Threelac and Fivelac

Popular anti candida products

Popular anti candida products

Threelac and Fivelac

Over 10 years since we introduced them to the UK, Threelac and it’s sister product Fivelac are still the two most popular anti candida products we provide, and still getting great results (well, at least where they are used reasonably patiently, and where a fairly low sugar and low alcohol diet is maintained).
Here are some unsolicited customer reviews:

Threelac Reviews

Best product on the market. Works better with a balanced diet. This taken with caprylic acid my candida was gone in 4 weeks after years of suffering!!
Threelac is the first product that has helped me with candida. Soon after taking it, it seemed suddenly as if the whole of my insides feel better better and happier, especially helping with constipation. I have been taking it for 5 months taking 1-2 per day. I started feeling better within a few days.
This product seems to have a miraculous effect on my (super sensitive) digestive system; I’m not sure if I actually have low-level Candida but the symptoms are similar. I usually take one sachet per day before a meal but sometimes increase it to 2 or even 3 times per day if I’m likely to be eating food that’s normally a bit too rich for me to digest. I always plenty on holiday with me and have also found it can calm an upset stomach.
Through the use of Threelac and various other supplements, I was able to get my long standing candida problem under control. I was taking at one stage 5 packets a day, but you need to work up to this gradually. Now I find if my diet has been poor, I take a packet from time to time to keep everything maintained. It seems to be working and I no longer have an issue with my candida.
I have been using this product for years and it’s the only thing that helped when I first started using it for my candida. I used to have awful symptoms with terrible inflamed boils on my skin, especially around my neck, and within weeks this had cleared. Really recommend it..you won’t get it cheaper anywhere else either
Threelac is the best thing ever! It has helped me greatly with my candida overgrowth symtoms of chronic fatigue. I began to improve a few weeks after I started using it, stopped using it when I no longer needed it, but now I am back for more, as I am in a bit of trouble again.
I was always a little sceptical about trying products for candida especially as they can be expensive. I have tried so many over the years and none have worked. I reached a point in my life where I was just so poorly, I was bloated, I looked pregnant, my joints hurt, I was lethargic and felt very low. I decided to give Threelac a try and wow, what a difference. I did make the ultimate mistake though, I finished the course, started feeling better so decided to discontinue using it (mainly because of the cost). Within a few weeks things started to go down hill. My tummy was bloated again, I was tired, no energy and just wanted to sleep all the time. Once I re-purchased it the symptoms again di …(more)
I have been taking Threelac, on and off, for over 10 years now. I started taking it after the birth of my third child when as well, as post natal depression, my body went ‘AWOL’! My whole system threw a wobbly, well a lot more than that actually. My hair started to fall out, the skin on my fingers and toes would crack open revealing deep fissures, I found I couldn’t remember the names of everyday objects, my digestive system seemed to stop operating altogether. My skeletal system felt so week I could hardly stand long enough to peel a few potatoes!I would experience excruciatingly painful stomach cramps which would have me crying out in pain all night and eventually resulted in my being admi …(more)
I’ve had candida since I was 20 (though I didn’t realise it then), and I am now 65. There are very few things that hves done anything that help me. It has reduced it down to a level where I don’t feel ill all the time. I still have to be very strict with my diet, and avoid all carbohydrates. But before I found threelac I was still strict with my diet, and I still felt crap. Now I am strict with my diet, but feel good, and don’t get the foggy brain, the painful joints and muscles, pain around my liver and body odour that my wife complained about. I need to mention that at first I felt worse. I phoned the advice line, and Mark Lester was confident that this was a die-off reaction, and I sho …(more)
My wife has long term neuropathy affecting her hands and feet, but also causing poor digestion and constipation. The constipation also causes poor sleep and lethargy. Oxy-Powder worked at first for the constipation, but soon stopped working. But Threelac works consistently and reliably and never stopped working, at least not in the 3 years she has been taking it. I would say this product has been literally a life saver for her. I used to suffer from awful bloatendess. Within a couple of months of taking 2 per day for a week then one per day, I had a terrific boost to my bowel movements too and no more bloatedness which has been maintained when I stopped taking it. My wife needs to take t …(more)

Purchase Threelac here

Fivelac Reviews

My wife cured of a candida infection in her digestive system (medium to high intensity) that she has been fighting with for 10 years. She’s got the condition after a herpes zoster infection and nothing has helped her. She had kept a strict diet with no sugars, no fermented staff, and so on, which alleviated a little the symptoms, but never got rid of them. After a thorough research I’ve discovered fivelac and more I was reading about the way it works, we became convinced to give it a try. So we did, we bought the 6 box offer and she has been taking 2 sachets per day, one in the morning and one in the evening till all the 6 boxes had been finished. There are more than 5 and a half years since …(more)
I cannot recommend Fivelac highly enough. I suffered for years with systemic candida which resulted in great vulval & urinary pain/discomfort. I had endless visits to my local Genito-urinary clinic & whilst the prescribed medication eased the symptoms of thrush, no medical professional could help with all my other symptoms. I saw many specialists without result so started to research to help myself……..so discovered threelac which worked. And I simply upped it to Fivelac as more of the good bacteria could only do good. The only downside I found was constipation (I do not know if it was definitely caused by the product) which is when I started using the oxy colon cleanse products.  …(more)
Within 24 hours of taking fivelac and going on the candida diet the depression in my brain cleared. Finchley Clinic Editorial note: We contacted this customer to check what she was saying was accurate, as it’s very rare for anyone to respond that fast. She said was very sensitive, and tended to react very quickly to products. She said it was true, she had taken 3 sachets per day, and started noticing the benefits on the second day. She said she was not completely cured, but there was a big improvement. She did not think the anti candida diet she had begun was the main reason she had improved as she ate a low sugar diet anyway. She attributed it mostly to Fivelac.
I was very ill after having my fourth baby, so ended up in hospital on a cocktail of 3 IV anti biotics and went home two weeks later on oral antibiotics, within a few weeks I had severe stomach pain, crawling skin feeling on my back, upset stomach, rosacea, lethargy, athletes foot and psoriasis, foggy head etc and the list could go on! I realised what was going on after knowing someone years back who had suffered from a yeast infection, the doctors wouldn’t hear of it, telling me to eat sugar and yeast as normal due to feeding a baby, I discovered threelac and then tried fivelac and they coupled with a strict no sugar diet for a year made me well, I can now tolerate small amounts of sugar in  …(more)
Threelac became a vital part of my life over two years ago, when I realised that candida control was essential in managing my Crohn’s disease. I introduced Fivelac for those times when I felt I needed something ‘extra’ – if for example I suffered an upset stomach while travelling, or felt that a Crohn’s attack was imminent. Suffice to say that since I started this regime, my Crohn’s has been pretty much completely under control for the first time in my adult life. Threelac and Fivelac are amazing products, and I simply wouldn’t be without either, ever again.
I have been giving Fivelac to my son for a few weeks now and am extremely happy with it. I use it in conjunction with Bio Kult and Medcare ointment. His Athletes foot has almost completely cleared, and his tummy issues seem 100% better to. He seems a much happier boy, so I am a very happy Mum! Thank you Finchley Clinic!
Since taking fivelac I have been a lot lees bloated, and more ‘regular’. I feel my digestive system is working a lot more efficiently generally. All without needing to change my diet. I am also taking oxylift. I don’t know whether or not that also contributing to the effects of fivelac, but the oxylift does seem to have given me more energy.
I’ve used Threelac for years and more recently Fivelac when it became available with great results, but unfortunately I normally make the mistake of ‘opting out’ of the maintenance dose (recommended you continue to take one straw per day even when you feel really well). This means that I gradually get to feel worse again and one day wake up and think – I need to order some more fivelac + bio-kult and get things back on track. I never realised until recently that the good guys in 3 / 5 lac don’t live in your gut and need to be topped up regularly, so it looks as though I will have to have more discipline in future and continue with a low dose even when I feel good again.
My story could seem like most of the people’s. It goes back years when I suddenly had problem breathing, eating and my whole throat got dry. 7 years now I lived with that and recently in july after having multiple sugars, breads and milk, I got this feeling in my throat like someone threw plaster on my right throat. I couldnt eat at all,or breath andi felt like my throat was going to close. I went to the conservative doctors and due to my hospital job, I saw many doctors who couldnt help me. They presented me as a crazy person who needs therapy, that i have psychological problems and so on.all that because they couldnt figure out where did this problem come from and if it was real. Ohh yeah O can tell y …(more)
I have tried a number of products for candida, many of which have helped me to a degree, but fivelac has been the most effective one I have come across to date. I previously took threelac and 2 per day didnt help me, but 5 per day was very effective. But when fivelac became available I found that 2 sachets per day of fivelac had the same effect for me as 5 sachets threelacs. I have been able to get back to my old diet (bread, cheese, fruit and sweets in moderation) as a result of this. My main problems were pain and bloating after food. It also seems to have balanced my moods and reduced my tendency to panic attacks.

