EiR Blog

As an environmental illness sufferer myself and someone who is in the final stages of clinical training to become a Nutritional Therapist having obtained a bachelor's degree in nutritional health, I have become interested in genetic testing.   In the past genetic testing of any kind has been extremely expensive and has tradtitionally looked only for genes that identify hereditary diseases. Now however there are commercially available tests that many naturopathic doctors and other functional medicine-orientated health care practitioners are utilising to better help patients with environmental illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), as well as those with chronic unexplained ill-health but no diagnosis. Such testing allows for the detection of single nucleotide polymorphyisms (SNPs - pronounced "snips"), small sections of genetic code that determine, for example, the efficiency with which an individual can neutralise and excrete toxins or synthesise neurotransmitters by affecting the functioning of various enzymes...

When it comes to what is variously known as intestinal yeast overgrowth, fungal-type dysbiosis, gut fermentation syndrome, or simply Candida, it is safe to say that prevention is much simpler than cure. Ignored by the conventional medical establishment, people affected by this condition often struggle to treat themselves to alleviate their many symptoms which can range from fatigue, muscle aches and pains, and general malaise to cognitive symptoms such as poor concentration and memory, and mood disturbances including depression, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, and mood swings. Most of these symptoms are likely the result of the chronic absorption of toxins produced by Candida (or whatever fungal organism is the problem),  primarily ethanol and acetaldehyde, and the consequences these substances have on metabolic functions. For more information see: Candida and Gut Dysbiosis  My Candida Hell - Chronic Ethanol and Acetaldehyde Poisoning   To avoid developing this awful condition in the first place...

Following on from my blog - Pathological Detoxifiers and Environmental Illness which explained the process of detoxification in the liver and when someone might be termed a 'pathologicial detoxifier' - I wanted to share the results of my own Detoxification Profile and explain how the results related to my illness at the time and subsequent developments. The Detoxification Profile uses caffeine, paracetamol, and aspirin, to determine how well phase1 and some of the most important phase 2 liver detoxification pathways are functioning.   My Detoxification Profile Results     Interpretation As you can see, although my phase 1 is within the reference range, it is towards the upper end of normal. In combination with this my phase 2 glutathione conjugation is borderline low. The other phase 2 pathways are all what Genova ,I believe, now classes as high and indicates increased toxic exposure.  Other testing revealed my d-glucaric acid was high...

New research to be published in the April issue of the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics relating to dietary intervention in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome had me very frustrated this week. The research was supposedly an attempt to determine if an anti-Candida diet is beneficial in those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The researchers note that Candida has been linked to CFS in many books and anecdotal reports but little scientific evidence exists for such a link. I couldn't agree more, good quality research that really gets to the bottom of this issue is required, unfortunately the research in question here does nothing to further scientific knowledge and to my mind is of very little value.