Directory of health resources for healthcare professionals.

One characteristic of the brain-fag problem is an acute loss of memory. Norma Tolliver came to me for this problem. A year earlier, she had been pursuing a promising career as a buyer for a large manufacturing concern. Her forte was her outstanding memory. She knew the sizes, colors, weights, and other specifications of the company’s products, as well as the names and phone numbers of the shipping lines, manufacturers, and other colleagues by heart. Her employers called her the “walking encyclopedia” and relied upon her to have information at the tips of her fingers.

She never failed to supply the information they sought. Then, without warning, her memory began to fade. A succession of doctors analyzed her problem as psychological in origin and offered a number of imaginative explanations. Tolliver tried desperately to hold onto her position, surrounding herself with thick notebooks filled with data of all sorts. This was a transparent device, and her employers became disillusioned, suspecting her of having tricked them all along. Eventually, she was fired.

Testing in a hospital setting revealed serious susceptibility to corn and wheat. Ingestion of these two foods had led to mental cloudiness, memory impairment, and other signs of brain-fag.

Her reaction to the oat test was most dramatic, however. This was her last food test in the hospital, made necessary by the fact (initially overlooked) that she ate oats in some form almost every day: oatmeal porridge, oatmeal cookies, and so forth. After twenty minutes, the test seemed to be negative, and I left the hospital. Miss Tolliver, however, went into a severe reaction to the oats, as was revealed when a nurse’s assistant came into her room and made an innocent comment. Miss Tolliver misinterpreted the comment and became very annoyed; she insisted that the nurse apologize and angrily started calling all over the hospital, demanding to be discharged and cursing out the administrators. It was only in retrospect that she realized that her reaction was, indeed, a cerebral reaction to a common food eaten with addictive regularity—the oats. In fact, this sort of violent moodiness was familiar to her from previous reactions. Avoidance of her incriminated foods, particularly the three grains mentioned, led to an increase in her mental acuity. She eventually found and kept another job.

When brain-fag was first diagnosed, it was believed that food allergy was the sole cause. After 1950, clinical ecologists became aware of the importance of the chemical environment to health. Cases began to be seen which were primarily caused by exposure to common environmental chemicals.

*83\110\2*

In the preceding section, the basic concepts of food and chemical susceptibility were presented. In this section, we shall examine how such reactions actually affect patients with a variety of illnesses which are rarely helped by conventional medicine.

The chapters in this section are rather arbitrarily organized around particular diseases. This is, of course, the way conventional medicine, and most patients, think of their ailments. In actuality, however, most susceptible patients have a constellation of diseases, with few clear-cut distinctions between them. The headache patient, if questioned, may turn out to have many localized problems, on the one hand, and a tendency toward depression on the other. Or he may vacillate between periods of exuberance and energy and subsequent “hangovers.”

It is the orthodox, overly analytical medical system which insists on pigeonholing patients into disease categories, and, particularly, separating physical from “mental” or “emotional” problems. Whatever the practical benefits of such a scheme, it fails to describe these various complaints as part of an overall continuum of ill-health in the life of each individual patient.

What is meant by “headache” or “arthritis” below, then, is a stage of illness in which arthritis or headache is the principal, but rarely the sole, complaint. These levels of reaction were first described in 1956.1

The bulk of the cases presented here fall either into the plus-two, the minus-two, or the minus-three categories. In other words, they are intermediate between the least and the most extreme cases of both stimulation and withdrawal. The reasons for my emphasis on these conditions are as follows.

*53\110\2*

Moulds

Damp houses and other buildings (eg churches, church halls) provoke symptoms. Raking up fallen leaves, handling compost, or spending time in a greenhouse, cellar or conservatory also tend to make symptoms worse. So does mowing the lawn, if grass-clippings were not collected up after mowing last time – these will have grown moulds which are stirred up by mowing again. House-plants, Christmas trees, damp straw or hay and domestic humidifiers are other possible sources. The symptoms may appear only in midsummer or late summer and autumn -or may worsen at this time.

Pet dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, hamsters, mice etc

Symptoms may not appear until many months after the pet is acquired -sometimes as much as a year. In very sensitive individuals, clothing that has been in contact with an animal can trigger an attack. Traces of animal danders (skin particles) can linger in a house where pets have lived previously, even if carpets are removed. Old horsehair sofas or mattresses can affect someone who is sensitive to horses.

A brief exposure to an animal can cause symptoms that persist for up to a week. The symptoms may be mild and transient when the animal is actually there, with a more severe, delayed reaction that sets in later.

*77\180\8*

These include malt, cow’s milk, eggs, com, rye, oats, wheat, cocoa, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, peanuts and chicken.

Sometimes a strong allergy to a given food can make you mildly allergic to other members of its food family. Be on the look out for this. For instance, if you are allergic to onions and don’t feel any better for having avoided them, experiment by going off chives, spring onions, garlic and leeks as well. Regularly consult the food family table in the back of the book. This is done as a last resort and only after all the commonly allergic foods and amines and salicylates have been tested for. Don’t even consider doing it if you’ve broken the program.