Purchase Fivelac here

 

Threelac vs. Fivelac

Please note these figures below are based on the amount of live bacteria at the end of the products shelf life (i.e.. the expiry date). The manufacturers state that the amount of live bacteria at the point of manufacture is double that of the expiry date. Therefore the figures quoted below are minimum estimates of the number of live bacteria.

Ingredient Threelac Fivelac
Bacillus coagulans 500 million CFU 500 million CFU
Bacillus subtillis 500 million CFU 500 million CFU
Enterococcus Faecalis* 500 million CFU 500 million CFU
Bifidobacterium longum None 500 million CFU
Lactobcillus acidophilus None 500 million CFU

*  CFU = Colony Forming Units.

Why don’t they contain more zillion, billion live bacteria?

Those who think that the “critical” factor is the number of live bacteria, may notice that although not terrible, the number of live bacteria is not especially high compared with some products around the same price. Based on the great feedback we get for these products, I have come to the conclusion that the number of live bacteria is not the most critical factor in determining which product to go for. What is critical where it comes to probiotics to contain candida yeast overgrowth, is whether the strains therein are reasonably strongly anti-candidal. As probiotics re-produce with incredibly rapidity, this seems to be more important than the number of live bacteria per capsule or sachet. And in Threelac and Fivelac we have two of the more reliable products on the market.

Which is more effective, Threelac or Fivelac?

Our view, however unhelpful and confusing it may be, is that

  • Fivelac is theoretically better than Threelac. But this is not true for everyone in practice. Regardless of the theory, some people find Threelac works better for them. We do not know the reason for this. We think the easiest  explanation is just to say they are different.
  • The general advice I am giving these days is to try Threelac first. If it doesn’t seem to be working after a couple of months on at least 2 sachets per day, then it’s well worth trying Fivelac and see whether that works better for you.
  • What is far more important than worrying about which one to take, is to make a decision and take it persistently – anything from 1-6 sachets per day, depending on how sensitive you tend to be, and the severity of the problem. Our worst results, are ALWAYS with those individuals who dabble with products or take them when they can be bothered etc, rather than taking them every day.
  • Although many people get better with Threelac and Fivelac alone, candida overgrowth syndrome can be a complex and stubborn problem. These products are in many cases only part of the answer. At the very least I always recommend them to be taken with one of the liquid oxygen products.
  • Educate yourself on the subject of candida, by reading the articles.

The importance of Oxygen for Candida control.

Candida likes a sluggish, oxygen deficient environment. We always recommend candida sufferers to use a liquid oxygen product as well as taking probiotics.

These products have the following benefits : –

1) They are directly anti-candidal

2) They support the immune system. Candida thrives in a sluggish immune environment, so supporting the immune system makes it harder for the candida to take hold and proliferate.

3) They raise life force energy in the body (as well as physical energy). Candida sufferers nearly always have a depressed level of general life force energy – making it very hard to overcome any type of stubborn illness or harmful bacteria, fungal or bacterial infection.

In an ideal world there are often additional products that we would suggest, but we regard Threelac or Fivelac plus one of the liquid oxygen products as a foundational programme upon which additional products can be very useful to add for an even more comprehensive approach.

Which one is the best one?

Someone asks us this question every day. All four products are designed to flood the body with oxygen, but they are rival brands with slightly different mechanisms and vibrational qualities. Unfortunately it is not possible to tell you which of the four liquid oxygen products we provide will work best for any single individual, because individual results vary. If one of them was the “best” one, and all the rest were rubbish or significantly less effective, I wouldn’t waste your time and money on inferior products. Moreover I would not waste my own time and company money marketing four separate products if one of them was consistently more effective than the others.

Another point I will make is that a number of people report back to me is that these products “didn’t work”. In some cases this is true – nothing works for all the people all of the time. But time and time again, when I then question the customer making this assertion I find they have not taken them for long enough, or were tinkering / using them when they can be bothered. This will not accomplish anything, no matter what product you use! Where they genuinely are not helping after 60 days usage, we encourage you to try one of the other liquid oxygen products, as there is a degree of trial and error required with some people, and one of them will usually hit the jackpot.

Other Probiotics for Candida Control

Threelac and Fivelac are our two most popular anti candida products. But as night follows day, different probiotic products work for different people. Other probiotics which we really like for candida sufferers include Bio-Kult Candea  – containing 7 different probiotic strains, plus garlic and grapefruit seed extract which are scientifically proven natural antifungals. These are also proven to be compatible with the probiotic bacteria in Bio-Kult Candea.

We also like Optibac Probiotics for Bowel Calm For Bowel Calm contains the unique strain, Saccharomyces boulardii – an internationally acclaimed probiotic that naturally helps to control candida overgrowth. It also supports bowel control and function during episodes of diarrhoea. 

Let us know how you get on

Don’t forget you will get 500 reward points every time you write a product review, so if you try any of these products, let us know you got on by writing a review on the web site, and we’ll give you reward points which can be used to get discounts on any products you buy from us.

Wishing Good Health To All Our Valued Customers.

Mark G. Lester

Director

– The Finchley Clinic Ltd –

www.thefinchleyclinic.com  Visit our Facebook page here.

General Health & Nutrition

The latest news on Vitamin D

Recent research suggests there may be a concerning lack of Vitamin D in the diets of people throughout the Western world. Many of us are aware how important it is we get enough Vitamin C, but we should look to ensure our intake of all vitamins is adequate – not least Vitamin D. Often referred to as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ owing to its natural absorption into the body along with sunlight, it plays a critical role in us maintaining healthy lives; should its intake be too low it can leave us open to experiencing unpleasant and dangerous physical conditions at their worst…

Irritable bowel syndrome

A chronic intestinal disorder affecting as much as 15% of the population in the West, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) apparently also accounts for 10% of all doctor’s surgery visits. The link between Vitamin D and IBS then? Well, many of its sufferers tend to consume low amounts of the vitamin – andthose who consume the least usually suffer the worst symptoms.

According to researchers at the University of Sheffield, however, a good way for an IBS sufferer to raise their Vitamin D level is to take high-dose Vitamin D3 supplements. The researchers came to this conclusion after testing 51 IBS patients, the results informing them that 42 of the patients (82%) were lacking in the vitamin. Indeed, those who had the lowest levels of Vitamin D in their bodyalso complained that the disorder upset their everyday life most (Source: BMJ Open Gastroenterology, 2015; e000052).

vegan-vitamin-D3

 

That said, we don’t advocate the idea of taking Vitamin D by itself to cure IBS. In fact, we think that those who set out taking Vitamin D supplements with that in mind will be likely disappointed. Instead, we suggest people with IBS would greatly benefit from taking Vitamin D as a part of their overall health restoration programme.

Crohn’s disease

Another chronic gut condition,Crohn’s disease sees constant inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, but it seems Vitamin D supplements can aid its sufferers because they strengthen the gut wall, reducing the likelihood of leaky gut, one of the disorder’s characteristics.

This has been proved by researchers at St. James’s Hospital in Dublin, whom over a three-month period gave 27 subjects with Crohn’s either Vitamin D supplements – 2,000International units(IUs) a day – or a placebo. They found that those who’d taken the supplements experienced less intestinal permeability and less inflammation. Plus, they reported a better quality of life while taking the supplements (Source: United European Gastroenterology Journal, 2015; 3(3): 294).

