Please use your web browser to print out this page. Bring the print out to your doctor for consultation and approval of any supplements that you want to take while going through treatment. Nothing on this page advocates self medication. I am NOT a medical doctor or medically trained in any way.

Fungus/Mold is a serious issue for cancer patients. This is one of the medical issues that is known about, but not spoken of until it rears its ugly head. Many cancer fatalities are due to subsequent lethal fungal infections. These are known under many different names: Candida, Mucor, Apergillus, Yeast, etc. For a full listing of names and types you can go to http://advancedmoldinspections.com/types_of_mold.html

Invasive Fungal Infections

Invasive fungal infections (IFI’s) are an important cause of disease and mortality, particularly in patients with underlying risk factors such as low blood counts, specifically white blood cell counts, chemotherapy for cancer, transplantation, and AIDS. Although Candida (fungus) species remain a cause of invasive fungal infections, other organisms (particularly molds) have become increasingly more common, in particular Aspergillus molds and other molds including Fusarium species and Zygomycetes are increasing in frequency, and are associated with a high mortality rate. [1]

This same article lists out the medications used for these fungal infections and the fact that there are issues regarding toxicity.

Causes of Fungal Infections

There are many possible causes of infection in the patient with cancer. For example, certain cancers interfere with the body’s immune system response, which results in increased risk of infection to the patient. These cancer types include acute leukemia , chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Certain therapies used to treat cancer, such as chemotherapy (which interrupts bone marrow production of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets), radiation therapy, bone marrow transplantation, and treatments using corticosteroids, can lead to infection in the patient with cancer. The protein-calorie malnutrition that some cancer patients experience can result in suppression of the immune system, which results in increased risk for infection. Many cancer patients develop infections from procedures, which break the integrity of the skin, which then leads to the introduction of microorganisms into the body. These procedures include common interventions in the care of cancer patients such as venipunctures (puncture of the vein for blood), biopsies, insertion of urinary catheters, and use of long-term central venous catheters. Infection rates associated with long-term central venous catheter use in cancer patients is estimated to be as high as 60%. If the cancer patient’s immune system is severely compromised, infection can occur from food sources, plants, and/or air the patient comes in contact with. [2]

When you have a person who is under a lengthy treatment, like cancer, AIDS, and others, the medications used compromise the immune system thereby weakening the bodies first line of defense. Once fungus starts to spore, these travel and reproduce as they go. Medical intervention becomes necessary. IF YOU SEE FUNGUS IN THE NAILS OF THE BODY THIS MEANS THE INFESTATION USUALLY STARTED IN THE GUT!

A number of fungus infestations can develop on the fingers, under the fingernails, on and around the genitals and anus, and especially on the toes, where it is spoken of as athletes’ foot; and ringworm, which may appear on any part of the body, is usually caused by a fungus. These conditions, especially itching around the anus, become particularly severe after antibiotics taken by mouth have destroyed the intestinal bacteria that produce B vitamins. They often clear up quickly if the diet is made unusually high in these vitamins and large amounts of yogurt and/or acidophilus milk or culture are taken to insure the normal growth of intestinal bacteria. [3]

Acidophilus: Bacteria found in yogurt that can help restore a supportive bacterial environment to an intestinal tract whose normal intestinal bacterial population (“flora”) has been disturbed by disease or antibiotics. Eating yogurt with acidophilus may also be useful in preventing candidiasis (thrush), including in the vagina. [4]

Symptoms of Internal Fungal Infections

Thrush, yeast infections, anal itching, allergies, food allergies,Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, thyroid irregularities, headaches, and many more. For a full list of symptoms go to the following websites;

http://www.janssen-cilag.com/bgdisplay.jhtml?itemname=fungal_symptoms

http://www.mold-survivor.com/symptoms.html

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2004/11/25/cryptococcus041125.html

Manufacturers of certain allergy products (and other afflictions related to fungus), would not want you to have this information. This type of health information is intentionally suppressed by vested interests. Yet, fungal infections cause serious diseases and do result in death for immune compromised patients! Please, really study this for yourself or your loved one and take action.

