I’ve actually received this question – in various forms – a lot over the past few years. So here’s a good representative of the concerns and my answer.

Question:

I’m very concerned though about the issue of Absorb Plus feeding Candida. I decided to use Absorb Plus to do The IBD Remission Diet because your book says that it would starve the good and bad bacteria in the gut, almost creating a clean slate for the gut, to be then populated with probiotics. (Incidentally I have been taking probiotics twice daily anyway, whilst on the diet.)

Now I’m feeling this description of Absorb Plus wasn’t accurate:  it seems it may starve off some bacteria but actually feeds, and can contribute to one of the most harmful, the Candida, increasing rapidly! This seems like a huge problem! –  and I’m now concerned about the ultimate success of the Remission Diet for me. Perhaps I’ll be able to kill it with oregano oil, which I’ve used before. But If I’m still ingesting a product with so much fructose all the while, it seems it will be a difficult battle to fight with the Candida getting fed well all the while – and the body likely to go out of balance again when I stop the oregano. Added to that, I always get more diarrhea when taking oregano oil – and I could certainly do without that.

How will my gut be able to heal with this imbalance going on, and Candida colonising the gut more than before? And having to spend more money on Oregano oil to fight the problem, whilst the Absorb Plus feeds it, makes no sense to me.

Answer:

Please don’t panic – thousands of people have successfully used Absorb Plus to date (and all people with IBD have some degree of Candida overgrowth) and nothing has happened to change that.

So, first of all, Candida albicans is NOT a bacteria. It is a yeast organism. And it is a natural and beneficial resident throughout our entire bodies – as long as it is in a healthy balance with other microorganisms.

The problem occurs when there is a Candida overgrowth. This happens for numerous reasons but it is usually triggered by drug antibiotic or steroid use. These drugs kill off the good bacteria in the gut, which normally keep Candida in balance.

Like many microorganisms, simple carbohydrates (sugars) are also the preferred food of yeast organisms like Candida albicans.

Now, when it comes to healing gut disorders, the healing often has to occur in layers, because you just can’t treat everything at once – the body can’t handle it. So, compared to intestinal bleeding, malnutrition and malabsorption, continual pain, etc. Candida is definitely a ‘lesser stage’ problem and can be dealt with after the more serious symptoms are resolved.

This is because there is NO elemental product in existence that will not feed Candida – because ALL carbohydrates are broken down into sugars. So even if you ingest a fructose-free elemental product, the maltodextrin (or whatever else the carbohydrate source might be) will still feed the Candida.

If you get more diarrhea when taking wild oregano, that too is normal and is actually a positive thing. It shows that the body is flushing all the dead pathogenic microorganisms and their toxic by-products from your gut. Candida overgrowth alone produces more than 178 toxins. By taking the high dose of probiotics before bed every night (as advised in Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol), you are also helping to stabilize and support the healing of the gut flora. Simultaneously, the Absorb Plus during the day is helping to heal and restore the mucosal lining of the intestine and resolve malnutrition.

The wild oregano oil and probiotics combined should be sufficient to keep Candida in check whilst on the elemental diet – for some it is even enough to resolve the Candida issue.

If it doesn’t resolve the Candida issue, then this issue can be fully addressed after completing the elemental diet. Our recent teleseminar with Dr. Carolyn Dean (Candida, Detox & More!) gives you exact instructions for how to accomplish this.

Getting back to the “healing in layers” concept: What heals inflammation, ulceration, malabsorption in the gut is not what heals Candida overgrowth. They require different therapies and protocols. That’s just the way the body works. If you go really hard on an anti-Candida protocol before strengthening the gut and gaining enough weight to withstand a detox reaction, you will trigger a full-blown IBD flare. Which is worse?

I had one reader who had severe Crohn’s symptoms and she knew she needed to go on the IBD Remission Diet, but she wouldn’t use Absorb Plus because of the fructose. She insisted she would wait for the fructose-free Absorb Plus. Except that without healing the ulceration and malnutrition, her Crohn’s escalated and she died. Now who knows what other factors were involved here, but the bottom line is: heal the most serious symptoms first and then work your way down the list, gradually clearing the rest.

