As if the
overweight men
and women of the
world didn't
have enough to
worry about, but
yes, obesity is
one of the risk
factors of
chronic yeast
infections.
There are two
reasons why
overweight women
get more vaginal
yeast infections,
and why both men
and women who
weigh too much
can get skin
rashes and oral
thrush, which
are both caused
by Candida
albicans
yeast.
The first
reason is purely
physical ?
yeast loves
warm, moist
areas on the
skin, and folds
of fat create
exactly the
right conditions
for yeast living
on the skin.
Yeast can
overpopulate
areas under the
breasts, in the
armpit, in the
crotch, and in
any area that
stays damp from
perspiration. An
absorbent powder
used in these
areas can help.
The other
reason has to do
with hormones.
As most of us
know, obesity is
one of the major
risk factors for
Type II
Diabetes. And
the risk of
diabetes is
caused by
something that
also causes
yeast infections
? a change in
your hormone
balance due to
increased
insulin
resistance.
Insulin is a
hormone that is
used by your
body to keep
your blood sugar
at a safe level.
Extra fat cells
can make your
body resistant
to insulin, so
your pancreas
needs to produce
more and more of
this hormone to
be effective.
When the
pancreas is no
longer able to
pump out enough
insulin to
clear your blood
of excess
glucose, you are
said to have
insulin
resistance. By
this point, you
will probably
also be
diagnosed with
diabetes or
pre-diabetes.
Since insulin
resistance can
cause yeast
infections,
many women are
first diagnosed
with diabetes
when they go to
their doctor
about their
chronic vaginal
infections.