Vaginal Wellness 101
When it comes to vaginal health and infections, we must all understand the glorious PH level and recognize that our bodies health directly relates to our vaginal health. The PH level is our vaginas way of telling us how alkaline or acidic the overall body is. As stated by Dr. Corina Dunlap, who specializes in Women’s Naturopathic Healthcare, “Microorganisms live in and on the human body, and one “ecosystem” they inhabit is the vagina and urethra. Vaginal and urethral flora is a reflection of the overall status of your health.” A balanced PH level of the body is essential to maintaining a vagina free of infections, irritations, and soreness. If you are/have been struggling with recurring infections/irritations, we urge you to step back and take a birds eye view of your body! And don’t worry, it may take some time to “shift your vaginal microbiome.” That stress and worry can also lead to an unbalanced level!
When the body is out of balance, so is the vagina. You may realize more of an odor during your period, or an irritation after a stressful event/series of events. Dr. Dunlap lists the remaining risk factors that can throw off vaginal PH including, “Exposure to semen, medications, some birth control (including IUDs), vitamin D deficiency, douching, smoking, some spermicides and lubricants, synthetic feminine hygiene products or irritating soaps; new sexual partner(s), oral sex, overly tight-fitting and synthetic clothing, hormone fluctuations, and altered gut health.”
. If out-of-balance, there can be symptoms like an odor, itching, irritation, discharge, pain with urination or sex, frequency, urgency, and sometimes fever and/or pelvic or back pain.
“Really it is about finding the healthiest you at the most basic level. I typically start with diet and lifestyle. A more hypoallergenic and anti-inflammatory diet is a great place to begin. Keep the body moving and active, lots of hydration, and remember that the vaginal vault is a self-cleaning part of our body, so the less tampering with soaps/douches/products, the better. Work on health always from the inside out!”
Vaginas are home to billions of bacteria, and they thrive off of a balance between good and bad bacteria. We often consider the word “bacteria” as negative, but when it comes to the vagina we actually need a little bit. The “good bacteria” (also known as Lactobacillus), is what protects against STIs and infections. This bacteria feeds on glycogen found in vaginal mucus and emits lactic acid and sometimes hydrogen peroxide. Lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide are what kill bad bacteria and viruses. So, it’s crucial to the flourishing vagina to keep this bacteria alive!
A desired PH level is between 3.8 and 4.5. An unbalanced PH level simply means you have infection/irritation. Luckily there are many ways to care for the vagina and I’m not just talking about bubble baths and face masks (no hate on those self-care methods tho). This is some real vagina self-care I’m talking about!
Taking care of the beautiful, lively, and efficient vagina is honestly quite simple. Once we start to understand what can disrupt the PH level (the indicator of how acidic or alkaline it is down there) the ways we care for it make a lot of sense. For example, sugar is a highly acidic food and eating tons of it can throw off the PH level and cause irritation. So I hate to break it to you, but step one of obtaining a healthy vagina is to stop eating all those chocolate brownies at movie night with the girlfriends… I see you. I am you.
We love a happy and balanced PH level! This can be done by the following:
· Limiting the amount of sugar intake (this includes alcohol! Sugar promotes yeast growth in the vagina because yeast tends to thrive in moist and sweet environments).
· Taking probiotics (either in a supplement form or by eating foods such as yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, etc.), wipe front to back, wear cotton undies and change it regularly, stay away from scented soaps and products (natural products are so much better for your vagina because scented ones have tons of artificial chemicals that can cause bacteria to grow)
· Exercise! Getting the body moving daily is really important to the mental health which ultimately leads to health of the gut and vagina. Everything is connected.
· Using condoms with new partners. I know this one is not a favorite but the PH of a new penis can throw off yours! (also good to keep in mind that if the man messes up your PH that may be a sign he is not the one for you.. trust me)
· Eating home cooked means & veggies (all that processed food can create an overgrowth of bacteria)
· Drink a lot of water!!!!
· Change your tampon or pad regularly and do NOT douche when you are on your period. The vagina is self cleaning, it does not need to be douched
xx
