The authors of this article, Dr. Dean and Ms. Beck, are key medical advisors to www.yeastconnection.com, a Web site I highly recommend to women based on the pioneering work of Dr. William Crook.

Dr. Crook, one of my first mentors and a friend who passed away last year, was the author of the classic book, The Yeast Connection, and many other bestsellers that helped millions of women. He was instrumental in helping me recognize that there was a wide network of physicians who understood the importance of nutrition. He indirectly helped connect me to this network and I will be ever grateful for his guidance in this area as that was really the beginning of my journey into high-level natural health.

His great legacy is being carried on at www.yeastconnection.com, where you will find out all the latest insights on how Candida yeast causes problems in your body, and how to alleviate them.

By Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., and Carol Beck, M.S.

Have you recently complained to friends and/or family: "I don’t know why I’ve suddenly developed this spring sneezing and wheezing" or "I never used to get an upset stomach when I ate dairy products"?

Developing allergies and food sensitivities isn’t necessarily a product of geography, the season of the year, or even of aging.

While allergies may have many causes, consider the possibility that systemic yeast overgrowth may be an underlying factor.

It may sound far-fetched for those of us who think of yeast infections as those annoying itchy vaginal problems, but extensive research shows that yeast overgrowth can weaken the immune system and open the door to food sensitivities, allergies, asthma, and other seemingly unrelated health problems.

How can this be?

In his recently published book, The Yeast Connection and Women’s Health, the late Dr. William Crook described a process known as the "leaky gut syndrome."

In the most simple terms possible, here’s how you can develop leaky gut:

• You can upset the balance of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract. This usually happens if you take antibiotics, even for a short time or eat a diet high in processed foods, or you take birth control pills.

• Having fewer friendly bacteria in your gut allows the normal small colonies of yeast to begin growing out of control, compromising that part of your immune system located in the digestive tract.

• The yeast changes from buds to mycelia that actually cause tiny perforations in your intestines, which allows yeast and other toxins to spill into your bloodstream, triggering allergic responses.

• In addition, the failure of your immune system to function perfectly sometimes triggers over-response (known as a histaminic response) to some substances that were not formerly problematic.

What’s an allergy?

Some doctors think the term "allergy" should be limited to those conditions in which an immunological response can be demonstrated using skin tests or more sophisticated laboratory tests.

But some doctors expand that definition to include hypersensitivity to foods and environmental toxins.

The most common food allergies are wheat, corn, milk, and eggs, although many people have dozens of food allergy triggers. These food sensitivities may not cause the obvious symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, coughing, hives, and itching.

In fact, as Dr. Crook explained, some of your favorite foods could be the ones feeding your problems, especially if they are high in yeast and sugar. And they may have been causing you trouble for years without your knowledge.

Environmental toxins, ranging from tobacco smoke to perfumes to household cleaning products, can cause similar symptoms. And they may be caused by yeast overgrowth resulting in the release of toxins into your bloodstream.

These toxins can trigger everything from depression to fatigue to endometriosis to headaches.

If you’ve gotten unsatisfactory results from decongestants, anti-histamines and nasal sprays, perhaps it is time to consider the possibility that systemic yeast overgrowth is causing your problem.

Many of Dr. Crook’s patients and readers of his books found relief from food sensitivities, allergies, and allergy-triggered asthma when they adopted an anti-yeast plan that includes changes in diet, supplements, non-prescription antifungal medications, and sometimes prescription antifungal medications. You’ll find more information at: http://yeastconnection.com/getting.html

The first method of treatment for allergies starts with avoiding the substance that is triggering your problems. That’s fine if you know you’re allergic to eggs or cat hair or ragweed.

But what if you don’t know what you’re allergic to?

Check back next issue for Part II of this story.

Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., is medical advisor to Woman’s Health Connection at
www.yeastconnection.com and is featured on the Web site’s "Ask A Pro" page. Her latest books are The Miracle of Magnesium and Natural Prescriptions for Common Ailments.

Carol Beck, M.S., is a consultant, therapist, and author of Full and Fulfilled: The Science of Eating to Your Soul’s Satisfaction (written with Nan Allison MS, RD, LDN) and Nourishing Your Daughter: Help Your Child Develop a Health Relationship With Food and Her Body. Carol serves as health advisor of Woman’s Health Connection and www.yeastconnection.com.

Related Articles:

How to Treat Yeast Infections Naturally

Get Rid of Allergies for Good

Saturated Fat Reduces Children's Allergies and Trans Fats Increase Them

Beneficial Bacteria (Probiotics) May Halt Allergies In Babies

Spring Allergies a Problem? Here’s What can Help

Herbal Therapy as Good as Zyrtec for Allergies