According to Amanda McQuade Crawford, a medical herbalist and author of Herbal Remedies for Women, “there are many causes of vaginitis, which simply means an inflamed vagina. There’s not always an infection. Many women use the term to refer to any number of situations where there’s an irritation of the vagina. When it is caused by bacteria, it’s called bacterial vaginosis. So we are talking about a number of different conditions.
“Though vaginitis isn’t always caused by an infection, there are various microbes that commonly cause it. One of the microbes most commonly involved in nonspecific vaginitis is Gardnerella vaginalis, a bacterium that doesn’t like oxygen. When men have Gardnerella, they don’t show many signs or symptoms, so it may unsuspectingly pass to a female partner.”
Some other common causes of vaginitis are candida (a yeast), Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasite, and a number of sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhea, genital warts, and herpes. When an infecting agent is not the cause of vaginitis, it may simply be caused by a hormonal imbalance.
Vaginitis can occur at many stages of a woman’s life; for example, it is common when a woman’s body adjusts to a lower level of estrogen at menopause. Vaginitis can be aggravated by stress, nutritional imbalance, a foreign object such as a diaphragm or a tampon, and problems that originate in the vulva, which can lead to a vaginal irritation.
Crawford points out, “Vaginitis is not a punishment. It is the body’s way of signaling an irritation of the most tender gateway to the interior that leads all the way up to our heart, and of our relationship to the person we love and let into our body.”
One common vaginal symptom is a discharge, which can be of different types and colors. These differences can help determine the necessary approach for healing. If the discharge is clear and has a normal smell, it may well be due to ovulation and does not require treatment. If the color is a milky white, and the discharge has a creamy texture but smells normal, this can also be a sign of ovulation.If the discharge is white but sticky, it might be simply postovulation or an effect of taking the birth control pill.
When the discharge is brown and watery or sticky but has a normal odor, it can be spotting from the end of the menstrual period or, occasionally, spotting in between periods. If that is the case, it might be a good idea to consult a licensed practitioner to see why this is occurring.
When the discharge is watery and white, with almost a buttermilk quality, and smells fishy or foul—and especially when there’s itching or other symptoms, such as fever—then you may have a case of BV (bacterial vaginosis), possibly from Gardnerella, which requires treatment.
Sometimes the discharge is white and flecked, like curds, smells a bit like beer or rising bread dough with a yeasty smell, and is accompanied by itching. This could be from a yeast infection, which also requires treatment with antifungal, antiyeast herbs or other remedies.
When the discharge is yellow and frothy, sometimes with dots of red, has a very foul odor, and is itchy, it may be from Trichomonas. See a medical practitioner to ensure that the infection is adequately treated, because this can be persistent.
Crawford notes, “Be careful if the discharge is yellow to green, and there’s a heavy, thick mucous discharge, with or without a bad odor, that may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as abdominal cramps or pains, painful urination, and a fever. It could be evidence of PID [pelvic inflammatory disease] or possibly gonorrhea. Even if there’s no discharge, it still might be gonorrhea if the other symptoms are present. So go to a medical practitioner for a clear diagnosis.”
In treating vaginitis, some very simple herbs can be used, such as the soothing, anti-inflammatory calendula flowers. Crawford also likes licorice root, which can be used as a douche externally. Another herb that is quite good is plantain (sometimes called ribwort). These should be used with an astringent herb. They will help pull the inflamed vaginal tissues together so that the natural forces of your body can fight off whatever the infection or inflammation might be.
Crawford details, “An astringent herb which I use internally is anemone pulsatilla, or pasqueflower. Take 3 ounces of that and combine it with 1 ounce of licorice root and 2 ounces of plantain. Mix those together. Over 1 ounce of the mixture, pour a pint of boiling water. Let that stand, then take a teacup full of this tea, strained, three times a day. Alternatively, a woman can take extracts or tinctures of these herbs. The relative amounts would be the same. Take a teaspoon, diluted in 1 cup of water, three times a day.”
Treat vaginitis for one or two weeks, then stop treatment and see if the condition is gone. “If there is a more deep-seated infection that doesn’t resolve in that time period,” Crawford says, “then I usually add 2 ounces of echinacea root to the other ingredients. Steep an ounce and use it in the same way as you did the previous tea, three to four times a day for at least ten days. If that doesn’t clear things up, it is necessary to reassess.”
