it has long been recognized that fungal and yeast infections are more common in a diabetic person . in fact , in the past scientists were able to identify those at risk for diabetes by noting their propensity to suffer from recurrent yeast and fungal infections . ( wilson , j w , plunkett , o a ., the fungous diseases of man , university of california press ., berkeley , los angeles , and london 1970 ). however , conventional teachings still maintain that diabetes creates the predisposition for fungal infections . based on the available scientific literature , the fungus — or a fungal metabolite — is actually the predisposing factor for the development of diabetes . an in - depth look at the diabetes epidemic , fungi , and mycotoxins is offered in the book infectious diabetes . ( kaufmann , d ., mediatrition , inc . 2003 ). 1788 whytt : observed that diabetes mellitus ( dm ) and gout go hand in hand . observation : polynesians have a very high rate of diabetes , gout , obesity and atherosclerosis . the polynesians are known to consume large quantities of a product called “ poi .” some of the men consume 10 - 20 pounds of poi per day . poi is a fermented fruit concoction consisting of yeast - fermented bananas and breadfruit . 1990 coleman : mice fed a 10 % brewer &# 39 ; s yeast diet developed dm . 1976 isogai ( tokyo , japan ): cryptococcus fungi were found in the islets of langerhans cells ( pancreas ) in two children who died from dm . the researchers in later studies injected cryptococcus into the pancreatic artery of laboratory animals and induced necrosis of the islets of langerhans . cryptococcus is known to produce alloxan . 1980 pojo : alloxan , a uric acid metabolite , injures insulin - producing beta cells in the islets of langerhans of the pancreas . 1990 chase : type i dm could be cured if treated with cyclosporin a . within four months of onset of the disease . 1990 moody : cyclosporin a , a fungal poison and pharmaceutical drug , is antifungal against cryptococcus . 1981 hayes : streptozotocin induces experimental dm in animals . hayes points out that streptozotocin is a mycotoxin produced by streptomyces achromogenes mold . 1981 helgason : ingestion of cured mutton , a holiday dish , by icelandic women at the time of conception caused dm in their offspring . 1973 esher : cured mutton contains ochratoxin , sterigmatocystin , patulin , and penicillic acid — all fungal mycotoxins . [ heading - 0040 ] recent findings associating diet and fungal toxins with diabetes two separate studies , one in the united states and the other in germany , conclude that feeding infants cereals early in life significantly increases the infants &# 39 ; risk of developing type 1 diabetes later in life : timing of initial cereal exposure in infancy and risk of islet autoimmunity — jill m . norris , katherine barriga , georgeanna klingensmith , michelle hoffman , george s . eisenbarth , henry a . erlich , and marian rewers — jama . 2003 ; 290 : 1713 - 1720 . early infant feeding and risk of developing type 1 diabetes - associated autoantibodies — anette - g . ziegler , m d ; sandra schmid , phd ; doris huber ; michael hummel , m d ; ezio bonifacio , phd .— jama . 2003 ; 290 : 1721 - 1728 . context : dietary factors modifying type 1 diabetes mellitus ( dm ) risk have been proposed , but little is known if they trigger the islet autoimmunity that precedes clinical disease . objective : to determine whether breastfeeding duration , food supplementation , or age at introduction of gluten - containing foods influences the risk of developing islet autoantibodies . design and setting : prospective natural history cohort study conducted from 1989 to 2003 in inpatient / outpatient clinics in germany . participants : the babydiab study follows newborn children of parents with type 1 dm . eligibility requirements were met in 1610 children . blood samples were obtained at birth , age 9 months , 2 , 5 , and 8 years . dropout rate was 14 . 4 % by age 5 years . breastfeeding data were obtained by prospective questionnaires ( 91 % complete ), and food supplementation data were obtained by family interview ( 72 % for food supplementation and 80 % for age of gluten introduction ) main outcome measure : development of islet autoantibodies ( insulin , glutamic acid decarboxylase , or ia - 2 antibodies ) in 2 consecutive blood samples . results : life - table islet autoantibody frequency was 5 . 8 % ( se , 0 . 6 %) by age 5 years . reduced total or exclusive breastfeeding duration did not significantly increase the risk of developing islet autoantibodies . food supplementation with gluten - containing foods before age 3 months , however , was associated with significantly increased islet autoantibody risk ( adjusted hazard ratio , 4 . 0 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1 . 4 - 11 . 5 ; p = 0 . 01 vs children who received only breast milk until age 3 months ). four of 17 children who received gluten - containing foods before age 3 months developed islet autoantibodies ( life - table 5 - year risk , 24 %; se , 10 %). all 4 children had the high - risk drb1 * 03 / 04 , dqb1 * 0302 genotype . gluten - containing foods are such grains as wheat , rye , barley and oats . wheat , rye , and barley are commonly - contaminated with fungal mycotoxins . ( etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ): 425 - 427 , jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ; council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : risks in plant , animal and human systems , task force report no . 139 , ames , iowa , january 2003 ). antibodies are immune - system protein structures that are made by the human body &# 39 ; s b - cells of the immune system and that are directed against foreign chemicals and germs in our body . auto - antibodies are antibodies that are directed - supposedly by mistake - against the human body &# 39 ; s tissues , organs , and cells . conventional medicine claims that this is an abnormal response by they human body , and the manifested condition is called an auto - immune disease . if , however , a mycotoxin that preferentially attacks the islet cell in the pancreas is able to alter that pancreatic cell ( i . e ., the cell is now chemically tainted ), then the human body will see that cell as foreign , or at least abnormal . hence , an immune attack against that abnormal , chemically infected cell is , in this case , a normal response by our immune system , not an abnormal , auto - immune phenomenon . [ heading - 0053 ] fungal toxin in potato scab causes type 1 diabetes a common toxin found in the potato scab in root vegetables is linked to type 1 diabetes : bafilomycin , a macrolide antibiotic ( mycotoxin ) made by the streptomyces griseus mold and found in the black , scab lesions on root vegetables ( especially potatoes ) caused diabetes in 100 % of the offspring of mother mice who were fed this toxin . ( www . onenews . nzoom . com , citing a study by paul zimmet et al ., june 2003 , director of the international diabetes institute in melbourne , australia ). bafilomycin is a heat - stable fungal toxin that cannot be destroyed in the cooking process . aspergillus and penicillium fungi are common contaminants of peanuts and corn . ( the council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : risks in platnt , animal , and human systems , task force report no . 