Systemic candida causing seizures?

[Keith]

To clarify, I don't know the answers about what products would be best to absorb neurotoxins made by yeast candida. I've recently learned about psyllium for this purpose as well as a good cleanse. Also, French Green Clay and apple pectin are supposed to be good. Ammonia and/or alcohol made by yeast may cause seizure.

The other mechanism for seizure I've mentioned is the gut-brain connection by way of lymphatic ducts of the small intestine. Because of this I would advocate fasting after a seizure to allow the adhesion of the ducts (scars) and inflammation to calm. In the past I've made the mistake of feeding my dog after a seizure and it only seems to make matters worse. Moreover, I may have noticed a pattern of reactive hypoglycemia after feeding, a cause of seizure in itself. I'm no expert and just learning out loud here . . .

[MarkyMark]

Keith, what do you normally feed your dog?

[Bernard]

... Colloidal Silver has been shown to be toxic when ingested. ...

Blue Man - YouTube

Blue Man - YouTube

[RobinN]

I use a combination of Biotin, Probiotics, and Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE is not recommended if you are taking certain seizure meds). If there is extreme die-off symptoms, activated charcoal in capsule form helps to mop it up.

[Keith]

Hi Robin, your posts and good energy I've read in the past couple years in my quest to cure my dog's seizure activity are what made me join this forum. Since my last post my dog had an endoscopy which revealed IBD in her jejunum. Same thing as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's . . . I believe hers is caused by amoebic dysentery. The protozoans eat too much of our good bacteria and then yeast candida can overgrow. Low bacteria can explain a lot problems, hence probiotics

GSE seemed to cause irritation, so I discontinued use. I've also since learned that chlorella may be counterproductive due to sulfur content, so it's discontinued. Sulfur apparently feeds yeast.

Molybdenum may be crucial as it's an important part of three necessary enzymes for detox of what yeast kicks out (alcohol and ammonia). 150 mcg dose twice daily for four months is what I've read helps balance gut flora. I'm also considering putting her on antiprotozoals nitazoxanide and rifaximin.

Molybdenum also balances high copper always seen in candida cases and other disorders.

Lastly for now, I've put her on a raw chicken diet (including bone) to stimulate stomach acid and enzymes, our first line of defense against pathogens. It's said to clear up IBD in dogs. She's also getting enzymes to help with digestion.

[epileric]

I've noticed you haven't addressed the item I'm most excited about: chlorella. It's highly nutritious and nontoxic food.
Its benefits appear to be threefold:
1) mops toxins possibly responsible for seizure (2009 study noted above)
2) grows good bacteria which may crowd out yeast and protozoa
3) increases oxygen which may be very important for seizure control

Since chlorella has the most chlorophyll of any food it is a potent way to increase oxygen as chlorophyll is very similar to hemoglobin (one molecule difference) which is the part of our blood responsible for carrying oxygen

Actually, chlorophyll does not contain oxygen, it produces oxygen but only with light.

Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light. Chlorophyll absorbs light most strongly in the blue portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, followed by the red portion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorophyll
Even if we could get oxygen out of the Chlorophyll our stomach absorbs food, not gases. Otherwise we would never burp or pass gas since it would be absorbed.

As any 14 year old biology student could tell you, plants only make oxygen in light: it’s very dark in your bowel; and even if, to prove a point, you put a searchlight up your bottom, you probably wouldn’t absorb too much oxygen through the gut wall.

Definitely question all "health" claims if you haven't seen the actual studies & more than one backing their claims.

do these characters improve the nation’s health? If they do, it comes at a cost: because even the most superficially plausible media nutritionists distort the scientific evidence to justify their profession. The reality is that intervention trials looking at dietary changes are hard to do. Broad brush interventions, such as eating fresh fruit and vegetables, have a reasonable evidence base, but there’s rarely any convincing data for the finicky, obsessive dietary changes detailed in the popular media.

At worst, media nutritionists will, in response to this absence of evidence, simply make it up. There are plenty of examples in the archives at my site www.badscience.net. More commonly they cherry pick the literature, selecting only favourable studies and ignoring the overall picture. But most corrosive is the way they misrepresent, from their position of dominance in the mainstream media, what scientific evidence for a clinical assertion would actually look like.

http://www.badscience.net/2007/02/th...tritionists-2/

[RobinN]

Hi Robin, your posts and good energy I've read in the past couple years in my quest to cure my dog's seizure activity are what made me join this forum.

Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate them more than you know

Since my last post my dog had an endoscopy which revealed IBD in her jejunum. Same thing as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's . . . I believe hers is caused by amoebic dysentery. The protozoans eat too much of our good bacteria and then yeast candida can overgrow. Low bacteria can explain a lot problems, hence probiotics

Yes I have found these to be quite helpful, though I am still experimenting with them (on myself)

GSE seemed to cause irritation, so I discontinued use.

When I used this, it was quite powerful. The recommendations that were suggested to me, was to begin with a drop and adding a drop each day. If there are ever side effects you cut back. I have found many uses for this OTC product.

I've also since learned that chlorella may be counterproductive due to sulfur content, so it's discontinued. Sulfur apparently feeds yeast.

I seem to remember reading that too. I have not been compelled to try this.

Molybdenum may be crucial as it's an important part of three necessary enzymes for detox of what yeast kicks out (alcohol and ammonia). 150 mcg dose twice daily for four months is what I've read helps balance gut flora. I'm also considering putting her on antiprotozoals nitazoxanide and rifaximin.

Molybdenum also balances high copper always seen in candida cases and other disorders.

I am going to go back over my information, and see if I find anything on this.

Lastly for now, I've put her on a raw chicken diet (including bone) to stimulate stomach acid and enzymes, our first line of defense against pathogens. It's said to clear up IBD in dogs. She's also getting enzymes to help with digestion.

I have been using intestinal enzymes (again on myself) and on my daughter recently when she showed signs of illness. I think she was having an increase in yeast due to uncontrolled sugar intake. I don't have any intestinal distress, but I am sure there is always room for improved gut health at my age. There are NO negative side effects. Raw is always a good choice, except I don't plan on raw chicken :/

Have your dogs seizures improved? Are you in touch with Dogtor J?

My daughter is 10+ months seizure free.

[epileric]

Molybdenum also balances high copper always seen in candida cases and other disorders.

Molybdenum Does not balance copper but may cause copper deficiency

High levels of molybdenum can interfere with the body's uptake of copper, producing copper deficiency. Molybdenum prevents plasma proteins from binding to copper, and it also increases the amount of copper that is excreted in urine. Ruminants that consume high amounts of molybdenum develop symptoms including diarrhea, stunted growth, anemia and achromotrichia (loss of hair pigment). These symptoms can be alleviated by the administration of more copper into the system, both in dietary form and by injection.[65] The condition, as an effective copper deficiency, can be aggravated by excess sulfur.[5][66]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum#Biological_role

Also, I found what Dr. Mark Crislip has to say about self-diagnosed Candida Syndrome to make good sense.

Before we continue, I would like to clarify one thing. I see patients self diagnosed with Chronic Candida Syndrome or Morgellons or Chronic Lyme or some other process. I do not doubt these people are ill and have symptoms that can be severe and life altering. What I may disagree with the patient is the reason for these symptoms. As best I can tell none of the above are due to an infectious disease.

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/...php/parasites/

[Keith]

Hi folks. Robin, I've read Dogtor J's website and have sent him email without reply, oh well. My dog is improving and went two months seizure-free until today's cluster. Doing everything I can to halt it. I've learned a lot since beginning posting here and still believe her seizure activity stems from the gut as they occur when she's constipated and has GI symptoms. Our vet diagnosed IBD through endoscopy, but I believe it's more like IBS-C, spastic colon. I believe it was caused by our former vet over-vaccinating in combination with another drug. Vaccination as cause of IBD is very controversial (Andrew Wakefield autism study), but there's definitely something very real about the connection. I don't believe it's about mercury/thimerasol, but they way the vaccines are actually designed to work causing collateral damage to the gut via enzyme inhibition and/or activation.

She's been on fluconazole almost 5 months now and I think it's helping, but not so sure. Her strength is returning. Why does seizure activity seem to take place around times of full moon which is now? Yeast are known to be more active during full moon, ask any beer brewer.

She's now on minerals to activate enzymes and reduce inflammation: selenium (an organic form called Se-Methyl-Selenocysteine), zinc picolinate to balance copper, silica for nerves and gut repair . . . and I've been testing hyaluronic acid as it's said to be good for the gut, not just joints, but everything (although one study states it's good for reducing fungal growth while negating lysozyme's fungus killing role). Adjunct therapy includes pomegranate extract, sea salt, brewer's yeast by Lewis Labs (fiber, nutrition and prebiotic), aloe vera gels, homemade kefir. We just started trying peppermint oil and will try acacia fiber. She's on a canned food meant for GI trouble.

