Candida -- particularly Candida of the vagina -- is an infection that around seventy five percent of all women will have at least once in their lifetime.
And with some forty five percent suffering two or more Candida infections, it keeps doctors and pharmacies pretty busy.
When folks think of Candida they nearly always think of the vagina, but it can appear almost anywhere.
Here, only Candida of the vagina is addressed.
The symptoms of Candida of the vagina are;  an inflamed vagina, chronic itching, white discharge, pain when urinating, menstrual pain, painful sex, even the inability to have sex.
But there are other signs that women don't associate with Candida, e.
g.
tiredness, irritability, memory loss, headaches, depression, rashes, sore joints, and many more! Note: A woman with Candida of the vagina has to be careful not to transfer the infection to her sexual partner.
Sex in itself won't cause Candida but it can be a way of 'transferring' it.
And the use of a condom might not be smart, since the lubricant itself can aid the infection.
This is a major frustration for many women whose vaginal Candida is proving difficult to cure.
At the heart of the infection is a yeast-like fungus called Candida albicans.
This is found naturally in the human body, particularly in warm, moist areas such as the vagina.
The only time it causes a problem is when the good bacteria in our bodies cannot control it sufficiently enough to stop it 'overgrowing'.
It's this overgrow that causes Candida of the vagina and other areas of the body.
What happens to the beneficial bacteria that they cannot control the Candida albicans? There are many things that can cause or, at the very least, aid the overgrow.
Things like a compromised immune system, bad diet, diabetes, oral contraceptives, some condom lubricants, vaginal acidity, hormonal changes, underlying illness, overuse of antibiotics and steroids, some medications, vaginal douching, sprays.
And these are just a few.
  Typical mainstream treatments use drug-based creams, ointments, suppositories and pills.
These work fine for many women, but as we have seen above many women will have recurring Candida infections during their lifetimes.
There are many theories about this, but one is that these medications attack the symptoms but not the root cause of the Candida.
And it is well known that the Candida albicans can eventually become resistant to the drugs.
Natural remedies, on the other hand, are drug-free so don't have the same shortcomings.
Which is why more and more women around the world are successfully turning to these completely natural, home-based remedies.
In addition, by taking a much more holistic approach, they are more able to address the underlying issues discussed above.
And reports of cures within hours are not uncommon.