Yeast infections are very common and are also known as thrush or candidiasis. A yeast infection is not life-threatening, but it is important that we know how to cure a yeast infection, as three-quarters of all women will have a yeast infection at some point. Anyone who has experienced a yeast infection knows that the symptoms cause a lot of distress. It’s not just the physical symptoms that cause distress, but also how it affects you emotionally. When you experience symptoms, you may become depressed. Yeast infections also prevent you from enjoying a healthy sex life.
AVAILABLE CURES
Some women are lucky enough to experience only one yeast infection in their lifetime, while others are plagued by ongoing bouts. For rare occasions, there are some over-the-counter antifungal medications that are offered as a cream or suppository. These include Miconazole, Femstat 3, Monistat-1, Canasten, and Lotrimin. You may need to get a prescription for something stronger if over-the-counter medications aren’t effective. These medications may include Diflucan, Nystatin, and Terazol.
If your yeast infection keeps coming back regularly, it’s usually a sign that there’s an internal imbalance. This could be an immune system deficiency or a problem with your digestive system. In persistent cases, yeast infections respond best to natural solutions and lifestyle changes. Prescription and over-the-counter medications do little more than offer a Band-Aid solution to the problem and provide temporary relief at best.
So what else can you do? First look at your diet. Yeast is found naturally in the body, but if we eat the wrong foods, the yeast can grow to unhealthy levels. Therefore, we must starve the fungi by removing their food source. We can do this by avoiding the sugars that yeast thrive on. Most processed or refined foods, alcohol, vegetable oils, milk, white flour, and white bread are foods that feed a yeast infection.
Two cloves of garlic per day are beneficial as garlic is a natural antifungal and has the ability to kill yeast fungus. Also eat at least one cup of plain yogurt every day. Yogurt replenishes the healthy probiotic bacteria in the gut that prevents the spread of Candida. Yogurt should contain live cultures of bacteria called Lactobacillus acidophilus, which are the friendly bacteria that help control the growth of yeast in the intestines and vagina. Yeast infections are less likely if we have a good amount of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt can also be used externally by dipping a tampon in the yogurt and inserting it into the vagina. It is best to leave it in the vagina for 4-5 hours and do it daily for 7 days.
All of the B vitamins are important, so eat whole-grain (not white) bread, brown (not white) rice, sunflower seeds, and lentils. For zinc eat eggs, sardines and pumpkin seeds.
Coconut oil also has antifungal properties. Several essential oils including lavender, myrrh, patchouli, tagates, tea tree, and thyme have antifungal properties and can be added to a bath (do not use essential oils if you are pregnant). Apple cider vinegar is another remedy that can be added to a bath. Put 2 cups of apple cider vinegar in a warm bath that covers your groin but no deeper than your navel, then draw your knees up to your chest and sit for at least 15 minutes. Apple cider vinegar can also be taken internally, at least 2 teaspoons in a small glass of water daily. Using apple cider vinegar alone will not cure Candida, but it will certainly help if you can tolerate the vinegar.