Cystitis, Candida and Milk Thistle Complex
Posted: Friday, February 05, 2010
by Keira Benson
I'm a great fan of herbal and homeopathic remedies and have had much cause to be grateful to them over the years when the synthetic drugs prescribed by various doctors have proved to be of limited value. I later realised that this was because most of my problems stemmed from my problems with Candida but I was totally unaware of this problem at the time. I started to be affected by cystitis on a regular basis in my early forties.
The reappearance of love-making in my life meant that, not only was my bladder being battered, but any Candida bacteria were also being transferred from my vagina to my urethra, setting up yet another urinary tract infection. It was a vicious circle.
I could drink gallons of cranberry juice, plus those special sachets that you get from the chemist, and it would only control it. Never actually cause it to be totally gone. Sometimes, I could feel the bacteria moving up into my kidneys and a course of antibiotics from the doctor would be the only solution to this infection. The side effect of repeated antibiotics was a nice dose of thrush and another trip to the chemist for a pessary of 'that special soothing cream'.
The thrush was the result of an overgrowth of Candida bacteria in my vagina - a direct result of the course of antibiotics. The problem with the 'special cream' is that it does ease the symptoms in the short term but its composition means that the advent of new chemicals can serve to feed the Candida bacteria too.
Repeated doses of antibiotics and 'special cream' meant that the balance of the delicate ecosystem in my vagina was thrown totally out of whack.
Researching on the internet, I found a natural remedy in the form of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda mixed with water and drank several pints of the stuff during and after my weekends with my lover.
I started to recognise the symptoms that were the forerunners of a problem. With a hot water bottle on my belly, a couple of paracetamol for the pain and my glass of 'soda', I would recuperate on the couch for a few hours until the discomfort had passed and I was ready to participate once more. I knew that I was going to pay big time for the following week when I went home, but I didn't care.
So long as I could enjoy my weekend, I was prepared to put up with it. Because, again, this 'cure' only controlled things and the next urinary tract infection was always lurking in the wings. This was never more evident than if I drank too much alcohol (especially champagne) as I would suffer the consequences from this irritant too.
I put up with this state of affairs for a couple of years and then my skin began to erupt in the lesions of psoriasis on my arms, legs and body. I was devastated. The doctor could only prescribe steroid creams, which soothed the current outbreak but didn't stop any new patches from breaking through. They were like overgrowths of my skin cells, circular, dry and flaky. I had to find something that would pre-empt those eruptions.
I had no idea that the problems I had with bad breath, digestive disorders, vaginal thrush, cystitis and psoriasis were all direct results of the Candida that was flourishing uncontrolled throughout my body.
The trusty internet was, once more, my friend and I found Milk Thistle. It is a member of the sunflower family and the active ingredient in its seeds is silymarin, which is an antioxidant. This means that it is able to remove toxic chemicals known as free radicals from the body. Free radicals cause cell damage which is the main cause of disease and premature aging.
But, more important than this, milk thistle detoxifies the liver, promoting the regeneration and repair of cells and protecting it from the damaging effects of alcohol and other toxins. In addition, it has been shown to reduce inflammation and decrease excessive skin growth. Whilst it has been reported that it can cause an upset stomach, there are very few known side effects, but you should consult a qualified medical professional before taking any milk thistle supplements.
Purely by chance, the first jar that I found at my local health shop was a 'complex'. This means that, in addition to milk thistle, it contained tinctures of fresh artichoke leaves, dandelion herb and root, peppermint and another ingredient that I had never come across before - Peumus boldo dried leaf.
Boldo is a South American herb, the dried leaves of which are used to treat urinary tract infections. (It should not be used by pregnant women and the essential oil should never be taken internally as it is highly toxic!)
Within a fortnight of beginning to take a couple of these pills each day, my existing psoriasis had begun to clear up and no new patches had appeared and, over the next few months, cystitis became a very rare event.
Again, you should consult with a qualified medical professional before using any homeopathic supplements.
Keira Benson is determined to help more women to discover the link between Candida and other 'women's issues'
For more information on how to treat thrush candida and yeast infections holistically, go to
http://treatthrushcandidaandyeastinfections.com
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