Itch, Scratch and Burn: How Women Cope
Yeast infection can be prevented in most cases. Wearing tight jeans, panty hose and nylon underwear increases the chance of yeast infections. Beware of underwear that have cotton crotches with an outer covering of nylon. Nylon doesn't allow the body to breath properly and causes the natural chemicals of the vagina to become imbalanced. Nylon underwear is a common factor in women who experience recurring yeast infections.
If you have a yeast infection, be sure to soak cotton underwear in a solution of bleach and boiling water. Regular or cold water washing will not kill yeast. If you wear the underwear again, it's possible for another infection to start.
Avoid all oral contraceptives and antibiotics when possible.
Never use scented or deodorant tampons or sanitary napkins, scented or dyed toilet papers, perfumed bubble bath or feminine deodorants if you experience recurring yeast infections.
Wipe with toilet paper front to back. Dry well after baths, showers, or swimming.
Avoid sexual intercourse until the yeast infection has completely disappeared. Men get yeast infections too and often don't realize it. The condition can be passed from one partner to the other. Though yeast infection is not a sexually transmitted disease, be sure to treat your partner if intercourse has taken place just prior to the appearance of symptoms.
Keep your immune system strong. Eat nutritious meals. Use only small amounts of refined sugar. Quit smoking. Get lots of exercise and take large doses of Vitamin C. Naturopaths recommend 3,000 mg daily for non-smokers in winter. Smokers should take 5,000 mg. In summer non-smokers should take a daily dose of 2,000, while smokers should take 3,000. You cannot overdose on Vitamin C. If your body doesn't use it, it will be eliminated in urine. Vitamins B and E also boast the immune system.
Yeast infections are not normal in healthy women. If you have recurring bouts, symptoms increase or fail to disappear when treated, be sure to see your family physician. The infections may be a sign of more serious health problems, like HIV, diabetes or sexually transmitted disease.
Remember to follow tips in this article to prevent the onset of yeast infections. An ounce of preventative is worth a pound of cure.
Author's Note:
Candida can also appear in the mouth (thrush) and stomach. Native Americans used raw mushrooms to treat these conditions. They believed that a fungus (mushrooms) could kill a fungus (candida.) However, if you
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