Candida Dietary Suggestions

(Dr. Donsbach’s)
The use of a special candida or chronic fatigue syndrome diet is NOT a part of our protocol. A wholesome and varied diet is recommended avoiding foods that may cause individual allergic reactions. Basic diet is as follows:
1. Consume at least 1 bowlful of whole grain cereal every morning. This can be oatmeal or any other single or mixed grains, hot or cold as you wish.
2. Consume at least 4 cupfuls of vegetables daily—cooked or raw.
3. Consume at least one cupful of fresh fruit daily.
4. Avoid all forms of concentrated sugars including fruit juice. Eat the whole fruit!
5. Use only butter, olive oil and peanut oil as fats in your cooking. NO HYDROGENATED OILS OF ANY KIND ARE TO BE USED!
6. If you must, allow yourself one “sin” day per week to indulge your junk food cravings. Set the day and do not deviate or cheat. You will soon find out that as you eliminate the daily intake of these “foodless” foods, they lose their desirability. 7. Fish, eggs, quality meats, etc. can be consumed in moderation if absolutely necessary.

Regarding Acidophilus:
1. Use 5 capsules of a 1 billion live bacteria per capsule product at 11 a.m. and 5 capsules at 5 p.m. for a period of ten days on an empty stomach. 2. Wait twenty days and repeat. 3. You can also dissolve from 5 to 10 capsules in about one pint of warm water and use it in a retention enema.
*Remember, it is important that you take acidophilus capsules on an empty stomach at least 45 minutes before a meal or three hours after a meal for them to be effective. Contrary to what some believe, these capsules are not effective if taken with food in the stomach.

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Candida Protocol

1. Aqua Flora (as directed on bottle) 2. Weekly ozonated steams & ozonated colonics 3. Ozone insufflations (ear, rectal & vaginal) daily, if possible, or at least 1 or 2 times per week 4. 3-month oral cleanse product (follow instructions in box) 5. Acidophilus supplements 2 times per day on an empty stomach 6. Follow Dr. Donsbach’s dietary suggestions (see below) 7. Use sweeteners like stevia instead of sugar and honey 8. Qigong (3 exercises to boost immune function)

Helpful:
1. Home oxidative protocol (see handout sheet) 2. Liquid OXY-GEN product—1 oz 2X’s/Day 3. Hulda Clark Zapper used at night for 1 or more hours 4. Immune system enhancers (e.g. garlic perls, Vit. C, goldenseal, echinacea, etc.) 5. Digestive aids (Excellent ones are Candida Digest by Planetary Formulas and Digestive Bitters by same company.) 6. Supplements to boost adrenal function (e.g. Vit C, pantothenic acid, potassium and adrenal glandulars)

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Harmful Fungi

Fungi cause about 100,000 diseases of plants, including about 70 percent of the major crop diseases, resulting in an economic loss of billions of dollars each year. These plant pathogens cause extensive disease to seeds, seedlings, mature plants, and aging plants, resulting in decreased growth and reproduction of crop plants. Fungi also attack forest trees and wooden structures.A number of fungi cause diseases in humans and other vertebrates. In general, these fungus infections, or mycoses, develop slowly, recur more frequently than bacterial infections, and do not produce a lasting immunity in the body. A mycosis is classified in one of two groups, depending on the part of the body that is infected.

A dermatomycosis is an infection of the skin, hair, or nails, such as ringworm or athlete’s foot. These infections rarely progress to the internal organs. Most respond well to medication, although treatment may take several weeks.A systemic mycosis, which is an infection of the entire body, is typically more serious and can be fatal for individuals whose immune system has been weakened by diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or cancer. Fungal infections are typically spread by spores that enter the body through inhalation or through an opening in the skin. Some infections are passed from animals to humans or between humans. A few drugs are effective at treating systemic infections, but because treatment may last for several months to years to prevent relapse of the infection, these drugs often cause toxic side effects.

Uses of Fungi

Fungi have been used as a food source since the beginning of recorded history. Mushrooms add flavor, texture, and nutritional value to many dishes. In North America in recent years, a variety of mushrooms have gained popularity, including portabella, cremini, oyster, morel, chantarelle, wood or tree ear, truffle, matsutake, and shiitake.Truffles—tuber-like, fleshy fungi with a characteristic taste and aroma—are highly prized by gourmet chefs. Harvested most commonly in France and northern Italy, truffles are collected with the aid of trained dogs or pigs that use scent to hunt these fungi hidden beneath the soil. The price for truffles in Europe may reach as high as $500 (U.S.) per pound in some years.

