I Used to Get Recurring Yeast Infections Every Summer—These Habits Help Me Avoid Them

I lift myself out of the skin-reddening hot bath that usually offers a temporary reprieve from my painful menstrual cramps but isn’t doing anything to ease my pain today. As I am wrapping myself in a towel, I feel a flush of heat wash over my body, making its way from the center of my torso to the tips of my limbs, and eventually reaching my head, which immediately starts spinning. The next thing I know, I am lying on the bathroom mat.I stay there, not bothering to get up, waiting for the double dose of ibuprofen I swallowed earlier to kick in. I’ll remain rolled up into a fetal position for another hour.I’m not one to rush to the doctor over every minor issue, but I was concerned about the bathroom mat episode and therefore scheduled an appointment with an OB-GYN—choosing a female doctor on purpose, who I hoped would believe me if not relate to me. Sitting on the exam table, with a paper drape sheet across my lap, I describe to her what happened, and without really ever looking up from her computer, she tells me: “Oh, that’s normal.” I’ve been menstruating for 20 years at this point, and while my periods have always been painful, I never passed out from them.Imagine my rage.And so I go searching for my own answers. It will be an article in Runner’s World—not a professional—that will illuminate what happened: I just had two back-to-back yeast infections (recurrence of which I did disclose to the doctor). The infection can cause extra discomfort when it happens shortly before a period and make period cramps feel significantly worse.Dear gentle reader, we found the culprit!And so after my experience, no wonder that the possibility of another yeast infection has been haunting me—especially in this unbearably hot, steamy, humid weather that causes excessive sweating. A yeast infection is caused by overgrowth of a fungus called Candida, which thrives in warm, moist environments. Sweat trapped against the skin by tight clothing creates the ideal breeding ground for this fungus to overgrow.Obviously, I don’t want to stop running just because of the heightened threat, and so I decided to talk to a professional about best practices that would help prevent future episodes.“Acidity is really, really good for the vaginal microbiome—it helps keep the bacteria super healthy,” says Jennifer Perna, PT, DPT, a founder of Vivid, women’s health clinics in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. “Things that can disrupt the pH are things that can then make us more prone to yeast infections and UTIs.” So what disrupts our pH then? “This is where it gets a little bit loaded,” Perna explains.Protect Yourself ExternallyWhat You Wear:You’ve probably heard that your underwear should ideally be made of cotton. “White cotton is always the best—but terrible to run in,” Perna says. “We want to run in the synthetics because we want the wicking nature of that material.”Over your underwear, Perna recommends wearing loose-fitting jogging shorts rather than compressive leggings that allow for airflow and don’t trap heat.If your shorts have built-in liners designed to replace underwear, skip wearing one, as the extra layer can lead to sweat buildup.Once you’re done running, make sure you get out of the sweaty clothes as soon as possible. “If you’re in wet clothing for a long period of time, that breeds bacteria and puts a lot more stress on the bacteria that are sitting in the vaginal wall,” Perna adds.What You Wash With:People who experience a yeast infection often gravitate toward vulva washes, but these actually strip all the good bacteria as well, Perna says, making you even more prone to infections. “We want to preserve the good bacteria in the vulvar tissue—in between the labia, we don’t want to put soap there,” she says. “Warm water, that’s all you need to wash.”Also, the hot bath I usually take during the first day of my period? Also not recommended, WebMD writes, as the hot and damp conditions are exactly what can lead to bacterial overgrowth.Consider What’s Happening InternallyHow Much Sugar You Eat:We runners often experience strong sugar cravings because our bodies are looking for a quick energy fix for drained fuel tanks, but giving in to these cravings could also contribute to the issue. “Sugar tends to yield a lot of bacteria, and bacteria love sugar, so if you have a high sugar diet, that might be disrupting the microbiome,” Perna says.One tip to satisfy these cravings is to choose natural sugar sources, such as apples or dates, which offer a lower-calorie, higher-nutrient hit of sweetness.What Yogurt You Choose:Yogurt with live cultures contains Lactobacillus, the good bacteria, so adding plain, unsweetened yogurt to your diet can help support a healthy balance in your body. While it will not help prevent an active infection, it contributes to the overall vaginal microbiome, according to the Cleveland Clinic.Where Your Hormone Levels Are At:Some changes and hormone shifts are a natural part of life—like postpartum or breastfeeding, or going through perimenopause—and these can lead to an increase in your vaginal pH, making it more alkaline, and in turn, you more prone to infections, Perna says.During these phases, it’s all the more important to pay attention to how we wash and protect ourselves (for example, by wearing condoms during sex), so we don’t further contribute to the issue. The vaginal canal is self-cleaning and usually restores its normal acidic pH balance on its own within days. A professional can always advise and offer medical treatment.When speaking about hormones, we should not forget about birth control. “That suppresses your hormones as well, so that can make you more prone to yeast infections,” Perna says. “We have to be just really monitoring some of the lifestyle things that are happening that are contributing to this.” If yeast infections happen often, talk to your doctor about switching to lower-estrogen or non-hormonal birth control options.One of the solutions for people experiencing any of the above could be vaginal estrogen. “Vaginal estrogen does help support lactobacillus growth and health,” Perna says. “The missing link right there is that you just need vaginal estrogen supplementation.” A professional can provide more information.Bottom LineMissing out on a postrun coffee with friends stinks, so on those occasions when I know I’d like to keep hanging out afterward, I started to carry wipes and a change of underwear in my Spibelt—which I believe is one of the reasons (alongside getting rid of feminine care products, and yeah, restricting sugar in my diet) that I’ve not had an infection in quite some time now.Still, yeast infections are common and can happen to anyone—women or men—for various reasons, especially in this heat. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and the problem is highly treatable. However, it’s even better to reduce any risks and avoid the issue. The right gear and habits can keep the good bacteria happy—just like the runner.Pavlína Černá, an RRCA-certified run coach and cycling enthusiast, has been with Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics since August 2021. When she doesn’t edit, she writes; when she doesn’t write, she reads or translates. In whatever time she has left, you can find her outside running, riding, or roller-skating to the beat of one of the many audiobooks on her TBL list.