Natural Remedies for Yeast Infections - Women's Silent "Enemy"

Things like yeast infections, menopause, and it's associated symptoms like vaginal dryness and don't forget hot flashes - these may be realities you have to deal with at some point during your lifetime. That's right - the fun never stops when you're a woman!

Vaginal yeast infections are an irritation of the vagina and the area around the vagina, called the vulva. They are caused by an overgrowth of the fungus or yeast Candida. Yeast normally live in the vagina in small numbers, but when the bacteria in the vagina become out of balance, too many yeast grow and cause an infection.

This particular kind of infection is very common. About 75 percent of women have a yeast infection during their lives. And almost half of women experience it twice or more.

What Are The Signs of a Vaginal Yeast Infection?

The most common symptom is extreme itchiness in and around the vagina. Other symptoms include:

• Redness, and swelling of the vagina and the area around it

• Pain when urinating

• Pain or discomfort during sex

• A thick, white vaginal discharge that looks like cottage cheese that is mostly odorless

• Itching and burning in the vagina

• Soreness and rash on the outer lips of the vagina

Sometimes strange symptoms occur. They can vary from person to person and change from day to day. These symptoms may vary based on the person's general health or genetic makeup. This is the one of the reasons that there are so many different symptoms.

Why Did I Get a Yeast Infection?

Many things can change the acidity of the vagina and boost your chances of an infection. These include:

• Stress

• Lack of sleep

• Sickness

• Poor diet, or extreme intake of sugary foods

• Pregnancy

• Having your period

• Taking birth control pills

• Taking antibiotics

• Taking steroid medicines

• Diseases such as poorly-controlled diabetes and HIV infection

To help prevent further infections, try the following "yeast-friendly" healthy living ideas:

• Avoid douching

• Avoid scented hygiene products like bubble bath, sprays, pads and tampons

• Change tampons and pads often during your period

• Wear cotton and avoid tight fitting clothes

• Change out of wet swimsuits and exercise clothes as soon as possible

• Try not to keep your stomach empty for long periods of time

• Eat a balanced diet

Obviously, men don't get vaginal yeast infections. But Balanitis, an infection of the head of the penis, can be caused by the same Candida that causes infections in women. Men with diabetes are more prone to this infection.

A man who gets Balanitis may not have any symptoms or the tip of the penis may become red and sore or itchy. There could be a slight discharge as well.

Do I Need to See a Doctor?

Treating an infection is simple. But it's still important to visit your doctor for the right diagnosis, since other infections can cause similar symptoms but require different treatments.

If you experience repeated yeast infections, you should speak to your doctor as well.

How Can I Get Rid of It?

Listed below are some natural health cures for this type of infection. For those who like the natural herbal health route, we've also included a couple of ideas for you too.

Home Remedies for Yeast Infections:

• Dip a tampon in plain yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, and insert into the vagina twice a day until your symptoms clear up. Repeat this until one day after the symptoms disappear.

• Peel a fresh clove of garlic and make a little tampon by wrapping it in cheesecloth and tying with unwaxed dental floss. Leave a bit of floss to remove it afterward. Insert it into your vagina and leave there for several hours, or overnight, and remove in the morning. For severe infections, try this both in the morning and at night.

• Pour a few drops of tea tree oil on a tampon and insert into the vagina.

• Add 1 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar in 2 cups of water and put 1 garlic clove in it. Let it stand for some time. Use this mixture to regularly daub the areas prone to this infection. This will stop the itchy feeling.

• Insert 1 or 2 capsules of boric acid into the vagina and keep it there overnight for several nights. *Boric acid has been known to cause burning and discomfort for the first few days for some women.*

• Probiotics are a popular natural remedy. They are live microbial organisms that are naturally present in the digestive tract and vagina. Probiotics, sometimes referred to as "friendly" bacteria, suppress the growth of potentially harmful organisms such as Candida. Probiotics are available as an oral supplement.

• A mixture of olive leaf extract with grapefruit seed extract in a glass of water is a good curative tonic for this infection.

• Drink at least two glasses of buttermilk a day, whether infected or not. In fact making curds a part of the daily diet in take reduces the probability of yeast infection.

Anti-Yeast Tea

Each day drink three cups of the following tea between meals or a half hour before eating.

• 2 parts SAGE
• 2 parts MULLEIN
• 2 parts RASPBERRY LEAF
• 1/4 part GOLDENSEAL

A little more effort is required but once you made a batch you would have them for some time.

• 1 part ECHINACEA root powder
• 1 part MYRRH gum powder
• 1 part PAU D' ARCO powder
• 2 parts GOLDENSEAL powder
• 1 part SLIPPERY ELM BARK powder
• 1 part BLACK WALNUT hull powder

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