KNOW THE CAUSE!
by Doug Kaufmann

Q…I watch your show as often as I can. I have been doing a lot of reading about Kombucha Tea. Do you have anything to say about it. Also, do you know if it is really good for you? Thank you, Patricia

A…A mushroom is a mushroom is a mushroom. Unfortunately, most people believe that mushroom is a vegetable, but it is not. Mushrooms are fungi, not vegetables. Whereas I do believe that there are health benefits to certain components of mushrooms (ie..beta-glucans), I simply feel that there is far too much incriminating evidence against fungi to eat them. Although ingestion of another form of fungus (brewers yeast) is heavily promoted and accepted as standard in America, few people know that alcohol consumption is linked with many forms of human disease including over 20 types of cancer.

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Q…Hello, thank you for taking my question. We have had our basement checked and have mold. The cleanup hasn't started yet but it will be soon. I have allergies and right now an ear problem. The doctor says that I have depression, low blood sugar and low thyroid. I remember telling my doctors that I feel better when I'm outside. I was able to get my doctor to prescribe Nystatin and Diflucan for a week and that is all she would give me. How long should a person take it for a problem that started long ago? I want to go off the grains but can you have sprouted grain bread. I sure would like you to reply. Thank You, Jane

A…Jane, you're one of the lucky ones if you have a physician that will give you Diflucan and Nystatin, even if it is only one week's worth. As many readers know, I have published eight books on the subject of fungi and the human diseases they cause. Amazingly, this information is not taught in medical schools, so physicians rarely know how to diagnose systemic fungal infections or accurately treat them. One week's worth of these medications will allow you one tremendous benefit; knowing whether or not your symptoms are related to fungus. If I were you, if your physician allows, I'd take 200mg Diflucan daily for three days, then each Monday and Thursday until you're out. I'd also take two of the 500,000 units of Nystatin with each meal until you're out of that pill also. Follow my Phase One Diet by avoiding ingestion of fungal based or fungal infested foods (grains, corn, mushrooms, alcohol, sugar, potato, etc...) simultaneously with taking the medications and in seven days, you'll have your answer, although curing a systemic fungal infection takes much longer. If you feel significantly worse the first few days, this might be a "healing crisis" associated with simultaneously starving (Phase One Diet) and killing (medications) the fungus. Usually, by day seven, most people are just beginning to feel better. Unfortunately, that is when you run out of the medications, but know that the P-73 oregano oil (Oregamax), Olive Leaf Extract, PauDArco, Caprylic Acid and a host of other strong natural antimicrobials are available in health food stores, allowing you to continue your efforts.

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Q…Dear Doug Kaufmann, My husband and I served a mission for our Church from July 2004 to December 2006 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I left the USA feeling okay, but probably already had a fungus problem. I had just recovered from knee surgery to trim a torn meniscus. The Orthopedist indicated that I also had arthritis, which he said had thinned the meniscus and was instrumental in tearing it during a line dancing class. He also indicated that I would be a candidate for knee replacements in the future.

Sao Paulo is a very moldy place, and we had mold growing on the walls in the courtyard just off our apartment (and the windows were always open). There was also some type of water leakage in the hall walls that would cause mold to grow there (though I would spray it periodically with a Clorox spray).

Now I'm wondering if that factor could have been at the root of my developing a heart arrhythmia. I had a couple of arrhythmic episodes (while sleeping) at separate times during the first part of our time served there. However, the first of October the episodes started coming a little more often and lasted longer. The Cardiologist put me on Amiodarone in October 2005. I later learned that Amiodarone is a last resort medication.

The longer I was on that medication the worse the arrhythmia became (out and out atrial fibrillation)-my heart's pounding was interfering with sleep and causing much fear and trembling. My last dose was in December, 2005. However, because of the nature of Amiodarone it takes more than a month for it to leave the body (Amiodarone has an unusually long half-life (25-110 days), exacerbating problems of toxicity.). I'm not totally positive it is entirely gone. I am mostly feeling much better since returning home, though not perfect.

I went to a cardiologist as soon as I returned to the USA and he ordered another echocardiogram. This test found a mild leak in the mitral valve and a mild to moderate leak in the aortic valve. He has put me on Cardizem CD and wants to have me take an ACE inhibitor as well to take some pressure off the heart. Coumadin has been mentioned, but I am choosing against it since I am not having the atrial fibrillation now that was plaguing me in Brazil. I have decided instead to take Nattokinase, a product that is touted to help the body produce plasmin to help with blood flow and prevention of clots. I just had a nuclear stress test on January 26, 2006, and it was normal.

I started the Initial Phase eating program four days ago and am taking nutritional supplements (Noni Extract, CoQ10 w/L-Carnitine, fish oil capsules, Cod Liver Oil capsules, Nattozyme, calcium, magnesium), along with GSE and Oil of Oregano. I also started dealing with a sinus infection last Sunday, January 22, 2006, and am irrigating with a homeopathic nasal spray once a day (per instructions).

