What is a yeast infection?
A yeast infection is a condition caused by the fungus Candida albicans. A vaginal yeast infection is an excess growth of yeast cells in the vagina. This excessive yeast growth in the vagina has numerous side effects which can be identified by physical manifestations but also can have a psychological impact on the person.
Learning to recognize the symptoms of vaginal yeast infection is vital before women attempt self-treatment. The most common symptom of a vaginal yeast infection is itching in the vaginal and/or vulvar area. Yeast infection is so common that 3/4 women will have it in their life time. Treating a yeast infection is simple, but it's important to visit your doctor for the right diagnosis. It is matter of overcoming one's pride and to seek the correct advice.
Natural Treatment
Instead of reaching for a costly over the counter medication; why not use a natural remedy for yeast infection instead? Most women would love to know if there was a natural yeast infection cure, and there are some natural remedies for a yeast infection.
The first one is dietary natural cure for yeast infection - for example Cranberry pills, which can be found at natural food stores, can be taken throughout the duration of a yeast infection as a supplement. Among the most effective natural treatments for yeast infection is the use of probiotics, or what is commonly called friendly bacteria or beneficial bacteria. Acidophilus is an ideal natural cure for yeast infection, as it is a natural probiotic. The advantage of a natural approach to fighting yeast infection, is it allows control over the yeast permanently and puts your immune system back on track. If you are in any way uncertain, consult a health care provider to modify your diet and/or treat this condition directly with an effective, all natural yeast infection control product.
Who Doesn't Want a Natural Remedy for a Yeast Infection?
Whether it's a dislike for man-made chemicals or just plain embarrassment, many women seek a natural remedy for a yeast infection. One well known home remedy for yeast infection is the regular use of curds or yogurt. This home remedy for a yeast infection combats the fungus (yeast) that is responsible for the infection. Curds and yogurt are foods identified to be the most effective home remedy for yeast infection. Some believe that the best way to use yogurt as a natural remedy for yeast infection is by inserting plain yogurt into the vaginal area. Taking a tampon dipped in yoghurt and inserting it in the vagina, twice a day, is one of the most recommended home remedy for yeast infection.
For those who are sceptical about the use of yoghurt and other "medieval" remedies, there are some excellent guides available which offer sound advice as to how one should deal with yeast infections - Check this link
Natural Treatment for Yeast Infections
The treatment for yeast infection varies from person to person. Most of these candidal infections are superficial and clear up easily with treatment but their causes are quite different, their symptoms similar, and treatment varies. Try to avoid intercourse until you have completed treatment and the symptoms have subsided. It is important to receive proper treatment for your yeast infection, and it is very important to consult with your doctor before treatment. If you don't complete treatment correctly you may not get rid of the yeast infection. Women who do not improve after treatment with a standard oral or vaginal treatment for yeast infection should be reexamined by their physician. With proper treatment, the infection usually clears up in a few days to a week.
If the yeast infection is left untreated, the symptomatic pains of this infection may continue and this may worsen the severity. One of the main causes of recurring chronic yeast infection is sexual activity. If your yeast infection is chronic, even after a change of diet and the use of herbal therapies, have your male sex partner evaluated. If a yeast infection is left untreated it can progress to a bacterial infection, which is more serious.
As embarrassing as this can make some women feel, you must realize that the yeast infection is not your fault. Yeast infection is merely an overgrowth of yeast in or on the body, and yeast infection is able to affect ANY part of the human body. Many homeopathic physicians feel a systemic yeast infection is the most overlooked and misdiagnosed disease in medicine. If you have symptoms of a yeast infection, see a doctor immediately so they can determine if a yeast infection is the cause of your symptoms, and suggest a course of (hopefully natural) treatment.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial Vaginosis is the most common cause of vaginal infection and almost every woman will deal with this issue at some point in her life. It is not dangerous, but it can cause disturbing symptoms such as abnormal homogeneous white vaginal discharge with an unpleasant smell. Therefore, you should understand and aware about it precisely.
Bacterial Vaginosis starts when the woman has a change in the normal balance that causes an organism called Gardnerella overgrowth excessively in the vagina. This imbalance can be caused by yeast infections, Trichomoniasis,Atrophic vaginitis, etc and once you understand this you can restore a natural balance and help your body fight this infection effectively.