Xylitol Sweetener

A large majority of Americans are completely completely addicted to sugar in all of its forms. Sugars feeds fungus! If you are a patient undergoing prolonged medical treatment the medications that are part of your treatment can set the stage for a fungal infestation. One way to have your cake and eat it too is to replace the sugar you use with a sugar alternative called Xylitol.

Xylitol is a natural substance found in fibrous vegetables and fruit, as well as in corncobs and various hardwood trees like birch. It is a natural, intermediate product, which regularly occurs in the glucose metabolism of man and other animals, as well as in the metabolism of several plants and microorganisms. Xylitol is produced naturally in our bodies; in fact, we make up to 15 grams daily during normal metabolism. Although xylitol tastes and looks exactly like sugar, that is where the similarities end. Xylitol is really sugar’s mirror image. While sugar wreaks havoc on the body, xylitol heals and repairs. It also builds immunity, protects against chronic degenerative disease, and has anti-aging benefits. Xylitol is considered a five-carbon sugar, which means it is an antimicrobial, preventing the growth of bacteria. While sugar is acid forming, xylitol is alkaline enhancing. All other forms of sugar, including sorbitol, another popular alternative sweetener, are six-carbon sugars, which feed dangerous bacteria and fungi. [5]

Xylitol has been shown to be effective in inhibiting Candida Albicans, a serious systemic yeast problem, and other harmful gut bacteria including H. Pylori, implicated in periodontal disease, bad breath, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and even stomach cancer. [5] There is a full article on Xylitol in this website.

We now use Xylitol for our baking needs and have replaced our wheat with gluten free flours.

Studies with Xylitol

In a study with rats, Xylitol-supplemented nutrition enhances bacterial killing and prolongs survival of rats in experimental pneumococcal sepsis. [6] Pneumococcus: A bacterium (Streptococcus pneumoniae) that is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia, associated with meningitis and other infectious diseases. [7] Sepsis is a severe illness caused by overwhelming infection of the bloodstream by toxin-producing bacteria.

Coconut oil

Candida albicans is yeast (or fungus) that normally inhabits our digestive system. In healthy people, candida does little harm because it’s kept in check by beneficial microorganisms, or probiotics. Antibiotics, prescription medications, birth control pills, poor diet and daily stress, allowing Candida yeast to grow out of control and produce infections, however, can easily destroy these “good” bacteria. Thought to affect more than 40 million Americans, Candida can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as vaginitis, weight retention, bowel disorders, ear and sinus irritation, intense itching, canker sores and ringworm. [8]

There is good research now that shows the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil kill candida yeast. Caprylic acid is one of the fatty acids found in coconut oil that has been used for quite some time in fighting candida yeast infections. William Crook, M.D., the author of The Yeast Connection, reports that many physicians have used caprylic acid successfully for yeast infections and that it works especially well for those patients who have adverse reactions to antifungal drugs.

Besides caprylic acid, two other medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil have been found to kill Candida albicans. A study done at the University of Iceland showed “capric acid, a 10-carbon saturated fatty acid, causes the fastest and most effective killing of all three strains of Candida albicans tested, leaving the cytoplasm disorganized and shrunken because of a disrupted or disintegrated plasma membrane. Lauric acid, a 12-carbon saturated fatty acid, was the most active at lower concentrations and after a longer incubation time.” This study shows great promise that all the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil work together to kill Candida albicans. [9]

Zeolite

Zeolite is a mineral with the technical name of clinoptilolite. Zeolite has a shape similar to a honeycomb and is a crystalline structure. We are going to skip a long complex dissertation on this mineral.