Multiple sclerosis

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), the on-off debilitating disease of the nervous system, canalso beregulated by taking high doses of Vitamin D3, it appears.

In a test byresearchers from John Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Centre, out of 40 sufferers some were given 10,400 IUs of Vitamin Don a daily basis over six months, while others were given just 800 IUs. Those who consumed the higher dose saw the largest reduction in the percentage of inflammatory T cells, which are suspected to result in most MS symptoms, while these test subjects were also those best able to regulate their hyperactive immune response (Source: Neurology, 2015; doi: 10.1212/WNL.00000000000002316).

It’s quite clear then that increased Vitamin D intake can play a significant role in lessening the debilitating effects of major illnesses such as IBS, Crohn’s disease and MS. Now, you may point out – and you’d be quite right to do so – that people can gain increased levels of the vitamin merely by allowing their bodies to absorb more sun in the summer months, but the health drawbacks of exposing skin for too long to the sun (and its harmful ultra-violet rays) are also well known. The answer then comes in the shape of high-dose Vitamin D supplements. And two such supplements we highly recommend are Suntrex and Vitamin D3 5,000IU with Vitamin K2, both of which are available through The Finchley Clinic. It’s important to note, however, that Vitamin D levels won’t simply be restored overnight via Vitamin D supplements– the latter usually has to be taken for several months for its full benefits to be achieved.

Candida

Botanical Solutions to Candida overgrowth

Although we sell a lot of probiotic products to help with candida overgrowth and intestinal dysbiosis, botanical remedies are also very potent. In some cases they can even be too potent which will be discussed briefly in Part III of this article. Single herbs (of which we sell quite quite a few here) can be very effective. Of the single botanicals, we get some great results with Samento and Cumanda – sometimes where everything else fails. But in the main, I tend to recommend single herbs largely to sensitive individuals who don’t easily tolerate products with multiple ingredients.

However where severe sensitivity is not an issue, I tend to recommend multi-herb products on the basis that the sum of the ingredients are greater than the individual parts. I am going to subdivide them into two categories. The stonger ones and the gentler ones. Please do not assume that gentler is a byword for “ineffective”. We will NEVER sell ineffective products  – at least not while I’m in charge round here. Why would I bother to sell junk when there are plenty of good products out there? But the gentler products can be more suitable for sensitive individuals, and it’s probably also fair to say that that generally speaking (though not always) they take a bit longer to work. However no matter which botanical remedy you use, if you are expecting to start taking it on Monday and be cured by the following weekend, you are really wasting your time and money, and not going to get anywhere. Natural medicines work with the rhythms of nature and typically need 8-12 weeks to assess whether they are helping, and if they are, another 2-3 times that period to enjoy their full benefits. The rest of this article will now be subdivided into….

Part I: The strongest products

Part II: The more gentle products

Part III: Products for those who can’t tolerate any anti candida products (those who believe themselves to be very severe candida should read this)

Part I: The strongest products

Oregano Oil Blend

  • Organic Mediterranean Oregano Oil
    Oregano is toxic to harmful organisms including fungi and rich in many minerals including calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, copper, boron, and manganese as well as vitamins C and A (beta carotene) and niacin.
  • Organic Extra Virgin Cold-Pressed Olive Oil
    Olive oil is an excellant though gentle candida fighter
  • Organic Peppermint Oil
    Supports healthy digestion. Where it comes to candida the general resistance of essential oils to fungus is well documented and peppermint oil is no exception. Indian and Iranian researchers have shown that peppermint oil holds potential for managing fungal infections, including candida. Their assertion was backed up by the Institute for Biological Research in Serbia where researchers observed fungicide behavior from peppermint oil. [13] The Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran also, after comprehensive review, concluded that menthol is resistant to fungus, including candida.  Similarily, Brazil’s State University of Campinas found essential oils of three different peppermint varieties to be anti-candida.
  • Cayenne Oil (250,000 Scoville Heat Units)
    Cayenne pepper has many, many health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants, it’s toxic to harmful fungal, yeast and bacterial organisms, and it helps to cleanse the body. Cayenne is a well-known digestive aid. It stimulates the digestive tract, increasing the flow of enzyme production and gastric juices. This aids the body’s ability to metabolize food (and toxins). Cayenne pepper is also helpful for relieving intestinal gas. It stimulates intestinal peristaltic motion, aiding in both assimilation and elimination.

Please note, this product is too strong to take neat, mostly because of the cayenne which is very powerful. We supply this blend with capsules, which should be be filled with the liquid according to the dosage suggestion on the label.

Thyme Formula

For those who prefer capsules to a liquid, Thyme Formula is very competitively priced and just as powerful as the Oregano Oil Blend.

In an article in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine in June 1993 entitled “Conquering Candida”, the original formulator described the way that the forerunner of Thyme Formula “has simplified the treatment of candidiasis enormously.  We used to spend much time at each consultation identifying the various organs infected by Candida and would then test a variety of supplements for their activity at these sites.  We often found that several supplements had to be combined in order to achieve the spectrum of activity that we needed to eliminate Candida overgrowth completely.  Now, in all but the most complicated of cases, we have been able to abandon this tedious procedure.  We also found that resistance to individual supplements would sometimes develop, necessitating a change of supplement half-way through treatment. This hardly ever occurs with {with the forerunner to Thyme Formula}, presumably because of its highly composite nature“.

Ingredients: Thyme, Licorice, Rosemary, Marigold, Cayenne, Turmeric, Pomegranate.

Part II: Gentler products

Oregano Formula

Oregano Formula is gentler than the Oregano Oil blend above (mostly because it does not contain Cayenne) but is still much more effective in most cases than single herbs. It was originally designed to be an alternative to Thyme Formula where Thyme Formula was too strong OR to be taken at the same time as Thyme Formula for those who want to widen the its therapeutic effects OR for those who had used Thyme Formula for a reasonable period of time already (meaning a good 12 weeks) and either were not improving or improving too slowly, or had improved initially but were not making any further progress.

Ingredients: Cinnamon, Lemon Balm, Ginger, Yellow Dock, Oregano, Cumin, Cranberry.

Candiclear

Another gentle but powerful candida cleanser, which used persistently over a several months will (with a low sugar and no alcohol diet), like other well formulated polyherbal products bring candida under control, and then eradicate it.

Two capsules of Candiclear typically provide:
350mg Calcium octanoate (providing 262.5mg Octanoic acid) 350mg Magnesium octanoate (providing 304.5mg Octanoic acid), (these first two ingredients have very similar effects to the better known caprylic acid from coconut) 50mg Pau d’arco (Lapacho), 50mg Thyme, 50mg Rosemary, 50mg Lemon Balm.

Encapsulated with these natural ingredients: 
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (carrageenan, pectin), vegetable magnesium stearate*, silicon dioxide.

*(Please note, we competely reject the absurd scare stories around magnesium stearate and have published an article about this nonsense on the web site).

Part III: For those who can’t tolerate any anti candida products (very severe candida sufferers)

Wild Endive Formula

Where people report that they can’t tolerate most anti-candida products at all, this is usually because the sufferer has such high level of candida toxins that they really need to focus on reducing these waste products for a couple of months before even thinking of attacking the candida head on. The core products for this are Wild Endive Formula, or for those who cannot even tolerate even the most minimally anti candidal products, it’s sister product, Wild Endive Formula A. I beleive that these two products are two of our most important (and undervalued) products. Yes, they don’t have swashbucklingly glamorous labels like some of the products made by the bigger suppliers, and not amongst our top sellers either. This should not put people off as in the right situations they are truly invaluable.

