UTI, YEAST, AND STD PREVENTION

Nina Helms- Intimate Fitness® Expert

Intimate Fitness™ and pH Balance
Once again turning our focus on the wondrous vagina, it is great to know that we can be proactive with our Intimate Fitness™ to maintain a healthy, protective pH balanced environment. The clever, beneficial and very welcome lactobacilli and corynebacterium rule the vulvovaginal ecosystem. Their acid loving symbiotic relationship regulates and dominates by taking up full residence and crowding out unwanted guests. Knowing what triggers elevate pH can help us best support our Intimate Fitness™ and look out for what to avoid.

1. Excessive and incorrect hygiene – avoid soap (pH 9-10), especially the anti-bacterial kind. Instead use a gentle cleanser like AfterIt made expressly for that area (pH 4-5 range). Flushing internally with douches or plain water (pH 7) can leave us vulnerable to undesirable bacteria proliferating. Also, be sure to wipe front to back with toilet tissue as going the other direction can contaminate the vagina.
2. Sex – carefully select lubrication like Uberlube with a vagina friendly pH to reduce friction and enhance pleasure. This will lessen tearing which can make us more susceptible to STD transmission. Avoid products with glycerin and perfumes if you are especially prone to irritation and skip flavored or sensation lubes. Multiple partners or a new lover can be super exciting, but it can also be a big vaginal disruptor for some. I always drink a glass of water before sex so I can pee afterward to keep UTI’s away and help flush away unwanted bacteria. Gently washing with a correct pH cleanser post-sex helps re-establish a desirable acidic pH too.
3. Medication – several types of antibiotics can inhibit lactobacilli and corynebacterium leading to an overgrowth of Candida resulting in yeast infection. Immunosuppressive, chemotherapy and corticosteroid drugs can also upset the delicate ecosystem making us vulnerable. Ask your physician about taking probiotics internally or topically to help restore and maintain your acidic pH.
4. Menstruation – blood (pH 7), and the menstrual flow removes good and bad bacteria. Tampons left in too long can change pH too. Consider using lactobacillus suppositories during a period if sensitive to these pH elevations.
5. Menopause and Pregnancy – shifting hormones are associated to increased pH, so ask your Dr. about this one.
6. Wardrobe – tight clothing, non-cotton underwear and sleeping with panties on can challenge a healthy vaginal milieu. Sweaty workout clothes harbor bacteria, so get out of them fast once a work out is done.
7. Diet – Candida loves sugar, so those who are prone to yeast infections, forgo the candy, carbs and sugar and starve those pesky critters.
8. UTI’s –if UTI’s plague you, again, urinate post sex, and try Ellura which creates a protective barrier inside the bladder and urinary tract for prevention. Antibiotics treat UTI’s and BV (bacterial vaginosis) and we know from #3 we want to minimize antibiotic use.

Studies show that 75% of American women have had a UTI, BV or yeast infection at some point in their lives. Many have recurring ones. Let’s bring that number down with awareness and Intimate Fitness™