The Healthy Diet

by Le Anne Amber

Before you can really understand what I’m going to tell you about what a healthy diet should be, you have to know about the role of fungus (molds and yeast) in your system. If you’ve ever taken antibiotics, you have a fungus overgrowth in your system. I had one myself and didn’t even know it until I got rid of it. They’re not always very obvious.

Here are some of the symptoms of a fungus overgrowth. You have one or more of these: Acne, anxiety, arthritis, bursitis, candidiasis, canker sores, cold sores, constipation, Crohn’s Disease, depression, diabetes, diaper rash (yes, babies do get out of balance too), diarrhea, gastroenteritis, headaches, hyperthyroidism, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), lactose intolerance, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, skin problems (eczema, psoriasis, etc.), stress, tendonitis, tooth abscess, toxic bowel, Toxic Shock Syndrome, ulcerative colitis, urinary tract infection (UTI), vaginitis (bacterial vaginosis), and yeast infection, to name a few. There is even some thought that the so-called “Gulf War Syndrome” might be a fungal infection. There are also a good many reasons to think that cancer tumors are either fungally-induced, or in fact they are fungus sacs and not “cancer” at all.

You can get “out of balance” by taking antibiotics, by eating antibiotic-laced meat, by eating grains contaminated with mycotoxins, or even by just breathing damp, moldy air. You don’t have to see the mold for it to be a problem. Any of these situations will cause an imbalance in your gut flora, reducing the “good guys” (the beneficial bacteria in your gut) and increasing the “bad guys” (the molds, yeasts, fungi, and mycotoxins). Unfortunately, back in the 1950s, doctors found their new “miracle cure” in antibiotics. It would kill absolutely every bacteria known, including all your “good guys” (remember that doctors think all bacteria are bad bacteria). What antibiotics won’t kill are fungi and yeast. In a normal, healthy human body, those fungi and yeasts are kept in check by the beneficial bacteria in the gut. When those beneficial bacteria are wiped out by antibiotics, the fungus and yeast is left to repopulate all that empty space in your intestines. So even if you were to eat good foods, such as yogurt that would put some of that good bacteria back, they’re vastly outnumbered and there’s not much room left for them to colonize, so they die. You absolutely must get rid of the fungi and yeast before you can ever hope to get your gut flora back in balance and restore your natural healthy functions. Which brings me to what I think is the healthiest diet of all.

The truly healthy diet will be antifungal, as well as nourishing (yeasts and molds are simply different types of fungi, so understand that “antifungal” means no yeast, fungi, or molds). Fungi, when it has taken over your system, needs to be fed, and what it feeds on is sugar. People who have uncontrollable cravings for sugar (simple carbohydrates) and breads and grains (complex carbohydrates) probably have a systemic fungal infection, whether they’re showing outward symptoms or not. The first thing to do is starve the fungus by not eating any sugars or grains. This means bread, cakes, cookies, candy, pancakes, cornbread, tortillas, potato or corn chips, and anything else made from grains, plus most fruit, believe it or not. Fruit is full of fructose, which is a simple sugar and it will feed the fungus. Tart fruits don’t contain enough sugar to feed the bad guys, so grapefruits, lemons, limes, green apples and any other tart fruit is good to eat.

The two worst things in the world to eat, besides processed soy foods (in my opinion) are corn and peanut products. Those two things are the most prevalent in our diet today. Start reading food labels and see just how many things contain “high-fructose corn syrup” or “peanut oil” or “partially hydrogenated soybean oil.” Even citric acid is not what it sounds like. It’s actually made from corn, not citrus fruit. Corn is universally infested with mycotoxins, to the point where even if you grow your own corn, it will still contain mycotoxins because the seeds were infected with the mold mycotoxins while in storage. Theoretically, I think if you grew your own corn and saved seed every year, drying it properly so it didn’t get moldy, then after a period of time (several years of growing the crop for seed use only) you might be able to grow mycotoxin-free corn. Peanuts are also universally infested. The most deadly mycotoxin is called Aflatoxin and it is the most potent carcinogen known on the planet. Most grain companies test their corn and peanut supplies for the presence of Aflatoxin, and if it’s above a certain level, it’s not fit for human consumption (so they put it in the animal feed, including the dog and cat food you probably buy for your furry friends). But even screening for Aflatoxin isn’t enough, because there are over 400 different mycotoxins*1 known to cause disease and death in humans and animals, and it’s simply not cost effective to screen for all of them. So stay away from the so-called “healthy whole-grain products,” especially corn and peanuts.*2

