12 Alternative Therapies for Treating Yeast Infections

 

While you always have a small amount of the fungus Candida albicans is always present in your vagina, this fungus can multiply out of control and cause a yeast infection. There are many reasons why this can occur, including antibiotics, birth control pills, wearing tight undergarments, and a suppressed immune system, but you can help to protect your wellbeing against this with complementary wellness therapies. Several alternative therapies place the emphasis of yeast infection treatment on the elimination of the causes, rather than eliminating the fungus, meaning you can get rid of yeast infections on a more permanent basis.

 

1. Herbal Remedies: These include borax veneta, calcarea carbonica, kreosotum, mercurius solubilis, pulsatilla nigricans and sepia. The following herbs also offer promise in the treatment of yeast infection, and you can take them in the form of capsules, extracts, or teas, and some may be used in douches. Try calendula, echinacea (purple coneflower), German chamomile, ginger, rosemary, tea tree and thyme.

 

2. Combination Remedies: You can get combination remedies over the counter that are formulated for the most common yeast infection symptoms. However, they are considered less effective than the above-mentioned herbal remedies due to the fact that they lack individualisation.

 

3. Aromatherapy: To eliminate excess fungus in the vagina, douches of water and essential tea tree or marigold oils can help.

 

4. Ayurvedic Medicine: The ayurvedic treatment for yeast infections often includes dietary changes and herbal therapy, as the main focus is on digestion and your immune system.

 

5. Colon Treatment: Detoxification, fasting and colon therapy – such as colonic irrigation and enemas – can help to cleanse your intestinal tract and contribute to a healthy balance of normal flora in your body.

 

6. Hydrotherapy: If the itchiness of a yeast infection is bothering you, a hot sitz bath (perhaps spiked with calendula or thyme tea or vinegar) may provide relief.

 

7. Mind/Body Medicine: To can reduce stress and strengthen your body’s immune function, you can try guided imagery, meditation, and other forms of mind/body treatments.

 

8. Oxygen Therapy: Hydrogen peroxide treatment can help to give your immune system a boost, which, in turn, assists it in controlling the overgrowth of fungus.

 

9. Eliminating Foods: Eating certain foods can contribute to a yeast infection in one of two ways: by encouraging the growth of the Candida albicans in your vagina, and by taxing your body’s immune system. Whether these bothersome foods contain yeast or trigger the symptoms of food allergies or sensitivities, you want to avoid sugars (including honey, fruit juices, and maple syrup), artificial sweeteners, cheese, dried fruit, alcohol, mushrooms and meat, poultry, and milk (which can have traces of antibiotics in them).

 

10. Supplements: If you have an overabundance of fungus, it may be due to a nutrient deficiency. Supplements that can be helpful include vitamin A, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium, and essential fatty acids, among others. If you decide to go the supplements route, make sure that they are yeast-free and you speak to a medical professional beforehand.

 

11. Dietary Additions: As garlic has fungus-blocking properties, it can make a wonderful addition to your diet. Other foods that have strong antifungal properties include caprylic acid, grapefruit seed extract, and undecenoic acid. Aside from these specific foods, good nutrition that comes from eating a varied, whole-foods diet generally contributes to a strong immune system that can ward off infections.

 

12. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): While acupuncture, herbal therapy, and diet and lifestyle changes can individually help to reduce your yeast infection, TCM puts these elements together in order to offer ways to correct energy imbalances and enhance your body’s defences.

 

Categories: Ayurveda, herbal remedies, yeast infection

Improve Your Wellness With These Simple, Herbal Remedies

Many people dismiss complementary therapies as mere quackery, ignoring the well-established benefits that many of them have for one’s wellness and wellbeing. The use of botanicals is actually very well rooted in medical practice. Going back to ancient times, doctors would collect information about herbs and collate detailed books about how to treat various ailments. Flash forward to modern times, and over a quarter of all drugs used in medicine contain active ingredients which have been derived from the same ancient plant.

 

It is thought that around 80 percent of the world’s population uses herbs in some area of their health care. In the United States alone, over 1,500 different types of botanicals are sold in the form of dietary supplements. The top-selling of these are herbs and supplements, including garlic, Echinacea, goldenseal, ginkgo, ginseng, aloe, saw palmetto, ephedra, cranberry and Siberian ginseng.

