Tuesday, May 7, 2013

PRONE TO YEAST INFECTIONS AND DISEASES?


Understanding pH = Potential of Hydrogen and its role in Intimate Fitness™

Some skin care products are touting “pH balanced” in their advertising, but they fail to tell us why pH is critical to our sexual well-being and overall health or what the numbers mean.

Today I am going to give you the skinny on why pH, with a range from 1-14, is so important and focus on why vaginal pH is key to a happy, healthy and sexy you!

Our bodies are in a constant flux to maintain an optimal balance between acidity and alkalinity to provide the best environment in which our cells can thrive. We can help or hinder this balancing act with our diet, medication, environment, stress levels etc. Pure water has pH of 7 or neutral, a pH less than 7 is acidic and greater than 7 is basic or alkaline. Normal blood pH is in the low 7s, good urine pH is about 6-6.5, and healthy saliva is between 6 -7.4.

When our pH goes awry anywhere in the body, we can become susceptible to disease and infection. A healthy vagina is acidic and has a pH of about 4.5 and the vulva is around 5. Post menopause it is more alkaline, in the 6-7 range. A normal healthy vulvovaginal environment is a delicate balance of good and bad bacteria with a beautiful natural defense mechanism in the form of good microorganisms called Lactobacilli. The lactobacilli flourish in an acidic space which it self-maintains through lactic acid production that protects us against infection.

It is when our pH is thrown off and becomes more alkaline that yeast or candida can proliferate, or bad microorganisms can take over resulting in infection and a very irritated and unhappy woman. There are numerous culprits that cause vaginal pH to go awry resulting in dreaded itching, irritation and infection. Most off the shelf soap is a pH 9-10 or is anti-bacterial and strips the vulva of all bacteria to leave us vulnerable. Sex friction and semen (pH of 7-8) negatively impact our environment and having new or multiple lovers often results in irritation and imbalance too. Keep sugar and glycerin away from the area as it can quickly result in pH change. Our menstrual flow is like a stream that takes flora and fauna along for the ride thus removing our good and bad bacteria as it exits the body. Stress or super tight clothing can also result in upsetting the pH apple cart. Antibiotics also typically promote yeast infections in some women.

I know this is a long list with lots of pitfalls, but there are Intimate Fitness™ steps we can take to keep the vagina healthy and harmful microorganisms at bay. Happily we can take smart proactive and avoidant measures to assist in the maintenance of our delicately balanced environment.

I want to properly cover vaginal Intimate Fitness™ and not skim over it, so will leave it for the following entry. In the meantime, remember that your vagina is miraculously self-cleansing and doesn’t require you to aggressively clean or dress it up. A healthy vagina is neutral smelling and has a rhythm you should become familiar with, so you can identify when/if you are imbalanced or potentially vulnerable.



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