Yeast Infections: Natural Problem with a Natural Cure

By Sarah Rhodes

A vaginal yeast infection means that too many yeast cells are growing in the vagina . These infections are very common. Although they can bother you a lot, they are not usually serious. And treatment is simple.

Wearing tight pants can also create an environment that is perfect for yeast to grow. Wearing skirts whenever possible is the best way to avoid the problems that tight pants can create.

Perhaps the biggest contributing factor in the creation of yeast overgrowth, however, is the use, and overuse, of antibiotics. Although designed to kill "bad" bacteria (those that make us ill) antibiotics, to varying degrees, kill "beneficial" bacteria (those that keep us well, such as the digestive bacteria in our intestines.) Any use of antibiotics will kill off some good bacteria and prolonged and overly aggressive use of antibiotics can cause systemic problems for both men and women.

Adult humans have 3 to 4 pounds of beneficial bacteria, numbering about 70 trillion individual organisms, living in our digestive system. Yeast is present in every one of us. The shear strength in numbers of the beneficial bacteria keeps yeast in check. They are in charge and make yeast produce vitamins, such as the B complex, within our bodys. If this balance is altered by reducing the good bacteria, yeast, being very opportunistic, will spread and take over as a yeast infection or as a fungal parasite or candida (mold), causing a wide variety of unhealthy side effects and diseases.

Yeast infections can cause severe discomfort but rarely cause serious health problems. Left untreated, vaginal yeast infections often clear up on their own, usually when menstruation begins. Menstrual blood raises the vaginal pH, causing the number of yeast cells to decrease because they can't grow in the pH present during menstruation.

Having a yeast condition can increase your susceptibility to contracting HIV, since vaginal irritation may allow easier passage of the virus into the bloodstream. For years women's health advocates worked to demonstrate that the common perception of HIV and AIDS was based on men's experiences, and it is now recognized that nearly-constant yeast overgrowth can be a marker of HIV infection in women. The immune system suppression from HIV can cause an imbalance in the vagina's chemistry, resulting in persistent yeast overgrowth.

Most women are familiar with the dreaded yeast infection. In fact, it is estimated that 50% of college women in the United States have been diagnosed with at least one yeast infection by the age of 25. Luckily, yeast infections are fairly easy to treat. But it's important to remember that there are a number of vaginal infections whose symptoms mimic those of a yeast infection, and should be ruled out before treatment begins.

About the Author:

Sarah Rhodes suffered from chronic yeast infections for many years before finally discovering a natural, permanent cure that works. Read about Sarah and the secret that permanently cured her yeast infections at: yeastinfectionsnomore.com.

Article courtesy of www.goarticles.com.