Licorice Formula

(and Licorice Formula A for those who find Licorice Formula over stimulating)

A second reason why some people struggle to tolerate anti candida products is because their system, particularly their adrenals, is so sluggish that they can’t cope with an anti candidal regime. In this situation, Licorice Formula, designed to support healthy adrenal function, can be very helpful in strengthening immunity, life force energy, physical energy, and hormonal balancing (particularly of course adrenal hormones). As with all botanical approaches, it’s not normally an overnight cure. But as the suppliers state “Over the last decade or so we have seen only four people with healthy adrenals and only four people who tested negatively for Candida overgrowth (based on kiniesiology testing), and yes, they were indeed the same four people. This reminds us that the adrenals are an integral part of the immune system. Also, candida can produce adrenal insufficiency symptoms because the candida yeast can bind adrenal steroids, rendering them ineffective”. As with Wild Endive Formula, Licorice Formula is a wonderful, and grossly undervalued product.

Ingredients: Vegetarian capsule shell (cellulose derivative & water), Licorice, Brazilian ginseng (Suma), Sarsaparilla, Guarana, Siberian & Korean ginsengs.

As always there is far more that could be said, but as this is meant to be a newsletter, not a book I’m going to shut up now and end with the message: Go forth and eradicate your candida overgrowth.

Mark G. Lester – Founder & Director – www.thefinchleyclinic.com

 

The EU

David Cameron’s EU so-called re-negotiation and natural Health freedom

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Please read and share this article if you are a Eurosceptic – Or if you value freedom of choice where it comes to your personal health – Or both.

What did David Cameron accomplish last week in terms of getting back the health freedom that has been slowly, slice by slice, stolen from you over the last 10 years or so by the unelected officials from the EU?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

It often takes me anything from half a day to a full day to write a newsletter. However this newsletter is not going to take long to write, as there there isn’t much one can add to the word “nothing”.

But just to confirm:

– Our glorious Prime Ministers’s “re-negotiation” failed to get back the hundreds of banned health supplements, most of which were banned for the pettiest of reasons. (In my opinion, in most cases the real reason was because they conflicted with the vested interests of the big corporations which time and time again, EU policies protect, at the expense of small innovative business).

– He failed to get back your right to decide what health supplements you can put into your body (as though it ever was anybody’s else’s business in the first place, providing they are not blatantly toxic).

– He failed to get back your right to be provided useful and meaningful information on the products that are not banned.

– He failed to get the directive overturned which effectively makes any substance on the planet into a medicine (even water) at the whim of an unelected EU bureaucrat which can then be restricted or regulated at the drop of a hat.

– He failed to put a stop to TTIP, which means could mean the UK (in fact the entire EU) will be flooded with genetically modified (and as far as I am concerned, dangerous) foods.

A lot of people agree that EU regulation is all pretty silly, and a waste of taxpayers money. But where it comes to something as fundamental as their health, or indeed any core issue of their life, it doesn’t greatly affect them. Well, if you are into natural health, holistic medicine etc, and you think that, I take no joy in telling you that you are simply wrong, and your freedoms are being trodden on disgracefully. And even if you are not personally into natural medicine, do you really think that unelected bureacrats ought to be dicating what others can and cannot put into their own body’s?

Although I have my personal views on the EU as an organisation, as a health company director, I only see it as appropriate to focus on my own area of knowledge, namely my (pretty unsuccessful) attempts to protect my customers health and well being, and my (equally unsuccessful) attempts to protect their freedom of choice in this area of their lives from unnecessary EU interference.

Below is a quick summary of some (but not all) of the EU directives that are damaging your right to choose, and your access to information. The UK government opposed some of it, but where they did, they were simply outvoted. However the majority of these regulations were simply passed into UK law without so much as a whimper of protest by any of the major political parties that have been in power during the last decade. In my opinion, they have let us all down horrendously by not protecting our freedoms.

The Food Supplements Directive (2002/46/EC).

This directive requires all legally available nutrients to be on a rather arbitrary positive list in order to be allowed to be sold and consumed. As far as we could see, it seemed to depend primarily on whether that form of nutrient happened to be available in Germany at the time. In 2009 it was estimated that around 300 nutrients were banned by this irksome directive, though the real figure would be much higher given the fact that it completely blocked new forms of vitamins and minerals from coming onto the market. Examples include many perfectly safe and effective forms of magnesium, selenium and chromium. Although the situation is bad, this is set to become far worse if the Maximum Permitted Dosage levels for vitamins and minerals get set at useless Mickey mouse levels, which is a serious possibility at the next stage of implementation. Several organisations, including an entity called “Health Europe”, which is in reality just a bunch of lobbyists who are paid by the self-interested pharmaceutical companies, who fund this “organisation”, are lobbying for maximum levels to be set at EU RDA levels. These levels will be completely useless for any kind of therapeutic usage – as well as a direct assault on your freedom of choice. It has been claimed that this market was completely unregulated before this directive (and the next one I am going to talk about) came in. But this is nonsense. Vitamins, minerals and herbs were regulated by the Drugs Act 1968, and personally I don’t remember noticing too many dead bodies lying about in the streets because someone or other took a high dosage Vitamin C tablet prior to 2009. Yes, it was light touch regulation, reflecting how safe most vitamins, minerals, herbs and other natural products usually were – but it was never unregulated. This is a total myth.

The Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (2004/24/EC)

In essence this is a spiteful and vindictive directive designed to protect the vested interests that successfully campaigned for it, which has created a huge black market where none previously existed. This directive has led to a tripling of the cost of many herbs, and their pharmaceuticalisation. Many have been banned outright. Many more have been chemicalised and pharmaceuticalised until they bare almost no resemblance to the 2000 year old traditions of herbal medicines, and contain all sorts of artificial chemicals which are at best questionable, and in some cases dangerous. We tried very hard to object to this horrible directive, but without success. You can read more about it here including the latest news.

Before this directive came in, some clearly dangerous herbs were banned under the Drugs Act 1968 (and some others banned we think unfairly) along with psychoactive drugs like marijuana (which itself is a very controversial ban). But on the whole consumers were relatively free to buy what they wanted, and sellers relatively free to provide products. But with the new directive, the EU seems determined to stop you from actually making decisions for your yourself, about your body. Perhaps they fear that you might make the decisions that don’t serve their vested interests – just as some people genuinely believe we should never have a democratic vote on our membership of the EU lest you vote the ‘wrong’ way. (The organisation formed as a result of the 1991 Maastrict Treaty, when the EEC became the EU, which not one UK citizen was ever consulted on or gave consent to).

The EU Labeling Directives (2003 and updated in 2014)

This directive, if strictly enforced could make more or less all non EU imports illegal to sell, for reasons as petty as the font size on the label not complying the required size, the ingredients not being listed in the required order, or wording such as “expiry date” instead of “best before” on the label. Can the rules really get any more petty and frivolous than this? Presumably this rule is there because they think you are too thick to know what the words “expiry date” rather than “best before” mean. Mercifully, the UK authorities don’t seen to be enforcing this with an iron fist, and have avoided harassing companies over trivial nonsense so far, but who knows what’s around the corner? Certainly these regulations enable the powers that be to put companies out of business overnight – through the harsh enforcement of EU directives. And regardless of who it is claimed to help, who benefits from this in reality? The consumer? Or big pharma? I could easily write a shed load more on this directive, but I won’t.

The Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (No 1924/2006)

This is the nastiest and cruelest of the lot. This is the directive which has made it illegal to say anything meaningful about virtually everything – leading to the total ban on the claims that water hydrates the body, or that prunes help with constipation – and tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money spent on arriving at these preposterous conclusions. With some of the products we provide, this has led to an up to 90% drop in sales.This is the directive which caused products such as Optibac Probiotics For Bowel Calm (a nice and clear product name) to have to be renamed “Saccromyces Boulardii” (which is completely meaningless or ordinary people). Similarly Optibac Probiotics For A Flat Stomach to had to be renamed “One week flat”. That’s because even the name of the product was deemed an illegal health claim. If you are finding it hard to find useful information on the supplements you are interested in, or which supplements might help you, or why you end up with no choice but to view third party, non EU based web sites to obtain information, blame this directive. Blame the EU. The idea, perhaps noble of protecting the consumer, has ended with a Draconian directive which makes publishing legitimate opinion into a crime, and bans companies even telling you what scientific research has found – unless the European Food Standards agency gives you permission to do so, and of course only after they have spent up to a million Euros submitting a single health claim. This is impossible for small to medium sized companies like the Finchley Clinic – the businesses all the mainstream political parties agree are the life-blood of the economy, yet where it comes to protecting them from petty EU regulations when they are in power, at best do nothing, and at worse encourage it! Result: the industry is becoming more and more disincentivised to even try to provide worthwhile, helpful information. So when you find that the information available on a nutrient is that it “contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism”, instead of something that is actually useful for you to know i.e… what it may help with…it’s not the industry who are to blame – it’s the unelected EU commissioners, on their rather comfortable over £300,000 per year (plus expenses) salaries.

