There is just nothing good about a yeast infection. Anyone that’s ever had one can tell you that. If you’ve ever had one, you don’t need anyone to tell you that because you already know. We all basically know what causes yeast infections but it can be a bit harder to know how to prevent them and it can be even harder to know how to treat them – especially if you don’t want to mess around with medicated creams and similar store bought treatments. To understand how to treat yeast infections naturally, let’s first talk about what causes yeast infections and how to prevent them.
WHAT CAUSES YEAST INFECTIONS?
The vagina is an amazing thing when it’s working properly. There is a fine balance going on down there between all sorts of things that works to keep your vagina healthy. A yeast infection occurs when that balance is interrupted. You can actually get yeast infections in various places on your body including under the breasts, around nail beds, in folds of skin, and in your lower abdomen but for the purposes of this article, we’re just going to be talking about the vaginal kind as it’s the most common and often the most irritating.
Most vaginal yeast infections are called by a normal vaginal fungus called Candida albicans. So if the fungus is normal and typically found in the vagina how does it cause an infection? Good question and a simple answer. Candida is generally found in very small levels in the vagina. An infection occurs when that very small level increases. This refers back to the fine balance I mentioned earlier. When the level gets to high, an infection occurs.
A lot of things can contribute to that balance getting out of whack causing a yeast infection. The most common triggers for yeast infections include:
- Antibiotics: Because whatever illness you had to require antibiotics wasn’t bad enough.
- A High Sugar Diet: Yet another reason too much sugar is a bad thing.
- Stress: Have a high stress job? It could be making your downstairs itch.
- Birth Control: Vaginal yeast infections are quite common in women just starting out on birth control. Most women begin taking birth control because they want to have sex and sex while you have a yeast infection is not just painful but can spread the infection to your partner. Nature’s little joke? Perhaps.
- Pregnancy: Decided birth control wasn’t worth the risk of yeast infection? Make sure you have a back up plan because yeast infections during pregnancy are extremely common.
- Menstruation: Because there just isn’t enough about that time of the month that sucks already.
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