Woman World Web

June 23rd, 2009 by Alana Tsirella

It may not kill you but a yeast infection can be really irritating. Yeast infection afflicts more women than men simply because of physical differences.

If you are a women that has been pregnant then it is more than likely that you have experienced a yeast infection. It seems to be one of those unwelcome things that just happens at this time!

Although you may think that home cures for yeast infection are not a good option you should remember that women have been using these for years, so there must be something in that.

The cause of yeast infections is a fungus called candida albicans and although it is resident in the human body it is usually kept in check by a resident bacteria called Lactobacillus acidophilus. It is when it is allowed to get out of control and overgrow that a yeast infection is the usual result.

It is when this bacteria is killed or reduced that you will experience a yeast infection.

Here is a short list of reasons as to why Lactobacillus acidophilus may be killed or reduced:

Medications like steroids, broad spectrum antibiotics and birth control pills invariably destroy this bacterium and create an unbalance in the vagina.

Changes caused by pregnancy affect hormone levels which in turn lead to alterations in the acidity of the body causing the death of this bacterium.

Unfortunately one of the side effects of having sexual intercourse is to upset the balance of pH in your body which can trigger yeast infections if you are prone.

Tight jeans and clothes can cause increased sweating which can also cause yeast infection.

An improvement in your susceptibility to yeast infections can be cheaply had by not applying products to the skin that are heavily scented. Seek out non perfumed varieties instead.

Home cures for yeast infections may take longer to work initially but the thought of being free of the complaint forever has a certain appeal.

1. Apple cider vinegar is quite effective if you dab the affected area with a generous amount for a few days regularly and see the difference.

2. Garlic is a natural antibiotic which can help in curing the infection completely. If you can, then eat raw garlic for some days. Its quite effective.

3. Yoghurt or curds are also pretty effective as home cures for yeast infection. Since curds have lactobacilli, they can help in restoring the vaginal balance. All you need to do is to insert a tampon soaked in curds into the vagina and keep it for a couple of hours. Repeat this treatment twice or thrice in a day and see the difference.

4. Some people say that drinking buttermilk every day helps them to keep infections away.

5. Why not try drinking cranberry juice as an overall healthy supplement?

6. It is easy to forget but simply drinking water on a regular basis can help to cleanse your body of many toxins including thise produced by or responsible for infections.

7. Sugar needs to be completely eliminated if you are prone to yeast infections. Yeast thrives on sugar hence avoiding all kinds of chocolates, sweets and fruit juices can help you to get rid of yeast infection.

Hopefully this article has given you a good understanding that not all cures need to come from the pharmacy, there are many natural alternatives in addition to the above.