Our Magnificent Bodies
Listen To Your Body
by Jenine Cohoon

The body is amazing! It makes great efforts to heal itself, but it is not always strong enough to complete the task. We need to find the cause! Remove the cause! Then provide the catalyst(s) needed to stimulate the healing defenses. 

How do we find the cause?  Listen to your body.  Our bodies send us messages every day, every minute, every second.  We usually call these messages symptoms.   Some of these symptoms have even been referred to as diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, cancer, asthma, etc.  I believe that these “diseases” are really just symptoms of one “disease”: degeneration. 

Our bodies are either in a state of regeneration or degeneration.  Which one we are currently in is determined by our lifestyle, diet and our exposure to toxins, to name a few. 

I believe that our bodies are built to regenerate, at any age.  We know that the body is constantly regenerating on a cellular level.  For example, the epidermal layer of skin, which consists of many layers of skin, regenerates every 27 days.  Every three days the stomach gets a new lining.  This regeneration is innate and is programmed into our DNA to take place.  It is what our bodies want to do.  It is what they are meant to do, at any age!  Sure, we get older, but it doesn’t have to hurt or feel uncomfortable, or be disabling.  We are entitled to enjoy the journey.

Our body’s ability to send these messages (symptoms) is actually quite beautiful.  It is an indicator that our body continues to want to regenerate, and it is giving us clues that something must be done in order for the regeneration to take place.  By killing the messenger (treating the symptoms) we may end up suppressing our body’s natural response and healing process, which can lead to degeneration. 

Consider the cancer messenger.  If we think of cancer as a disease and not the messenger it is, we may get lost in the challenge of reversing it by killing the messenger.  There are those that have recovered from chemotherapy and radiation, only to have a recurrence later in life.  The cause was not identified, the message was lost.

To make things even more interesting here, there are several similarities between fungus and cancer.  In fact, fungus can be mistaken for cancer according to Dr. Lida Mattman, a professor at Wayne State University.  She has said that fungi in blood smears are overlooked because they are confused with blood cells! Imagine the number of misdiagnoses that have been made because laboratory technology is not able to differentiate between spores and cells. The naturopathic treatment for cancer and fungus is very similar, but when treating cancer allopathically (chemotherapy and radiation) wouldn’t it be imperative to differentiate between cancer and fungus?

Many of the messages we receive from our bodies, including cancer, may be indicating fungus, yeast, mold, mildew, or parasites (or any combinations of these) as possible causes.    Hormone problems, mental dysfunction, ear, nose and throat illnesses, eye diseases, cancer, weight problems, hair loss and skin diseases, to name a few, can all be considered messages received for a fungal infection (fungus, yeast, mold, mildew, parasites). 

Have you received messages by way of arthritis messengers, skin disorder messengers, inflammatory bowel messengers, tumor messengers, etc.?  How do you know if your messengers are indicating a fungal infection?  In addition to receiving any of these messages (symptoms) mentioned, consider the top 10 antifungal questions asked when determining if someone may have a fungal infection (the full fungal questionnaire can be found in any of Doug Kaufmann’s books found on our site):

1. Have you had food cravings? (sugar, peanuts, corn)
2. Have you had repeated infections treated with antibiotics?
3. Have you ever been exposed to a moldy environment?  (indoor mold or outdoor soil/construction)
4. Have you ever used hormone medications such as birth control pills or steroids like prednisone?
5. Have you ever had ringworm or fingernail/toenail fungus?
6. Do you have high cholesterol/triglycerides or high blood pressure?
7. Do you have a history of digestive or intestinal problems?
8. Do you have a history of male/female problems?
9. Do you have a history of bad allergies or asthma?  Allergies to Penicillin?
10. Have you had any skin problems: acne, psoriasis, hives, eczema, etc.?

Answering yes to any of these may be an indicator.  Answering yes to several may be a strong indicator the body may have a fungal infection.

The Phase One diet is the first step of the anti-fungal program as presented by Doug Kaufmann.  The diet is the most important part of the anti-fungal program. 

Step One - Starve The Fungi

Starve the fungi with the Phase One Diet (Initial Phase). Pregnant and nursing mothers may consider starting on the Phase Two Diet.

Sugar fuels the growth pattern for fungi. The Phase One diet is a low carbohydrate diet that dramatically cuts back on sugar that feeds fungi. Although carbohydrates are known to be fuel for the body, this is true only in a non-toxic individual. In a fungally-toxic individual, it actually suppresses energy.

The Phase One diet is also very low in mold/fungi infected foods and high in foods, such as vegetables, which are known to carry out mycotoxins and inhibit their toxicity. The Phase One diet is found in its entirety in any of Doug Kaufmann’s books that are found on our website at www.drjenine.com.

As yeast and fungi, etc. are starved, you may experience what is known as “Herxheimer’s reaction”.  It was Dr. Carl Herxheimer, a German dermatologist, who first described the body’s reaction to the massive killing of microorganisms.  This massive killing results in a sudden load of toxins that is released into the blood stream.  It is also known as “die-off”.  The characteristics of this reaction can be flu-like such as aches, pains, nausea, headache, chills, a low grade fever, drop in blood pressure, hives or rash.   One may even experience a temporary worsening of current symptoms when starting the Phase One diet.  This is good news!  It means you are on the right track.  It is an indication that the Phase One diet is starving the fungi.  Remember, our bodies want to be well and will do all it can to get well.  Give it the right opportunity and you will see how magnificent your body is! 

This healing crisis is a natural reaction and is very individualistic.  It can be mild to severe.  If it is overwhelming, consider adding some foods that are on the Phase Two diet for a meal or two, such as brown rice, or sweet potatoes, and of course making sure you have plenty of pure water.

You can do this!  Deciding to be well and committing to listening to our messengers is the first step to regeneration.  Give your body what it needs, take away what is harmful, and watch what our magnificent bodies can do.

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For books by Doug Kaufmann, for products discussed in this article and on Know the Cause!. by Doug and his guests, and for my own personal recommendations as a holistic nutritional consultant, visit us at www.drjenine.com .  

DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is intended for educational purposes only. It is not meant to either directly or indirectly diagnose, give medical advice or prescribe treatment. Unless specifically referenced, the information has not been scientifically validated or approved by any government or regulatory agency. Please consult with your physician or other licensed health care professional for medical diagnosis and treatment.  Recommendations are based on nutritional support to rejuvenate the body and based solely on what I would do if it were me.

References

1. Kaufmann, Doug.  The Fungus Link: An Introduction to Fungal Disease Including the Initial Phase Diet. 2000.
2. Kaufmann, Doug.  The Fungus Link Vol 2.  2003.

If you have a topic that you would like addressed in this column, e-mail it to jenine@lakeshoreguardian.com.