“There’s always nutritional advice that goes along with herbal treatments,” Crawford adds. “Avoid sugar, including honey, maple syrup on your pancakes, or fruit juice–sweetened cookies, even if they are from the health food store. Lots of sugar is not going to help a woman fight off an infection.”
Carol Dalton is a nurse practitioner who helped found the clinic Wellspring for Women. She explains that yeast infections are actually a general gathering of bacteria, a multiplicity of them, not just one organism. “Many of these organisms live normally within the vagina. If they are in the right balance and there are small amounts of them, they really don’t cause any problem. But if they get out of hand and if the partner has a lot of bacteria as well, then it can really start to cause a lot of inflammation, itching, redness, and a foul-smelling discharge. Then it is obviously a problem.”
She adds that just as we can be around someone who has a cold but not catch the cold if our immune system is good, a woman can come into contact with yeast but will not necessarily begin to grow it herself if her cells and immune system are healthy. On the other hand, if her immune system is depressed, she will pick it up and it will turn into a raging infection very easily.
A vaginal yeast infection has multiple causes, according to Dalton. She notes that the type of birth control you use will influence whether you can be infected. You may get the yeast infection from a partner, “if you are sexually active and particularly sexually active without any barrier protection or any spermicide—spermicide helps to kill off all of these things. So it may be passed more easily to women who are using the Pill or the IUD, for example, and not using female or male condoms or a diaphragm. They will be at higher risk, because everything that comes into contact with the genital area can pass way up into the vaginal canal. That’s one of the reasons we are seeing more of this and have been for the last fifteen or twenty years: women are using more different kinds of birth control than we used to have. Women are tired of using the older methods, so they have switched to hormone injections (Depo-Provera), IUDs, and oral contraceptives, and those methods don’t really offer any protection against yeast infections.”
The late Dr. William Crook, author of The Yeast Connection and Women, said that taking antibiotics can lead to yeast overgrowth and that women are especially susceptible. “The yeast we’re talking about normally live in the body of every man, woman, and child. When you are healthy, there are no problems, but when you take a lot of antibiotic drugs, you begin to get complications. Antibiotics knock out the normal, friendly bacteria. As a result the yeast overgrows, and a woman may get a vaginal yeast infection, a child may develop thrush or diaper rash, and a man or woman may get bloating, constipation, and digestive symptoms.
“But that’s not the major problem. This yeast puts out toxins that weaken the immune system. It so disturbs the interior membrane of the intestinal tract that you absorb food allergens that would normally be excreted. People truly become sick all over.”
“There are several reasons why a woman is more susceptible to yeast infections than a man,” said Dr. Crook. “Since her genitalia are internal, yeast is able to grow on the warm interior membranes of the body. The little tube going from the urinary bladder to the outside is only an inch and a half long in a woman, whereas in a man it is many inches long. This allows the bacteria to get up into the woman’s bladder much more easily. Women have 50 times more urinary tract infections than men, and they are given antibiotic drugs as treatment. Birth control pills further promote yeast growth. So does pregnancy. And teenage girls with a few pimples on their face are much more likely to run to the dermatologist and get tetracycline, an antibiotic that makes yeast grow.”
Nutritionist Gracia Perlstein adds these causes to the list: “Some women are susceptible at the end of each month’s menstrual flow. There are low estrogen levels present at menopause, and also pregnancy, when the rate of infection can be as high as 20 percent toward the end. Also women who have diabetes have an increased risk.
“Stress is another factor. Many people have two or three jobs. They are running around, eating on the run, not really paying attention to their diet. When people do that, they also tend to overdo sweets and processed foods, which weaken their immunity and set up a perfect environment for the candida overgrowth.”
Complementary physician Dr. Robert Sorge says Candida is the result of drug pollution. In addition to antibiotic overuse, mentioned earlier, he adds, “The most likely candidate for overgrowth is a person who has been on steroids, hormone medication, cortisone, the entire gamut of prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs, especially ulcer medications such as Tagamet and Zantac, and oral contraceptives. As far as I’m concerned, the sugar and junk food diet that most people have is also a drug.”
Classical symptoms of a yeast infection are itching, redness, irritation, and a cottage cheese–like curdly white discharge. Symptoms are not always obvious, but a gynecologist can often confirm whether or not a yeast infection exists by looking at a smear under the microscope or creating a culture to see if yeast colonies form.
