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.

BATTLING STRESS SWEAT ODORS

There's sweat and then there's stress sweat! Nina Helms discusses the differences between the two and how to keep yourself as fresh as possible no matter what situation presents itself.

Thanks to the P&G Stress Stinks campaign, and a Feb 4th Wall Street Journal article, we are learning that there are two kinds of sweat; stress sweat and perspiration. We have all experienced both and may have been curious as to why we are sometimes more ripe than other times.

The WSJ says, “Sweat from being overheated is produced by eccrine glands, which are located just under the skin all over the body. But sweat caused by stress, fear, anxiety and sexual arousal is produced in the apocrine glands………stress sweat also contains fatty substances and proteins that readily interact with bacteria living on the skin to create what is commonly called body odor.” I call it bad breath caused by good bacteria.

Sweating while working out gives us a dewy sheen and a healthy glow, but we cringe at stress sweat that “funks us up” and stains our fashion picks. It always seems that stress sweat kicks in just prior to a big night or before getting cozy with someone. Evolution is actually on your side here, but that doesn’t help with the rattling of our confidence or surreptitiously sniffing our underarms to check that we are not being offensive.

So how do you fight stinky stress sweat side effects other than deodorant? Well you actually want to be smart and choosy about what you select to battle this odor, because as luck would have it, we stress sweat in our most sensitive, intimate areas that are delicately balanced.

There are many “mists” or “feminine sprays” on the market. Some layer on heavy perfumes that just mask the scent, which is not an effective solution. Other off-the-shelf products have irritating ingredients, may not be pH balanced, or they fight the odor by removing our good bacteria, not just the “bad breath”. It is beneficial to keep that bacteria intact, (especially outside the vagina) because without it we can become imbalanced, irritated or even infection can occur.

There are two great products that are natural and organic and can help you deal with stress BO that works in harmony with your skin and will help you to regain your confidence and allure. AfterIt is a pH balanced foaming cleanser for the shower that soothes, moisturizes and odor corrects. AfterTrace is a calming, odor eliminating spray that can be applied anytime to under arms, genitals or anywhere you want a boost of freshness. AfterTrace will whisk away the odor, keep your good bacteria intact and leave you smelling like a clean, fresh sexy you.