Yeast infections are caused by the fungus Candida albicans and symptoms include vaginal itchiness, burning and a white smelly discharge.
Normally, the vagina does a good job of keeping itself clean and maintaining the right alkaline/acid balance to protect against infections.
However things such as chemical douches, spermicides, antibiotics, birth control pills or pregnancy can throw the balance off.
Once the balance is off, the fungus that causes candida - often present in women who have no symptoms - can multiply.
To speed healing and prevent recurrences see the following.
Skip milk and sugar
Eating a lot of dairy products, sucrose or artificial sweeteners all lead to increased urinary sugar and can aggravate a yeast infection as yeast grows rapidly in sugar.
Take a bath
Fill a bath with warm water and add ½ cup of vinegar to help rebalance the vaginal pH, which is usually reduced to less than 4.5 in yeast infection sufferers.
Wear cotton underwear
Cotton "breathes" better than nylon and other synthetic fabrics, allowing moisture to evaporate.
The more that can circulate, the less likely you are to develop and infection.
Dry thoroughly
Dry thoroughly after washing as if your crotch area remains damp, the bacteria and fungi normally present in this area could multiply, invade vulnerable vaginal tissue and initiate an infection.
Use a condom
An unribbed, unlubricated condom may prevent you and your partner from passing the infection back and forth.