Every woman needs to take their vaginal health seriously. Unfortunately, many women do not understand the concept of vaginal health or what it means.
Understanding vaginal health first requires you to learn what elements exist in the vagina. First, a healthy vagina needs the proper acidic pH balance to maintain enough good bacteria to fight off viral infections and harmful bacteria.
It is usual for a healthy vagina to produce a small amount of discharge, around up to a tablespoon per day. Vaginal discharge is a natural healthy shedding of vaginal and cervical cells. It should not have any unusual coloring or foul odors. But if it does, you probably have a vaginal pH imbalance.
Learn to Protect the Vagina
Do you want to know how to maintain a healthy vaginal pH balance and protect your vagina from infections and other threats? Below are the top eight ways to get started.
1) No Douching
Douching (cleaning the inner vaginal walls) is unnecessary because the vagina cleans itself naturally. However, many women take steps to manually clean their inner vaginal walls, which only worsens their vaginal health.
Douching causes a vaginal pH imbalance by reducing acidity and good bacteria levels in the vagina. Once that happens, it increases the risk of bacterial infections in the vagina and the following harsh symptoms.
You may feel tempted to clean your inner vagina if you smell a foul vaginal odor. But you should seek advice from your doctor about the situation rather than cleaning it yourself. Douching will only make vaginal odors worse rather than better.
2) Maintain a Nutritious Diet
A good nutritious diet goes a long way in maintaining excellent vaginal health. Consume lots of fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of water daily. You should also consume foods rich in probiotics (good bacteria), such as Greek yogurt. Just make sure you choose yogurts without added sugars. Your diet can also be complimented with a routine of high quality vaginal probiotics. The best vaginal probiotics include the strains GR-1 and RC-14 which are included in Pro-Fem.
3) Safe Sexual Practices
Always practice safe sex with your partner, especially if one of you has multiple sexual partners. Wearing male or female condoms can help prevent transmitting sexually transmitted infections like genital herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, HPV, chlamydia, and genital warts.
Many sexually transmitted infections have no cure. That is why you should ensure you or your partner wears a condom whenever you two have any sex, whether vaginal, oral, or anal. Then, replace the condoms before engaging in a different sexual activity.
4) Seek Preventative Care from a Gynecologist
Gynecologists have the training and expertise to perform vaginal examinations and diagnose vaginal disorders and diseases. Every woman should undergo regular gynecological tests starting at age 21. It is also ideal for women to receive pap smears annually to check for signs of cervical cancer or abnormal cervical cell growth.
5) Treat Vaginal Infections Quickly
The three most common vaginal infections are bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and yeast infections. Most women are familiar with yeast infections and notice the symptoms when they arise. There are even over-the-counter medications to treat yeast infections that usually work. But if they do not work, you must seek professional medical treatment from your doctor immediately.
Failure to quickly treat vaginal infections could lead to unpleasant, uncomfortable, and painful symptoms and consequences, including reproductive health issues. And if you experience yeast infections too frequently, you need a medical evaluation from your doctor because you may have another health issue affecting your vaginal health. Some examples include diabetes and HIV.
6) Use Plenty of Lubrication
Older women do not generate as much natural vaginal lubricant as younger women. To prevent vaginal irritation and chafing during intercourse, it would be wise to use generous amounts of artificial lubricant to reduce friction between the penis and inner vaginal walls.
Artificial lubrication makes sexual intercourse more pleasurable for the man and woman. However, if you are attempting to get pregnant from intercourse, use a pH-balanced lubrication product that will not cause problems for the man’s sperm. Otherwise, any oil-based, water-based, or silicone-based lubricant will be sufficient.
7) Wear the Right Clothes
You need to maintain a clean and dry vagina throughout the day. Believe it or not, your clothes impact vaginal dryness and wetness significantly.
For instance, if you wear tight jeans or tight-fitted workout clothing made of synthetic fabrics, your vaginal tissue cannot breathe well. As a result, the vagina will get too warm and start to form sweat and moisture. A wet and moist vagina increases the risk of yeast infections and other bacterial infections.
Wear clothing made of breathable fabrics like cotton. Then you can significantly reduce the risk of vaginal infections.
8) Maintain Good Hygiene Practices
Practicing good hygiene is essential for sustaining your vaginal health. It doesn’t mean douching or cleaning your inner vaginal walls. Instead, clean the outside of the vagina whenever you have a bowel movement by gently wiping it, starting from the front and moving your way toward the back.
Doing this will prevent harmful bacteria from entering your vagina after a bowel movement. Also, replace your tampons and sanitary pads frequently during your period.