Dear Yenta,
I’ve got a yeast infection and it will not go away. I’ve tried pills. I’ve tried witchhazel wipes. I’ve tried cranberry juice. I’ve eaten yogurt. And I’m afraid it’s spreading to the nether regions in the back. What do I do? Help me Yenta!!!
-Itchy
Dear Itchy,
First and foremost a reminder/disclaimer: I am not a doctor. A am a Jewish woman in New Mexico with a penchant for people’s problems. That being said: take the following words, as always, with a fat grain of sea salt and consult your doctor before putting anything new inside your vagina. Your infection can be a sign of pregnancy, allergies, or HIV. A prolonged yeast infection might be a warning sign of diabetes or a thyroid problem. Consult a doctor if these are concerns of yours, or, see the list below of other causes.
What is a yeast infection? An excess of the yeast Candida swimming and swarming in your body causing any number of symptoms including itching, soreness, cottage cheese-like discharge, and possible painful urination.
Why do YOU have one? Only you can answer that. Things that might provoke a yeastie-beastie and ways to prevent one in the future:
-Excessive moisture, ie, don’t wear a wet bathing suit after the pool closes. Do what you can to keep that region dry, despite the oxymoron. Yeast lives and breathes off of dark moist locations making the vag and the mouth, stellar spots for an infection.
-Tight non-cotton undies that retain moisture. Wear cotton if possible, at least until the symptoms heal. Cotton lets your parts breathe.
-Tight pants causing more heat in your crotch than normal. Wear lose pants this week, we are looking for air down there.
-Antibiotics, birth control pills, or bad meds. These things can change the balance of your stomach. Best to keep a lot of probiotics in your body to create the right yeasts. Consult your medication prescriber.
-One source claims to beware of excessive semen. Have you been cultivating this substance? Be careful, it can be too acidic for your bod and might be what brought on the itch.
-Are you wiping from front to back or back to front? Fecal bacteria can cause a yeast infection. Always wipe from front to back to avoid mixing milk and meat.
-Are you stressed? Stress can cause issues in the stomach whioch, again, can create imbalance and throw you into a cottage cheese producing fit.
-Douching is the devil. Who wants a vagina that smells like flowers, not vagina? Fine. Some people like that stuff, but I am warning you it is terrible for the body. Terrible. And causes infections and might be a sign of misogyny. Same goes for feminine deodorants, these cause yeast infections. Ironic, indeed.
What can you do now? You were on the right track with the juice, the wipes, the yogurt, etc. But here is a list of other steps you can take. If all natural remedies fail and the itching is torture, then go for Monastat at CVS. Remember, though, that chemical medications mess with your system and skip the step where your body learns to heal itself, a huge bonus for preventing future infections.
1 ) Put the yogurt in your vagina. Sounds gross, but it is soothing and gentle and immediately effective. Buy plain yogurt with no additives, especially not sugar, and ACTIVE CULTURES. You can either dip a tampon in the yogurt and insert, or use a plastic bag, cut a litttle hole in the corner, and squirt the cultures inside your body. Just be sure not to leave it in too long. Best to wait until the itching subsides and then wipe all the yogurt off. Moisture, again, is to be avoided. Stay dry, pumpkin pie.
2 ) Check your diet. Curb your sugar intake to zero if possible, and lay off caffeine, yeast-products and alcohol until your infection has diminished. Sugar is yeast’s best friend. Have you ever made bread? Add the sugar to the yeast and it bubbles and expands. You DON’T want that happening in your pants.
3 ) Shaklee Garlic Tabs. Put one in your hole. Done. It should take care of business. Maybe, though, choose garlic or yogurt, I don’t think you want to mix these bad boys. Also, a spoonful of pressed garlic downed with some water should help from the inside out. Just beware: you will reek, but you won’t itch. Pick your poison.
4 ) One dude said, “Take a bath in vinegar.” I think he was kidding, but he was right. Pour a cup of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar in a warm bath to soothe your body. Also, a spoonful in the morning a half hour before breakfast is good for your belly. Belly connects to bowels connect to vagina. Often yeast infections start in the rear and work their way forward.