This is far more art than science. Low bacteria, high yeast, low cortisol, high estrogen . . . gut flora imbalance is the malady of our time connected with poor sanitation, microbial pollution, vaccination, antibiotics, poor microbial predisposition (it's not just about genes, but the microbes we're born with out of balance). Generations of damaged gut flora leads to genetic mutation through gene-microbe interaction, so this is a long term ethical dilemma. I'm giving a presentation on the subject soon this month. Please download my abstract here:
google the following as the system won't allow me to post the link:
U.S. Composting Council 20th Annual Conference And Trade Show

My heart goes out to anyone having a child with epilepsy and to all who suffer. No one signed up for this . . . but I firmly believe the gut as origin is overlooked and underestimated. I appreciate the conversation here on this stressful day. I'm putting a protocol together in a pdf file and will provide a link here for download when it's ready for what it's worth . . .

Keith Bell
Lake Worth, FL

[Keith]

Here's the current protocol. I'm most impressed these days with French green clay 3x/day and hyaluronic acid at bedtime. I'm also discovering how C. diff bacteria may be a large part of the problem along with yeast due to low commensal (good) bacteria. I would post a download link, but the system here won't allow it.


CHISPA PROTOCOL:
HOLISTIC APPROACH TO GUT REPAIR AND BALANCING GUT FLORA

This protocol is a work-in-progress inspired by our dog, Chispa, who suffers from
IBD/IBS in her jejunum (second section of small intestine) confirmed through
endoscopy, May 2011. It applies to gut repair in general. Her malady manifests in seizure
clusters, a gut-brain connection where adhesions (scars) of lacteal ducts of the lymphatic
system in Peyer’s Patches are intimately associated with nerve fibers and bundles.
Damage has been caused by yeast overgrowth leading to an ulcerative condition. Possible
cause is over-vaccination/medication and/or protozoal infection via a local, sewage-
contaminated lake (Lake Mangonia, West Palm Beach drinking water supply) or eating
feral cat/raccoon/opossum droppings. Toxins such as ammonia and aldehydes (alcohol)
produced by yeast lower seizure threshold. Epilepsy is by definition idiopathic (unknown
cause) yet may often be attributed to overlooked gut damage. Standard treatment focuses
on symptoms only, treating the problem from the neck up with a cocktail of barbiturates
and neurologist-drugs rather than healing intestines. Chispa was seen by seven (7)
veterinarians and a neurologist, all without protocol to diagnose cause. Gastrointestinal
symptoms around seizure activity are obvious. Canine and human epilepsy websites
currently do not focus on gut issues as cause of seizure, a gross omission. People with
ulcerative colitis, for example, are discovering this connection to misdiagnosed epilepsy.

Imbalanced/damaged gut flora may be caused by protozoans who eat commensal (good)
bacteria allowing yeast overgrowth and viruses to thrive. Our goal is to regrow bacteria
so they will control (eat) yeast. Killing yeast directly is another goal, but they grow back
quickly, so this alone is not a long-term fix. Moreover, bacteria are the most important
mammalian symbiant, responsible for immunity including crucial antioxidant enzymes to
reduce inflammation. The small intestine is the center of all health connected to both liver
and pancreas. The small intestinal lining may be the most important quarter-inch in the
body where nutrient absorption takes place, so deficiency occurs rapidly; malabsorption
syndrome. Crucial minerals required to activate enzymes such as zinc, selenium and
molybdenum are deficient in gut dysbiosis. Silica, sulfur and hyaluronic acid are
deficient, needed for repair. These things must be added in the right form/dose as some
may be counterproductive, causing irritation. Softer foods and elimination of grains and
reduction of sugar are important. Science is finally associating gut diseases such as
epidemic Celiac, IBD, IBS, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s with all major physical
(diabetes, cancer, heart disease) and mental illness (see poster below) along with common
symptoms: asthma, acid reflux, high/low cholesterol, obesity and arthritis.