* Note 1: this part is from Rich – I said in an earlier newsletter that there were over 200 mycotoxins. That came from an older medical document and this number is more up-to-date.

* Note 2: Grains are part of the Standard American Diet (SAD) as published by the USDA. Of course they are going to tell you to eat whatever product is most produced by the farmers they command. “Healthy Whole Grains” are part of a marketing terminology. Follow the money trail, folks.

Augment this by eating antifungal foods such as carrots, broccoli, turnips, beets, etc. Most roots crops are antifungal (I think they all are). The reason for this is that they have to defend themselves against the molds found naturally in the soil. Carrots are probably the most powerful antifungal root of them all. Broccoli is antifungal, even though you eat the above ground part, and along with cabbage, is most deadly to the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which is the cause of most stomach ulcers.

Eggs are antifungal too and the dietary cholesterol in eggs does not go immediately into your bloodstream and raise your cholesterol.*3 Cholesterol is another byproduct of fungus, and by eating antifungal eggs every morning for breakfast, you can actually lower your “bad” cholesterol, because the eggs are killing the fungus in your bloodstream.

* Note 3: Tests have shown that you can have your cholesterol checked today, then eat three eggs every morning for the next two weeks and have your cholesterol checked again and it will actually be lower. So the cholesterol in eggs does not translate directly into cholesterol in your body, and once again, you have been lied to by those on the “money trail.”

Butter has antifungal properties (conjugal linoleic acid, or CLA) as well, so don’t feel bad about frying your eggs in butter. Please don’t eat margarine. It has no health benefits (it has just as much fat as butter) and it’s made from hydrogenated oil, which converts healthy fats into “trans-fats,” which tend to clog your arteries and cause strokes and heart attacks. Eat butter instead.

Most nuts are good (except peanuts). Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, cashews (even though that’s not really a nut; it’s a seed). Just be sure to eat them raw, not “honey-roasted” or flavored in any way (the exception being cashews of course, which are poisonous in their raw state and must be roasted). Make sure they’re just roasted and not additionally flavored.

Green vegetables are a must. Not only are they a good source of fiber and vitamins, but they contain no mycotoxins. Green peppers, lettuce, kale, spinach, celery, cabbage, broccoli, etc.; the list is long. And non-sweet fruits such as squash, eggplant, and tomatoes. Tomatoes are strongly antifungal, probably second only to carrots in this respect.

Garlic and onions are “anti-microbial,” which means they not only kill the fungus, but also bacteria. They don’t know the difference between good and bad bacteria (just like antibiotics), so be sure you’re taking steps to reintroduce the good bacteria if you’re eating garlic and onions on a regular basis.

And let’s not forget, meat is good for you. Preferably grass-fed beef, pork and poultry, but if you can’t find (or afford) that, at least don’t eat the fat. If you eat bacon, try to get the leanest bacon you can find. Fish is very good, and it’s also a good source of essential fatty acids (another factor that helps control fungus, and therefore your cholesterol), especially fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. Shrimp, crab, and lobster are also good choices, and remember, the cholesterol in shrimp does not end up in your bloodstream, so don’t let that hold you back. Shrimp is nutritious and very low in fat, so splurge if you want. When you eat meat and fish though, remember to cook it as cleanly as possible, by which I mean, steam, poach or grill the fish, roast the pork, chicken and beef, or lightly fry it in olive oil. Do not use corn or canola oil for frying your food (it’s full of those nasty mycotoxins). Olive oil has no mycotoxins and is also beneficial to your heart and circulatory system. Wild venison is probably the best meat you could eat, if you can get it. Those animals aren’t fed any steroids or antibiotics and they’re very lean and an excellent source of protein.