Other fungi are used in the manufacture of foods. Yeast, for example, is added to fruit juice, which it ferments to produce wine. Yeasts also are used in the manufacturing of beer, and they are added to dough to make bread rise, producing more volume and a lighter texture in the final baked product. Certain molds are used to ripen cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, and the characteristic blue-veined Roquefort. In Asia, fungi are added to soybeans and allowed to ferment to make several food products—soy sauce is made with the mold Aspergillus, and tempeh is made with the black bread mold Rhizopus.
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Classification of Fungi

Scientists have long disagreed about how to classify fungi, and the classification systems are still developing. The first description of fungi was published in 1729 by Italian botanist Pier Antonio Micheli. Fungi were initially classified in the Plant Kingdom, and the field of fungus study, or mycology, developed as a branch of botany.

Recognition of the unique characteristics of fungi led mycologists to establish a separate kingdom, Kingdom Fungi, in the late 1960s. More recently, some mycologists have noted that some organisms, such as slime molds, downy mildews, and water molds, have characteristics that place them in the Kingdom Protista rather than the fungi.

Unlike true fungi, some slime molds have a mobile, multinucleate feeding stage similar to amoebas. Downy mildews and water molds produce motile cells for part of their life cycle, have hyphal walls that lack chitin, and make an egg cell and sperm nuclei. Some scientists have proposed that downy mildews and water molds deserve to be classified in a separate kingdom, called Kingdom Stramenopila.

Fungi are classified primarily by the type of spores and fruiting bodies produced. Many mycologists divide the Kingdom Fungi into four main phyla: Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. A fifth phylum, Deuteromycota, is used by some taxonomists for fungi that typically produce only asexual spores.

The phylum Chytridiomycota, commonly called Chytrids, includes approximately 800 species that are found in aquatic (freshwater and marine) or moist habitats. Chytrids are among the smallest and simplest fungi. Most have a central body with small tubelike extensions, while others produce a small network of hyphae.

Chytrids develop a structure called a sporangium that has motile spores equipped with a posterior flagellum, a long, whiplike tail that aids in locomotion. Chytrids grow as saprobes in damp soils and water, or as parasites of plants, animals, algae, protists, and other fungi. Some do not require oxygen and live only in the guts of herbivores, where they break down material containing cellulose and other compounds. Because chytrid spores are motile, some mycologists have classified them in the Kingdom Protista.

The Zygomycota include approximately 900 terrestrial species, including many important decomposers, mycorrhizal fungi, and parasites of spiders and insects. One of the most common zygomycetes is black bread mold, often found on bread, fruit, and other food products. The fungus looks like a fuzzy growth with tiny black dots at the tips of the fuzz. The black dots are sporangia growing at the ends of special hyphae. The sporangia produce asexual, nonswimming spores called sporangiospores. Zygomycetes reproduce sexually by forming thick-walled zygospores.

The largest group of fungi, with around 50,000 known species, is the Ascomycota, or sac fungi. This group includes yeasts, lichens, morels, cup fungi, truffles, and a number of plant parasites such as powdery mildews. Named for the sexual spores produced inside saclike cells called asci (singular, ascus), Ascomycota also may produce very fine, almost powdery asexual spores called conidia. Certain Ascomycota such as cup fungi produce fruiting bodies with sexual spores on their upper surface, while others, including the truffles, produce sexual spores inside tuber-like fruiting bodies that develop underground.

Ascomycetes are used to produce Camembert and Roquefort cheeses. The slight grittiness in these cheeses is due to conidia being crushed between the teeth. The mold ergot, which infects the flowers of rye and other grains, produces toxins that can poison humans and other animals that eat the infected grain. The yeast Candida albicans is a common pathogen of humans, causing such ailments as oral thrush and vaginal yeast infections. In people with weakened immune systems, this yeast may spread widely throughout the body and become life threatening.

The Basidiomycota, also known as club fungi, include around 25,000 species of mushrooms, puffballs, bird’s nest fungi, jelly fungi, rusts, smuts, and shelf and bracket fungi. This division contains important plant parasites, mutualists, and saprobes, including decay fungi that cause brown rot and white rot of wood. These fungi are named for their specialized, club-shaped reproductive cells, called basidia, which form spores called basidiospores. Basidia may line gills or tubes on the underside of fleshy fruiting bodies, which consists of a stalk and cap—the familiar components of most mushrooms. Certain Basidiomycota produce spores inside tuber-like underground fruiting bodies, called “false truffles.”