The Human Medicinal Products Directive (Directive 2001/83/EC).

This directive can make any food, food supplement or cosmetic a drug at a regulator’s discretion – anything which has “a physiological effect”, or is claimed to have. This of course makes anything, theoretically even water into a medicine! After all, if you tried to avoid water for more than two or three days, you’d soon learn whether or not it has a physiological effect, even if as according to the EU geniuses, it does not hydrate the body!

Words would be inadequate to describe how heartbreaking it is for us to be banned from providing many safe, effective natural health products and to tell you what they actually do even when we can sell them. And even more heart breaking for your health to be compromised as a result. Even more so in view of the estimated 40,000 deaths per year conservatively estimated by University College, London to occur in the UK as a result of CORRECTLY prescribed medical drugs (the numbers are even higher when the death rate for badly prescribed drugs is added to this).

(Source: Daily Telegraph December 19 1999. Similar article Daily Telegraph 30 Nov 2008, numerous newspaper and medical journal articles have come out since these older citations, all saying the same thing. However I haven’t bothered to save them all, because they all say the same thing, so it just gets repetitive after a while).

How David Cameron has failed to protect public health, the orthodox medical establishment and the NHS

This area justifies a separate newsletter, and we’re on borrowed time already. So all we’ll say is click here to read about how our membership of the EU is making a total mess of the NHS and could eventually cause us to have a third world health system.

A solution?

There is an alternative to having to comply with EU regulations which pose a threat to your personal health, your health freedom, and access to health information. The alternative is to leave the EU, and be done with the regulation of every nook and cranny of our personal lives. In the good old days, was there anything that bad about having our laws made by people who we actually elected, and could throw out if they did a lousy job?

Call me old fashioned, but I rather like our laws to be made by democratically elected British politicians (even if they were made by politicans I happen to disagree with) rather than unelected bureaucrats, who for all we know, have never even stepped on British soil, and have no reason to be especially concerned with what is best for the UK or its citizens.

Mark G. Lester – Director, The Finchley Clinic Ltd

www.thefinchleyclinic.com

Colon cleansing

Oxygenate your colon to clear out the gunk

Oxygenate your Colon

If you’ve over indulged over Christmas then been sluggish during the January gloom, now is the time to Spring clean out the gunk. 

Oxygenate your colon
Our range of Oxygen Colon Cleansers

Constipation has met it’s match – view our Oxygen Colon Cleansers here

Most recent Mag 07 review

I’ve been taking Mag 07 for a week and am finding it brilliant. It has reduced bloating, and flushed out my system. I have a clean system now, and I believe that without it, you’re not going anywhere in terms of your health. I take 4 capsules per day – 2 in the morning and 2 at night. I intend to continue to taking it indefinitely.

Click here for more Mag 07 reviews

Most recent Colosan review

I’ve been taking colosan on and off for around 7 years. Nowadays I just use it if I have over eaten fibrous foods which made be bloated and colicky. I originally took a teaspoon at night with a little lemon juice and in the morning I had a very happy elimination. When I used it for the first week I eliminated what I can only describe as material that looked like black tar, but without and discomfort. Since then I haven’t looked back. It gave me my energy back and an overall sense of lightness and wellness.

Click here for more Colosan reviews

Most recent Oxy-Powder review I have used Oxy-Powder regularly for years and it is absolutely brilliant. I use one capsule, sometimes two a day. It keeps me ‘regular’, stops me feeling full and bloated and keeps my digestive system efficient. Combined with my healthy diet it makes me fell very well. I am happy that it is an animal friendly vegan product as I don’t want to harm animals. I will probably use this product for the rest of my life it is so good. Click here for more Oxy-Powder reviews

Don’t forget, you’ll get 500 reward points by logging in and writing your own review if you have used any of these products. We’ll even award the points if you write a negative review (so long as it’s not abusive or containing comments which we feel are blatantly erroneous).

Why you should cleanse your colon

Colonic hydrotherapy practitioners often maintain that the average adult is walking around with anywhere from six to twelve pounds of undigested material fermenting in their large intestine (the colon). Regardless of the amount of unwanted material lingering in the gut, there is little doubt that our Western diets (and Western drinking habits) contribute to a less than perfect intestinal environment for most of us. Result? An environment in which candida, parasites, microbes and other toxins thrive. And we tend to let whatever discipline we do have when we go off over Christmas and the New Year. Then in January and February, when the weather is gloomy, we tend to add to this through over eating, and sluggish levels of physical activity. It is unimaginable to think of going one week without the use of a toothbrush or toilet tissue. Yet, when was the last time you thought about cleaning the twenty feet in between? Do you think it’s any cleaner? It’s a simple fact, people rarely clean where they cannot see and that is where problems begin.

How often do you poop?

Constipation is commonly defined as not pooping 3 or more times per week. We disagree and follow the general view of naturopathic practitioners, that as a minimum we should to go the toilet every day without straining. But we should go to the toilet once for every meal we eat.

Why use an Oxygen based colon cleanser?

This is explained by John Taggart, the owner of the company that manufactures Colosan as such. Digestion is a process of oxidation. That is why we give off heat, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Just like a car engine when there is improper oxidation some of the fuel gets left behind as a residue. In the digestive tract, there is a similar build up of partially digested gunk. In an automobile when you add oxygen to the fuel mixture the built up materials are burned off or oxidized. You can do the same for your body. As these materials accumulate and subsequently begin to rot, your body wraps them in mucous to keep them from poisoning you. Colosan turns the accumulation and the mucous into carbon dioxide and water that are gently eliminated. By using Colosan to oxidize and eliminate this impacted material, you are  gently eradicating the home base to some of the largest assailants to your health and giving them nowhere to hide. By comparison laxatives tend to work as somewhat aggressive cathartics or purgatives. Amphetamines used as diuretics, are addictive and cause the body to dump its’ valuable water. Herbal laxatives such as senna work by employing micro toxins, or irritants, to produce the same effect, again of purging valuable water in order to flush the digestive tract. These two methods drain the body of necessary fluids in their attempt to wash out the system and are not ideal for long-term use. Another method of cleansing the colon involves the leeching of material from the  colon walls using carbon and clay. This is not harmful, but it does not oxygenate the digestive system. Similarly, fibre type laxatives like psyllium can be useful, but a lot of people do not tolerate them well,find them bloating (me – the writer of this newsletter and company director, being one of them). And once again this does not oxygenate the gut.

Candida and the Oxygen Colon Cleansers

Again quoting John Taggart “Many candida sufferers revere Colosan saying that they are the only thing that restores sanity and brings them calming relief from bouts of severe yeast overgrowth. Colosan dissolves the crud that the yeast is growing in, and creates an aerobic environment where beneficial flora can thrive and keep candida in check”.

Don’t take our word for it!

View what our customers say about colosan here
View what our customers say about oxy-powder here
View what our customers say about Mag 07 here

Which is the best colon cleanser, Oxy-Powder or Colosan or Mag 07?

We get asked this question every day. Unfortunately we refuse to say that one is better than the other as we have had just as many people prefer one as another one. They are all great products – that’s all we can say. Occasionally people report to us that they have used one for a while and it worked great at the beginning, but gradually worked less and less effectively. Where this occurs, we usually find that rotating the products, even though they are theoretically very similar seems to do the trick.

No matter which product you choose, our basic message is: Clean your colon and you will be stronger and healthier for having done so.

Are the Oxygen Colon Cleansers compatible with colon hydrotherapy treatment / colonic irrigation?

Yes

(We wish all the questions we got asked were as simple to answer as this common enquiry).

