Well, you certainly should address the candida infection as one of priority. Lets understand how yeast and fungus thrives in the digestive system. Fungus/Yeasts/Molds generally like "acidic" warm and anaerobic environments. Sugars, meats, caffiene, dairy and pretty much anything sweet can throw the yeast counts up instantly. There can be an underlying heavy metal problem, I doubt it would be Iron overload since this is a female, unless she is not menstruating. Secondly I would come to think of either copper or mercury toxicity (ask how many amalgams in teeth, how much fish/seafood she consumes). Heavy metals certainly hinder immunity which is the bodys main defense against these pathogens. Once heavy metals are ruled out I would put her on an organic liquid multi vitamin/mineral/amino acid complex (
http://www.vites.com/catalog/index.php? ... cts_id=504) since her absorption is probably hindered by the yeast. So taking tablets and pills would be useless.
Once underlying causes of yeast are eliminated, I would not begin any probiotic therapy as it would only be useless at this time. I will explain why:
Candida resides within the tight spaces/compartments of the intestinal and stomach lining, the pro biotics cannot take their place unless the candida is first killed off those compartments and then probiotics occupies the available spaces (kind of like chess). A powerful natural and healthy yeast killer would be Coconut Oil (
http://www.mercola.com - Click on store) Coconut oil contains Lauric Acid which actually bursts yeast cell walls open and destorys them along with other viruses and pathogens. I would take about 2-4 tablespoons per day. In addition I would take a powerful herbal approach to support immune system and kill yeast at the same time, this way you're not alone in the battle and have the body's own immune system helping (
http://www.healthyhealing.com/product.esiml?PID=579).
And last but not least, she needs stress reduction (L-theanine) which helps keep immunity and adrenal glands strong to help fight off pathogens and prevent the stress of the sugar metabolism. Brisk exercise (walks) for 30min every morning and evening to burn off excessive stress homrones and maintain blood circulation.
And here I will add some more info on Hypoglycemia control:
Acute hypoglycemia therapy focuses on immediately raising the blood sugar level. Any substance containing carbohydrates, such as saltine crackers, fruit juice, or hard candy, if taken at the beginning of a hypoglycemic episode, will help raise blood sugar quickly and ease the severity of an attack. A severe hypoglycemic attack is therefore a good time to consume rapidly absorbed simple sugars. Fruit juice, glucose syrup, or sugary soft drinks can be lifesaving. Milder attacks can be managed with foods that contain complex carbohydrates, which are less rapidly absorbed. However, these should not be used by a person having a severe attack (i.e., a diabetic with an insulin reaction).
The following nutrients have been shown to help normalize blood glucose levels:
Chromium. Chromium is widely recognized as an essential trace element. It has multiple effects on insulin levels. Chromium has been widely studied in the context of type 2 diabetes for its ability to lower blood sugar levels at higher doses by increasing insulin sensitivity (Racek J 2003). However, studies have also shown that chromium can help enhance glucagon secretion (McCarty MF 1996).
Amino acids. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the human body and is involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid (Stumvoll M et al 1999). Few clinical trials have been conducted to determine if glutamine supplementation can increase glucose levels. Amino acid infusions, however, are known to raise glucagon levels, which in otherwise healthy individuals produces an increase in glucose (Nair KS et al 1990). Hypoglycemia was induced by insulin infusions in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects in two studies. The participants then received amino acid mixtures. The results indicated a sharp rise in glucagon secretion in normal participants and a modest rise in diabetic participants (Caprio C et al 1993).
A study in an animal model demonstrated that the liver's ability to produce glucose from certain amino acids was increased during hypoglycemia induced by insulin. Glucose levels increased in animals given the amino acid infusion but not in control animals given only a saline infusion (de Souza HM et al 2001).
N-acetylcysteine. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a protein amino acid that has antioxidant properties. It has been shown to alleviate hypoglycemia in rodents exposed to toxic chemicals by preventing the rapid loss of glucose. For example, in one study of rats exposed to a toxin that causes hypoglycemia, administration of 200 mg/kg NAC prevented depletion of glucose (Sprague CL et al 2005). In another study of rats exposed to arsenic, which is known to cause hypoglycemia, administration of 163.2 mg/kg of NAC daily prevented hypoglycemia (Pal S et al 2004).
Best of health,
Igor M.[/u]