Many basidiomycetes are saprobes, which play a vital role in the decomposition of litter, wood, and dung. A number of mushrooms are good to eat, such as boletes and chantarelles, both of which are highly prized for their distinct flavor. Other mushrooms are well known for their poisonous qualities, including the death cap (Amanita phalloides). Some, such as the liberty cap (Psilocybe semilanceata) and the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), are well known for their hallucinogenic properties. Smuts—such as Ustilago, which attacks corn, and stinking smut (Tilletia), which attacks wheat—are common basidiomycetes that invade flowering plants, especially cereal grasses, and cause serious economic loss. Rusts, such as Puccinia, which attacks wheat, invade plant cells of agricultural crops and forest trees, causing millions of dollars in losses each year.

The Deuteromycota, or imperfect fungi, comprise about 25,000 species, many of which do not have a defined sexual cycle. They typically reproduce asexually by spores called conidia on specialized hyphae called conidiophores. The deuteromycetes include many molds, some of which are important to humans. Penicillium, the mold used to develop the first antibiotic, is sometimes classified in the Deuteromycota. On the other side of the ledger, the deuteromycetes also include organisms such as ringworm that are serious animal and plant pathogens.

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Reproduction

The wide variety of fungi demonstrate many reproductive methods. In general, most fungi reproduce by making tiny spores. Fungi typically produce large numbers of spores. A giant puffball, for example, produces an estimated 7 trillion spores.

Fungi typically follow a reproductive cycle that involves the production of sexual spores. These spores contain one or more nuclei and are usually haploid—that is, their nuclei contain one set of chromosomes. When environmental conditions are favorable, the spores germinate and develop into a mycelium that produces fruiting bodies with enormous numbers of sexual spores, which repeat the reproductive cycle. Some fungi produce asexual spores directly from hyphae, which then germinate to produce additional mycelium. The mycelium spreads rapidly, aiding the fungus in dispersal and colonization.

In the reproductive cycle of mushrooms, the mycelium contain hyphae of two mating types, sometimes called plus and minus strains, with no obvious anatomical differences distinguishing them. If plus and minus strains of hyphae fuse, sexual reproduction begins. Initially the nuclei of the two hyphae remain separate, producing an intermediate stage called the dikaryon, meaning “two nuclei.” The dikaryon stage can last from weeks to years, depending upon the species. The two nuclei in the dikaryon eventually fuse to produce a diploid cell—that is, a cell that contains one nucleus with two sets of chromosomes. This cell immediately undergoes meiosis, a type of nuclear cell division that produces offspring with half the genetic material as the parents. Meiosis usually produces four genetically unique haploid spores and the reproductive cycle begins again. This population of genetically different spores has a better chance of surviving environmental changes, such as disease or temperature changes, that may wipe out an entire population of genetically identical spores.

Many fungi can reproduce by the fragmentation of their hyphae. Each fragment develops into a new individual. Yeast, a type of unicellular fungus, reproduce by budding, in which a bump forms on the yeast cell, eventually partitioning from the cell and growing into a new yeast cell.

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Fungi Structure

With the exception of one-celled species, most fungi are composed of threadlike tubular filaments called hyphae. Each individual hypha is surrounded by a fairly rigid wall usually made of chitin—the same material that forms the exoskeletons of insects. Hyphae that are partitioned by dividing cross walls are called septate hyphae, and hyphae without cross walls are called nonseptate hyphae. Fungal cells contain cytoplasm, which is a mixture of internal fluids and nutrients. Cytoplasm flows freely within the hyphae, providing nutrients wherever they are needed.

Hyphae grow by elongation at the tips and by branching to form an interwoven mat known as the mycelium. As the mycelium develops, it may produce large fruiting bodies or other structures that contain reproductive spores. Fruiting bodies are often the most visible structure of a fungus, usually growing above the soil or other surfaces so that the spores can be dispersed by air currents or other mechanisms. In contrast, the mycelium is usually hidden beneath the surface of the plant, animal, or other material it is decomposing. For example, a mushroom mycelium is typically buried beneath the soil surface, while its fruiting body, the familiar umbrella-shaped structure, sprouts from the ground.

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Unique Feeding Method

Fungi lack chlorophyll, the green pigment that enables plants to make their own food. Consequently, fungi cannot synthesize their own food the way plants do. In order to feed, fungi release digestive enzymes that break down food outside their bodies. The fungus then absorbs the dissolved food through its cell walls.

