ThreeLac came first, and is named for the three types of good bacteria each capsule contains, then FiveLac was developed as an improvement upon that, with of course, five types of good bacteria in it. Both have the same formulation ensuring the good bacteria do not compete against each other and work together to aid you. Also both have coated capsules so that the bacteria are not damaged by stomach acids as they pass through there on the way to the intestines. Once they reach their destination they will help restore balance and make the environment inhospitable for the candida.

The diet part of a candida cleanse essentially means cutting out sugar, refined foods, processed foods, junk foods, alcohol, caffeine, fungi,some dairy and so on. You also need to eat more leafy greens, lean proteins, raw foods, more fiber, lots of water. You also complete a course of anti-fungal treatment whether it is alternative or conventional.

The first week of your diet change is about cutting out foods that feed the candida, sugar, refined foods, processed foods, alcohol, fungi, and so on. For a more detailed list see the full articles about it also on this site. You are also treating the candida problem with either a natural or conventional anti-fungal treatment. You may experience something called die-off where symptoms get worse for a few days because of the amount of toxins being released by the dieing candida. Drinking water will help flush them out. The next stages allow for the slow re-introduction of some foods and replenishing the good bacteria in your body with probiotic supplements.

Often one of the triggers of a yeast infection is that something has killed the good bacteria in your system allowing the candida an opportunity to multiply. Antibiotics are at the top of the list for causes of yeast infections because they do just that. One thing candida sufferers do as part of treating a yeast infection is to take probiotic supplements including acidophilus to re-balance the intestinal system.

There is some discussion now over whether in fact the good bacteria in the yogurt are the right kind, and whether eat yogurt is going to be enough to get the benefits, you would need to eat a fairly large portion each day. However there are still testimonials from women who use it for vaginal yeast infections and who say it works. Really when trying home remedies or herbal ones you may need to do some research and be ready for some failures. What works for one woman may not be effective on another, and so if yogurt does not work for you, try something else, like garlic, tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar etc.

Symptoms of an intestinal yeast infection

The problem with intestinal yeast infection is that it comes with so many symptoms and the lack of nutrition and nutrients that you need means you are weak. They can include:

• Depression
• Fatigue
• Lethargy
• Acidity
• Heartburn
• Itching bowels
• Low immunity
• Memory loss
• Intestinal cramps
• More likely to get seasonal infections
• Post menstrual syndrome
• Skin infections
• Lower tolerance for alcohol
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Urinary infections
• Fogginess
• Mood swings

The difficulty when diagnosing an intestinal yeast infection is that there is no point in testing the intestines for the yeast as there is meant to be some there so it is bound to come up positive. Therefore diagnosis is made from just the symptoms, so when visiting a doctor be very clear on all the things you have been experiencing.

Treating an intestinal yeast infection

There are things you can do at home using natural routes that involve taking digestives and enzymes. Avoid sugary foods and replenish the good bacteria you have lost by taking probiotic supplements or by eating plain live probiotic yogurt. Your system will not take long to become rebalanced.

Treatment is not as easy as for say a vaginal infection which has plenty of creams and suppositories to choose from. Though there are oral anti fungal treatments you can take this may not be the best course of action. These drugs also kill bacteria in the intestines, both good and bad and the good bacteria are needed to re-balance the intestines. These drugs can also have the unfortunate effect of weakening the immune system so that your body has even less of a chance at fighting off the infection.

As soon as you recognize there is a problem you need to start taking action. If you leave it too long it is harder to treat and can become a recurring problem. It could also enter the blood stream becoming a systemic infection that can attack your organs.

First of all before deciding on a yeast infection treatment it is important that you have a correct diagnosis. Particularly if it is your first infection, visit a doctor and seek professional advice. This is because there are other infections of the vagina that have similar symptoms to a yeast infection, so what you might think is a fungal problem could in fact be bacterial. In which case treating it with anti-fungal medicines is pointless as they will be ineffective. Plus the underlying problem you have is going untreated and is probably getting worse and leading to further problems.

It is not bacteria that causes a yeast infection, in fact the good bacteria in your body are what control the fungus that does cause a yeast infection. When that fungus is able to over grow it leads to the infection. this happens when the good bacteria are depleted for some reason, for example if you are taking antibiotics. Antibiotics do not recognize the difference between bad and good bacteria so kill it all. The important thing when treating a yeast infection is to clear up the fungus not the bacteria.

If the appointment with the doctor confirms you have a yeast infection it is now time to decide on a yeast infection treatment that is best for you. First infections usually respond well to over the counter options like Diflucan or Monistat. Both have a good reputation and are well known. You will follow the instructions on application and how long to use it for and will then hopefully be infection free at the end of it. For some people it is as easy as that.

