Dairy & Yeast Infections

Women who experience yeast infections often may benefit from a change in diet. Certain foods, such as dairy products, can contribute to the overgrowth of yeast in the body, making yeast infections more frequent.

Lactose

• Lactose is the sugar that is found naturally in milk. When a woman's body is not able to metabolize lactose correctly, this can result in a yeast infection.

Mold

• Mold is present in a number of cheeses--this, along with the lactose in cheese, can break down the body's immune defenses, which can also cause yeast infections.

Sugar

• Although lactose is a sugar, milk is often mixed with other sugars to make desserts, which increases the chances of candidiasis (yeast infections) developing. Women who frequently get yeast infections may want to avoid yogurt with added sugar, ice cream or custards in order to keep a yeast infection from coming back.

Organic Dairy

• Using organic cheese and milk may lessen the chances of a yeast infection returning, since organic foods do not contain pesticides that can interfere with the function of the immune system.

Yogurt

• Although yogurt is a dairy product, eating plain yogurt or kefir can reduce the amount of candida albicans in the body in order to treat a yeast infection. Yogurt contains probiotics, which are friendly bacteria that aid in digestion and moving excess candida albicans from the body.