What most doctors do is to prescribe antibiotics like metronidazole (Flagyl, MetroGel) or clindamycin(Cleocin). Some worked, most didn’t, but just like the doctor’s prescription they weren’t a permanent cure.
It is reported by Melbourne Sexual Health Centre that more than 70% of all women treating Bacterial Vaginosis with Pharmaceutical Antibiotics suffer from re-occurrence within a few short weeks.
The antibiotics treatment upset the natural balance of bacteria in your vagina. In your vagina live both good and bad bacteria. As antibiotic cannot distinguish between good or bad bacteria, it literally kills all the bacteria indiscriminately.
The good bacteria such as lactobacillus is needed to keep a normal healthy balance. Therefore, the prolonged use of antibiotics may not be the best solution as it do not cure the root cause.
Fortunately you can get a long lasting Bacterial Vaginosis cure is by using natural methods. These methods are effective because their emphasis is on getting your body the right resources so that it can heal itself.
You will be amazed to see that a few fundamental changes in your lifestyle and habit can give you sufficient protection against further infections. Your body do not need to use any of those harsh antibiotic or chemicals because your body reacts better to natural and gentle treatment.
Bacterial Vaginosis starts when the woman has a change in the normal balance that causes an organism called Gardnerella overgrowth excessively in the vagina. This imbalance can be caused by yeast infections, Trichomoniasis,Atrophic vaginitis, etc and once you understand this you can restore a natural balance and help your body fight this infection effectively.
What most doctors do is to prescribe antibiotics like metronidazole (Flagyl, MetroGel) or clindamycin(Cleocin). Some worked, most didn’t, but just like the doctor’s prescription they weren’t a permanent cure.
It is reported by Melbourne Sexual Health Centre that more than 70% of all women treating Bacterial Vaginosis with Pharmaceutical Antibiotics suffer from re-occurrence within a few short weeks.
The antibiotics treatment upset the natural balance of bacteria in your vagina. In your vagina live both good and bad bacteria. As antibiotic cannot distinguish between good or bad bacteria, it literally kills all the bacteria indiscriminately.
The good bacteria such as lactobacillus is needed to keep a normal healthy balance. Therefore, the prolonged use of antibiotics may not be the best solution as it do not cure the root cause.
Fortunately you can get a long lasting Bacterial Vaginosis cure is by using natural methods. These methods are effective because their emphasis is on getting your body the right resources so that it can heal itself.
You will be amazed to see that a few fundamental changes in your lifestyle and habit can give you sufficient protection against further infections. Your body do not need to use any of those harsh antibiotic or chemicals because your body reacts better to natural and gentle treatment.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Candidiasis (Yeast Infections) Symptoms and Diet
So, you suspect that you might have a yeast infection - so what is it and what are the symptoms? Most importantly, if you do have an infection, can it be cured simply and effectively
Candidiasis is a yeast-like infection caused by the proliferation of a normally occurring yeast-like fungus, Candida albicans that tends to attack women (cold, yin) more so than men (hot, yang). It is a cold, damp pathology with a variety of symptoms, primary and secondary. Poor diet, antibiotics, infection, chronic disease and old age, infirmity are often the cause.
Primary symptoms: Thrush (mouth), white spots on tongue or inside the mouth, cheeks; skin (rash, fungal infections and itching), toenail and fingernail fungus, and vagina (vaginitis, yeast infection, discharge)
Secondary symptoms: Abdominal pain, heartburn, bad breath, loose stools, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, rectal itching, headaches, PMS, cough, sore throat, clogged nose and sinuses; extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, numbness, tingling in the extremities, arthritis, memory loss, mood swings, kidney and bladder infections, prostatitis
All disease progresses in stages. The secondary symptoms indicate initial cause: poor diet (stage 1). Poor diet tends to weaken digestion (2), elimination (3), blood (4), circulation (5) and organ function (6) providing the cold, damp breeding ground for cold, damp (watery, gooey), diseases: bacterial infection, fungus, thrush, diaper, groin rash, fungus, yeast infections, Candidiasis, etc. The primary symptoms are secondary in nature
Long-term low protein, low fat (cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, etc) and high carbohydrate (salads, fruits, juices, cold drinks, etc.) diets, in the extreme, tend to cool, weaken and dampen digestion and elimination producing abdominal pain, heartburn, bad breath, loose stools, diarrhea, constipation, colitis and or rectal itching. Long-term low fat diets also thin and weaken the blood, causing extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, numbness, tingling in the extremities, arthritis and or headaches.
