Barbara (Toronto, On, Canada) on 12/16/2009:

I used to have recurrent painful, debilitating yeast infections. I would sometimes get a red rash as well. The treatment was a three day dose of Sulpha tablets followed by yeast infections inserts and cream. This worked but began to deplete my energy and immune health after a while. On a whim one day I decided to try giving up yeast. This was five years ago and since that day I have not had a single yeast infection. It is hard to give up yeast. Not only is it in almost all processed foods, it is also hidden. Enriched flour, citric acid, soy sauce, vinegar, natural flavor and and vitamins is how it is added and hidden in most foods. I make all my own foods basically and that is alot of work( fortunately I love to cook) but the pay off is that I am completely free of yeast infections and my immune health is so strong that now if I do occasionally eat yeast containing food I do not get infections and my body will naturally clean itself out within a few days.

A healthy (low or no sugar, salt and bad fats, preferably vegetarian or vegan )yeast free diet is the easiest way to cure yourself of this ailment and it works. I also eat alot of acidic fruit like kiwi, cranberries and eat alot of greens which helps alot as well.

For vegans- watch out for soy products (soy milk, meat, dairy) as they almost always contain yeast. It is added as Vitamin B12 or D and labeled as such or sometimes as "natural flavoring".

Also- nutritional yeast is okay but you need to boil it for 20 minutes to kill any living yeast and use it only occasionally. It is an inactive yeast but can still cause yeast to overgrow in your system. It is common in vegan food as a Vit B12 supplement and flavoring additive.