Candida and Immune System Exhaustion

The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.

—Hippocrates

We each have within us an extraordinary mechanism for self-healing. It is that community of highly specialized cells that we call our immune system, which can be regenerated as needed using the lifeforce of nature.

When functioning properly, this inner healing clinic of over two trillion defenders is capable of identifying and eliminating alien invaders that threaten our health and our lives. The T cells, H cells, and leukocytes (white blood cells) that constitute the core elements of this system perform unique roles that require our nutritional support and ongoing detoxification of the body.

An average five-year-old child who comes inside the house covered in grime after a day of playing outside is under attack by thousands of various viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and other microbes. The child’s armor of skin cells captures many of these microbes, which are then dispatched as the skin cells undergo normal shedding. The child’s eyes are naturally cleansed with continuous blinking that summons antiseptic fluid from the tear ducts. Meanwhile, the mucus in the child’s nostrils are trapping airborne toxic invaders. Acids in the stomach and immune cells in the intestinal tract are attacking microbes that live on the food the child has ingested. The immune system is also identifying and destroying mutant cells within the body that could cause cancer.

When the body detects invaders, immune cells release chemicals called interferon and interleukins, which mobilize many other immune system warriors to play various roles. Proteins called immunoglobulins are sent out like scouts to investigate. If these immunoglobulins determine that the body is under assault from cancers, viruses, or other microbes, the body activates T cells and other “killer” cells to be the soldiers that destroy these unwelcome visitors.

Never before in human history have our immune systems been under such a systematic and sustained assault as we face today. Synthetic chemical toxins in our air, water, food, medicines, and consumer products are the new threats that combine with the microbes we have always faced, yet now they have multiplied by the hundreds of thousands to weaken our immunity to illness and disease. Add toxic thoughts to this noxious stew and we have the ingredients for an immune system breakdown.

Imagine the effect on us if we had to work nonstop at a job twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. That is what the stresses of modern life are putting our immune systems through, and the strain often leads to premature exhaustion, aging, and disease.

One of the symptoms of this immune system exhaustion—and the resulting increased vulnerability to disease—can be seen in the numbers of people who are unknowingly infested with Candida albicans, a bacterial yeast that is found naturally almost everywhere in our external environment. Once this fungus invades the human body, our cells become deoxygenated.

In chronic candidiasis, the yeast invades organ tissues, such as the lungs and liver, creating even more serious health problems. It is an opportunistic microbe that takes advantage of weakened immune systems. Consequently, when a person is facing cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular illness, and other such health challenges, Candida albicans may also be present, posing additional roadblocks to recovery.

Candida is closely related to hypoglycemia and diabetes, because this yeast infestation actually draws blood sugar to feed itself. If you are experiencing any symptoms of hypoglycemia, it is important to recognize that your susceptibility to Candida is greatly increased. Some symptoms of moderate Candida are itchy nose and eyes, nasal drip, a congested throat, fatigue, and a generally confused state of mind.

Several prescription drugs are commonly touted as remedies for Candida, but we have observed that these drugs act to further weaken the immune system. Probably the worst solution for Candida offered up by some medical “authorities” is for the sufferer to consume more animal products. Based on our observations, research, and findings at Hippocrates, this approach simply exacerbates and perpetuates the problem. Imagine the internal body, once infected with Candida, as a dank, moldy, dripping cave; this paints a rather accurate picture of what is going on inside.

If you have an enzyme-deficient diet and your tissues are oxygen starved, you have unwittingly created an ideal environment for this fungus to prosper. The most effective way to clean up and rejuvenate the affected internal areas is to expose the body to various forms of sunlight and air. This means eating a diet of raw, unprocessed vegetables and germinated seeds, grains, nuts, and beans, which transfer sunlight energy—the lifeforce—to clean up our cellular environment. Combine this with a regular exercise program, preferably out-of-doors, and the Candida problem will be alleviated.

The potential for our diets to boost our immune system is directly linked to the quality of the soil in which our food is grown. Soil depleted of organic minerals and trace minerals and saturated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides results in food that does not contain the raw material for our defense system to restock and rebuild itself.

In my experience, seldom do people die from a diagnosed disease. When people are very ill, they usually become dehydrated and experience sleep deprivation. Both conditions can further weaken the immune system, setting in motion a chain reaction of systemic failures that often hasten death.

Our Hippocrates wellness model for regenerating the immune system relies on a holistic, integrative approach. We use a combination of detoxification, the lifeforce of raw living food, specially selected whole food supplements, a balanced amount of rest and exercise, and generous doses of positive thinking to create a synergy that empowers the body to heal itself.