148 Diet Wise
combine a dietary and chemical search in order to draw out the ‘eight nails
in the shoe.’ (page 42)
Thrush infection
It has been found that the causative organism of thrush, Candida albicans, is
implicated in a wide variety of food and chemical intolerances. Furthermore,
it appears to be toxic in its own right. Factors which may suggest the
possibility are the following: a known infection (for example, a vaginal
irritation that recurs intermittingly); the long-term use of antibiotics for any
reason (such as tetracycline for acne); the administration of steroid drugs;
the use of the birth control pill for more than two years consecutively; and
a tendency to feel worse in damp or moldy conditions or after consuming
yeast foods or sugar. If any of these apply to you, see Chapter 21 for more
information.
The Human Microbiome
We have gone far beyond the mere “Candida Hypothesis” just referred to;
as you will read later, in chapter 21. It’s become very exciting.
We now recognize that healthy bowel flora is more important than
keeping unhealthy organisms at bay. The combined pool of trillions of
genes from micro-organisms which live in our gut exceed our own meagre
supply by a hundred-fold. Genes, you will recall, are what dictate our ability
to handle specific proteins.
What has startled scientists is that these micro-flora genes, or the
human microbiome, as it’s called, also affects our tolerance of foods! So if
the gene pool down there in the gut is markedly shifted, so will our food
tolerances change. Foods that were once suitable may become toxic to us
(and vice versa). Dysbiosis, as it’s known, is far more serious than we thought.
Malabsorption
It is an unpleasant truth that if you are eating foods which in effect act as
poisons you will damage the mucous linings of your intestinal tract. Since
these linings are essential for the proper performance of the digestive
functions and the selective absorption of necessary vitamins and minerals,
most food allergy and intolerance patients become very deficient in proper