Now, regarding the information in The IBD Remission Diet book, in the book I write that the elemental diet starves out the bad bacteria in the colon and at the time of writing, that was what the medical literature proclaimed. It has since been theorized that no, some of the maltodextrin does actually pass undigested into the colon, so it does not completely clear the bad bacteria. This update is included in the series of emails you should have received after purchasing the book. If you didn’t receive these emails, or have lost them, you can view them online at the Book Updates page at: www.JiniPatelThompson.com

Regardless, this is another reason why I recommend (in that same series of emails) that you simultaneously either go on Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol, or. start the high dose probiotics at the beginning of the Diet, rather than waiting until the end. These will help to keep Candida in check whilst on the Diet (and afterwards).

So, in your case, if you didn’t have a severe Candida problem to begin with, you may be fine with just taking the high dose probiotics (1 tsp of each, 3x/day) and that may be sufficient to hold the Candida in check without too much diarrhea. However, if you feel the Candida increasing, then start Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol and follow that.

I hope that has relieved some of your fears and given you a better picture of what’s going on.

take care,
Jini

There is a big difference between natural source Vitamin E and synthetic Vitamin E. Also, the way you take your Vitamin E has a big effect on absorption and utilization by the body.

We just got in the new E-Gems Elite Vitamin E from Carlson Labs and as it contains all eight forms of natural source tocopherols and tocotrienols so it is truly the creme de la creme vitamin E product – providing the antioxidant benefits of the entire family of vitamin E.

Research supports that all natural forms of vitamin E, as found in foods, have beneficial properties in protecting body cells from free radical damage. And natural-source Vitamin E is twice as active as synthetic vitamin E inside our bodies.

Here’s some quick guidelines to improve your body’s absorption and utilization of your Vitamin E supplement: Read the rest of this entry »

Jay Baluk (CROHNSBOY) In Hawaii

OKay, I just had to post this account from Jay Baluk (a.k.a. CROHNSBOY) who recently tried Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema.

I love Jay because he’s SO candid and honest and blunt. And the photo on his post alone is so funny I just had to point you to it.

But, WARNING: If you’re a very proper, straight-laced, kind of person, then it’s probably best if you give CrohnsBoy a miss. For me, I love Jay’s irreverent style and hope he never changes!

And if you haven’t tried Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema yet, maybe Jay’s story will inspire you. A probiotic retention enema is the fastest way to implant a mega-dose of beneficial bacteria straight into the colon – and lower part of the small intestine. In Jay’s own words:
I wrote a BLOG about your enema stuff etc. It really is nothing short of amazing! I think that alone could pull most people out of their flares.

In the next few weeks I am going to start taking the healthy trinity if all goes well. As I think these will benefit me a lot as they get a lot of good bacteria into your gut.

I feel like 90% today tenderness is slightly present but will go away within next few days. I’m glad I was able to learn first hand how that enema can heal you wow!

However, as Jay experienced, either ramp-up the dosage slowly, or watch out for the die-off (Herxheimer Reaction) effect.

I’m sorry I can’t give you quick instructions here for how to implement Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema – the probiotic sections in my two books; Listen To Your Gut and Listen To Your IBS are over 30 pages long. This is because people with IBD (and severe IBS) need a good understanding of probiotics before they start dosing. If they don’t have all the detailed information on what to look for, how to proceed, etc. they risk triggering a flare. I do offer a complimentary Probiotic Report to get you started in this area of treatment. But for full and complete instructions, you really do need to get one of the books – remember, they both come with a 1 year guarantee (including return postage) so the risk is pretty minimal to try it out.

STOP PRESS!!!!

