1. Drink 100% cranberry juice.
Cranberries can treat and prevent both yeast infections and urinary tract infections. Be sure you buy 100% cranberry juice, as the sugar in cranberry juice cocktail will only make matters worse.
- You can also buy cranberry supplements in pill form.
- A pretty mild remedy, cranberries are especially useful if you think you might be coming down with a yeast infection. If you already have one, they can be useful as supplements to your other treatments.
2. Eat or use plain yogurt. Eat yogurt or apply it to the vaginal area. You can also insert yogurt directly into the vagina by using a needle-less syringe or by putting the yogurt in plastic tampon applicators, freezing them, and then inserting them. The idea is that yogurt contains live cultures of bacteria (lactobacillus acidophilus) that help restore the level of healthy bacteria in the vagina.
Anecdotally, some women have reported success with eating lactobacillus-containing yogurt, although this method remains scientifically unconfirmed. Several studies have suggested that there is little to no benefit to eating or using yogurt as a treatment
3. Take probiotics. You can also take oral supplements containing lactobacillus acidophilus, commonly known as probiotics. These can be purchased at most grocery, drug, and health food stores. Some women also use suppositories of probiotics to help treat a yeast infection, although the evidence that the suppositories are effective is mixed and needs further research.
- In general, probiotics are safe to use because they are like the good bacteria already in our systems. Moreover, some probiotics have been used across the ages, such as that in fermented foods and drinks and cultured milk. However, more research is needed to determine the safety of taking probiotics for populations with weaker immune systems, such as the elderly and children.
- ALWAYS speak with your physician before inserting or applying probiotics to the vagina. Most practitioners recommend oral use of probiotics over vaginal application.
4. Reduce your intake of sugar and caffeine. The sugar in chocolate, candy, and even fruit juice can cause blood sugar spikes, which promote the growth of yeast. Caffeine can also worsen the effects of sugar by increasing the speed of blood sugar spikes.
If you experience regular yeast infections, you should consider cutting back on the amount of sugar and caffeine you consume on a regular basis.
5. Watch what you wear. Avoid tight-fitting pants and wear cotton underwear to allow your vagina to "breathe" and stay cool. Yeast thrive in a moist, warm environment, so making sure your clothes provide dryness and airflow for your vagina will help to keep the yeast from multiplying.
- Change your underwear daily and wear loose-fitting pants, shorts, and skirts.
- Change out of any wet clothes as soon as you can, including swimsuits and workout clothes.
- Avoid hot tubs or very hot baths, since yeast like warm, wet areas.
6. Use Alka Seltzer tablets. Although they are marketed for curing stomach pains, hangovers and body aches, and not for yeast infections, the citric acid in them can cure the early stages of a yeast infection.
7. Use Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple Cider Vinegar, when diluted with fresh water and used as a douche, can help cure the yeast infection. You can use this mixture as a douche once or twice a day. Also, you can apply apple cider vinegar directly over the vagina with the help of a cotton ball. This reduces the inflammation and relieves you from the itchiness.
8. Use Coconut Oil: It can be an excellent remedy if you are suffering with Vaginal yeast infections. If applied around the vagina on a regular basis, and at least twice a day, coconut oil can kill the Candida and free you completely from the infections.
9. Garlic: Garlic is another effective way to treat the yeast infection. Cut a clove of garlic into two and place it inside your vagina overnight. Repeat the process for a few nights to see the results. However, you need to be careful as Garlic might trigger a little burning in your vaginal region, and there’s always that stench that can bother you.