139 , january 2003 , ames , iowa ). they make mycotoxins such as ochratoxin , patulin , and aflatoxin . it prevents mammalian cells from breaking down sugar normally so that the levels of sugar in the blood remain high . it also creates insulin resistance , which leads to the high blood sugar levels seen in type 2 diabetes . ( verma , r ., shalini , m ., hyperglycemia induced in rabbits exposed to ochratoxin , bull environ contam toxicol , april 1998 , 60 ( 4 ): 626 - 31 ; subramanian , s ., et al ., ochratoxin a toxicity on carbohydrate metabolism in rats , bull environ contam toxicol , august 1989 , 43 ( 2 ): 180 - 4 ; huff , w e , et al ., decreased glycogen mobilization during ochratoxicosis in broiler chickens , appl environ microbiol , january 1979 , 37 ( 1 ) : 122 - 6 ; suzuki , s . et al ., effect of ochratoxin a on carbohydrate metabolism in rat liver , toxicol appl pharmacol , april 1975 , 32 ( 1 ): 116 - 22 ; szczech , g m , et al ., ochratoxicosis in beagle dogs , i . clinical and clinicopathological features , vet pathol . 1973 , 10 ( 2 ): 135 - 54 ). * it also causes kidney damage , a very common occurrence in diabetes . ( cast 2003 , rodricks 1977 ). a common contaminant of apple juice and processed , apple products ( council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : risks in plant , animal , and human systems , task force report 139 , january 2003 .) it inhibits human cells from using oxygen normally ( inhibits aerobic respiration ). ( rodricks , j ., mycotoxin in human and animal health , pathotox publishers , inc ., park forest south , ill ., 1977 ., p 613 ). human cells cannot live without oxygen , but fungi with anaerobic metabolism capacities can . thus , mycotoxin exposure can create an environment that favors fungi in the human body . found in mold - contaminated corn , wheat , peanuts and other grains . ( council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : risks in plant , animal , and human systems , task force report 139 , january 2003 ; etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ), jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ). it blocks the breakdown of sugar in the liver as well as the sugar in other cells in the human body , again resulting in high levels of blood sugar that human cells cannot use . ( cheeke , p . r ., natural toxicants in feeds , forages , and poisonous plants , 1998 , interstate publishers , inc ., danville , ill .). this , in turn , creates the perfect environment for fungi , which preferentially feed on sugars / carbohydrates . aside from causing type 1 diabetes by destroying the cells in the pancreas , it also “ causes insulin resistance ” in human cells — the very definition of type 2 diabetes . ( samiec , p . s ., et al ., glutathione in human plasma : decline in association with aging , age - related macular degeneration , and diabetes , free radic . biol . med ., mar . 15 / 24 ( 5 ): 699 - 704 , 1998 ; szkudelski , t ., the mechanism of alloxan and streptozotocin action in b cells of the rat pancreas , physiol res . 2001 , 50 ( 6 ) : 537 - 46 ; streptozotocin : cas no . 18883 - 66 - 4 , ninth report on carcinogens , us dept of hhs , public health service , national toxicology program ., revised january 2001 ). alloxan is an oxidation product of uric acid . uric acid is made by , among other organisms , fungi . ( helbig , f . et al ., uric acid is a genuine metabolite of penicillium cyclopium and stimulates the expression of alkaloid biosynthesis in this fungus , applied and environmental microbiology , april 2002 . p . 1524 - 1533 , vol . 68 , no . 4 , january 2002 ). injection of animals with alloxan causes type 1 diabetes via destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas . ( wallace , a ., principles and methods of toxicology , raven press , new york , 1989 ., p . 694 ; moneim , a ., et al ., effects of nigella sativa , fish oil and gliclazide on alloxan diabetic rats 1 — biochemical and histopathological studies , j . egypt ., ger . soc . zool ., vol . 23 ( a ), 237 - 265 , 1997 ). alloxan also causes insulin resistance , characteristic of type 2 diabetes . ( ader , m , et al ., evidence for direct action of alloxan to induce insulin resistance at the cellular level , diabetologia . november 1998 , 41 ( 11 ): 1327 - 36 ). in addition , injection of animals with alloxan can cause elevated serum cholesterol , triglyceride , and total lipid levels . ( moneim , a ., et al ., effects of nigella sativa , fish oil and gliclazide on alloxan diabetic rats 1 — biochemical and histopathological studies , j . egypt , ger . soc . zool ., vol 23 ( a ), 237 - 265 , 1997 ; szkudelski , t ., the mechanism of alloxan and streptozotocin action in b cells of the rat pancreas , physiol res ., 2001 , 50 ( 6 ): 537 - 46 ). oxalic acid is a harsh chemical found in small quantities in certain plants . aspergillus fungi , however , can liberate large quantities of oxalic acid during an infection ( a so - called fungus ball ) in a human lung . ( kibbler , c c ., principles and practice of clinical mycology , john wiley and sons , ltd ., west sussex , england , 1996 ). oxalic acid can cause death in mammals by inhibiting carbohydrate metabolism in animals . ( wallace , a ., principles and methods of toxicology , raven press , new york , 1989 , p . 694 ). [ heading - 0080 ] conventional and alternative treatment of type 2 diabetes : sulfa drugs and over the counter supplements per the drug information listed in physician &# 39 ; s desk references , scientists are not fully sure why sulfa - based prescription diabetes medicines lower blood sugar . their action cannot solely be explained by increasing the output of insulin . since diabetes is caused by fungi and their mycotoxins , sulfa drugs help lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes in part because they are antifungal . ( large , e . c ., the advance of the fungi , p44 ., dover publications , new york , n . y ., 1962 ). chromium , garlic , and other over - the - counter supplements found to be helpful in type 2 diabetes also have documented antifungal activity . ( costantini , a v ., fungalbionics series . etiology and prevention of atherosclerosis , johann friedrich oberlin verlag , freiburg , germany , isbn 3 - 930939 - 04 - 5 , 1996 ). formerly known as “ syndrome - x ,” the metabolic syndrome is not always associated with being overweight . in fact , 18 % of people with the metabolic syndrome in one study were classified as having normal body weight , and 67 % were obese . ( marchesini , g ., et al ., nonalcoholic fatty liver , steatohepatitis , and the metabolic syndrome , hepatology , april 2003 , 37 ( 4 ): 917 - 23 ). nevertheless , obesity is one of the most common findings in this condition . other , diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome are as follows : abdominal obesity ( waist circumference greater than 40 inches in men or greater than 35 inches in women ). hypertriglyceridemia ( triglyceride level greater than or equal to 150 mg / dl ). low hdl - cholesterol ( greater than 40mg / dl in men or greater than 50 mg / dl in women ). high blood pressure ( greater than or equal to 130 / 85 ). high fasting glucose ( impaired glucose tolerance ( igt )— fasting blood sugar between 110 and 126 mg / dl ) ( blackburn , g , et al ., the obesity epidemic : prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome , medscape . com , released sep . 