Proven Diet Techniques to Prevent and Treat Yeast Infections

What Role Does Food Play In My Yeast Infection?

You may be puzzled by the connection between yeast infections and food. Simply put, what goes into your body must come out. If you eat a lot of sugary foods, the excess sugar will exit through the urine. Yeast, a normally beneficent fungus, can explode when fed a lot of sugar. Although everyone has some yeast, it must be kept in check. Once the yeast fungus is allowed to grow unhindered, it will most likely cause a yeast infection.

What Foods Should I Avoid?

Any foods that feed the yeast should be cut out of your diet. This means you should not eat any sweets; avoid the sweeteners used in most prepackaged foods as well as fruit. All grains are off-limits if you are following a strict version of this idea, even the whole grains we usually consider healthy. White bread, pies, pastas, tortillas, and sourdough are only some of the bread items you may have to do without. Do not eat anything with yeast in it. Mushrooms carry yeast, so avoid them.

Do not indulge in foods based on dairy. Cheese, milk, and flavored yogurt should be on your dont eat list. It is best to drink only water; you should definitely avoid alcoholic beverages, coffee, fruit juices (for the sugar content), and carbonated drinks. You should not eat sauerkraut because of its high amounts of vinegar, and all tomato sauces are best avoided. Do not eat anything that is high in vinegar. Avoid legumes, such as beans, and potatoes; these starchy foods turn into more sugar, which will only feed the yeast infection.

Is There Anything Left to Eat?

Now that the restrictions are out of the way, lets look at some of the foods that can help your yeast infection go away for good. Most dark green vegetables are good for you and can be eaten as you fight the yeast infection. Green beans, spinach, arugula, and brussel sprouts can all be enjoyed safely.

Garlic actually fights back against the yeast infection. You can eat it raw, incorporate it into a recipe, or even use it as a suppository. If it is placed in the vagina, it can act as a natural yeast-killer. Seaweed also keeps the yeast population from expanding. While seaweed can be eaten (and enjoyed) raw, you may prefer to use it as an ingredient is a recipe, such as soup. Most raw nuts are allowed, although peanuts are not a good choice. You may want to drink herbal teas or freshly squeezed lemonade to add a bit of variety to your mealtime.

If you want to dress up a salad, you can toss it with olive oil or an apple cider vinegar that remains unpasteurized. You should definitely eat plenty of yogurt; it contains acidophilus, a good bacteria that will help kill off the excess yeast.

By eating the right foods, your yeast infection can be eradicated.

A Proven Remedy for Yeast Infections

Yeast Infections Are Not Impossible to Kill

There is a remedy for yeast infections, which is great news for the 3 out of 4 women who will develop one eventually. There are several different types of remedies that you can easily use at home. Natural remedies are generally less expensive and just as effective as prescription drugs, and they rarely carry the same types of side affects.

Using Boric Acid

Boric acid can be used to help treat yeast infections. This is due to its antiseptic and antifungal qualities. Because a yeast infection is basically a fungus run amok, this makes boric acid a perfect tool for restoring the balance of your system. Boric acid has been shown to be just as useful as a prescription strength drug in killing off the yeast infection. This remedy is usually taken as a vaginal suppository, which means it is placed directly in the vagina rather than being taken by mouth and traveling through the bloodstream.

You can find boric acid at compounding companies that deal in natural remedies. Do be careful when using boric acid; it is known to be toxic if taken by mouth. Keep it away from open wounds or cuts, and use it only as directed. In some cases, boric acid appears to cause the vaginal area to burn or become irritated.

What Are Probiotics, and Do They Work?

Probiotics are a very good remedy for yeast infections. They are simply live bacteria that will naturally kill off the excess yeast and restore the balance of your body. The most popular and useful of the probiotics is Lactobacillus. Several forms of this nice bacterium can be used to treat yeast infections naturally.

If you want to use Lactobacilli to treat your yeast infection, you have the option of using it as an oral supplement or as a vaginal suppository. Acidophilus, a member of the Lactobacilli family, is the key ingredient that makes yogurt work! With this in mind, it makes sense to eat plenty of yogurt when battling a raging yeast infection.

Tea Tree Oil and Other Treatment Options

This oil is taken from the tea tree and has apparently helped with yeast infections. However, tea tree oil is too strong to use without first diluting it a good deal. There is some debate about the safety and value of tea tree oil when used in this fashion.

Garlic cloves are well-known warriors in the fight against yeast infections. They can even be used as suppositories, provided the cloves are first wrapped in something soft and porous before being inserted. If you need immediate relief, try using yogurt as a topical cream. Simply soak a tampon in unflavored yogurt that contains active cultures and insert it as usual. If you dont wish to use a tampon, you can simply wipe the yogurt on with a finger. According to folk wisdom, honey can be used in much the same way and can provide relief on contact.