Depending as they do on outside sources for food, fungi have developed various living arrangements that enhance their opportunities for food absorption. Some fungi live as parasites, feeding on living plants, animals, and even other fungi. Certain fungus parasites injure plants and animals, causing millions of dollars of damage to farm animals, crops, and trees each year. For example, the fungus Ophiostoma ulmi, which causes Dutch elm disease, has killed more than half of the elm trees in North America since it was accidentally introduced there in the 1930s.

Fungi that obtain their food by breaking down dead organisms or substances that contain organic compounds, such as starch and cellulose, are called saprobes or saprophytes. While they are invaluable decomposers of organic material, saprobes can also cause food spoilage and destroy wood products. During the American Revolution (1775-1783), more British ships were destroyed by wood-digesting saprobes than by enemy attack. Some saprobes even grow in aviation fuels, where they breakdown the fuels, destroying their usefulness.

Some fungi also form highly specialized relationships with other organisms (see Symbiosis). For example, the roots of most plants develop a mutually beneficial association with fungi to form mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae greatly increase the nutrient-absorbing capacity of the plant root—the fungus absorbs minerals from the soil and exchanges them for organic nutrients synthesized by the plant. Fungi also form mutualistic associations with various animals. For example, leaf-cutting ants cut pieces of leaves and bring them into their underground nests, where they feed them to certain fungi. These fungi primarily live in ant nests, and the ants eat nothing but the fungi. Some termites and wood-boring beetles use fungi to break down the cellulose in wood, making the wood easier for the insects to digest. Plant parasites such as rusts invade plant cells via specialized structures called haustoria that absorb nutrients from the cell.

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Fungus

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Fungus, any member of a diverse group of organisms that—unlike plants and animals—obtain food by absorbing nutrients from an external source. The fossil record suggests that fungi were present 550 million years ago and may have evolved even earlier. Today thousands of different types of fungi grow on and absorb food from substances such as soil, wood, decaying organic matter, or living plants and other organisms. They range from tiny, single-celled organisms invisible to the naked eye to some of the largest living multicellular organisms. In Michigan for example, the underground portion of an individual Armillaria mushroom, a type of fungus, extends more than 12 hectares (30 acres). Other fungi are among the longest-lived organisms on Earth—some lichens, a living partnership of a fungus and an alga, are thought to be more than 4,500 years old.

A large and widely distributed group of organisms, fungi perform activities essential to the functioning of all natural ecosystems. They are among the foremost decomposers of organic matter, breaking down plant and animal remains and wastes into their chemical components. As such, fungi play a critical role in the recycling of minerals and carbon. Fungi’s value to humankind is inestimable. Certain types of fungi, including several types of mold, have proven extremely valuable in the synthesis of antibiotics and hormones used in medicine and of enzymes used in certain manufacturing processes. Some fungi, such as mushrooms and truffles, are considered tasty delicacies that enhance a wide variety of recipes. Not all fungi are beneficial—some damage agricultural crops, cause disease in animals and humans, and form poisonous toxins in food.

Common fungi include mushrooms, puffballs, truffles, yeasts, and most mildews, as well as various plant and animal pathogens (disease agents), such as plant rusts and smuts. Some experts estimate that there are 1.5 million fungus species, of which approximately 100,000 have been identified. The unique characteristics of fungi led scientists to classify these important organisms into a separate kingdom, Kingdom Fungi (also known as Mycetae). Certain fungus-like organisms, such as downy mildews, water molds (also known as oomycetes), and slime molds, once classified as fungi, are now placed in the Kingdom Protista.

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Fermentation

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Fermentation, chemical changes in organic substances produced by the action of enzymes (see Enzyme). This general definition includes virtually all chemical reactions of physiological importance, and scientists today often restrict the term to the action of specific enzymes, called ferments, produced by minute organisms such as molds, bacteria, and yeasts.

For example, lactase, a ferment produced by bacteria usually found in milk, causes the milk to sour by changing lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid. Probably the most important type of fermentation is alcoholic fermentation, in which the action of zymase secreted by yeast converts simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose, into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. Many other kinds of fermentation occur naturally, as in the formation of butyric acid when butter becomes rancid and of acetic acid when wine turns to vinegar.

