In the previous newsletter, I strongly endorsed the book Infectious Diabetes, authored by Doug Kaufmann and Dr. David Holland, as a must-read for individuals dealing with diabetes, those with a family history of the condition, and medical professionals. The book delves into innovative approaches to tackling diabetes, a highly debilitating global health issue.

Contrary to the common American perception of diabetes as a genetic disorder, Infectious Diabetes aims to debunk this misconception and alter the way people understand the disease. As Kaufmann explains, “Every year, millions of individuals with weight issues develop diabetes, but countless others with similar problems do not. It is high time we stopped attributing genetics as the determining factor and began seeking genuine solutions.”

Infectious Diabetes delivers precisely that—solutions. The book’s core argument is that diabetes arises not from genetic factors but from microbes and toxins present in the food we consume.

The following excerpt comes from a recent e-interview we conducted with Doug Kaufmann and Dr. David Holland:

What compelled you to write Infectious Diabetes?

Dr. Dave: Over the years, we have witnessed a multitude of hypotheses attempting to explain the origin of diabetes. These theories have emerged in the midst of a concerning surge in global diabetes cases, suggesting that these explanations remain merely theories, not definitive answers. This prompted us to document our findings from medical literature regarding the established connection between fungal toxins, known as mycotoxins (“myco” refers to fungus), and the diabetes epidemic.

Doug: Three decades ago, I started assisting individuals experiencing symptoms of unknown origin. My motivation stemmed from the success I had in addressing my own numerous symptoms after returning from Vietnam. While several prescription medications provided only temporary relief, a dietary change made a world of difference. Back then, I followed a diet quite similar to the one featured in our current books.

After resolving my symptoms through dietary modifications, I realized that doctors had limited knowledge about not only nutrition but also the underlying causes of most diseases. While collaborating with physicians in various clinical settings, I began to ask patients to change their diets and experiment with either prescription or over-the-counter antifungal treatments. The rest, as the saying goes, is history!

What do you hope to achieve with its message?

Dr. Dave: We strive to provide hope for individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Often, after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, patients are told they will need medications for life. This could be accurate since medications mainly focus on managing symptoms, such as hyperglycemia, rather than reversing the disease’s cause. If medications fail to address the underlying cause, a cure remains out of reach.

It’s remarkable to learn that, in a third of cases, individuals with diabetes continue to suffer from kidney, heart, eye, and nerve damage even when they maintain excellent blood sugar levels for an extended period. This is comparable to having a 30 percent chance of dying from cirrhosis despite giving up alcohol years ago. The key point is that factors other than sugar contribute to both diabetes and its complications, including the documented exposure of humans to fungal mycotoxins present in our grain-based food supply.

Additionally, individuals with Type 1 diabetes may find hope in the discovery that some researchers have managed to stop the progression of Type 1 diabetes by administering an antifungal medication within four months of the disease’s onset. It’s crucial to note that the onset of the disease might occur before an official diagnosis, so investigating any unusual, new symptoms, as described in the book, as soon as possible is essential. Once Type 1 diabetes has been present for more than approximately four months in a child, the condition becomes permanent. Awareness that a cure might be attainable for this disease could spare numerous people from considerable unnecessary suffering.

Doug: I continue to be astonished by the reluctance of American doctors to consider harmless antifungal treatments for anything other than vaginal yeast infections. The goal of this book is to educate both medical professionals and the general public about the well-established causes of fluctuating blood sugar levels. Can we genuinely claim that supersizing our sugar-filled meals has no impact on our blood glucose levels? It’s disappointing when healthcare providers fail to recognize the connection between diet and symptoms!

Who should read this book and why?

Dr. Dave: This book is a must-read for anyone who has diabetes, knows someone with diabetes, or suffers from heart disease, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, kidney disease caused by diabetes, gestational diabetes, metabolic syndrome (or insulin resistance), or hypoglycemia. Once we delved into diabetes, it became essential to address the connections between its associated conditions and other blood sugar-related issues, such as hypoglycemia, gestational diabetes, and fungus.

