Guest guest Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 With her authorization, I post a White's answer on the topic of garlic. You have to decide for yourself, but getting as much information as possible first is better. > I first became aware of the limitations of using garlic to fight candida in > my own long story. I suffered, among many other symptoms over very many > years, from extremely severe oral thrush which caused extreme pain because it > caused the nerves in my teeth to be exposed below the gumline. At the time I > found relief from applying garlic oil - but had to apply it continuously > every night for several years, and I wondered why it never actually got better. > I discovered the answer in a variety of ways, but two I can remember in > detail: > > As part of my post-graduate training at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition > I did a 5-month course in Medical Herbalism. The lecturer was Liz Copeland, > MA(Cantab), MCPP, MNIMH. I believe she lectures currently at the University > of Westminster but am not absolutely sure about that. One of the things > she taught us was that medical herbalists know that garlic must be regarded > with the same respect as if it were an antibiotic - because although it has > powerful properties for destroying unfriendly microbes, those same powerful > properties destroy friendly bacteria - just like an antibiotic. She also taught > us its usefulness for clearing chest and kidney infections and as a stroke > preventative, but at high doses it should only be used for short periods. My > lecture notes say that for long term use as a stroke preventative it can be > taken at 400mg a day - provided you start with a healthy gut. So it > definitely is known to destroy friendly bacteria in the gut. > > Another source of information about this subject came in a book entitled > 'Nutritional Influences on Illness - Supplemental Chapters' - a Sourcebook of > Clinical Research, by Melvyn R. Werbach, M.D., Third Line > Press Inc, California. Dr. Werbach is Assistant Clinical Professor of the > School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California. In the section of > research information on Candidiasis, eight research papers are quoted plus some > additional references given. Of these eight pieces of research, two were > Animal Experimental Studies, five were In Vitro Experimental Studies, and only > one was an Experimental Study using human volunteers. The one human study, in > which fresh garlic extract was administered orally to human volunteers, > concluded that 'oral garlic is of limited value in the therapy of fungal > infections'. (Caporaso N et al. Antifungal activity in human urine and serum after > ingestion of garlic (Allium sativum). Antimcrob. Agents Chemother. 23(5): > 700-02, 1983.) > > The two animal studies did arrive at positive results in mice and 10-day > chicks, and the In Vitro studies gave varying results, including the fact that > two strains of candida albicans were not sensitive to an aqueous extract of > fresh garlic, although other findings were positive. The fact remains that > these were In Vitro studies and therefore did not take into account all other > influencing factors within the human body, including the presence of friendly > bacteria. There is no doubt that garlic does destroy candida - in the > absence of any inhibiting factors - but at what cost? I believe the only > research finding in this list which should be given serious consideration for our > purposes is the one which used human volunteers - and found that garlic is of > limited value. > > These discoveries helped me to understand why it was that years of garlic > administration to my oral thrush had allowed the condition to be alleviated on > a daily basis but never totally cleared. As fast as I was destroying > candida, I was also destroying the all-important friendly bacteria. This was why I > had found in my own experience that garlic was of limited value. > > I have therefore always ploughed a rather lone furrow in cautioning people > not to use garlic in the anti-candida battle - and the approach has certainly > been effective for many thousands of clients in my practice. However, I said > that there was one exception with regard to probiotics. Earlier this year, > at the Natural Health Products Show at Olympia where I was lecturing on M.E. > and Candida, I had the opportunity for a long talk with the technical team > from BioCare, who have recently launched a new product (Floraguard) which > combines garlic with probiotics in a two-part capsule. They actually managed to > convince me that this product had withstood a great many trials which proved > conclusively that the garlic did not destroy the friendly bacteria in this > capsule. I know that the strains of probiotic used by BioCare have always been > particularly stable and potent, and their technical people agreed with me > that it quite probably would still be the case with many other brands of > probiotic that they would not be able to stand up to the antibacterial effects of > garlic. However, in this case, with their own new product, they assure me > that it works and I respect them enough to believe them! Personally, I really > wouldn't want to risk the effectiveness of any other probiotic which had not > been shown to be stable in the presence of garlic - and for this reason, to > get back to my opening comment, I would reiterate that I did not mention that > garlic had to be taken with probiotics! > > I hope this information and my comments are helpful to you and your candida > support group. > > With kind regards > > a > > a White Dip.ION > Director and Nutritional Therapist > Nutritionhelp Ltd. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 > With her authorization, I post a White's answer on the topic of garlic. > You have to decide for yourself, but getting as much information as possible > first is better. > > > I first became aware of the limitations of using garlic to fight candida in > > my own long story. I suffered, among many other symptoms over very many > > years, from extremely severe oral thrush which caused extreme pain because it > > caused the nerves in my teeth to be exposed below the gumline. I don't think that is possible with a tooth. The roots of the teeth are incased in the bone of the jaw after all, and the nerves are deep within the roots of the teeth at their center. >>At the time I > > found relief from applying garlic oil - but had to apply it continuously > > every night for several years, and I wondered why it never actually got better. Well, that's a pretty extreme application. Several years, geez. Personally I have never particularly liked the commercially prepared " garlic oils " . Garlic in its natural state is not particularly oily. The garlic oils I have seen I always thought were very synthetic. I have never thought it was something I might want to use. I'm sure it is extracted/fractionated using chemical solvents and processes that can extract and concentrate tiny amounts of lipid based chemicals from a vegetable substrate. Also her use of the suspect garlic oil was oral and not a program of ingesting natural garlic with food to bring its action into the bowel. So it would not have had much activity in regard to suppressing candida in the body. I have seen carrot oil for sale but wasn't curious enough to buy or try it, though I grow a few hundreds of pounds of organic carrots each year and drink carrot juice often. :| > > I discovered the answer in a variety of ways, but two I can remember in > > detail: > > > > As part of my post-graduate training at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition > > I did a 5-month course in Medical Herbalism. The lecturer was Liz Copeland, > > I believe she lectures currently at the University > > of Westminster but am not absolutely sure about that. One of the things > > she taught us was that medical herbalists know that garlic must be regarded > > with the same respect as if it were an antibiotic - because although it has > > powerful properties for destroying unfriendly microbes, those same powerful > > properties destroy friendly bacteria - just like an antibiotic. Everyone has an opinion. Increasingly I find I trust the offerings of " scientists " and the pill pushers that try to pass themselves off as doctors and healers less and less. I like the motto " Nature has a Cure " that was proported by the natural hygienist doctors. Science is for sale in this day and age. Imo, The only cure for disease is health. Anyone who desires to have a healthful existence has to find their way back to a natural diet, imo. Probably I may be perceived as being out in left field here but... : -) I believe in a higher power and I believe it has placed in our environment for our medicinal use certain herbs. Garlic I believe is one of these. It is a powerful healer. Antibiotics are originally based on the chemicals produced by molds to enable them to inhibit the growth of other organisms and thus allow them to spread and multiply. Nothing wrong with that, its a part of nature. The problem is that the " antibiotics " used now are not natural. They are chemical and not part of the natural world. It's not surprising if they are detrimental to natural systems, most artificial chemicals are. >>The one human study, >>in > > which fresh garlic extract was administered orally to human volunteers, > > concluded that 'oral garlic is of limited value in the therapy of fungal > > infections'. Funny that, garlic is has always been said to be a powerful anti-fungal. Again everyone has an opinion. I would be interested most in knowing who was in control of the money behind this study and thus in a position to call the tune... Imo, the practice of science is often/likely always to some degree morally bankrupt and can and will produce seemingly valid results geared to support the position of whoever is the source of " the money " . The methodology and circumstances of studies can and I should expect are designed and devised to give the desired results. The results are then hailed as if a great depth of truth has been revealed to man. : -) For myself, I refuse to buy into it anymore. Be well, Namaste, Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Dans un e-mail daté du 17/07/2004 04:18:32 Romance Standard Time, stordock@... a écrit : > > With her authorization, I post a White's answer on the topic of > garlic. > > You have to decide for yourself, but getting as much information as > possible > > first is better The reason I am willing to err on the side of caution with garlic is the following: My candida relapse happened after I took raw garlic orally for a few days. Since my first experience with candida followed the taking of chemical antibiotics, I see a pattern there: disturbing the natural balance in my gut. I could deem it a coincidence but my first rule of thumb is to listen--and not to dismiss--what my body tells me. Francine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Dear Francine, You certainly should listen to your body, but finding out the right " why " for the cause of your relapse is important too. Like the old saying goes " don't throw out the baby with the bath water. " The " why " in your case was the candida, not the garlic. Garlic can certainly stir things up when your body is not ready for it. That is why someone like you, with lots of food allergies, would need to stay on the diet a longer period of time before introducing antifungals. Garlic is also one of the most potent antifungals. Some people even think they are allergic to garlic because of the ruckus it causes. It's more likely those people have candida. the best in health, Bee > Dans un e-mail daté du 17/07/2004 04:18:32 Romance Standard Time, > stordock@t... a écrit : > > > > > With her authorization, I post a White's answer on the topic of > > garlic. > > > You have to decide for yourself, but getting as much information as > > possible > > > first is better > > The reason I am willing to err on the side of caution with garlic is the > following: My candida relapse happened after I took raw garlic orally for a few > days. Since my first experience with candida followed the taking of chemical > antibiotics, I see a pattern there: disturbing the natural balance in my gut. I > could deem it a coincidence but my first rule of thumb is to listen- -and not to > dismiss--what my body tells me. > > Francine > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.