# Candida/Yeast/Thrush



## gemsmom (Dec 27, 2001)

Is anyone dealing with the challenges of candida/yeast overgrown issues? We are using herbs to combat the overgrowth. Looking for support and additional information.


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## Erin Pavlina (Nov 11, 2001)

Not sure if this is what you're talking about, buy my Emily had a vaginal yeast infection a few months ago. I thought it was diaper rash. But after a couple of weeks of trying to get rid of it, I finally took her to a ped and she identified the yeast.

Some lotrimin cleared it up in a day or two. I was giving her bifidus in powder form and I thought maybe it was going to have an effect, but it just wasn't powerful enough to kill the yeasties.


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## Missgrl (Nov 18, 2001)

gemsmom--
I'm going to bump this thread over to the "Alternative and Complimentary Medicine" forum. I think you will get alot more help over there.
It will still be seen in this forum and members can still reply to it here too....they will just automatically be taken to the other forum as they reply!

good luck!


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## cobluegirl (Nov 20, 2001)

Ok I am interested in this too. My son has had the worse diaper rash and I finally took him in today. The doc at first thought it was strep and did a culture....and then I told her that his eczema was breaking out....then she decided that it might be the yeast too....so.....we have perscriptions for the Lotrisone, Keflex liquid, H&C cream ( for the eczema, I assume it is hydrocortizone) also she said to use some cetophil lotion to prevent the eczema from coming back.

Now here is the thing.....I have heard that cortozone creams are terrible and I don't really want to put it on him...but what else am I supposed to do?

Any natural ideas?


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## gemsmom (Dec 27, 2001)

Our Naturopath recommended anti-yeast herbs such as black walnut and pau d'arco. In addition, dietary changes are important such as eliminating sugar, dairy, animal products, and reducing processed foods. To support his immune system, she recommended olive leaf (a substitute for goldenseal). Slippery elm is used to heal the stomach and digestive tract. Lastly, probiotics are indicated to increase friendly bacteria. We are making great strides, but it's a long, challenging process. It's hard to administer remedies to a 18 month old child and keep up with it daily. Conventional medicine leads us to believe that we can be healed by a pill or cream, but as many of us with chronic conditions are learning, that is simply not the answer to achieve health.


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## cobluegirl (Nov 20, 2001)

I totally agree. My 2 year old won't though I am sure







His diet consists of milk.....all the time and everything else some of the time. How do you get them to drink water and eat other things? My parents don't help though....they think he should have whatever he wants...thank goodness they don't live with us.

The vit I gave him had pau d arco in it and I think that it was the vit that made his butt break out...I am thinking it was cleansing his body....i do have some babydopholis so will have to give that too him. His stool is really ucky....

Thank you for your reply


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## amnesiac (Dec 28, 2001)

Yeast-
we use a pre/probiotic blend along with zinc

eczema-
a gamma-linoleic acid supplement like evening primrose or borage as well as zinc to support fatty acid conversion has always gotten rid of any eczema completely within about 3 days.


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## gemsmom (Dec 27, 2001)

I am curious as to exactly which products you use. I am always looking for better alternatives.

Thank you.


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## amnesiac (Dec 28, 2001)

I usually use Primadophilus for Children by Nature's Way or Children's PB8 by Nutrition Now along with Yo Baby yogurt by Stonyfield Farms. For zinc, I cut down to size with a pill cutter & crush a zinc lozenge (either cherry flavored Twinlabs or Cherry LoZINCgenzes by KAL). When they were tiny babies I used any old EPO, but now that they're bigger I use borage gelcaps since the GLA concentration is higher & more cost effective.