Long-term weak digestion via diet, chronic illness, drugs, etc. also tend to cool and dampen the body, especially the lungs, throat mouth, sinuses, nose, woman's sexual organs, with excess water, mucous, phlegm, cysts. Digestive energy, heat (three meals a day) naturally heats the body, just as a car engine heats a car. Heat in the body rises, moves up into the chest, lungs, and down, out into lower abdomen, vagina, uterus, etc. Weak, cold digestion, energy fails to heat, dry but instead slows cools, dampens and clogs the lungs, throat, sinuses, uterus, vagina, etc.
Cold condenses. In nature, the cold temperatures of night and winter that cool harden water in the air, into the morning dew, rain, snow or ice. In the body, colder temperatures increase and thicken fluids (mucous, phlegm) in the lungs, sinuses, mouth (coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, asthma, sinusitis, sleep apnea, etc.), uterus, vagina (white vaginal discharges, vaginitis, yeast infections), toes and fingernail (fungus), Candidiasis, thrush (mouth), white spots on tongue or inside the mouth, cheeks; skin rashes, itching, etc.
Women tend to be more susceptible to mucous, phlegm, Candidiasis, etc. than men as many women tend to eat low protein, low fat (soft dairy) and high carbohydrate diets. Women also menstruate lose blood three to seven days every month, for thirty plus years, making them more susceptible to cold, damp.
The hotter middle diet, meal plan is recommended. Cooked foods, stews, soups, etc. in addition to spices (cardamom, cumin, coriander, fennel, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, etc.) heat, dry, eliminate excess damp, yeast. All sugar is cold, damp. Spices and bitter herbs are antibacterial, antifungal, etc. Bitter herbs are cold and used sparingly if digestion is weak. Black and white fungus, dry, drain excess dampness in the lungs, vagina and intestines. They also help constipation and hypertension. Many Asian women eat fungi (includes mushrooms) regularly and do not develop yeast infections, unlike their American counterparts who eat little or no fungi. Check with your doctor before using, as eating fungus is thought to promote fungus. Pau d'arco tea is also effective in drying dampness.
Candidiasis, yeast and fungal infections are chronic, long-lasting symptoms, diseases that take time, weeks, months and or years to develop, and consequently weeks, months and or years to cure, depending on severity.
There are several ways to effectively reduce symptoms or to cure yeast infections - check out the following links.
quick cure
effective treatment
Candidiasis is a yeast-like infection caused by the proliferation of a normally occurring yeast-like fungus, Candida albicans that tends to attack women (cold, yin) more so than men (hot, yang). It is a cold, damp pathology with a variety of symptoms, primary and secondary. Poor diet, antibiotics, infection, chronic disease and old age, infirmity are often the cause.
Primary symptoms: Thrush (mouth), white spots on tongue or inside the mouth, cheeks; skin (rash, fungal infections and itching), toenail and fingernail fungus, and vagina (vaginitis, yeast infection, discharge)
Secondary symptoms: Abdominal pain, heartburn, bad breath, loose stools, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, rectal itching, headaches, PMS, cough, sore throat, clogged nose and sinuses; extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, numbness, tingling in the extremities, arthritis, memory loss, mood swings, kidney and bladder infections, prostatitis
All disease progresses in stages. The secondary symptoms indicate initial cause: poor diet (stage 1). Poor diet tends to weaken digestion (2), elimination (3), blood (4), circulation (5) and organ function (6) providing the cold, damp breeding ground for cold, damp (watery, gooey), diseases: bacterial infection, fungus, thrush, diaper, groin rash, fungus, yeast infections, Candidiasis, etc. The primary symptoms are secondary in nature
Long-term low protein, low fat (cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, etc) and high carbohydrate (salads, fruits, juices, cold drinks, etc.) diets, in the extreme, tend to cool, weaken and dampen digestion and elimination producing abdominal pain, heartburn, bad breath, loose stools, diarrhea, constipation, colitis and or rectal itching. Long-term low fat diets also thin and weaken the blood, causing extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, numbness, tingling in the extremities, arthritis and or headaches.
