I treated your yeast infection with a pill. I'm sorry.

As a nurse practitioner, I have to be real with you...

🗣️ I don't like prescribing fluconazole for yeast infections.

There, I said it.

It just doesn't work for real.

I mean, you might feel better after your first yeast infection, but if you're not fixing what caused it in the first place, it's going to come back.

And I see this all the time, and then women start relying on it.

That single dose turns into two.

Then I have patients telling me two doses don't work anymore. They need three or more.

Why?

Because it doesn't address the long-term problem, especially if you're getting yeast infections every other month or after every period.

What good is a pill if you have to keep coming back for it over and over?

Plus, the more you take fluconazole, the more your whole system gets thrown off balance.

When you take it, it doesn't just stop the bad fungus.

It wipes out a lot of the good stuff, too.

And that creates an imbalance in your body.

Now, I'm not saying one dose is going to ruin your life.

But that's where it starts.

I've had women come to me, and it starts with just one dose. Then whatever was causing the infection in the first place makes it come back.

You keep taking the pills, your body gets used to them, and then you need more.

The cycle keeps going. It never really fixes the yeast infection. It just quiets it down for a little while.

That's exactly what's happening. Pressing the silence button on an issue screaming for attention.

So if you don't want fluconazole to cause more problems (like throwing off your gut health and overworking your liver), you have to focus on the root cause.

But here's another thing.

In our healthcare system, we're trying to see as many patients as possible.

I saw this when I was doing virtual urgent care. We miss the big picture.

Yes, we can treat you. Yes, your symptoms may go away.

But what happens when they come back next month?

Do we just keep treating you over and over?

We even have a protocol where if someone comes back more than three or four times for the same issue, we have to refer them out.

But by that point, we've already created a situation where the body is so dependent on the treatment, they feel like they can't beat the yeast without it.

And I get it. Yeast infections are super uncomfortable. I've had one before.

But where do we draw the line?

Do we wait until our gut is really struggling?

Or do we say, "Okay, this isn't working. I need to figure out what's really causing my yeast infection and fix that."

Because you wouldn't put a Band-Aid on a big gaping wound that needs real care, right?

It's not going to work.

So here's my point: we have to look at the root causes of yeast overgrowth.

One of the biggest ones is simple.

It's sugar.

But, we have to stop thinking we need to kill the yeast. Instead, we need to learn how to stop feeding it.

Because, believe it or not, we need some yeast in our guts and vaginas to keep our immune system strong.

And here's what I've noticed: if you've been eating a lot of sugar and carbs (and most of us have), you might be feeding the yeast without meaning to.

And sugar is good, don't get me wrong. We need it to provide energy to our cells.

But the more you eat (whether it's white pasta, white bread, candy, or alcohol), the more you're feeding yeast.

So the first step isn't running to your doctor for a pill (he or she probably doesn't really care anyway).

It's cutting back on sugar.

When I say sugar, I'm not talking about crystallized cane sugar for a bag. I'm talking about the simple sugars that are in your simple carbs.

This is your (takes deep breath) flavored yogurts, granola/cereal, fruit juice, smoothies, fancy coffee drinks, ketchup, BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, salad dressings, “healthy” protein/snack bars (uh-huh), instant oatmeal packets, white bread/wraps/tortillas, crackers, flavored plant milks (yes, I know), non-dairy creamers, flavored waters/sports drinks, canned soups, “low-fat” or “diet” packaged foods, sweetened applesauce, and gummy vitamins.

You'd be surprised at how these food items spike the glucose in your body and pave the way for an imbalance in the yeast and bacteria living in your gut.

Unless you're okay with taking pills over and over that don't really solve the problem.

And I'm not saying you have to do this forever. But if you've been eating a lot of sugar, you should consider taking a break so your body can heal itself.

After that, you can bring back the foods you enjoy, just in moderation.

Oh, and I don't want to forget about the antifungal creams we use, too.

They do the same thing as the oral pill, but just in the vagina area.

Your vagina has its own system of good and bad bacteria.

If you're putting something in there that wipes it all out, trust me, that yeast infection is going to come back even stronger.

Especially if you're not doing what it takes to rebuild that healthy balance.

So in short -- don't rely on these prescriptions.

You're going to get stuck in a cycle. And then your doctor is going to refer you out because they can't keep treating the same thing over and over.

Instead, go after the root cause. That's where your real healing is.

When you start doing what works for your body, that's when you'll have your breakthrough.

This is why I am excited to be building my yeast infection protocol in the Rivym database. We need to help people like you build healing systems to stop the cycle for good.

No more band aids. Just real healing that lasts. Sign up here to be the first to know when this drops in a few weeks.

You got this. Take it one rhythm at a time.

Give thanks,

Mary