CHISPA PROTOCOL
PRIMARY THERAPY

1) Fluconazole antifungal, the only prescription drug we are testing at relatively
small dose, long-term therapy. Ten (10) months at 70 mg daily with morning
meal. Chispa weighs about 38 lbs.; this drug is processed in the liver; antioxidants
for liver function are part of the protocol.
2) Selenium in organic form (Se-Methyl-Selenocysteine), 100 mcg daily with
morning meal. This form of selenium is safer and better absorbed than common l-
selenomethionine. Selenium activates the most important antioxidant SOD
enzymes to reduce inflammation, also required for thyroid hormone conversion.
3) Zinc-carnosine (PepZin GI) for gut repair, one capsule twice daily with meal.
Zinc activates enzymes and is required for immunity including vitamin D
absorption. The protocol may also include zinc picolinate (easiest on gut, best
absorbed form of zinc) to balance copper where copper toxicity and deficiency are
the same. Copper is required to kill yeast and is biounavailable without zinc.
Carnosine also provides healthy brain function, known to calm cases of cluster
seizure kindling effect in the amygdala regions of the brain.
4) Biotin, 5,000 mcg daily with morning meal; normally produced by bacteria which
are deficient; crucial to metabolism of fats which may trigger IBS (spastic colon)
symptoms. Bacteria eat biotin, so it stimulates their growth.
5) MSM, 1 gram daily with morning meal, provides bioavailable sulfur for gut repair.
Over time, MSM helps create a slippery gut lining such that parasites and yeast
cannot adhere and are flushed out.
6) Liquid molybdenum, 4 drops (100 mcg) twice daily with meals, activates
enzymes required to metabolize toxins produced by yeast such as aldehydes
(alcohol), sulfites and ammonia, normally deficient in food. It’s especially good
for itchy skin and raising seizure threshold.
7) French green clay, one teaspoon in the afternoon away from meals adsorbs toxins
and yeast. We mix it with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast. Some sources state it
can cause constipation while others refute this claim.
Acacia fiber, 1-2 tablespoons with each meal to avoid constipation and is prebiotic
(bacteria eat it and grow).
9) Nutritional yeast, Lewis Labs Brewer’s Yeast in powder form is packed with
nutrients, prebiotic fiber and protein; used with meals and as snacks in 1-2
tablespoon doses. Is it any wonder yeast cause deficiencies? The product label
reveals extremely high selenium, B vitamins, phosphorus and chromium content.
It’s conspicuously low in manganese which yeast use in self-defense against
natural immunity such as hydrogen peroxide.
10) Hyaluronic acid, 100 mg at bedtime; HA is normally produced by bacteria
which are deficient. It provides protection and intestinal healing, also important in
brain, joints, arteries, eyes, heart and all parts of the body requiring hydration.
Little known is silica as component of HA, so silica in colloidal horsetail form
may be part of the protocol. Silica is often deficient.
11) Coconut kefir, homemade using kefir grains, one tablespoon about an hour after
morning meal mixed with a small amount of fruit and nutritional yeast. A gentler,
natural form of probiotic to avoid reaction of yeast die-off; contains a much wider
variety of bacteria than store-bought probiotics where low bacterial diversity is
implicated in gut disease.
12) Sea salt, sodium deficiency is often overlooked as cause of indigestion,
necessary in chime for work in the small intestine. Sea salt is also mineral rich for
enzyme activation and also a crucial conductor of the body’s electrical currents.


CHISPA PROTOCOL
ADJUNCT THERAPY

1) Blueberries, a few tablespoons fresh or frozen, in the evening away from meal;
natural antioxidant and fiber. Regarding Hippocrates’ quote “Let food be thy
medicine and medicine be thy food,” blueberries may top the list. Parsley and
cilantro are also great foods in small doses to stimulate bile acid.
2) Boron, 3 grand mal dose or less may be very useful with food as antiprotozoal,
antifungal, vitamin D absorption (which regulates calcium). It’s powerful and
deficient in most soil, so not in food.
3) Moducare, balances cortisol, increases immunity, possibly via increased
circulation, reduces inflammation, lowers cholesterol, increases antioxidant
enzyme activity. Note: if deficient in nutrients required for antioxidant enzymes,
i.e., vitamin D, zinc, calcium, then I believe plant sterols can cause inflammation.
4) Colloidal silver, 1- tablespoon daily dose in ionic or regular form is useful in
initial or emergency therapy to cleanse intestine rapidly, then perhaps a weekly
maintenance. Grapefruit seed extract has similar effect, but may irritate ulcerative
gut lining. Digestive enzymes are also a concern regarding irritation. Nattokinase
and lumbrokinase may be effective in dissolving biofilm, perhaps an irritant.
5) Pomegranate extract, said to be effective co-therapy with fluconazole; powerful
natural antioxidant. Aloe vera gel capsules or juice also useful, especially in
avoiding constipation.
6) Wheatgrass juice powder with 10 drops coptis in emergency to avoid
constipation. We’re now testing kelp powder, a hyaluronidase inhibitor with
iodine required for thyroid support.
7) Zeolite, diatomaceous earth, Adya Clarity are potential adjuncts for fiber,
adsorption of parasites and minerals for enzyme activation.
Grape seed extract, antioxidant/antifungal. Astaxanthin is another promising
carotenoid with antioxidative, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory. We’re
also now testing echinacea and bee propolis. Skullcap helps regulate intestinal
nerve function.
9) Carnitine is for liver and brain health, a powerful antioxidant. Carnitine may
resolve shortness of breath due to low oxygen state of acidosis. Taurine, often
combined with carnitine has important gut function.
10) Probiotics, experts state this is a must, but products vary and may be
counterproductive in cases of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Probiotics cause die-off reaction (herxheimer), so begin slowly. Bacillus
coagulans, lactobacillus GG and homeostatic soil organisms (HSO) seem
promising, but homemade coconut kefir seems safest, offering broad range of
bacteria.
11) Bone broth, ionic minerals, gelatin and glycine are reasons “soup is good food.”