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## bebe luna (Nov 20, 2001)

I replied to a similar post like this one a month or so ago.
About 4 years ago I sufferred terribly from candida overgrowth... after much confusion, misdiagnosis, and desperation I came upon the book "The Yeast Connection" by William G. Crook M.D.
I basically diagnosed myself... and took the steps to heal myself.
Here is the basics of what worked for me:
I went on a year long yeast free, sugar free diet (no sweets- even fruit, fermented condiments, tofu, yeasted breads, coffee, black tea, dairy, etc)
I began takin Pau D' Arco daily, as well as:
1 clove raw garlic
very high doses of acidophilus
1 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
2000 mg. vit.c
astragulus
***lots of purified water and exercise!

The book really covers the whole dietary thing- whats good to eat, what's not good, plus recipes

If I'd had to battle it again, I would also add acupuncture to my regime. It can do wonders combatting yeast overgrowth.

Grapefruit seed extract and coloidal silver are also meant to be wonderful in wiping out candida overgrowth.

I wish you the best of luck, I know it can be difficult and frustrating.
I know some of the stuff I listed isn't appropriate for an 18 mo- but colloidal silver ( a natural, safe antibiotic) can be given to babies, as well as acidophilus and astragulus... you can definately take high doses of vit. c, garlic, and pau d'arco while bf...


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## cobluegirl (Nov 20, 2001)

Ok is eczema Candida? T has it bad and I think that the SeaSilver I have been giving him is cleansing his system which is why it is coming out. It has the silver and the pau'd arco in it.


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## Amulet (Nov 19, 2001)

Just my little contribution........candida overgrowth can cause or exacerbate eczema. The main culprit is sugar and/or antibiotic use which wipes out internal bacteria. A good probiotic in combination with cutting out sugar, wheat and dairy as well as a course of grapefruit seed extract will work. GFS can also be used in olive oil topically but you may need a pharmaceutical anti-fungal to speed things up if you are treating a child who is in a lot of discomfort.

For eczema try limiting/eliminating dairy or switching to goat/sheep milk, no citrus fruits or juices, no sweets. Do not use any soap or shampoo in the bath, just oils like Weleda's calendula baby oil, or a few drops of lavender. A good herbal based cream like Self Heal Cream, applied up to 8 times a day to keep everything moisturised and internally essential fatty acids (Udo's choice) or evening primrose.


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## amnesiac (Dec 28, 2001)

Regarding the safety of colloidal silver use with babies--
If you've followed the studies involving the potential mercury-autism connection much, you may recall the recent finding that many autistic kids have metallothionein dysfunction & are therefore unable to get rid of mercury & so it accumulates to high levels. Metallothionein also gets rid of silver & so since this is a relatively newish thing & we mostly don't know which kids have a MT dysfunction, I would be concerned that the silver could potentially accumulate to unsafe levels in such babies. Since selenium also has a binding affinity for silver, I would be concerned that administering silver to a baby might result in selenium deficiency which would adversely effect immune function.


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## bebe luna (Nov 20, 2001)

More books on Candida/Yeast:

*Allergies and Candida, by Steven Roschlitz

*Candida: The Symptoms, the Causes, the Cure, by Luc de Schepper

*How to Prevent Yeast Infections, Yeast Consulting Services, P.O. Box 11157, Torrance, CA 90510

*Solving the Puzzle of Your Hard-to-Raise Child, by William G. Crook & Laura Stevens

*The Candida Albicans Yeast-Free Cookbook, by Pat Connolly

*The Candida Control Cookbook, by Gail Buron

*The Yeast Syndrome, by John Parks Trowbridge & Martin Walker

*The Yeast Connection and Women, by William G. Crook

*The Yeast Connection Cookbook, by William G. Crook


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## cynthia mosher (Aug 20, 1999)

Note: This is an archived topic. It is read-only. Mothering Boards
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Archive
Please HELP!! The Yeastie Beastie is making me CRAZY!!!

