Does coconut oil treat fungal infections
Is coconut oil a good remedy for yeast infection?
Yeast infections are common fungal infections that can occur on different parts of the body. According to research, coconut oil may be an effective treatment option for this infection.
These itchy, uncomfortable infections can often be hard to remove. Many people treat yeast infections with over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription creams, some though, are investigating home treatment options; one of which is coconut oil.
Coconut oil is a fatty oil that comes from the white pulp of the coconut. The oil is said to have many health benefits, including:
- aiding digestion
- boosting metabolism
- reducing seizures
- reducing hunger
Additionally, according to some research, coconut oil has antibacterial properties; these properties can make it an effective treatment for yeast infections.
Researchers have established that coconut oil is an effective anti-fungal. Studies indicate that coconut oil may be effective against Candida albicans, a type of fungus that is most commonly responsible for fungal infections.
One study, published in 2015, examined whether coconut oil could reduce C. albicans infections. The authors reported a 10-fold drop in colonization in mice fed coconut oil.
Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species.
Results of several studies point to the positive effect of coconut oil in the treatment of fungal infections. Also, there is a lack of negative side effects associated with coconut oil, which is a plus.
Yeast infections may occur on the skin, in the mouth, or in the vagina. Though similar, the site of infection helps determine how it is treated.
Mouth Yeast Infections
Unlike many oils, at room temperature, coconut oil is a relatively thick solid. When a person uses coconut oil to treat a yeast infection in the mouth, they should do the following:
- Melt the coconut oil in the microwave for a few seconds.
- When it is cool enough to not burn the skin, swish in the mouth for about 30 seconds.
- Spit out the coconut oil.
- Avoid eating or drinking for a half an hour.
Skin Yeast Infections
When a yeast infection occurs on the surface of the skin, coconut oil can be applied much like an OTC or prescription cream. A person should rub a small amount onto the affected areas, including in creases or folds.
Vaginal Yeast Infections
As with any hard to reach area, treating a vaginal yeast infection with a topical cream can be a bit more challenging. Many conventional methods come with an applicator designed to put the medicine where it will work.
Coconut oil does not have such a convenience. However, a suggested workaround is to lightly coat a tampon with coconut oil. By inserting the tampon, the coconut oil is directly applied to the infection site.
Before using coconut oil vaginally, a woman should check with her doctor.
While research has revealed no ill side effects from coconut oil, people should still exercise caution before using it to treat yeast infections.
Anyone who is allergic to coconuts or coconut oil should not use it under any circumstances.
Coconut oil is a fat and ingesting it may cause diarrhea or stomach upset and, over time, will cause weight gain, just like any other fat.
Additionally, people should not use coconut oil to treat yeast infections if:
- Another form of treatment including OTC or prescription treatments are in use.
- It is not certain that there is a yeast infection present.
- Yeast infections are recurring.
People with other health conditions or who are pregnant should consult their doctor before using coconut oil to treat a yeast infection.
A doctor should be consulted before self-treating a yeast infection with coconut oil. A doctor can confirm the infection is actually a yeast infection and recommend additional options to treat the infection. A doctor will also have input on whether using coconut oil will be effective or interact poorly with other medications.
For chronic yeast infections, a doctor can help determine the cause of the infection. Once the source is determined, a doctor can treat the source of infections. By treating the source, it will reduce or eliminate the recurrence of yeast infections in future.
There are other means to treat yeast infections. Coconut oil might be effective for some people, but other effective methods exist.
Other natural options include dietary changes. Reducing sugar intake and eating foods, such as yogurt, that is full of healthy bacteria, can help prevent and reduce symptoms of a yeast infection.
More traditional treatments for yeast infections involve OTC, prescription antifungal medications. These treatments are taken orally, as a suppository, or applied topically. Some users may experience additional irritation when using topical antifungals. Often, they come in one to two doses from a doctor. OTC treatment times will vary by product.
If at any point the infection is not improving or a treatment is causing unwanted side effects, a doctor should be consulted.
Is Coconut Oil an Effective Treatment for Ringworm?