Now on to beverages! The best beverage, of course, is plain water, but that’s kind of boring, isn’t it? Well, drink it anyway! As much as you can. Herbal teas are the next best thing to water. Juiced vegetables are wonderful (e.g., V-8 juice), or if you have a juicer you can make your own blends. Fruit juices are loaded with sugar, either the natural fructose or even worse, added sugar. Beer and wine are full of yeast. Those should be off your list completely if you have any kind of systemic fungal infection. Even if you don’t have one now, you will if you have that glass of wine every day or those two beers after work every evening. Distilled alcohol is a little better, but even though it doesn’t have active live yeast in it, it’s still made with grain, which by now you should know has mycotoxins in it. It’s not as bad as beer and wine, but it should be off limits if you’re trying to get healthy again.

So now you’re probably thinking there’s no way you can stick to a diet that consists of nothing but meat, vegetables, and water, but know that it’s not a “forever” thing. Just until you get yourself back in balance. It might take a week or it might take a year, depending on how bad your infection is now. Of course there are things that simply are bad for you, like corn, peanuts and beer, that I think you should stay away from altogether, but a little bit of anything won’t kill you if you have good eating habits to start with. After you’ve starved out your fungus and your “diseases” have mysteriously disappeared, start putting a few things that you like back into your diet one at a time and just see how you react to them. If you have a bad reaction, don’t eat it anymore. If your symptoms all of a sudden come back, think about what you had for dinner last night. Was it that glass of wine? Was it the corn chips you snacked on in the afternoon? Just pay attention to your body and it will tell you what it needs. Right now, I’m betting it’s your fungi that’s telling you what it wants. Get rid of the fungi and see what else goes with it. Maybe your arthritis and stiff joints will go. Maybe your vaginal yeast infection will go (doctors still say that’s incurable. Can you believe that?). Maybe your acne will clear up. Maybe it will be your golfer’s shoulder or tennis elbow that hits the road. Maybe it will be that chronic sinus infection, or that high blood pressure. Who knows?

Reader Q&A

Q: You said: “Yes, you can say you don’t eat those, but I can see you sitting in front of your computer right this moment chucking a handful of peanuts [more mycotoxins than corn] in your mouth and washing those down with a huge gulp of sugary Coke.” Does that last line mean that you have given up your Pepsi?

A: No, not yet. But I have a plan for phase-out. I am switching my soda pop addiction to 7-Up. This is a fairly easy step. It still has the same amount of sugar, so I’m still feeding the fungi, but slightly less in the “other bad things” category. At the same time, we have started buying V-8 juice in 12-oz cans (by the case) and we are developing a taste for this (I’ve always liked V-8, but not as a regular soft drink). Eventually, I will wean myself from all soda pop and be drinking V-8 as my “refresher” drink and just plain water as my “thirsty” drink.

Q: Some comments you have made imply that the antibiotics we took as kids might still be affecting us. You’re kidding, right?

A: No. Remember my comment about Dr. Penicillin Pete? First was “penicillin for everything” then other antibiotics became the cure-all. Folks, antibiotics are concentrated mycotoxins, which kill bacteria, even the good ones you need. We’ve said this before. The result of killing your good bacteria is that your immune system gets knocked out of balance. Because most of the foods you eat (and have ever since you were a child) also have an abundance of mycotoxins, your system never fully recovers its balance unless you fix this by adding probiotics, which were unknown when we were kids.

Did you have measles or chicken pox when you were a kid? Did you go to the doctor for a “cure”? What did he do? Give you a shot or a pill? It was antibiotics. I had both of those childhood diseases and that is exactly what I got. Now, let’s jump to the present.