You might be interested to know that in addition to developing the arrhythmia during the 18 months we spent in Brazil, I gained a little over 30 pounds and lost a lot of hair. I was also dealing with a great deal of emotional stress.

My questions:

1. In your opinion, could fungus cause leaky heart valves and/or atrial fibrillation?
   
   
2. You suggest in your book not to take vitamin supplements for the first two weeks of the Initial Phase diet, but I'm not sure I understand why. Could you explain the logic behind this recommendation, since I feel so good about taking the supplements?
   
   
3. I think I may be having some die-off symptoms-slightly elevated blood pressure, a small amount of feeling "spacey", occasional headaches, and no energy.
   
   
4. I have been dealing (for about five months or longer) with some type of irritation in the vaginal area. At times I feel as though there is a very slow drainage of acid (not enough to soil the undergarments), and the vaginal area will sting and burn (urination is no problem). Could this be some sort of inflammation?
   
   
5. I also have a hemorrhoid just inside the anus, which can get irritated at times.

Any ideas on how to fine-tune what I am doing would be greatly appreciated. I do not know how I got into this mess, but I surely want to get out of it.
Warmest regards, Gloria

A…Gloria, my "tag line" on my letterhead states, "This Changes Everything!" Knowing that fungi can and do enter the blood vessels virtually changes everything, especially given the fact that cardiologists are not aware of this. Fungi also enter the nucleus of human cells and destroy the DNA strands, yet cancer researchers are only aware that cancer cells have broken DNA stands, and never know why. You can see how this understanding virtually changes everything!

The American physician you met meant well, but likely does not know that atypical heart beats can be caused by inhaling toxic molds. I had a loved one have the exact set of circumstances you describe and after visiting several hospitals and cardiologists, she felt that she would die from despair after trying all of their drugs and feeling worse. Several recommended surgery. One day I noticed that her ceiling had damp spaces on it and offered to have her apartment tested for toxic fungus. She told me (and all of her physicians) that her problems began after moving into that apartment…BINGO! I had her apartment tested for toxic mold and sure enough several dangerous species were growing in her apartment. A physician prescribed her Diflucan and it and our Phase One Diet cleared up all of her heart, weight and cerebral problems within a few months. It saddens me that doctors do not have this lifesaving information.

In response to your questions, yes, fungus can impregnate any tissue in the human body (except teeth) and cause health problems once inside. One cardiologist friend of mine now treats his mitral valve patients with antifungal medications (praise God!) and is having great success. Amazingly dentists and physicians recommend fungal fuel (antibiotics) for mitral valve prolapse patients before even simple teeth cleaning! If you're taking a good supplement now, don't stop as you begin the Phase One Diet. Some folks begin both simultaneously (diet and supplements) and we've had a few that have had strange reactions to potent supplements, so I always ask them to refrain from taking supplements for a few weeks, UNLESS they have been taking a good brand for a while prior to beginning the diet. Die-off, or "healing crisis" is very usual as people begin following our diet and recommended antifungal supplements. Generally this is an excellent sign, as it confirms your suspicions that fungus lies at the root of the condition. As fungi die inside of the body, it is akin to awakening a sleeping giant. Yeast, being a member of the fungi family thrive in dark, damp tissues. You referenced that you had already begun the diet and the vaginal irritation you're experiencing may be part of this healing crisis. As a general statement, wherever the yeasts are lying dormant, the diet seems to rapidly awaken them and symptoms can ensue. The same is true with hemorrhoids. These may come back with a vengeance after years of lying dormant, when beginning an anti-fungal program. Often, oral grape seed extract from a health food store and topical witch hazel offers significant relief during this die-off phase.

Some years ago, researchers hailed their discovery that diseases were linked to inflammation as "breakthrough." I believe that what makes bread rise (yeast) also makes human tissues rise (inflammation), given the proper circumstances. Since I believe that most diseases involve yeast and fungi, it makes perfect sense to me that swelling, or inflammation exists in the disease process, and I am amazed that their understanding didn't occur decades ago. Their discovery, however, leads me to believe that they are very close to understanding the role of fungus in serious diseases, and this is good.

Gloria, inhaling dangerous mold spores likely contributed to or caused these symptoms and reversing this may be essential to recovery. Get into a good health food store and ask the owners to give you the name of a competent physician in your area who understands the fungal component to your symptoms. Recovery from a serious systemic fungal condition may take a few years in your case, but is well worth the efforts. Through my 34 years in this field, I have observed many 50-year-olds become 53 years young after addressing the fungal root cause of their health problems.

E-mail your questions to knowthecause@lakeshoreguardian.com or mail to Know The Cause!, c/o The Lakeshore Guardian at 9697 Purdy Road, Harbor Beach, MI 48441. To order one of Doug's books, please call 972-772-0990. To learn more about Doug Kaufmann and his research, go to www.knowthecause.com.