Conclusion

As you can see there are several ways to treat reoccurring yeast infections. However, if the problem continues, you should see your Doctor, to be evaluated for possible other health problems which may contribute to the yeast infections. A proven remedy for yeast infections need not be complicated nor expensive.

What You Must Know About Yeast Infections in the Ears

What You Must Know About Yeast Infections in the Ears

What Causes this Infection?

A yeast infection in the ear can be very painful. We all have small amounts of yeast in our bodies at any given time. However, too much yeast leads to an infection that can become a major irritant. The ears are the perfect place for a yeast infection to form, because the yeast grows well in damp areas. The Eustachian tubes can support yeast infections at their openings; as anyone who has had an ear infection knows, this will be highly unpleasant.

Yeast and bacteria usually work in harmony with each other within the human body. The good type of bacteria that you have in ordinary circumstances kills yeast, keeping the yeast population under control. This system can get out of whack if you take antibiotics. Often, a person takes antibiotics to kill bacteria that are causing an infection in the sinuses or elsewhere. Unfortunately, the antibiotics kill the good bacteria, as well. This leaves a wide open door for the yeast to multiply and cause a raging yeast infection.

What Are the Symptoms?

If you suspect a yeast infection in either your ears or your childs ears, you must look for the right symptoms. Ear infections vary widely as to cause, so be sure that you know what you are treating before you start administering medication.

A yeast infection in the ear will cause an itchy feeling inside the ear and on any outside surface that is affected by the condition. There will most likely be a lingering soreness. Yeast infections often cause a white discharge, and the ears are not immune from this side effect. Some have said that the discharge is similar in appearance to the cotton you will find on the end of a swab.

If your child is too young to tell you what is wrong, you may notice him or her tugging at the ear. Often, children have difficulty sleeping when they have ear infections. Redness is a symptom that adults and children share. Children may cry or show other signs of distress, such as crankiness.

Yeast infections can also cause shooting pains in the affected ears.

How Can it Be Treated?

You should see a doctor to confirm that you or your child are indeed suffering from a yeast infection of the ear and not another type of ear infection. It is wise to seek medical help as soon as you suspect a yeast-based ear infection, as the condition can be quite painful if left untreated. Sometimes, a yeast infection can hitch a ride in the bloodstream and cause infections in other areas of the body.

Sometimes, it is hard for doctors to diagnose the ear infection correctly. This is due to the similarity of symptoms between a yeast infection and other ear infections. In most cases, children can get over an ear infection without having to take antibiotics. As already discussed, these medications can actually make a yeast infection worse.

What Risks Are Associated with an Untreated Yeast Infection?

Can My Yeast Infection Go Away Without Treatment?

A yeast infection can clear up eventually, but even so, the waiting time is extended and accompanied by all the usual pain. Most of the time, a yeast infection will cease when a womans period begins, because the blood causes much of the yeast to die.

Can I Become Infertile from an Untreated Yeast Infection?

No, the yeast infection has nothing to do with fertility. It is a fungal infection that affects tissues, but has no impact on the reproductive system. You cannot get cervical cancer from a yeast infection, either. These ideas are completely false, so dont spend any time worrying about them.

What Will Happen If I Leave My Yeast Infection Untreated?

You will have a much longer and more painful experience than if you had treated the infection. There are not very many occurrences of serious health issues arising from an untreated yeast infection. Some women who have repeated yeast infections suffer from this condition due to a pre-existing medical problem that is causing the infections to take place. If you have yeast infections very often (three times or more in one year), you would be wise to set an appointment with your doctor. It may be that just a few simple changes or a medication can help your life return to normal.

In some cases, an untreated yeast infection can lead to a blood condition known as sepsis, in which the blood is contaminated with bacteria. The bacteria then travel throughout the entire body; in effect, this is a form of blood poisoning. Although yeast infections rarely every lead to this disease, you should at least consider the possibility when deciding whether or not to treat your infection. Its really not worth the risk, especially when treatment is so simple and inexpensive. If you are unable to afford prescription medications, there are plenty of natural remedies that are proven to help fight the yeast infection.

If you find that you develop yeast infections three times or more each year, you may have a problem known as vulvovaginal candidiasis. This simply means that you are prone to have yeast infections and will probably continue to have them unless you seek medical assistance. Your doctor or a gynecologist can help you treat these recurring yeast infections.

So Should I Treat My Yeast Infection?

Yes, of course! There is no reason to let the yeast infection run its course, although it will likely die naturally during your next period. You have a choice between mainstream medicine, which will consist of prescription or over-the-counter medicines, and natural medicine, which will likely call for home remedies. Either way is effective. If you choose to make use of home remedies, make sure you do your research first. Some folk remedies are perfectly safe if they are applied in the correct manner, but can be quite hazardous if the user is unaware of the right way to use them.