About 75% of women will have a yeast infection in their lifetime. That’s more than half! Many women do not know how to treat it or simply ignore it because they do not know that it is a yeast infection. So here is everything you need to know about a yeast infection.

So what is a yeast infection? A yeast infection is an infection of the vagina and the area around it called the vulva. It is an overgrowth of yeast, which is called Candida (which is a fungus). There is always a small amount in the vagina, but when your body makes too much is when you get an infection.

There are some factors that can cause or contribute to an infection. Such as hormonal changes during your periods, having your period, pregnancy, lack of sleep, illness, stress, taking certain medications such as antibiotics, contraceptives, and steroids, and poor eating habits (diets high in sugar). You can also get an infection by having sex and also by mouth. This can also happen to your partner, so be sure to treat it as soon as possible.

How do you know if you have an infection? The most common symptom is itching around the vagina. Other symptoms include swelling, burning and redness of the vagina and vulva, pain, pain during and after intercourse and when urinating. You will also get a lumpy white discharge (like cottage cheese). This discharge will not have an order and may not always occur in some people.

Stay away from antibiotics when you have a yeast infection. Why? Because antibiotics actually make Candida colonies grow at a faster rate.

The way yeast infections are diagnosed is usually that you have to go to the doctors and the doctors will take a scraped sample from the inner walls of the vagina and perform a Candida test. There are also over-the-counter ways to check for yeast infections now, what they do is measure your body’s pH. Knowing your body’s pH can help you know if you have a yeast infection and if you need treatment.

There are many treatments for yeast infection, oral creams, tablets, ointments, and suppositories. Those that come in vaginal tablets are called clotrimazole, miconazole, terconazole, and nystatin. The one I would take by mouth is called fluconazole. All of these must be prescribed by a doctor. And with these drugs come side effects and it may take a while to see results. And most of them just treat the infection and don’t prevent the infection from coming back.

A great supplement that treats the infection and keeps it from coming back is called Micro-nutra Candidol. This supplement helps your body maintain a normal yeast balance without the negative side effects. It strengthens your immune system so it can fight the growth of Candida and helps increase your pH levels.