If you've ever experienced the symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection and had the "itches" - read on. Trust me, you'll be glad you did and mighty relieved at that.

Yeast Infections affect almost 80% of women, so if your prevention is based on never having one - guess what - the odds are stacked against you.

Vaginal yeast infections are caused by a naturally occurring fungus called Candida. Candida occurs in 4 different types which are:

• Candida Albicans
• Candida Glabrata
• Candida Tropicalis
• Candida Krusei

The most common, causing almost 80 percent of vaginal yeast infections is Candida Albicans. Candida Albicans is naturally present in your vaginal tract and is kept in check by other organisms living in your body. It's when the amount of Candida grows unchecked that you start to get the symptoms of a yeast infection.

A yeast infection is nothing more than a higher than normal growth of Candida in your body, so here are 2 ways to get the balance back to normal.

These natural cures center on getting back your body's balance. It's not about killing off all the candida. After all, candida occurs naturally and if your body didn't need it for something, you probably wouldn't have it in the first place.

Tried and Tested Natural Cures

Yogurt:
Yogurt is a great way to treat a wide variety of "fungus" based conditions and works very well with yeast. Yogurt is a living food, meaning the bacteria that make the actual yogurt are still present in the little tubs we eat. This bacteria feeds on many types of fungus, including Candida, so here's the procedure for treating a yeast infection:

Apply yogurt to the infected vaginal area and, if possible, leave overnight. To do this, the best way is to use a tampon dipped in yogurt and inserted in the vagina. Using a turkey baster to apply the yogurt also seems to work quite well, although God knows what turkey baster manufacturers will make of that one...

The bacteria in yogurt decays over time, so for persistent infections you will probably have to do this a couple of nights running.

NOTE
Make sure to use plain, unsweetened, unflavored yogurt. When it comes to yeast infections, sugar is your enemy, so sweetened yogurt will only make the condition worse.
Also avoid using a deodorized tampon to apply the yogurt. This will probably only make things worse, as deodorized tampons are a no-no for yeast infections.
Little side note here, yogurt also works very well for athletes foot, which is another fungus condition. My husband Marcus, a 35 year military veteran swears by morning urine for killing off the athletes foot fungus. Go figure...

Apple Cider Vinegar
A normally healthy vagina is acidic, so if your vagina has a high acidity, yeast infections will probably not be a problem for you. If your vagina starts to become alkaline, then you have the precise conditions fungi thrive in.

Getting your vagina back to being acidic is the basis of the Apple Cider method to treat yeast infections. Here's how to do it:

Half fill a bath tub with warm water and add a cup of apple cider vinegar. Take a bath, making sure to swirl the water in and around your infected area. Spend about 30 minutes doing this. The vinegar will probably leave a harsh smell behind, so shower well afterwards.

Many yeast infection sufferers have also reported good results from drinking the vinegar, but I'm a bit concerned about the effects on the body's PH levels, so I tend to avoid this.

These are both natural cures that rely on getting your body back into balance.

For more information about yeast infections and the most common symptoms and prevention, read on.

If your yeast infections are persistent and recurring, then have a look at more natural cures for yeast infections. This is an excellent ebook, detailing many more natural cures for yeast infections and particularly persistent and recurring symptoms.

Symptoms - Causes - Prevention

The most common symptoms of a yeast infection are:

• Intense itchiness
• Soreness
• Rash on the outer lips of the vagina
• Burning sensation (particularly during urination)
• Vaginal discharge - not to be confused with discharges many women experience during their period. Vaginal discharges due to a yeast infection are thick almost curd like and best described as smelling like "beer"

The tell-tale symptom of a yeast infection is the intense itchiness, so if you have any of the other symptoms without the itching, it's probably not a yeast infection.

Yeast infections can occur due to a number of causes. Taking a course of antibiotics for example can kill off some of the other organisms in your body, allowing the candida to multiply and develop into a yeast infection. Itch, itch

Nature loves balance, so when you get a yeast infection, it's nature's way of telling you something is out of balance. Yeast infections are natural conditions - the best way to fight them is with natural cures.

Periods of intense mental of physical stress can also lead to yeast infections developing. The general lowering of your immune system due to these factors leads to the candida increasing and developing into a yeast infection. Itch, itch.

In fact, yeast infections and immune system are so linked, that repeated yeast infections, especially if they don't clear up with proper treatment, may sometimes be the first sign that a woman is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Taking medications, such as birth control pills can also contribute to a yeast infection developing. Yeast infections also commonly occur during pregnancy due to hormonal imbalances which change the acidity of the vagina, allowing the candida to multiply.

OTC medications for yeast infections usually belong to the "azole" family of drugs, such as:
butoconazole nitrate (Femstat 3), clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin and others), miconazole (Monistat 7 and others), and tioconazole (Vagistat).

An ounce of prevention is usually worth several pounds of cure, so here are some simple steps to take to prevent yeast infections:

• Wear loose, natural-fiber clothing and underwear with a cotton crotch
• Limit wearing of pantie hose, tights, leggings, nylon underwear, and tight jeans
• Don't use deodorant tampons and feminine deodorant sprays, especially if you feel an infection beginning
• Dry off quickly and thoroughly after bathing and swimming--don't stay in a wet swimsuit for hours

Statistics say you WILL get at least one yeast infection in your lifetime and believe me, one is more than enough.

For more natural cures for yeast infection take a look at best natural cures for yeast infection and save yourself a whole load of very painful itching.