Home Remedies to Fight Yeast Infections

Many people find that after a round of antibiotics they have a yeast infection. This happens because the antibiotic kills both the invasive bacteria and beneficial bacteria in the body. It isn't selective. Home remedies to fight yeast infections are inexpensive and quite effective. Most don't need special equipment.

Significance

• Understand that a yeast infection grows in moist areas. The scientific term for yeast is Candida and it's a fungus. Yeast occurs naturally on the skin and in moist areas like the mouth or vagina. When there is a balance between bacteria and yeast, everything works well but antibiotics and other factors can change that. If there are too few bacteria due to normal means or an antibiotic, then the yeast have no natural system of checks and balance and it creates a yeast infection. A yeast infection isn't really an infection but an overabundance of yeast.

Function

• Remember that antibiotics kill both friendly and invasive bacteria. Friendly bacteria are part of the system of checks and balance for your skin. If you destroy most of the bacteria in the body, there's nothing to keep the yeast in check and it takes over. This is a yeast infection. Don't despair; most yeast infections clear up with proper diet and use of a few home remedies.

Features

• Discover the marvels of yogurt. Yogurt has natural lactobacillus acidophilus. These bacteria are friendly bacteria found in the body. You eat the yogurt or apply it on the area that has the yeast infection. Make sure that you get plain yogurt with live bacteria and no flavor or sugar added. If you have a vaginal yeast infection, put it on the end of a tampon and insert the tampon. If you consume it, then just check to se if it contains the lactobacillus acidophilus or says live culture on the container. This can be any type of yogurt, flavored, whipped or fruit filled. Eat one container daily, at the same time each day. Continue for at least a week afteer the infection clears.

Considerations

• Use alternatives to yogurt. Some people just don't like yogurt or are lactose intolerant and can't eat it. If that's the case, use probiotics. One very simple home remedy to fight yeast infection from the probiotic category is acidophilus. Acidophilus comes in a variety of forms; tablet, liquid or capsules. Lactobacillus acidophilus if the bacteria found in yogurt. Look on the label to make sure that your acidophilus treatment doesn't contain milk solids if you're lactose intolerant. There are some unique benefits to taking the bacteria, it also boosts the immune system and helps clear diarrhea in addition to its role as a home remedy for yeast infections.

Warning

• Cease eating foods that contain yeast. If you take nutritional brewer's yeast, stop immediately. Hold off on breads and yeast-based products like bread, vinegar, cheese and alcohol. These counteract the effects of introducing friendly bacteria because they introduce more yeast.

Prevention/Solution

• Stay at home if you use garlic applied topically. You might end up smelling like the main course at an Italian restaurant. You can apply garlic directly to the affected area by taping a cut clove of garlic to the skin, applying the juice of garlic to the area or creating an insert if the yeast infection is vaginal. When you create the insert, remove the outer husk of the garlic clove, wrap it in gauze and tie it. Make sure you have enough gauze for a long insert. Lubricate the garlic/gauze and insert it into the vagina with the tail of the gauze remaining on the outside for easy retrieval. You can also apply the juice of a crushed garlic to a tampon and insert it. You can take garlic tablets, eat garlic or simply drink garlic juice. These are excellent ways to use it and avoid topical application. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties as well as other health benefits.

Potential

• Break out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is both antifungal and antibacterial because it releases oxygen as it works. Most yeast infections clear up when you apply it directly. If you have thrush, a form of yeast infection in the mouth, gargle with hydrogen peroxide.