A yeast infection is a very annoying thing to have to deal with and causes a lot of discomfort. Symptoms like itching, burning and irritation worsen the longer the infection is untreated and all you want is relief. But just treating the symptoms is not going to solve the problem, you need to identify and deal with the root cause of the infection. By knowing these triggers you can take steps to prevent a yeast infection from happening again.
Other symptoms a woman may face are redness, swelling, and a discharge that is like cottage cheese. All of this is the result of Candida Albicans overgrowing in the body. This fungus lives there in small numbers and remains harmless unless it is able to over grow, due to an imbalance.
Conditions that encourage yeast growth are dampness and warmth, which is why it so common in the vagina. Take steps to make sure thee conditions are not there – wear loose clothing rather than tight so that air circulates and keeps your skin dry. Wear cotton underwear as cotton allows the skin to breathe and change them in the day when needed. Get out of wet clothing i.e no taking a dip in the pool and then sunbathing in a wet costume.
What you consume can have a big impact too. There are foods that can make you more susceptible such as eating a lot of sugar, as the fungus has a ‘sweet tooth’ and feeds on that. Refined and processed foods are also not good. Look for plain yogurt that contains Lactobacillus Acidophilus as this will keep the number of good bacteria in your body topped up, you could alternatively take probiotic supplements if you are not keen on yogurt.
Other things to avoid in order to prevent a yeast infection are antibiotics. These kill all bacteria in the body bad and good. Try to keep healthy with exercise, a good diet, fresh air and enough sleep. Also avoid using any perfumed products or sprays down there as these will upset the chemical balance, cause irritation and so trigger the overgrowth.
When using contraception remember that there are spermicides like Nonoxinol that can cause infection. Some condoms have spermicidal lubricant so read the labels. Also birth control pills can trigger a yeast infection as they upset the natural balance of the body’s hormones.
For more info on how to deal with candida, check out our yeast infection symptoms website, where you can find plenty of information on the subject. Today’s special: yeast infection during pregnancy