I did a search for medical studies with Zeolite. An agricultural study done with breeding cows showed that the cow’s fertility improved. The health of the cows ingesting zeolite, improved despite having a fungal infection and this improvement was attributed to the zeolite. [10]

Excerpts from a study titled La Roca Magica:

Natural zeolites (i.e., those found in volcanogenic sedimentary rocks) have been and are being used as building stone, as lightweight aggregate and pozzolans (A siliceous volcanic ash used to produce hydraulic cement.) in cements and concretes, as filler in paper, in the take-up of Cs and Sr (radioactive particles) from nuclear waste and fallout, as soil amendments in agronomy and horticulture, in the removal of ammonia from municipal, industrial, and agricultural waste and drinking waters, as energy exchangers in solar refrigerators, as dietary supplements in animal diets, as consumer deodorizers, in pet litters, in taking up ammonia from animal manures, and as ammonia filters in kidney-dialysis units. From their use in construction during Roman times, to their role as hydroponic (zeoponic) substrate for growing plants on space missions, to their recent success in the healing of cuts and wounds, natural zeolites are now considered to be full-fledged mineral commodities, the use of which promise to expand even more in the future.” By, Mumpton FA [11]

“We report a novel use of finely ground clinoptilolite as a potential adjuvant in anticancer therapy. Clinoptilolite treatment of mice and dogs suffering from a variety of tumor types led to improvement in the overall health status, prolongation of life-span, and decrease in tumors size. Local application of clinoptilolite to skin cancers of dogs effectively reduced tumor formation and growth. In addition, toxicology studies on mice and rats demonstrated that the treatment does not have negative effects.” [12]

“These data indicate that clinoptilolite treatment might affect cancer growth by attenuating survival signals and inducing tumor suppressor genes in treated cells.” [12]

A study was done to see if chickens infected with aflatoxin would benefit from zeolite. When the diet included zeolite the toxicity from aflatoxin was moderately reduced. [13]

Aflatoxin: A toxin produced by mold that can damage the liver and may lead to liver cancer. Aflatoxins cause cancer in some animals.

The fungi that produce aflatoxin grow on crops such as peanuts (especially) wheat, corn, beans and rice. Aflatoxin is a problem particularly in undeveloped and developing countries.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring mycotoxin produced by two types of mold: Aspergillis flavus and Aspergillis parasitic us. Aspergillis flavus is common and widespread in nature and is most often found when certain grains are grown under stressful conditions such as drought. The mold occurs in soil, decaying vegetation, hay, and grains undergoing microbiological deterioration and invades all types of organic substrates whenever and wherever the conditions are favorable for its growth. Favorable conditions include high moisture content and high temperature. At least 13 different types of aflatoxin are produced in nature with aflatoxin B1 considered as the most toxic. While the presence of Aspergillis flavus does not always indicate harmful levels of aflatoxin it does mean that the potential for aflatoxin production is present.

It is a known fact that patients who have compromised immune systems are more susceptible to mold and fungi. Being vigilant about molds and fungus is a key strategy for health, especially in a long treatment with chemotherapy, and transplants. This next section gives you steps that can be taken to prevent fungal infestations.

Actions You Can Take

 Remove sugar and sugar products from your home.

 Replace sugar with Xylitol. The best xylitol products are found at www.emeraldforestsugar.com this manufacturer has a wide array of products and the xylitol is the best that I have found. Their prices are also the best. I have completely switched to xylitol and no longer use sugar at all.

 Eliminate white flours from your diet. There is a very good bread baked by, Food For Life, Sprouted Grain Bread. This bread can be found in the natural, frozen section, of your grocery store. This bread is hearty, available in many varieties, and most of all, is a food that is good for the body. Because the wheat is sprouted and then made into bread, you are eating something that is alive. To read more about these specific products go to https://www.foodforlife.com/index.html

 Purchase virgin coconut oil for cooking and baking at home. Take coconut oil to kill fungus in the digestion. I place this in Kayla’s daily protein shake and it tastes good.

 Try to eat real foods, i.e., good old-fashioned meals, like vegetable stews, salads, lean meats and fish, with a large compliment of vegetables, Alaskan Wild Salmon, fruits for snacks, and drink clean water.

 Eat organic and hormone free meats and butter.