18 , 2002 ). pursuant to these criteria , about 47 million americans have the metabolic syndrome . that means that one in four americans are living with this cluster of signs and symptoms . the etiology of the metabolic syndrome has been elusive , but is currently attributed to “ improper nutrition and inadequate physical activity .” ( blackburn , g , et al ., the obesity epidemic : prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome , medscape . com , released sep . 18 , 2002 ). not surprisingly , every single component of this syndrome can be reversed by weight loss . ( blackburn , g , et al ., the obesity epidemic : prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome , medscape . com , released sep . 18 , 2002 ). the obesity epidemic is flourishing in the face of our current medical - society - based and government - established food plans , thereby creating questions about the validity or appropriateness of those food plans . naturally , food plans cannot be solely to blame for these epidemics . therefore , it is the wrong food plan , along with a sedentary lifestyle , poor snack choices , and over - consumption of antibiotics , that is to blame for these epidemics of obesity and the metabolic syndrome . the twofold reason why carbohydrates are the wrong food to place at the foundation of the current , popular food plans is that ( 1 ) they are easily converted into fats ( harper , et al ., review of physiological chemistry , 16 th ed ., los altos , calif ., 1977 ) and , ( 2 ) they are commonly contaminated with disease - causing mycotoxins . ( etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ), jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ). in the ideal world , grains could be a safe choice for a staple food . but the facts remain that ours is an inactive society . individuals are not burning off the grains that are consumed , and grains are a stored and processed product . storing and processing grains ( along with droughts and floods ) increases the risks of mycotoxin contamination . even the seeds used to plant new crops can be contaminated with mycotoxin - producing fungi , so planting one &# 39 ; s own garden does not avoid the inevitable exposure to fungi in certain grain - bearing plants . this is the case with corn and corn kernels used to plant new crops . luckily , rice and oats are less prone to fungal contamination and , as such , they are perhaps better choices for staple grains . abnormally elevated liver enzymes or fatty deposits in the liver are not part of the criteria for diagnosing metabolic syndrome . nevertheless , a majority of people ( 73 %) with the metabolic syndrome have what &# 39 ; s called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis ( nash ). whether one has the metabolic syndrome or not , if one &# 39 ; s liver enzymes are elevated on a blood test , a doctor will be able to determine whether nash or some other , infectious agent is responsible for the rise in liver enzymes ( ast , or sgot , and alt , or sgpt ). essentially , nash describes a liver that is inflamed and full of fatty deposits , similar to what might happen if one drinks an abundance of alcohol over long periods of time . only , in nash , alcohol is not part of the picture . nash can progress to severe , fatal liver disease over many years . nash results in cirrhosis ( irreversible scarring , like that seen in kidney failure ) in 20 - 25 % of patients who have it and liver - related deaths in 8 - 15 % of patients . ( resnick , r ., chopra , s ., nonalcoholoic steatohepatits : a common hepatic disorder , family practice recertification , vol 24 , no . 9 ., august 2002 ). and just as diabetes and hypertension are fueling a culture of people with kidney failure , the huge number of people with metabolic syndrome is going to give rise to a large population of people with liver failure in the next 10 or 20 years — unless a cause and , therefore , treatment , can be identified . ( marchesini , g ., et al ., nonalcoholic fatty liver , steatohepatitis , and the metabolic syndrome , hepatology , april 2003 , 37 ( 4 ): 917 - 23 ). the etiology of fatty liver in overweight individuals remains “ yet to be determined ,” though it is suspected to have something to do with insulin resistance . ( russo , m ., jacobson , i ., nonalcoholic fatty liver disease , hospital physician , november 2002 ). the etiology has already been determined . for example , aflatoxin , the aspergillus fungal toxin , is known to cause fatty liver , hepatitis , and fibrosis ( scarring ) in humans and animals . ( cast , mycotoxins : risks in plant , animal , and human systems , task force report no . 139 , jan 2003 , council for agricultural science and technology , ames , iowa ). ochratoxin , made by aspergillus and penicillium fungi , also causes fatty liver in humans and animals . ( class course in advanced food microbiology , microbial foodborne pathogens , http :// class . fst . ohio - state . edu / fst736 / sect4 . htm . june 2003 ; rodricks , j ., et al ., mycotoxins in human and animal health . pathotox publishers , inc ., park forest south , ill ., 1977 , p . 492 ). in addition , mycotoxins such as streptozotocin induce a state of insulin resistance . ( id tno animal nutrition , diabetic pig characterized by hepatic and cellular insulin - resistance , http :// www . id . dlo . n1 / id - lelystad / documenten / flyers / idtno 22 . 0701 koopmans uk . pdf .). these facts are only relevant if , in fact , people were consuming mycotoxins in small quantities — as food contaminants and prescriptive antibiotics — on a regular basis . scientists have already established that this is , indeed , the case . ( cast , mycotoxins : risks in plant , animal , and human systems , task force report no . 139 , jan 2003 , council for agricultural science and technology , ames , iowa ; etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ): 425 - 427 , jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ). in addition , in a biopsy a liver with nonalcoholic - related fatty changes looks “ almost identical ” to that of a liver damaged by alcohol abuse . ( kichian , k ., et al ., nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients investigated for elevated liver enzymes , canadian journal of gastroenterology , january 2003 , 17 ( 1 ): 38 - 42 ). and alcohol is but a mycotoxin made by the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae , i . e ., brewer &# 39 ; s yeast . ours is a population of people who are obediently following their grain - based dietary recommendations and taking loads of unnecessary antibiotics ( most of which are fungal by - products themselves ), while at the same time they are developing classic symptoms of mycotoxin exposure . but instead of calling the disease what it most likely is — a mycotoxicosis — it is called nash , or metabolic syndrome , or any other of a dozen unknown etiology diseases . nearly a quarter of all adults over the age of 45 have some form of chronic , renal insufficiency . ( jancin , b ., chronic renal insufficiency strikes 23 % of adults , family practice news , jun . 1 , 2002 ). folmer elling has a full chapter dedicated to the “ morphological aspects of mycotoxic nephropathy ” in a book covering the ill effects of mycotoxins in humans . in it , he describes the renal - toxic effects of ochratoxin , a toxin produced by aspergillus and penicillium species of molds . ( rodricks , j ., et al ., mycotoxins in human and animal health , proceedings of a conference on mycotoxins in human and animal health , pp . 499 - 506 , pathotox publishers , park forest south , ill . 