Wonderful post, Egan. I agree, and I've been trying to tell folks the same thing. It is the whole picture that counts. I actually know a doctor who tried to put young, very young, children, on an unbelievably restricted diet for candida (chronic.) I mean, really! Can you imagine the deficiency diseases that would have ensued - they would be much worse than the original symptoms. As I see it, candida is a symptom of some weakness/deficiency, not a disease in and of itself. Apart from the mercury issue, see what trad. chinese medicine has to say (though they don't call it candida as such, it is good to find a doctor of TCM who understands western concepts, too).

True, also, what you say about chocolate, coffee, etc. And let us add moderate consumption of tobacco and alcohol to that. No, I am not being sarcastic. The benefits of moderate consumption of pure tobacco get no mention in the mainstream media; if they do, it is a half-inch article on Page 54 or thereabouts. It is a FACT that some people, with certain symptoms, are much helped by tobacco (spaciness, for one).

But I am not meaning to promote politically incorrect things that some of us enjoy, just trying to defend Egan's basic ideas. My further expansion of these ideas is that there is too much emphasis on cleansing (of all kinds, not just candida). In some cases, yes, it is true, all you need is a medicine that will clean out the problem, whatever it is - gall stones, liver sludge, old feces (I did this cleanse and it was wonderful). But it is a good idea to look deeper and instead of wiping out everything you see as unclean, first nourish yourself and see what happens. This is the difference between neutriceuticals and tonics, between restrictions and kindness to your body. To be specific: Egan mentioned abstaining from all wheat products for eczema. Hard to do. But people who have dealt with the problem with essential fatty acids have head, in some cases, spectacular success. That is only one example.