A yeast infection keeps coming back, what should I do?

Chronic yeast infections are the pits. You're not on antibiotics, have a healthy diet and lifestyle, and you don't have a weakened immune system. You may have even been tested for STD's and all your results came back negative. So what's causing this?

• If symptoms start appearing every month before your period, your natural hormone fluctuations could be the cause of your sensitivity to infections. Combat this by eating probiotic products like yogurt with live active cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus, acidophilus supplements, or kefir. You'll also want to cut down on the amount of sugars and starches you consume. Try natural sweetners like stevia instead.
  
• If you're sexually active, then you and your partner may be passing the infection back and forth. Sometimes yeast infections in men don't show any outward symptoms, othertimes there may be itching and discharge. In any case you'll both want to see a doctor about this to make sure you aren't infecting each other.
• How do you wash your underwear? I know this is weird, but yeast from discharge could live and breed in the fabrics of your clothes. You'll want to wash your underwear with hot water (on an extra long cycle) after a yeast infection. And this is obvious to most people, but change your underwear everyday!
• Again, if you're sexually active, then some condoms may trigger a yeast infection. Condoms with the spermicide nonoxynol-9 may be irritating and it definitely upsets the pH of your system down there. Look for condoms that don't have nonoxynol-9, or use other forms of barrier protection. You may also be getting yeast infections if you're allergic to latex, try using plastic polyurethane condoms.

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