Dear Pharmacist: I’ve felt sick for 10 years, and no one hashelped me. I read on the Internet about Candida, and I have everysymptom possible. I’ve eliminated sugar already, and after 2months, I feel better. I just found your site and hope you canteach me more about this infection. – N.H. San Francisco,Calif.

A: just amazing, 10 years and YOU had to find out what’s wrongwith yourself on the Internet? Candida is a fungus, and even thoughmost physicians dismiss this organism as harmless, I don’t. It ispart of the normal flora in the gut, but it can be dangerous forsome people. Eat the standard American garbage diet, and you willdestroy your intestinal microflora and then get yeastovergrowth.

Candida is a highly invasive micro-organism that can make youvery sick. there are about 80 potential symptoms of systemic yeastovergrowth, including athlete’s foot, yellowish-green toenailfungus, vaginal yeast infection, intolerance to perfume,iron-deficiency anemia, hypothyroidism, diarrhea/constipation, gas,cystitis, prostatitis, spots in front of eyes, joint pain, acne,headache, brain fog, memory loss, bad breath, heartburn, belching,allergies, mouth sores, hemorrhoids, painful intercourse, eczema,psoriasis, chronic fatigue, asthma, itchy/burning eyes, depression,gluten or dairy allergy, and inability to gain weight (or wasting)because the Candida is ‘eating’ everything you put into your systemso you develop malabsorption.

See how confusing this gets? Doctors may overlook or dismiss asystemic Candida infection in a person and just begin prescribingmedications for one illness after another.

There are tests, treatments and dietary changes that I willshare in future columns and Facebook posts.

Candida can spread to your organs. The fungus grows like a plantdoes, spreading “roots” that poke holes in your intestinal wall;then it invades your sinuses, lungs, skin, reproductive organs,pancreas, liver and so forth.

Some health experts believe that Candida fuels cancer growth.The problem is not so much the fungus itself, but more the toxiccompounds it produces, about 75 toxic substances.

One Candida by-product is a potent neurotoxin calledacetaldehyde. That’s the same exact substance you make when youdrink alcohol or get drunk. I believe wholeheartedly that this iswhy Candida sufferers experience so much brain fog or hangoverfeelings.

Candida is a mold, so it thrives in heat and in humidity. Thisexplains why many of you feel better in dry or cool climates.

Another surefire way to kill Candida is to eliminate sugar andstarches from your diet while taking antifungal supplements orteas. I’ll outline those in a future column.

Certain medications or lifestyle choices can cause Candidaovergrowth: birth control pills, steroids, antibiotics,chemotherapy and many blood pressure pills, alcohol and processedfood.

Did you know: Studies suggest that eating 20 tart cherries a day(or drinking the juice equivalent) can provide more arthritis andgout relief than aspirin or ibuprofen.

This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose yourcondition.

Suzy Cohen, author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist,” can be reachedat DearPharmacist.com.