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As far as yeast goes, the stuff we traditionally use for baking is a microscopic fungi from the Saccharomycetaceae family. This yeast causes alcoholic fermentation converting the sugars and starches it digests into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. The gas produced is what causes bread to rise, and if you break open a loaf of your favorite bread you’ll find that it’s full of tiny holes; the bubbles caused by this process.
Candida albicans, on the other hand, is a yeast that normally lives in the vagina in small numbers. A vaginal yeast infection occurs when too many of these yeast cells are growing. Women who have an overgrowth of yeast, sometimes referred to as Candida, are often looking for ways to treat this oh so common and persistent condition. Suffice it to say, if you bake with Candida you probably won’t get the results you’d hoped for and no, you can’t make beer with your vagina. But what baking yeast and Candida do have in common is this: they quickly multiply in environments that supply warmth, moisture and sugars to digest.
Some women can have yeast (fungal) overgrowth with no symptoms at all, whereas it can severely impact another woman --potentially leading to chronic illness. In addition to yeast infections (itching or soreness in the vagina, pain or burning when you pee or have sex, or unusual discharge) symptoms of too much yeast may include allergies, inflammation, joint problems, mood and brain disorders, digestive symptoms, and more.
A great way to rebalance yeast in the body is through diet. In general, the following guidelines are super helpful in keeping the yeast beast at bay:
- Avoid added sugars
- Eat non-starchy vegetables
- Eat low-sugar fruits
- Eat lots of fermented foods
- Minimize your caffeine
- Eat gut-healing foods
- Enjoy healthy proteins and fats
- Stay away from gluten
- Cut back on your alcohol
- Maximize your nutrition
- Drink lots of water
Women-friendly probiotics, like Good Girl Probiotics, are also helpful in providing a healthy dose of happy backeria into the system to help keep yeast under control. But sometimes a woman needs a little more support. That’s where good-for-you ingredients like turmeric, garlic, and grapefruit come in handy.
Found in the Perfect Condition Vitamin, this trifecta of yeast busting superstars help support a healthy Candida yeast balance throughout your entire body. Not only do they break down yeast at the cellular level - which is important because yeast can get into the bloodstream and wreak havoc on all your internal organs - they promote detoxification and support overall immune health. And last but not least, they help balance the vaginal tract, so your vagina stays fresh and healthy.
Conquering Candida can be tricky, but through diet, probiotics and supplements that support a healthy yeast balance, you can detoxify system-wide and restore your vaginal health.