Actually, we get a lot of referrals from colon hydrotherapy practitioners who recommend one of these products to their clients to use before or between treatments (the specific advice they tend give on how to use them tends to vary from one practitioner to another – but the fact remains that we are gettng many referrals).

Are there other benefits to using an oxygen colon cleanser besides cleaning the colon

Absolutely. The oxygenation not just for the gut, but of the whole body which these products were originally designed to provide were originally regarded as the main benefit. That is to say the improved oxygenation was thought to improve all aspects of health  and well-being. It’s not us saying this, but the inventors of this genre of cleanser, namely two German doctors and naturopaths who invented their forerunner  (Homozon) in 1898. They regarded flooding the gut and subsequently the tissues of the body with more oxygen as the primary benefit, with the colon cleanse aspect only being a ‘side’ benefit.

View all Oxygen products here (this includes the liquid oxygen products, which oxygenate the whole body, but do not cleanse the colon)
View all Colon Cleanse products here (this includes the fibre and probiotic based cleansers)

Our home page: www.thefinchleyclinic.com

General Health & Nutrition

NADH for depression

NADH for Depression – and what you can do about it

NADH for depression
NADH

The following  short article is translated with a number of amendments from a post by Jorg Birkmayer, Professor Of Medicine at the University of Vienna talking about the wonderful natural substance NADH for depression..

Sleeplessness, low energy, inability to concentrate, anxiety, are the main symptoms of depression. In Germany more than 8 million people suffer from depression. The tendency is increasing. There is
enormous damage to the economy of any country caused by depression.

Depression occurs due to of lack of energy in the brain due to high level of work demands and certain medications like cholesterol drugs, beta blocker, antibiotics, antidepressants, sex hormones etc.

Any of these medications can instigate depression. Due to lack of energy in the brain, important neurotransmitters, like adrenalin, serotonin, and dopamine are not produced in the necessary quantity. People feel ‘burned out’. Therefore, burnt-out-syndrome is considered the precursor for depression. The batteries are empty and need to be recharged. The question is: how can we do this?

The brain consumes one-third of all the energy produced by our body. Therefore, an energy deficiency is first detected in the brain. Attention deficit, weaknesses in focusing, and prolonged reaction times are all caused by too little ATP in the brain. A long term energy deficiency in the brain leads to a shortage of the neurotransmitters, noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin. If this condition persists for a long period of time, symptoms of depression such as loss of drive, sleep disturbances, hypochondria, and anxiety will develop. NADH stimulates the biosynthesis of these neurotransmitters.

NADH is a substance that is produced by the body and is the secret of our life energy. This substance is available as a food supplement for everybody whoever is in need of energy.  Example include athletes, older people, people with chronic fatigue, travelers wishing to alleviate jet-lag, those who need to improve mental concentration.

Taking NADH for depression & energy

1-2 tablets per day is usually sufficient to do the trick in those who respond well to this nutrient. It must be taken under the tongue (sublingually) and allowed to dissolve there, otherwise it won’t work.  In other words, do not chew or swallow it. This dosage often works extremely well for chronic fatigue, or any other form of energy loss, and supports the adenal glands

You can purchase and learn more about NADH here

Detoxification

Acne breakouts prevention during detoxing

Acne breakouts or other skin eruptions after Christmas?

With the Christmas tree taken down, the last mince pie eaten, and New Years Eve just a slightly ‘blurry’ memory, January is often the time of year when people turn their attention to their health and wellbeing, and contemplate a post-xmas detox. Let’s face it, the typical ‘festive fayre’ can often be rather hard on our digestive systems, not to mention our liver and blood sugar levels, as we nibble our way through one moreish treat after another, and quaff perhaps just one teensy glass or two too many of celebratory ‘bubbly’.

With all of that in mind a January detox sounds like a brilliant idea, and who knows by the end of it our livers may even just be ‘speaking’ to us again, but something that concerns a lot of people when they embark on a cleanse is the likelihood of suffering some form of skin ‘breakout’ or another as a result of the detoxification process. So, firstly what causes these skin breakouts, how likely is it to occur and is there anything that can be done to minimise the risk?

What causes acne during a detox?

Our skin is one of our major organs of elimination, and because of this it is often one of the first things to suffer during any cleansing programme. Any toxins that are released and processed via the liver during the cleanse need to have a route out of the body, and the skin is one of these ‘exit routes’. Skin health can in some cases get noticeably worse, before it then hopefully improves during a cleanse.

Just how likely am I to experience such a skin ‘breakout’ during my detox?

Not everyone suffers with acne during a cleanse, but along with increased gas and bloating it is one of the most common adverse side-effects. One reason that some people are affected whilst others are not can be down to the individuals bowel transit time. If the bowels are sluggish, and faecal matter remains in the colon for longer than it should, then the toxins that the body is trying to rid itself of, can be reabsorbed through the intestinal wall. Once they are back in the blood stream and general circulation, they can cause inflammation and negatively affect skin health. Whilst this symptom does not usually last long, it can be an off-putting prospect for anyone considering a detox.

How to minimise the risk?

The first thing to consider here is the health of the main organs of elimination. In order for a detox to be successful the body’s eliminatory channels need to be functioning well. After all there is no point in mobilising toxins from the colon, liver or body fat stores if the bodies capacity to safely eliminate them is not up to scratch.

If a person is constipated, or not having at least 1-2 bowel movements every day, then it may be wise to delay the start of a cleanse or detox until they have tackled the constipation. One of the most natural ways to reduce constipation is to take a probiotic supplement that is specifically formulated to target this symptom.

Different probiotic strains have different actions in the body. Some strains may be effective for alleviating IBS for example, whereas other strains are better at alleviating constipation. One of the most clinically trialled strains of probiotic with regards to constipation is Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12®, which can be found in OptiBac Probiotics ‘Bifidobacteria & fibre’.

A 2004 trial by Nishida et al1, studied 29 women between the ages of 20-35. The women were split in to two groups, and each group was given 100g daily of either probiotic yoghurt containing the strain Bifidobcterium lactis BB-12®, or a placebo (non-probiotic) yoghurt. The yoghurts were administered for a period of 14 days, after which a rest period of 21 days was observed, and then the groups were swapped over and given the other yoghurt for a further 14 day period. The results of the trial showed a significant increase in stool frequency in the women that were identified as constipated, making this strain of bacteria my strain of choice for alleviating constipation .

For additional information regarding natural remedies for constipation, the following article may be of interest: http://www.constipationexperts.co.uk/remedies/natural-remedies.html

By shortening transit time, any toxins released by the detoxification process have a speedier exit out of the body, and are therefore less likely to be reabsorbed and re-circulated.

Even if constipation is not a particular issue, probiotics could still help reduce skin breakouts during a cleanse.  In a review of clinical studies into probiotics and acne by Bowe and Logan2, published in 2011 various clinical trials were looked at and it was found that probiotics and prebiotics appear to reduce systemic markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Additionally it was found that probiotics are able to regulate the release of inflammatory cytokines within the skin, and in particular reducing interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1-α), a protein linked to acne when found in abnormal amounts.

The specific strains of probiotic bacteria that are best at reducing these skin inflammatory markers are not yet fully known, so I would recommend taking a high strength, multi-strain probiotic containing bacteria from both the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria genuses, both in the run up to, and then throughout the detox process.

Outside of probiotics there are other natural approaches that can be utilised to minimise the likelihood of acne during a detox. The following strategies can be used to improve elimination both prior to, and during a cleanse.

The following recommendations may help to improve elimination:

  • Increase water intake – to help with kidney function. A minimum of 2 litres of filtered or natural spring water should be drunk throughout the day.
  • Increase dietary fibre or take a prebiotic supplement – to improve bowel ‘transit time’. Fibre adds bulk to faecal matter and makes the stool easier to pass. Research has shown that the body needs 30-50g of fibre a day to remain healthy, but most Western diets only contain approximately 12g.
  • Consider specific supplements to help support the liver, such as milk thistle, MSM, N-acetyl cysteine or dandelion root
  • Try different relaxation techniques, such as yoga or meditation – stress and tension are well known to affect the digestive system and can contribute to poor elimination
In summary:

By ensuring optimum liver, kidney and bowel health we can improve the efficacy of any detox or cleanse that we do. These organs need to be functioning well to be able to deal with any toxins that might be released from body tissues during the detox process. Supporting them in the above mentioned ways enables us to speed up the elimination of any ‘liberated’ toxins, and reduce the likelihood of us suffering any skin eruptions or other side effects from the cleanse. Employing these methods should enable us to gain the maximum results from our efforts, whilst minimising any discomfort or side-effects.

