Your Yeast Infection and Antibiotics
A leading cause of a yeast infection is the use of
antibiotics. These drugs kill off bacteria that usually keep the
yeast in check. The yeast population can then grow too quickly for
your immune system to control it.
When this happens, yeast may then change over to its infectious form
and go on the attack.
Women quite often experience their first yeast infections after
taking a prescription for antibiotics, or after using soap
containing disinfectants. Other women have no problems with most
antibiotics, but may get yeast infections if they take specific
types of antibiotics, or if they are treated for an extended time
for chronic problems like acne.
Toddlers often have oral thrush after a course of
antibiotics.
Some Antibiotics Can be Avoided
Some condoms have a spermicide containing nonoxynol-9, which has
been shown to increase the incidence of yeast infections. If you get
a yeast infection after having sex using a condom, check the package
to see if it has an antibiotic or spermicide. If it does, you might
consider changing brands.
Our food supply is also full of antibiotics, because beef and
poultry are fed these drugs on a regular basis to keep them healthy
in crowded conditions. Some health practitioners believe the
widespread use of antibiotics in both humans and animals is the
cause for both the recent increase in drug-resistant bacteria, and
the increased incidence of yeast infections.
If you have a child who gets oral yeast infections and there is no
obvious cause, (such as eating lots of sugar), you may want to
switch to certified organic beef, chicken and eggs. (“Free range” is
not a regulated term, and does not guarantee that the chicken or egg
is antibiotic free.)
Many people don’t realize that soap containing disinfectants can
remove the beneficial bacteria from their skin, right along with the
germs. If you get yeast infections often and you use one of the
popular brands of disinfectant soap, you may want to switch to a
non-medicated brand.
Some herbal remedies intended for a condition called "systemic
candidiasis" may act as mild antibiotics, and kill the beneficial
bacteria in the gut right along with the yeast. If you often have
vaginal yeast infections or thrush, you should talk to your doctor
before using one of these remedies. You do need those bacteria, and
yogurt can only replace some of the species of bacteria naturally
living in your intestines.
Replacing Your Beneficial Bacteria
When you need to use an antibiotic because you have a bacterial
infection or other illness, you can replace some of your bacteria,
but not all of them, by eating non-sweetened yogurt that contains
active bacteria. Many commercial brands do not contain live
acidophilus, so be sure to read the label.
If you can’t tolerate yogurt, a dietary supplement that contains
acidophilus may also be helpful to bring your body’s yeast and
bacteria back into balance, so you will be less likely to suffer
from a yeast infection after the use of antibiotic medications.
Remember that antibiotics are only one of at least 17 different
things that can trigger a yeast infection. Some of the other things
on that long list can be avoided, but not all of them. Protect
yourself against yeast infections by learning as much as you can
about this common condition.
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Prevent Yeast Infection
Resources
To learn everything you need to know about yeast infections - what
causes them, how to treat them, and how to keep them from coming
back, as well as receive a free report called “4 Important Facts About Yeast
Infections” - visit:
Prevent Yeast Infections
© 2007 Jonni Good - Author of
"17 Things You Need To
Know To Prevent Yeast Infections"
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