We're sharing a series on candida, an organism that supports health if it is maintained at proper levels but that wreaks havoc on the human body when an overgrowth is present. As we mentioned in a previous post, a huge percentage of humanity is suffering in numerous ways from excess candida.
Candida overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract. source
Given the modern lifestyle and toxic environment, candida overgrowth is extremely prevalent and affects 85% of people if not more. A diet high in sugar and processed foods contribute to an overgrowth of this fungus, which can cause conditions like:
- Chronic fatigue
- Mood swings or low mood
- Brain fog, easily forgetful
- A weak immune system
- Joint pains/Fibromyalgia
- Inflammation
- Digestive issues or pain (like Crohn's disease or IBS)
- Fungal infections on the skin or nails
- Recurring yeast infections of the genitals (yes men can get them too)
- Oral thrush
- Sinus infections
- Food allergies/food intolerance
Please read our article Candida - Agent of Destruction or Health Companion? for more foundational information.
We shared an easy at home test you can perform to check yourself for an overgrowth: read more about that here.
Because we want to be as healthy as we can be, the inhabitants of our ecovillage took this test too! Even though we live a lifestyle healthier than most, we were surprised to find that everyone tested positive for candida overgrowth.
While we want to improve our own health, we also want to use the experience to inspire others to a life of thrival, so our series continued with a preparatory diet to get the body as strong as possible to undergo a medicinal candida detox. Getting your channels of elimination functioning properly is key, because you want the candida and parasites to move out of your system as easily as possible.
Today, we're sharing a protocol to follow to clear a candida overgrowth in the body and bring its levels back into balance.
Unfortunately, candida is another issue that not only does Western medicine fail to address thoroughly, but the few options they have for treatment are actually detrimental to overall health. Our research yields a promising natural treatment which we are following. This medicinal candida detox was resurrected from the history books by Dr. Jennifer Daniels, and it is called The Candida Cleaner. http://www.sgn80.com/docs/The_Candida_Cleaner.pdf
This protocol uses 100% gum spirits of turpentine. Your initial reaction might be, "Turpentine? Seriously?"
YES!
If you do the research (and it is supremely important to do your own research, especially when it comes to your health!!), you will learn that turpentine has been as used as a powerful healer for thousands of years - even by Hippocrates, labeled as the father of medicine.
Turpentine was even in the Merck Manual, a pharmaceutical guide from the late 1800's, and it was listed as healing many issues such as meningitis, gonorrhea, lung disease, abdominal issues, arthritis, and many more ailments. Some of your much older relatives many even remember stories about children being given turpentine in school a few times a year to clear out any issues with pin worms or other communicable parasites.
For thousands of years, people would strip the bark from the pine tree and puncture the tree trunk as a way to collect droplets of the tree’s resin. The resin collected was then distilled with water and became known as turpentine.
Turpentine is rich in both alpha and beta pinenes and is used in a number of home remedies. When diluted in milk, wine, or water, the concoction was used for respiratory problems and was also noted as an effective expectorant or used both internally and externally as an effective cure for any of a number of parasitic infections. Alpha-pinene or a-pinene is also an effective broad spectrum antibiotic. (Nissen L, Zatta A, Stefanini I, Grandi S, Sgorbati B, Biavati B et al. (2010))
Hippocrates and other doctors of his era prescribed turpentine for its properties against lung disease and gallbladder and/or kidney stones. In the early nineteenth century in France, turpentine was prescribed for excessive mucus or bladder inflammation. In Germany, Slovenia, and Poland, turpentine was prescribed for severe pain from a nerve damage, rheumatism, lower back pain, kidney inflammation, constipation, and mercury poisoning.
Modern phytotherapy of turpentine recognizes it has the following properties: antiparasitic, external disinfectant, analgesic, balsamic (to soften or reduce mucus), haemostasis (ability to stop bleeding), antispasmodic, diuretic, antirheumatic, deworming, antidote for poisoning caused by phosphorus, and it reduces bronchial secretion and other chronic obstructive bronchitis.
Now just to be clear, we are not saying that all medicines previously used in millenniums past have been spot on with their healing; doctors used to give their patients a glass of mercury water during office visits, and we obviously know better than this now. As science progresses, we have learned more information that helps us make strides in the care of our health.
However, a lot of wonderful natural medicines have been pushed to the wayside and claimed to be quackery or poison to make way for pharmaceutical drugs which can be patented and sold for big bucks, something companies can't do with natural healing remedies. Turpentine is one of those natural medicines that has been completely disregarded as poison, and that is just not the case.
