Yeast infections are pretty common in both men and women. The most common thing about yeast infections is that no one likes to talk about them. They can be very itchy and will cause a great sense of discomfort, especially when we talk about vaginal yeast infections. Unluckily for women, yeast infection is pretty common.
New studies show that 75% of all women will have at least ONE vaginal yeast infection during the lifetime. The research also shows that around 45% of women have multiple cases.
In one of our previous articles, we mentioned that kefir has antibacterial capabilities. This means that this beverage can combat some of the stubborn bacteria. However, can kefir help with a yeast infection, in terms of prevention and remediation?
That’s something we’re going to discuss in this article.
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How Does Kefir Help?
Let’s cut to the chase right from the get-go. We’ve investigated kefir’s health benefits in our previous articles and we also mentioned its capabilities in fighting against some serious diseases. One of them is cancer but also a yeast infection. How does kefir stack against yeast infection? Well, pretty good! A vast majority of bacteria are usually contaminated in your digestive tract. Some are developed and contained in your urinary tract, skin or any other part of your body. Yeast infection means that your body’s natural bacteria is out of balance.
As the balance is now disrupted, numerous symptoms begin to emerge. We’ll talk about these symptoms in just a minute. Probiotics, as we all know, have a great number of good bacteria that can improve this state. While dairy products such as yogurt and food supplements with acidophilus and lactobacillus are great, many think that kefir is the best option. Doctors usually recommend dairy products for women with a yeast infection, which are then incorporated into diet including medication.
Kefir, with its great amount of good bacteria, can definitely help you get rid of the stubborn yeast infection. It may not cure it directly but if you drink kefir on daily basis, you can almost hundred percent make sure that you’re safe.
Diet for Yeast Infection
If you already have a yeast infection, the worst thing you can do is exacerbate it with a poor diet. In this modern day and age, people eat low-quality food. We’re busy and we don’t have a lot of time to prepare something healthy. Not to mention that lots of people think that healthy food is necessarily less delicious than junk food. If you eat a lot of sweet stuff like chocolate, donuts, and cakes, a yeast in your body will probably thank you. Yeast simply LOVES sugar.
Many people are turning to a Candida diet, which is a type of diet prescribed to people with Candida. However, any yeast infection can be mitigated with this type of diet. This diet implies that you need to stay away from white flour, rice, foods with simple sugar, and foods/drinks fermented with yeast. Maintaining such a diet can be very hard. Luckily, you can only decrease the number of certain foods and of course, drink kefir every day. By drinking kefir, you are protecting yourself from candida, eczema, thrush, as well as most of the sexually-transmitted yeasts.
Since fighting against yeast includes eating healthy fats and proteins, milk kefir is also a great solution. Milk has a lot of proteins and even a small amount of milk fat, which isn’t unhealthy. Just be sure to stay away from sugar. Sugar will make your bacteria grow even more in a short amount of time.
Symptoms and Causes of the Yeast Infection
Symptoms of yeast infection might not be prominent right away. However, there is one symptom that almost always indicates that there is a yeast infection – itching. Itching is the first symptom followed by swelling and redness around the vaginal opening since we’re talking about vaginal yeast infection, which is the most common. In some severe cases, you can even experience vaginal pain, which should alert you to visit the doctor.
Discharge from the vagina is a pretty common thing. However, the discharge caused by yeast is usually watery, thick, and has an unpleasant smell. On top of that, burning sensation during the intercourse or urinating is likely to occur. What causes yeast infections, then? Take a look below:
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Sex
Sexual intercourse is the most common way of getting a yeast infection. That’s why you should always have protection or communicate with your partner before engaging in sexual activities.
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Problems with the Immune System
Various immune system disorders can cause a yeast infection. However, your immune system can be further strengthened by drinking kefir on daily basis. A couple of studies showed that kefir has the ability to modulate and strengthen your immune system.
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Diabetes
There are two types of diabetes and both of them can produce abnormally high sugar levels in your body. Uncontrolled diabetes causes a significant increase in sugar levels which feeds the bacteria.
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Antibiotics
Antibiotics are a double-edged sword. They kill bad bacteria but they also kill the good one. This means that if you already have a yeast infection, you shouldn’t take antibiotics on your own. Be sure to consult your doctor before taking any kind of antibiotic.
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Hormonal Disbalance
Finally, we have to mention the hormonal disbalance. This can occur in pregnant women, menopause, and breastfeeding. These conditions alter the bacterial balance in the body which can cause problems.
Using Kefir Externally
You can even extend the kefir use not only to internal but also external and topical. In some cases, kefir can fight against bacteria when applied to the vagina, for example. In the case of vaginosis, inserting kefir inside the vagina can help to clear out the infection. Topical use is also possible. For example, if you have the labia irritation, you can apply it topically. The best way to do it is to apply it right before you sleep. Wear a pad and in the morning, rinse it off with cool water.
Eczema is another common cause of skin irritation that is characterized by redness and itching. Kefir can be applied directly to the skin and is known to mitigate this problem. However, the prolonged kefir therapy is recommended as it’s not going to help in a single use.
Nursing moms will also have to sometimes deal with thrush. Babies sometimes have oral thrush which can transfer to the breast when feeding. Applying kefir to the breast prior to feeding is a great solution. You can also wash your baby’s mouth if you put some of it on your finger and let it suck it.
Yeast Infection Prevention
Drinking kefir alone isn’t enough to take full measures in protecting yourself. To prevent a yeast infection, take care of these things:
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Always Wear Clean Underwear
Your underwear plays a crucial role in your genital health. Wearing your underwear for a couple of days is a good step towards ruining your health. Instead, you should change it every day, right after you take a shower. When it comes to the material, cotton underwear is always a great choice.
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Keep Yourself Clean
Keep yourself clean! After all, it’s your body. You don’t want to skip showering for two, three days or even a whole week, especially when we talk about women. The vagina is much more prone to diseases and yeast than a penis, which is why you should always use some hot water and unscented soap to keep this area clean.
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Avoid Tight Clothes
Women look more attractive in tight clothes but they aren’t that healthy and their use should be reduced when possible. When a pair of, let’s say jeans, is tight, it keeps your genitals warm and this warmness produces moist, which is a perfect ground for yeast.
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Change Pads and Tampons Regularly
Needless to say, changing your pads and tampons is of the utmost importance. I think that this doesn’t need more explanation.
To put things into perspective, a yeast infection can definitely be mitigated with the use of kefir. Whether you drink it or smear it over the place that’s infected with yeast, kefir is a well-known solution which shouldn’t be discarded. Since it’s a probiotic beverage, it can drastically improve yeast infection by affecting the infected part directly or by passing through your digestive tract and creating bacterial equilibrium.
Beware that if you have a serious yeast infection, you should still visit the doctor and take the prescribed medication. Kefir is known to improve the symptoms but it’s not officially the cure for the infection. Still, with the positive effect on your overall health and digestive tract, kefir remains one of the most powerful probiotics on the planet.
It’s also a great way to supplement your diet. It’s delicious, easy to make, and won’t cost you a fortune.
What are you waiting for? Drink up, value your life, and live healthily. It’s THAT easy!
