The Attogram Program

Polly: Beth, Cheryl and others at the forum have used the Attogram program and found it quite helpful. This program was popularized by S. Colet Lahoz, RN, MS, Lac in her book Conquering Yeast Infections. (This is her website http://www.wholeapproach.com ) Colet Lahoz employs acupuncture to control the die-off symptoms while giving a mixture of ingredients designed to clear out the bulk of the yeast in the intestines. She recommends using a mixture consisting of bentonite clay to absorb toxins, a bulking agent like psyllium to help scrape out the excess yeast, caprol as an antifungal agent, and L. acidophilus to help repopulate the intestines with good bacteria. She starts her patients out on just a mixture of the bentonite and psyllium, and then gradually adds the antifungal caprol (liquid caprylic acid with olive oil) to the mixture. If you cannot tolerate the olive oil found in the caprol product, you may have to substitute plain caprylic acid.

In my opinion, consider using charcoal instead of bentonite in the Attogram program. Bentonite is a form of aluminum that is supposedly not absorbed. Yet, I really don’t trust this, especially for people with leaky gut and other gut issues. For instance, tartaric acid increases the absorption of aluminum from the gut, and many people with fibromyalgia have increased levels of tartaric acid that were probably produced by intestinal bacteria. [1] At the very least, I feel the bentonite is not the best choice for long term use.

You might also consider substituting cellulose (insoluble fiber) for the psyllium (soluble fiber). Dr. Galland feels that too much insoluble fiber may make leaky gut worse. (However, a little of the soluble fiber should be helpful.)

The charcoal or bentonite may interfere with the absorption of nutrients or medicines, so take the mixture at least an hour away from food and medicine. You can purchase about a quart and a half of activated charcoal powder for an exceptionally good price from Charles Wilson. Presently, it will cost you only $10.95 (includes shipping in the USA) for one can of charcoal. The can holds about a quart and a half of activated charcoal. ($60 for 6 cans.)

Charles Wilson, Distributor

Box 693, Leicester

N.C. 28748

Phone (828) 622-3671

The charcoal doesn’t have a strong taste, but my husband prefers to mask the taste by adding the charcoal to his morning coffee. (One heaping teaspoon per day has been of definite benefit.) Use the charcoal for die-off reactions, and just about anytime you feel out-of-sorts. It should help.

At least initially, you may find the Attogram program better than other options. According to a study by Lahoz, people using this mixture of caprol, bentonite clay, psyllium, and L. acidophilus reported better results than the people using Nystatin, garlic or Diflucan. Lahoz sent out 70 questionnaires to people with candidiasis, and received back 50. She asked them questions about 10 different products: caprol, bentonite, psyllium, L. acidophilus, Nizoral, garlic, Monistat, Nystatin, Candida extract, and Diflucan. The questions covered initial improvement, relapse, product effectiveness, and side effects. In the patient’s opinion, the most effective treatment was a combination of caprol, bentonite, psyllium and L. acidophilus. Monistat, Nystatin and Diflucan were ranked more likely to give only short-term improvement. The products that were most likely to be perceived as causing no change in symptoms were the Candida extract, garlic, and Nizoral. Other products like oregano oil, Lamisil and Sporanox were not included in the survey. The respondents also suggested that use of fungicides by themselves without colon cleansers should not be practiced because they cause severe die-off reactions. [2]

Colonics

Polly: Colonics can clear out the bulk of the yeast in the colon, where most of the yeast usually reside. Colonics also dislodge impacted debris and can change the environment to one more favorable to a new flora. In the survey of yeast syndrome patients conducted by Colet Lahoz, twelve people had tried colonics and each person highly recommended them. As further testimony to their effectiveness, several of the people at the forum have found that colonics give almost immediate relief, including for some a marked lessening of brain fog. However, remember, sometimes the problem is in the small intestine, not the colon. Colonics should not be expected to be a godsend for everyone. They may even be an irritation to the colon. However, for those who have tried colonics and have reported the results at the forum, the usual posting is similar to the following.

Bob: Had my first colonic yesterday and my second one today. You would not believe how much yeast came out. I felt like a different person walking out. I felt like I was coming out of a coma I have been in for years. Anyway, the colonic along with my diet and taking the antifungal Lamisil has me with more hope than I have had in years. Thank you Jesus.

Polly: One person with a known problem in the small intestine reported that there was no improvement at all with colonics. Another said he felt worse afterwards. However, he wasn’t sure if it was due to the length of the procedure or not. There has been quite a bit of discussion about the length of the first treatment. The fear is that if the first colonic is not long enough, too much of the loosened debris will settle back into the colon and cause a reaction.

Please be careful and ask a physician for guidance, especially if you are particularly weak or have a heart condition. If you have any untoward symptoms after a colonic, see a doctor too. One person at our forum had septicemia (blood poisoning/infection) shortly after her first colonic. However, even given her bad first experience, she found that the general improvement in her condition prompted her to continue with subsequent treatments.

Some electrolytes will be lost with a colonic, so make sure you have enough salt, potassium and magnesium in your body before attempting one. The increased fluids may be a problem for a bad heart. Colonics will also disturb the existing flora; one should ask about an implant of probiotics to help rebuild the proper gut flora after each treatment. Please make sure a certified professional helps you with this procedure. If you wish to try it, make sure they have a machine that uses disposable parts. Also the machine should be Okayed by the Board of Health. If the idea of a colonic doesn’t set well with you, look into herbs that help clean the intestines. Get a brand that has been tested for impurities.