1977 ). ochratoxin has been documented to cause kidney damage in all animal species tested thus far . ochratoxin is suspected to cause endemic nephropathy , also known as “ balkan ,” or “ iga ” nephropathy , a form of kidney failure seen in central europe where ochratoxin has been found in high levels in the food supply . in one random sampling 56 % of germans had detectable levels of ochratoxin in their bloodstream . ochratoxin , an unregulated mycotoxin in the united states , is typically found in barley , corn , wheat , oats , rye , green coffee beans , and peanuts . ( bray , g ., ryan , d ., eds ., pennington center nutrition series , volume 1 : mycotoxins , diabetes and health , p . 42 - 43 ; council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : economic and health risks , task force report number 116 , p . 35 . november 1989 , cast , ames , iowa ). iga nephropathy is the most common cause of glomerulonephritis , or kidney disease , in the world . ( council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : economic and health risks , task force report number 116 , p . 35 , november 1989 , cast , ames , iowa ). a fusarium mold toxin known as deoxynivalenol , of the trichothecene group of toxins , causes accumulation of the antibody iga in the filtering areas ( called glomeruli ) of the kidneys in mice , identical to the pathologic process seen in balkan nephropathy in humans . ( council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : economic and health risks , task force report number 116 , p . 35 , november 1989 , cast , ames , iowa ). the overactive immune response to the mycotoxin in the kidneys leads to permanent damage . the trichothecene mycotoxins are 40 times more toxic when inhaled than when consumed in contaminated foods . ( peraica , m ., et al ., toxic effects of mycotoxins in humans , bulletin of the world health organization , who website , 1999 ). one case study documented kidney failure ( acute renal failure ) caused by inhaled mycotoxins . a farmer developed kidney failure after she had been working in a granary containing aspergillus ochraceus - infected wheat . the mold aspergillus ochraceus makes ochratoxin , and wheat that is infected with this mold liberates ochratoxin into the air , which can be harmful if inhaled , especially in an enclosed area like a grain silo . the kidney biopsy on the farmer showed characteristic acute tubular necrosis ( atn ) and “ minimal change ” lesions , which are certain tissue changes seen in the biopsy of a failed kidney . she recovered slowly and fully , needing only temporary dialysis in the hospital following avoidance of the toxin . because streptozotocin causes diabetes , it is interesting that exposure to this same chemical , marketed under the name zanosar ®, can lead to “ severe ” or even “ fatal kidney disease ” in humans . ( physicians &# 39 ; desk reference , 48 th edition , medical economics data production company , montvale , n . j ., 1994 ; ishikawa , a ., et al ., mechanism of cyclosporin induced nephrotoxicity , transpl proc ., 31 : 1127 - 1128 , 1999 ). it is directly toxic to the kidneys and can lead to tissue damage , similar to the damage in the pancreas that leads to diabetes in experimental animals . cyclosporin - a , a fungal byproduct from the tolypocladium inflatum fungus ( turner , g ., exploitation of fungal secondary metabolites old and new , microbiology today , vol . 27 , august , 2000 ) is classified as a macrolide antibiotic , although it is not used as an antimicrobial in humans . erythromycin , clarithromycin , and azithromycin are also macrolide antibiotics . cyclosporin - a , however , is used for the purpose of suppressing the human body &# 39 ; s immune system so that it will not reject a foreign , transplanted organ . it is a known vasoconstrictor , or a substance that constricts blood vessels . because of its action , almost 100 % of the time , persons receiving therapeutic doses of cyclosporin - a will develop hypertension . ( cifkova , r ., haller , h ., cyclosporin - induced hypertension , european society of hypertension scientific newsletter , 2001 , 2 : no . 8 ). constricting blood vessels , similar to squeezing a hose , also leads to altered perfusion through the kidneys . the kidneys normally help to regulate blood pressure in the body through the action of their various hormones and fluid balance mechanisms that are put into play , in part , based on the amount of blood flow that they receive . when this blood flow is artificially altered by this mycotoxin , the kidneys , sensing a decrease in blood flow , can be stimulated to increase the blood pressure in the body . over time , chronic oxygen and nutrient deprivation , caused by lack of blood flow , can lead to organ damage . [ heading - 0112 ] nerve damage / neuropathy seen in diabetes , and its association with fungi / mycotoxins a disturbing problem that patients with long - standing diabetes often encounter is that of nerve damage . if a person has had diabetes for 10 or 20 years , then they will likely suffer from numbness , tingling , burning sensations , or pain in various parts of the body . the legs are often most frequently affected , but hands and internal organs can be affected as well . digestion and intestinal mobility problems can occur if the nerves to the stomach or intestines are damaged . when this happens , the nerves can no longer stimulate the muscles of the intestines to move food along through the stomach and digestive tract , so intestinal blockage becomes a serious problem . nausea and vomiting may be a symptom of this problem ( called gastroparesis ). impotence can arise in males that can also happen as a result of damage to the delicate nerves of the genital area . other various symptoms of nerve damage may include dizziness , diarrhea or constipation , wasting of the muscles in the arms or legs , difficulty urinating , loss of balance and generalized weakness . ( intelihealth . com , diabetic neuropathy : the nerve damage of diabetes , december 2002 ). burning feet and legs is a common complaint of people with diabetic nerve damage . this can result either from the lack of blood supply to the legs or direct damage to the nerve by a mycotoxin . gliotoxin , a fungal poison produced by aspergillus , candida , gliocladium and penicillium fungal species , is extremely toxic to cells and nerves in very small concentrations . ( forsby , et . al ., cellular neurotoxicology , neurochem . su . se ., 25 nov ., 2002 ). fusarium and aspergillus mold toxins called fumonisins are neurotoxic ( can damage nerves ) and are “ universally present in corn and corn - based products .” ( etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ), 425 - 427 , jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ). simply put , “ mycotoxins can cause nerve damage .” ( byrd , b ., food safety : an international public health issue , the international electronic journal of health education , december 2002 , issn : 1529 - 1944 ). some other references to the fungal toxin - nerve damage link are as follows : the mycotoxin citreo - viridin causes nerve paralysis . maltoryzine , an aspergillus toxin causes muscle paralysis . patulin ( commonly found in processed apple products ) causes nerve damage also . ( kemin . com , kemin americas , inc ., the control of mold and mycotoxins in ruminant foods , december 2002 ). these studies have been done on farm and laboratory animals , but the medical literature has already documented the mycotoxin contamination