Today, we are talking body care, for your lady parts. Not something we talk about very often. I’m here with good news! Don’t you love the appliances in our home that are self cleaning? The oven, the toilet…Did you know you have one organ in your body that was designed to be self cleaning?
No joke, we are talking about your vagina. It is a self cleaning organ. It produces mucous which keeps the vaginal walls naturally clean. We do ourselves a great disservice by cleaning with harsh soaps, antibacterial washes and sprays and perfumes to eliminate odor. These products actually kill of the good bacteria and allows bad bacteria to over grow. A simple routine of washing with a mild soap, is all you need. The skin is sensitive. Think of it this way, if you wouldn’t put in your face, don’t put it down there.
Another bad habit we get into is wearing tight, non breathable clothing. We really do need to take a break from the tight yoga pants and wear some loose fitting clothes, to allow oxygen to flow. This creates a healthy environment and allows that area to ‘breathe’. Tight clothes can build up sweat and create a perfect environment for bacteria to take hold.
Just like your gut that has a specific microbiome, your vagina has that too. When you make douching a regular and frequent thing, you are robbing yourself of that healthy microbiome that is vital to good hygiene. So, remember, it’s a self cleaning organ, douching is not required for good health.
What about discharge? Discharge is normal and changes over the course of your monthly cycle. You only need to worry when you notice there is a different texture, color change to green or yellow, irritation, itching, or a strong odor. Make an appointment to see your Gynecologist and get things back on track. More often than not, it’s a simple disruption in the microenvironment and can be easily treated.
As we age and incontinence can become an issue, it’s common for women to wear panty liners for the leaking they may have from time to time. Panty liners can be very irritating to the area. Your best plan of attack would be to treat the incontinence rather than stay content to live with it.
These are just some simple ideas to keep our lady parts in good working order, with the right balance so we don’t experience discomfort.
