When treating yeast infection for the first time, most people with it use prescription or over-the-counter topical medications. But for many people, the infection just comes back at a later stage. Recurrent yeast infection can occur because these drug-based medications only attack the local symptoms, not the root cause. Many of these disappointed sufferers have turned to simple home remedies like yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and garlic. Find out here how these home remedies could help with your yeast infection.
To understand how treating yeast infections with yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and garlic can be beneficial, it will be helpful to know the causes of yeast infections first.
The culprit is a yeast-like fungus called Candida Albicans that resides in most of us quite naturally. But it usually doesn’t cause any harm due to the ‘good’ bacteria in your body keeping it in check. However, Candida fungi can sometimes multiply and “grow too large.” When this happens, it causes the symptoms of yeast infection. So any treatment has to address Candida fungi.
And so on to the 3 simple home remedies to treat yeast infection; yogurt, apple cider vinegar and garlic: –
Yogurt
Treating yeast infections with yogurt is a very popular remedy. But it has to be simple, no sugar, no fruit or added color. It should also be labeled as containing ‘active cultures’ or ‘live cultures’ or similar. One of them is Lactobacillus acidophilus, which we recognize as a “friendly” bacteria that helps prevent the overgrowth of Candida fungi.
Apply the yogurt directly to the affected area, eg. Eg lips and vulva. For the inside of the vagina, simply soak a tampon in the yogurt and let it sit overnight, repeating every night until the symptoms are gone. Eat yogurt every day to build up the good bacteria in your intestinal tract.
Apple cider vinegar
The apple cider vinegar for treating yeast infections has to be the raw, untreated, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar that you get from health food stores and perhaps some grocery stores. It contains good things like enzymes, trace elements and minerals, etc. It works to rebalance the body’s pH, helping to contain the growth of Candida fungi.
Drink a glass of water with 2 teaspoons of vinegar 3 times a day. Shower your vagina with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of vinegar in 2 quarts (2 liters) of warm water. Alternatively, sit in a warm shallow bath containing 2 cups of vinegar for about 20 minutes or more. Repeat 2 times a day until your symptoms disappear.
Garlic
Raw garlic is a natural antiseptic packed with vitamins and minerals. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. It is ideal for eliminating the itchiness and discomfort of yeast infections.
Eat it raw if you can, cooking takes away some of its natural potency. Apply a raw and peeled clove pulp on the affected area. Internally, insert a peeled tooth into the vagina and leave it overnight. Many women prefer to put on a tampon by wrapping a bare tooth in muslin or similar and inserting it. Repeat every night until your symptoms are eliminated.
These remedies are some of the most popular home remedies that people use to treat yeast infections. But because yeast infection is a complex condition, you need to address not only the symptoms, but also the root cause and underlying conditions, such as diet and lifestyle, that can “trigger” Candida overgrowth.