Clearing up immediate symptoms is relatively simple. Many over-the-counter preparations, including homeopathic remedies, exist for that purpose. The trick, according to Dr. Marjorie Ordene, a holistic gynecologist from Brooklyn, New York, is to treat the overall yeast syndrome, not just the local infection.
“Often the vaginal itching will be the impetus for the person to come to the doctor, but it is not the only problem they have. Unless the whole person is treated, the yeast is bound to recur.” Dr. Ordene breaks down symptoms of a yeast syndrome into five categories:
GENERAL SYMPTOMS—Low energy and fatigue, brain fog, depression, headaches, muscle and joint pains, memory loss, extreme sensitivity to chemicals, recurrent urinary infections, light-headedness
DIGESTIVE SYMPTOMS—Gas, bloating, intermittent constipation and diarrhea, indigestion, intestinal cramps
RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS—Chronic postnasal drip, frequent coughs, sore throats, colds, asthma, allergies
SKIN PROBLEMS—Eczema, itching, rashes, fungal infections
HORMONAL PROBLEMS—Menstrual irregularities, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome, mood swings, problems with the endocrine glands, hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia or diabetes
As noted, the infection is more likely to take hold if a woman has a less than healthy immune system. “If the person who gets a yeast infection has a weak immune system, then the yeast, which comes out in the stool, can creep up. It grows like little tree branches, into the perineum and vaginal area. If the pH is off, it can cause an infection in that area,” Dalton says.
Since the intestines serve as a reservoir for much of the yeast, a stool study may reveal an overgrowth. Excess yeast here indicates that yeast is present in other parts of the body, including the vagina, and is causing recurrent yeast infections.
A simple skin test may reveal a yeast allergy as well. Red or itchy skin indicates a problem. Often the results are seen quickly, within ten to fifteen minutes, although sometimes there is a delayed reaction or none at all.
These tests are not always reliable, according to Dr. Crook. “Although we physicians generally like to have a test that can say you do or do not have a particular condition, such as a chest X-ray to see whether your heart is enlarged, there is not presently a single, simple laboratory test that can say whether you do or do not have a yeast-related problem. If a woman has a vaginal infection, a lab study of the secretion may help identify the yeast. Sometimes a culture may. But they are not 100 percent accurate. They may not be more than 50 percent accu-rate. There are studies done on stools because yeast grows there, but those are not reliable either. The best we can do is to suspect it, and then to note the response of a person to a sugar-free special diet, and oral antiyeast medication, both prescription and nonprescription.”
Yeast-Free Diet
A yeast-free diet is both diagnostic and therapeutic. If a woman feels better when following the diet, this indicates a yeast sensitivity. The diet should be observed for several weeks at a minimum, and may be followed indefinitely. Some people feel much better and choose to eat this way permanently. Foods can be added back gradually, however, to see their effect. If symptoms recur, the reintroduced food should be avoided.
There are two basic principles to follow on a yeast-free diet:
AVOID SWEETS—The relationship between sugar and yeast was seen in a study performed at St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where mice who were fed sugar had two hundred times greater yeast concentration than mice who were not. Yeast feeds on sugar, causing many symptoms, especially digestive problems such as gas and bloating. Avoiding sugar entails more than just not adding granulated sugar to cereal or tea; it means checking labels and staying away from corn syrup, maltose, artificial sweeteners, fructose, cornstarch, sodas, and lactose, a milk sugar found in dairy products.
AVOID FOODS CONTAINING YEASTS AND MOLDS—These include baked foods such as breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, and other refined carbohydrates, commercial fruit juices, tomato sauce (unless homemade with fresh tomatoes), foods containing vinegar, pickled foods, smoked foods, alcohol, fermented foods, smoked meats, dried fruits, mushrooms (except for shiitake), pistachio nuts, and peanuts. Leftovers may be moldy as well.
What you can eat are healthful foods that do not contain yeasts and molds. Included are whole grains, such as brown rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa, and barley, as well as fresh vegetables. Lots of steamed green vegetables are particularly beneficial because they are abundant in purifying chlorophyll. Also allowed are sea vegetables; whole wheat matzoh; sourdough rye bread; popcorn; tortillas;tofu; miso; plain yogurt; lean meats; fresh fish; organically fed, free-range poultry; and eggs from free-range chickens. Organic extra-virgin olive oil, when used sparingly, can inhibit yeast overgrowth, according to recent studies. Raw garlic or lightly cooked garlic helps get rid of candida in the intestines.