This topic was originally posted in this forum: Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Author Topic: Please HELP!! The Yeastie Beastie is making me CRAZY!!!
Ms. Mom
Moderator posted 03-28-2001 07:54 AM
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Ok, I have a horrid yeast infection and the burning and iching are makeing me CRAZY! I'm frustrated and impatient. I took Diflucan about 36 hours ago and it is clearing up, but the iching and burning is SO HORRIABLE! I tried Yogert in the area, but nothing is helping. I havn't slept in 2 days and I'm not the nicest mommie right now. Someone, please help before I go grab a brillow pad!
~~Gentleness

steph
Member posted 03-28-2001 08:27 AM
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Ms. Mom, I just posted under bacterial infections a site for a product my dear friend makes. You might want to check it out. The site is www.moonmaidbotanicals.com and the product is called yeast free. It's a salve type of product you apply internally with an applicator. She's available for questions too. Good luck, S.

circlemama
Member posted 03-28-2001 01:13 PM
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I think the Diflucan may take up to several
days to work. Check out the Mothering archives for a great article on Yeast/Thrush.

ERBDOC
Junior Member posted 03-28-2001 02:57 PM
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Raspberryleaf tea is always a good gentle douche and if you added pure essential oil of lavendar it would become an antifungal douche as well. For an herbal douche use a small ear or baby syringe and fill it with warm strong ras. lf tea to which 4-8 drops of oil of lav. has been added. Get into a comfortable position with a towel and plastic garbage bag under you. Squirt the tea into your vagina til you feel it overflow and just relax for 15-20 min. (there's that mythical un-interrupted time!)Then just stand up with the towel so nothing drips where it shouldn't.
For vulvitis, and itchy rectal area you can wipe with pretty much full strength oil of lav. Be aware that it will sting on raw skin BUT the itch will go away. If you can't do sting- dilute with olive oil. but ...it may take longer to be effective.
THEN you need to deal with the problem that caused the problem in the first place: NO SUGAR or REFINED FLOUR AT all- even sweet fruit may be too much at first (remember milk contains a LOT of sugar). Build up your immune system (colostrum, echinacea) so that NOTHING will overgrow.
And lastly, be sure that other things entering your vagina are not contributing to the irritation - this includes other's secretions, latex, spermacides, saliva, etc.
In my 20+ years experience yeast/candida infections is the ONE thing more people have in common than any other. (Due to various assaults on our immune systems. ) Good luck and feel freee to e-mail me if you need to.

celticmama
Member posted 03-28-2001 05:21 PM
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Hi there, have you tried the Tea Tree suppositories? I love them, it feels a little on the cool side when you put one in but the relief is unlike anything else! I used a mixture of Aloe Vera juice with a acidolphius capsule, the kind with carrot and green pea, dairy free of course, and a capsule of Slippery Elm bark. It made a kind of thick mix and apply that externally. That with the Tea Tree and lots of water and Pau D'arco tea helped so much. I hope you find some relief soon !

Ms. Mom
Moderator posted 03-28-2001 07:53 PM
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Thank you all for your help and support! I'm off to the health food store tomorrow! I'd go tonight if it wern't so late. I feel like a huge walking fungus. Did you say NO SUGAR AT ALL? I'm really trying on that one, but it's so hard! ( (I know, whine, whine, whine)
~~Gentleness

lilyka
Member posted 03-29-2001 08:01 PM
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If you need a sugar fix try Stevia Plus. (it comes in a green box at healthfood stores. It is sugar free, natural, sweet and increases intestinal flora. Its wonderful

Ms. Mom
Moderator posted 03-29-2001 09:12 PM
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Ended up quite ill this morning and had to resort to the doctor. I have yeast in my intestine, bladder and possibly kidney. Had to take more Diflucan and Nystatin cream. Lot's of blood work and the scope (yucky). Picked up a great Probiotic, Cranberry Extract, and Katnip tea to go along with it. This is by far the worst thing I've ever encountered. Thank you ladies for your loving support and advice. I felt your healing vibes and truley appreciate you all!
~~Gentleness

JDages
Member posted 03-30-2001 11:35 AM
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I have had yeast problems and have been able to keep them at bay with several things. I take acidophilus daily plus alfalfa and B complex. I also try to limit my sweets; if you have a yeast infection currently cut out all sweets, go easy on fruits even and no juice. Tea Tree oil can help putting on the vaginal area itself, I have been told, but have never tried it. Good luck,
JDages

bellabesa
Member posted 03-30-2001 03:04 PM
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sometimes inserting a peeled clove of garlic helps

Ms. Mom
Moderator posted 04-01-2001 08:11 AM
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ok, got the internal itching to go away! Now the external itching is making me CRAZY. I feel so awfull, I can't sit, can't sleep! Please HELP! I can't use Tea Tree Oil on the vaginal area, any other suggestions?

