A yeast infection is unavoidable when you have a vagina. A yeast infection can occur for various reasons, including a lack of sleep, a weak immune system, diabetes, hormonal imbalance, and poor eating habits. But it makes no difference what the cause is because the symptoms are all equally painful.
However, before you start popping pills and blindly following home remedies to prevent yeast infection, keep in mind that your diet can make a significant difference.
Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat dairy products can help you prevent a yeast infection. So, ladies, you can avoid a vaginal yeast infection by simply watching your diet. Here are foods that can help you:
- Coconut oil
As opposed to regular coconut oil, Virgin coconut oil is fresh, pure, and free of any chemical refining. And because it retains all of the minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, this oil can do wonders for your health. Coconut oil could be highly effective in fighting Candida albicans, the pathogenic yeast that causes infection. Coconut oil is an excellent food for reducing yeast infection. It can also be used topically as well as orally.
- Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar, your regular weight loss tonic, and hair elixir can also help you deal with a yeast infection. The acidic component of apple cider vinegar can aid in the reduction of infection. Mix it with lukewarm water and drink it. To get rid of the infection, you can also add it to your bathwater.
- Milk and dairy products
Consuming lactobacillus acidophilus organism-containing foods, such as yogurt or acidophilus milk, can aid in the prevention of yeast infections. Furthermore, in women with yeast infections who received an oral and vaginal probiotic similar to what is found in cheese, reinfection was reduced to only 31%.
- The juice of cranberries
Any microbe that wants to infect your body must first find a suitable place to attach itself. It will then replicate, forming a biofilm on the surface and causing an infection. Biofilm formation has been linked to increased fungi resistance to antifungal drugs.
Cranberry extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of candida species and contain proanthocyanidins, which do not allow these pathogens to adhere to any surface due to their anti-adhesive nature.
- Probiotics
More long-term preventive measures are needed with the rise of drug-resistant fungi, and probiotics are a step in the right direction. Probiotics are found in fermented foods such as pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, buttermilk, yogurt, cheese, kefir, and sour cream. According to research, eating these probiotic-rich foods can help reduce the severity and duration of yeast infections.
- Turmeric
Turmeric is a wonder herb studied for its various medicinal benefits and is commonly used as a spice. One such advantage is its ability to inhibit pathogenic fungal overgrowth, which can be attributed to its main bioactive compound, curcumin.
