Natural Solutions For Yeast Infections

Yeast infections affect most women at some point in their lives.

It can be an embarrassing topic, and you might feel like you’ve done something wrong.

However, it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with your habits, sexual or otherwise.

While briefly limiting, it’s possible to do a simple naturopathic detox plan to help your body rebalance itself.

I’m Dr. JJ, a Toronto naturopath, and on today’s blog we’re talking about yeast infections.

Let’s take a closer look.

Or, if you’d prefer, you can watch my video below on natural treatments for yeast infections.

What Is a Yeast Infection?

Most times that I have a patient come to me, it’s usually for a vaginal yeast infection, which is extremely common.

Most people assigned female at birth will experience a yeast infection in their life.

But what exactly is a yeast infection?

A yeast infection is a type of fungal infection that can cause uncomfortable symptoms of the vagina and vulva.

Yeast infections happen as a result of chronic stress, a compromised immune system, and others.

RELATED: Chronic stress naturopathic doctor

One thing to keep in mind is that it can also be transmitted to and from a sexual partner.

This is true regardless of your partner’s gender, as well.

If a yeast infection keeps coming back every time you treat it, you may be getting it from your partner.

Some healthcare professionals will describe a “whole-body yeast infection” called candida.

However, that’s actually more of a gastrointestinal imbalance than a yeast issue.

How Do Antibiotics Affect Yeast Infections?

Sometimes we need antibiotics to help in the treatment of certain health conditions.

But the bad news is that these kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad, causing an imbalance.

So first, you need to treat the issue with antibiotics, then you need to treat the imbalance with probiotics.

Take the probiotic a few hours after taking the antibiotic so that the latter doesn’t kill off the former.

That way you can stack the treatment so that you’re killing the bacteria you don’t want, and replacing it with good bacteria that you do want in your system.

After you’ve done your full course of antibiotics, you may want to then take a probiotic for a full month afterward to restore your system.

What Are Some Common Symptoms of a Yeast Infection?

Most women will notice an odor, itchiness, discharge, and pain during sexual intercourse.

For what people call candida, the symptoms might be gas, bloating, and itchiness around the anus.

Oral thrush may happen due to a compromised immune system as well.

This is basically a yeast overgrowth in the mouth.

It’s most common in babies, or those with HIV/AIDS or certain types of cancer.

RELATED: Intravenous Therapy For Fungal Infections

Can a Yeast Infection Be Passed to a Man?

Gentlemen, this may come as a surprise that I’m talking to you in an article about yeast infections.

But here’s the truth.

Men can have yeast infections, and pass them on to their sexual partners.

Men who are carriers are usually asymptomatic, and may not even realize they have a yeast infection.

It’s not uncommon for a man to get a yeast infection from his partner, experience no symptoms, and then repeatedly return it to her (or other partners) during subsequent intercourse.

So fellas, if your partner has recurring yeast infections, it’s worth having yourself checked to see if you’re a carrier.

RELATED: Men’s health naturopathic clinic 

How Do You Diagnose a Yeast Infection?

For men, the lab will grow cultures out of a urethral or seminal discharge to determine if there are yeast cells present.

For women, we would do a vaginal swab and look at it under a smear slide to discover any yeast cells.

For naturopaths who check for candida, they will sometimes do an oral swab, which will tell them if you have a bacterial imbalance in your system.

Yeast Infection Treatment Naturopathic Doctor

There are several yeast infection treatments naturopathic doctors can use.

They can sometimes resolve it on their own, and other times they can at least help with the traditional antibiotic solution.

Let’s take a closer look at some naturopathic treatments for yeast infections.

1. Probiotics

Probiotics are a great option for their ability to help balance your gut flora.

By ensuring your biome has plenty of good bacteria, it helps regulate and optimize so many of your bodily functions.

You can use oral probiotics easily, but in some cases, your naturopath may recommend you use vaginal suppositories.

Paradoxically, some probiotics act a little like an antibiotic.

For instance, healthy lactobacillus will secrete lactic acid to kill off bad bacteria.

There are also bactericides that act as antibiotics, killing off bad stuff while colonizing the good stuff in your gut.

2. Detox Diets

If a gut problem has to do with a parasite, we tend to just kill it off.

If it has to do with a bowel imbalance, though, it’s better to use probiotics to rebalance the bowel, and recommend a detox diet to help it along.

Yeast loves sugars to grow and reproduce.

So a detox diet for yeast infection generally includes cutting out all refined sugars, wheat, dairy and alcohol.

RELATED: The Most Common Toxins In Your Body

If your naturopath diagnoses you with candida and wants to put you on a candida diet, be warned that it’s a bit extreme and can cause you problems when coming off it.

This type of diet cuts out anything that could be or is fermented.

It’s designed to starve the body of any source of fuel for the candida.

How Long Does Naturopathic Treatment Last?

As for how long your naturopath recommends treatment, it depends on a case by case basis.

It can also depend on your overall health, and on how many courses of antibiotics you’ve taken over the course of your life.

There are other factors to be aware of that may lengthen your course of treatment.

For example, if you’ve got high stress levels, if you’re a smoker, if you have a poor diet, or if you’ve recently traveled to a foreign country.

RELATED: How To Reduce Your Stress, Naturally

Questions? Ask Dr. JJ

Don’t be afraid to reach out if you’re plagued by yeast infections.

Give us a call and book a consultation to explore your naturopathic options.

Yeast infections can be uncomfortable, but you don’t have to suffer with them.

There are plenty of natural remedies that can reduce your discomfort and help you be well again.

Book your appointment with me, Dr. JJ, today.