The number of people diagnosed with candida is on the rise. It has been suggested that most people, at some point in their life, will suffer from a yeast infection.

But, that does not seem to alarm many people, especially when it is often quoted that most of the population in the USA and Europe have candia albicans yeast in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract all their life from childhood.

Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine often question this statistic. They are less sure this is the case and suggest the occurrences of candida overgrowth they see are more to do with the "Western" lifestyle and diet than a normal state of affairs.

It is impossible to know who is right, but it is clear from the information gathered that our diets and other environmental factors do have a large impact of the risk of developing candidiasis (candida albicans overgrowth)

Candida Albicans is a form of yeast, which resides in the digestive system, the vagina or the oral passages, and is usually kept at bay by our immune system and the good bacteria (probiotics) that live within our GI tract.

Unfortunately there may be times when either our immune system becomes repressed or the volume of good bacteria in our body drops and we no longer have the means to suppress candida and stop it multiplying.

Sometimes in the very act of trying to improve our health we can bring on a candida infection. Antibiotics can actually exacerbate the problem rather than cure it as the antibiotics kill both the good bacteria and the bad bacteria in the GI tract, leaving it defenseless against a yeast infection.

If you were to visit your doctor for candida treatment they would prescribe an anti-fungal. However, candida is becoming more and more resistant to these medical treatments, with many people reporting a return of symptoms once the course of treatment has been completed.

This is one of the reasons more and more people who suffer from Candida are turning to alternative ways to treat the problem.

One of the most effective alternative treatments to be used for treating Candida today is the humble garlic bulb.

It has strong natural anti-fungal properties and can be easily incorporated in the diet.

It is better consumed raw, but if you cannot stomach that then there are many supplements available from all good health stores that can be taken. However, avoid the odorless variety of the supplement, as these can often have little or none of the active ingredient Allicin.

Cayenne pepper can also be added to the diet along with garlic. This can be sprinkled on to your meals each day and is probably a simple and easy way to speed up the healing process of the body.

Other natural anti fungal and options include:

That Horopito Aniseed which comes from a plant native to New Zealand, which studies show, has anti-fungal properties.

The Pau D'Arco tree, which comes from the South American rain forests, contains anti-fungal properties, and can be taken as a tea, or a vaginal douche once cooled.

Continue reading to find out how to sign up for our free newsletter and discover natural ways of treating candida.

As well as herbal preparations and supplements, making changes lifestyle and dietary changes can have a long lasting effect on reducing candida. By changing your diet you create an environment in the body that is healthy for the good bacteria to thrive, and is hostile to the candida.

Seek the help of a nutritionist or expert to identify the alternative medicine for candida that is best for you.