Yeast infections don't necessarily need synthetic medication; they can often be cured through dietary changes.
Ever feel like your mouth has a coating on it, or that you can't seem to stop the itch between your toes? Chances are you could have candidiasis, the name given to the condition that occurs in the body when the good bacteria in your body don't keep Candida albicans in check. Candidiasis, more commonly known as a yeast infection, can take a variety of forms, from jock itch and vaginitis, to weak nails, diaper rash and fatigue.
Instructions
Change Your Diet
1. Replace carbohydrates and other sugary foods with proteins such as meat and fish. Yeast grows by fermenting sugar, so the more sugar you eat, the more there is to feed the yeast. If you already are experiencing a yeast overgrowth, the effects of sugar in the diet will be more pronounced.
2. Eat fresh vegetables that do not contain starch.
Avoid starchy vegetables such as potatoes and carrots; instead, eat green leafy vegetables. Starch contains sugar, and sugar feeds yeast. Green leafy vegetables do not. Also avoid sugary fruits such as melon and grapes; instead choose apples, but keep all fruit intake to a maximum of two pieces a day.
3. Garlic and ginger naturally fight the bacteria that causes candidiasis.
Use lots of garlic in your cooking. Garlic has long been used to treat candida. Visit the natural section of your pharmacy to see other ways to include garlic in your diet such as oil, infusion and tablets.
4. Herbs such as lemon balm have anti-fungal properties.
Cook with lemon balm, rosemary, marjoram and thyme. These herbs help create a natural environment in which yeast will not thrive.
5. Plain yogurt with no added sugar can help fight the yeast bacteria.
Eat lots of plain yogurt. The kind with added probiotics is best. Probiotics are a dietary supplement that is made of beneficial micro-organisms. The best ones to fight yeast are those that contain one of the following three bacteria: lactobacillus, bifidobacterium and acidophilus. These will fight off the yeast-generating bacteria. Be sure to buy plain unsweetened yogurt, though.
6. Use ginger in your cooking; ginger has natural anti-fungal properties, and will fight the yeast. You also can drink ginger tea to help promote healing.
7. Drink as much water as you can. Water is a natural way of flushing out the body. The more water you can drink, the more it will clean out the nooks and crannies where nasty bugs can take root.
Curing a Mouth Yeast Infection at Home
8. Gargling and rinsing your mouth with a saltwater mixture will help cure thrush.
Use a mouth rinse made of 8 oz. of warm water and 1/2 tsp. salt. Spit out the rinse. Salt makes your mouth an inhospitable place for yeast to live. Use this rinse twice or three times a day.
9. Drink cool liquids and lots of water; these will soothe the mouth and discourage growth of the yeast. Yeast thrives in warm moist places. Cooling the mouth not only feels good, but makes it more uncomfortable for the yeast. Drinking lots of water flushes toxins from your mouth.
10. Avoid anything sugary or starchy. Sugar feeds yeast, and starch contains sugar. Starve the yeast of its favorite food.
At-home Medical Treatments
11. Ask your pharmacist about medications that do not require a doctor's prescription. There are many types of remedies that pharmacists can offer without a doctor's referral. Many pharmacists, for example, will be happy to discuss dietary options with you, as well as over-the-counter medicines.
12. Anti-fungal creams can be an effective way of curing candidiasis.
Apply topical creams such as miconazole, clotrimazole or butoconazole. Your pharmacist can help you choose the right one. These creams contain anti-fungal agents that search out the culprits and destroy them. Once you have chosen the cream, follow the package directions exactly, and never stop the treatment early because your symptoms have gone away. You may need the full course to restore the proper balance of good bacteria and prevent a recurrence.
13. Use pure tea tree oil. Moisten a tampon with a mixture of 1 part tea tree oil to 20 parts water. Insert and leave overnight. Alternatively, use a cotton ball and gently dab the area; this is especially effective for athlete's foot or jock itch. You also can gargle with a few drops of tea tree oil mixed in 2 tbsp. of water if the yeast has settled in your mouth.
Tags: your mouth, fight yeast, anti-fungal properties, contains sugar, feeds yeast