January 18, 2009
Yeast Infections And You
Yeast infections, sometimes called thrush, are a real problem for many women and for a surprising number of men as well. Infections like Candida are no respecter of age or sex. Man, woman, child, adult, yeast infections can hit them all.
You'll find yeasts living on or in any parts the body that are warm and moist. Most people have yeasts living on and in their bodies and it isn't a problem. It's only when the numbers begin to multiply to such a level that they irritate the body that an 'infection' occurs.
All sorts of things can trigger off an attack. For some thing like penile thrush wearing tight jeans on a hot day can increase the levels of heat and moisture so that yeast numbers explode. And yeasts like Candida can multiply unbelievably quickly. Within a couple of hours you can go from normal levels to infection levels that will have you sore and itching.
The reason why women suffer the most is that in vaginal thrush the trigger is often down to the change in pH due to the normal fluctuations in hormone levels during the monthly cycle. Where as it's easy to avoid wearing tight jeans on a hot day, there's not much you can do about your oestrogen levels. For women with recurrent yeast infections proactive action with natural remedies like yogurt can help.
One word of warning. If you think you have signs of a yeast infection always check with a doctor first. Many of the symptoms are identical to bacterial infections which are much more common. You don't want to treat yourself for something that you don't actually have. A doctor will be able to confirm exactly what you've got.