 

Before using any herb or supplement, however, you should consult a healthcare provider, to make sure that this is the most appropriate one for you to take, and that there are no interactions with other medications that you may be taking.

 

Chamomile is one of the most popular herbal remedies, frequently used to treat anxiety, muscle pain and cramping. It is usually ingested in the form of tea but is also used in combination with other herbs, too.

 

Echinacea is also commonly used, as it is believed to have properties that can help to fight off colds. People take Echinacea in the winter time, to help them boost their immune systems.

 

Ginkgo, also known as ginkgo biloba, is also commonly taken, as it is believed to improve the circulation and boost brain activity.

 

Those looking for a natural energy boost often turn to Ginseng. This herb has gained popularity in recent years.

 

Finally, the levels of use for St. John’s Wort remain high, as people use it to help treat their anxiety and depression.

Categories: Echinacea, ginkgo, herbal, herbal remedies, herbs, nbsp, remedies, treat

Ask The Expert: Taking Herbs for Your Menopause Symptoms

In the West, menopause seems to signal the end of your sexual health and wellness. However, in many traditional cultures, menopause is celebrated menopause as a rite of passage, a coming into wisdom. Similarly, such cultures have their own remedies for tackling the symptoms of menopause, but how do you know if they will work for your wellbeing? We asked Dr. Mary Hardy, head of the Integrative Medicine Group at Cedars Sinai Medical Group in Los Angeles, to explain how herbal therapies can ease the transition of menopause.

 

1. Why choose herbs? According to Dr. Hardy, ‘Many women choose herbs either because HRT is not recommended for them because of the increased risk of breast cancer, or because they just don’t feel comfortable using HRT.’

 

2. Which herbs are available for treating menopausal symptoms? ‘Eating soy can be very helpful for relief of menopausal symptoms.’ Dr. Hardy notes. ‘Among herbal remedies, black cohosh is an herb we learned about from the Native Americans and is now widely used in Europe. We don’t know exactly why, but it’s good at relieving some symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings. Study has started on red clover for its effects on hot flashes as well. This herb contains some of the same chemicals as soybeans, called isoflavones, often referred to as plant estrogens or phytoestrogens.’

 

3. Can you combine herbs with HRT? Dr. Hardy allows, ‘Combining herbs like black cohosh or red clover, or soy with conventional hormone replacement therapy is mostly okay. But HRTs are powerful drugs, so your physician needs to be involved in your decision.’

 

4. Is it safe to replace your HRT with herbs? This is ‘a question that every woman should ask her doctor,’ says Dr. Hardy. ‘As the answer depends on the individual’s indication for oestrogen. If you’ve been using HRT for symptom control, and not for significant medical issues that require oestrogen replacement, herbal treatments can be used safely. But if you are taking HRT for heart disease, severe osteoporosis, intractable hot flashing, or chronic vaginal infections, it may not be advisable. The more significant your medical issues, the more you need to involve your physician in this discussion.’

 

5. Can you take phytoestrogens, like soy, if you have breast cancer? Dr. Hardy admits, ‘It’s a very controversial issue right now, and you’ll find more than one opinion without definitive answers. If you want to take phytoestrogens, do so under doctor’s supervision. I also feel that eating soy foods is safer than taking high-dose soy extractions. Generally, most of the safety data comes from observing Japanese women and their diets, so we should try to approximate what they do.’ When it comes to taking black cohosh when you have breast cancer, Dr. Hardy is a bit more confident: ‘While the results are far from conclusive, researchers in a couple of in-vitro studies found black cohosh inhibited the growth of cancer cells. They also tested for interactions between black cohosh and Tamoxifen (an estrogen-blocking drug used in the treatment of breast cancer) and found the black cohosh did not weaken the Tamoxifen. There’s a far jump from a test tube to a person, but in low doses, we feel it’s safe.’

 

6. What about dong quai? Not all herbs are beneficial on their own, Dr. Hardy comments. ‘Customarily in Chinese medicine, dong quai is never used alone but rather as part of a formula,’ she explains. ‘And depending on the specific symptoms, may not be at all appropriate. Unless it’s part of a formula recommended by a certified practitioner of Chinese medicine, I’d say skip it.’

Categories: black cohosh, breast cancer, dong quai, dr hardy, eating soy, herbal remedies, hot flashes, medical issues, menopausal symptoms, Menopause, red clover, Symptoms