You can safely treat a yeast infection during pregnancy with various over-the-counter antifungal vaginal creams or suppositories. However, it's best to confirm with your health care provider that your symptoms are actually due to a yeast infection before starting treatment.

Yeast infections are especially common during pregnancy because hormone changes can disrupt the pH balance of the vagina. Common yeast infection symptoms include vaginal itching and a white, thick discharge that looks like cottage cheese.

Over-the-counter medications for treating yeast infections — available as creams, ointments or suppositories — include:

• Clotrimazole (Mycelex, Lotrimin AF)
• Miconazole (Monistat 3)
• Terconazole

These products can be used at any point during pregnancy and don't pose a risk of birth defects or other pregnancy complications. For best results, choose a seven-day formula. Oral medication isn't recommended if you're pregnant.

Some commonly prescribed antifungals — such as fluconazole (Diflucan) — should be avoided, especially during the first trimester. If you see a doctor about your yeast infection and are very early in your pregnancy, make sure to tell the doctor that you think you're pregnant.

Yes, men can get yeast infections, too, which can lead to a condition known as balanitis — inflammation of the head of the penis.

Yeast infections in men are common because the fungus that causes yeast infections (candida) is normally present on skin, especially moist skin. When some contributing factor — such as having sex with a female partner who has a vaginal yeast infection — causes an overgrowth of candida, infection can result.

Balanitis is more common in uncircumcised men. Signs and symptoms of balanitis may include:

• Moist skin on the penis, possibly with areas of a thick, white substance collecting in skin folds
• Areas of shiny, white skin on the penis
• Redness, itching or a burning sensation on the penis

You may be more likely to develop balanitis from a yeast infection if you:

• Aren't circumcised
• Use antibiotics for prolonged periods
• Have diabetes
• Have an impaired immune system, such as with HIV
• Are overweight
• Practice poor hygiene

Most male yeast infections are easily treated with over-the-counter antifungal medications.

If you and your partner both have symptoms of a yeast infection, it's important that you both be treated to avoid reinfecting each other.

The leaves and twigs of the yerba mate plant are dried, typically over a fire, and steeped in hot water to make an herbal tea. Yerba mate may be served cold or hot. This beverage, commonly known simply as mate, is popular in parts of South America. Like black tea, yerba mate contains caffeine, which is a stimulant.

In the U.S., yerba mate is widely available in health food stores and online. Proponents of yerba mate say that it can relieve fatigue, promote weight loss, ease depression, and help treat headaches and various other conditions. There's no definitive evidence that these claims are valid.

Yerba mate isn't likely to pose a risk for healthy adults who occasionally drink it. However, some studies indicate that people who drink large amounts of yerba mate over prolonged periods may be at increased risk of some types of cancer, such as cancer of the mouth, esophagus and lungs. Drinking very hot yerba mate — 149 F (65 C) or hotter — is associated with a higher risk of cancer than is drinking yerba mate served at cooler temperatures.

One possible explanation is that yerba mate contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known to be carcinogenic. (Tobacco smoke and grilled meat also contain PAHs.) More investigation needs to be done into the safety and side effects of yerba mate.

If yerba mate is your cup of tea, enjoy it in moderation. But, as always, check with your doctor before trying any herbal product.

The bark and root of yucca — a group of shrublike plants native to the southwestern United States and Mexico — are ingredients in many dietary supplements that claim to promote joint health.

Parts of various yucca plants have been used for centuries in traditional Native American medicine. But the only direct evidence that yucca relieves joint pain comes from a single study published in the 1970s and never validated in later publications.

Since then, scientists have isolated several yucca compounds that may turn out to have medicinal value. In the laboratory, some of these compounds display properties similar to those of anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat joint pain.

What these yucca-derived chemicals do in the test tube, however, is likely to be quite different from what they do in the human body. Scientific studies have validated many alternative and complementary therapies for arthritis, but more research is needed to determine whether yucca is one of them.

There's been a lot of talk about taking zinc for colds ever since a 1984 study showed that zinc supplements kept people from getting as sick. Since then, research has turned up mixed results about zinc and colds.

Recently an analysis of several studies showed that zinc lozenges or syrup reduced the length of a cold by one day, especially when taken within 24 hours of the first signs and symptoms of a cold.

Most colds are caused by a type of virus called rhinovirus, which thrives and multiplies in the nasal passages and throat (upper respiratory system). Zinc may work by preventing the rhinovirus from multiplying. It may also stop the rhinovirus from lodging in the mucous membranes of the throat and nose.

Zinc may be more effective when taken in lozenge or syrup form, which allows the substance to stay in the throat and come in contact with the rhinovirus.

But the recent analysis stopped short of recommending zinc. None of the studies analyzed had enough participants to meet a high standard of proof. Also, the studies used different zinc dosages and preparations (lozenges or syrup) for different lengths of time. As a result, it's not clear what the effective dose and treatment schedule would be.

Zinc — especially in lozenge form — also has side effects, including nausea or a bad taste in the mouth. Many people who used zinc nasal sprays suffered a permanent loss of smell. For this reason, Mayo Clinic doctors caution against using such sprays.

In addition, large amounts of zinc are toxic and can cause copper deficiency, anemia and damage to the nervous system.

For now, the safest course is to talk to your doctor before considering the use of zinc to prevent or reduce the length of colds.

Zumba is a fitness program that combines Latin and international music with dance moves. Zumba routines incorporate interval training — alternating fast and slow rhythms — to help improve cardiovascular fitness.

Zumba is an aerobic activity that can count toward the amount of aerobic activity recommended for most healthy adults by the Department of Health and Human Services.

The guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. But even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. Being active for short periods of time throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits.

Aerobic exercise can reduce health risks, help maintain a healthy weight, strengthen your heart and boost your mood. If you enjoy Zumba, you're also more likely to do it regularly and experience its benefits as an aerobic exercise.

As with any exercise, if a certain movement or position hurts, try to modify the workout to avoid the activities that are painful.