NOTE ABOUT DIET: Food combing, not mixing foods which lower stomach acid with
foods requiring stomach acid (generally protein vs. carbs) is an important practice for
proper digestion. Keeping stomach acid high cures acid reflux and is responsible for
ionic absorption of minerals and crucial vitamins such as B12.














[Keith]

UPDATE:
Gelatin now tops the protocol. This is a work in progress. There are so many intestinal and brain benefits to gelatin. I'm hopeful it heals intestines and allows good bacteria to colonize. I attribute the halting of a seizure cluster in my dog to gelatin. This is a far cry from how canine epilepsy websites suggest, i.e., rectal valium. The idea is to treat the gut, not the brain. Though glycine and alanine in gelatin have considerable brain function. I'd post links about this along with the type of gelatin we're using, but the system still will not allow me to share my research this way . . . I'm not linkworthy!

We've been using Great Lakes beef gelatin, about 3 tablespoons/day, much higher dosage than canine epilepsy websites recommend. Another very important and apparently overlooked part of gelatin is alanine which is a precursor of carnosine. Carnosine is very important stuff, shown to slow kindling in the amygdalas. Just the physical characteristics of gelatin as protective and wound (ulcer) healing along with its ability to absorb/adsorb toxins is powerful and safe. Also, it's extremely nutritious (protein) as opposed to the french green clay and hyaluronic acid I used to think was best. They all have great function though, but gelatin seems most promising. I'm not sure it will be enough to alter what is apparently a chronic microbial problem.

I used to think the problem was protozoal and yeast, but now I believe it's bacterial and yeast (spore forming clostridium). So, along with gelatin we'll be very carefully testing probiotics as I know from past experience with my dog that certain probiotics can rapidly cause seizure. Perhaps they're getting through stomach acid and starting the war causing herx reaction. Primal Defense appears safe, but is it effective? Culturelle and coagulans caused seizure, so we have to be very careful. Homemade kefir seems safe in small amounts. This week we may test a yeast-based probiotic called Florastor getting rave reviews, widely used in Europe. People with C diff and candida overgrowth are finding Florastor effective. But it doesn't colonize intestines like apparently most probiotics, nor is it designed to . . . maybe this is why children with autism given large amounts of probiotics are not receiving lasting benefit. Perhaps gelatin helps bacteria colonize like an agar dish used in research. It's certainly known to be soothing in the gut. It's the reason soup made with bones is good food, the secret component of chicken soup known as Jewish medicine. Gelatin has many fans these days . . . and since abdominal epilepsy appears vastly underdiagnosed, gelatin may be a wonderful thing for many . . . there's an article online called Broth Is Beautiful on the Weston Price site with good general info.

[RobinN]

Keith - you can post the link with a space, and one of the mods will check it out and link it up when the all clear is made.

You have shared some great info here. Certainly worth reading over.
DogtorJ has a Facebook page, where he replies quiet often. He is in the middle of writing a book, so I know his time is limited.

[Maidenminx]

Wow! This thread has bought alot to light and has made me realise that, even though I have resisted it all my life, it's time for a severe diet overhaul.

My mum believes I have suffered candida since birth. Being an extremely fussy eater as a child, there wasn't much mum could do about that. Any tablets she tried to give me, I would refuse (except for the robot shaped yummy chewable garlic tablets. I loved those things) and any other supplements I would resist so much she kinda gave up fighting me. Why is it that the candida diet takes away all my favourite foods? Like wonderful fresh bread, and cheese, and all the best fruits leaving me with all the foods I dislike.

[RobinN]

Maidenminx - Because your body craves that which feeds the beast
It has taught me to have a complete overhaul of my attitude towards food.

[Maidenminx]

oh I know. My system needs a complete reset.

Doesn't stop wonderful fresh breads from being completely irresistible.