Natural Cures for Yeast Infections
Treating yeast infections is tough. Not only can it be embarrassing to deal with an infection in such a personal area, but it's hard to know exactly how to get rid of it. Maybe you've tried over-the-counter or prescription medications and found that they were ineffective or had bothersome side effects. Or, maybe they treated the infection temporarily, but once you stopped the medication it came right back.
Thankfully, there are many natural remedies for yeast infections available that don't just put a bandaid on the infection, but get right to the root cause by boosting your immune system and changing the environment that caused it in the first place. Even better, you can treat yourself from the comfort of your own home, and you don't have to run to the pharmacy first!
Spot Treatments
A great natural remedy for yeast infectiosn is to use essential oils that are known to have antiseptic properties. You can use these oils as a spot treatment by mixing a drop or two of essential oils into a container of skin lotion and applying it to the affected area. Tea tree oil is the most popular one to use. Make sure to dilute tea tree oil sufficiently before using, as it can be irritating to sensitive areas. Mixing a few drops into lotion, jojoba oil or lubricating jelly will do the trick.
A saltwater bath is another great natural remedy. Yeast and salt do not get along at all, but most healthy skin microorganisms can handle it. The saltwater should be quite concentrated, almost to the point of saturation, for it to be most effective. After getting out of the bath, allow the area to sit for a few minutes before washing and drying off.
It should be no surprise that one of the world's superfoods-- garlic-- can be a fantasic home treatment. Raw garlic has tremendous antifungal and anticeptic properties. You can mash up fresh garlic and mix with lotion to apply to the affected area, or even create a vaginal suppository by wrapping unwrapped garlic cloves in cheesecloth or gauze before inserted into the vagina (you can leave it in overnight). If you're not a fan of using garlic topically, it also helps to eat a lot of garlic, or to use garlic supplements.
Take care of your health!
Yeast is an opportunistic infection; it tends to attack where your natural defenses are low and it has space and time with which to work. You can make these factors work for you by paying attention to the wellness of your body a as whole.
Use proper hygiene
Make sure to clean and bathe properly. When you shower, cleanse your entire body thoroughly, and dry yourself off so you don't create any new, moist resting places for the yeast to settle. If you have a supply of essential oils, add a few drops of something rich in antiseptic agents, such as tea tree oil, a citrus oil, or eucalyptus to your bath. It will create a pleasing perfume and gently cloak your body with its protective properties.
Manage your diet
The greatest natural remedy for a yeast infection is to use diet and nutrition to your advantage- after all, you have to eat, so why not eat foods that nourish your body and reduce the concentration of yeast in the body? This is called the anti Candida diet. This means drastically reducing your sugar and starch intake so that the yeast has less of a food supply to feed on. If you are feeling brave, fast for a few days in order to drop your blood sugar even further. Try to consume foods that support your immune system, such as citruses rich in vitamins, dairy products in limited amounts (too much dairy will create lactose reserves your unwanted guests can eat), and lots of proteins and fresh vegetables in lots of different colors. Using a diet like this can help you recover faster by starving the Candida out while you push your immune system into action.
Stay hydrated
Drink as much water as you can stand. You will have to urinate more often, but your body will have a lot of help flushing out toxins, wastes, immune system byproducts, and so on. Staying hydrated also improves your circulation and allows more immune cells to reach the affected area from the bloodstream, helping you to heal faster with a one two punch of cleansing and immune action.
