Treating the symptoms of vaginal thrush, rather than the root cause, is a common mistake made by many women. Covering up the problem actually does very little to solve it. Vaginal thrush or yeast infection is painful, embarrassing, and annoying. Three out of four women contract a yeast infection sometime during their lives. Others will face chronic infections over many years. You cannot approach the issue with external treatments alone. The actual cause is usually a lack of balance inside the vagina. Antibiotics, creams, and feminine OTC products will never give you permanent relief. Sometimes they can even exacerbate the problem.

First of all, I am not a doctor. I saw many of them in my attempts, to no avail, to treat my chronic yeast infections. I was forced to educate myself about vaginal health in order to take control of my life. I’m Megan Paul and my passion is helping women to avoid making the same mistakes I did. I used all the OTC creams, took antibiotics for weeks, and even saw three different doctors. These pathways only lead to temporary relief. Once I started to understand the cause of vaginal thrush, I was able to think proactively to effectively treat and prevent it for good.

If you are pregnant, diabetic, immune-suppressed, or chronically using antibiotics you are far more likely to get a yeast infection. Vaginal thrush is caused by a fungus called Candida albicans, which occurs naturally throughout the human body, particularly in the mouth, vagina, and intestines. Known causes of the infection include hormonal fluctuations, unstable blood sugar levels, microbial imbalance inside the vagina, failure to maintain proper cleanliness and hygiene, and anything that suppresses your immune system.

An easy tip for avoiding yeast infections is to properly clean your vagina. Try to always keep your genitals as clean and dry as you can. Avoid harsh or fragrant soaps that may further irritate the vagina. Instead use warm, but not hot, water. Do not use products like sprays, perfumes, and powders to mask the problem. These temporary fixes may make it worse. Moreover, using a feminine douche may make you feel cleaner, but it actually destroys your body’s natural defense against infection. By flushing out your vagina’s “friendly microbes,” you leave plenty of room for harmful yeasts to move in and take over. Take a 20 minutes warm bath infused with a cup of apple cider vinegar and 20 drops of tea tree oil instead.

Diet is another very important factor for vaginal health. What do the foods you eat have to do with your vagina? Your nutrition affects every aspect of your body’s natural balance. Diabetics are more likely to get vaginal thrush due to imbalance of their blood sugar. Yeasts like Candida albicans thrive off of sugar. To control blood sugar, avoid high-glycemic carbohydrates like refined carbohydrates and simple sugars. Examples include white rice, flour, bread, and sucrose or table sugar. Choose whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa instead; and replace sugar in tea and coffee with all-natural stevia products. Eating yogurt or other fermented foods strengthens the protective fleet of “friendly baceteria” in your body. Foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and fermented cheeses bolster your ability to fight off infectious yeasts.

Yeast infections occur frequently; and they can be embarrassing, annoying, and painful. Start being proactive right now and change your nutrition and hygiene routines. You do not want to wait until your car breaks down to begin a regimen of scheduled maintenance. A few basic health tips can do wonders for avoiding vaginal thrush permanently.

Learn more about vaginal thrush. Stop by Megan Paul’s site where you can find out all about yeast infection products and what they can do for you.