Supplements
Sometimes diet alone is not enough. After all, yeast has been in the body for years. The following supplements provide additional needed help:
FLORA—The flora found in Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifida bacteria can be taken in powder form or as sugar-free yogurt. The effectiveness of flora was noted in a New York Medical School study of women with recurrent vaginal yeast infections. Those eating sugar-free yogurt had fewer infections than those who did not. Flora repopulate the intestinal tract with good bacteria, which in turn crowd out the yeast. The effects of flora are temporary, so the powder or yogurt should be consumed on a daily basis.
ANTIFUNGAL, ANTIYEAST AGENTS—Over-the-counter preparations, such as citrus seed extract, kyolic garlic, caprylic acid, pau d’arco, and berberine, may be helpful. Sometimes prescription agents such as nystatin are needed. These remedies get rid of excess yeast only. Since they are not absorbed into the blood, they are safe to take, even during pregnancy and while nursing.
HOMEOPATHIC CANDIDA—Helps desensitize the body to yeast.
GARLIC SUPPOSITORIES—Simple insertion of a clove of garlic into the vagina has a powerful healing effect. The New Our Bodies, Ourselves suggests that the clove should be peeled but not nicked, and then wrapped in gauze before inserting.
A strong body is better able to rebalance its health. In addition to supplements that target yeast infections specifically, the following nutrients provide overall nutritional support:
MULTIVITAMIN/MINERAL SUPPLEMENT—Formulas containing zinc, magnesium, yeast-free vitamins, trace minerals, and essential fatty acids boost immune function and help prevent recurrent yeast infections.
CHLOROPHYLL—Cleanses the intestines and purifies the blood.
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS—3, 000 milligrams of evening primrose, borage, or blackcurrant seed oil daily in three divided doses, or one tablespoon of organic flaxseed oil. (Never cook flaxseed oil, and keep refrigerated.)
VITAMIN C—3, 000 to 5, 000 milligrams daily in three divided doses helps fight infections.
B-COMPLEX—50 to 100 milligrams with each meal combats stress.
Herbs
The following Asian and Western herbs can help alleviate yeast problems:
DIGESTIVE HARMONY AND HERBASTATIN—Digestive Harmony is a combination of bitter herbs that work together to cleanse the digestive tract and other internal organs of yeast infections. Herbastatin gets rid of yeast caused by phlegm.
YU DAI WAN—This Chinese remedy helps to eliminate creamy discharges.
KU SHEN—Used as a wash to clean the vagina.
BLACK WALNUT TINCTURE—Thirty drops three times daily, added to water before meals.
PAU D’ARCO—This herb has wonderful immune-enhancing and antifungal properties. As a tea, take three to four cups daily.
SUMMA—This is another good herbal tea for helping the immune system.
Also helpful are goldenseal, bearberry, Oregon grape, German chamomile, aloe vera, rosemary, ginger, alfalfa, red clover, and fennel.
Colon Therapy
“My battle with Candida lasted a long time,” says colon therapist Tovah Finman-Nahman. “I tried everything, including a strict diet, antifungals, and vitamin C drips. But I never got it under control until I started doing colonics. Then I saw quick results. The gas and bloating went away, and my chronic fatigue amazingly disappeared. I have seen similar results with a lot of people who come to see me. I can’t stress how good colonics are.”
What makes colon therapy such an effective treatment? First, it creates a clean internal environment. “We want a good environment so that flora can grow and flourish. That is paramount when we have candida overgrowth,” says FinmanNahman. Second, colonics calm an irritated colon: “Herbs can be added to the water, such as pau d’arco, which has antifungal properties. Yellow dock can also be added to soothe any inflammation. Fennel can be used to dissipate gas and eliminate the bloating that a lot of people with candida tend to get. Aloe vera gel is absolutely wonderful. It is very soothing to an inflamed colon. And of course, it can be taken orally in the form of aloe vera juice.
“In conjunction with colonics, psyllium can be taken orally. This moisturizes impacted fecal material in the congested colon, which further aids cleaning.
“People ask, ‘How many colonics should I get?’ That depends on the individual. The more the merrier. For a healthy person I recommend at least ten in a series, and then a maintenance program. Sometimes, it can take as long as six months to get candida under control because it is a very hearty bacteria. When yeast is at the point of being candidiasis, it can grow through the colon walls and run rampant. The more we cleanse, the better our chance of getting it under control and regaining health.”