Cynthia in Arabia
Moderator posted 04-02-2001 01:30 AM
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Try baking soda water as a wash.(A tablepoon of baking soda to a couple of cups of water I think) My ob/gyn recommended it for me once and it worked well. I washed with it everytime I went to the bathroom or whenever i felt itchy.
~Cynthia

alianmama
Member posted 04-03-2001 03:04 PM
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Woman, I feel for you! I used to have chronic yeast infections. I've become a raw-foodist and haven't had one (oh except for when I fell off the wagon over the holidays) in over a year (dh is so glad... )
anyhow, my midwife told me to get size 00 gel capsules, fill them with boric acid (available at any drugstore), insert 2 nightly for up to a week. Now, she is a total holistic, herbal hippie woman, and she recommended THIS! It works, just wear a pad for the fluids. It works GREAT and doesn't saturate your tissues like monistat etc. which contributes to soreness and tearing.
For external itching, I tried EVERYTHING but finally went for the drug-store cream (miconazole or clotrimazole etc.) and used only externally as I used boric acid internally. After trying numerous herbal,homeopathic etc rememdies, this worked hands-down best for yeast infections.

However, I must say that changing your diet is the NUMBER ONE contributing factor with regards to yeast infections. Being a raw-foodist has changed my health completely, including the yeast-monster. Check out rawfood.com, rawfoodists.com, amazon.com has books and so do my local health food stores.
Just for your info, a raw-food diet isn't a course in self-deprivation; it's a whole other creative world of food that's incredibly delicious and makes me feel better than I EVER did. All health problems: gone (not that I was majorly ill). The Hippocrates Institute, a healing place for people including those with "terminal" illness, utilizes raw food in it's system.

sorry I rambled again

GOOD LUCK!

[This message has been edited by alianmama (edited 04-04-2001).]

KPduty
Member posted 04-04-2001 12:12 PM
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Wow, I read through all the replies and no one mentioned Acidophilus. You can get it from an herbalist, health food store or even from some largish grocery stores. It needs to be refrigerated so don't buy it off a shelf. I can't actually remember, but I think Acidophilus is live yeast and it works to restore the balance of yeast in the body.

Katja
Member posted 05-21-2001 07:56 AM
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We had good luck with a book called the yeast connection by william Crook M.D. they use nystatin and a diet oriented approach.
Supplements include ascorbic acid several times a day, pau d'arco tea, garlic, lots of vitamin c, various minerals, caprylic acid products.

give it a try (doctor consult advised) the diet is very restrictive, and tough to stay on but it seems to work very well. anyway the book has lots of yeast info good luck

oh yeah, they recommend lots of yogurt too.
one of the best things for sugar craving is an amino acid called L-glutamine.(Ifound it eliminates cig. cravings too)

[This message has been edited by Katja (edited 05-21-2001).]

ediesmom
Member posted 05-22-2001 06:17 AM
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acidophilus supplements big time, I have even mixed it with plain yogurt for really bad ones and put it in my vagina. The symptoms usually disappear within hours. Take large doses orally for a few days, and then just supplement for a few more. I am a very yeasty woman, and have really got this down to a science.
Good luck, randee


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## 3kaw (Dec 31, 2001)

Looking for refresher info on what to do for oral thrush. DS 5 months has delevloped it. We have been on acidophilus for a while for other reasons, but still he now has this and a yeasty rash that I'm having difficulty getting rid of.