We recommend this book to all these individuals because it presents a potential solution to their health problems and instills hope that they may not have to live with these conditions forever. Our book includes a “fungal exposure” questionnaire that can help you assess your risk of past or present contact with fungi or mycotoxins. If you find that you can relate to many of the questions, you might consider trying the antifungal program outlined in the book. If you experience positive results from the antifungal program, which incorporates a specific diet, then you can confirm your diagnosis in hindsight.

Some individuals may initially feel worse when starting the diet before experiencing improvement as they continue with the program. This reaction, often referred to as a “die-off” or Herxheimer reaction, serves as additional evidence that the person is dealing with a fungal issue. It’s worth noting that blood tests for deep-seated fungal infections are severely lacking, and blood tests for fungal mycotoxins are practically non-existent outside of research laboratories. Consequently, a positive response to an antifungal program might be the next best method to confirm a fungal condition.

Doug: Diabetes impacts a significant portion of the U.S. population, either actively (people with diabetes) or passively (those who have loved ones with diabetes). This book’s intriguing aspect is its capacity to bridge gaps in our understanding of autoimmune diseases. Currently, there are around 90 autoimmune diseases, and medical science admits that researchers haven’t identified the cause of any of them.

As people adhere to the guidance in this book, many will undoubtedly observe a decrease in their blood sugar levels. What’s truly fascinating are the reports we receive about improvements in arthritis, allergies, and chronic stomach issues as well. Is this a breakthrough or simply common sense? In other words, if all these seemingly “unrelated” symptoms are alleviated by following an antifungal regimen, does it call into question the existence of an autoimmune disease in the first place, or were the symptoms merely the result of exposure to fungi and their mycotoxins?

If you could name one thing that people with diabetes should know, what would it be?

Dr. Dave explains that fungi are remarkable producers of chemicals called mycotoxins, which they release as naturally as we breathe out carbon dioxide. These mycotoxins can lead to cancer, organ damage, immune system disturbances, and hormonal imbalances. Some mycotoxins have even been demonstrated to induce Type 1 diabetes and insulin resistance in animals when introduced by researchers. Despite the significance of this information, it rarely receives the attention it deserves in the media.

Moreover, fungi can cause infections in our bodies that may resemble other conditions such as bacterial or viral infections, or even cancer. It’s important to recognize that fungi serve a vital role in decomposing organic matter. Our immune system is the primary barrier preventing this decomposition process from affecting us. Individuals with diabetes typically have compromised immune systems, making them more susceptible to such infections.

Fungal infections are indeed more prevalent among individuals with diabetes, which is frequently attributed to the negative impact of sugar on their bodies and its interference with their ability to combat infections. While this explanation holds some truth, it doesn’t paint the full picture. A lesser-known fact outside of agricultural science is that fungal mycotoxins, like gliotoxin, can suppress the normal functioning of our immune system. As a result, it is not solely the sugar that weakens the immune system, but rather the fungal contaminants present on the sugar.

Doug: The Cause.

When did you first become interested in taking on diabetes?

Dr. Dave shares that during the past seven or eight years, while collaborating with Doug, he observed remarkable improvements in individuals with high blood sugar, high triglycerides, and various other conditions with unknown causes. These issues seemingly vanished when patients adhered to Doug’s recommended diet and began using natural or prescribed antifungal treatments. This prompted Dr. Dave to explore the abundant agricultural literature detailing how fungi contaminate our grains, both in the field and during storage. Given that each fungus can produce between 1-3 mycotoxins, human exposure to these toxins is inevitable once food or grains become contaminated.

The potential consequences of this exposure are concerning. For instance, aflatoxin, produced by the Aspergillus species of fungi, is the most carcinogenic substance known. It is estimated that we consume between 0.15 mg and 0.5 mg of aflatoxin daily, while a lethal dose is only 10 to 20 mg. Some of this data was published in the January 2002 issue of JAMA. There are hundreds of additional fungal toxins that the United States does not screen for in its food supply. One such toxin, zearalenone, created by Fusarium molds, is particularly prevalent in the American food.