Aromatherapy
Tea tree oil is scientifically shown to be antifungal, antiyeast, and antiviral. One tablespoon of the oil added to a pint of water, and used in a douche, helps eliminate yeast infections. Follow this by placing acidophilus tablets or capsules into the vagina to reestablish proper vaginal bacteria.
Lifestyle Factors
Nutritionist Gracia Perlstein notes the following important habits for minimizing the incidence of vaginal infections:
Homeopathy
Since homeopathy treatments are chosen according to symptoms, deciding on a remedy depends on the quality of the discharge and the sensations, according to the late Dr. Ken Korins. Here he offers some of the major remedies for vaginal yeast infections:
PULSATILLA—This remedy is often indicated in vaginitis. The woman has a thick, yellowish-to-green discharge. Sometimes the consistency is milky or creamy. Mentally, she is often moody, gentle, and weepy, and craves sympathy.
SILICA—The main symptom is an itching of the vulva and vagina. It is sensitive to touch. The discharge tends to be thin, and sometimes curdly.
KREOSOTUM—The person has violent symptoms. Discharges are excoriating, burning is profuse, and there is a foul odor, as well as violent itching and a burning and swelling of the labia. Discharge tends to be yellow and may actually have a watery, bloody consistency.
HEPAR SULPH—Symptoms are similar to Silica, but more chronic. The vagina itches, particularly after sexual intercourse, and often has an odor similar to that of old cheese. Both Hepar sulph and Silica can be used to treat sores or cysts, particularly Bartholin’s cysts.
KALI BICHROMIUM—Here discharges tend to be thick, green, and sometimes jellylike.
ALUMINA—Discharge is thick and transparent.
NITRIC ACID—Helps when there are sores or ulcers on the vaginal mucosa. The sensation tends to be a sharp, sticking pain. Discharges are brown. Often, there is a stain on underwear that leaves a yellow perimeter.
MERCURIUS—The discharges are excoriating but greenish and bloody. There is a sensation of rawness.
MEDORRHINUM—Discharge is thick and acrid, with a sensation way up in the uterus.
Wellspring for Women Treatment
The holistic program at the Wellspring for Women clinic treats chronic cases of yeast infection. As Carol Dalton points out, the conventional treatment for yeast is to prescribe antifungal medications. “If a woman went to a more traditional medical care facility, that would be the first choice. It would be an antifungal of some sort in either a vaginal or an oral preparation.
“The problem with this approach is that you are not really addressing why this problem develops in the first place; why there is an unhealthy environment that allows this organism to grow. By prescribing these drugs, you are actually adding to the imbalance in the environment. This makes it even more likely that the person is going to pick it up again or that she will develop a yeast infection, because you have killed off her normal bacteria and allowed yeast to overgrow there. Often that starts a cycle of bacteria, then yeast, sometimes even developing into bladder infection because the whole area gets so inflamed.”
Dalton notes that she often sees patients who have had chronic infections for a long time. “What we try to do is establish what their general immune system looks like. Then we try to help them systemically to get that into balance.
“We look at their diet, their lifestyle, their stress factors, their supplements, all those things, and try to help them create a healthier, better balance. For example, if the woman was low on protein in her diet and eating a lot of sugar and carbs, then we might recommend a lower-carb, lower-sugar diet so that we are not feeding the yeast.
“If the woman is not doing any kind of supplementation, we would tend to recommend things to raise the immune system and to help balance the flora in the vagina. We might suggest B-complex vitamins, zinc, beta-carotene, vitamin C, all of those things that seem to help the immune system in general.”
Dalton also uses natural suppositories to treat the yeast, as well as oral antifungal remedies including garlic. This is a traditional treatment. “I’ve even had patients who were told to tie some dental floss onto a clove of garlic or to thread it through a garlic clove and insert the clove in the vagina. It is very antifungal, so it probably does work.
“There are many ways to treat this, but the basic premise when you have developed a chronic problem should be to look at the whole body.”
Describing the difference between acute versus chronic yeast infections, Dalton says, “If somebody gets a onetime infection, then perhaps she has a new partner and is having more sex than usual. In that case I would recommend she get some over-the-counter Monistat cream or use a little antifungal vaginal gel for a few days, to get rid of it. However, if it’s an ongoing problem, we try to look more at the whole person and why she is having infections over and over again.”
