Today botanicals are used as complementary therapies especially for stubborn, chronic infections of the vagina or urinary tract.
Many botanicals have a long traditional and historical use for helping women with conditions such as yeast/candida infections (yeast vaginitis), bacterial infections (bacterial vaginosis) and urinary tract infections (UTI/cystitis).
Botanicals commonly used for women’s conditions:
Berberine (constituent of goldenseal, oregon grape), Calendula, Garlic, Tea Tree, Cranberry, Uva ursi, Pipsissewa, Marshmallow, and Buchu.
Scientific studies have measured treatment outcomes of these botanicals as well as their mode of action.
Botanicals “For Women” Act in Various Ways
Some like Berberine, Garlic, Tea Tree and Uva ursi are anti-fungal (anti-yeast), anti-bacterial, anti-viral and/or may produce a more acidic environment that is “hostile” to the microorganisms that are out of balance. (Yeast loves an alkaline environment!)
Some botanicals exhibit additional properties. For example cranberry’s constituents adhere to mucosal walls of the urinary tract and act as a barrier to E. Coli that also like to adhere to those surfaces. Similarly, Marshmallow, is mucilaginous and acts as a protective layer of the urinary tract, providing a soothing effect to the mucosa and Buchu also provides a protective layer and is a diuretic.
More Complementary Strategies that Can Help Women with Chronic Infections
Use Antibiotics Only if Absolutely Necessary
Antiobiotics kill acid-producing bacteria in your stomach, the GI tract becomes more alkaline and the Candida have “free reign” for overgrowth. (Similarly, acid blockers or antacids also reduce stomach acid, providing an environment for the Candida to take over. Yeast and bacteria migrate between GI tract and vagina and urinary tract.)
Eat a Low Carbohydrate Diet that is Immune Supportive
Keep your carbohyrate intake (starches and added sugars) to a minimum. Sugar is a favorite food source for Candida! Eat a whole foods diet high in vitamin C (ascorbic acid), rich with antioxidants and dietary fiber. Incorporate foods with probiotics, such as yogurt or kefir with live cultures.
Consider Homeopathic and other Therapies
Homeopathic therapies that have been used include: Borax, Hydrastis Canadensis, Boerberis, Kreosotum, Sepia, Calcarea Carbonicum, Nitric acidum, Carbolic acidum. In addition Boric acid suppositories (anti-fungal and acidic) has been used.
Take a Probiotic Daily
Maintaining a healthy and diverse gut microbiome helps keep pathogenic species from overpopulating. The body’s various microbiomes (e.g. gut, urinary, vaginal) are all interconnected. Acid producing probiotics like acidophilus and lactobacillus produce small amounts of lactic and acetic acid, helping to rebalance the pH in your intestine to limit growth of Candida; some strategies also include vagina suppositories of probiotics, to directly repopulate the vagina with lactobacillus strains normally found there. (Acidophilus is not the dominant strain in the vagina.) MegaSporeBiotic is my “go-to” probiotic for total body health.
For more information and specific protocols:
Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 2nd Edition
by Tori Hudson, ND
