1- Wiping from front to back to help prevent stool from mixing with urine.
2-Urinating before and after intercourse to reduce the risk of infections and STDS.
3-Avoid using perfumed soaps, bath oils/salts to reduce the risk of altering the vagina’s ph level.
4-consider wearing cotton undergarments vs silk ones to help the vagina breathe better.
Pregnancies, menstrual cycles, menopause and sexual intercourse are part of the reasons we women have been asked to employ these practices to assist in keeping the vagina at her best.
The vagina is the passageway that connects the cervix, which is the opening of the uterus, to the outside of the body. It is also known as the birth canal.
The normal vaginal ph for women of reproductive age is between 4.0 and 4.5. This is slightly acidic to help protect the vagina against infection. Greater than 4.5 is typically associated with bacterial infections. We do not need a test to tell us we have a bacterial infection as the odiferous, fishy smell is pungent. Less than 4.0 could indicate yeast infections and the miserable itching that come with them.
Tip #1-eating cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, radishes, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, bok choy and arugula is a complimentary, holistic way to balance the vagina’s ph level. These vegetables help detoxify estrogen, potentially reducing symptoms related to hormone fluctuations. Incorporating these vegetables into eating plan along with the aforementioned practices can help you avoid going on probiotics, antibiotics, prescription medications, creams when bacterial and yeast infections occur.
As for me, I try and eat at least broccoli and collards three to four times a week and drink as much water as I can to help keep the bladder and the cervix flushed. I AM IN MENOPAUSE.
Of course, there maybe those of you who do not like cruciferous vegetables at all. Thank goodness for science and its geniuses helping to create a pill you can take preventatively that essentially modulates estrogen metabolism. It’s called INDOLE-3 CARBINOL WITH DIM. Please consider purchasing it from *https://invitehealth.com. I have used this company’s products for years, believing in their integrity and health practices. On their website, the staff suggests taking one to three capsules a day with meals or as your healthcare provider suggests.
Tip #2-follow your healthcare provider’s pap smear schedule for your age and gynecological history. This test helps determine the health of your cervix and vagina.
Tip#3-also in my years practicing as an adult health nurse practitioner and counseling many women and men, I have told them that the vagina is a ‘self-cleaning oven.’ She needs very little assistance from us to keep her environment in tiptop shape. Therefore there is no need to put your fingers in there or douche.
Bottom line ladies: treat her, yes her, the vagina, with respect. She is with us 24/7 365 days a year. She can widen herself to the size of a basketball to help us push out those lovely babies. That ALONE garners all the respect you give her.
*I DO NOT RECEIVE AN HONORARIUM FROM INVITEHEALTH*
By Judi Jones
