We've had a few yeast issues (yi for me, thrush for J), and I'm wondering how yeast ties in to food sensitivities.
I've read that they often occur together. Does yeast overgrowth cause food sensitivities? The other way around? Or do they just simply seem to occur in the same people?
Have you seen this? It is long but explains the connection clearly. Basically yes, yeast and more broadly gut dysbiosis causes leaky gut, which manifests as food allergies.
http://www.gapsdiet.com/uploads/Food_Allergy_by_Dr._Natasha_Campbell-McBride.doc.pdf
Excellent question! I've been wondering this as well. I'll check out the PDF.
We are going through this issue and treating for it with my son right now. He has a HORRIBLE yeast overgrowth, and has a tremendous list of food sensativities. As PP said, the yeast is always present in your gut in a healthy level. When it gets out of control, it eats small holes through the lining of the gut, causing leaky gut syndrome (proteins from other foods are able to permeate the gut lining into the bloodstream and the body sees it as a toxin and reacts to it). You have to treat to kill the yeast, and then get the gut to heal to help eliminate the food sensativities. I took my 2 year old DS to see a naturopath dr. after exhausting opinions with the GI and Allergy specialist and the city's children's hospital and she is working miracles with him!! We are starting to get the yeast under control, he is on a supplement to help heal the gut and we have already been able to add back in lots of foods!! (We were down to only 5 foods).
Valerie
Do you mind if I ask what supplement he is on and what you are using to treat the yeast? I am always learning about this issue and curious to see what is working for others. Nice to hear you are finding healing!
We are going through this issue and treating for it with my son right now. He has a HORRIBLE yeast overgrowth, and has a tremendous list of food sensativities. As PP said, the yeast is always present in your gut in a healthy level. When it gets out of control, it eats small holes through the lining of the gut, causing leaky gut syndrome (proteins from other foods are able to permeate the gut lining into the bloodstream and the body sees it as a toxin and reacts to it). You have to treat to kill the yeast, and then get the gut to heal to help eliminate the food sensativities. I took my 2 year old DS to see a naturopath dr. after exhausting opinions with the GI and Allergy specialist and the city's children's hospital and she is working miracles with him!! We are starting to get the yeast under control, he is on a supplement to help heal the gut and we have already been able to add back in lots of foods!! (We were down to only 5 foods).
Valerie
there can also be a biochemical predisposition to yeast, which would necessitate a different approach than just a basic gut imbalance.
I'm not a kill the yeast person, as to me it's signifying an imbalance. Killing yeast can create more problems for some than taking a broader approach. There's a thread around here somewhere that addresses this.
Having an overgrowth of yeast isn't helpful, but it can be a diversion if you aren't careful.
Agreed. I would also look to restore bodily balance rather than try to kill things off. All anti-fungals and antibacterial herbs will also kill off good bacteria/yeast and could easily confuse the issue further. The diet I linked to has a very holistic and TF approach to re-balancing inner flora. I believe some instances do require the addition of strong herbs but it should be a later resort.
Yes, I'm quite familiar with the GAPS diet! Just throwing out a perspective for those who hadn't read the link. There is more to this story than many believe.
I just read about this and our son has had such a long road with allergies, intolerances and eczema but he is so much better now. Here's some good info from Dr Sears on exactly this that I recently wrote about! Hope it helps :)
http://smilinggreenmom.com/2011/01/dr-william-sears-on-why-our-kids-should-take-probiotics/
Very interesting. I'd never had problems with yeast before the end of my pregnancy with ds2. It sounds about right that there could be an imbalance going on.
I doubt I have the willpower to do such a thing as the GAPS diet! I try to eat mostly veg (though with all these ED's, we're eating some meat these days. it's not fun for me).
PB and joybird- what type of imbalance? too many sweets? too acidic? Am I oversimplifying things?
smilinggreenmom- how old was your child when you gave those particular probiotics? Could I safely give them to my 18mo?
My son is on a homeopathic yeast remedy that I got from the naturopath, it just says "Homeopathic rememdy #8 Fungal Yeast Infection". His overgrowth was extremely severe....he was on long term antibiotics on a daily basis (for 4 months), plus has been on them several times in between for ear infections and sinus infections. He's only 2 years old too! Oddly enough the yeast overgrowth was also causing some of his sinus issues. Since we started the yeast meds, I have been able to completely take him off of his Allegra! We are also doing absolutely no sugars, low starch (he can't tolerate most grains anyways), no gluten and only very low sugar fruits in moderation.