 Most grocery stores have a line of organic, natural, sandwich meats. Although organic meats cost more the taste is incomparable and completely worth the price.

 The whole family has to become united and change their diet with the patient; otherwise the changes in diet are not workable.

Foods such as regular bread, beer, and wine encourage candida growth. [14] Slowly eliminate these from your diet.

 Bottled juices are highly acidic and loaded with sugars. Do not drink them. Water them down while you slowly eliminate them. Fresh juices made from a juicer are fine as long as they are washed thoroughly and really fresh.

 Purchase probiotics and acidophilus to rebuild the gut with beneficial bacteria who then kill fungus. Or go to Sacred Health at www.sacredhealth.net they have a probiotic that survives in an acid environment. Kayla gets this everyday. It is called ORME Probiotic. This is also the most affordably priced product that I could find on the market.

 The coconut diet website has good information at http://www.coconutdiet.com/candida.htm

 Another site is www.killcandida.com

 Candida International has a wealth of information at http://candida-international.blogspot.com/

 This is the best price I have found for powdered zeolite. This is the company that we order from:http://www.zeohealth.com

http://www.sacredhealth.net This site has liquid zeolite and liquid probiotic.

Conclusion

Whole books have been written on the subject of fungus and its impact on health. I am sorry this article is so long but I did not know of any way to shorten this information. I wanted to at least provide all of the most important points so that you, the reader, would have enough to be able to start making the changes needed so that your actions are not aiding the growth of fungus in yourself or your loved one(s).

My sincere best wishes to you.

~

References

1. Infection. 2008 Aug; 36(4):296-313. Epub 2008 Jul 19.Aspergillus to zygomycetes: causes, risk factors, prevention, and treatment of invasive fungal infections.Cornely OA. Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Klinikum der Universität zu Köln, 50924, Cologne, Germany PubMed 12 September 2008

2. Infection and Sepsis Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer | Date: 2002 Infection and sepsis Description.

4. MedicineNet.com

5. Xylitol: Our Sweet Salvation? by Sherill Sellman From: The SPECTRUM Vol. 4 No. 8; February 2003, p.23 —

7. BMC Microbiol. 2008 Mar 11;8:45. Xylitol-supplemented nutrition enhances bacterial killing and prolongs survival of rats in experimental pneumococcal sepsis. Renko M, Valkonen P, Tapiainen T, Kontiokari T, Mattila P, Knuuttila M, Svanberg M, Leinonen M, Karttunen R, Uhari M. PubMed 12 September 2008

8. The Free Dictionary by Farlex September 2008 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pneumococcal

9. Sweet Diabetic Delight Food Inc. Home of XylitolCanada.com

12. Papaioannou DS, Kyriakis SC, Papasteriadis A, Roumbies N, Yannakopoulos A, Alexopoulos C. A field study on the effect of in-feed inclusion of a natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) on health status and performance of sows/gilts and their litters.

Res Vet Sci. 2002 Feb;72(1):51-9. Erratum in: Res Vet Sci. 2004 Mar-Apr;23(2):288. PMID: 12002638 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

13. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Mar 30;96(7):3463-70.La roca magica: uses of natural zeolites in agriculture and industry. Mumpton FA.

14. Natural zeolite clinoptilolite: new adjuvant in anticancer therapy.

Pavelić K, Hadzija M, Bedrica L, Pavelić J, Dikić I, Katić M, Kralj M, Bosnar MH, Kapitanović S, Poljak-Blazi M, Krizanac S, Stojković R, Jurin M, Subotić B, Colić M.Ruder Bosković Institute, Division of Molecular Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.

15. Res Vet Sci. 2000 Oct;69(2):197-201. Preventive efficacy of clinoptilolite in broilers during chronic aflatoxin (50 and 100 ppb) exposure. Oğuz H, Kurtoğlu V, Coşkun B. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Selçuk, Kampüs, Konya, 42031, Turkey.

16. MedicineNet.com Internet 13 September 2008.

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