It is worth mentioning here though, that whilst most detox’s are generally very safe I would not recommend them for people with serious or chronic health concerns, or those taking prescription medications without first consulting their GP. Equally women should be extra cautious during pregnancy and when breastfeeding as many detox regimes do not provide enough calories or the correct balance of nutrients for these times, when a high demand is placed on the mother.

For anyone else, a detox can often be a great way to kick start a new healthy eating and healthy living regime, with all of the benefits that that can bring for our general wellbeing.

By Kathy Wheedon, BA hons and DipION

Nishida, S. et al. (2004) Effect of Yoghurt Containing Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12® on Improvement of Defecation and Fecal Microflora of Healthy Female Adults. Milk Science; 53(2): pp. 71-80

Bowe WP, Logan AC (2011) Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis – back to the future? 2011 Jan 31;3(1):1. doi: 10.1186/1757-4749-3-1

Candida

Understanding Candida Overgrowth – A Visual Guide

Candida is a type of yeast that lives naturally on the body. Under certain conditions, its numbers can multiply, and lead to unpleasant symptoms. These are frequently mild, but can be serious in some instances. Understanding candida is relatively complex, but we have tried to simplify the issue in the form of this infographic. Here, we describe the various candida symptoms and treatments.

What is candida?

Candida is a type of yeast, and is therefore a micro-organism. It lives in our intestines in small quantities alongside our natural populations of beneficial bacteria. However, when the immune system has been disturbed or compromised, candida is believed by holistic practitioners and doctors to be able to develop a harmful fungal form which grows out of control, disturbing the natural balance of healthy bacteria in the gut. Natural health practitioners also contend that the fungal form can also take up residence in other parts of the body and cause symptoms throughout almost every organ and system. Things that might lead to an overgrowth include a compromised immune system, a recent course of antibiotics or other medications, stress and dietary imbalance – particularly over-consumption of sugar.

infographics08

What are the symptoms of candida?

People commonly associate it with vaginal and oral thrush, and while this is true, these are far from being the only possible symptoms. Candida symptoms are many and varied. Some of these symptoms can be extremely long-standing, such as intestinal discomfort including constipation, bloating, indigestion and diarrhoea; fatigue; and recurrent bouts of thrush. Symptoms can be debilitating, e.g. brain fog, or merely an irritation, e.g. athlete’s foot. It can also have a negative effect on other systems within your body, leading to a compromised immune system, which in turn becomes susceptible to other illnesses.

What causes these symptoms?

Most experts agree that it is the by-products produced by the yeast, rather than the yeast itself that cause the symptoms. There are a number of by-products, but they tend to fall into three categories: neurotoxins, osteopathic, and hepatic. In other words, it causes brain issues, bone and joint issues, and liver damage.

How do you develop an infection?

Many of us may be carrying  candida, but only a minority of these fall ill. Usually, the body’s own bacteria keep the yeast at bay. This is because there are certain conditions that make it more likely for the candida to proliferate. These conditions include recent antibiotic use, contraceptive pills, fluoride, and stress.

What is the treatment for candida?

Candida requires a holistic approach and is a huge subject which is discussed more here. It is often necessary to tackle the issue on several fronts. There are various candida management products and treatments that will help to reduce numbers. These products include specialist healthy bacteria products like Threelac and Fivelac, liquid oxygen products, botanical products such as Thyme Formula or Oregano Formula, and for local thrush management, products such as Medcare. It may also be necessary to boost your body’s natural immunity with products like Antioxidant Supreme and OREA (which also helps reduce heavy metals in the body); supportthe adrenal glands to promote immunity with products such as Licorice Formula; and heal the gut lining (also known as treating “leaky gut”) with products such as Marshmallow Formula. Finally, it may be necessary to cleanse the colon with products such as Oxy-Powder.

Our infographic reproduces the above information in visual form, so that it is easier to understand the candida infection, its causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Fighting colds and flu

Vitamin C and overall life span

Vitamin C
Vitamin C

Over 20 years ago, 1992 to be precise, the medical Journal “Epidemiology” published a paper by James Enstron Phd and his colleagues entitled “Vitamin C intake and mortality among a sample of the United States population”. The paper suggested that individuals who regularly supplement their diet with vitamin C have a statistically significant increase in life expectancy over those who consume lower amounts of vitamin C. But this wasn’t really anything that new. Hundreds, in fact probably thousands of books and papers were published before 1992 and many more have been published since then demonstrating the clear and indisputable benefits for immunity, anti-aging, longevity, infection control and countless other benefits again, and again, and yet again of Vitamin C. Amazingly some (though gradually less and less) sceptics still debate whether it is beneficial to supplement with vitamin C at all – on any dosage! I find this “debate” so dated, and ridiculous that I find it astonishing, that anyone would wish to take up such a position, when it is so clearly wrong. This is an argument which they have so demonstrably lost, it really is as silly as when the tobacco companies claimed up to the 1950’s that smoking was good for you, on the basis that it was relaxing.

The discovery of Vitamin C

Around 200 years ago, it was first observed that ‘limeys’ – people who consumed limes, lemons or other citrus on long sea voyages didn’t get scurvy. This is the disease caused by gross Vitamin C deficiency, eventually resulting in death. Although it soon became well known that scurvy could be prevented by consuming limes or any other citrus fruits, the specific compound responsible was not discovered until 1930. That’s when Albert Szent-Györgyi, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Szeged in Hungary discovered vitamin C, which he orginally called hexuronic acid. Later on it became known as ascorbic acid, although today there are many ‘ascorbates’ used in food supplements which are all acceptable forms of vitamin C. In 1937 Professor Szent-Györgyi was awarded a Nobel prize for his research, apparently much to the annoyance of other academics who were doing similar research on Vitamin C at the time. One of the first important experiments was with guinea pigs who are similar to humans in that their body’s cannot produce Vitamin C and therefore must get it from diet or supplementation. Cutting a long story short, he found that guinea pigs fed a diet which was enriched with vitamin C flourished. The guinea pigs who were completely deprived of vitamin C developed scurvy-like symptoms. Then they died. 

Linus Pauling and the Vitamin C megadose

By the 1970’s Nobel Prize winning chemist Linus Pauling was the most famous (of many) scientists taking up the mantle of vitamin C. In his books “Vitamin C and the Common Cold” and “How to Live Longer and Feel Better”,  he claimed that the common cold could be almost entirely prevented by taking large dosages of Vitamin C on a daily basis. We’re talking here about dosages far higher than the feeble RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance), which is the amount described as “the level of necessary intake” – which is effectively the amount you need to take to avoid dropping dead. Of course the conventional medical profession sneered and tried to discredit him, whilst they happily slapped one another on the back. He took huge dosages himself, lived into his mid nineties, and worked until two weeks before his passing. I wonder whether the “experts” who sneered lived as long or as healthily as him? The RDA (recommended daily allowance) for Vitamin C is 60mg a day, which is enough to prevent scurvy. It’s also roughly the amount found in a medium sized orange. Unfortunately though, the amount found in an orange where weeks have gone by from being picked, to being transported to the supermarket, and from the from supermarket the shelves to your stomach typically is much lower than this. However 60mg even from a fresh orange does not provide what most nutritionists consider to be a therapeutic dosage. Linus Pauling himself started on 3000mg (3g) per day, but gradually took more and more until he was taking 18,000mg (18g), of Vitamin C per day!  Pauling believed that supplementing with megadoses of Vitamin C led to an improved resistance against essentially all diseases, and he suggested it increased life-span by up to 25 years. True he beleived in supplementing with a number of other nutrients too, but Vitamin C was very much the core nutrient. For more information, read Linus Pauling’s lovely article My Love Affair With Vitamin C (but finish reading this newsletter first!).