I've used yogart, for both, and genitian violet(sp) on diaper area.

I would rather use more natural products (then the GV).

Any ideas??









Thanks
Keri


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## Heather (Nov 19, 2001)

When my son was eight months old he had oral thrush for almost a month. What finally worked for him was breaking open an acidophilus capsule (one that had several strains) and smearing some of the powder directly onto the affected area. I think I did it several times in a day for two days and it cleared up. I also made a paste and smeared some on my breasts because I was nursing.I don't know if this will work for you or not-worth a shot though. Good luck!


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## broadusapples (Jan 11, 2002)

Hi! I have a real bad yeast problem so my kids both had thrush really bad. What finally worked with my 4 1/2 mo old was me taking a combination of grape fruit extract, Vit C and Acidophilus. Of course no sugar and yeast foods in the diet help extremely. Hope you get it worked out! C Apple


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## monkeymom (Jan 12, 2002)

And stay away from antibacterial soap!

My mother is a lactation consultant, and she once told me about a client who had the damndest time trying to get rid of thrush on her nipples and in the baby's mouth. Eventually they resorted to diflucan (sp?), but even that was not enough. Turned out this woman was washing herself with antibacterial soap every day, and it was impossible for the natural (and even UNnatural!) remedies to work without the friendly flora.

Not that I think this is necessarily the root of your problem, since lots of mothers and babies who avoid AB soap have yeast problems. It's just a warning. Since I've been pregnant, my mom made me throw away all the AB stuff we had in the house, including dishwashing liquid.

Good luck!

-mm


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## lisamarie (Nov 19, 2001)

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!! What are symptoms of candida in adults? I have been having some ongoing stomach problems and wondering if I have this.

Thanks for your help~

Lisa


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## Mallory (Jan 2, 2002)

any one use unsweetened yogurt directly on rash or vagina?


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## 3kaw (Dec 31, 2001)

Thanks for the info. I've heard of the grape fruit extract, although I haven't tried it. Where would I find it? Is it safe to give to babe, and does it have to be diluted?? Thanks again.
BTW the diaper rash is just about cleared up, but the oral thrush is still there, how frustrating!! My poor boy. I've been opening the acidophilus caps, and letting ds suck the powder off my finger.

Keri


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## bebe luna (Nov 20, 2001)

Mallory- I personally never have tried that, but I know my aunt used to do "yogurt douches" and I also know she has struggled w/ candida related problems for years. So, maybe she did these douches for yeast reasons????

Lisamarie- here are some signs of candida-

*Recurrent vaginal yeast infections
*Mental "fogginess"
*Digestive and urinary problems
*Irritable Bowel Syndrome
*MS
*Frequent Headaches(especially headaches after eating)
*Chronic Fatigue
*Food sensativities and allergies
*Cystitis
*Endometriosis
*Anal itching
*Asthma

***and the list goes on and on. Many symptoms of candida overgrowth are unexplainable to "standard' Western doctors. Which can be very frustrating and confusing to people suffering from this.


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## srain (Nov 26, 2001)

We used the gentian violet in his mouth- not ideal, but we were at a loss when nothign else worked.


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## broadusapples (Jan 11, 2002)

I bought Grape fruit extract tablets at a health store. I never gave any of it to my babies, but took the recommended dosage myself with acidophilus, and Vit C. It took a little bit for the thrush to go away, but this combo was what finally conquered it for me. And as I've continued taking it all, they haven't gotten it again!


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## Stacie (Nov 19, 2001)

Hi Ya'll. I haven't been on this forum in a while. Good to see ya again.

My 2 montth old just had oral thrush and I tried a remedy I got out of a natural childcare book. It worked awesome!!!!

take 5 bayleaves and boil in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. (you will see some oil floating in water)... allow to cool. Take out leaves and stir up. Put about 2 to 3 drops on baby's tongue. do this 2x per day for up to aweek.

I only used it for three days and the thrush was gone!!!!


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