Ask Larry:  I had a urinary tract infection and was prescribed an antibiotic. Once the UTI was gone, I was left with a yeast infection, which the doctor treated with an anti-fungal (diflucan).

What natural remedy can I take to get rid of the yeast?

Larry’s Response: Did your doctor or pharmacist tell you that you should have been using a good probiotic while taking both the antibiotic and Diflucan?

If not, they missed the boat. Antibiotics aren’t really very smart. They destroy all sorts of bacteria, including the bacteria in our gut that are most beneficial to us. The use of probiotics with antibiotics has long been recommended by the health professionals “in the know”.

It’s not too late to remedy the situation. Just start taking a probiotic now. I suggest loading up with a dose two to three times a day for a week, then cutting back to once daily for the rest of your life. You will be very pleased with how good you feel when your intestinal bacteria is in balance.

Yeast is common in the human body, especially women. It is sometimes referred to as an opportunistic organism. When the systems that are supposed to keep it in check are out of balance, it takes the opportunity to multiply – and often cause trouble. Using a probiotic will not only balance the bacteria in the gut, it has been shown to strengthen the systems that keep yeast under control.

Sometime women can experience mixed urinary infections. Urinary bacteria can be controlled (and often eliminated) by using a simple sugar called D-Mannose. It is swallowed and finds its way to the urinary tract. It has an affinity for certain bad bacteria. They stick to the sugar molecules and are flushed from the system with urine.

D-Mannose is found in cranberries. That’s why you will often hear that UTIs can be treated with cranberry juice. That can be a problem. One, it takes a LOT of juice to get good amounts of D-Mannose. Two, commercial juices are loaded with fructose syrup. A better approach is to use pure D-Mannose.

To top off, increase your intake of water (not coffee, juces, tea, milk, beer, or soda pop). Try to double the amount you consume every day. I personally keep a cup of WARM water at my desk all day long.

Good luck!