Easy Tips to Avoid A Yeast Infection

Whether you already have a yeast infection or you want to ward one off, there are several preventive measures you can take, beginning with your choice of clothing. Cotton breathes and prevents moisture buildup, so wear 100 percent cotton underwear. If you must wear panty hose, only wear those that have a cotton crotch. Although panty hose can be quite confining, you want to wear loose-fitting clothing whenever possible. Tight jeans and underwear promote infection. When it comes to the laundry, avoid enzyme-containing laundry detergents. It is also best to wash your underwear in hot water with chlorine bleach, as this kills any microorganisms that can cause vaginitis. To prevent any intestinal microorganisms from entering the vagina, always remember to wipe from front to back after using the toilet. And although we all like to smell nice, avoid use of bath oils, scented soaps, bubble bath, feminine deodorants, and douches.

Yeast infection, often referred to as Candida, affects most women at least once in their lives. It is caused by one of many types of fungi called Candida and other organisms normally found in the vagina, mouth, and digestive tract. These fungi/yeasts live in a delicately balanced environment that, when disrupted by use of antibiotics, birth control pills or steroids, stress, pregnancy, warm weather, a compromised immune system, or diabetes, can result in an infection. Obesity, prolonged exposure to moisture, and poor feminine hygiene may also cause yeast vaginitis. The telltale signs of yeast infections usually include an itchy red vulva and vagina, and an odorless, white, cottage-cheese-like discharge. Burning and pain with urination are common as well. One hint that a vaginal infection may not be caused by yeast is that bacterial and protozoan vaginitis are accompanied by a gray or yellow-green discharge that has an odor.

If you've taken antibiotics for more than two months at any time in your life without replenishing the friendly bacteria, it's very possible you could have a yeast problem. Sugar is candida's primary food. Refined carbohydrates, like white flour, also feed this yeast. Eat only small quantities of unrefined carbohydrates. And avoid refined sugar (and honey) entirely. Fluctuating hormone levels can trigger candida growth. A study published in the early 1990s found an association between high levels of progesterone and high candida levels. So if you're taking progesterone-even the natural kind-and you're not feeling well, this could be the reason. Ask your doctor to check your progesterone level and make sure it's not too high. You may have a little-known genetic predisposition that allows candida to flourish. Your immune system contains a protein that attaches itself to the sugars on candida cells. Then, cells that destroy bacteria and cell debris wipe out the yeast.

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