Have you ever heard that fungi cause cancer? You are familiar with yeast, which is single-celled fungi. Fungi is the plural term for multicellular organisms that cannot make their own food and rely on the environment. Fungi are opportunistic and extract nutrients from their environment, including dead matter and living organisms. Certain types of fungi, such as Candida albicans, reside in the human body, such as the digestive tract, but have the potential to overgrow and be infectious.
There have been exciting headlines in the world of medicine that pertain to the relationship of fungi to cancer. For example, the medical reporting website Medscape recently published an article titled Fungi Inside Cancer Cells: 'A New and Emerging Hallmark.' The author reported that fungal activity is common in many cancers and found in cancer and immune cells.
There can be several reasons fungi may be wreaking havoc with the body's cells and the immune system. The overconsumption of simple sugars and alcohol provides a breeding ground for fungi. In addition, the friendly flora found throughout the body that keeps fungi in check can be depleted from antibiotics and chemotherapy.
Many integrative doctors are already incorporating antifungal protocols for patients with different cancers. This approach may become more mainstream as researchers continue to understand this link better. Antifungal therapy should include a low-sugar diet that is high in fiber. In addition, antifungal agents that are natural or pharmaceutical can be used.
For more information, you can listen to my podcast interview on the subject here or get my book Outside The Box Cancer Therapies available from Amazon.com.
Dr. Mark Stengler NMD, MS, is a bestselling author in private practice in Encinitas, California, at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. His newsletter, Dr. Stengler’s Health Breakthroughs, is available at www.markstengler.com and his product line at www.drstengler.com
Editors BD. Fungi - definition, types and examples. Biology Dictionary. https://biologydictionary.net/fungi/.Worcester, Sharon. Fungi Inside Cancer Cells: 'A New and Emerging Hallmark'. Medscape.com