Long-term weak digestion via diet, chronic illness, drugs, etc. also tend to cool and dampen the body, especially the lungs, throat mouth, sinuses, nose, woman's sexual organs, with excess water, mucous, phlegm, cysts. Digestive energy, heat (three meals a day) naturally heats the body, just as a car engine heats a car. Heat in the body rises, moves up into the chest, lungs, and down, out into lower abdomen, vagina, uterus, etc. Weak, cold digestion, energy fails to heat, dry but instead slows cools, dampens and clogs the lungs, throat, sinuses, uterus, vagina, etc.
Cold condenses. In nature, the cold temperatures of night and winter that cool harden water in the air, into the morning dew, rain, snow or ice. In the body, colder temperatures increase and thicken fluids (mucous, phlegm) in the lungs, sinuses, mouth (coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, asthma, sinusitis, sleep apnea, etc.), uterus, vagina (white vaginal discharges, vaginitis, yeast infections), toes and fingernail (fungus), Candidiasis, thrush (mouth), white spots on tongue or inside the mouth, cheeks; skin rashes, itching, etc.
Women tend to be more susceptible to mucous, phlegm, Candidiasis, etc. than men as many women tend to eat low protein, low fat (soft dairy) and high carbohydrate diets. Women also menstruate lose blood three to seven days every month, for thirty plus years, making them more susceptible to cold, damp.
The hotter middle diet, meal plan is recommended. Cooked foods, stews, soups, etc. in addition to spices (cardamom, cumin, coriander, fennel, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, etc.) heat, dry, eliminate excess damp, yeast. All sugar is cold, damp. Spices and bitter herbs are antibacterial, antifungal, etc. Bitter herbs are cold and used sparingly if digestion is weak. Black and white fungus, dry, drain excess dampness in the lungs, vagina and intestines. They also help constipation and hypertension. Many Asian women eat fungi (includes mushrooms) regularly and do not develop yeast infections, unlike their American counterparts who eat little or no fungi. Check with your doctor before using, as eating fungus is thought to promote fungus. Pau d'arco tea is also effective in drying dampness.
Candidiasis, yeast and fungal infections are chronic, long-lasting symptoms, diseases that take time, weeks, months and or years to develop, and consequently weeks, months and or years to cure, depending on severity.
There are several ways to effectively reduce symptoms or to cure yeast infections - check out the following links.
quick cure
effective treatment
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Yeast Infections in Men
Men can get yeast infections, which are often passed sexually from their partner to them. The most common type of infection is the candida vaginal infection, therefore this type of yeast is the most common type to be
passed to the male. There are other types of yeast infections that men can acquire including infections from wearing moist socks and jock straps.
Thrush is another form of yeast infection that forms in the mouth, which is a great area for yeast to form.
The Mention the words "yeast infection" and most people think of vaginal yeast infections common among women. However, yeast infections do occur in men. This type of infection is not considered a sexually transmitted disease like chlamydia or herpes, but it is still considered a part of the STD "family."
By far, the most well-known type of yeast infection is that which is experienced by women. The candida yeast infection results from an overgrowth of the fungus in the vagina. A candida vaginal yeast infection is caused by the use of antibiotics and steroids, clothing that's too tight, some bath products and wearing damp underwear or swimsuits. This ame infection can be passed sexually from women to men. When yeast infections occur in men, the culprit is most often of the candida variety.
Women are very familiar with the signs and symptoms of vaginal yeast infections. However, yeast infections in men usually show no symptoms at all if they're sexually transmitted. Not knowing they have sexually contracted candida, infected men pass the infection right back to the woman who gave it to him in the first place!
Are There Other Types Of Yeast Infections In Men?
Absolutely. The candida variety of yeast not only causes vaginal infections among women, it also results in a variety of other closely-related infections that can occur in both women and men.
Common yeast infections in men are "jock itch" and "athlete's foot." In these conditions, the candida yeast thrives in warm, damp environments like the crotch and in between the toes. When men perspire in the crotch
area, especially if they wear a jock strap, this warm dampness can cause a candida yeast infection in men. Similarly, men's feet tend to perspire more than women's feet. Wearing socks and sneakers, for instance, creates just the type of environmental opportunity for candida to thrive.
The old tale about yeast infections being spread through communal showers is accurate. Both these types of yeast infections in men are easily treated with anti-fungal sprays found in drug stores.
