My diet seems to be lacking in something

Sapsorrow

I've been getting Angular stomatitis/cheilosis since I was a teenager anytime I get run down or overly stressed. here's some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_cheilitis

Basically it seems to be a mainfestation of candida and it's linked to certain nutrient deficiencies (B2, zince, Iron) and celiacs disease. I've gotten a dose of it the last few days and it hurts like hell. Just wondering what could I be missing on my paleo diet that might be part of the cause? It's obviously not the Iron or gluten causing the flare up. I wonder could eating more sugar lately be part of it? I'm not very clued up on candida, my mums an expert but she's away visiting her own mum at the minute so I can't bother her with questions about it

brianthebard

Its surprising that getting rid of grains and sugars hasn't gotten rid of the candida; have you tried acidophilius?

Susie_Q

I'm practically an expert on candida, having had it on/off for 10+ years.

I know you don't eat dairy, but if you can stomach it then I've found the best thing is live natural yogurt. Eat lots of this and you will feel better within 48 hours. All the books also say that garlic is brilliant for candida though I can't really say either way as I eat garlic in ridiculous amounts so wouldn't be able to say if it helps. Worth a try though.

Second best is to get acidophillus tablets. This is the same live bacteria as in the yogurt. You can take two per day I think, any health shop will stock them - usually in the fridge.

Any refined sugars usually set me off so if you've been indulging lately that might be your trigger. Hope this helps!

Sapsorrow

OK I'll grab some acidoph(sp??) tomorrow, and yoghurt is on the menu for breakfast so. Does the acidoph dominate the candida, in what way does it affect it? I just applied a mix of neem oil (fungicidal) and fresh aloe vera goo from my plant (anti-inflammatory) there and the pain has eased off loads which is a relief. I have been indulging in a bit of 70% chocolate lately, maybe I've been so good with my sugar intake lately that even that bit extra is enough to aggravate it now. I know I've had a problem with zinc deficiency since my teenage years, I think I need a multimineral. I though the meat would provide all the b vits and minerals etc I would need, maybe it's partly because I don't eat eggs?

metamorphosis

Solgar advanced acidophilous and bio live yogurt always helps me some bit.

Sapsorrow

Is biolive in tescos and the likes? You know I wonder if my being run down is some how causing my dairy cravings, it may be the minerals or B vitamins in the milk I'm after hmmm... Seems unlikely to just be a coincidence seeing as this is only the third time in about five or six years or so that I've gotten chelosis. I always find it funny how long it takes me to realise I'm run down too. Been knackered lately with the stress of the move and job hunting too then.

brianthebard

Sapsorrow wrote: »

Is biolive in tescos and the likes? You know I wonder if my being run down is some how causing my dairy cravings, it may be the minerals or B vitamins in the milk I'm after hmmm... Seems unlikely to just be a coincidence seeing as this is only the third time in about five or six years or so that I've gotten chelosis. I always find it funny how long it takes me to realise I'm run down too. Been knackered lately with the stress of the move and job hunting too then.

Yeah I know what you mean about noticing tiredness, I've started to learn to just start a B complex around this time of year and maybe again in march/april.

I think the acidophilis is supposed to replace/eat the candida, I'm not 100% sure...

El_Dangeroso

Ah you poor thing.

On the zinc front I read somewhere that a lot of the time, zinc deficiency is actually the body sequestering zinc in the bones and liver in the face of illness. This happens a lot with depression apparently. Lack of zinc = lack of happy chemicals in brain.

Zinc sequestering is also largely controlled by omega 6/3 signalling (makes sense, since when sick the body will trigger inflammation via omega 6 to defend itself).

Bad news is that it takes a year of rigorous omega 6 avoidance to restore the balance. It's so hard too, keeping that n6 <4% calories.

On the reason you're succumbing to candida, vitamin D naturally takes a drop round this time of year, everyone has a cold. It takes 12 weeks to build levels up through supplementation so maybe if you've only started supplementing again recently, that could be a contributing factor.

Other than that, starve the fecker off with 2 weeks zero fibre or carbs of any kind, VERY extreme I know (I don't know if I could do it), but it's pretty effective. Then you can start on probiotics and lots of veg to build back up the bacteria.

Dotcomdolly

My dd suffers from candida/thrush and I got her Udo's Probiotics ( I got her the infants blend but there is a normal version too).

http://www.udoerasmus.com/products/probiotics_en.htm

Sapsorrow

Got my acidophilus there, solgar advanced 40+, 60 tabs for 16 euros. Man they're crazy expensive, the udos and other solgar ones in 26 euros and I just wasn't willing to go there. Has 300million of five different subspecies so should get the job done, the udos hone has a few billion of a couple of different types but I'm not sure I really need that big an onslaught tbh.

