotics. I am not aware of any herb that can cause this problem except for grapefruit seed extract (which is not exactly an herb). I would suggest you read my book on fasting, The Fasting Path (see book link below), as fasting has shown some of the best results with tough to treat candida. The Yeast Connection does have, as well, many good suggestions such as the one you mention. I have also had success with a tincture combination: desert willow and chapparo amargosa – equal parts of the tinctures blended together. 1/2 tsp 3x daily for 30 days or so.
posted on June 12, 2007 | 807 views | tags: Borrelia burgdorferi, candida, fasting, grapefruit seed extract (GSE), Healing Lyme, lyme disease
Andrographis
400 mg tablets: Nature's Way
<400 mg tablets: Paradise Herbs
400 mg tablets: Planetary Formulas Full Spectrum
Japanese Knotweed (Resveratrol)
Green Dragon Botanicals
100 mg tablets: Paradise Herbs
bulk, wildcrafted: Woodland Essence
bulk and Source Naturals 500 mg tablets: 1st Chinese Herbs [Editor's note: As of September 2011, we have received reports that some people have had bad reactions to Source Naturals brand Resveratrol but have done fine with Paradise herbs. Sometimes the brand makes all the difference.]
Cat's Claw (Uncaria tomentosa)
500 mg capsules: Raintree
bulk, sustainably harvested: Raintree
Cryptolepis
tincture: Woodland Essence
Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng)
Herb Pharm tincture - alcohol-based
Herb Pharm tincture - glycerite (alcohol-free)
250 mg capsules: Nature's Way
Stephania Root
Caution: New research has shown stephania
unsafe for use in pregnancy.
1st Chinese Herbs
Woodland Essence
ARTICLES BY STEPHEN BUHNER
The Use of Apis and Bi-Edta in the Treatment of Lyme Disease
Some Arguments against the Standardization of Herbalists
Gaian Voices Interview with Stephen Harrod Buhner
Depth Diagnosis in the Practice of Sacred Plant Medicine
The Lost Language of Plants
The Health Benefits of Water Fasting
Herbelegy
The Fall of Gruit and the Rise of Brewer's Droop
Paradise Lost: Of Healing, the Sacred, and Beer
The Yeast of the Ancients
BOOKS BY STEPHEN BUHNER
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