Alright so I realize that this subject might make you slightly uncomfortable. In fact if you’re at work and you may feel embarrassed to watch this. But here’s the thing, we NEED to talk about our vaginas because there’s a lot of taboo surrounding the topic and because of it we have no idea how to take care of it. Women are douching, lathering up with soap in an effort to get clean and using sanitary products that are not just uncomfortable but actually dangerous. So I thought today I’d give you:
Your 411 on vaginal health.
And not only that I’ve also created a free guide that you can download that will give you even more information about your vagina! So get in on it now.
So here is what we’ll go through during your Quickie of the week:
Your vagina is a reflection of your digestive health.
If you’ve tried potions and lotions and ovules to fix yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis, trust me, you’ve got it all wrong. Begin with the gut. Think about it, when if you took a round of antibiotics, your chances of getting a yeast infection increase substantially. Why: because if your good bacterial balance is off, then bad bacteria will thrive and will reflect in the vagina. It’s why taking a damn good probiotic is crucial to reinoculate the bacterial balance in the gut. And for a probiotic that is only 3 billion per live cell, I’ve seen it work more effectively than others out there that are 80 billion per live cell.
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It’s why what you eat impacts your vaginal health too. So stay away from foods like gluten, dairy, corn and refined sugar.
Grooming & Washing
Believe it or not water alone is enough to clean it. Soaps and shower gels all contain harsh detergents, parabens and xenoestrogens that are estrogen mimickers. This is bad news if you’re already struggling with estrogen-dominant type conditions like fibroids, endo and ovarian cysts. And douching is probably the worst out of all of it and the label reads like a cigarette pack: increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, infections that could lead to scarring, infertility and even an ectopic pregnancy.
As for grooming, I know there are many women out there who dig the Brazilian wax, but I’ll have you know that pubic hair does help to protect the vagina from pathogens and bacteria and from being abraded. Now by no means and I saying you need to rock a 70’s fro, but a little covering is helpful!
Hydrate your vagina
Now before you go thinking you need to be splashing water on your vagina like a monkey, stop right there. What I’m saying rather is to make sure you’re drinking 2L of water per day because if you’re dehydrated you will find your discharge and smell will change. So make sure you’re getting enough H20.
Menstruation
Thankfully there are more options today than conventional tampons and maxi pads of yesterday. Today we’re lucky to have menstrual cups and my new favourite, THINX panties which are period-proof undies. I was pretty skeptical at first, but they’ve got options that hold up to 2 full tampons worth of blood. And while I was a bit nervous, I had no leaks whatsoever. They’re super absorbent and pretty darn cute too. They look and feel like regular undies and are a great alternative to pads and sea foam sponges (if you’re into that).
Vaginal dryness
Truthfully this is a MUCH larger topic that I’ll get into more in a future video, but for now I’ll tell you that if you’re suffering from vaginal fissures or tears, one of the gels that I have seen work incredibly effective is Cala-Gel by St. Francis Herb Farm.