JV,

In my opinion my candida was severe. Although having said that, I was able to continue working through the years and I have heard that some people are that bad that they are bedridden and cannot work at all. So maybe on the scale of things it wasn't as bad as others have experienced. However it was bad enough to cause me all sorts of distress and I certainly displayed the classical symptoms of candida infection including CNS problems, anxiety, depression, allergies, sensitivities, and so on. My candida was caused by years of Antibiotic abuse (as I like to call it), and exacerbated by a poor diet and lifestyle choices (booze, drugs etc). My diagnosis was established through a CDSA at Great Smokies Laboratories, although I really believe that an individual already knows when they have candida and doesn't really need this type of test to confirm. Anyway, as far as the question of how much fermented foods I have been eating, one word best describes this, PLENTY.

The main types of fermented foods I consume are Umeboshi (I cannot rave enough about this food and in fact I actually learnt about UME on this very same forum), Sauerkraut, and even the good old Vegemite (its a spread made of concentrated yeast extract). At the same time I like to look after my liver with supplemental herbs in a liquid extract, and take the occasional bit of garlic and another supplement called Molkosan. Another just as important thing is bowel movements, and this is where the fermented foods also help me.

You have to believe me when I categorically state that I have not felt better in 12 years, and I sincerely wish others the same conclusion. All this @#$% about restrictive diets and this anti- fungal and that anti-fungal, I have been there, and it all just makes me so angry the way people are sucked in (including myself in the past). Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them as best as I can.

Regards Derek

Hi there Deb,

The reduction and then complete elimination of symptoms was fairly quick. I would say in a few days at most. I did have some rumbling going on in my stomach also. I was not sure what this meant at the time and didn't really fuss too much about it as I was feeling better anyway. I would give it a shot if I was you, you have nothing to lose. Fermented foods are quite cheap and I wouldn't imagine that they would make you any worse than what you are now.

On another note, I don't really know why it has worked so well for me, and possibly not as well as for others (I presume this is the case as I have certainly put forward the case for fermented foods enough on this forum and so far no-one has come back with any positive results).

Derek