In summary, the well-documented issue of mycotoxin exposure through our diet sparked a keen interest in investigating the connection between these toxins and various chronic human diseases. If animals fall ill after consuming mycotoxin-contaminated grains, isn’t it plausible that we might experience similar consequences, given that we consume the same grains?

Doug recounts a memorable experience from about 26 years ago, when a patient monitored her blood sugar while on an antifungal program. She initially sought treatment for her allergies, not to reduce her blood sugar levels. However, as her allergies subsided, she was astonished to find her blood glucose levels had stabilized while on the antifungal program. Reflecting on this revelation during his drive home that day, Doug realized the tremendous scientific lesson he had just learned.

Aside from reading your book, what other resources do you recommend for people fighting this illness?

Dr. Dave recommends a few resources for those interested in learning more about the link between fungal mycotoxins and human health. First, Dr. Joe Mercola’s book, The No-Grain Diet, highlights the importance of minimizing grain consumption due to fungal and mycotoxin issues. Second, the Fungalbionics series of books by Dr. A.V. Costantini and colleagues provide extensive references on the connection between fungal mycotoxins and human illnesses. You can find these books through an internet search engine by typing in “fungalbionics.” Lastly, Dr. Dave suggests the Bible as a source of spiritual guidance for those committed to overcoming chronic diseases and making significant lifestyle changes.

Doug emphasizes the incredible significance of this discovery, acknowledging that it would be inappropriate to claim it as their own. For those who remain skeptical about the role of fungi in disease, Doug points to the Old Testament, Leviticus 14:33-54, as well as the work of physicians researching fungi for the World Health Organization (WHO). These researchers have extensively documented the potential of fungi and their toxic byproducts, mycotoxins, to cause disease in their Fungalbionics book series.

I believe this is the second volume in the Fungus Link Series. Could you describe the other book(s) in the series?

Dr. Dave mentions the foundational book, The Fungus Link, which delves into the relationship between fungi and a range of health issues, such as arthritis, depression, women’s health concerns, allergies and asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, and pain. The second book, or the first in the Fungus Link Series, is “The Germ that Causes Cancer,” authored by Doug and Beverly Hunt, PhD. This book, which took six years to compile, posits that fungi and their mycotoxins are responsible for causing cancer. It serves as a reminder to both physicians and patients that, even in 2002 when the book was published, fungal infections were still being mistaken for cancer.

For instance, fungal infections may trigger the development of calcifications in our bodies, which are identical to the calcifications observed on mammograms when diagnosing “breast cancer.” Additionally, these infections can lead to abnormalities in blood cells, resembling leukemia. In fact, some “leukemia” cases have been successfully treated with antifungal medications intended for addressing the commonly occurring “secondary” fungal infections in chemotherapy patients. The significance of these discoveries is truly remarkable. You can order all three of these books through our website, knowthecause.com.

Doug: Recognizing the significance of this breakthrough, numerous resources will be developed to help both researchers and the general public grasp the underlying causes of disease. Currently, there are three books available that focus on addressing these causes.

Do you have plans to write another book?

Dr. Dave: Yes, we sure do. We intend to touch on the fungus link between obesity, infertility, and neurologic diseases, in separate, upcoming books. The next book, however, will be the Fungus Link, Vol. II, due out at the end of June. In this book, we discuss men’s issues, autoimmune diseases, ear-nose-throat problems, antibiotics, endocrine (hormonal) issues, and hair loss, all as they relate to fungi and mycotoxins. In addition, you’ll read about antifungal medications and the issue of yeast versus molds. In the latter topic, we talk about how the yeast, Candida albicans, has received a lot of press in the past 20 years; however, although Candida is a true, emerging problem, we explain that the fields of agricultural science and medical mycology encompass much more than the study of just this one yeast.