Home Remedies to Treat Yeast Infections

Most women have experienced the pain and discomfort of a yeast infection. In fact, 75 percent of women will have a yeast infection at some point in their lives. There are home remedies you can use to prevent and naturally treat a yeast infection when it does occur.

Significance
If you have a yeast infection, running to the drugstore for an over-the-counter treatment may not be the best idea. While the treatment will kill the yeast, some women have allergic reactions to the medications, and ultimately, the treatment will not address the cause of the infection. Yeast is a normal part of the vaginal canal, so yeast overgrowth is merely a symptom that there is an imbalance between the amount of yeast and the other "good" bacteria that help to keep yeast growth in check, or a symptom of a disruption in the pH of the vaginal canal. Chronic yeast infections may also indicate a weakened immune system.

Identification
Yeast infections result in a thick, white or yellowish discharge from the vagina. Not all women will experience a discharge, though--some will have intense itching in and around the vagina and labia, with reddened, swollen skin.

Prevention/Solution
Frequent use of antibiotics disrupts the normal bacteria in your body, including within the vaginal canal. Acidophilus or probiotic supplements replenish the healthy, normal bacteria in your vagina that help keep yeast growth in check. Look for encapsulated acidophilus supplements and take one capsule two to three times daily. Keep probiotics in the fridge to ensure potency.
Eat yogurt that is labeled as containing "active cultures" to replenish the health bacteria in your body and help prevent a yeast overgrowth. Watch out for yogurt that has added sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup.

You can also use a yogurt suppository to fight a yeast infection since yogurt provides beneficial bacteria that fight yeast growth. Use a tampon inserter to place a teaspoon of plain, natural yogurt into the vagina before you go to sleep.

Douching disrupts the normal bacteria and also changes the natural pH in the vagina. Women who douche more than three times a month are more than four times likely to have frequent yeast infections as a result. Keep douching to a minimum, if at all.

Considerations
Diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can also increase your risk of yeast infection. While the anti-yeast diet is an extremely difficult one to follow, and involves the avoidance of fruits, fruit juices, bread and other refined carbohydrates, and all sugars, you may find it beneficial to avoid as many of these foods as you can while treating a yeast infection. Reintroduce the foods gradually after your yeast infection clears.

Warnings
If you have frequent yeast infections, schedule a checkup with your doctor or gynecologist. You may not be suffering from yeast infections at all, but instead from a sexually transmitted disease like chlamydia or human papilloma virus, which cause similar symptoms, or from another potentially serious health condition such as diabetes.