Supporting the health of your vagina is so important and there are so many different ways you can do this. Read on to see how to support your vagina sexually, emotionally, with your diet and which products to choose.
Sexually
- Always urinate after sexual activity to reduce bacterial relocation from the anus to vagina and urethra – this helps to prevent any urinary tract infections as well as vaginal infections such as thrush.
- Change condoms if switching between vaginal and anal sex. Grab some vegan condoms from NNT today!
- Include self love practices regularly – facials, baths, netflix, manicures – try using some relaxing bath salts to support in increasing your absorption of magnesium and inducing relaxation.
- Choose breathable, cotton underwear – we love boody products!
- Use reusable cotton pads, cotton, organic tampons or try out a menstrual cup and period underwear – we have some options available at the store (NNT) – see the links above.
- Avoid feminine hygiene washes as they disrupt the vaginal microbiome and are not needed – your vagina is amazing and works to keep itself clean. Most washes disrupt the vaginal pH which can lead to different problems.
- Wipe from front to back and change your underwear daily.
- Use natural lubricants and condoms – some great brands are Jonny and YES – We have vegan condoms available at the store – see the links above 🙂
Dietary
- Include prebiotic foods – these feed the bacteria in your microbiome and help to keep them alive and thriving. Include nuts, seeds, artichoke, onion, garlic, banana, asparagus and lots of veggies.
- Increase your consumption of probiotic foods – think miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, vegan yogurt, and kombucha.
- Reduce your consumption of sugary foods and oily, refined takeaway foods. Sugar feeds the non-beneficial bacteria and prevents the growth of the beneficial species in your vaginal microbiome.
- Hydrate – aim for 2L plus a day !
- Include anti-inflammatory foods – nuts, seeds, fish, legumes, spices, pomegranate, garlic, ginger, leafy greens, olive oil, and avocado
- Reduce alcohol consumption – alcohol disrupts the pH and microbiome balance of the vagina and impairs the growth ad prevalence of beneficial bacteria species.
- Support healthy digestion – consume bitter veggies, practice deep breathing, eat slowly, always chew thoroughly and practice mindfulness.
Emotionally
- Manage stress levels with meditation, exercise, counselling, journalling, mindfulness, relaxation + more. Aim to meditate and practice mindfulness each day. Try out some of these Apps- smiling mind, headspace, keep it cleaner for meditations and mindfulness activities
- Exercise -find a type you enjoy and aim to include this several times a week.
- Spend time doing activities you enjoy – drawing, reading, socialising, baking, painting, creating, exercise
- Foster healthy relationships and aim to have good communication practices with your sexual partners and friends
- Include nourishing foods such as broths, soups, smoothies, porridge, and stews – these are warming to the body and soul, digested well, and enriched with nutrients.
Products
- As always speak to your health care practitioner for specific, individualized, safe advice for you
- Try a probiotic supplement to support the growth of beneficial flora in the vagina and to compete with any non-beneficial species.
- Chat with a naturopath to see if immune enhancing herbs and nutrients may be suitable to support your immune and vaginal health. Things like zinc, vitamin A, D and C, calendula, echinacea, berberine, golden seal, and elder berry are often supportive of the vaginal microbiome.
- Consider getting some extra support if you have high stress levels. Speaking with a psychologist may be a good idea and a naturopath may also be able to help by recommending things like – magnesium, NAC, withania, oats, skull cap, B vitamins, L-theanine, passionflower, and omega 3’s.
- Choose pH friendly body soaps – the vagina needs to maintain a sensitive pH balance so choose natural, fragrance free options to avoid disrupting this balance.
We’d love to see you shopping at NNT and our naturopaths, Monique and Candace, would love to support you with your health.