Recurrent Yeast Infections GONE! Recognizing Progress!

Lysol was once marketed as a douche

I decided to visit a health site which I am a member of, and I clicked on my user name to check out my profile and see if any changes needed to be made and make sure that my blog link was there, etc etc etc…

To my astonishment, an edit needed to be made, and a good one at that!  I got to cross out a common ailment that I usually suffered from on a regular basis!  How did THAT happen?

It felt good to strikethrough that particular common ailment of mine, and I wanted to share my progress here.

No more recurrent yeast infections for me! How did I do it?  Well, I’m not exactly sure, but I think it has something to do with better personal hygiene and not using vaginal cleansers as often as I used to.  I’m not talking about douching, which I rarely ever do (maybe once a year, if that!), but using over the counter vaginal soaps which contain glycerine (sugar, which feeds yeast!).  While I do use it on rare occasions when I’m feeling particularly gross down below (LOL – sorry if that grosses you out, just being honest), I rarely do and often just use a wash cloth with warm water in the shower or just focus on rinsing the area in the shower.  I also use sensitive formulated baby wipes from time to time to stay fresh, particularly while menstruating.

So, even though I’ve actually upped my sugar intake (BAD, JENNIFER!!), the fact that I’m not applying sugary soaps to the genital region is making a huge difference.

What else do we use that contains sugar?  Well, many over-the-counter vaginal moisture products and lubricants contain glycerin (sugar), such as K-Y products.   Again, as I said before, this FEEDS YEAST, so the more you use, the more likely you are to get frequent yeast infections, especially if you’re prone to them.  So before stocking up on the Monistat creams and inserts, consider what you may be using that is creating the fungal growth in the first place.

There are many personal lubricants that you can find from adult party consultants that don’t contain glycerin.  There are also lubricants available online that are glycerin and paraben free, such as Passion Natural Personal Lubricant Paraben Free, Glycerin Free Lube available at Amazon.com.  This product will give you the moisture you need without the yeast growing sugar, often found as the second ingredient in lubricants and feminine wash products.

Eating or drinking yogurt and kefir products will also help to prevent yeast infections, as the beneficial bacteria, such as acidophilus, help keep your gut flora balanced, preventing the overgrowth of yeast in the body.  You can easily pick these up in the dairy section of your grocery store.

Update Jan. 26, 2012

Since I posted this article about yeast infections, I still haven’t had a single infection, all because I discontinued use of glycerine containing vaginal washes and lubricants.

However, for some women, this may not be enough to prevent and treat yeast infections.  Additionally, medical intervention doesn’t always help either.

If you’ve been taking a prescription oral medication or have been using over-the-counter yeast infection treatments and still have recurrent yeast infections that your doctor hasn’t been able to effectively treat or prevent, it may be time to go in a different direction by altering your lifestyle.

There are many natural remedies that may help:

Probiotic vaginal washes,

Eliminating certain foods from the diet, such as gluten and citrus,

Understanding the role of antibiotics and birth control in recurrent yeast overgrowth.

If you’d like to learn more, you may way to look into the Yeast Infection No More Yeast Infection Cure to learn about how natural remedies, food and medication avoidance, and how candida (yeast) behaves to empower yourself to treat and prevent yeast infections for good.