A lot of women will, at a certain point in their lives, be suffering from this condition. Yeast infection or more commonly referred to as Candidiasis (or Candida, for short) is a fungal infection in the body. This is actually a fungus that is commonly found in a person’s body. Yeast infections usually develop when the body experiences weakness or disharmony. Candida is a disease that is often the result of irregularities in the digestive system, or occasionally, because of a poor diet. It can be also triggered by a weak immune system, too much application of antibiotics, overwork or severe stress. External pathogens, such as environmental factors such as the weather, and viruses usually do not cause this condition. A lot of the typical symptoms that accompany Candida include vaginal and bladder irregularities, throat congestion, bowel disruption, infections of the skin, digestive conditions, food sensitivities or allergies, and fatigue. Symptoms of the female genitalia include irritation, pruritus, and an increase of a milky-white or curd-like discharge.

In the treatment of yeast infections using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a typical pattern or diagnosis of yeast infections is the development of too much dampness in the body. The focus of TCM treatment for Candida is to remove the dampness and resolve the problem in the patient’s digestive system. In addressing the acute symptoms, the dampness needs to brained or dried from the body by utilizing bitter herbs and foods. In resolving the chronic symptoms, the spleen and the abdomen organs need to be fortified by eating an appropriate diet. Once the abdomen and spleen are regulated, the dampness then needs to be transformed.

A lot of foods can lead to the development of dampness in the body: caffeine, too much fruits, moldy foods, additives, alcohol, too little fiber, starches (wheat, potatoes), meat and sugar as well as other factors like antibiotics, stress, and smoking. Sugar, meat, dairy, and starches can produce more dampness than the other mentioned foods. You need to remember that when modifying your diet, begin consuming foods that will lead to much better health. The following are some foods that can strengthen your body to help you ward off candida in the future: citrus fruits, rice vinegar, garlic, adzuki beans, wheat and rice bran, rye, mung beans, barley, kale, alfalfa sprouts, bitter melon, romaine lettuce, dandelion tops, celery, beets, cucumbers and leafy vegetable greens.

One other very important thing to remember is to drink adequate amounts of water. The Candida yeast can actually be removed from the body by drinking water throughout the day and excreting out the Candida. However, drinking teas, juices, coffee products and soda can actually prolong the yeast infection. So if you do regularly drink these products, you need to solely drink water instead, or at least, try to alternate water consumption and these products into your everyday routine.

Fortunately, Candida is moiré or less a harmless condition although it can be extremely uncomfortable. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture treat this condition effectively and can help you recover quickly regardless if you experience a chronic or an acute outbreak.

Ivelisse DeJongh is a Miami acupuncturist and the medical director at DeJongh Acupuncture Clinic.