Irritation. Itchiness. Fatigue. Sounds pretty, doesn’t it? Just the experience every woman wants as she heads out the door to meet friends or that special someone. The truth is that three out of four women face these symptoms at least once in their lifetime.
And, if your fortune is anything like mine, the soreness and burning of candida presents itself at the most inopportune moments. How can a girl be expected to sit romantically through a movie holding her guy’s hand with all of that discomfort? How does she look polished and professional giving an important presentation at work with the distraction of itching?
The upside is that yeast infections caused by candida can be remedied and the symptoms banished with effective treatment. Yes, some form of treatment is required. Let’s be clear: yeast infections do not resolve themselves.
A visit to the doctor’s office typically results in an oral antifungal or the recommendation of an over the counter antifungal cream. Following a doctor’s orders for approximately one week brings relief. But there are alternatives to the expense of visiting a doctor and filling his prescription.
Interestingly, women find traditional pantry items useful in clearing candida. Yogurt, coconut oil, garlic, and cranberries offer benefits in this fight due to their antifungal properties. But let me share one of my favorite yeast infection treatments, apple cider vinegar. Natural and effective, this remedy gets the job done so I can get on with mine.
Apple Cider Vinegar Remedy
Home Alternatives to Apple Cider Vinegar
Many home remedies exist for treating yeast infections. Unfortunately, the list proves too long to discuss in full in this article. But let’s consider a few of them in comparison:
1. Diet
Candida loves an acidic environment, and our American diet provides it. Cheese, milk, butter, and animal proteins increase acidity in the body. A healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, chicken, yogurt, and nuts alkalizes the acid, decreasing the perfect space for yeast to flourish. While a diet overhaul significantly impacts candida control over the long haul, apple cider vinegar brings direct and more immediate relief for the issue at hand. For this reason, I prefer using vinegar when a yeast infection arises.
2. Yogurt
Yogurt introduces friendly bacteria to the site of infection. However, not all yogurts are created equal. The label must contain lactobacillus acidophilus to be effective. Plain, unsweetened yogurt consumed orally or applied to the area helps to relieve symptoms and infection. Personal preference causes me to choose apple cider vinegar over yogurt. Application of vinegar proves less messy. It is also easier to incorporate into my diet in a variety of ways throughout the day to find the needed balance of pH levels.
3. Garlic
A paste of crushed garlic or daily ingestion of garlic cloves successfully treats candida as well. The trifecta of antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiotic properties make this herb a powerhouse treatment. Garlic oil mixed with vitamin E and coconut oils substitutes well for the real deal, and garlic tablets are also available. However, as you might guess, your breath wards off vampires when using this alternative. Plus, I have found that while I love the smell of garlic cooking in my kitchen, it quickly turns offensive on my skin and does not wash away easily. Apple cider vinegar’s odor evaporates within minutes and washes off without issue, making it a winner in this contest.
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Steps to Using This Remedy
To cure a yeast infection using this home pantry staple, consistency in completing the steps remains key. While each step offers relief on its own, combining them increases the effectiveness of treatment. In brief, you need to:
- Visit your doctor.
- Drink apple cider vinegar daily.
- Soak the affected area in vinegar.
- Use apple cider vinegar in cooking.
Items Needed for Treatment
Gathering the items needed to follow these steps could not be simpler. All you need is:
- Apple cider vinegar, organic and unpasteurized
- A soft cloth, such as a washcloth
- Water
- *The soft cloth and water may prove optional depending on your preferences
Step-by-Step Instructions
Rich in natural enzymes and simple to use, apple cider vinegar provides a go-to natural choice for symptom relief and treatment of yeast infections. I also love that this remedy fits easily into my budget and routine. Plus, and most importantly, it works!
This remedy heals in several ways. It:
- Fights this fungal infection with its antifungal properties
- Restores pH balance which inhibits yeast growth
- Increases healthy bacteria to combat the bad
- Improves immunity with proteins and enzymes
- Helps control blood glucose and, thereby, yeast.
Diligently follow these steps to get relief from the discomfort of thriving candida:
1. Visit Your Doctor
Before starting treatment for any condition, you must know what you are treating. Using home, even OTC, yeast infection remedies to combat another condition that you believe is yeast can potentially lead to more serious problems. Be sure to ask a medical professional for a diagnosis before taking the next step.
2. Drink Up
Daily consumption of one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar fights candida. To achieve the best results, promote a continual presence of this pH-balancing agent by adding the apple cider vinegar to a glass of water or cup of tea. Sipping this drink throughout the day (no less than three times) keeps the treatment constantly running through your system, which proves important to its work of balancing pH levels.