Generally, fermentation results in the breakdown of complex organic substances into simpler ones through the action of catalysis. For example, by the action of diastase, zymase, and invertase, starch is broken down (hydrolyzed) into complex sugars, then simple sugars, and finally alcohol.

Glycerin, acetone, butyl alcohol, and butyric acid are now produced on a large commercial scale by special fermentation processes. Various fermentation productions of milk, such as acidophilus milk, Bulgarian milk, and yogurt, are widely consumed for their nutritive properties.

The action of certain bacteria on undigested carbohydrates causes fermentation in the human intestine. As a result, gases such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide may form in amounts large enough to cause distention and pain. Acids such as lactic acid and acetic acid may also form in the intestines of infants, causing diarrhea.

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Yeast

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Yeast, any of a number of microscopic, one-celled fungi important for their ability to ferment carbohydrates in various substances (see Fermentation). Yeasts in general are widespread in nature, occurring in the soil and on plants. Most cultivated yeasts belong to the genus Saccharomyces; those known as brewer's yeasts are strains of S. cerevisiae.

Yeasts have been used since prehistoric times in the making of breads and wines, but their cultivation and use in large quantities was put on a scientific basis by the work of the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur in the 19th century. Today they are used industrially in a wide range of fermentation processes; medicinally, as a source of B-complex vitamins and thiamine (see Vitamin) and as a stage in the production of various antibiotics and steroid hormones; and as feed and foodstuffs.

Pure yeast cultures are grown in a medium of sugars, nitrogen sources, minerals, and water. The final product may take the form of dried yeast cells, or the yeast may be pressed into cakes with some starchy material. When a batch of yeast for baking, medicinal, or food purposes is completed, the medium in which the yeast was grown is discarded. In the making of wines, beers, spirits, and industrial alcohol, however, the fermented medium is the desired product, and the yeast itself is discarded or used to make animal feeds.

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How do you restore the natural balance?

We know that the natural vaginal flora of a healthy woman differs from woman to woman, depends on age and where she is in her monthly cycle. Nature is such an intelligent force! Mess with it and you have problems.

The purpose of the vaginal flora is to prevent diseases and aid or inhibit pregnancy - let me explain...

In its natural state the vagina is very acidic, sperm cannot survive in a high-acid environment so for a woman to become pregnant, the acid level must drop.

A man's ejaculate is very alkaline and has the ability to lower the acid level of the vagina for several hours thereby allowing the sperm to reach their destination unharmed.

Menstruation also does the same thing and usually around this time is when a woman is ovulating and most fertile (go figure - nature knew how to make everything work perfectly).

The reason for the acidity of the vagina is the high amounts of hydrogen-peroxide producing lactobacillus that are naturally present. The hydrogen peroxide is produced and works to kill (or keep in check) anaerobic bacteria.

Hydrogen Peroxide is actually nothing more than Water (H2O) with an extra Oxygen molecule (H3O). The anaerobic bacteria cannot thrive in a high-oxygen environment and they are kept at low numbers. Ironically, anaerobic bacteria are the cause of most viruses, cancers, and diseases. They are also the cause of BV.

There doesn't seem to be a solid understanding of Lactobacillus in the medical community and the importance of it on our health. Many supplements and claims are out there regarding Lactobacillus Acidophilus and many other Lacto strains but the ones with the real power to heal are the strains that produce H3O, and as far as my research has taken me - they can't harness that power in a pill just yet.

The problem is, how do you restore the natural balance?

more info at:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/vv/vaginitis.htm
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What is bacterial vaginosis?

Having BV has been associated with an increase in the development of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) following surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy or an abortion.Having BV while pregnant may put a woman at increased risk for some complications of pregnancy.BV can increase a woman’s susceptibility to other STDs, such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Pregnant women with BV more often have babies who are born premature or with low birth weight (less than 5 pounds).The bacteria that cause BV can sometimes infect the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus). This type of infection is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

PID can cause infertility or damage the fallopian tubes enough to increase the future risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube which can rupture.A health care provider must examine the vagina for signs of BV and perform laboratory tests on a sample of vaginal fluid to look for bacteria associated with BV.

Although BV will sometimes clear up without treatment, all women with symptoms of BV should be treated to avoid such complications as PID. Male partners generally do not need to be treated. However, BV may spread between female sex partners.

Treatment is especially important for pregnant women. All pregnant women who have ever had a premature delivery or low birth weight baby should be considered for a BV examination, regardless of symptoms, and should be treated if they have BV. All pregnant women who have symptoms of BV should be checked and treated.