I have a severe loss of hearing in both ears (not totally bad because there are some things an old man doesn’t want to hear), but it is far worse in the left ear. I got a hearing aid about 20 years ago. I have worn it daily, except when it wasn’t working (faulty circuitry, I ran out of batteries, etc.). This past March, I had another hearing test and the audiologist noticed a large discrepancy between the results of the free-air and bone-conduction graphs (the first tester, 20 years ago, didn’t check bone conduction). Apparently I can hear better through my jaw than through my ear. This, of course, resulted in a follow-up exam by an ENT doctor (ear nose and throat). This happened only a couple weeks ago (the V.A. system is pretty full). During my discussion with Dr. Allen, who has 50 years experience in his field, he said that the problem I have, which is a fusion of the bones in the ear, usually happens to children who have had measles or chicken pox. So he asked, “When was the last time you remember hearing in perfect stereo?” I thought for awhile and said, “I really don’t know, but probably not since I was six or seven.” Oddly enough, that is also about (or slightly after) the time I had those same childhood diseases.

Today, we know that both measles and chicken pox are fungal infections, although many doctors still claim chicken pox is viral. The AMA says that unless these diseases actually show skin lesions of a bacterial nature (you scratched the bumps with dirty fingernails), the treatments is nothing more than simple bed rest. They do not give you an antifungal, but thank god they have stopped (usually) giving antibiotics.

OK, so I had both these diseases and the doctor gave me the wrong medicine. The problem was fungal and the antibiotics only served to kill off the only defense my young immune system had against fungi: my good bacteria. This gave the fungi free rein to rape-burn-pillage all over my body. Well, why did the measles go away if the antibiotics didn’t help? Simple: it would have gone away by itself in a few days anyway! Measles start in a child about five days before any skin rash shows up (by then, the kid has already infected all his friends), then it goes away within five more days unless your immune system is already severely unbalanced. But, the point is, the good doctor, through lack of knowledge, helped the bad guys ravage my system in other places that might not have been harmed otherwise.

So, have I had this serious hearing problem ever since childhood? I think so, but I didn’t know about it. Maybe all people can’t hear a pin drop across the room (I also thought things far away were supposed to be blurry and didn’t get glasses until I was 18). I had started learning to read lips and logically reconstructing sentences to fill in the words I didn’t hear, all without knowing this is what I was doing. I had my first hearing test when I did become aware that I could not do this when I was in a business meeting where many voices were speaking at once or if I could not see the speaker’s mouth move.

What’s the fix? A simple operation, where they use a laser to cut into your eardrum and cut the stirrup, then insert a tiny metal pin in it. Dr. Allen says it takes only about an hour and the V.A. would do it for free (only because I have a service related disability), but I’d have to find my own way to Minneapolis, MN because they can’t do that in Sturgis, SD. No thanks, I’ll simply put up with a new hearing aid. There is no medication or herbal cure that can fix this today; it has had too many years to become thoroughly fused.

Could it have been fixed when I was still a child? Yes, if the doctor would have not given me an antibiotic and if I had an antifungal – which, perhaps, could have been as simple as my mother forcing me to eat a dozen raw carrots during the week I was sick. J But none of us knew this stuff back then.

Next issue, we want to start adding a little feature to these newsletters that Lannie is going to call “What Would I Do?” We’ll take one ailment per issue and discuss the type of medicine doctors will give you for it and any alternatives that we know you could use instead. Because we are not board-certified physicians, use some of your own intelligence in considering these alternatives. If it doesn’t work for you, try not to sue us for malpractice, OK? J

I’ll also get more in-depth on general fungal issues and try to continue answering your questions. By the way, I suggested you watch Know the Cause on the Health Network in a past issue. If you cannot do that, but still want their information, they also have a website where you can ask questions directly to Doug Kaufman or Dr. David Holland, as well as a forum where people share what worked for them. You can get there by typing www.knowthecause.com into your browser’s URL space.