The supplement to help heal his gut is called Biocleanse Plus by Nutraceuticals....it's loaded with digestive enzymes, some herbs to help heal the gut, fiber, protein and pro-biotics. We are going to add in a high dose pro-biotic on our next visit as well.
Our goal is to help heal the gut and lower the yeast count in his body and hopefully be able to eliminate most of his food sensativities. That said, he only have a few IgE allergies, but a TON of IgG allergies.
Valerie
Imbalance occurs when the wrong bacteria have colonized the intestines due to whatever reason, there are many. Enzymes, diet (no sugar/low starch as pp said) and probiotics are essential for healing. Once the wrong bacteria have taken over, digestion is compromised because the body is unable to produce the proper enzymes to digest foods, which then become 'food' for the bacteria/yeast. Diet is used to starve the pathogens, enzymes are used to support digestion until the body is functioning well again, and probiotics to re-colonize the gut with beneficial bacteria. FWIW, cultured and fermented foods are far superior to supplements in this condition, for the most part. *Most* allopathic practitioners, including allergists, have no clue about any of this.
to the above I will add that some people have skewed biochemistry as a result of overuse of antibiotics, other prescription and OTC meds as well as a build up of heavy metals. All of these things affect our chemistry in a profound way that can leave you able to manage things with diet, but not truly heal. By that I mean you can be fine as long as you are compliant, but off the diet the symptoms return. That isn't healing, that's managing an imbalance via diet. Far preferable to most alternatives, frankly.
An imbalance can occur and persist in a variety of ways which is what makes it so tricky. Ten people can have yeast overgrowth and be helped by ten different protocols. In general though, the diet described above is a great start and a good way to get to ground zero.
Its also worth mentioning that while significant healing can happen quickly (even more so with children) it really does take a while after symptoms have subsided to truly get the gut back into optimal shape. The diet sometimes needs several months, even one or two years of maintenance to be long-lasting. And probiotic foods are really a necessity for every body on a regular basis to keep the system balanced.
ETA: LOL - I wrote this before I saw panserbjorne's last post. I'd like to hear more about other alternatives and supportive measures, as from what I can gather you seem to really know some interesting stuff...
to the above I will add that some people have skewed biochemistry as a result of overuse of antibiotics, other prescription and OTC meds as well as a build up of heavy metals. All of these things affect our chemistry in a profound way that can leave you able to manage things with diet, but not truly heal. By that I mean you can be fine as long as you are compliant, but off the diet the symptoms return. That isn't healing, that's managing an imbalance via diet. Far preferable to most alternatives, frankly.
An imbalance can occur and persist in a variety of ways which is what makes it so tricky. Ten people can have yeast overgrowth and be helped by ten different protocols. In general though, the diet described above is a great start and a good way to get to ground zero.
Please tell us more! I started down this road of diet changes when my nursling had mucus in every stool. I did an ED withj very little success and then found a new doc who believed there was a leaky gut/yeast issue. SO I cut out more foods and added some back in. I've since moderated the diet since my LO no longer seems to be as reactive (yeah!!) but i am still dairy,gluten and mostly sugar free. However, what recenty seems to be happening is when I eat even as little as a 1/4 of a cookie and 3 hershey kisses- I end up with cystitis and/or a vag yeast infection. I feel like my balance is way off! can I not even cheat that much? Where do I go from here? For the record- I had very few of the yeast/leaky gut symptoms but the doc was going off the baby's issues and my past antibiotic use and the Pill. I am really interested in all this info and I feel like in the end- I will be so healthy but the journey is rough. I'm having a hard time keeping optimistic. it is so overwhelming.
Oh, there are a multitude of ways. Some that may seem out there (but have scientific basis) and some that are more easily understood. People can use diet to reset, but often you'll see better and more long lasting results when you use targeted supplementation, homeopathics, herbs, acupuncture, structural work etc. It really ultimately depends on how things started, how they manifest and the context of the symptoms in the person's life.
