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An acquaintance of mine was always suffering from recurrent vaginal thrush. She was always in discomfort from it and she was so frustrated at the fact she could not get rid of it; not to mention the time she spent on regular trips to the doctor and the price she had to pay for anti-yeast medications each time. Yes, her recurrent thrush recurred so often that that she had to use creams and suppositories nearly every day. Does this sound familiar to you? In desperation my friend finally came to me for advice. I am a microbiologist and she thought I may have some ideas about what she could do to prevent these persistent outbreaks of her vaginal yeast infection. And so began the process of educating her about the underlying causes of recurrent thrush, the signs and symptoms, the triggers and also the various cures available to eradicate thrush - both pharmaceutical remedies and the natural ones. Recurrent vaginal thrush is mainly caused by a species of yeast called Candida albicans. Candida usually resides on the mucous membranes of the genital tract and in other warm moist sites on the body including the gastro-intestinal tract. At least 80 to 90 % of women will carry Candida in their vagina but under normal healthy circumstances the yeast is kept at bay and does not overgrow and cause yeast vaginitis. The reason for this is that a healthy vagina also harbours Lactobacillus, a species of bacteria which is resident in the vagina as part of the normal flora. The purpose of Lactobacillus is two-fold. First it competes with Candida and other pathogens (disease causing microbes such as Candida) for space and nutrients and secondly it produces lactic acid which helps to maintain the vagina at an acid pH which is necessary for the health of the vagina and for fertilisation. Under certain circumstances there are changes to which alter the natural balance of the vagina. The optimum conditions for the growth of the Lactobacillus are diminished and the organism is either inhibited or destroyed completely. There is then nothing to prevent Candida from overgrowing and establishing a yeast infection with the symptoms of vaginal thrush. The things which affect the growth of Lactobacillus and therefore may contribute to the continuing symptoms of recurrent vaginal thrush are: - Hormonal changes as experienced with pregnancy, menstruation, menopause, oral contraception or hormone replacement therapy - Antibiotic therapy for bacterial infections - Diabetes, especially if it is not in good control - Diets high in carbohydrates or refined or processed foods - Intolerance to external chemicals such as washing detergents or douches - Physical intolerance to things like synthetic underwear or tight jeans - Other illnesses such as colds and flu's - Serious illnesses such as cancer, transplant or AIDS - Use of steroids - Stress and fatigue - Sexual intercourse with an infected person may also play a role in transmission of recurrent thrush With this knowledge behind her my friend was able to determine that the most likely trigger for her from this list was the pill she was taking and so she decided to change the contraceptive pill she was on to see if it made a difference to her. As well she made the decision to try some natural remedies which I advised her to do. She started to eat more healthily by reducing her sugar intake and eating only fresh organic foods. She supplemented her diet with plain natural yoghurt and as well applied the yoghurt directly to the vagina. She made some positive changes to her lifestyle and worked hard to ensure that she she ate well, exercised more and got a good night's sleep. Within a short period of time not only was she feeling better within herself and much more energetic, but she also realised that she had not had an outbreak of recurrent thrush for several weeks. Her life had gone back to the way it was and she was very appreciative of the guidance. So yes the contraceptive pill may be the root cause of your recurrent vaginal thrush. If you often suffer from recurrent yeast vaginitis it is recommended that you find a contraceptive pill which you can tolerate better. But it is also important to make some dietary and life style changes so that you approach the control of recurrent vaginal thrush in a holistic way. Would you like to eliminate your recurrent vaginal thrush like my friend did? The contraceptive pill maybe the root cause of your problem as well - changing it is worth a try. But the most important thing is knowledge and a holistic approach. You can find the information laid out for you by clicking on http://www.Thrush-Treatments.com I recommend it.
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