"Thrush" is a candida infection of the mouth and is another example of yeast infections in men and women alike. Thrush is characterized by creamy-white patches on the tongue, lips, and sides of the mouth. This is
a painful and very unsightly infection that requires a prescription medication to heal. Those most at risk to develop thrush are adults with weakened immune systems that result from the use of antibiotics or steroids, or adults with AIDS. Those with auto-immune disorders such as fibromyalgia and lupus are also at risk. This type of yeast infection in men can be treated by a liquid anti-fungal such as Nystatin that's swished in the mouth several times a day. There are also natural treatments available which bear results in a matter of hours.
Thrush is also treated by the drug Clotrimazole, a wide-spectrum medication that's a proven candida-killer. Famvir, another broad-spectrum oral medication attacks candida in the mouth, herpes, and shingles.
passed to the male. There are other types of yeast infections that men can acquire including infections from wearing moist socks and jock straps.
Thrush is another form of yeast infection that forms in the mouth, which is a great area for yeast to form.
The Mention the words "yeast infection" and most people think of vaginal yeast infections common among women. However, yeast infections do occur in men. This type of infection is not considered a sexually transmitted disease like chlamydia or herpes, but it is still considered a part of the STD "family."
By far, the most well-known type of yeast infection is that which is experienced by women. The candida yeast infection results from an overgrowth of the fungus in the vagina. A candida vaginal yeast infection is caused by the use of antibiotics and steroids, clothing that's too tight, some bath products and wearing damp underwear or swimsuits. This ame infection can be passed sexually from women to men. When yeast infections occur in men, the culprit is most often of the candida variety.
Women are very familiar with the signs and symptoms of vaginal yeast infections. However, yeast infections in men usually show no symptoms at all if they're sexually transmitted. Not knowing they have sexually contracted candida, infected men pass the infection right back to the woman who gave it to him in the first place!
Are There Other Types Of Yeast Infections In Men?
Absolutely. The candida variety of yeast not only causes vaginal infections among women, it also results in a variety of other closely-related infections that can occur in both women and men.
Common yeast infections in men are "jock itch" and "athlete's foot." In these conditions, the candida yeast thrives in warm, damp environments like the crotch and in between the toes. When men perspire in the crotch
area, especially if they wear a jock strap, this warm dampness can cause a candida yeast infection in men. Similarly, men's feet tend to perspire more than women's feet. Wearing socks and sneakers, for instance, creates just the type of environmental opportunity for candida to thrive.
The old tale about yeast infections being spread through communal showers is accurate. Both these types of yeast infections in men are easily treated with anti-fungal sprays found in drug stores.
"Thrush" is a candida infection of the mouth and is another example of yeast infections in men and women alike. Thrush is characterized by creamy-white patches on the tongue, lips, and sides of the mouth. This is
a painful and very unsightly infection that requires a prescription medication to heal. Those most at risk to develop thrush are adults with weakened immune systems that result from the use of antibiotics or steroids, or adults with AIDS. Those with auto-immune disorders such as fibromyalgia and lupus are also at risk. This type of yeast infection in men can be treated by a liquid anti-fungal such as Nystatin that's swished in the mouth several times a day. There are also natural treatments available which bear results in a matter of hours.
Thrush is also treated by the drug Clotrimazole, a wide-spectrum medication that's a proven candida-killer. Famvir, another broad-spectrum oral medication attacks candida in the mouth, herpes, and shingles.