A few more functions of Vitamin C

(This list is not by any means comprehensive)

Anti Aging 

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant. All antioxidants, by opposing free radical damage, which is considered to be the cause of aging (though I doubt this is the only cause), also oppose aging. Vitamin C is also anti-aging both internally and cosmetically because it also…

Aids collagen synthesis

One of the best known roles of vitamin C is in the formation of collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, and is the ‘glue’ that gives integrity to connective tissue, muscles, tendons cartilage, skin, blood vessels, bone and teeth. Obviously Vitamin C is important for all of these tissues to stay in good health. The devastating symptoms of scurvy, which eventually leads to death are mostly due to impaired collagen synthesis. Aging of the skin is in essence a deterioration of the collagen in the skin.

The brain

Vitamin C is involved with dopamine and serotonin production, so it is little wonder that deficiency can be linked to anxiety, an unhealthy response to stress, fatigue, and depression.

Vitamin C and healthy iron levels

Folic acid is activated by vitamin C. Iron works together with Folic acid.  It’s uptake from the gut and its utilization in the body is also dependent on vitamin C. Vitamin C deficiency impairs the effectiveness of these important nutrients.

Reduces inflammation

This is the reason high dosages can be very useful for allergy sufferers.

Blood pressure

As little as 0.5g of vitamin C taken every day lowers your blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. It’s especially effective in people already diagnosed with high blood pressure, or hypertension. (Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012; 95: 1079-88).

Helps with candida die-off

This is not a benefit which is seen in the medical literature, but I have seen that Vitamin C helps those going through a candida die-off phase. It’s not our core product for this problem (that would be Wild Endive Formula), but it does help.

Which Vitamin C products do I recommend?

Actually I recommend any vitamin C product as being beneficial. However our top selling one, and the one I take myself is Tapioca Vitamin C. My second favourite (which I have also taken on and off) is the extremely pleasant tasting Mixed Ascorbates. For children the most popular one is Fizzy C, although my personal view is that Mixed Ascorbates is equally acceptable for kids.  However as we sell around 30 different Vitamin C products, and they all have some unique selling point or other, it’s probably useful for anyone who isn’t sure which one to take to view them all.

Dosage of Vitamin C

Despite some of the sillier press reports that I have occasionally seen, I don’t really think you can harm yourself on any dosage. However there is a maximum beyond which there would be no additional benefit. However it should also be noted that very high dosages of most forms of vitamin C cause loose bowels in some individuals. (Calcium Ascorbate is the most notable exception, and does not seem to cause loose bowels on any dosage – even if you consumed an entire bottle in one go – not that I’d especially recommend anyone to do that).

Studies have shown as little as 500mg per day to be highly beneficial for a range of health issues. However I regard 1g per day, as a basic therapeutic dosage and as much as 15-20g spread out over the day to be useful for acute infections or wherever the immune system may be impaired. 

In regarding 1 gram a day as the starting dosage which is sufficient to benefit most people, I have been particularly influenced by the results of two double blind studies. The first in teenage school children which showed a drop of 61% in absenteeism when the pupils were given 1g of vitamin C per day compared to a placebo group, and 64% fewer symptoms in those that did get ill during the trial period. The second with Canadian soldiers, where 68% less sick days were reported compared with a placebo group, also with 1g taken per day. Would these figures be better still if the dosage had been higher?

I do not take the 18g per day suggested by Linus Pauling, but I do take Vitamin C daily and I very rarely get colds or flu’s any more. I used to get just as many as everyone else – in fact probably more for often than most people. When I do get them, which is now very rare, they seem to be very short lived and are vastly less severe (I also up my dosage of Vitamin C to ‘Linus Pauling’ type quantities at that point, and take 2-3 x the label dosage of Oxylift or Oxygen Elements Max). Here is my daily regimen, which I advocate to everyone not just for preventing colds, but for the prevention of all illness, which I take on an ongoing basis.

1) I take Vitamin C the whole year, specifically 1g of Tapioca Vitamin C. Then I get about another gram by taking 2 capsules twice a day of Antioxidant Supreme, which I think is a wonderful wide spectrum antioxidant for immunity and slowing the aging process.

2) I take two capsules a day of Vitamin D 5000iu,

3) Oxylift or the very similar Oxygen Elements Max on the label dosage,* 

* Note: ideally, any Oxgen supplement should be taken an hour or more away from taking Vitamin C.

View all Vitamin C products here…and be well over Christmas

Written by Mark Lester, Director, The Finchley Clinic Ltd www.thefinchleyclinic.com

 

General Health & Nutrition

Natural ways to stay healthy as you age

As the years begin to take their toll, many of us become resigned to watching our minds and bodies begin to fail. But it doesn’t have to be that way. None of us is immortal, but there are still plenty of ways we can take care of ourselves and keep functioning well into old age.

Over time, we begin to stop producing the crucial hormones and chemicals that keep everything in perfect balance, while toxins build up in our systems. Our bodies, tough as they are, begin to deteriorate – bones become creaky, thinking becomes foggy and skin loses its elasticity. However, by keeping ourselves in good working condition, we can delay the onset of many of these signs of aging and supplement what we can no longer produce on our own. We’re not talking about drastic measures like HRT here – just simple ways to maintain your health throughout the years.

The first is exercise, which might seem like a no-brainer – we all know that staying active is good for us. It becomes even more important as the twilight years approach; as the saying goes, “use it or lose it”. As well as keeping your bones and muscles in good condition, it ensures that oxygen levels in your blood remain high so that every part of you gets the energy it needs. Exercise keeps stress and anxiety levels low and can help to stave off age-related illnesses like Parkinson’s, as well as relieving the insomnia that many of us encounter later in life. It doesn’t have to be strenuous – as long as it gets you off the couch.We recommend supplementing this with an oxygenating product like OxyLift, which provides not just oxygen and a detoxifying effect but also essential trace minerals, enzymes,and amino acids.

However, our CEO Mark Lester’ssingle favourite anti-aging product is actually NADH, also known as Co-Enzyme 1. It has a multitude of applications including heart health, immune health, and boosting memory, and the Finchley Clinic sells the only authentic sublingual NADH on the market, directly from the developer.And you could do worse than a daily dose of good old Vitamin C. It’s not just for preventing coughs and colds – it actually has strong anti-aging effects.

Diet goes hand-in-hand with exercise as a basic way to keep the system functioning. Your nutritional needs change as you age, in particular your need for more vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids. You’re also less able to process things like sugar, alcohol and unnatural toxins after several decades, and you might find that a binge hits you harder the next day than it used to. Listen to your body when it tells you that you’re not as young as you were, and treat it gently.

Your diet and activity levels are personal, and you don’t need to share them with anyone besides your doctor. But no matter how private you are, your habits will still show up for all to see – on your face. Skin is the proverbial coal-mine canary when it comes to your health, since it’s one of the body’s major ways to get rid of toxins as well as the barrier between your body and the outside world. If you are dehydrated, deficient in something vital or catching too many UV rays, your first clue could be your fine lines, wrinkles, under-eye bags and blemishes.

While some of these are useful indicators of health, they can also be depressing reminders of mortality, and it’s just as important for us to feel good about our outward appearances at 60 as it is at 16. Your best defence is a good moisturising lotion, to replenish the loss of oil and moisture that causes our skin to become dry and saggy as we age. We recommend MSM Cream Light, a lotion that includes aloe vera, nut oils and vitamin E as well as dimethyl sulfone (MSM), a sulphur compound that helps to keep your soft tissues flexible at the cellular level. To keep skin oxygenated, we love Aquaspirit, an easy-to-useanti-agingliquidthat you can use as a pick-me-up whenever you like. Lastly, don’t underestimate the importance of sunscreen! Long-term sun protection is often the most important key to maintaining youthful skin.

Plenty of people stay hale and strong well into their 90s and beyond, so there’s no reason to give up on your health when grey hairs begin to appear. In fact, if you’ve been neglecting your body up until now, there’s no time like the present to turn things around!

Supplier of Natural Health Supplements for candida management and colon cleansing