Hello, everybody. This is Eric Bakker, The Naturopath from New Zealand. Welcome back
to my channel. While I was going through the emails and comments like I normally do,
I started to notice that many women are asking me about the same kinds of issues. They want to know
how to restore the vaginal pH level. I know a lot of my patients in the past have suffered from this
very same issue. So I figured it would be best for me to take some time today to talk and explain a
bit more about this issue, but more interestingly, how you can deal with this issue in a natural way.
I know that many people understand that the vaginal area is self-cleaning and
is self-regulating. It looks after itself, but oftentimes due to harsh environmental conditions,
these could be internal or external conditions, the pH level of the vagina can deviate far
from its normal level. An imbalanced vaginal pH level can lead to various
problems like burning, itching, inflammation, discharge in and around the vaginal area.
So what should a normal vaginal pH look like? Well, the pH level has various pointers on its
scale that shows the nature of the substance at hand. The pointers range from zero, being extreme
acid, up to 14, being very alkaline. Anything above mid-value, say seven,
is considered alkaline and anything under that is considered more on the acid scale. If we
look at the stomach, for example, that will have quite a low pH of three, 3.5.
So what's the optimal range for a healthy vagina? It ranges anything from 3.8 to about 4.5
on average, which means it's just a tiny little bit acidic
and this is how it deals with a lot of problems. It keeps itself clean through this slight acidity.
If it becomes too alkaline in nature, then the chances of getting an infection
by bacteria are greatly heightened. So you must be wondering, how do you get to
know if the vaginal pH is alkaline or acid? Well, there are different ways you can find out, really.
A foul smell in your discharge, for example. A healthy discharge doesn't have much smell,
so once you start noticing strong smells or fishy smells, or offensive smells, or pungent smells,
then don't ignore these kind of smells. Chances are that it's becoming more alkaline in nature
and is becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. And this is often how BV or bacterial vaginosis
starts. Or the second one is the abnormal color of the discharge. So if the discharge starts to
change from a clear or a white color to a gray or a yellowish color, or any kind of a funky color
like that, then it could be a prominent sign that you've got an abnormal vaginal pH.
And point three, some other symptoms that can also be related to BV or yeast infections are itching,
especially around the vaginal area, burning sensations while peeing,
frequent urge to urinate, and also painful intercourse or burning intercourse.
So knowing all that now, how do you restore the level to its natural level?
If you're identifying the vaginal health, if you understand what it's like when it's healthy,
then you can see how it starts to change when it becomes unhealthy. So
there are some simple solutions really, we'll talk about in a minute.
But it goes without saying that if your symptoms are quite severe, then you need to go ahead and
consult a doctor, someone who can give you proper medications and expert advice in this area.
There are certain level where you can treat these conditions at home and many women successfully do,
but also there comes a time when things get chronic and you need to get expert advice.
So let's have a look at a couple of different ways now that you can incorporate this advice
into your diet. Incorporating garlic supplements into your diet is a good idea,
especially tablets. There are different ways you can take in garlic, but garlic should also
ideally come through the diet. There are many different medicinal properties with garlic.
It helps to fight bacteria in the body through its particular compound called allicin, a very
powerful compound. There are many studies that validate this. There was a study conducted in 2010
and it concluded that using garlic in medicinal creams has proved to be very effective. A 2014
study I looked at mentioned that garlic supplements handle vaginal issues like
yeast infections with little to no side effects. Other studies I've looked at compare the use
of fluconazole and metronidazole and drugs like that. And have found garlic to be almost, if not
more effective than the pharmaceutical drugs. If you're on blood thinning drugs,
however, or have underlying particular medical issues, or don't think you can take garlic,
then perhaps you need to talk to your healthcare professional about that.
Let's look at point two. Personal hygiene is the holy grail, of course. We know that
the vaginal area is self-cleansing, but there are still many who use intimate washes that
may contain all sorts of chemical compounds and artificial fragrances and even dioxins.
Studies have proven that these washes can actually disturb the vaginal pH, the natural pH.
It's best to be very careful when choosing products like this, so you may want to look at
fragrance-free products, products that contain no chemicals and are more natural. Your Whole
Foods store can advise you in this area. Always be gentle when cleaning the vagina. It's best to
keep things clutter-free. Just use warm, clean water to clean the vulva and the vaginal area.
