1 1/2 cups sliced onions
1/4 cup rolled oats
6 cups chopped zucchini (3-4 medium zucchini)
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/8  teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2  tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons umeboshi or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large pot, layer the onions, oats, and zucchini. Cover with the water and bring to a boil. Add the salt, dried basil, and black pepper. (If using fresh basil, see below.) Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree the zucchini mixture with the tahini, vinegar, lemon juice, and fresh basil until well blended. Return the mixture to the pot, reheat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

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I’ve been meaning to write something more about ezcema and I was reminded today by a comment from someone else about just that so here’s the latest about my efforts to deal with it. 

At one point in my anti-Candida campaign I re-developed an unwelcome case of ezcema.  It happened while I was taking Aqua-Flora Candida formula but I can’t be sure that that is what caused the outbreak.  It’s quite possible the probiotics (Trader Joe’s brand) I was taking weren’t effective enough and that the ezcema started because of a flora imbalance.  The OMD I’ve been working with maintains that the really effective probiotics are only available through a doctor.  I don’t know about that but what I do know is that I’ve got eczema again and it won’t seem to go away no matter what I try.

There are two things that have really helped though.  One is acupuncture.  I’m seeing a Doctor of Oriental Medicine for mine.  The other is the book Skin Deep by Ted A. Grossbart, Ph.D.  If you jump to this link which is at amazon.com and read the comments you’ll see that many people like myself have gotten some relief or direction from the book.

Probably one of the hardest aspects of dealing with a mystery illness like Candida is the many promises people and or companys hold out for "cures."  When you are miserable and desperate it’s hard to ignore the statements that promise to alleviate all the symptoms.  When these "cures" fail - you can be left much worse off as repeated disappointments lead to depression and lack of trust.

It’s imperative to follow your own intuition and to pretty much ignore any "promise" or "guarantee".  My experience is that symptoms and reactions vary widely.  This is one of the main reasons that Candidiasis is so hard to diagnose and cure.

This is not to say suggestions and support aren’t invaluable.  But I think it’s important not to push too hard or to believe that what works for one person will definitively work for someone else. 

An example came up in the comments area of this blog - someone wrote in that Tea Tree Oil was a "nice natural remedy" for candidiasis rash.  In my case, tea tree oil provoked an aggravation of the existing rash and corresponded with the rash spreading to other areas of my body.  From what I’ve read I feel fairly certain that Tea Tree Oil works for some people on some kinds of eczema but it should be used cautiously and skeptically as should any of the potential solutions mentioned here or elsewhere.

"Hundreds of possible symptoms may appear in many different combinations. Because of the confusing symptoms, CRC (Candidiasis) is difficult to diagnose, and because CRC is not yet fully understood, many medical professionals are skeptical about its existence and thus unlikely to diagnose and treat it."
from Candida-Related Complex: What Your Doctor Might Be Missingby Christine Winderlin

The good health I’ve enjoyed for 40+ years came to a long pause about two years ago following a stressful event where I was forced to quickly leave my home and relocate under very disturbing circumstances.  The tension and uncertainty were awful and the event was highly emotional and upsetting.  I didn’t eat right during that time - lots of coffee and quick fixes for meals - and I couldn’t sleep most nights.  By the end of this 10 day event I had a patch of eczema on my neck.  As I settled into my new home, the stress factor decreased, but the eczema got worse.  Soon my entire neck was covered with the rash which itched so badly that I couldn’t sleep.  Hydrocortisone creams worked initially but with diminishing returns.  My skin was getting thinner and more irritable and the hydrocortisone wasn’t helping the itching anymore.

Seeking help and wanting several opinions, I visited allopathic and naturopathic doctors simultaneously.  The allopath prescribed an antihistamine with something to help me sleep and some stronger hydrocortisone cream.  The naturopath tested for allergies and began NAET testing and treatments on me.  At this same time a raw foodist friend felt convinced I had Candidiasis and recommended that I modify my diet.  I went on the raw foods diet for two months and although I felt overall in better health for awhile - my rash symptoms were unaffected.  At some point, the diet also seemed to stop working. I felt worse than I had before I started it.  I know now that I was most likely experiencing Candida die off which actually causes worsening symptoms but at the time it seemed the diet was making me sick.  To add to this both my allopathic and naturopathic doctors frowned on the raw foods diet - believing it taxed the digestive system.  From where I stand now I think this is actually true.  With Candida there’s enough to contend with and the predigesting role that cooking plays may be important when the Candida is really out of control.

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This information is from Erica White’s site: http://www.nutritionhelp.com/candida_faqs.php

Erica White is a renowned specialist on candidiasis who cured herself and now advises clients all over the world.

Otherwise known as yeast infection, Candidiasis is an infestation of the common yeast Candida albicans which is found in every human being in small amounts but, under certain conditions, grows out of control and migrates from the colon to any other tissue in the body causing many different symptoms, both physical and mental. When candida proliferates, it changes into a fungal form which is able to break through the intestinal wall leaving it porous, and this allows both toxins and minute particles of incompletely-digested foods to leak through from the digestive tract into the blood-stream. Not only does this lead to problems of food sensitivity, but it places a heavy load on the immune system, making it even weaker in its fight against candida and other invaders.

I had this rash pretty much covering my whole body including my face at certain points.  The allopathic doctor I was seeing put me on Prednisone - one of the causes of Candida.  Although the rash cleared up for the short time I took the drug (which is very strong and has lots of side effects) afterwards everything got much, much worse.  After following a strict diet and trying to otherwise leave the rash alone as much as possible (any topical application made it much worse) the rash cleared up and I’ve never had problems with the rash on my legs since then.  (It’s been almost 2 years.)