Your Body’s Culprit

by DCarter | Mar 4, 2016 | Articles

Do you have any unexplained health problems? Have you gone from doctor to doctor and are continually told that there is nothing medically wrong with you? Perhaps they boldly said that you are a hypochondria (it’s all in your mind). Or perhaps they encouraged you to try some antidepressants and make an appointment to see a psychiatrist or therapist. Others may have said it’s merely stress, and advised you to just “chill out.”

Perhaps you are experiencing things like exhaustion, cravings for sweets, bad breath, a white coated tongue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, joint pain, loss of sex drive, chronic sinus and allergy issues, digestive problems (gas and bloating), weak immune system, and urinary tract infections. If any of the above sounds familiar to you, do not despair! There may be a real culprit that is causing your body distress, and by now you must be wondering who or what is this culprit. Let me introduce you to it.

Candida Albican is a more common problem than most people realize, and, unfortunately, it can cause major havoc in your body. So what is it? Candida is the most common type of yeast infection found in several places in your body. When it is present in the mouth it is known as thrush. When it affects the vaginal area of women or the genital area of men, it is known as a “yeast infection.” If Candida is present on your baby’s bottom, it is called “a diaper rash.”

There is at least one good thing about Candida. Really? Yes, it does play an important role in your body. You see, Candida does aid in absorption of nutrients and digestion. But when it overproduces it can disrupt the lining of your intestinal track and penetrate into your blood stream. When this happens toxins will be released into your blood stream and cause what is known as the “leaky gut syndrome.”

Leaky Gut Syndrome is a very common condition in our body and is linked to modern autoimmune illnesses such as: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chrome’s disease, allergies, asthma, food sensitivities, chemical sensitivities, arthritic conditions, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Addison’s disease, lupus, fibromyalgia, and thyroiditis.

So what causes overgrowth of the yeast in your body (Candida)? Here are a few common ones:

1. Antibiotics. They not only kill off the bad bacteria but also the good bacteria that lives in your gut.
2. Stress. When your body first reacts to a stressful situation, it releases the hormone Cortisol that depresses your immune system and raises your blood sugar level. Candida loves sugar so the Candida yeast feeds on the extra sugar, while your weakened immune system is powerless to stop it. Quickly, the Candida overpowers the balanced mixture of microorganisms in your small intestine.
3. Birth Control pills. The pill contributes to overgrowth because it contains estrogen. Estrogen is known to promote the growth of yeast.
4. Diabetes. An elevated blood sugar level feeds the Candida yeast, allowing it to grow quickly and dominate the other microorganisms in your gut.
5. Cancer Treatments. According to a clinical trial published by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, cancer treatments also promote candida. Dr. Axe said, “Chemotherapy and radiation can both work to kill cancerous cells and tumors; however, they also kill off the healthy bacteria that naturally fight candida.” (source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15907554)
6. Steroids. There is another clinical test done by The National Center for Biotechnology Information with oral corticosteroids. It reveals that candida was greater in asthmatic patients who had taken inhaled steroids than those who did not. (source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12839324)

So what should I do if I suspect I may have Candida? First of all, try a home remedy known as the Saliva test also called the “Spit Test.” It’s very simple to do; however, use this test only as one piece of your self-diagnosis. There are other tests that you may research and use.

Here are the instructions:

When you awake in the morning, before you put anything into your mouth, work up some saliva and spit it into a clear glass full or half full of water. Wait 30 minutes and then look into the glass. If there are “strings” coming down from your saliva, or if the water turned cloudy, or if your saliva sank to the bottom, YOU MAY HAVE A CANDIDA CONCERN! Healthy saliva will simply float on the top! (You may want to put out a glass of water in the bathroom or on the nightstand the night before you do the home “Spit Test” to remind yourself not to brush your teeth prior to spitting into the glass.) Try this test for three consecutive days for accurate results.

Finally, for more information, watch this 6 minute video called An Anti-Fungal Diet to Help Cure a Yeast Infection. In this video Barbara O’Neill, a qualified naturopath and nutritionist, shares her knowledge about the anti-fungal diet required to help cure a yeast infection. Barbara is an international speaker on natural self-healing. She has raised eight children and is a specialist in women and children’s health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_Q35A8wdz0

Remember that we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us!

To Whom Did You Give Your Gifts?

by DCarter | Dec 11, 2015 | Articles

We are well into the holiday season, and the marketplace is very busy. Ironically, before November you might have witnessed a display of Christmas ornaments for sale in your local market. Believe it or not, secularization is at its peek at this time of the year. Yes, there is a feeling of warmth like no other time of the year, yet this warmth is accompanied with worldliness and the pride of life. However, as children of God, how should we relate to this season? And more than that, how should we spend our money when it comes to gifts? In fact, to whom did you give your gifts this year?

In counseling God’s people on how to observe the holidays, Sister White said the following: “Shall we not, as a people, refrain from following the custom of the world in unnecessary indulgence during the present holiday season? O how much might be accomplished in needy mission fields with the money that is squandered in various ways at this season of the year by those who profess to be Christians! Will not the Seventh-day Adventists in every place first consecrate themselves to the Lord, and then do their very best, according to their circumstances, to advance his work, by gifts and offerings? Will they show that they appreciate the blessings of the Lord, and that they are grateful for his mercy? Will they not now consider their obligations to God, at a time when the world especially seeks for pleasure, and expends large sums of money for gifts to those who are not needy? I have said to my family and my friends, I desire that no one shall make me a birthday or Christmas gift, unless it be with permission to pass it on into the Lord’s treasury, to be appropriated in the establishment of missions.” – Review & Herald, December 27, 1906 par. 7-9.

Friends, this time of the year is a test of our characters and an opportunity to show Christlikeness. If we have the mind of Christ, we will always say as did Jesus, “I must be about my Father’s business.” In all that we do, we are to keep His work as primary. This, in turn, should dictate our expenditures and balance our budget. Our gifts should not be patterned after the world, nor should our loved ones be lavished with the blood of those perishing for a lack of Christian service. Think about it! Are your grandchildren playing the latest games that you bought with the money that could have been used to reach a languishing soul? Are your children wearing extravagant clothes or needless ornaments that you bought with the money that could have been used to reach a soul that went to a Christ-less grave? Only the judgment will reveal the results of such decisions. “I entreat the followers of Jesus not to let the precious opportunities of these coming days pass unimproved. Let not time and means be spent in preparing gifts which will benefit neither giver nor receiver. Remember that both your time and means are intrusted you of God, and that he will call you to account for the manner in which you employ his gifts.” – Review & Herald, December 26, 1882 par. 10.