According to a study I looked at by Rebecca Brotman
and her colleagues, even douching can cause BV in women, so you need to be careful there too.
Be very careful when choosing sanitary products, go for fragrance-free things.
Let's move on to point three, use protection when being intimate. So when you're having sex,
it pays to be careful. According to a 2008 study, it was concluded that reducing the
number of sexual partners and reducing the number of unprotected sexual encounters
decreases the risk and incidence of recurring BV. Always be extra cautious when it comes to
these things. You can establish a good barrier and maintain vaginal flora by using condoms,
for example. These protection methods are easily available at pharmacies, chemists,
you can even buy them online now. But for additional protection from bacteria
infections transmitted through intercourse, you can also use dental dams. And no doubt there'll
be other methods, but it would pay to speak to somebody probably in the chemist about this.
So the fourth point is, control your urge to smoke, or better still, quit it. We all know that
smoking hampers your overall body function, so I don't need to stress about going on
about smoking. Studies conducted by a lady called Tiffanie Nelson suggest that cigarette smoking can
alter your metabolic profile of your vaginal track, making it more vulnerable to infections
and creating more of an imbalance in the pH, which just leave it wide open for infections.
If you're a heavy smoker, then I definitely recommend you consult your doctor or join a
support group. Get specialized help so you can quit. I know it's a hard thing to do,
but believe me, it's the best thing for you. I smoked tobacco when I was young and I quit.
Anyone can quit if they really want to. Let's talk about point number five,
a point I've had a very, very high success rate with, boric acid treatment. Boric acid is one
of the most underrated products available that has the potential to effectively treat
bacterial vaginosis and vaginal candida symptoms. It's cheap and it's very effective.
Many studies have shown the worth of boric acid and the use of boric acid
dates back probably 100 years. It's been used a long time for this particular area.
So here's a study I'm looking at conducted a few years ago now on intra-vaginal boric
acid use for BV, with a very high satisfaction rate, even if the condition is chronic and even
if the boric acid used over a prolonged period of time. So it's going to be super effective. So
please, don't forget to look at my YouTube videos on my YouTube channel regarding vaginal
issues and particularly the use of boric acid where I've already explained this.
Boric acid is easily accessible. You can purchase it from your nearest chemist,
bulk food stores even sell it. I've recommended the use of boric acid for BV and chronic vaginal
yeast problems now for a long time, with the most outstanding patient feedback.
These suppositories are sometimes available online and they're used for mild to moderate symptoms.
You never ever take boric acid internally as a medicine, it must only ever be used
on the external side. If you want to encapsulate boric acid powder for home use, it's best to
consult with your healthcare professional for use, and someone to help you guide you through this.
But as I said, look at my YouTube videos, I've explained more there.
Point number six, declutter, de-stress, and rejuvenate. Stress has been a big underlying
factor in many, many different conditions. It hampers your vaginal flora and it will do so
by affecting your immune system negatively. As your cortisol levels go up through stress,
so does your immune function plummets. So your immune function will reduce under stress
and this can cause more infections. Studies have confirmed that increased stress leads to increased
release of cortisol, then in turn, increase the chances of having an infection like BV.
In a study conducted by Tonya Hansel, PhD, it was concluded that increased psychological stress
is associated with greater bacterial vaginosis prevalence and incidence, independent of all
other risk factors. So stress is one of the big things that you can control and regulate yourself.
There are many ways to distress yourself. A couple of ways you can unwind, for example, are learning
how just to take your time and relax. Have a small meditation session every day for 10 or 15 minutes,
you'll see a change within days. Your mind will declutter and you'll feel refreshed even
after just one simple session. Imagine doing this 15, 20 minutes a day for months on end,
it can really change the way your body handles stress.
The second one is look at, why don't you think about something like art therapy, for example.
A lot of people try that these days, particularly now with these COVID lockdowns that we're getting.
Take a piece of paper, do some drawing or painting, express yourself on this.
It can really help to lift up your mood. The thing that I like also to add is listening to music.