5 ) Probiotics. Get yourself some Acidophilus. The chewable strawberry ones from Whole Foods are a personal favorito. These make it so you are making healthy cultures in your tum.
6 ) Drink two glasses of buttermilk a day. Not sure I stand by this one, for the sake of your arteries, but I want you to have as many options as possible.
7 ) PeaceHealth.org says to insert Boric Acid tablets into the vagina. Again, never done this. Proceed at own risk.
8 ) Take oil extracts of cinnamon and oregano.
9 ) An acupuncturist told me a yeast infection somehow connects to a need for love. I don’t totally buy it, but why not? Pretty much everyone needs more love, so to cure your yeast infection seek a hug.
10 ) And the best thing you can do for yourself? Drink water, and more water, and more after that. Don’t drown yourself, but do try to flush your body clean of toxins like sugar and alcohol that may be feeding the yeast. Also, the more you replenish your body with H2O the more new fresh happy fluids arrive to wash the yeast away.
” title=”www.send-email.org”>www.send-email.org to merissag[at]gmail[dot]com.
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The spiritual leader of the Druse community in Israel will receive an honorary doctorate.
The University of Haifa will award Shaykh Mowafak Tarif with the honorary degree “in recognition of his contribution to strengthening equality and his commitment to the State of Israel.” It will be conferred at the beginning of June during the university’s 38th meeting of the Board of Governors.
Tarif was born in the Gaza village of Julis in 1963 and is a descendant of the Tarif family, which has been leading the Druse community in Israel since 1753. He inherited the position of spiritual leader from his late grandfather, Shaykh Amin Tarif, in October 1993. He is responsible for the Druse holy sites.
Tarif is an advocate for compulsory service in the Israel Defense Forces for Druse youths. He has a degree in law and works to secure equal treatment in Israel for his community.
Druse spiritual leader to receive honorary doctorate Read More »
Two non-Orthodox synagogues were vandalized in a central Israel city.
The synagogues in Ra’anana were both attacked within a week of each other, according to reports.
On May 20, two windows at the Masorti, or Conservative, synagogue were smashed in by bricks. One of the windows was made of stained glass. A week earlier, several windows at the Kehilat Ra’anan Shmueli Center, a Progressive, or Reform, synagogue, were also smashed by rocks. .
The windows of the Reform congregation were also broken two months ago, as well as two years ago.
The congregations both filed complaints with the police, who have so far come up with no leads in their investigation.
“The Ra’anana municipality takes a harsh view of any attempt at vandalism of public buildings and other institutions in the city,” the municipality said in a statement.
The city’s mayor has ordered increased security near the synagogues.
Non-Orthodox Ra’anana synagogues vandalized Read More »
The trial of a former Israeli soldier who turned classified military documents over to a reporter began.
Anat Kamm left her home, where she has been under strict house arrest, on Monday to attend the start of her closed-door trial in Tel Aviv District Court.
Kamm has admitted to stealing about 2,000 documents, which she downloaded on to two discs, while serving her mandatory military service in the Israeli army’s Central Command. Though the two original discs have not been found, Haaretz reporter Uri Blau, who is staying in London to avoid arrest and questioning, turned over to Israeli security officials the documents given to him by Kamm, at her request, via his attorneys.
Kamm is charged with two counts of aggravated espionage, according to Haaretz. The first count, punishable by life in prison, involves delivering secret information with the intent to damage state security. The second count, gathering and retaining classified information with the intention of damaging state security, is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The court ruled Monday that Kamm must respond to the charges by the beginning of July and that witness testimonies would begin in December, according to Haaretz. A gag order has been placed on the court proceedings, but some portions of the trial will be open to the public.
According to police documents obtained by Haaretz, Kamm told police that the Israel Defense Forces committed war crimes and that she appropriated the documents to expose them.
“I didn’t have the chance to change some of the things that I found it important to change during my military service, and I thought that by exposing these [materials] I would make a change,” Kamm is quoted as saying in the police documents. “It was important for me to bring the IDF’s policy to public knowledge.”