Okay SO MANY people have requested the Probiotic Retention Enema instructions (and my Wild Oregano Oil Protocol) I have now made both of these available as an E-BOOK. So just click here and I’ll send you both Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema and Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol, in E-book format, for only $14.95

For those of you who haven’t heard about these protocols before, here’s what each of them does:

Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol

This protocol is based on Inflammatory Bowel Disease being an infectious disease (or having an infectious component). Think of how often gastroenterologists prescribe antibiotics like Cipro and Flagyl/Metronidazole – sound familiar?

There are two ways to eliminate infectious microorganisms: Antimicrobial drugs or substances, or high doses of probiotics. Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol is unique in that it combines the two methods, using 100% natural substances, for maximum effectiveness in both eradicating infectious microorganisms, maintaining a healthy bacterial flora during antimicrobial supplementation, and maintaining a healthy gut environment ongoing, for continued long-term health.

This 3-Phase protocol is designed to eliminate infectious microorganisms (like mycobacterium, fungi, bacteria, yeast, viruses, parasites, etc.), provide a moderate level of detoxification, and restore beneficial gut flora. By healing the infection we also heal inflammation. Other supplements referred to in my Listen To Your Gut book (such as MucosaHeal, George’s ‘Always Active’ Aloe Vera Juice, L-Glutamine, etc.) are then used to heal ulceration, bleeding, and repair the intestinal wall and mucosal lining.

Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema

This retention enema, which delivers very high dose probiotics directly to your colon (and lower part of your ileum) can provide dramatic healing results. As the name suggests, this is not a cleansing or flushing enema, but rather it is an implant or retention enema – where the goal is to hold the mixture in your colon until the liquid is completely absorbed.

Many people use Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema during severe inflammation and bleeding for quick healing, whilst others prefer to wait until things have calmed down a bit and they’re tolerating the probiotics well orally first. You really have to just follow your own body wisdom (intuition) on when would be best for you. Even people who have not seen great results from oral probiotic supplementation (it takes longer and can be more difficult to colonize via oral supplementation) see significant symptom clearing following this retention enema.

Enjoy!
Jini

P.S. One more thing: Jay is also compiling a list on his site of people who are MED-FREE. Here’s what he’s doing – in his own words – and how you can help:

I have decided that I am going to start compiling a list of people who have overcome their IBD meaning people that are MED FREE and living good lives. I think it’s about time that we show people how many people really have beat these diseases on their own terms.

If you are reading this I encourage you to send me an email with your name, email address, what IBD you had?-how long you had it, what protocol etc you did to overcome it. This is crucial that we show everyone that we are indeed beating our IBD’s. I believe in my heart this will encourage people or maybe help open their eyes to what is really happening.

So please do not be shy and drop me a line. Lets start a domino effect. This thing will grow. I will start updating it once a month starting 02/06/2009

Please respond by emailing me at: Info (at) crohnsboy.com with **MED FREE** in your subject box

Thanks so much for your time. I believe that together we really can make a difference and prove that we really are making huge strides in overcoming IBD’s

Jay
www.Crohnsboy.com

I’m already on Jay’s list. As he said, let’s start a domino effect!

The following question is one I hear a lot and indeed have asked myself for many years. It deals with the whole mind/body issue: If the mind, emotions, belief systems, mental thought and behaviour patterns can really have such a profound effect on the physical body, then why isn’t person “X” ill, when they are obviously emotionally unhealthy?

Here’s what a friend of mine asked me recently:

I’m about halfway through the book, When The Body Says No. Am totally convinced in one aspect from various life experiences, but totally skeptical on the other hand – because if it were 100% true, my mother would have been riddled with cancer or some other chronic, fatal disease long ago. But other than having some kidney issues the last couple of years, she is totally fine.

Here’s my reply:

Read the rest of this entry »

Those of you who have read my book, Listen To Your Gut or my article, Should I Vaccinate My Child? know that I extensively researched this issue when my first child was born and based on the evidence, decided not to vaccinate any of my three children.

This 90 minute video also provides a great exploration of the issue and for those of you who are visual-learners, you will find this easier to get through than my article and also more comprehensive.

In this groundbreaking film, you will:
Read the rest of this entry »