For chronic yeast problems, Dalton looks at the digestive system, because there is likely a yeast imbalance in the digestive system. That means the woman is getting more vaginal contamination than average. “Often you’ll see symptoms such as gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and rectal itching.”
In chronic cases, it is important to determine what strain of yeast is present. At Wellspring for Women, Dalton says, “We do tests through our local lab or, more often than not, through Great Smokies Lab in North Carolina. The patient gets a kit from the clinic and takes a stool sample, and it’s sent to North Carolina to be analyzed. With chronic yeast, the problem is that over time the yeast will mutate into a form that becomes resistant to most, if not all, of the medications typically used to treat yeast. The lab not only cultures but also tests the strain or strains that are found for sensitivities to medications and natural treatments. We have sometimes found yeast that has become resistant to garlic, for example. Though garlic in general is considered a great antifungal, there are some yeast strains that have mutated into a form in which garlic doesn’t bother them at all— in fact, they probably thrive on it. And the same is true for resistance to various types of medication.
“So for chronic problems, we not only look a little deeper into the person’s situation—into her lifestyle and habits—but we try to identify the exact organism we are dealing with and what that organism is sensitive to, so that we can help the person get rid of it completely.”
I had a patient who had a chronic yeast infection for about twelve years. It developed out of chronic bladder infections. She was given so many antibiotics that they ended by killing off the normal bacteria in the gut, which allowed the yeast to overgrow. Eventually that developed into vaginal yeast infections. We worked on it systemically. We tested to find out what organism she had and what it was sensitive to. We looked at her diet and her stress levels, which were high. After medication as well as natural treatments, we thought we’d gotten rid of it.
“Recently she had to be on antibiotics for twelve weeks for an abscessed tooth, so we wanted to check her. We found that she was fine. She had gone three months on antibiotics and there was no sign of yeast at all. We felt that she was really clear of it, since, being on the antibiotics that long, any average woman would have gotten a yeast infection. She was able to avoid it. So that was a very good sign that she was clear.
—Carol Dalton
Trichomonas is another vaginal infection, caused by a one-celled protozoan called Trichomonas vaginalis. Trichomonas, says herbalist Amanda McQuade Crawford, “is usually sexually transmitted. It’s a parasite, not a virus or a bacterium, and is not to be confused with trichinosis, the infestation of worms that can result from eating uncooked pork.”
Trichomonas causes an inflammation of a woman’s vaginal lining. The symptoms, says Crawford, are intense vaginal itching, irritation, and discharge. These symptoms are worse than similar symptoms that appear with bacterial vaginitis or yeast infections. The thin vaginal discharge trichomonas produces is yellow or green, and occasionally gray, and has a bubbly or frothy appearance. This discharge produces a burning sensation; a raw feeling; and a characteristic bad, fishy smell. Sexual intercourse is painful.
Trichomonas is a very serious condition, and it is important to know how it is distinct from other vaginal infections. Some general medical symptoms are also present: fever, chills, nausea, and fatigue. It can mimic a bladder infection (cys-titis). The organisms that cause trichomonas can sit in the tissues of the vagina or the urethra, or hidden away deep in some of the glands inside the vagina, which makes it difficult to treat with natural remedies. When the infection goes on, you need to consult a licensed health care practitioner.
In herbal treatment, Crawford indicates, “We try to eliminate the parasite by optimizing natural immune system defenses and work on preventing a recurrence at the same time. This means eliminating risk factors, particularly unsafe sex. The woman’s sex partners may need to be tested to see if they require treatment. If they test positive, they need to be tested until they are shown to be negative. It’s not enough just to have the symptoms go away. The herbal treatment requires consistency and should be done for at least two months before a retest to see if the parasite has disappeared.”
One of the best herbal treatments is cassia bark. Others are myrrh and barberry root. These herbs together are often used to kill off the parasite causing the infection. Tonics promoting long-term immune system health also offer benefits. Two herbs used for this purpose are reishi, a Chinese mushroom, and astragalus root. Astragalus has often been used to boost immunity, especially with long-term infections.
Crawford cautions, “The herbs that are strong enough to kill the organism are ones that taste particularly bad. I say that so that women will know, when they are treating themselves for this, that it is not something like a beverage herbal tea. To take it will require some rigor and some willingness to gulp the things down.” You can also take these herbs in capsule form. It can take as long as two months to eliminate the infection.
