Because their hormones are constantly fluctuating, women are more susceptible to yeast infections than men.

During the monthly cycle the levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate. At puberty, during pregnancy, and at menopause, hormone levels change. Also, oral contraceptives and hormone therapy cause high levels of estrogen or progesterone.

This is one of the reasons women tend to get yeast infections during pregnancy and just before or after menstruation.

Yeast infections are quite common in women. Three quarters of all women will develop a yeast infection at some point in their lives. Fluctuating hormone levels, stress, and times of low immunity encourage yeast infection.

Symptoms of a female candidiasis can be:

• A fishy or yeasty odor
• Itch
• Download
• painful sex
• pain when urinating

Women need to take special care of themselves when they are stressed. The nature of the female body is to fluctuate hormonally, so women must learn to relax and eat well at all times to avoid female yeast infections.

You might think that douching and deodorant sprays keep your vagina healthy. But you should rethink that.

According to many doctors, douching can do more harm than good. Douching upsets the careful balance of bacteria and organisms inside the vagina. There are normally small amounts of yeast and friendly bacteria in the vagina. But your yeast levels can grow rapidly if the beneficial bacteria are removed by douching. When the body becomes unbalanced, you can have the symptoms of a yeast infection.

Feminine and hygiene products often come with perfumes, fragrances, and dyes. You can buy scented intimate products like tampons and pads, vaginal sprays, toilet paper, and bubble baths. But those chemicals in the products can also irritate your vaginal area. And if your skin is already inflamed, you may have a yeast infection.

So choose unscented products and avoid bubble baths and strong soaps.

Did you know that the vagina cleans itself? It has natural discharges that help protect you from harmful bacteria. Therefore, it is better to leave the vagina alone.

Here are some more hygiene tips:

• Wash the outside of your vagina with mild soap or even plain water. You don’t need to do anything else to stay clean.
• Always dry yourself well after washing, swimming or exercising.
• On the toilet, wipe from front to back, not back to front.
• Give your vagina some room to air out! Wear loose pants.
• Wear underwear made of cotton instead of nylon, which can trap moisture.

Following these ideas will help prevent female yeast infections. By following the right program, in fact, you can completely rid yourself of the yeast and feel energized, clear-headed, and pain-free.