How I Keep My Kids in Superior Health and fought off Candida

Last Updated on June 29, 2022 by Rebecca Huff

Children can benefit from a healthy diet as well as moderate supplementation.

One dietary supplement that I used in my arsenal to overcome some health challenges is Lauricidin. Being a breastfeeding mom, I had read about the benefits of lauric acid as it is found in human breast milk in the form of monolaurin.

This compound is one of several in breast milk that keeps the infant's immune system healthy.  Also found in coconut oil or coconut milk, coconut cream, and other coconut products. The human body converts this compound to Lauric acid. It is a medium-chain fatty acid, or MCFA as it is called in the fitness and health industries.

In 2009 I noticed a few symptoms that I could not explain and went to see my physician. I was feeling tired more often than not, seemed to crave sugar, couldn't lose weight, my joints hurt and I had a skin condition. She tested me for Candida and found that I had an overgrowth.

Candida is a fungus actually is necessary in the human body, in small amounts. It is said to help with nutrient absorption and digestion. However, it often gets out of hand and begins to multiply in the body, causing symptoms of varying degree. In the digestive tract, left unchecked, it breaks down the walls of the intestinal lining and may even enter the bloodstream, releasing toxins which can lead to something called leaky gut syndrome.

Children, too, can suffer from candida yeast overgrowth; including infants. Children can get yeast infections with many of the same symptoms; the white coating on the tongue or lips known as Thrush. Older children might have symptoms such as frequent headaches, craving sugar, hyperactive, irritable, skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, recurrent ear infections, foggy headed or unable to focus, and can even cause mood swings which make them hard to please.

There are several triggers for a Candida overgrowth:

• Excessive consumption of sugar and processed foods
• Use of antibiotics and other prescription drugs
• Moderate to High intake of alcohol
• Diabetes
• Oral Contraceptives
• A low immune system
• Bad digestion, or lowered digestion (as we age, our body tends to produce less digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid) to learn more read Why Stomach Acid Is Good for You: Natural Relief from Heartburn, Indigestion, Reflux and GERD

To treat it she recommended:

1. I take Lauricidin 227 gram 8oz jar
2. I avoid eating sugar, fruit, alcohol, grains and mushrooms (these foods actually feed the Candida)
3. Eat a diet with plenty of greens, garlic, veggies and cultured (fermented) foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and plain kefir. She even suggested I drink the juice from the sauerkraut.
4. If I drank juice it had to be unsweetened cranberry or a green juice with no fruit and no carrots.

In addition to her recommendations I also boosted my Vitamin C intake, added Grape Seed Extract and probiotics. The products I used can be found on my iHerb page.*

Other symptoms of Candida overgrowth can be mood swings, depression, anxiety, hormone imbalance and recurrent vaginal yeast infections. Both men and women can have a candida overgrowth with different symptoms. Candida can cause weight gain and make it very difficult to lose weight.

I like to follow a no sugar diet and eat Trim Healthy Mama style to keep from gaining excessive weight, which does get increasingly harder as we get older!

Later, I began giving monolaurin to my children to keep their immune systems up.

We eat a very low sugar diet and perhaps only around 10% of our food is processed, that's a ballpark figure, obviously, but we do eat whole foods for the most part and I buy very few processed foods. I don't always make our own bread, but when I do I try to make it with either gluten-free flour, sprouted flour, or ancient grains such as Einkorn.

I now actually keep the container of Lauricidin that you see at the top of this page on my lazy Susan** in the middle of the breakfast table so my children can swallow a scoop each morning before they head out to school. This is an added step to achieving superior health for my family.

My youngest was able to swallow the pellets as young as age four. I believe she could have truly swallowed them even younger if I had just added them to water as they are fairly small and wouldn't dissolve in water alone. Once my son did try to chew them, which while flavorless, I think he found a slightly unpleasant experience, about like chewing on a candle I imagine.

When one of my children's classmates is “reported” sick (yes, my children inform me when their classmates miss school, have the flu, have strep throat, sneeze or cough) we just make sure to take a scoop in the morning and maybe again at night if I can remember. They don't complain at all. No one likes to be sick. I am sure my children have had a cough or sniffle from time to time, but nothing serious enough to miss school or see the pediatrician. When my children miss school, it's usually because they are heart-sick for Mommy-Time. They are for the most part always healthy.

Reducing sugar and processed foods is another *key* to keeping them healthy! This includes skipping sugary snacks and excluding “fruit juice” drinks (yes, fruit juice can lower the immune system.) My children do self-monitor their intake of “junk-foods” as I have made this something we discuss with honesty.