There is a big difference between the medicinal version of 100% Pure Gum Spirits of Turpentine and the chemically enhanced turpentine you can pick up from your local hardware store to thin paint. They do come from the same origin, but are altered along the way. The base of turpentine is just the extract that comes from fir trees, like pine or spruce; the rosin is extracted and then slow cooked down to separate the turpentine.
And of course, just like ANYTHING else in this world (even water!) too much of it can be dangerous. Doctors who historically prescribed turpentine recognized it as an effective booster at an average dose, but that it could be dangerous at high doses. Again, this is one reason why everyone needs to do research to know the benefits and potential dangers of anything you are going to incorporate into your life!
The adult protocol we are following to clear our candida overgrowth is as follows:
- Stack 3 sugar cubes on top of each other on a plate.
- Drop one teaspoon of 100% Pure Gum Spirits of Turpentine over your sugar cube stack.
- You want to saturate the sugar cubes without getting a puddle of it on the plate.
- Chew and swallow the sugar cubes.
- The sugar is used because the candida want it and will kill them as its laced with turpentine.
- Take this dose once a day for 4 days, then take 3 days off. Repeat for a total of 3 weeks.
- According to Dr. Daniels, 1/2 tsp will give less die off and discomfort (if this dose does not give any benefit, it is ok to increase to 1 tsp over a period of 4 doses).
- Be sure to scrape your tongue to remove excess candida as you continue detoxing. Before going to sleep and after waking up are the best times.
- It is very helpful to wash your mouth a couple times a day as lots of candida lives in the mouth. We use our high quality food grade hydrogen peroxide as its perfect for the job. You can also drink it too for more added health benefits. We have covered this extensively.
- You may also take a drop or few of high quality colloidal silver before bed to help kill off candida and other parasites. Its pretty much good every day but especially in a parasite cleanse!
Children can take a much smaller dose:
- To gently build up, start by giving the child 3 drops of turpentine in a cup of water 3 times a day (upon waking, in the afternoon, and before bed).
- Children can get more intense die off symptoms because they are smaller. If there will be any die off symptoms, you will notice them within 3 hours. If symptoms do present, wait until the next day to give them another dose.
- If there are no die off symptoms, increase the dose to 4 drops in a cup of water 3 times a day, and continue increasing until you are at 7 drops in a cup of water 3 times a day.
- Stick to 7 drops in a cup of water 3 times a day for a week, then you can switch to the sugar method.
- When you switch to the sugar method, start with 1/16th to 1/8th teaspoon of turpentine mixed with an equal part of loose table sugar (sugar cubes will not be completely saturated with this small volume and are not appropriate). Get the child to swallow this mix.
- Maximum dose for a 3 year old is 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. A 5-6 year old can take up to 1 tsp.
It is important to adhere to an anti-candida diet while following this protocol!
As we covered in our last post, this means eliminating sugar, meat, dairy, and most carbohydrates. Focus your diet on fresh, whole fruits & vegetables (especially green leafy veggies), root vegetables, and squash. Be sure to drink lots of high quality water!
A note about using sugar cubes: this should be the only sugar you consume during the protocol, and in this case the sugar acts as bait for candida. They will be attracted to and consume sugar, but it will kill them because it is laced with turpentine! The rest of the candida population responds to the threat of poison in their environment and will hightail it out of the body. This is why it is so important to prepare the body beforehand to make sure your elimination systems are functioning properly!
Depending on your level of candida overgrowth and whether or not you sufficiently prepared your body to undergo this medicinal detox, you may experience some degree of die off symptoms. This may include dizziness, headaches, body aches, or other flu-like symptoms. Up your water intake, and be sure to take proper rest.
This is our 4th day of following this protocol, and everyone is reporting changes in their condition! We are documenting our results to share. Stay tuned, because we will bring them to the blockchain in an upcoming post!
If you want to follow the protocol with us, please continue following this series and commenting with your experience! If you need some 100% Pure Gum Spirits of Turpentine, we make it available by donation through our website.
We hope this will inspire you to do additional research and work towards the best possible health for yourself!
For additional resources on this topic, please check out some of these links and the ones above:
http://www.sgn80.com/docs/The_Candida_Cleaner.pdf
https://books.google.com/books?id=FWwRAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA162&dq=turpentine+merck+manual&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjynZuquLTMAhUI8WMKHZXbDS4Q6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=turpentine%20merck%20manual&f=false
*This information is not intended to be medical advice; it is just shared research & experience.