About Garlic Remedies For Vaginal Yeast Infections
Vaginal fungi can appear not only as a result of issues such as poor intimate hygiene, but also due to pregnancy, the consumption of certain antibiotic medications (which cause an imbalance in the vaginal flora) and oral contraceptives (which increase estrogen levels), and They can also appear when diabetes is not treated.
Additionally, vaginal yeast infections can affect women with impaired immune systems, such as patients with HIV. Do you want to know more about it? Keep reading because we will tell you much more below!
Facts about vaginal yeast infection
Vaginal yeast causes mainly irritation and intense itching of the vagina and vulva. They also cause changes in discharge, pain, redness, vaginal rash, burning), which can interfere with routine and even sexual activity.
When the balance of the vaginal flora is disturbed, vaginal yeast infection (vaginal yeast infection) can occur.
When experiencing the symptoms it is necessary to go to the doctor as soon as possible and begin to follow the treatment prescribed. This is not usually long-lasting (unless it is a complex case), and generally consists of taking an antifungal medication for several days.
Natural remedies have NOT been shown to be effective or safe for treating vaginal yeast infections and other infections in this area. Therefore, it is best to avoid them.
Now, if you want to try any one in particular, for whatever reason, at least make sure you check with your doctor first to proceed with the greatest possible caution. Otherwise, you can expose yourself to adverse reactions.
Vaginal yeast and garlic: a lousy combination
In the popular sphere, it has been claimed on several occasions that there are “natural antibiotics” that can help treat various infections, including those that affect the health of the vagina. One of those so-called all-purpose antibiotics is garlic.
Garlic is a food that is used in a large number of recipes and that is very common in Mediterranean cuisine. It helps to season foods and enhance the flavor of other foods, thus helping to obtain exquisite mixes.
This food has caught the attention of researchers and therefore, several studies have been carried out on its compounds and properties. Above all, allicin, a compound to which antibiotic properties are attributed.
The evidence found to date indicates that it is necessary to continue studying the effects of garlic extracts, since in the laboratory, although garlic has been shown to have antibiotic properties, it is unknown if they act in the same way outside the laboratory.
Therefore, although garlic may have antibiotic potential, that does not mean that it can be used in any way (whole, in paste, mashed and mixed with oil, in capsules or in any other way) at home to treat or cure vaginal infections or from another area of the body.
As explained by Gemma del Caño, pharmacist, scientific communicator and expert in Food Safety, although garlic does have certain active principles that are used in the preparation of different medicines, this does not mean that consuming or applying garlic in any way can have the specific effect you want.
So, by itself, a garlic-based remedy is not capable of eliminating vaginal yeast infections , restoring the flora of the vagina, or strengthening the immune system to prevent infection in the future.
And couldn’t garlic be used in some way? Yes, within a balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet for example.
Better to forget about garlic-based home remedies
In case you have a vaginal infection or any other health problem, it is best to avoid garlic-based home remedies. Ideally, go to the gynecologist for an evaluation and then receive the most appropriate treatment, depending on the diagnosis. In this way, you avoid exposing your health to greater risks and complications.
By taking care of the cause of the problem in the correct way, with the medications and the guidelines given by the doctor, you will be able to obtain relief, improve and recover correctly. If you use home remedies, you can interfere with the recovery process, favor the appearance of interactions and suffer more discomfort (and in greater intensity).
In addition to following the doctor’s instructions, it is essential that you maintain proper intimate hygiene and strive to lead a healthy lifestyle, since this is what can provide you with long-term well-being and avoid future health problems.
Avoid self-medication
Cristina Galiano, pharmacist and nutritionist, clarifies that it is important to avoid self-medication, but also to place hope in products that promise to “increase defenses”, “cure the immune system” and “protect the body” from vaginal yeast infections .
And he adds that, after a review of the available scientific literature, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) did not approve any health claims related to immunity in any food or dietary supplement.
Therefore, the only thing that really works for good health is to always follow good lifestyle habits and, of course, maintain proper personal hygiene.
