People often ask if they should treat yeast infections with antibiotics. The answer is unequivocally no.
Candida, the type of yeast found in and on the body, needs a certain environment in which to grow and multiply. Normally, we have few candida microorganisms in our bodies, as many factors keep them in check, including beneficial bacteria and the pH balance of your environment.
What is the effect of taking antibiotics? Intestinal bacteria die. And antibiotics kill all living bacteria in the body. They not only kill the bacteria that make us sick, but they also kill the good bacteria, part of our body’s defense system. Without more good bacteria, candida grows rapidly. The yeast then breaks through the wall of the intestines and enters the bloodstream. The symptoms become evident.
The main reasons why antibiotics can promote fungal infections are:
- When the good bacteria are killed by antibiotics, the immune system is weakened. Candida growth gets out of control when the immune system is weak.
- The pH levels in the body become unbalanced when antibiotics are taken. The pH level is the acid-alkaline balance. Acidity is caused by taking antibiotics, and acidity encourages the growth of candida.
The situation is much worse if you have had long-term use of antibiotics. If your body is not brought back into balance, yeast infections will continue to break out.
We get antibiotics by prescription, but we forget that our food sources often contain antibiotics as well.
It is well known that chickens, cows and other animals raised for human consumption have received large doses of antibiotics. You can’t make money from animals that have an infection. When you eat them you also ingest antibiotics.
Dairy products contain antibiotics, as they are almost always given to cows to protect against infection. Eat only organic dairy products to avoid antibiotics from dairy products. If you switch to goat or sheep products, check to see if they are organic as well. Or use rice milk or soy milk!
Sometimes it’s hard to find a simple liquid soap without antibacterial content. It’s worth the effort to get it, perhaps at the health food store.
It is important to know that a yeast infection cannot be cured with antibiotics. If you have yeast infections, it is important to avoid taking antibiotics. It also helps to avoid all antibacterial products and non-organic meat and dairy.
If you want to stop getting yeast infections, you can bring your body back into balance. Yeast growth will stay low only if your body’s internal environment changes. Healing involves diet, supplements, and the right therapies, so I recommend that you find a professional to help you, either in person or with a book.