Treating The Yeast Syndrome: Boring!

If you don’t believe it, just ask Jennifer.

That was her comment after staying on Phase I of “the eating program” (she called it a “diet”) for 4 months. But … she did lose pounds started slimming down. And she gained dramatically in energy, comfort, and restful sleep. More on her in just a minute.

As an acknowledged specialist treating The Yeast Syndrome, I have heard “boring” as a comment from newbie physicians who have heard a lecture on “treating yeast.” They have concluded that “you just tell them to avoid sugars and starches and give them a prescription for a yeast-killer for a few weeks.” If that were all there is to it, sure, that would be boring.

The key feature for The Yeast Syndrome is that treating the “infection” is merely a first step in repairing the damage that results from the yeast toxins and other biochemical changes – those features are “the syndrome.” An infection is the invasion of a body tissue by pathological organisms (bacterium, virus, fungus/yeast, parasite) that multiply and can create tissue damage, leading to disease. A syndrome, however, is a particular group of symptoms (complaints) or signs (measurable problems, such as fever or swelling) that characterize a disorder. “Irritable bowel syndrome” (IBS) is an example, as is “premenstrual syndrome” (PMS). One of the more recent ones is “metabolic syndrome” (formerly “Syndrome X”), where changes in your sugar handling can lead to weight gain, serious blood vessel problems, and high blood pressure.

But here is where the story gets “tricky.” There is no “one” collection of symptoms that is characteristic of The Yeast Syndrome. So the very same diagnosis can be offered to ten patients presenting in a row, each presenting with dramatically different complaints. In past centuries, syphilis was called “The Great Pretender,” since its symptoms can look like many other diseases. The next to gain that title was tuberculosis (TB), again because it can mimic disorders in virtually any organ system. Addison’s disease (severe dysfunction of the adrenal stress glands) was recognized as … not being easily recognizable. In recent decades, special tests have helped physicians to see such problems at an earlier time. The Yeast Syndrome, however, “takes the cake” (and no, you shouldn’t!) in this modern era as being able to masquerade as any number of diseases (illnesses) or disorders (disturbed function) in each and every organ system.

You’re getting a glimpse as to why diagnosing The Yeast Syndrome is so complicated: your doctor has to keep an eye out for other (also serious) causes for your exact same symptoms. Sadly, there’s no “good test” to show that you do – or that you don’t – suffer with The Yeast Syndrome. The clinical art is in reviewing your history, listening to your current complaints, examining your body, and ordering tests to show that you don’t have other explanations for your problems. Here’s a glitch: being thorough takes time and some doctors simply can’t, don’t, or won’t take the time with you – and that’s making the assumption that the he or she actually understands and is looking for The Yeast Syndrome. (You won’t find what you’re not looking for – and you won’t look for what you don’t know about!)

Jennifer is a classic patient: in her mid-20s, she was simply too tired to enjoy life, almost daily headaches hampered her comfort, belly bloating was a constant companion, her sinuses were congested and her ears rang constantly. Not to mention her sugar cravings – and the pounds she had piled on. More troubling, though, was the puzzling rash that started on her right shin and finally had spread to her belly, her arms, her upper legs, and her back … and all that the dermatologist offered was cortisone (steroids) or antihistamines. Jennifer’s cycles had been irregular since first starting, and sometimes she went 3 months between periods (don’t forget the painful PMS). Another doctor’s hormones over 6 years never balanced her system and birth control pills just worsened her moods and her weight.

Fast-forward 4 months. Jennifer is boasting that her rash is gone, her fatigue is better, her headaches are gone, her ears no longer ring, her memory is better, she’s down one pants size, and her facial blemishes are gone. Her hormones are normalizing and her belly is just fine. In her words, “I’m doing great. I stay up late, I get up early, I’m living life!”

So … what was “boring” in the midst of all these wonderful changes? The Phase I program for eating, of course! What was Jennifer’s reward for following her personalized treatment guidelines so well? She gets to gradually add foods from Phase II, for variety and enjoyment. We’re busy “fixing” her thyroid, her gallbladder, her pancreas dysfunction, her “leaky gut” and more – all the things that The Yeast Syndrome can create as problems, just like falling dominos.

So here’s where it really gets exciting – not at all boring! Everyone knows about “yeast infections” causing distressing reddened skin (“jock itch” or under-the-breasts irritation), even a troublesome vaginal discharge and so on. But what many people (and even doctors) don’t realize is that The Yeast Syndrome can, itself, cause other syndromes! Such as … irritable bowel syndrome, PMS, adrenal exhaustion syndrome, and on and on and on. Not too much fun for the patients suffering – but really fascinating for specialists like me.

The greatest problem with treating The Yeast Syndrome is that inexperienced or well-meaning but uninformed doctors assume that “treating” for just a few weeks is sufficient. Then you can spend dozens of thousands of dollars and dozens of months “trying to figure out what else is wrong,” since you’ve “already been treated for yeast.” Nope. Wrong, wrong, wrong!

Isn’t it time for you (or someone in your family?) to finally fix health problems (serious and minor, but always troubling) caused by “The Great Pretender”? You need to be looking for a physician skilled in integrative approaches, blending “med school medicine” with alternative approaches such as The Yeast Syndrome. Most patients who follow my treatment advice get dramatically better – far sooner and far more than they ever expected could happen. Why not you, too? Maybe it’s past time for you to “Know the Cause”!

Dr. Trowbridge is featured on the Know the Cause show as an internationally-recognized speaker and co-author of The Yeast Syndrome, a Bantam Books bestseller since 1986, available also in e-book format. Listed in over 5 dozen volumes of Who’s Who, he specializes in finding and fixing puzzling problems, welcoming new patients at his Houston, Texas, north suburban office (next to Bush Intercontinental Airport), Life Celebrating Health: 1-800-FIX-PAIN. Call now for free DVDs and CDs or click www.healthCHOICESnow.com