In honor of Dr. William G. Crook work and his dedication to improve people’s lives.
About Dr. William G. Crook
Dr. William G. Crook, M.D. was a paediatrician, speaker, and author of multiple medical books. Dr. Crook is mostly known for his pioneering research and publications on candida and yeast infections. Many natural health practitioners and candida specialists still use many of his guidelines today, especially for the diagnosis and treatment of candida overgrowth and yeast infections.
Dr. William Crook found that the overgrowth of candida albicans yeast may be the root cause of many chronic health conditions. According to Dr. Crook, this connection go beyond just vaginal yeast infections and affect both men and women.
Dr. Crook took a more holistic approach to candida and yeast infections issues, taking into account the symptoms his patients reported for the diagnosis, and both diet and lifestyle factors for the treatment.
Nearly all were adults with complex health problems, including headache, fatigue, depression, recurrent vaginal infection, joint pain and sensitivity to chemical odours and additives. Almost without exception, they improved. And some improved dramatically.Dr. William G. Crook
The Yeast Connection : A Medical Breakthrough
Dr. Crook published his findings in his book, “The Yeast Connection : A Medical Breakthrough”. Dr. Crook included self-help manuals with checklists, diagrams, illustration, along with a “how to” advice on lifestyle and diet to prevent and treat.
Shortly after the book was published, it became a huge success. The first print run of The Yeast Connection in 1983 quickly sold out. According to Dr. Crook, 270,000 copies were purchased in the first two years. Crook wrote in the preface that the findings he shared in his book “changed my life and my practice and had enabled me to help many, many patients conquer previously disabling illnesses”.[1].
Dr. Crook’s guidelines included:
- Avoid foods which promote yeast growth (known as candida diet).
- Prescription antifungal drugs (such as nystatin or ketoconazole).
- Make changes to lifestyle and behaviour.
Our Experience With Dr. Crook’s Work
In our practice and candida protocol, we use some of Dr. Crook’s work and research. There are additional areas however, that we don’t always agree with his findings. Below is a summary of our main comments on Dr. Crook’s work:
- Candida Diet: we always recommended to avoid foods known to promote candida yeast growth as a part of the treatment. This is much more important in our opinion, than consuming foods that “kill the yeast”. As long as you continue to “feed the yeast”, you are less likely to overcome the overgrowth.
- Antifungals: based on our experience, antifungals are not always needed. They do not address the root cause that made candida yeast grow out of control. Furthermore, antifungal drugs can cause side effects. Efficacy wise, candida yeast is known to develop resistance to many modern antifungals. For this reason, if you consider taking antifungals, you may want to look into natural antifungals first, as a part of a treatment that includes diet and gut health plan. To learn more, see: candida supplements.
Dr. William G. Crook – Critique
Some parts of Dr. Crook’s work on candida are widely accepted by natural medicine practitioners even today (2019). Multiple studies have indeed confirmed the link between candida overgrowth to other health conditions. The role of dietary changes as a part of the treatment have also been studied and considered as viable options.
The medical community does not always agree, however, with Dr. Crook findings. Especially:
Is Candida Overgrowth The Cause Of My Medical Condition?
Dr. Crook’s claim that candida yeast overgrowth is the root cause of other health conditions is probably the most controversial one. While natural medicine and functional medicine practitioners may completely agree with this claim, many conventional doctors have dismissed this claim.
One possible reason, is that candida albicans is a member of the normal human microbiome. The available lab tests for candida overgrowth may not always be conclusive. In most people, candida albicans resides as a lifelong, harmless organism.[2].
Furthermore, some people are more sensitive to candida yeast and may develop symptoms even when they have minor overgrowth. Other less sensitive people may not always notice anything. For these reasons, it is common to see cases where doctors overlook or misdiagnose a candida overgrowth problem with other conditions.
Candida Testing & Questionnaire
Just like any medical condition, the self diagnosis option can be risky and is not always approved by the medical community as a safe one. This also applies to candida and yeast infections. Dr. Crook’s candida questionnaire may be very helpful when combined with other tests, but on its own as a self test at home? On that note, we do see the benefit of self tests to increase the awareness of all the symptoms you may have. What we always recommended is to educate yourself as much as you can, and share with your doctor before you do anything else. In many cases, the increased awareness and mindfulness can make a huge impact and help your doctor with the right diagnosis and treatment for an effective healing process.
About Candida Testing
Healthcare professionals usually rely on multiple factors to test for candida overgrowth and yeast infection issues.[3].
These candida tests include:
- Existing candida and yeast infection symptoms.
- Medical history of the patient.
- Physical examination.
- Laboratory tests such as candida stool test, saliva test (not the spit test!), blood test, urine test, candida antibodies test, skin test, vaginal discharge test, and others.
The existence of multiple candida overgrowth and yeast infection symptoms along with risks factors are usually good indications to start the treatment for candida overgrowth. These often are based on the candida questionnaire that Dr. Crook developed.
To learn more, see: candida self test.