Some physicians recommend that all women undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion be treated for BV prior to the procedure, regardless of symptoms, to reduce their risk of developing PID.

BV is treatable with antibiotics prescribed by a health care provider. Two different antibiotics are recommended as treatment for BV: metronidazole or clindamycin. Either can be used with non-pregnant or pregnant women, but the recommended dosages differ. Women with BV who are HIV-positive should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.

BV can recur after treatment.

BV is not completely understood by scientists, and the best ways to prevent it are unknown. However, it is known that BV is associated with having a new sex partner or having multiple sex partners. It is seldom found in women who have never had intercourse.The following basic prevention steps can help reduce the risk of upsetting the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina and developing BV:Be abstinent.Limit the number of sex partners.

Do not douche.
Use all of the medicine prescribed for treatment of BV, even if the signs and symptoms go away.

What is Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)?

It is a change in the normal bacteria of the vagina.What causes BV?

The exact cause of BV is unknown. There are many bacteria that live in a normal vagina. When you have BV, there are not enough “good” bacteria. This causes harmful bacteria to grow in the vagina, causing the vaginal environment to be out of balance.

What are the symptoms?

Most women with BV have no symptoms at all. Sometimes a woman has more vaginal discharge than usual. The discharge might be milky with a “fishy” odor. The odor can be worse after sex. Other symptoms women may experience include itching or burning in or near the vagina.

How serious is BV?

BV is usually not serious. In some cases, however, it can cause infections in the uterus and fallopian tubes. It is important to treat BV, especially before having an IUD inserted, an abortion, or tests done on the uterine lining. BV during pregnancy may cause the baby to be born too soon.How can I find out if I have BV?

The clinician will do a few simple tests in the clinic. Looking at the vaginal discharge under the microscope for bacteria and checking the acid level of the vagina are two tests that help the clinician decide if a woman has BV.

How is BV treated?

The clinician can prescribe an antibiotic, taken by mouth, called metronidazole or Flagyl®. There is also a vaginal cream. This medicine can cause nausea or a metal aftertaste in the mouth for some people. Take it with food.

DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL ANY TIME WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICINE.

This medicine can cause severe nausea and vomiting when combined with alcohol. Either use a condom or do not have sex until you have finished taking the antibiotic. The clinician can order antibiotic vaginal creams or gels which work just as well, but the cost is higher. The side effects are less with vaginal antibiotics.

What about my partner?

Your partner does not need to be treated because BV has not been proven to be a sexually transmitted infection.

How can I prevent BV?

Some women get BV again and again. It is not clear why or how this happens. These suggestions for good vaginal health may help:Wipe from front to back (away from the vagina) after bowel movements to avoid spreading bacteria from the rectum to the vagina.

Keep the vulva (outside of the vagina) dry and clean.

DO NOT DOUCHE. Douching is never a good idea, especially with BV.

Avoid feminine hygiene sprays, harsh soaps, or soaps with lots of perfume.Avoid clothing that can trap moisture: pantyhose (wear pantyhose with cotton crotch) or latex exercise clothing.Using condoms may decrease BV recurrence for some women.

A healthy vagina normally contains many microorganisms, one of the common ones being Lactobacillus acidophilus. Lactobacillus appears to help prevent other vaginal microorganisms from multiplying to a level where they cause symptoms. The microorganisms involved in BV include Gardnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus, Bacteroides, and Mycoplasma. For reasons not well understood, the numbers of these organisms increase with BV while the number of lactobacillus organisms decreases.

Most cases of bacterial vaginosis occur in sexually active women between the ages of 15 and 44, especially after contact with a new partner. Condoms do not appear to provide protection, but use of spermicides increases BV risk somewhat. Although BV appears to be associated with and triggered by sexual intercourse, it does not appear to be transmitted from one partner to another. Rather, it is a disordering of the chemical and biological balance of the normal flora. Pregnant women and women with a sexually transmitted disease are especially at risk for getting this infection. Bacterial vaginosis does not usually affect women after menopause.

Untreated bacterial vaginosis can cause pelvic inflammatory disease which can cause fatal complications of pregnancy, premature delivery and low birth weight of infants.

Bacterial vaginosis can be cured by antibiotics.

OK, this is what common medical literature on the internet tells us about BV. On some points, they're right... On some points, they're wrong.

more info at:

• Gonorrhea
• Vaginitis
• Yeast and Fungus Forum
• www.dreddy-clinic.com