(intense music)
- We found out the hard waythat the overuse of antibiotics
can lead to drug resistant infections.
Now, scientist are questioningwhether we're seeing
the same result from thegrowth of antifungals,
like the kind used to treatfruits and vegetables.
You're looking at candida auris.
A fungus or yeast, deemed bythe CDC as an urgent threat
because antifungal drugsthat fight yeast infections
are failing to kill it.
Most of the roughly 600 cases in the US
are in New York, New Jersey and Chicago.
Found in nursing homes and hospitals
typically striking patientswith weakened immune systems.
Dr. William Li says physicians nationwide
are on high alert becauselittle is known about C. Auris.
- We need to figure out whatit is, why it's resistant,
and how do we contain it?
- [Lorie] In his knew book,"Eat to Beat Disease,"
Dr. Li explains the bestfoods that strengthen
our body's defenses.
He says not having enoughgood bacteria in our gut
can lead to infection.
But, we can turn that around.
- In general we do know thatwhen our healthy microbiome
which is the bacteria inside our body
is functioning properly
those bacteria are healthy bacteria
boost our immune defenses
which allows us to fend off attacks
from the the outside more easily.
- And Pat, unlike many yeast infections,
C. Auris can be transmittedfrom person to person
and can live on hard surfaces.
The CDC recommends testing for anyone
who may have come in contact with C. Auris
such as health care workers.
- Lorie, I don't exactlyunderstand when did this thing
it just suddenly has begun spreading
is this mystery fungus.
What's the origin of it?
- Indeed, and that's a great question,
because doctors are trying tofigure out where it came from.
The first documentedcase was very recently
in 2009 in Japan.
And we saw a lot of it in India,
now it's in the United States.
They're not really sure where it came from
but we do, they are speculating,they need to confirm this,
but they're speculatingthat it may be a result
of overuse of antifungalssprayed on plants that we eat.
Plants that, the foods we eat.
And these are the antifungalsthat try to treat mold
on these growing things.
- You know, I'm saw some placeand I'm just passing it on
that the statin drugs were actually
initially designed to combat fungus.
Is that true?
Do you know anything about that?
- I haven't heard anythingabout the statin drugs.
But we know that up until this point
a lot of the times whenwe get fungal infections
it's because we have reduced the amount
of good bacteria in our bodies.
For example, when women take antibiotics
and kill those good bacteria,
they often get a vaginal yeast infection
which is a fungus.
And when children oftentimes take antibiotics
they'll get thrush,
which is a fungal infection in the throat.
And in both cases antifungalmedications work great
but also Pat, interesting,
you can also treat these fungal infections
by taking probiotics.
The healthy bacteria in yogurt,
and other types of probiotics.
- Now, wait a minute, tell me that again.
We can get fungus from taking probiotics.
Did you just say that?
- I'm sorry, if I did say that
that was a slip of the tongue.
We can get fungal infectionsby taking antibiotics.
We know that by definition
antibiotics kill thosegood bacteria in out bodies
that typically keep ourfungi under control.
- Well actually what you andI have talking about so long
and we gave out that bookon have a healthy gut,
this really is the answer tothis fungus thing isn't it?
- It absolutely is.
We know that the good bacteria in our body
keep our fungi under control.
We have lots of fungi in our body.
That's okay because our bacteriakeep them under control.
It's when we kill thosebacteria the fungi can grow up.
And up until now, theantifungal medications
have worked fine.
Even taking probiotics have worked fine
for many of these fungal infections.
And, what we're seeing with the C. Auris
is the only people who are getting it
are people who are already very sick
who have very weakened immune systems.
So for those of us who are healthy
it's all the more reason
to keep those good bacteria in the gut.
- Thank you Lorie.
Ladies and gentlemen, wewant to see you healthy.
And I think it's very, very important
that you listen to whatLorie is saying in terms,
you know, here's the deal.
Don't take antibiotics ifyou can possibly help it.
Don't use diet drinks ifyou can possible help it.
Don't take Sweet and Lowand similar sweeteners.
The only thing that youshould use is Stevia
because we want to makesure that gut is healthy.
And, I found this (mumbling)
all those I'm sure that you can find
but they're live bacteria
so when you take these probiotics
you actually are putting alittle culture of probiotics
some good bacteria into your gut
and then you can feed it withwhat's called prebiotics.
And, that can keep you a lot healthier.
And so, many children arehaving all kinds of diseases
not to mention fungusbecause they're being hit
with antibiotics when they're little kids.
And it kills all the good gut bacteria.
I mean, I know you'resick of hearing about it
but this can be,
is one of the great medical breakthroughs
that we've been dealingwith on this program.
