Vaginal yeast infection is an extremely common problem in today’s world. Learn how to balance vaginal yeast naturally with diet measures, homecare options, and whole herbs.
Every year, thirty million women get vaginal yeast infections. Chronic yeast infections are uncomfortable, put a real damper on sexuality, and may affect a fertility program for women.
What Causes a Yeast Infection?
Vaginal yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans, a common yeast, which normally lives harmlessly in the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary areas of the body.
However, if your immune response is reduced from rounds of antibiotics, steroid drugs, a high sugar diet, or chronic stress, the delicate pH of the vagina can lose its balance. In these cases, candida can multiply rapidly, feeding on excess sugars and carbohydrates in the digestive tract, leading to a yeast infection.
You should see a holistic physician for a definitive diagnosis, but homecare options are a good choice for gentle, natural support.
Yeast Balancing Diet
Your diet must simultaneously nourish your body while starving the yeast of the sugary foods that support its growth. A candida-balancing diet strengthens the body, enhances digestion and normalizes metabolism.
Nutritional Therapy Plan
- Keep the diet primarily fresh during healing. Have a large green salad with organic veggies every day. Keep meals light. Eliminate heavy starches, fatty foods, and refined sugars that burden digestion and feed yeast. Avoid red meats, alcohol, and excess caffeine while clearing yeasts.
- The best food choices for ongoing yeast balance: Fresh and steamed veggies (especially onions, garlic, ginger, cabbage, and broccoli), vegetable juices, organic poultry, seafoods and seaweeds, olive or coconut oil, eggs, brown rice, miso soup, tofu, white tea or green tea.
- Eat cultured foods 3-4 times a week – yogurt or kefir (8 oz daily). Research shows healthy cultures in yogurt may reduce vaginal yeast infections and bladder infections.
Homecare Options for Vaginal Health
Note: If you suspect you’re pregnant, consult with a physician before trying at home therapies.
- Do-it-yourself healthy douches: Try an apple cider vinegar vaginal douche twice a week to rebalance vaginal pH- 2 tbsp. to 1 qt. water. A gentle, diluted boric acid douche shows good results, too. Make up a douche using 1 teaspoon of boric acid powder (available at most drug stores) dissolved in 16 oz. of warm water. Use twice a week.
- Yogurt application: Apply a tablespoon of plain yogurt to the external parts of the vagina daily to relieve the itch and normalize yeast balance.
- Practice safe sex. Many infections bounce back and forth between partners. Avoid sex during an infection, or use barrier protection (condom).
- Yeast Arrest suppositories are a natural homeopathic, soothing formula for addressing yeast overgrowth in the vagina in just 7 days.
Rebalance Yeast with Whole Herbs
Antifungal herbs are a key choice for natural yeast balancing. They help cleanse yeast overgrowth and normalize the vagina.
Candida Balance caps include a blend of antifungal herbs like olive leaf extract, black walnut hulls, and pau d’arco that you can use to cleanse your body and support vaginal health. Rhodiola rosea and rosemary are also included in the formula to support brain health and mental energy.
Final Thoughts
Diet and lifestyle changes are important for proper vaginal yeast balance. Whole herbs and homecare options can also come to your rescue when weakened systems need support. A huge advantage to using natural therapies is they strengthen immune defenses and can make you feel better during the hard work of cleansing yeasts.
- Kontiokari T, Laitinen J, Järvi L, et al. Dietary factors protecting women from urinary tract infection. Am J Clin Nutr . 2003 Mar;77(3):600-604. Available at: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/77/3/600 . Accessed July 6, 2006.
- Abad & Safdar (2009). “The Role of Lactobacillus Probiotics in the Treatment or Prevention of Urogenital Infections – A Systematic Review.” Journal of Chemotherapy.
- “Vaginal yeast infection,” Medline plus, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001511.htm
Sarah has worked in the field of natural foods and herbalism for over 20 years. She’s the Co-Author of “Healthy Healing” with over 1 million copies sold, a Certified Herbalist, and a health and wellness consultant. Sarah Graduated from the Professional Herbal Studies program at East West School of Herbology, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from St. Mary’s College. Working with women on their journey to wellness is her passion and she loves to share what she has been blessed to learn from naturopaths and other herbalists over the years.
Ensuring a healthy diet can really prevent yeast infection to develop. I believe proper hydration would also be a big help.