Believe it or not, everyone has candida. Candida albicans is a type of yeast and is naturally found in the microbiome of the gut, mouth and vagina, but the problem occurs when there is an overgrowth of candida in relation to other bacteria leading to a fungal infection -cue vaginal thrush, also known as a yeast infection, candida infection or candidiasis. Unfortunately, many women deal with thrush at some point in their lives, and it can cause a huge amount of discomfort. Symptoms can include inflammation, itching, stinging, burning, pain and a creamy, cottage cheese-like discharge.
It could happen because of so many reasons including taking antibiotics, taking the oral contraceptive pill, due to an illness, elevated estrogen or dietary reasons.

While Candida albicans is the most common species causing thrush, there are also some other less common forms that could cause it too, such as Candida glabrata.

So now that we know a little bit more about it, let’s dive into some natural ways to treat and prevent this in the first place.

1. Reduce/eliminate sugar:

This is because candida feeds on sugar and carbohydrates. You may notice yourself craving high sugar or carbohydrate-rich foods, and that is no accident because this is what feeds candida and it will send messages to your brain to keep that fuel coming. So, unfortunately, that means you’ve got to cut that out as much as possible.

 2. Treat your lady garden well:

Wear cotton or bamboo underwear as these fibres are breathable and don’t trap heat or moisture the way that synthetic fabrics do, leading to less chance of an infection.
ALWAYS wipe front to back, fecal germs and bacteria can enter the vagina if you don’t and that can cause a whole host of problems, including thrush. Also, be sure not to wear sweaty gym clothes or wet swimmers for long as yeast thrives in warm and moist environments.

3. Improve immunity:

You should look at improving your immunity if you are getting regular occurrences of thrush as this can be a factor. Make sure you are eating lots of greens and vegetables, and eat fruits high in vitamin C like oranges, lemon and grapefruit. Zinc, vitamin D and echinacea are also worth looking into.

 4. Take probiotics:

And not just any probiotics, in this case you should look for probiotic strains specifically for vaginal health like Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus reuteri. Probiotics are particularly relevant if you have taken antibiotics recently. SB or Saccharomyces boulardii is also a great therapeutic yeast to take as it competes with candida and can help to displace it.

 5. Use herbal medicine:

Pau D’arco is a great herb for treating candida and has been used for hundreds of years for this very reason. It is used for treating fungal infections, parasites, bacterial infections and viruses, among many other uses. It’s worth talking to a naturopath if you are experiencing thrush as there are other lesser known herbs that can really help too, like the New Zealand native herb Horopito.

*Now if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, always consult a naturopath before you take any herbs. 

I actually did a Q&A video where I addressed this topic, you can watch the whole thing below.
I hope this can give you some relief if you have been struggling with candida overgrowth, you can always book in with me for more support here.

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