Yeast Infection Symptoms
Symptoms of Yeast Infection, Candida, Thrush
Yeast Infections can show numerous symptoms which includes the following:
•Painful Sex or Sexual dysfunction •Vaginal Odor •Premature Aging •Vaginal Discharge •Arthritis •Depression •Chronic Rashes •Tiredness or Fatigue •Poor Memory •Irritability •Joint Pain or Swelling •PMS •Feeling Rundown •Digestive pain •Muscle Aches •Short attention span •Hand pain •Hip and Knee Pain •Headaches •Acne •Respiratory Infections •Memory loss •Lowered Immune System •Lowered Self Esteem •Skin problems •Impotence •Gas •Hand pain •Depression •White Vaginal Discharge •Hypoglycemia •Menstrual Pain •Urinary disorders •Skin Lesion•Shortness of Breath •Food allergies •Learning and Memory problems
Yeast Infections can show numerous symptoms which includes the following:
•Painful Sex or Sexual dysfunction •Vaginal Odor •Premature Aging •Vaginal Discharge •Arthritis •Depression •Chronic Rashes •Tiredness or Fatigue •Poor Memory •Irritability •Joint Pain or Swelling •PMS •Feeling Rundown •Digestive pain •Muscle Aches •Short attention span •Hand pain •Hip and Knee Pain •Headaches •Acne •Respiratory Infections •Memory loss •Lowered Immune System •Lowered Self Esteem •Skin problems •Impotence •Gas •Hand pain •Depression •White Vaginal Discharge •Hypoglycemia •Menstrual Pain •Urinary disorders •Skin Lesion•Shortness of Breath •Food allergies •Learning and Memory problems
Diet for Yeast Infections
Introduction
A yeast infection diet is something that many women talk about. The homeopathic and natural medicine crowd believe that you can treat and prevent yeast infections with adjustments to your daily eating habits. An overgrowth of candida fungi is what causes a yeast infection. This can occur from clothing being too tight, wearing damp swimsuits, or from taking antibiotics.
By eating the proper foods you can regulate your body's ph levels including inside the vaginal area.
It's a medical controversy: do yeast infection diets really work? Just by changing your eating habits, can you prevent and even help treat a yeast infection? The answer depends upon who you ask. People who promote health through proper eating habits will most likely say yes, yeast infection diets can both prevent and treat the infamous and annoying candida vaginal yeast infection.
Practitioners of homeopathy, natural medicine, herbalists and utritionists feel strongly that through yeast infection diets, doctors' visits, vaginal creams, pills and suppositories infections can become a thing of the past. If you ask your physician about yeast infection diets, some will advocate healthy eating to at least help prevent candida fungal over-growth in the vagina, but others will not be receptive to these "non-medical" alternative practices.
Examine The Facts About Yeast Infections And Diets
Vaginal yeast infections are caused by an over-growth of the candida fungus. This extensive flourishing of the fungus is caused by the medicinal use of antibiotics and steroids, irritation from clothing that's too tight in the crotch area, and wearing swim suits and underwear that's too warm and damp. Candida thrives in a warm, damp environment.
Taking steroid and antibiotic medications disrupt the ph-factor of your vagina, allowing the candida yeast to run rampant.
An indisputable fact about yeast infection diets is that they are based upon regulation of the vagina's normal ph-factor. This means that yeast infection diets are comprised of foods that are alkaline in nature rather than acidic. If you have a candida infection, your goal is to decrease the acid in your system and increase the alkaline level. Foods high in acid like tropical fruits and tomatoes, say natural health practitioners, can worsen a yeast infection. To re-set or maintain the alkaline level in your vagina, eat proteins and carbohydrates like fish, chicken, pasta, bread and rice. This type of yeast infection diet gives you the food groups that you need to maintain over-all health.
Herbal medicine practitioners advocate yeast infection diets to prevent and treat candida over-abundance. In addition, they recommend the use of herbal supplements in conjunction with the diet. Echinacea, olive leaf,
lapacho, and usnea are the herbs most often recommended by herbalists.
As part of a yeast infection diet, daily use of cranberry juice or herbal capsules is quite controversial. Cranberry products are readily available in drug and health food stores. The quandary is that, as a fruit,
cranberries are naturally acidic, not alkaline. So how do they restore and maintain the appropriate alkaline ph-factor in the vagina? Wouldn't the acidic cranberry just make a yeast infection worse? Herbal practitioners believe that cranberries have a very low acid level and contain other enzymes that are useful in ridding the vagina of an over-abundance of candida yeast.
Many yeast infection diets do include the daily use of cranberry products.
A yeast infection diet is something that many women talk about. The homeopathic and natural medicine crowd believe that you can treat and prevent yeast infections with adjustments to your daily eating habits. An overgrowth of candida fungi is what causes a yeast infection. This can occur from clothing being too tight, wearing damp swimsuits, or from taking antibiotics.
By eating the proper foods you can regulate your body's ph levels including inside the vaginal area.
It's a medical controversy: do yeast infection diets really work? Just by changing your eating habits, can you prevent and even help treat a yeast infection? The answer depends upon who you ask. People who promote health through proper eating habits will most likely say yes, yeast infection diets can both prevent and treat the infamous and annoying candida vaginal yeast infection.
