Re: I can't go on.

I concur with you completely Nyckid - the pathways to heal from candida overgrowth (in any form) is an important strategy - for if there is a metal overload in the body it seems it's a hell-of-a-sight harder to eradicate, and IF one does get some die-off - it only proliferates again.

I was intrigued by studies that supported this argument - specifically mercury studies and the candida connection. It was found that mercury binds to many intestinal bacteria and wipes them out from their useful function but would not bind to candida. So candida easily proliferates - also it could be seen perhaps as an intestinal 'armour' of the intestines - allowing candida to fully coat the intestinal tract - won't allow mercury to be re-absorbed. So in a way - certainly regarding metal toxicity - candida could be seen as a friend rather than enemy.

But of course the issues with candida associated toxicity, depleted nutrient absorbtion, inflammation etc all down-grade the body systems of optimal function.

I haven't bothered with much candida protocol due to positive heavy metal testing...primarily mercury, aluminium, a bit of arsenic. (I was an industrial painter for over a decade - breathing in those lovely toxic paint fumes! ;-/) aswell as having Amalgams break-up on me and breaking a couple of thermometers in the past 4 yrs.

Regarding genetics - it's something i'm really looking into at the moment and agree with you that certain people are pre-disposed to conditions due to genetic defects.

Interestingly, as you mention, how come some people have a mouth full of mercury, eat a crappy diet, drink all night long, run here there and everywhere...and do fine!?! They love life and aren't knocked sideways it seems by anything!

One poster on here has been talking about genetic defects, specifically MTHFR. Which is an gene of enzyme process of methylation. If this gene is defected (which shows up in 40% of US population - stats from ONLY those diagnosed of course!!) under-methylation is one cause. Methylation helps the body to assimilate nutrients and assists in detox.
Interestingly those with a type of defected MTHFR gene cannot detox metals - thus resulting in symptoms of heavy metal toxicity.
Once methylation pathways are recovered through methyl-folate and other nutrients - the body starts to detox.

On another forum one member wrote of obtaining their genetic defects through tests and correcting their methylation pathway - resulting in a natural chelation of the metal load they had tested positive for. They didn't need to do heavy chelation protocols as the SOURCE problem for detoxing was corrected at a cellular level.

In a way - the chelating agents are FORCING the body to stir up the compounds and bind to the metals - but if you have low methylation and impaired detoxing ability (there are other genes too that indicate detox ability)...it will be a long process of stirring up - eliminating just SOME of the metal bound - and then re-distribution of the metals occur that 'missed the elimination boat' - until the next round of chelation.

Really it should not take years to chelate - our bodies in a good working, assimilation and detox state should do it very well. Of course one will still feel crappy while it's all circulating but the rounds of treatment should be less if optimum elimination can be achieved.

This won't ever be optimally achieved if one is an under-methylator. Which , as i say , has a connection to the MTHFR gene defect.

I'm a fan of treating the root cause as i said above. I don't think it's possible to go any further than genetic level, so that's where i've decided to start! I'm SICK TO DEATH (literally!) of treating symptoms - like adrenal fatigue, hypothyroid, candida, hypoglycemia..etc.etc..

I see my health status like a car pile-up on a motorway. All these conditions of the body systems that are compromised and failing are all the cars piled-up and stuck in situ. I can't begin to clear up the mess unless i start at the front and remove the first car that's blocking the road. In this analogy that first car is looking at possible genetic defects and correcting obvious imbalances that those defects DO CAUSE.
Once that pathway is given time to work in the body - i'll have the ability to move the next car and the next. There's no way i'll achieve anything without identifying and correcting the problems with the first car blocking the way!

I've just ordered a test from 23andme.com - the results come in the raw form - there's folk on pheonix rising forum who are into analysing the raw data and give info of spreadsheets to use to convert the raw data to a more understandable format. The advantage of 23andme is that it's dirt cheap (99 dollars) as opposed to a few thousand from other labs who also give 'interpretation'. When you're as far down the health road as alot of us are, and not getting any support from anyone - you tend to be more interested in your health and develop the ability to understand even genetics.

Hilarious for me as i failed Science at 15 but now LOVE all sciences...i have bad health to thank for that i guess!

Also i agree with you that the stance of 'it's all psychological' is actually now old-school and extremely inaccurate way of seeing health...aswell as indicating an opinion that the sub-conscious which is designed primarily for our PROTECTION AND SURVIVAL, has gone wrong and no longer is doing that job. How can becoming physically unhealthy (due to this theory that's is ALL the fault of our subconscious wiring) create a body that is able to protect itself and survive?
You would have thought that if there WAS repressed 'trauma' of a psychological nature that the sub-conscious would create an even stronger body to handle the extra 'stress'.

Mainstream psychology is only beginning to understand routes to be able to 'talk' to the sub-conscious - whereas conscious talk therapy (which has become a multi trillion industry in itself) - only serves one thing - the consciousness of that person. You may aswell have a good rant and cry with a close friend.
Most therapists career's rely on the magic of 'a problem shared is a problem halved' - as most people state "my therapist is awesome - couldn't do without them" ..."I've been seeing them for 10 yrs" - so if this therapy is sooooo necessary due to unresolved trauma - then why are people dedicating decades to a treatment which actually doesn't help resolve their physical ill health?

I could go on but you get my gist. I'm from a family of psychotherapists and understand quite well how much that stance of 'it's all in the mind' - costs lives...literally. My uncle had 4 suicides in one week once - how many suicides are due to people being told to believe that their mind is wrong and not working and they'll never get better? If our belief system is so tightly integrated to our physical well-being then surely someone believing that nothing can be done as their mind is broken is more than likely to experience ill-health.

We will always fall short of a true cure if we stop looking at the body HOLISTICALLY. Psychotherapy looks at the consciousness and forgets there's a body attached, doctors look at the body and forget there's a consciousness, alternative therapists sway too much towards a psychological route and on the whole treat symptoms, albeit using 'natural' ingredients, while no-one is actually bothered about looking at your physical/psychological BLUEPRINT which are your genes!

I know i'm a far cry from being healthy but it's done me no harm whatsoever to keep asking 'why?' and follow that rabbit down the hole.

I'm glad you've found a path for recovery nyckid - well done for being strong enough to stick with it. It shows you, despite the hardship of the path you've experienced, just how strong you really are...it's truly inspiring :-)

This website is a hotbed of information if one is willing to look. I would never have known what to test for without the knowledge gained here. It's important to post experiences and findings as i have been lead down a route by small posts on here about something mundane that has lead to a positive test result of a severe condition i never knew i had.

Keep educating, not blindly medicating - absolutely!!!
:-)