Music has a very special effect on people, I find. It can instantly lift up your mood and put
you in a really good, happy situation. Listen to your favorite music for say an hour a day,
and it can significantly help to decrease how you feel about stress in your life.
And the fourth one is look at a hobby that you really enjoy doing.
We all have something that we like doing in our free time, and that could be reading a book,
it could be gardening like it is for me, for example. It could be anything,
but it's something that you're passionate about that you can spend time with every day that's
going to decrease your stress a lot. It could be walking your dog, for example. So work-life
balance is critical and it's a whole conversation when you think about it in its own right.
It's time now to put some importance on doing the things that you really like to do and taking your
time and backing off a bit more. This is going to help your immune system profoundly. Some studies
I've looked at show that relaxation can work better than many pharmaceutical medications.
Let's look at point number seven, increase your probiotic intake.
Lactobacillus are one of the very important bacteria that regulate vaginal health.
It helps to keep the pH of the vagina in balance. Studies have shown that women with BV tend to
have much lower levels of the beneficial species like lactobacillus. Probiotic intake will help
build lactobacilli naturally in your body. Probiotics will increase the lactobacilli
content of your body. I've noticed that vaginal pH changes, I've noticed that the stool tests show
a definite positive correlation with an increase in probiotics when we take them internally.
Let's have a look at point number eight now, a very important point that not many people
discuss and it's called to-do with undergarments. You need to wear high-quality undergarments,
underwear that is in close contact with the vaginal area the whole day. So it's implicit that
you pay extra attention and care when selecting the appropriate clothing for your underwear.
Non-breathable and flimsy underwear can disbalance your pH and create more acidity,
reduces the air circulation, it makes it too hot, too moist. So look at these following
tips I'm going to give you here that will help you to choose the right type of undergarments.
The best ones always tend to be made of 100% cotton. They're breathable, they're airy,
and it's a much, much better situation for the vagina to be in that environment than it is
when you're wearing nylon or synthetic fibers, for example.
Point two is to wash regularly with detergent and rinse thoroughly to get all the soap out of it.
Getting several pairs of underwear and washing them regularly is very important.
Take your underclothing off when you're going to sleep. This prevents moisture build-up down there
and better air circulation. And point four in this point eight is to look at changing underclothing
at least twice per day. Now the same applies for guys with jock itch just as much as it does for
ladies with vaginal thrush. Showering twice a day, underclothing changes twice a day makes
a significant difference in chronic cases. Point number nine, eat a healthy diet. This
is the most basic advice I can give you, but it's also some of the most critical.
A nutritious and balanced diet will help maintain vaginal health, and there's special foods you can
eat too, like cranberries, apples, soy products, avocados. Leafy green vegetables like spinach,
for example, broccoli and kale, these all help to restore normal
vaginal pH. You can find a lot more information on diet and nutrition on my YouTube channel. In fact,
there's probably about 800 to 1,000 videos on that channel regarding that one topic.
Point number 10, water intake. It's crucial to maintain good hydration all the time.
Water helps to flush out toxins from the body and it keeps the vaginal walls hydrated. It
helps to remove waste accumulated and get out of the body in the best possible way, that's through
the kidneys. Drinking really improves skin tone. But when should you see a medical practitioner?
It's important to get timely help if you're experiencing chronic symptoms,
unusual symptoms, or painful symptoms, and your know your own body. As I mentioned earlier on,
many cases can be treated at home. In fact, most cases are, but it gets to a point if
it's too chronic that you need expert help. So it's probably best to consult with your doctor
if you've got a chronic, ongoing problem. Distinctly foul odors,
very bad burning sensations when you're going to the bathroom, heavy discharges or flows,
any blood of course, anything that really concerns you is a reason to go and get a proper checkup.
So the doctor can take action and according to your symptoms, provide you the proper medication
and treatment to help you. So let's conclude.
I'd like to give you a quick recap of what we've discussed. We started out by explaining
the importance of maintaining a normal pH of the vaginal area. We also spoke thoroughly about the
ways how the pH can be restored naturally, and I ended by pointing out the conditions and when
you should reach out to your doctor. I really hope this little presentation we've completed here shed
some light on your questions and queries regarding the vaginal thrush and bacterial vaginosis.
If you have more questions, please check the links provided in the description box below.
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