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3. Soak It In
External application of apple cider vinegar helps relieve symptoms in the short and long term. Soak a compress in full strength apple cider vinegar. Directly place the cloth on the affected area. Remove the cloth and allow the vinegar to remain for 30 minutes, then rinse with water. Another option would be to add one cup of the vinegar to warm bath water and spend about one hour relaxing in it.
4. Cook It Up
As an added measure of treatment, apple cider vinegar replacing white vinegar in recipes does the trick. Use this Candida cure to make vinaigrette salad dressings and meat tenderizers. Again, the continual presence of apple cider vinegar in your diet balances pH levels and rids you of this irritating condition.
Pro Tips
- Choose organic, raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar for best results. The cloudy appearance may deter you. Protein enzymes produce this look and act like probiotics in your system, replenishing the healthy bacteria needed to defeat the yeast. Grocery store options tend to offer white vinegar with caramel coloring. Look for apple cider vinegar that contains the “mother” or needed nutrients to heal this condition.
- Some may suggest adding sugar or honey to sweeten apple cider vinegar drinks to make them more palatable. While this proves the best option if you cannot drink it down any other way, the best results come without extra sugar. Unfortunately, sugar feeds the very yeast you are trying to starve.
- Consuming an apple cider vinegar drink on an empty stomach is believed to work most effectively. Typically, this means two hours before or two hours after you eat. Avoiding the digestive process allows the vinegar to do its work without interference by digestive juices and food. Plus, it is absorbed into the body past the stomach.
- For external, direct applications, a low acidity is recommended. Less than five percent acidity proves effective without creating further issues, such as burns. Even watching these levels, the vinegar may sting or burn on contact due to irritated or raw skin. Testing a small area prepares you for this. Diluting the vinegar with equal parts water decreases this effect.
- Be sure to dry the affected areas thoroughly after each treatment to prevent further fungal growth. Fungi flourish in moist areas. And, as may be obvious, this proves the opposite of your goal. Finally, proceed with gentleness to avoid further irritation of the skin.
- Symptoms may intensify the first couple days of treatment (known as Herxheimer reaction). As the yeast rapidly dies, a toxic by-product releases. Headaches, fatigue, nausea, and foggy thinking may result. Take extra time to rest, relax in an apple cider vinegar bath, continue treatment and the issues should clear within a few days.
- Choose organic, raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar for best results. The cloudy appearance may deter you. Protein enzymes produce this look and act like probiotics in your system, replenishing the healthy bacteria needed to defeat the yeast. Grocery store options tend to offer white vinegar with caramel coloring. Look for apple cider vinegar which contains the “mother” or needed nutrients to heal this condition.
- Some may suggest adding sugar or honey to sweeten apple cider vinegar drinks to make them more palatable. While this proves the best option if you cannot drink it down any other way, the best results come without extra sugar. Unfortunately, sugar feeds the very yeast you are trying to starve.
- Consuming an apple cider vinegar drink on an empty stomach is believed to work most effectively. Typically, this means two hours before or two hours after you eat. Avoiding the digestive process allows the vinegar to do its work without interference by digestive juices and food. Plus, it is absorbed into the body past the stomach.
- For external, direct applications, a low acidity is recommended. Less than five percent acidity proves effective without creating further issues, such as burns. Even watching these levels, the vinegar may sting or burn on contact due to irritated or raw skin. Testing a small area prepares you for this. Diluting the vinegar with equal parts water decreases this effect.
- Be sure to dry the affected areas thoroughly after each treatment to prevent further fungal growth. Fungi flourish in moist areas. And, as may be obvious, this proves the opposite of your goal. Finally, proceed with gentleness to avoid further irritation of the skin.
- Symptoms may intensify the first couple days of treatment (known as Herxheimer reaction). As the yeast rapidly dies, a toxic by product releases. Headaches, fatigue, nausea, and foggy thinking may result. Take extra time to rest, relax in an apple cider vinegar bath, continue treatment and the issues should clear within a few days.
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Conclusion
Yeast infections irritatingly interrupt routines and plans with itching and burning, not to mention the resulting fatigue. As women on the move, many of us cannot afford nor do we desire to be hindered by a condition so treatable and preventable. As a viral video once said, “Ain’t got no time for that!”
When the day does not allow for side notes, I am thankful that reaching into the pantry brings symptom relief. Apple cider vinegar thrown into a glass of water keeps me moving and gets me on the fast track to controlling that raging candida. The same can be true for you.
Share your success story with using this remedy in the comments. Did you enjoy this tutorial? If so, give a shout out below. Plus, remember to share it with friends. After all, we women need to stick together as we pursue health.
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