of human foods . alcohol , in its various beverage forms , is also toxic to nerves . ( o &# 39 ; connor , r ., alcoholic neuropathy , www . emedicine . com , december 2002 ). in people the type of nerve damage that alcohol can cause is very , very similar to that seen in diabetes : numbness primarily in the legs , muscle weakness and muscle wasting , and imbalance problems , among other things . mycotoxins , plain and simple , damage nerves . cataracts are more common and occur at an earlier age in people with diabetes . ( http :// www . uihealthcare . com / topics / diabetes / diab4401 . html , february 2004 ). diabetic retinopathy ( dr ) is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the united states . the reason for the development of cataracts in diabetes is felt to be the accumulation of sorbitol ( a type of sugar ) in the lens of the eyes , which then causes an osmotic pressure gradient , favoring the eyes , which leads to lens damage . in dr , the cause is essentially unknown . but it is known that the onset of retinopathy in diabetes parallels the onset of kidney disease . both organs are rich in tiny , delicate blood vessels . a toxin that affects blood vessels would seem to attack the smallest vessels first . given that mycotoxins are involved in causing type 1 and type 2 diabetes , mycotoxins are able to cause both cataracts and retinopathy as well . in both high and low doses , zearalenone , a fusarium mould toxin , causes retinopathy and cataracts in male and female rats . ( ntp technical report on the carcinogenesis bioassay of zearalenone , cas no . 17924 - 92 - 4 , in f344 / n rats and b6c3f1 mice ( feed study ), national toxicology program , nih publication no . 83 - 1791 , us dept of health and human services , october 1982 ). in addition , supplements , such as vitamin c , that exhibit antifungal activity seem also to protect against the cataractogenesis property of mycotoxins . ( kikic , f , trevithick , j r ., vitamin c reduces cytochalasin d cataractogenesis , curr eye res , october 1995 , 14 ( 10 ) : 943 - 9 ). cytochalasin d , the mycotoxin studied in this case , is a by - product of the mould , zygusporium mansonii , ( cytochalasin d , zygusporium mansonii , a . g . scientific , inc ., http :// www . agscientific . com / item / c1070 . htm ., february 2004 .) and is known to produce abnormal corneal changes in human corneal tissue . ( kim , e k , et al ., corneal endothelial cytoskeletal changes in f - actin with aging , diabetes and after cytochalasin exposure ., am j ophthalmol , sep . 15 , 1992 . 114 ( 3 ): 329 - 35 ). inflammation , heart disease , atherosclerosis , diabetes , and fungi / mycotoxins : ( see infectious diabetes , original printing , 2003 . chapter 12 , pp 107 - 110 ; chapter 15 , pp 127 - 134 ) hypertension , diabetes , and fungi / mycotoxins : ( see infectious diabetes , original printing , 2003 ; chapter 14 , pp 123 - 124 ) heart failure / congestive heart failure , diabetes , and fungi / mycotoxins : ( see infectious diabetes , original printing , 2003 ; chapter 135 , pp 135 - 140 ) strokes / cerebrovascular disease , diabetes , and fungi / mycotoxins : ( see infectious diabetes , original printing , 2003 ; chapter 17 , pp 141 - 143 ) pregnancy - related diabetes and fungi / mycotoxins : ( see infectious diabetes , original printing , 2003 ; chapter 8 , pp 67 - 76 ). in addition : “ fungal toxin in potato scab causes type 1 diabetes ” a common toxin found in the potato scab in root vegetables is linked to type 1 diabetes : bafilomycin , a macrolide antibiotic ( a mycotoxin ) made by the streptomyces griseus mold and found in the black , scab lesions on root vegetables ( especially potatoes ) caused diabetes in 100 % of the offspring of mother mice who were fed this toxin . ( www . onenews . nzoom . com , citing a study by paul zimmet et al ., june 2003 , director of the international diabetes institute in melbourne , australia ). bafilomycin is a heat - stable fungal toxin that cannot be destroyed in the cooking process . obesity , diabetes , and fungi / mycotoxins / fungal growth promoters : ( see kaufmann , d . “ what makes bread rise ,” mediatrition , inc . rockwall , tex . 2004 ). multiple sclerosis ( ms ) is characterized by destruction of the protective sheath — called the myelin sheath — around nerves in the brain and the spinal cord . as a result , the transmission of nerve impulses to other nerves , muscles , and vital organs is interrupted . this impaired nerve function translates into symptoms such as difficulty in walking , abnormal “ pins and needles ” sensations throughout the body , pain , and loss of vision due to inflammation of the optic nerve , tremors , incoordination , paralysis , and impaired thinking and memory . ( nationalmssociety . org , september 2002 ). in addition , muscle wasting , bladder dysfunction , fatigue , osteoporosis , and a host of other problems can develop either directly or indirectly due to this nerve damage . although there is a genetic predisposition toward ms , as proven in studies of twins , only a third of those that are genetically susceptible will get ms , indicating there is still an outside factor involved . ( murray , j ., infection as a cause of multiple sclerosis : theories abound because no one knows the answer yet , editorials , british medical journal , vol 325 : 1128 , nov . 16 , 2002 ). ms is more common in those born and raised above the 37 th parallel ( a line extending from newport news , va to santa cruz , calif . ); however , if a person moves to an area of low risk ( i . e . below the 40 th parallel ) prior to adolescence , they assume the lower risk of their new location . these last points support the idea of an environmental exposure link to the disease . as outside causes are to blame , then oppenheim , an early 1900 &# 39 ; s researcher , was close in his assertion that ms is caused by an environmental toxin . other researchers of his day thought that there was a defect in the blood vessels or in the glial tissues . pierre marie , in the late 1800 &# 39 ; s , thought that ms was caused by an infectious agent . however , despite all of the “ infection ” theories that have been tested over the past 150 plus years , not one — whether bacteria , virus , chlamydia or scrapie - like agent — has proven to be the culprit . mycotoxins are chemicals made by fungi . they are found in grains that have been contaminated with fungi and mold . some mycotoxins are used for medicinal purposes . antibiotics , such as penicillin and the cephalosporin drugs , are fungal metabolites — they are mycotoxins . alcohol is a mycotoxin . aflatoxin , the most carcinogenic substance on earth , is a mycotoxin . the most food sources of these mycotoxins are peanuts , corn , alcoholic beverages , and wheat . often , other foods such as barley , apples , sorghum and rye can be sources as well . some mycotoxins are produced in our body by the yeast in our intestines or vaginal tract . in one study , 3 women severely symptomatic for vaginal candidiasis were found to have vaginal fluid samples with significant levels of a mycotoxin called gliotoxin . ( shah , d . t , et al ., in situ mycotoxin production by candida albicans in women with vaginitis , gynecol . obstet . invest ., 1995 , 39 ( 1 ): 67 - 9 ). exposure to mycotoxins in the environment has several causes : ingestion , inhalation , skin contact , etc . once inside the body these mycotoxins damage nerves . it is known that in ms there