But some people try those medications and just have the infection return time and again, plus suffer from nasty side effects. Therefore they turn to natural methods alongside making lifestyle changes. Herbal use, exercise, dietary changes are all part of the holistic approach to treating a yeast infection, which will get to the root of the problem, not just clear up some symptoms.

There are many symptoms of an intestinal yeast infection and the fact that you are also lacking in nutrition and nutrients means you are also weaker to any other external factors that will affect your body. Fatigue, depression, intestinal cramps, lethargy, diarrhea, acidity, constipation, heartburn, urinary infections, itching bowels, fogginess, memory loss, mood swings, low immunity, seasonal infections increase, skin infections, post menstrual syndrome, able to take less alcohol are all common symptoms and there are more.

Despite the serious nature of this infection it is still not recognized as a disease by modern medicine. Some doctors have even lost their license for trying to treat this problem as a medical one. According to some this is because since the infection is caused by a yeast that is ever present in the intestines, having an overgrowth of it cannot be called a disease. It is just an imbalance.

There are natural routes a person can take to cure it, using enzymes and digestives. There are also changes a person can make in their lifestyle to help such as avoiding foods the yeast feeds on such as sugar and sugary foods, and carbohydrates. The intestinal yeast infection makes you crave such foods so it is hard to resist them, but your infection will be much worse if you give in.

Though modern medicine may not be able to help with this condition a naturopath, homeopath or ayurveduc doctor can assist you.

A yeast infection happens when a fungus called Candida Albicans is allowed by your body to grow and multiply. Usually your immune system and good bacteria stop this from happening but if these have been adversely affected by illness, antibiotics or hormonal changes then the over growth can occur.

What do I do if I think I have an infection?

The key is to act quickly. If you think you have a yeast infection you need to decide which medication is best for your body and your lifestyle. Treat it as soon as you can as the quicker you treat it, the easier it is to get rid of. Plus you avoid conditions worsening and other health complications. Ideally you should treat it within 72 hours of diagnosis. There are also diet considerations and you need to find out what foods to avoid and what foods to eat more of.

Do men get yeast infection?

Yeast infections are not just a female problem. Men can get them too usually through unprotected sex with a partner who is infected. Some diabetic men are more prone to them and taking antibiotics for a long time opens you to them too.

How do I know which medication to use?

The treatment you choose depends on the type of infection you have and its severity. Children as well as women and men can get them so obviously the strength of medication for a child is less than for an adult. If it is a vaginal infection there are many creams to choose from, if it is Thrush (oral yeast infection) there are sprays.

Why do people chose natural over medicated?

Natural remedies are safe, they do not come with side effects like medicated treatments do. It does not matter whether you are male or female, they work for both. Creams can be messy and some people report that the medicated options have only partly treated symptoms and their infection keeps returning. Since they are more expensive this then gets to be a lot of money for what becomes a returning infection. Natural remedies are easy and work just as quickly.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms vary slightly depending on person and type of infection but include itching, burning, pain during sex and while urinating, swelling, redness, white thick discharge, odor, headaches, tiredness, stomach problems, depression and aching joints.

Usually when sufferers believe they have an intestinal yeast infection they try oral anti fungal treatments to get rid of it. But the problem with that option is that those drugs kill all the bacteria in the intestines, good and bad, and you don’t want the good killed as it fights the yeast infection. By killing the good ones too, the drugs have created an ideal environment for the yeast infection to grow and spread. Those drugs also sometimes weaken people’s immune systems making your body less effective at fighting the infection.

The balance must be kept between good and bad bacteria. The intestines need good bacteria to help fight the Candida yeast. When the balance has been disturbed and has gone in favor of the Candida fungus the yeast infection is harder to treat. If you do not treat the infection as soon as you recognize it it can become a reoccurring problem and if left long enough can get into the blood and attack internal organs.
It is important to have a healthy immune system and medications like antibiotics weaken it. So with a weakened immune system and no good bacteria the yeast infection can have a party in there! In fact antibiotics are one of the biggest causes of yeast infections.

In order to treat a yeast infection you need to do it naturally and with lifestyle changes. Without the lifestyle changes you won’t get rid of the infection for good. If you are sick and are taking long term prescripted medication you may find the yeast infection takes longer to cure as your immune system is permanently lowered. Stop eating foods that feed the yeast like sugar, alcohol, processed foods and flour, yeast products and coffee.

By using a natural approach to the infection not only will you get rid of it and regain the good bacteria you lost you will also find that any damage caused by the mutated Candida fungus will be fixed.