Practitioners of homeopathy, natural medicine, herbalists and utritionists feel strongly that through yeast infection diets, doctors' visits, vaginal creams, pills and suppositories infections can become a thing of the past. If you ask your physician about yeast infection diets, some will advocate healthy eating to at least help prevent candida fungal over-growth in the vagina, but others will not be receptive to these "non-medical" alternative practices.
Examine The Facts About Yeast Infections And Diets
Vaginal yeast infections are caused by an over-growth of the candida fungus. This extensive flourishing of the fungus is caused by the medicinal use of antibiotics and steroids, irritation from clothing that's too tight in the crotch area, and wearing swim suits and underwear that's too warm and damp. Candida thrives in a warm, damp environment.
Taking steroid and antibiotic medications disrupt the ph-factor of your vagina, allowing the candida yeast to run rampant.
An indisputable fact about yeast infection diets is that they are based upon regulation of the vagina's normal ph-factor. This means that yeast infection diets are comprised of foods that are alkaline in nature rather than acidic. If you have a candida infection, your goal is to decrease the acid in your system and increase the alkaline level. Foods high in acid like tropical fruits and tomatoes, say natural health practitioners, can worsen a yeast infection. To re-set or maintain the alkaline level in your vagina, eat proteins and carbohydrates like fish, chicken, pasta, bread and rice. This type of yeast infection diet gives you the food groups that you need to maintain over-all health.
Herbal medicine practitioners advocate yeast infection diets to prevent and treat candida over-abundance. In addition, they recommend the use of herbal supplements in conjunction with the diet. Echinacea, olive leaf,
lapacho, and usnea are the herbs most often recommended by herbalists.
As part of a yeast infection diet, daily use of cranberry juice or herbal capsules is quite controversial. Cranberry products are readily available in drug and health food stores. The quandary is that, as a fruit,
Many yeast infection diets do include the daily use of cranberry products.
What is a Yeast Infection?
Vaginal yeast infections, also called Candida vaginal infections or candidiasis, are common and easily treated in most women. They are usually caused by an overgrowth of a fungus (genus: Candida) that lives in the body. Candida is always present in the vagina, mouth and gastrointestinal tract in small amounts, and normally it is kept in check by the body's own resistance and competition with other beneficial organisms. However, when an imbalance occurs, Candida can multiply and symptoms of candidiasis appear. It is unclear whether yeast infections are sexually transmitted, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIADD).
During a lifetime, 75 percent of all women are likely to have at least one vaginal Candida infection, and up to 45 percent have two or more, but these can be treated quite easily.
Vaginal yeast infections are the second most common cause of cases of abnormal vaginal discharge in the United States (the first is bacterial vaginosis). Women tend to be more susceptible to vaginal yeast infections
if their bodies are under stress due to poor diet, illness, lack of sleep and when they are taking antibiotics or corticosteroid medications.
Occasionally, a yeast infection may be an early sign of diabetes.Yeast infections may be more common around the time of a menstrual period. In a normal menstrual cycle, estrogen deposits glycogen (a form
of sugar) in the cells that are found in the lining of the vagina. The release of progesterone causes the cells to shed into the vagina, so the sugar becomes available for yeast to feed on, multiply and grow. Estrogen and sugar production peak at the midpoint between periods, and then progesterone begins to build and sugar is released.
Yeast infection symptoms can follow the hormonal pattern of this cycle. Usually, the most severe symptoms occur before the onset of a woman's period when more sugar is available. During and after the flow, symptoms are likely to subside. Additionally, changes in the vaginal pH can disrupt the immune system or destroy the so-called friendly bacteria that populate the vaginal canal and keep the yeast fungus in check.
During a lifetime, 75 percent of all women are likely to have at least one vaginal Candida infection, and up to 45 percent have two or more, but these can be treated quite easily.
Vaginal yeast infections are the second most common cause of cases of abnormal vaginal discharge in the United States (the first is bacterial vaginosis). Women tend to be more susceptible to vaginal yeast infections
if their bodies are under stress due to poor diet, illness, lack of sleep and when they are taking antibiotics or corticosteroid medications.
