Yeast infections are every woman’s recurring nightmare! And rightly so, for yeast infections are more prone to occur in women than men. Caused by the Candida Albicans bacteria, yeast infections (also called as Candidiasis or just Candida) usually occur in dark, moist areas of the body.
These include the armpits, vagina, skin folds, lower abdomen, nail beds, dentures and the area under the breasts.One of the main reasons for yeast infection is excessive sweat glands which often create a favorable environment for the bacteria to multiply and spread. Other common reasons for the infections include age, improper hygiene and sexual intercourse with a partner who has been infected etc.
Effective Home Remedies for Yeast Infection in Women
Many women opt for OTC medications, suppositories and creams to treat yeast infections. Even though severe cases of yeast infections need to be treated with the help of a qualified physician, mild cases of the condition can be treated effectively at home with the help of the following remedies.
Drink Lots of Water
Nothing beats water when it comes to getting rid of pesky infections from the body. Water is considered as a miracle cure for almost every kind of infection out there and can easily treat yeast infections too.If you have yeast infection, drink at least 10 glasses of water every day. Your body would need to the extra water to flush out the harmful Candida bacteria and other impurities (including excess sugars which the bacteria feed on) contributing to the infection from the body.
Drinking plenty of water would make you urinate often and your body would take this as a good excuse to get rid of the infection and its symptoms along with the bacteria causing it.And what’s the best part of all this? Drinking water is absolutely safe, natural and devoid of any side effects. Follow this remedy religiously and you would start noticing positive results in no time at all.
Use Yogurt Both Topically And Internally
Did you know that yogurt contains plenty of bacteria too? Don’t be alarmed though for yogurt actually contains good bacteria that help fight off infections and the harmful organisms causing them.
Eating a cup of yogurt right before your meals is considered as a good strategy to treat a yeast infection. You can make your own yogurt at home or get some from a store. All you need to make sure is that you opt for the unsweetened variety. This is because the Candida bacteria usually feeds on the excess sugars in the system. Eating sweetened curd would increase the sugar content in the body and create a favorable environment for the bacteria to multiply and outnumber the good bacteria present in the yogurt.
The good thing about yogurt is that it can also be used topically to treat yeast infections. Rubbing some yogurt on the infected areas can kill the bacteria in these regions and curb the infection. If you suffer from a vaginal yeast infection, consider dipping a tampon in yogurt and then inserting it into your vagina for relief.
If you are averse to the idea, just rub some yogurt along the vaginal walls. Make sure you wipe off the yogurt after a couple of minutes as prolonged use can actually aggravate the infection instead of curbing it (by increasing the moisture content of the infected area).
Use Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar Along With The Mother
Just like yogurt, apple cider vinegar can be used both externally and internally to treat yeast infections in women. The antibacterial properties of apple cider vinegar would help fight off the Candida bacteria, and bring down the symptoms of the infection effectively.Just make sure that you use apple cider vinegar along with the mother as it is less processed and more effective. Plain white vinegar would actually aggravate the infection instead of treating it.
And make sure you dilute the vinegar before you apply it as it would burn the skin.The best option would be to add a cup of apple cider vinegar (remember, with the mother) to your bathwater and soak in it for about half an hour. If you can handle the taste, mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink it every day to get quick relief from yeast infections.
Put Your Faith in Garlic
The antibacterial and antifungal properties of garlic make it a frontrunner for effective home remedies that deal with yeast infections (and a whole lot of other infections and health related ailments as well).If you suffer from yeast infections frequently, trust garlic to help you out of the situation.
Crush a few cloves of raw garlic to form a paste and apply the paste over the infected areas to get rid of the infection as well the bacteria causing it.If it is a vaginal yeast infection you are dealing with, insert a clove of raw garlic inside your vagina at regular intervals to flush out the bacteria. Gulping down a few cloves of raw garlic every day would also help if you are ok with the smell that comes out of your mouth afterwards.
Follow Up These Remedies With Proper Hygiene
The remedies mentioned above for yeast infections would only work if you take extra measures to curb the reasons for the condition as well. Although there is nothing you can do about the age factor when it comes to dealing with yeast infection, you can take alternate measures to make ensure the effectiveness of these remedies in treating the condition and preventing recurrences.
Practicing proper hygiene is considered a must when you have a yeast infection. Make it a point to clean your body nicely when you bathe. Always dry your body with a towel after showering. And wear a good quality talcum powder after showering to prevent sweating.
Although it is considered wise to refrain from having sex when you have a yeast infection, you can compensate by showering immediately after sex in order to curb the infection from spreading to other parts of the body (and probably your partner as well).
Always wear cotton underpants which would not trap excess moisture near your private parts. Don’t lounge around in wet clothes for long periods (even swimsuits) and change into dry clothes as soon as possible.
