Preventing Yeast Infections
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Most of us have the tendency of accepting the inevitability of getting yeast infection. The figures seem to support this as 75% of women suffer from various forms of candidal infections. Men are equally exposed to this infection.
What makes the situation worse is the difficulty of distinguishing candidal infection from the other types of infection as they manifest similar signs and symptoms. There are even instances where the medical condition is asymptomatic making it all the more difficult to detect the infection.
Yeast, which is the causative agent of the candidal infection, is naturally occurring in our body. It is also present in the food that we eat, in our intestine and even in the air that we breathe. Although a lot of medical health professionals recommend diets that are yeast-free, this stand-alone method is not a practical and effective approach on preventing yeast infection.
Success Factors in Preventing Yeast Infections
The basis for a successful yeast infection prevention program is the proper appreciation of the variables that predisposes one to develop yeast infection. In our effort to learn how to prevent yeast infections, we must look at the underlying causes and reasons why we develop candidal infection.
The general objective of effective yeast infection prevention is to eliminate the factors as well as the conditions that will make it favorable for the pathogenic and opportunistic organism to overgrow and proliferate as this will result to the overrunning of the beneficial bacteria.
Understanding the Link between Hormones and Yeast
Yeast has close affinity to acidic environment. This is what prevails with the preponderance of the female sex hormone – estrogen. This condition is generally associated with pregnant women and those women who use contraceptive pills.
In most cases, women are advised to shift to other types of contraceptives in order to resolve recurrent yeast infection. This physiological condition is also the reason why the possibility of developing yeast infection is higher for women a week before the onset of their menstrual period.
Effective Ways to Prevent Yeast Infection
In order to avoid getting candidal infection, all you have to consider is the type of environment where yeast thrives. Yeast love damp and warm environment. In order to prevent candidal infection, you simply have take into account the following:
• Use breathable underwear – The first thing that you must remember is to use underwear that is made of 100% cotton. By this we mean “pure” cotton and not just those panties that have cotton on the crotch portion.
• Allow sufficient ventilation of susceptible parts – Don’t wear pajama bottoms or underwear when you go to sleep. Getting to bed bare-naked or in a nightgown is most preferable.
• Bathe Regularly – This may be considered by many as a bit trivial. However, we have to remember that water is the most effect medium for keeping our skin dry. Soaking ourselves in the tub and drying off completely can give our skin a perfect dry condition. This will greatly help in preventing yeast infection. Bathing can also provide relief and soothing effect when we are already suffering from candidal infection.
