ask: Yeast Infection prevention???

Eat very healthily, mostly raw fruits and vegetables; keeps the right PH balance in the body.
Raw fruit and veggies have enzymes which keep you healthy. Cut down on meat and dairy.

Hi Chelsy

Thanks for your question and welcome!

Yeast is a good thing and is a natural part of the human body, but an overgrowth of yeast can cause a yeast infection which, as I'm sure you know, is annoying and uncomfortable.

There are many reasons for yeast infections. Due to their body chemistry, some women are just prone to them, no matter how healthy they are.

Swimmers sometimes get them from being in wet bathing suits a lot, and women who wear synthetic underwear or very tight clothing. Make sure that your underwear is made of cotton - or at least the crotch part is. Cotton allows the body to breath.

Some women are very prone to yeast infections if they take antibiotics. The reason for this is that the antibiotic kills the "good bacteria" in the body, as well as the bad stuff and without this good bacteria that normally keeps yeast growth at bay, the yeast can flourish. Eating yogurt can help with this as it contains the good bacteria helpful in keeping yeast to a healthy minimum and modify your carb and caffeine intake as well as eating fresh and healthy foods. Probiotics may help too - these are in yogurts as I said, and also newer yogurt drinks and smoothies.

Are you on birth control pills? These hormones can also encourage yeast growth. You may find that a different birth control method works better for you.

If you are prone to these infections, don't use any kind of "feminine hygiene" sprays or scented shower gels or other potential irritants. Use natural fibers as much as you can (like cotton) and don't use a douche! Those things are dreadful, unnecessary and do more harm than good. No woman needs to douche, it's a marketing tool by manufacturers to make women completely paranoid that they are not smelling like fields of lavender "down there". A woman's genital region should not smell, unless she has bad hygiene or an infection of some kind and all these "feminine deodorant" sprays and douches are bad - not good!
Also, another tip is to make sure you dry off properly after a bath or shower and if you're a swimmer, get out of your suit as soon as you get in the water (bring another dry suit to wear on the beach if you spend time on the coast).

Consider using a clothes washing detergent free of scents and dyes.

And there is medication to help, as I'm sure you know, if you do get a yeast infection.

I hope this helps - let us know if we can help you further - we wish you the best!

thank you so much for your comments. I actually already do all those things and don't do the ones I shouldn't. I maintain a good diet, stay away from sweats and eat fruits and vegetables not many dairy products other then yogurts but not very often. I am a little obsessed with hygiene. I take showers twice a day and use a fresh towel every time. I wear cotton underwear only and use nothing but water to clean the "area" so I am totally bummed that it doesn't help.. :( I was on a birth control pills but stopped taking them. I haven't taken any antibiotics in years.. so.. why is it still happening so often? What about those pills I wrote about earlier. Is taking one a day will prevent it?

Hi again Chelsy

You may be one of those women who are simply prone to yeast infections due to your body chemistry. It's just how you are made.

AZO is a homeopathic treatment that contains herbs and lactobacillus which is similar to the bacteria found in the vagina and the gut, so again similar to to what's in yogurt or probiotic drinks. So it's a bit like taking a probiotic in pill form.

We cannot recommend any kind of medication for you to take - just do your own research and take it from there. If you check reviews of AZO, many seem positive, although note the risk of side effects. No matter how "natural", nearly any supplement or medication can have a side effect.

Good luck to you - I have a friend who lives a very healthy life but also suffers from frequent yeast infections. If you do try the AZO, let us know how it worked for you!

Hi Chelsy,

One of the things I see with women who have chronic yeast infections is an over growth of yeast or candida in the gastrointestinal tract. We dont know the exact mechanism but anytime there is yeast in the vagina that continues to come back after treatment there is almost always an imbalance in the GI tract as well.

My suggestion to you is to visit a qualified Naturopathic Doctor in your area and look into getting tested and treated. www.naturopathic.org is a good resource for finding a qualified doctor in your area.

Good luck and let us know how things evolve.

I wish I had stock in the company I mention it so often. Jarrow makes a probiotic that is specific for vaginal balance called Fem-dophilus http://www.jarrow.com/product-391

This is a formulation from 10 years of study by a Dr. researchers Dr. Gregor Reid and Dr. Andrew Bruce. There are a few other companies that now make a vaginal health probiotic as well. You might try these and see if after a trial period they make a difference for you. I personally do not believe in the "science" of homeopathy so would not have confidence in them being helpful to prevent yeast infections.

I just saw a PBS special on probiotics, and taking them is also a good natural way to help with yeast infection prevention. The special got me interested in taking some, so I've been looking at a lot of websites, but I like www.renewlife.com the best so far. They have a great selection, and it's easy even for beginners like me to use because they make it easy to figure out which one is right for you. I believe they even have a special one to help with yeast control, but at the very least their blog might be of some help to you if you're looking for natural ways to prevent yeast infections!