is a loss of molecules called sphingolipids from the white matter in the central nervous system . ( harper , review of physiological chemistry , 16th ed ., 1977 ). it is not well - known that mycotoxins can actually disrupt sphingolipid biosynthesis . ( miller - hjelle , pkd : an unrecognized emerging infectious disease ? emerging infectious diseases , 3 ( 2 ): 113 - 127 , 1997 , cdc ). specifically , gliotoxin , as mentioned above , can induce nerve cell death ( apoptosis ), albeit on a slightly larger scale . gliotoxin is a heat stable chemical made by aspergillus , candida , and other species of fungi . not coincidentally , scientists have recovered a heat stable toxin from the cerebrospinal fluid ( csf ) of ms patients . in this particular study , the scientists took the csf from ms patients , heat - treated it to destroy any infectious germs , and then exposed it to nerve cells in a laboratory culture . what ensued was death of these nerve cells . the scientists called this heat - stable toxin “ gliotoxin .” the source of gliotoxin appears to be , again , primarily from the yeast and fungi within the human body . as such , gliotoxin is less important as an agricultural scourge than are other mycotoxins such as fumonisins , made by fusarium and aspergillus fungi , and the penetrim d toxin made by penicillium crustosum . fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins that happen to be neurotoxic as well as carcinogenic . they are “ universally present in corn and corn - based products .” ( etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ): 425 - 427 , jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ). penitrem mycotoxins are found in things such as moldy apple products . penetrem d can cause tremors , convulsions , limb weakness , and ataxis ( unsteady gait ), “ not unlike the symptoms observed in ms .” ( www . iserloh . com / penitrem . html , july 2003 ). as there are different classes of ms ( chronic progressive , relapsing - remitting , etc .) it might be that the different presentations of ms are being caused by different classes of mycotoxins . in addition , the regional differences in the prevalence of ms can be explained by the particular agricultural products that dominate the most affected areas . for example , the part of america that lies above the 37 th parallel also happens to encompass the corn belt . as previously stated , corn is universally contaminated with mycotoxins . ( council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : risks in plant , animal , and human system , task force report 139 , january 2003 , ames , iowa ). this area is also represented by much of the wheat belt . this is more than just a coincidence . it supports the hypothesis that exposure to an environmental toxin causes ms . regarding past and up - to - date treatments for ms , none of the current , conventional , pharmaceutical therapies offer a “ cure .” ( http :// www . mercola . com / 2003 / mar / 5 / ms_drugs . htm , february 2004 ). in recent trials , statin drugs ( cholesterol - lowering drugs ) have , at least , proven effective in slowing the progression of ms . ( bouchez , c ., cholesterol drug may offer hope for ms patients , healthscoutnews , april 2003 ; edelson , e ., cholesterol drugs may treat multiple sclerosis , healthscoutnews , oct . 7 , 2002 ; verrengia , j ., statin drugs show m . s . promise , associated press , yahoo news , nov . 7 , 2002 ). their effectiveness is not surprising , in light of the fungal / mycotoxin theory , because it is also known that statin drugs are antifungal . ( costantini , a . v ., fungalbionics series : etiology and prevention of atherosclerosis , johann freidrich oberlin verlag , freiburg , germany , 1998 / 99 ). it is also known that vitamin d as well as sunlight can reduce mortality from and positively influence the immune system in ms . ( http :// www . mercola . com / 2000 / may / 28 / sunlight_m_s . htm ; http :// www . mercola . com / 2001 / apr / 25 / vitamin_d . htm , february 2004 ). other researchers have explained that the reason why these work is , once again , vitamin d , whether taken in the form of a cod liver oil supplement or made naturally by our body from sunlight exposure , is an anti - mycotoxin . ( costantini , a . v ., fungalbionics series : etiology and prevention of atherosclerosis , johann freidrich oberlin verlag , freiburg , germany , 1998 / 99 ). finally , in regards to diet , a german researcher recently claimed that eating smoked sausage in childhood was responsible for causing multiple sclerosis later in life . ( murphy , d ., german researcher claims smoked sausage linked to multiple sclerosis , meatingplace . com , september 2002 ). dr . a . v . costantini , retired head of the world health organization &# 39 ; s collaborating center for mycotoxins in food , has explained that smoked and aged meats are very often contaminated with mycotoxins ( costantini , a ., et al ., prevention of breast cancer : hope at last . fungalbionic series , freiburg , germany , 1998 ). many times this is due to the addition of fungally - contaminated spices in the meat . ( aziz , n . mex ., youssef , y a , occurrence of aflatoxins and aflatoxin - producing moulds in fresh and processed meat in egypt , food addit contam , may - june 1991 , 8 ( 3 ): 321 - 31 ). thus the cause of ms , according to these and other researchers , is food - related . in another study , mice with an ms - like condition exhibited fewer symptoms and decreased progression of the illness when they were starved of their regular food rations . ( http :// www . mercola . com / 2003 / feb / 12 / starvation diet . htm , february 2004 ). starvation works because fewer foods taken in allow fewer mycotoxins to enter the body . following the standard food pyramid , which is a grain - based american diet , people consume on average between 0 . 15 to 0 . 5 mg of aflatoxin per day . ( etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ): 425 - 427 , jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ). aflatoxin is the only regulated mycotoxin in america , so the level of exposure people have to the other , known mycotoxins in the diet disclosed herein is , at best , a guess . thus , starvation or calorie - restricting diets not only deprive people of calories , but also deprive people of disease - causing , carcinogenic mycotoxins . as mycotoxins cause ms , there are a number of steps one must take to minimize exposure to fungi and their mycotoxins . a low carbohydrate diet must be followed . since mycotoxins are commonly found in grain foods , ( council for agricultural science and technology , mycotoxins : risks in plant , animal , and human systems , task force report 139 , january 2003 , ames , iowa ; etzel , r ., mycotoxins , journal of the american medical association , 287 ( 4 ) : 425 - 427 , jan . 