Some will get better if you normalize the endocrine system, others if you balance the immune system so it's no longer skewed. Some are dominantly sympathetic and unable to shift into the parasympathetic system which can alter the pH as well as the chemistry. This will allow the yeast to flourish and deplete other nutrients.
IF there are metals present or a history of antibiotics, BCP's etc. then certain receptor sites can be compromised, which requires additional nutrients to bypass them. In addition, if this is the case there can be an overload of toxins and the detox pathways can be sluggish (requiring nutrients that are in short supply.) Altering the diet alone can reduce the amount of toxins and thus the amount that needs to be excreted, which will bring relief. Until the pathways are overloaded once again.
Different modalities will look at this a different way. What I delight in is seeing how they all approach it and where the crossover is. If we can understand that, we can take the bits and pieces and cobble them together for the individual.
oh, and you can understand all there is to know in the universe about it and still not be terribly successful in treating it *because* the causes can be so varied and they can mimic so many other things. More often than not it's a journey of self discovery-doing what feels good which makes you feel better. Yes, there are many things that can assist that journey....but from a spiritual perspective you are still seeking balance (emotionally AND physically.) It's balance that allows healing. All ancient forms of medicine acknowledged this in their own way.
All of our crazy tests let us see things we couldnt' before....but they're generally just giving you more red herrings IMO. If we can stop micromanaging for five seconds, and work on the big picture (adequate and restorative sleep so the kidneys are supported and the vital current flows thus recharging the "battery", eating in a way that fuels your body and makes you feel vibrant, engage in activities you enjoy, give back to the world and being active in the community etc.) that actually can go a LONG way to healing. It can help oxygenate your body, repair (growth hormones are only secreted when we sleep) happiness alone changes our rhythms, can switch us into parasympathetic response, raise our pH etc.
I tend to go back to the hermetic tablet, as above, so below. Our cells are a microcosm and lives are reflective of what's going on in our environments and vice versa. If you can achieve balance spiritually that will likely begin to reflect in your cells. If you can achieve balance in your cells then it will begin to reflect in your behavior and mental function.
There's no one straight path. I tend to think it's a little bit of everything that will shift things...one foot in front of the other.
This is not to say you shouldn't focus on the nutrition, the biochemistry, the systems etc. You certainly can and be quite successful in doing so. It's just one avenue, though and not a particularly holistic one. It will bring you a certain distance, but then the other aspects do need to be addressed. How is not set in stone. I do very well with flowers and homeopathy supported with CST. Others may do far better with acupuncture and rolfing. There's no one answer!
This is such a great post. Beautifully put, and exactly what I needed to hear today. Thankyou!
oh, and you can understand all there is to know in the universe about it and still not be terribly successful in treating it *because* the causes can be so varied and they can mimic so many other things. More often than not it's a journey of self discovery-doing what feels good which makes you feel better. Yes, there are many things that can assist that journey....but from a spiritual perspective you are still seeking balance (emotionally AND physically.) It's balance that allows healing. All ancient forms of medicine acknowledged this in their own way.
All of our crazy tests let us see things we couldnt' before....but they're generally just giving you more red herrings IMO. If we can stop micromanaging for five seconds, and work on the big picture (adequate and restorative sleep so the kidneys are supported and the vital current flows thus recharging the "battery", eating in a way that fuels your body and makes you feel vibrant, engage in activities you enjoy, give back to the world and being active in the community etc.) that actually can go a LONG way to healing. It can help oxygenate your body, repair (growth hormones are only secreted when we sleep) happiness alone changes our rhythms, can switch us into parasympathetic response, raise our pH etc.
I tend to go back to the hermetic tablet, as above, so below. Our cells are a microcosm and lives are reflective of what's going on in our environments and vice versa. If you can achieve balance spiritually that will likely begin to reflect in your cells. If you can achieve balance in your cells then it will begin to reflect in your behavior and mental function.
There's no one straight path. I tend to think it's a little bit of everything that will shift things...one foot in front of the other.
This is not to say you shouldn't focus on the nutrition, the biochemistry, the systems etc. You certainly can and be quite successful in doing so. It's just one avenue, though and not a particularly holistic one. It will bring you a certain distance, but then the other aspects do need to be addressed. How is not set in stone. I do very well with flowers and homeopathy supported with CST. Others may do far better with acupuncture and rolfing. There's no one answer!
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