To make a capsule, combine 4 ounces cassia with 3 ounces barberry root. Add to that 3 ounces reishi mushrooms and 2 ounces astragalus. These herbs can be mixed together and put into capsules at home very easily. It’s also very affordable.
If you don’t want to take them as powdered herbs in capsules, you can take them in extracts and tinctures. The proportions would be the same, and the dose would be 1 teaspoon in 1 cup of water with meals four times a day for six to eight months.
Alternatively, you can take the herbs separately, although if you do, after three weeks you might encounter a little stomach distress. In that case, dilute them with even more water and be sure to take them with meals so that there is some food in your stomach. This will slow down the speed with which the herbs get into your bloodstream but will not neutralize their effects.
Don’t forget that what you eat can also help the body heal. For trichomonas there is no one specific food that will make the difference. Crawford’s recommendations are to decrease excess sugar and refined carbohydrates. Eat low-protein, high-quality whole foods with at least four to five servings a day of fresh fruits and vegetables in season. She says you must keep in mind that “We are eating foods that will nourish our whole being, not just the fruits or plants that will kill off parasites, because that won’t get to the root of the whole problem.”
Dalton also recommends certain supplements. She cites “good research on using fairly high doses of zinc, C, and beta-carotene, which seem to systemically help the body throw off trichomonas.”
Crawford uses douches in her treatment. One douche formula is cassia bark combined with equal amounts of licorice root bark to soothe the irritated, raw vaginal lining. Simmer 1 ounce of each on low heat for about fifteen minutes, then strain and use the tea as a douche.
A douche Dalton recommends contains aloe, vinegar, and tea tree oil. This is a drawing solution that helps get rid of the infection.
Crawford warns, “The thing to remember about douching is that it has some short-term benefits but also some long-term drawbacks. It should not be done every day, but only to relieve symptoms. At the same time, you must undergo a long-term treatment, such as taking the capsules, to deal with the root of the problem.”
After six or eight weeks on the herbal treatment, get tested to see if the parasite has been eliminated. If it is still present, use the herbal treatment for an additional two weeks.
Crawford also notes that there’s a need to counter the effect of the stronger herbal remedies. “If you are going to continue taking fairly strong herbs to kill off a small living organism, it’s necessary to take some other herbs to help you counteract the negative side effects of these strong herbs. One of these counteracting herbs would be milk thistle. Take it as a standard extract, or in one of the many proprietary forms that are now in the marketplace. The dose would be 300 or 400 milligrams a day.” Milk thistle can help the body develop long-term immunity as well as cope with the other herbs being used to treat the infection.
Trichomonas is generally treated with a drug called Flagyl. In traditional medicine, it’s thought that Flagyl or other antiparasitic drugs are the only way to treat this. About twenty years ago I had a patient who had a resistant case of trichomonas. She had been in the university hospital in Denver and they had given her intravenous Flagyl. Still they had not been able to get rid of the trichomonas. We used the douche solution and oral supplements to boost her immune system, and, lo and behold, in about three weeks, the trichomonas was gone and never recurred. So the natural treatments really can work if people are willing to put forward the effort. Obviously, it’s easier in many cases to take a pill or two a day than to do all of this regime. However, it helps the body be healthier in general.
—Carol Dalton
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is caused by Gardnerella, a gram-negative bacterium that hates oxygen. An alternative treatment that has been used at women’s health clinics across America is to mix 1 cup of distilled or sterilized water and 1 tablespoon of a 3 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. Douche with this mixture once a day for a week. Then repeat every three days, for an additional two weeks. The hydrogen peroxide and distilled water increase oxygen in the vaginal canal and tissues, which is antagonistic to the Gardnerella. This douche is a noninvasive, effective way to treat the problem. If it doesn’t work within a week to ten days, consult a licensed health practitioner for other kinds of help that might be appropriate.
Plants containing phytochemicals with antibacterial/antifungal activity, in order of potency, include:
Coptis chinensis (Chinese goldthread)
Coptis sp. (generic goldthread)
Mangifera indica (mango)
Coptis japonica (huang lia)
Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)
Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel)
Phyllanthus emblica (emblic)
Punica granatum (pomegranate)
Quercus infectoria (aleppo oak)
Berberis vulgaris (barberry)
Phellodendron amurense (huang po)
Argemone mexicana (prickly poppy)
Fragaria sp.(strawberry)
Rheum rhaponticum (rhubarb)
Glycine max (soybean)