I am so thankful for the blessing of good health, as I am not a very good nurse-mom.  Hey, we all have our good and bad qualities! We can't all be super-mom all the time.

Health Benefits of Lauricidin:

I have not used other monolaurin supplements, just Lauricidin. Therefore I can't expand this review of monolaurin to include other brands. Lauricidin is free of preservatives and completely natural. We prefer this supplement for its remarkable antibacterial activity.

My doctor recommended we continue it on and off as part of our wellness plan. In the past, I have used it to recover more quickly from a common cold. It is antiviral, antimicrobial, and antifungal. My doctor said she also prescribes it for her patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and epstein-barr virus.

I have read that it can also be used for Lyme Disease, herpes simplex, shingles, staph infections as well as in dermatology for skin infections. In addition, tests show that Monolaurin may enter the cell membrane of E. Coli, thus disintegrating and killing the bacteria.

In studies, monolaurin was found to have a potential antifungal activity against Candida albicans biofilms (fungal pathogens) and create a pro-inflammatory response in the human body. Monolaurin has proven effective both in vitro study and in vivo against certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

Lauricidin

Lauricidin is pure sn-1 monolaurin (glycerol monolaurate) derived from coconut oil. The same monolaurin received from mother’s milk, saw palmetto, and bitter melon. Lauricidin is intended to be taken daily like a multi-vitamin for at least three months at the recommended intake to support general immune health and overall wellness.

Promote a Strong Immune Defense* – Lauricidin® supports a healthy and hardy immune system*- a strong defense even when you feel that your immunity is challenged*.

A Gut Instinct – Helps maintain a normal, healthy balance of intestinal flora* and yeast*.

Absorbs Cleanly by the Body – Pure lipid monolaurin is a naturally occurring monoglyceride metabolized directly by the liver unlike other saturated fats. It is not re-converted into inactive triglycerides.

Cost-Effective – Lauricidin® is significantly more cost-effective than other competing brands. You may need to take 18-30 capsules a day, or 12 tablespoons or more of coconut oil per day to equal the amount of monolaurin found in the recommended use of Lauricidin®.

*(this is an affiliate link only if you use my personal code HUF894 which gives me points or a small commission but you still get the same great price PLUS $5 off your first order)

**The lazy susan is really great for reminding you to take what you need, throw out the sugar bowl and keep a few supplements there instead, IF you do not have young children who would get into them. If you do have young children, you will need to keep ALL supplements locked away safely to avoid accidental overdose.

Side Effects of Monolaurin

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regards Monolaurin with GRAS status (Generally Recognized As Safe.) No known side effects, however, high doses may cause adverse effects like loose stools or diarrhea.

Check with your health care provider for dosing instructions. This article is not meant as medical advice, as I am not a doctor. You should consult with your healthcare professional before using Monolaurin for any medical condition.

Monolaurin, also known as glycerol monolaurate (GML), glyceryl laurate or 1-lauroyl-glycerol, is a monoglyceride. You may see monolaurin used as a food additive for it's preservative like qualities.

Sources:

Seleem, Dalia et al. “In vitro evaluation of antifungal activity of monolaurin against Candida albicans biofilms.” PeerJ vol. 4 e2148. 22 Jun. 2016, doi:10.7717/peerj.2148

Manohar, Vijaya et al. “In vitro and in vivo effects of two coconut oils in comparison to monolaurin on Staphylococcus aureus: rodent studies.” Journal of medicinal food vol. 16,6 (2013): 499-503. doi:10.1089/jmf.2012.0066

Regardless of your current health condition Lauricidin® (monolaurin – Glycerol Monolaurate) can help assist your body to optimal health. We are confident in telling you that Lauricidin® really works from our own research and the thousands of testimonials received from doctors and grateful users. The highly purified mini-pellets have been shown in laboratories worldwide to inactivate bacteria, viruses and fungi/yeast. Human studies underway support many benefits of Lauricidin® when used daily as a dietary food supplement. Drug claims cannot be made for Lauricidin®. However, positive anecdotal reports worldwide suggest that serious consideration should be given to Lauricidin® as an important supplement for attaining and maintaining health rather than for disease treatment alone. Through advanced technology, this natural substance is now available in a pearlized 100% pure form rather than as monolaurin (Glycerol Monolaurate) capsules. Capsule forms of monolaurin (Glycerol Monolaurate) all contain more than 50% inert materials.