Espionage trial of Israeli soldier Anat Kamm begins Read More »
The Israeli military will relax restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank.
The decision was announced late Sunday, after a meeting between Israel Defense Forces officials and Palestinian officials, according to the IDF spokesman.
The new arrangements, which are set to take effect in the near future, are being called “goodwill measures toward the Palestinian population.”
The measures include allowing Israeli tour guides to enter the Palestinian city of Bethlehem and allowing tourists to enter the city via all crossings; removing 60 roadblocks throughout the West Bank; easing restriction on senior Palestinian businessmen going through security checkpoints; and permitting Israeli-Arab civilians to travel through all security crossings located on the West Bank security fence.
During the coordination meeting, Israeli military and Palestinian officials discussed security issues, according to the IDF.
“The IDF will continue to operate strongly against terrorism while sustaining liaison and coordination with Palestinian officials in order to maintain the life routine and security of all residents of the Judea and Samaria region and the State of Israel,” according to the IDF spokesman’s statement.
Israel to relax West Bank restrictions Read More »
While shopping for gifts at the Mitzvah Store a few months ago, I had the good fortune to run into Elaine Hall, the bubbly, charming director of Nes Gadol (“Great Miracle”), an innovative program at Vista Del Mar that provides religious education for autistic children. As the proud uncle of a wonderful autistic boy, my admiration for the Elaine Halls of the world is unbounded. After helping me to pick out the perfect gift for a naming ceremony, she invited me to attend “The Moses-Aaron Cooperative,” a Shavuot-themed program that allows five children to share Torah insights with the help of “Aarons,” named after the brother and spokesman of Moses. I learned long ago to follow inspired women, and knew I had to go.
Yesterday my search for spirituality in Judaism reached a new level. I was simply overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and acceptance in Vista Del Mar’s synagogue. Under the direction of charismatic Rabbi Jackie Redner, the program began with two songs by the multiethnic choir of Vista Del Mar, followed by an enlightening video on the use of assisted communication with the students. This method involves having the student either point to a letter board or type the words on a computer in order to communicate. I was especially touched by a video clip that showed the teachers’ efforts to help one of the students pronounce the first sentence of the Torah—in Hebrew.
Now that the stage was set, the stars made their entrance. The first student was Ido Kedar, who is currently preparing for his bar mitzvah. I hope he becomes a rabbi someday. I wanted to stand and cheer aftrer reading these pearls from his teaching: “…our suffering leads to calming hope through our love in God” and “The truth is that much of what people say is meaningless.” Ido then answered questions with the help of a letter board. Ido was followed by Neal Katz, whose insightful teaching should be framed and hung in every Jewish home: “To be Jewish is to take the Torah as the word of G-d and live your life as G-d has said. The people of G-d live by the Torah.” Amen to that.
My tear ducts opened up when I read the writings of student Dov Shestack: “My dream is to talk” and “I think I please God the way I am.” Fellow student Carly Fleischmann touched on the role of religion by asking, “Shouldn’t religion be meaningful in our daily lives?” She ended her teaching with this powerful statement: “My name is Carly Fleischmann and I’m proud to be a Jew.” Carly, I’m proud that you’re a Jew, too.
Last—but certainly not least—was Jacob Artson, who plans to become a writer and teacher. His twin sister Shira served as his “Myriam,” and through her mouth we learned from Jacob that “Our lives are not determined by where we start” and “Being aware of God’s presence in our lives means being aware of God’s abundant blessings.” I’ve sat through many synagogue sermons, and have yet to hear one that was as motivating and enlightening as the teachings of these inspiring young people. It was a great blessing for me to hear their messages, and as I drove away from Vista Del Mar I meditated on these sobering words from the Mormon hymn “Count Your Blessings”:
So, amid the conflict,
Whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged,
God is over all;
Count your many blessings,
Angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you
To your journey’s end.
Count your blessings,
Name them one by one;
Count your blessings,
See what God hath done.
A Great Miracle Read More »
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