Occasionally, a yeast infection may be an early sign of diabetes.Yeast infections may be more common around the time of a menstrual period. In a normal menstrual cycle, estrogen deposits glycogen (a form
of sugar) in the cells that are found in the lining of the vagina. The release of progesterone causes the cells to shed into the vagina, so the sugar becomes available for yeast to feed on, multiply and grow. Estrogen and sugar production peak at the midpoint between periods, and then progesterone begins to build and sugar is released.
Yeast infection symptoms can follow the hormonal pattern of this cycle. Usually, the most severe symptoms occur before the onset of a woman's period when more sugar is available. During and after the flow, symptoms are likely to subside. Additionally, changes in the vaginal pH can disrupt the immune system or destroy the so-called friendly bacteria that populate the vaginal canal and keep the yeast fungus in check.
Yeast Infection Diagnosis
Candidiasis Yeast Infection Diagnosis
Most physicians can diagnose a candidal infection without laboratory tests. Occasionally, if the infection won't go away or involves the entire body, more extensive tests may need to be performed.
* The only definitive way to diagnose a vaginal yeast infection is to complete a full gynecologic exam.
o This exam includes a speculum exam, using a specialized instrument to hold open your vagina. The exam can be uncomfortable because of pressure against the tissues. The health care practitioner will take a swab of the discharge, which is usually a yellow or whilte clumpy discharge, and may obtain other cultures to rule out other diseases. The swab for yeast will be mixed with a drop of potassium hydroxide and will be placed on a slide. If yeast are present, a specific branching pattern will be seen through the microscope.
o The doctor then may insert two fingers into your vagina and gently press on your uterus, ovaries, and surrounding areas to check for any tenderness or other problems. The health care practitioner also may take blood and urine specimens after this exam. You should not douche or have sexual intercourse 1-2 days before the exam, because doing so may make the diagnosis more difficult.
* In healthy children and adults, a quick exam in the mouth or of the skin usually confirms the diagnosis of candidiasis. If there is any confusion about the diagnosis, the health care practitioner may obtain a small scraping of the area, which will be placed on a slide with potassium hydroxide and examined for a branching pattern consistent with yeast.
* In people with weakened immune systems, oral, vaginal, and skin candidal infections usually can be diagnosed by sight. When a person becomes sick, the health care practitioner may perform more invasive
tests to confirm the diagnosis. Specimen collection may be necessary to check for Candida in the blood and urinary tracts. People with catheters may have their catheters changed and the catheter tips sent for culture.
If a CT scan or MRI indicates candidiasis of the brain, health care practitioners may take a biopsy to distinguish between Candida and other diseases. Usually health care practitioner give IV medications for
serious systemic infections.
Most physicians can diagnose a candidal infection without laboratory tests. Occasionally, if the infection won't go away or involves the entire body, more extensive tests may need to be performed.
* The only definitive way to diagnose a vaginal yeast infection is to complete a full gynecologic exam.
o This exam includes a speculum exam, using a specialized instrument to hold open your vagina. The exam can be uncomfortable because of pressure against the tissues. The health care practitioner will take a swab of the discharge, which is usually a yellow or whilte clumpy discharge, and may obtain other cultures to rule out other diseases. The swab for yeast will be mixed with a drop of potassium hydroxide and will be placed on a slide. If yeast are present, a specific branching pattern will be seen through the microscope.
o The doctor then may insert two fingers into your vagina and gently press on your uterus, ovaries, and surrounding areas to check for any tenderness or other problems. The health care practitioner also may take blood and urine specimens after this exam. You should not douche or have sexual intercourse 1-2 days before the exam, because doing so may make the diagnosis more difficult.
* In healthy children and adults, a quick exam in the mouth or of the skin usually confirms the diagnosis of candidiasis. If there is any confusion about the diagnosis, the health care practitioner may obtain a small scraping of the area, which will be placed on a slide with potassium hydroxide and examined for a branching pattern consistent with yeast.
* In people with weakened immune systems, oral, vaginal, and skin candidal infections usually can be diagnosed by sight. When a person becomes sick, the health care practitioner may perform more invasive
tests to confirm the diagnosis. Specimen collection may be necessary to check for Candida in the blood and urinary tracts. People with catheters may have their catheters changed and the catheter tips sent for culture.
If a CT scan or MRI indicates candidiasis of the brain, health care practitioners may take a biopsy to distinguish between Candida and other diseases. Usually health care practitioner give IV medications for
serious systemic infections.
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