Yeast and Bacteria Die-Off (Herxheimer Reaction) Support

It is important to realize that when bacteria, parasites and yeast are killed (by antifungal and antibacterial medicines or supplements) and begin to die…your child may experience die-off symptoms. These die-off symptoms are called “Herxheimer Reactions” and are due to the dying organism releasing toxins. Supporting liver, kidney and gall bladder function are important in helping the body rid itself of these toxins. These symptoms can come in the form of headaches, rashes, diarrhea, temporary worsening of autistic symptoms, light and sound sensitivity, irritability, hyperactivity, poor sleep, etc. This sometimes is part of the process, and although not pleasant it is important to realize that you must push through these reactions with your child and continue treatment.

Here are a few suggestions that can be used to support liver, digestion and suspected die-off reactions:

Vitamin C – 1000 to 3000 mg daily, and/or
Activated Charcoal – 1 to 2 capsules twice daily 2 to 3 times per week, and/or
Magnesium Citrate - 250 to 500mg daily, and/or
Lemon Water (use organic if possible) – ¼ to ½ lemon squeezed into fresh, filtered water (4 ounces) – Take 2 to 4 times daily.

One option with die-off reactions is to cut back on dosing of antifungal or bacterial agents by ¼ to ½ until die-off improves and then increase dose again.

All of these remedies can be obtained from your local health food store.

Juicing for Glutathione Support

Juicing can be a great way to enhance your child's biomedical health program by improving their nutritional intake and bolstering their antioxidant levels. Glutathione (a critical antioxidant necessary for cellular support and detoxification) is found in so many fruits and vegetables it is almost hard to miss it. However, here is a short list to help out:

• Acorn Squash
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Okra
• Parsley
• Spinach
• Zucchini

Cantaloupe, grapefruit, orange, peach, strawberries, tomato, potato, and watermelon also have glutathione.

There is no particular amount of each vegetables that is required. Just get out your juicer and use a variety of vegetables according to taste. Small amounts of carrot and celery provide a good base of liquid for other vegetable juicing.