The symptoms you are describing indicate that you probably have had low acid in your stomach for a very long time due to a candida overgrowth, which has been causing fermentation in the stomach itself. This unnatural state in the stomach causes many things to go wrong with digestion. One of the consequences is a constant upward pressure against the cardiac sphyincter from the fermentation gases in the stomach. In addition, the candida can attach itself to the muscles of the cardiac sphyincter and paralyze them. Thus, these two factors can can eventually erode the strength of the cardiac sphyincter and allow the stomach to protrude up through the esophagus–thus causing a hiatal hernia. Because of the compromised state of the stomach acid balance–other bacteria and fungus can also start to proliferate–thus, I believe that the fungus you are describing is also a result of these conditions.

Additionally, this candida overgrowth causes foods to be broken down improperly and bacterial imbalances to continue to thrive all through the digestive tract. This ultimately can be at the root of leaky gut syndrome; the producton of chemicals, such as alcohol and acetaldyhye in the small intestine from poorly digested foods, that affect brain chemistry, and a host of inflammatory conditions throughout the body.

What you should know is that there are millions of people that are suffering from these symptoms in the world as a result of our poor food supply and incorrect nutritional dictates. Fortunately, if you are willing to have great devotion to changing the inner biochemistry through the foods you eat, you will be able to correct this problem.

The corrections you will need to take to be on the wellness trail include:
1. You must eat no grains or sugar whatsoever really forever……
2. Fruit sbould be avoided for at least 6 months and then only low-sugar fruits in season very rarely.
3. You should start with eating bone broth soups exclusively until your symptoms improve—probably at least one week.
4. Then you can add cultured dairy and other raw proteins gradually–such as raw egg yolks and lightly cooked meats.
5. You will need to consume plenty of raw fats–especially raw butter and cream.
6. You should daily take a high quality cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil–see http://www.greenpasture.org.
7. You should eat no raw vegetables at all!!! They are very difficult to digest and will cause problems with the hiatal hernia.
8. All vegetables should be eaten in soup or steamed with butter.
9. Taking a good quality enzyme may be necessary as you probably have trouble digesting certain foods–which is why raw proteins, fats and cultured foods are so important.
10. You should continue to eat the soups, cultured dairy, raw fats and nutrient-dense foods daily for the rest of your life…….

By starving the bad bacteria, replacing the bad bacteriua with good flora through cultured foods eating a diet rich in easy-to-digest nutrient-dense foods and plenty of raw fats–the stomach will begin to produce adaquate stomach acid, the fermentation will stop, the hiatal hernia will recede, the digestive tract will heal and you will improve nutrient absorption. All of these steps will be necessary to regain your health.

As I was near death myself, and suffered from severe digestive problems–including hiatal hernia–I was able to turn the degenerative processes off through these same principles and heal my body.

I highly recommend you read my book–Performance without Pain–everything is in there for a lifelong plan.

Blessings–Kathy Pirtle

Digestion is concerned with long term survival - you don’t need good digestion in a life or death situation - so when your fight and flight response kicks in, your Sympathetic nervous system DIVERTS BLOOD FLOW FROM THE DIGESTIVE TRACT to your skeletal muscles, heart, brain and lungs - all the body systems you need to fight or run for your life. This means that if you’re eating while stressed or anxious you’re not going to digest your food well and healing is slowed down in the digestive tract. (your parasympathetic nervous system is in charge of healing)

Eating foods you’re allergic too or low blood sugar level all switch on the fight and flight response which switches off digestion. High carb, low fat foods provoke blood sugar level drops. Your food choices effect the health and function of your digestive tract in a very real way that has nothing to do with vitamins and minerals.

The foods you eat can also effect physiological digestive processes such as transit time (how long it takes for food to pass through your digestive tract), ecology (the types of bacteria found in the intestine), secretion of digestive enzymes and absorption of nutrients (certain types of fibre and substances in many grains and legumes bind with minerals and prevent you absorbing them).

Hopefully one day you’ll have an epiphany and realise how what goes into your mouth effects the way you feel, function and think in both the short and long term. Just some food for thought!

P.S. Studies using biofeedback have found that we can indeed change our cirulation…

I think you should read Dr. Price’s book called “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.” It was a life changing book for me. Then you will see first hand the reason why his work has such profound implications for correcting what we eat and our food supply today. He is considered to be the “Darwin” of nutrition.

Kathryne Pirtle