If you show up allergic, go on your personal Anti-Allergy Program (which is the Anti-Candida Program minus the foods you are specifically allergic to) for a minimum of ninety days from the time of determining your allergic food(s). Those of you who have been on cortisone and antihistamines may find that once off cortisone, you still need antihistamines to keep your symptoms at bay. If this is the case you must still go off the antihistamines for seven days before the tests. (You must be completely off cortisone.) This could be uncomfortable as the symptoms may well flare up. I wish there was an easier way but unfortunately there is not. After the tests you can go straight back on to the antihistamines (but not cortisone tablets) while the program is starting to take effect and then wean yourself off them (under a doctor’s supervision) as your symptoms abate. If suffering from asthma use a Ventolin inhaler during these seven days and any other non-cortisone/ non-antihistamine drug your doctor recommends. If suffering from eczema or other skin rashes for which your doctor has recommended cortisone creams, keep using them. Cortisone creams won’t interfere with the tests (cortisone puffers will). In fact cortisone creams help by keeping skin conditions at bay while the program is taking effect. Looking at a skin condition can be so distressing as to cause it to flare up and resist the healing effects of the program.

*56\18\9*

Recurrent vaginal thrush is a significant problem for some women and is harder to treat than gut-mediated thrush (Candida infection). Some authorities argue that vaginal thrush can’t be cured. Where it’s probably true that all Candida plants could never be completely killed, it’s equally true that the colony can be reduced to such a minuscule level that no symptoms ever manifest. To achieve this I’ve found the following steps must be taken.

1. Sex with a condom is a must. Many men have Candida yeast infections in their penis and Candida spores are carried out with the sperm. Some have blood Candida infections which can give rise to Candida in the sperm itself.

2. Sex with a partner with jock itch must not be engaged in. Jock itch results from Candida plants growing in the pubic, scrotal and groin areas. Make sure he shaves the whole pubic area (base of the penis, groin and scrotum). Make sure he uses a safety razor and not a barber’s razor. He must then apply the Nystatin cream (same as the ladies use) to the whole area every day for fourteen days—no sex during this time.

3. While your partner is doing this you must be doing the same.

Shave the pubic and vaginal area and apply Nystatin cream to it and inside the vagina for fourteen days. This is so you don’t give him back the jock itch that he will give back to you as vaginal thrush—no sex during this time. Do this even if you have no symptoms of thrush. During this time make sure you are wearing only 100 per cent cotton knickers which must be zapped in the microwave after laundering (while still slightly damp) for five minutes. This will effectively kill the Candida spores that survived the wash.

If you have suffered repeated severe bouts of vaginal thrush in the past and find the emotional stress of it overbearing, you won’t want to be going through this treatment procedure too often. I suggest then you bring the big guns to bear on your vaginal thrush. Ask your doctor to put you on a course of Nizoral. Nizoral is very effective at killing blood-borne Candida and those that are deep seated in the walls of the vagina. Make sure you have a liver function test first. If you suspect your partner may have blood-borne Candida and if oral sex is a preference of yours he must definitely go on Nizoral too. The chances of you contracting gut-borne Candida infection from oral sex are too great otherwise. Gut-borne Candida infections give rise to vaginal thrush again in time. While faking Nizoral you must be on the full Anti-Candida Program and Nystatin under the supervision of your doctor or other health professional.

Vaginal thrush must be contained if the systemic’ allergies and Candida infections are to be overcome. You won’t gel 100 per cent better if acetaldehyde is entering your blood system from Candida albicans plants that are deep sealed in the walls of your vagina.

*50\18\9*

Even after cutting down on commitments and activities, adhering to the program and taking Nystatin, some people still fail to get optimum results. The reason for this can be summed up in three words: the wrong attitude.

There is no sense cutting back on workload and commitments if you are going to feel guilty, frustrated and annoyed about it. If your attitude is: ‘This dammed Candida program is restricting me and slowing me down,’ then you are going to remain as stressed as you were when you were overdoing it. You’re not going to receive the results you are looking for if you cannot adopt an attitude that is in line with your more relaxed workload. Because we all have the ability to change our attitudes there is no excuse for feeling annoyed and frustrated when we cut back our work and commitment loads.

Habitual whingers are as unsuccessful as the over-workers when it comes to getting optimum results on the anti-candida regimen. Adopting the attitude of ‘Why me?’, ‘It’s unfair!’, ‘I can’t stand it!’, ‘Life shouldn’t treat me this way!’, ‘It’s awful!’ is a guaranteed recipe for disappointment. That sort of self talk puts cortisone in the blood as quickly as over-work, over-exercising and over-commitment.

If your first reaction to the thought of going on the program is a negative one read the program again. After reading and reflecting on it a few times you’ll find there are more foods to eat than you at first realised. Some people take longer to adjust to change than others. You could be one of them. Be patient. Give yourself time to become familiar with the program and the thought of going on it. In your own time you’ll be ready. It takes as long as it takes.