23 / 30 , 2002 ), it would be wise to minimize grains in one &# 39 ; s diet . secondly , people should minimize exposure to antibiotics . antibiotics are , for the most part , derived from fungi and are therefore classified as mycotoxins . and , antibiotics are a leading risk factor for the development of secondary ( iatrogenic ) fungal infections . ( kibbler , c c ., principles and practice of clinical mycology , john wiley and sons , ltd ., west sussex , england , 1996 ). lastly , if one has any obvious signs of a fungal infection in or on one &# 39 ; s body — quite possibly , simply having ms might qualify as an obvious sign ( gliotoxin can be made by fungi and yeast that are already in the body , not necessarily by fungi that reside in contaminated foods )— one should take natural or prescriptive antifungals 5 for a period of time . the initial phase diet ( idp ) foods that are foods that are allowed excluded food groups in the diet : from the diet : 1 . sugar none ( 1 ) all sugars should be excluded 2 . artificial or stevia , stevia plus aspartame , herbal sweeteners saccharin 3 . fruit green apples , all others , berries , avocados including fruit grapefruit , lemons , juice limes 4 . meat fish , poultry , beef , breaded meats etc . ( 2 ) 5 . eggs yes , all eggs are egg substitutes allowed should be avoided 6 . dairy products ( 3 ) yogurt ( especially all others , goat yogurt ), including cream cheese , margarine unsweetened and any butter whipping cream , sour substitute cream made with real cream , butter 7 . vegetables most fresh , potatoes , legumes unblemished ( beans and vegetables and peas ) freshly - made vegetable juice ( 4 ) 8 . beverages bottled or filtered coffee and tea water , non - ( including decaf ) fruity herb teas , sodas ( including fresh lemonade diet sodas ) or limeade sweetened with stevia 9 . grains no grains are pasta , rice , corn , allowed wheat , quinoa , on the ipd amaranth , millet , buckwheat , oats , barley 10 . yeast products no yeast products all are excluded , are allowed including on the ipd bread , mushrooms , pastries , and alcoholic beverages 11 . vinegars unpasteurized apple pickles , salad cider vinegar , dressings ( 5 ), black olives not green olives , soy aged in vinegar sauce . 12 . oils olive , grape seed , partially - flax seed , etc . hydrogenated use cold - pressed (“ trans ”) when available oils , corn and peanut oil 13 . nuts raw nuts , including peanuts ( along pecans , with all peanut almonds , walnuts , products ) and cashews , pistachios pumpkin seeds , are excluded . sunflower seeds , etc . ( 1 ) honey may occasionally and sparingly be used as a sweetener if needed . ( 2 ) meat and fish are better if not corn - fed . this means avoiding farm - raised fish and meat , even if they are “ organic .” grass - fed beef is ideal . ( 3 ) dairy products are better if from range - fed cattle and animals not injected with antibiotics , hormones , or steroids nor fed silo - stored grains . good # products : brown cow , monarch hills , redwood hills . whipping cream is liquid , unsweetened heavy cream . ( 4 ) organically grown vegetables are preferable . ( 5 ) excluded because many of them are fermented products this weeklong example on this diet is not meant to be followed verbatim , and rarely is the duration limited to just one week . rather , the following is merely to serve as an example . monday breakfast : fried eggs , uncured bacon , ½ grapefruit snack : almonds , water ( always bottled or filtered ) lunch : tuna with celery . herbal tea . snack : carrot sticks , water dinner : steak , steamed veggies , sparkling lime water ( optional ) dessert : plain yogurt with raspberries examples of antifungal prescriptive medications as well as naturally - occurring antifungal and anti - mycotoxin supplements to be used either alone or in conjunction with a carbohydrate - sparring diet in the treatment of a bloodstream or soft - tissue diabetes . 1 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®, apo - fluconazole ®) 200 mg in tablet or suspension form ( 10 mg / ml or 40 mg / ml ) by mouth every other day for 30 days 2 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®) 200 - 400 mg in tablet or suspension form ( 10 mg / ml or 40 mg / ml ) by mouth or intravenously daily for 14 days 3 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®) 200 mg in tablet or suspension form ( 10 mg / ml or 40 mg / ml ) by mouth daily for three consecutive days , followed by 200 mg each monday and thursday thereafter for one month total 4 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®) in any of the combinations listed in # 1 - 3 above in combination and simultaneous with nystatin ( mycostatin ®) oral tablets , 500 , 000 units per tablet , 2 tablets twice a day for 30 days , or in combination with and simultaneous with any of the preparations of nystatin listed below in # 9 - 13 . 5 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®) 800 mg per day in tablet or suspension form ( 10 mg / ml or 40 mg / ml ) intravenously for 7 days . 6 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®) 200 mg by mouth in tablet or suspension form ( 10 mg / ml or 40 mg / ml ) on day one , then 100 mg per day for the next 14 days . 7 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®). 400 mg in tablet or suspension form ( 10 mg / ml or 40 mg / ml ) by mouth daily for 3 - 12 months . 8 . fluconazole ( diflucan ®) 400 mg in tablet or suspension form ( 10 mg / ml or 40 mg / ml ) by mouth daily for 8 weeks . 9 . nystatin ( mycostatin ®) oral tablets , 500 , 000 units per tablet , 2 - 3 tablets by mouth 2 - 4 times a day for 30 days , taken alone or in combination with a systemic antifungal agent . 10 . nystatin ( mycostatin ®, bio - statin ®, nystat - rx ®, nystop ®, pedi - dri ®, nilstat ®) oral suspension , 100 , 000 units per ml concentration , 2 cc by mouth twice a day for 14 days , taken alone or in combination with a systemic antifungal agent . 11 . nystatin ( mycostatin ®, bio - statin ®, nystat - rx ®, nystop ®, pedi - dri ®) oral suspension , 100 , 000 units per ml concentration , 1 cc in each side of the mouth four times a day for 10 days , taken alone or in combination with a systemic antifungal agent . 12 . nystatin ( mycostatin ®, bio - statin ®, nystat - rx ®, nystop ®, pedi - dri ®) oral suspension , 100 , 000 units per ml concentration , 5 cc by mouth , swished in the mouth and swallowed for 10 days , taken alone or in combination with a systemic antifungal agent . 13 . nystatin compounded powder , 500 , 000 units per ⅛ tsp , mixed in ½ cup of water and taken by mouth 4 times a day for 30 days , taken alone or in combination with a systemic antifungal agent . 14 . itraconazole ( sporanox ®) in any of the following doses and / or regimens , alone or in combination with any of the nystatin preparations listed in # 9 - 13 above : a . 100 mg capsule or oral solution ( 10 mg / ml concentration ) by mouth daily for 30 days b . 100 mg capsule or oral solution ( 10 mg / ml concentration ) by mouth every other day for 30 days . c . 200 mg in capsule form or 200 mg of the oral solution ( 10 mg / ml concentration ) by mouth twice a day for one week of each month for three consecutive months . d . any of the above regimens ( a - c ) above preceded by : i . a loading dose of 200 mg intravenously twice a day for four consecutive doses , or ii . 200 mg , either in capsule or oral solution ( 10 mg / ml ) form by mouth , three times a day for 3 consecutive days . e . 200 mg intravenously twice a day for four consecutive days , followed by 200 mg intravenously , daily for 14 days . f . 200 mg per day in capsule or oral solution ( 10 mg / ml concentration ) form by mouth for 3 months . g . 200 mg per day in capsule or oral solution ( 10 mg / ml concentration ) form by mouth for 6 months . h . 200 mg per day in capsule or oral solution ( 10 mg / ml concentration ) form by mouth for 9 months i . 300 mg by mouth in capsule or oral solution ( 10 mg / ml concentration ) form , twice a day for three days , followed by 200 mg twice a day for 12 weeks . 