Sapsorrow

Jesus El D you never cease to amaze me with your knowledge! I've had a few problems over the years symptomatic of both omega 3 (or messed up 3:6 ratios) and zinc deficiency so that's really interesting. I've suffered from depression on and off since teenagerdom (it's very much in the family) as well as psoriasis, other omega 3 related problems in my family are rheumatoid arthritis and hard lumps under the skin of the hands. My sister looked into it before and found the link between all our different health problems and omega 3, she specifically found a bizarre article about people descended from seafaring civilisations who now eat little or no fish and so suffer from exactly the list of problems my family has. We're a very scandanavian looking bunch on my dads side (tall and white blond with no eyebrows), he'd make a great extra in a viking movie so it seems very plausable. That's also really interesting about the D, I'm going to double my dose for a week. Suzie can you reccomend a book or website for more info on candida? I really ought to learn more about it considering how prevalent it is.

El_Dangeroso

I've suffered with depression on and off too. In all honesty it's what really keeps me eating healthy long term. My mental health is the canary in the mine for my diet, it's the first thing to suffer. I'm 'in remission' now so to speak, you never realise how bad it is until you get out of it.

A lot of people with IBS have depression too. Here's an interesting article about it:

http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/2010/06/anxiety-and-irritable-bowel-syndrome.html

Susie_Q

Erica White's "Beat Candida Cookbook" is one of the better books on the market, it explains a lot about it quite clearly and as the title suggests has lots of meal plans.

I have a copy of it (as well as another book with a more technical, sciencey approach) - if you want to borrow either or both just PM me and I can post them to you.

Sapsorrow

Ya I know, sometimes I wonder how many people in this country don't suffer from depression. I always notice the people who mention that they don't have a problem with it rather than the other way round. Whenever I meet someone new it always seems like only a matter of time until they mention having problems with it. Epidemic Vitamin D deficiency for sure. And sure everyone know's the magical power a sunny day has on ones mood.

Thanks Suzie, that's so kind! I'd definately be interested in the more sciencey one (being the nerdling that I am :pac:) I'll pm you now!

brianthebard

Sapsorrow wrote: »

Ya I know, sometimes I wonder how many people in this country don't suffer from depression. I always notice the people who mention that they don't have a problem with it rather than the other way round. Whenever I meet someone new it always seems like only a matter of time until they mention having problems with it. Epidemic Vitamin D deficiency for sure. And sure everyone know's the magical power a sunny day has on ones mood.

Speaking of, I'm sure you've seen rubadub's posts about uva/b lamps and psoriasis. Have you considered getting one or even (gasp) going on a sunbed for a little while each week? afaik it would be more effective than the supps and quicker to act too, might be useful in the short term at any rate.

Sapsorrow

He he. Ya I've toyed with the idea of buying or building a light box alright but never got around to it. I haven't really had psoriasis for about 6 years now but when I did have it I spent as much time as I could sunbathing which did help a lot, that was my clever mums good idea at the time. My psoriasis was quite a short lived experience for me (2 years on and off from 16 to 18 years and one or two very minor breakouts since) I was covered with it all over my trunk, arms and legs and around my hairline, my parents spent a load of money on dermatologists and prescriptions with no success at all (they took me to the bons despite having a mdeical card because naturally I was freaking out at this stage and didn't want to wait on the list a year), only for my mum to cure it with mega doses of fish oil and vitamin D supplements, as well as giving up the booze and sunbathing as much as possible. I also did a few fasts and a liver cleansing programme with various herbs like milk thistle at my mothers command too as she was adament that my drinking had something to do with it. As long as I keep my diet in check and go easy on the booze it seems to stay away. My GP at the time found a latent strep throat infection in my system that he reckoned was capable of actually triggering the psoriasis in the first place. It's quite an interesting condition really, but I'm well glad mines gone for now at least. It really is one of the last things any 16 year old girls needs to be afflicated with

brianthebard

you were sixteen though, how could it be from booze? :eek: lol. My youngest sister had it for years too on her scalp seems to have finally gotten rid of it, none of the shampoos or anything worked, wish I had known about vit D sooner.

Sapsorrow

brianthebard wrote: »

you were sixteen though, how could it be from booze? :eek: lol. My youngest sister had it for years too on her scalp seems to have finally gotten rid of it, none of the shampoos or anything worked, wish I had known about vit D sooner.

Ah yes, nothing like living in Galway to make a delinquent out of ya, graveyard of ambition and all that! In my defense it was transition year and there wasn't much else to be doing at the time. Vitamin D rocks though!