"What is die-off"
Hi Patrizia-- I've been on vacation since April 23 otherwise I would have responded sooner. I have in my hand right now a book that has been a life saver for me. It is "The Fungus Link" by Doug A. Kaufmann. On page 71 of the book there is a personal story of healing. I will quote "I began to experience what Doug referred to as "Herxheimer's reaction," more commonly known as the "die-off" of fungus.
Once again, I felt as if I was dying. My hands were shaky, my vision was blurred, my ears were ringing, I experienced numbness in my hands and legs, I was depressed, disoriented, and confused. Extremely fatigued, my severe headaches persisted, my hair began to fall out, and I cried most of the time. I dropped out of college for lack of concentration skills and I felt worthless. My complextion took on a pasty white appearance and those around me constantly stared with horror on their faces. Numerous times I was told that I should find another doctor or seek another opinion. Thank God I did not. I stuck it out and now those problems are behind me. I really feel that Doug saved my life or at least gave me a life back. I am forever grateful for him and his staff."
Appendix-15 of same book reads, "Always remember the adage, "No pain, no gain." As we starve yeast and fungi, a phenomenon called "Herxheimer's reaction" may occur. In the 1930's, German dermatologist Dr. Carl Herxheimer first described the body's reaction to the massive killing of microorganisms and the resulting sudden load of toxins released into the blood stream. Also known as "die off," these reactions are typically characterized by flu-like symptome, chills, aches, and sometimes a low grade fever. It is not rare to suffer from a worsening of the very symptoms you originally experienced. Thirty to forty percent of our clients notice "die off" reactions. This reaction is often a good sign as it verifies that you have been harboring these fungi for quite some time and you have now begun to eradicate them. Like any living thing, they don't like to die! Also, recall that the skin is the largest organ in your body, so it is not rare to see outbreaks or worsening of rashes as the body begins to "clean house." Taking Essiac tea two or three times daily can significantly lessen the Herxheimers's reaction.
How will you know that this is not a reaction to something you are taking? If you are reacting to something that you have just started, you will feel worse and worse. Not so if you are experiencing a "die-off" reaction. Within a few days you wil fel much better even though yo continue taking the supplement. In our experience, the longer the "die-off" reaction, the more severe the fungal problem; however, this is not always predictable."
I hope this helps answer your question. Of course this list is not the final word, I personally have experienced die-off reactions that are not listed here. The key is that they did not last very long and I did get progressively better. My initial die-off lasted over 2 weeks. I was about to give up the diet and supplements (priscription Nystatin also) and then I started getting better. Hang in there. God Bless-Karen
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