When it comes to treating yeast infections, you look for some safe and natural remedies. Apple cider vinegar is one such reliable remedy for this purpose. To know more about this treatment option, scroll below.
Yeast infection also referred to as candidiasis is caused due to overgrowth of a specific fungi named candida albicans. The areas where this fungi grow rapidly are our skin folds, mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Women tend to get yeast infection in the vaginal area which is known as vaginitis. Its symptoms are severe itching and burning sensation which is accompanied by white discharge. An oral yeast infection called oral thrush can be identified with white sores in and around the mouth. Red, itchy skin rashes due to yeast infections are mostly found in the genital area, underarms, in between fingers or toes, nail beds, etc. Yeast infection in the intestinal tract causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, heartburn and so on. As you can see that yeast infection symptoms causes a lot of discomfort. You can get respite from them with the help of apple cider vinegar.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Yeast Infections
Apple cider vinegar is obtained by fermentation of organic apples. It is a rich source of some valuable nutrients that include vitamin A, Vitamin C, beta carotene, three different forms of vitamin B, bioflavonoids and various useful minerals such as calcium and potassium. There are so many health benefits of apple cider vinegar mainly because it contains all these nutritional components.
The toxic build up in our body that comes from the foods that we eat and our surroundings badly disrupts the pH balance of the body. This provides an ideal condition for growth and survival of the candida. When apple cider vinegar is used for treatment of yeast infection, the acidic properties of the vinegar restores the proper pH balance of the body. It also promotes growth of ‘good’ bacteria in the body. Thus it creates an unfavorable condition for the infection causing fungus and control their growth. It also supplies us nutrients that strengthen the immune system and enable it to fight off the infection. Its anti-inflammatory properties reduces inflammation and alleviate yeast infection symptoms.
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Curing a Yeast Infection
Apple cider vinegar can be used both internally as well as externally for treating yeast infections. Some simple ways of using this vinegar are as follows:
As Tonic
You can prepare a drink by mixing 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink it. This tonic, when taken daily, can treat the yeast infection from within. It is not just beneficial for intestinal yeast infection but is equally good for infection affecting any other parts of the body. While preparing the tonic, do not add any sugar to improve its flavor as sugar promotes growth of candida that can aggravate the infection. Instead of using plain water, you can dilute the vinegar with fruit juice or vegetable juice. Apple cider vinegar should not be consumed in undiluted form. This is because its acidic properties can cause extensive damage to the tooth enamel.
In Bath Water
Those who are suffering from skin yeast infections should use apple cider vinegar in their bath water. Add a cup of apple cider vinegar in your bathtub filled with water. Now, immerse your body into this water for 15-30 minutes. Soon after the bath, you can feel the itchiness and burning sensation of the skin has gone down to a large extent. You should continue with the vinegar bath daily till the infection is cured completely.
As Mouthwash
Painful symptoms of oral thrush can be treated with the help of a homemade mouthwash which has apple cider vinegar as a component. To prepare the mouth wash, you have to add 2 teaspoons of vinegar in a glass of water and stir the mixture thoroughly. Take this liquid in your mouth and swirl it around for 2 minutes. Then you can spit it out. Even if you swallow it, there is no harm in it. It should be repeated thrice a day. While using this mouthwash, you may feel a slight burning sensation but the yeast infection symptoms will be relieved very soon.
As Douche
Many women have found apple cider vinegar as douche is the best treatment available for vaginal infection treatment. For this, you have to dilute 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 2 quarts of water. It should be applied two times in a day till you get total relief from yeast infection symptoms.
Now, while purchasing apple cider vinegar for treating yeast infections, you need to be a bit careful. You should select raw and unfiltered vinegar for this purpose. It can be identified with its cloudy appearance. The clear liquid apple cider vinegar available in the food stores is actually distilled vinegar which has less nutritional values and should be avoided. This is because many of its nutrients are lost during the processing of the vinegar and you may not get good results from the treatment.