15 . terbinafine ( lamisil ®, apo - terbinafine ®, gen - terbinafine ®, novo - terbinafine ®, pms - terbinafine ®) in any of the following doses , alone or in combination and simultaneously with any of the nystatin regimens in # 9 - 13 above : a . 250 mg tablet by mouth daily for 6 weeks b . 250 mg tablet by mouth daily for 12 weeks c . 250 mg tablet by mouth , twice a day for 3 weeks d . 250 mg tablet by mouth daily for 2 - 8 weeks . e . 250 - 500 mg by mouth daily for up to 16 months . f . for children : i . 67 . 5 mg by mouth per day for 2 - 8 weeks for children weighing under 20 kg ii . 125 mg by mouth per day for 2 - 8 weeks for children weighing from 20 - 40 kg iii . 250 mg by mouth per day for children weighing over 40 kg . g . 250 mg tablet by mouth every other day for 30 days . 16 . ketoconazole ( nizoral ®, apo - ketoconazole ®, ketoderm ®, novo - ketoconazole ®) in the following doses and / or regimens , alone or in combination and simultaneously with any of the nystatin regimens in # 9 - 13 above : a . 200 - 400 mg by mouth daily for 2 weeks b . 200 - 400 mg by mouth daily for 30 days c . 200 - 400 mg by mouth daily for 6 months . d . for children over 2 : 3 . 3 - 6 . 6 mg / kg / day for anywhere from 1 week up to 6 months . 17 . clotrimazole ( mycelex ®, canesten ®) 10 mg oral troche dissolved on tongue and swallowed 5 times a day for 14 days . 18 . caspofungin acetate ( cancidas ®): 70 mg loading dose intravenously on day 1 , followed by 50 mg intravenously daily until the clinical status of the patient improves ; taken alone or in combination and simultaneously with any of the nystatin regimens in # 9 - 13 above . 19 . voriconazole ( vfend ®): for children over 12 and adults — 6 mg / kg intravenously every 12 hours for 2 doses , followed by 4 mg / kg intravenously every 12 hours until the clinical status of the patient improves , at which time the oral form of the medication — 400 mg every 12 hours — is used in place of the intravenous form ; taken alone or in combination and simultaneously with any of the nystatin regimens in # 9 - 13 above . 20 . amphotericin b ( ablc ®, amphotec ®, ambisome ®, abcd ®, amphocil ®, fungizone ®) in the any of the following doses and regimens , alone or in combination and simultaneously with any of the nystatin regimens in # 9 - 13 above : a . 1 mg / kg / day intravenously for 14 days b . 0 . 5 mg / kg / day intravenously to a total dose of over 1500 mg . c . 0 . 5 mg / kg / day intravenously to a total dose of 5 - 7 mg / kg d . 0 . 5 mg / kg / day intravenously until clinical improvement is noted e . 0 . 5 - 1 . 0 mg / kg / day intravenously for 7 days f . 1 cc ( 100 mg ) of the oral suspension form by mouth 4 times a day for 14 days . 21 . flucytosine ( ancobon ®): 100 mg / kg / day by mouth every 6 hours until clinical improvement is noted in the patient ; alone or in combination and simultaneously with any of the nystatin regimens in # 9 - 13 above 22 . griseofulvin ( fulvicin ®, fulvicin - u / f ®, grifulvin - v ®, gris - peg ®) in any of the following doses and / or regimens , alone or in combination and simultaneously with any of the nystatin regimens in # 9 - 13 above : a . 500 - 1000 mg per day of the microsized formula orally for ½ to 6 months b . 330 - 375 mg / day of the ultramicrosized formula orally for ½ to 6 months c . for children : i . 10 - 15 mg of the microsized formula / kg body weight / day for ½ to 6 months ii . 5 . 5 - 7 . 3 mg of the ultramicrosized formula / kg / day for ½ to 6 months a . grapefruit seed extract : citricidal ® 33 %— 15 drops mixed in water , taken orally twice a day b . olive leaf extract , 900 mg twice a day for 30 days or until clinical improvement is noted c . garlic 1 , 000 mg fresh extract three times a day until clinical improvement is noted . d . burdock root ( arctium lappa ): 1 , 000 mg daily until clinical improvement is noted e . caprylic acid : 1500 mg three times a day until clinical improvement is noted . f . pau d &# 39 ; arco ( tabebuia impetiginosa ): 1000 mg by mouth , three times a day until clinical improvement is noted . g . undecylenic acid : 250 mg three times a day until clinical improvement is noted . h . selenium : 200 mcg per day by mouth as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet ( see “ initial phase diet ,” above ) and either natural or prescriptive antifungals . i . zinc picolinate or zinc citrate : 30 mg daily by mouth as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and either natural or prescriptive antifungals . j . iodine ( in this case , the prescriptive form : potassium iodide ( sski ®, iosat ®, pima ®, lugol &# 39 ; s solution , ki ): 5 drops three times a day by mouth , increasing to 40 - 50 drops 3 times a day and continuing for 3 - 6 months , alone or as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and / or either natural or prescriptive antifungals . k . vitamin c , 2 , 000 mg per day by mouth as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and either natural or prescriptive antifungals . l . vitamin e , 400iu twice a day by mouth as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and either natural or prescriptive antifungals . m . vitamin d , 400 iu daily by mouth as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and either natural or prescriptive antifungals . n . broccoli sprouts ( containing sulfurophane ), 250 mg capsule three times a day orally , as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and either natural or prescriptive antifungals . o . oregano oil , in liquid extract or capsules : 15 - 45 mg of carvacrol ( active constituent ) three times a day orally , alone or as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and / or either natural or prescriptive antifungals . p . orange oil : 2 drops of 100 % pure orange oil three times a day orally , alone or as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and / or either natural or prescriptive antifungals . q . peppermint oil : 2 drops of 100 % pure peppermint oil three times a day orally , alone or as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and / or either natural or prescriptive antifungals . r . lemon myrtle oil ( backhousia citriodora )—( citral is the active component ): 2 drops three times a day , diluted in water , orally , alone or as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and / or either natural or prescriptive antifungals . s . pterostilbene ( in grape skin ): 250 mg grape seed with grape skin extract - containing the pterostilbene - twice a day , alone or as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and / or either natural or prescriptive antifungals . t . fenugreek ( trigonella foenum - graecum ) seed : 1 . 22 grams three times a day , alone or as an adjunct to a carbohydrate - sparing diet and / or either natural or prescriptive antifungals . although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detail description , it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed but is capable of numerous rearrangements , modifications , and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention .
this invention comprises a method of treating diabetes . specifically , the method involves administering one or more anti - fungal agents in amounts , at frequencies , and for durations which are effective in preventing and treating diabetes . the method further comprises the administration of a low carbohydrate diet which may be used either in combination with the aforesaid anti - fungal agent or separately therefrom .