Coconut oil has antifungal properties that may help minor fungal infections, like ringworm. But some people need a stronger OTC or prescription antifungal.
Coconut oil is a common ingredient used in alternative remedies for a large number of different ailments, infections, and injuries. This is thanks to numerous healing and health-boosting properties.
One of the conditions coconut oil is used to treat is ringworm, a contagious fungal infection that affects the skin.
Medically known as tinea, ringworm is a fungal infection that affects the skins top layer. Its also contagious. Despite its name, there is no actual worm involved; instead, the infection is named after its characteristic red circular rash.
Ringworm infections may be itchy and often begin as a flat, scaly area on the skin. Once the circular rash forms, the inside may contain clear skin or red bumps.
Ringworm may also be referred to by different names depending where on the body it appears. Variations of the infection include athletes foot and jock itch.
Usually, over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal treatments will knock out most cases of mild ringworm quickly. Apply these treatments twice per day, or as otherwise directed by the instructions. These often come in lotions or creams, but they may also come in powder form. Powder is particularly common for athletes foot.
Examples of OTC antifungals include:
- terbinafine (Lamisil AT)
- clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF)
- miconazole (Micaderm, Mitrazol)
- ketoconazole (Xolegel)
If OTC treatments dont work, your doctor can prescribe prescription antifungal medications. These include creams and lotions with a higher percentage of antifungal ingredients.
If these dont work, your doctor can prescribe oral antifungal pills. If the infection is severe, you may have to use them for anywhere between one to three months.
Aside from antifungal treatments, you can speed up treatment time by keeping the skin clean and dry. Ringworm thrives in warm, moist environments, so make sure youre showering and changing damp or sweaty clothes quickly. Getting more sunlight can also help to knock out an infection more quickly.
Coconut oil has long been used as a treatment for ringworm for several reasons. The first is that it has strong antifungal benefits that can eradicate mild or superficial fungal infections when applied topically. These benefits come from the lauric acid and antimicrobial lipids found in the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil.
Coconut oils antifungal benefits shouldnt be ignored, as
Coconut oil is also used to
Using coconut oil to treat ringworm is exceptionally easy. Keep the area clean and dry before applying melted coconut oil to the affected area with a cotton ball or cotton swab. Rub it in thoroughly.
Make sure you wash your hands even if you dont think there is risk of contamination so you wont spread it to other areas of your body or to another person.
Apply coconut oil to the affected area between four and six times a day.
Combining coconut oil with other antifungal and antimicrobial ingredients may help increase its effectiveness. Tea tree oil is another common remedy thats used to treat ringworm. Mix two drops of tea tree oil in with a tablespoon of melted coconut oil and apply it to the affected area.
Even after your symptoms have resolved or disappeared, continue using coconut oil on the affected area for at least one week. This will make sure that the infection is gone and reduce the risk of recurrence.
Research indicates that coconut oils antifungal and moisturizing qualities are effective in treating mild cases of ringworm. Even better, coconut oil generally comes with less risk of side effects like irritation than other OTC treatments or prescription medications. Its also something you likely have on hand.
Remember to use the treatments for at least one week after your symptoms are gone to make sure that the infection is gone, too. This also reduces the risk of recurrence, either at the original site or on another area of the body.
If your ringworm symptoms havent gone away after a week and a half of using coconut oil or other OTC remedies, make an appointment to see your doctor. Its likely that youll need prescription medications to treat the infection successfully. Talk to your doctor about continuing the use of coconut oil once medications are begun.
Coconut Oil Fights Viruses, and Fungal Infections
Body detoxification is a very important procedure that helps to restore health. This detox treatment when done with coconut oil is a natural way to cleanse your body of toxins in a short time, being extremely effective to eliminate all harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites.
The high potential of this detox is due to the coconut oil, which consists of medium chain triglycerides, which help to strengthen and build up the immune system. Furthermore, this oil is also high in both lauric acid and caprylic acid, which possess antiviral, antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
These favorable substances attack harmful bacteria, but not together with friendly bacteria. They leave them and thus maintain a balanced gut flora in the digestive system. The process kills yeast and other fungal overgrowth in the body, as studies prove.
