More than likely you will either have experienced a yeast infection first hand or know someone who has. This is because a whopping 75% of women at some point in their lives will have suffered a yeast infection. About half of these women will have it on a recurring basis.

 Yeast infection is caused by a fungus known as Candida Albicans which can occur naturally on the skin and other parts of the body. When the balance in the vagina changes the natural yeast begins to grow. Despite being referred to as an infection it is actually just an overgrowth of something that is usually there. Luckily yeast is not dangerous but the symptoms can be painful, uncomfortable and unpleasant. If you are or have been a sufferer you will know this first hand. In some instances, the itching may become so painful that walking is difficult. Typical symptoms include:

• Burning, itching and irritation-
•  White cheesy discharge that may have an odour similar to baking yeast
• Swelling, and redness on the external
• Painful and/or frequent urination

Before discussing some natural ways to treat a vaginal yeast infection, here are some ways to prevent them happening in the first place:

• Avoid tight fitting clothing
• Wear cotton underwear
• Avoid tights that do not have a cotton crotch panel
• Avoid wearing a damp bathing suit for too long
• Do not use perfumed vaginal sprays or products-your natural scent is healthy and normal!
• Use organic cotton sanitary towels when you menstruate rather than tampons and if you use tampons change them frequently
• After a bowel movement wipe from front to back to ensure nothing is transmitted from the bowels to the vagina
• Avoid non-organic soaps or douches (except for the natural douche treatments that we will go over next)

 

How to treat a yeast infection naturally

First, it needs to be understood that the infection has occurred because the balance of the vagina has become out of whack. Therefore restoring the balance simply requires the reintroduction of ‘good’ bacteria. The following natural remedies can all help restore this balance:

 

Healthy eating: It goes without saying that a healthy diet is essential because it boosts your immune system but it is especially important to avoid alcohol, a source of sugar and yeast which can feed the infection, and other sources of sugar and refined carbohydrates.

 

Plain live organic yogurt: Yogurt contains a lot of good bacteria so try to eat one a day. You may also want to insert the yogurt in your vagina using a tampon. Take the tampon and dip it into the yogurt before placing it in the vagina. Yogurt helps restore the balance of good bacteria and also helps sooth the area.  (There is also a product called IntraFresh – see the Resources Page which is a vaginal pessary containing an active strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus and is much more convenient than using yogurt and contains a more therapeutic level of beneficial bacteria).

 

Garlic: Garlic is important when you have an infection because it has strong anti-bacterial qualities.  (A good garlic supplement is called Aged Garlic which is a concentrated form of organic garlic see the Resources Page)

 

Supplements: Extra vitamins and minerals are recommended to boost your immune system so it can more effectively fight off infection. Make sure your daily multivitamin and mineral contains enough vitamin C, B vitamins, beta-carotene and zinc. Vitamin E is also important but as well as taking it orally as a supplement try openly up a capsule and applying it to the inflamed area.

Herbs that can be taken to increase the infectiveness of your immune system include barberry root bark, myrrh resin, calendula and echinacea. Tea tree oil is also a highly antibacterial and has been used for centuries to deal with many ailments. Simply place a small amount of oil in the vagina.  (See the Resources Page for details of some of these supplements).

 

Note: If you do try natural remedies and they don’t work, make sure you go to see a doctor. Do not attempt to self –treat with over the counter

medications. Treating an infection with the wrong drug can lead to further problems. It can also be dangerous. It may be that you have another condition unrelated to a yeast infection. Also left untreated some infections can lead to PID, pelvic inflammatory disease, which is a serious health risk.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 1st, 2008 at 3:00 am and is filed under General Health, Natural Treatments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.