*44\18\9*

As individual Candida plants grow in size and number their roots put down deeper into the bowel wall. In time, the roots can be so deep, numerous and large in circumference that they can cause splits in the bowel wall. This splitting effect is analogous to the splitting of the pavements by trees whose roots are growing too big, a phenomenon often witnessed by those of us who live in cities that have trees growing out of the footpaths.

The crevices formed by this splitting effect allow the spores that bud off from the top of the Candida plant to fall through into the bloodstream. Carried along in the bloodstream the spores settle out in various body tissues (for example, joints, skin, brain, mucous membranes of the nose and throat) to grow to maturity and set up new colonies. These colonies, known as internal colonies, live on glucose that is carried in the blood each day and if they grow large enough can cause the blood glucose levels to drop seriously, giving rise to hypoglycaemia.

In my experience, few Candida sufferers have internal colonies. Those who do can take a number of internally absorbed preparations such as garlic and Nizoral (prescribed by a physician). Blood-borne Candida infections are diagnosed by blood tests or by the lack of response to treatment for a gut-borne Candida yeast infection.

*39\18\9*

Not everyone with a Candida yeast infection has allergies, though most do. Allergic sensitivities to other members of the yeast, mould and fungi family frequently develop in those with a Candida yeast infection. For this reason, a reaction to alcohol can be a result of both Candida and an allergy to the yeast used to ferment the alcoholic beverage if wines, beers and ciders are being consumed.

If the reaction is a response to the unfermented alcohol (whisky, vodka or gin), then Candida alone is often the culprit (though sometimes the food the alcohol is made from is involved). Other fermented foods such as breads, cheeses, yoghurts, vinegars and mould foods such as mushrooms and leftovers that have mould growing on them must also be avoided.

Acetaldehyde invariably creates sensitivities to other chemicals. Candida sufferers characteristically become sensitive to perfumes, anti-perspirants, household cleansers, aerosol sprays and gas from cookers and heaters. Sometimes gas from home cookers and heaters is such a problem to these people that complete containment of their symptoms is impossible until gas appliances are removed and electrical ones installed.

*35\18\9*

As well as being a food in itself, com (or maize) is used very commonly as a sweetener, and as a starch in food processing. To avoid com you have to stop eating the following foods:

Buttercorn Sweetcom

Corn on the Cob

Cornflakes

Popcorn

Maize

Maizemeal

Polenta

Corn Snacks

Do not use the following in cooking:

Corn Oil Maize Oil Cornflour Baking Powder

Avoid any processed foods containing corn or maize. Read labels. Avoid any foods containing the following, which are derived from com:

Corn Meal Com Starch Corn Syrup

The following ingredients are usually derived from corn, although they can be from other sources. Avoid any food containing these to be absolutely sure:

Dextrimaltose Fructose

Dextin Glucose

Dextrose Glucose Syrup

Avoid the following glucose products that are usually corn-based:

Glucose drinks (e.g. Lucozade) Glucose tablets (e.g. Dextrosol)

Avoid the following ingredients, which are derived either from corn or wheat:

Cereal Starch Edible Starch Modified Starch Starch

If a product contains vegetable oil of unspecified nature, it can often be corn oil. Avoid this. Similarly, if a product contains sweet ening or syrup of unspecified nature, it may well be corn. Avoid these.

To avoid all the above ingredients means avoiding most processed foods, especially sweetened ones such as snack foods, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and puddings. Children’s sweets are a common source. Pies, sauces, prepared savoury dishes, sauce mixes, custard powder, gravy mixes and stock cubes also often contain corn in the form of starch and oil. Corned beef and some brands of instant coffee also contain corn, although this is not always clear from the labels. If in doubt, leave a product out of your diet.

Corn is often, with other cereals, a base material for beers, lagers and spirits. Avoid these while excluding corn.

Corn is used in tabletting and coating many drugs, and in syrups for medicines. Take your doctor’s advice about avoiding prescribed medicine. Stop taking any home medicines. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is sometimes derived from corn.

Corn is sometimes used as a glue on envelopes and other similar uses. Avoid licking envelopes and stamps.

Corn starch is sometimes used to stiffen and seal paper and waxed cups and cartons. Avoid using these for food use. It is sometimes used as a starch on cotton clothes, for instance on some denim clothes, but washes out readily, and should not cause problems on contact after clothes have been washed several times.

*113\117\8*

Now the detective work starts. If you have an obvious suspect, you may not need to read the rest of this section. If you feel ill after you eat a particular food that you eat only seldom – say on holiday or if you go out to eat – then you could go straight for that. Do you feel ill during or after visiting friends or family? If so, it could be something in their house – their pet, their gas fire, their carpet, their soap powder.

Do you feel unwell only if you wear certain clothes, or if you dress up to go out? If so, it could be the fibres or the clothes, or it could be toiletries or cosmetics that you do not usually wear. Do you get symptoms after doing DIY, doing a particular hobby, after specific lessons or activities at school? Think hard about when and where your symptoms occur.

You can also keep a symptoms diary. For a week or longer, note down whenever you feel particularly bad. Look and see if there’s any pattern. Do it for a few weeks, or longer if you need to.

*44\117\8*