Candida. In modern society, candida overgrowth is considered by some to be almost epidemic. More people are experiencing systemic candida (when the problem spreads throughout the body and causes a myriad of unpleasant side effects).
A coconut oil detox is completely void of sugar and other carbohydrates, which effectively starves off all candida in the system.People who suffer from candida will notice many conditions improve or disappear after a detox, including sugar cravings, fatigue, eczema, acne, repeat sinus infections and poor concentration.
Fungal infections. Often connected with candida, repeat fungal infections like ringworm and jock itch are linked to an imbalance of bacteria and fungal organisms in the body.
The lauric acid and caprylic acid in coconut oil are antifungal, so a coconut oil detox is an effective way to cleanse the entire system of fungal growth. Many people with fungal conditions report a complete recovery within the cleansing period.
Over70% of deaths worldwide are related to non-communicable diseases(NCD) and they devastate individuals, families, communities, and country healthcare systems.
Digestive conditions. A coconut oil detox can help banish digestive conditions like irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and leaky gut syndrome by restoring health and balance to the digestive system.
Viruses. Lauric acid, which is found in abundance in coconut oil, is converted into monolaurin in the body, which has strong antiviral properties that can protect against and even destroy lipid-coated viruses like herpes and influenza.
Why Do this Cleanse
Virgin coconut oil is largely comprised of medium-chain fatty acids, which are sent directly to the liver for energy rather than storage. This type of fat is ideal for a cleanse, since it can provide the energy needed at a time when less food is being consumed.
These same medium-chain fatty acids play a crucial role in cleansing the body from toxins. virgin coconut oil is heralded as a natural health food, and a this detox simply speeds up healing results by thoroughly flushing the entire body of toxins in a short time.
How To do the Cleanse
Thil cleanse is a very simple detoxification method that replaces regular food with virgin coconut oil, usually for about 3-7 days. Start your day with two tablespoons of it and take 1-2 tablespoons throughout the day as necessary for up to 14 tablespoons total each day.
Take the oil plain if you enjoy it that way, but those who cant tolerate swallowing the oil straight can mix it with warm lemon water or plain organic yogurt if necessary. You can use stevia if youd like to sweeten the lemon water or yogurt, but no sugar should be consumed during the cleanse. In his book Coconut Cures, Dr. Bruce Fife adds that you can eat up to four ounces of fresh coconut meat daily while on the detox if needed.
The best kind of virgin coconut oil to use to detoxify is organic, raw extra virgin virgin coconut oil. This type of oil should be completely unrefined, expeller- or cold-pressed, unbleached and not deodorized. This ensures you are getting the maximum natural benefits from your virgin coconut oil.
If you have never taken virgin coconut oil before, then youll want to let your body adjust by slowly incorporating it into your diet before trying a virgin coconut oil detox. Start with 1/2-1 teaspoon three times per day. Gradually work your way up to 1-2 tablespoons three times daily. It may take two weeks to work up to the full amount. When you feel comfortable taking this much virgin coconut oil, then you should be ready to start a virgin coconut oil detox.
Some people will experience die-off symptoms when they begin a virgin coconut oil detox. These symptoms are often flu-like, including headaches, joint stiffness, dizziness and foggy-thinking. It may not feel so good, but its a sign that your body is ridding itself of harmful toxins like fungal organisms. Die-off symptoms usually only last for 3-5 days, but you can ease them by gradually introducing virgin coconut oil to your diet before doing a detox.
During a virgin coconut oil detox, its important to drink plenty of filtered water to nourish the body and facilitate cleansing benefits. Here is a recipe for a delicious drink that can replenish you during a cleanse:
- 1 cup pure lemon juice
- 6 cups filtered water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
The lemon juice has cleansing properties, and the sea salt replaces minerals that may be lost during a cleanse. Add natural coconut sugar for a sweeter taste, but do not sweeten with any kind of sugar.
