Yeast infections are very common, in fact 3 out of every 4 women have an infection --and you often have more than one. While 3 out of every 4 women have had at least one vaginal yeast infection during their lives, approximately 45 percent that's almost one half (1/2) of women have had two or more.
How to Prevent Yeast Infections
Following these guidelines to avoid the itching, burning, and aggravating discomforts of a vaginal yeast infection can be very helpful. While being able to avoid yeast infection may seem impossible, you can significantly lower your risk of getting one.
Here are some advice on how to prevent yeast infections:
1. Wear cotton underwear, this may seem clichè but it is very important, or at the very least wear underwear with a cotton lining at the crotch or seating. It is also important to avoid wearing panty liners, which can significantly increase your risk of having a recurrent vaginal yeast infections. Yeast exist naturally in the vaginal area, however yeast tends to overgrow in damp, moist environments and minimizing the moisture on your body can prevent yeast infections.
2. Minimize wearing tight-fitting pants or shorts, so you can stay cool, dry, and aerated.
3. Also avoid wearing nylon pantyhose or synthetic leotards on a daily basis. If wearing these is unavoidable, choose the kind that has a cotton panel to absorb as much moisture away from your body.
4. Change clothing from hectic sweating workout or a wet swimsuit as soon as possible, this is due to the fact that a damp place is an ideal environment for a yeast infection to grow eliminating or minimizing your chances of preventing one.
5. Don't use douches, scented tampons, scented powders, and feminine deodorant sprays. This is a big NO NO. The mentioned items contain chemicals and perfumes that will upset the natural balance of "good" bacteria and other micro-organisms in the vagina necessary to prevent infections such as yeast infections. Douching in the event of a yeast infection and is a completely bad idea: Douching can actually spread the infection up through your cervix and into the uterus.
6. Wipe from front to back after using the bathroom to avoid spreading bacteria from the anus to the vagina. This may sound simple, but doing the opposite can cause you serious consequences that for most women is embarrassing.
7. If you are diabetic, it is important that you control your blood sugar levels to reduce your risk of getting a yeast infection. This infection and diabetes are known to be linked -- in fact, a high blood glucose level from in uncontrolled diabetic patients is linked to infections of all kinds.
8. Eating yogurt that contains live cultures of lactobacillus acidophilus, which is a natural, "friendly" bacteria, can help to prevent yeast infections. However, be careful as a small study has shown that women who consumed acidophilus-containing products had an increased risk of recurrent vaginal yeast infections. Though the study may not have been completely conclusive it is important that you are cognizant of these findings.
9. If you have a vaginal yeast infection due to taking antibiotics, talk with your physician about preventive measures such as, antifungal therapy at the start and end of your antibiotic prescription.
10. Finally, always try to eat as healthy as possible and manage stress. Although this has not been confirmed by medical research, some women has voiced that too much sugar and stress can trigger their yeast infections.
Also bear in mind that, eating well-balanced, nutritious meals and taking time out to relax helps to keep your immune system on track -- and prevents all kinds of infections, including vaginal yeast infections. As always remember a healthy lifestyle will increase your overall health and well-being.
Want To Know How To Permanently Cure a Yeast Infection
