The Best Foods For A Healthy Vagina

Did you know that a balanced pH level of a vagina is between 3.8 and 4.5? When pH levels are not in this range, bacteria can thrive, and cause different infections, such as a urinary tract infection, also known as a UTI. Some signs that your pH levels are off are: an unusual odor, more than usual discharge, and discomfort/pain from a UTI. Aside from proper vaginal care like good hygiene, safe sex, and regular doctor visits, there is something else you can do to keep your vagina healthy.

What You Eat & Drink Plays A Role

You have most likely heard that eating cranberries or drinking cranberry juice can aid in UTI recovery. This is true, and many other foods can help promote a healthy vagina.

• Cranberry Juice– Cranberries have a lot of acid compounds that fight off bad bacteria, and as stated, cranberry juice can help you prevent and relieve urinary tract infections. It contains antioxidants, vitamin E, and vitamin C, which will also help boost your immunity. 
• Sweet Potatoes– Loaded with vitamin A and beta carotene, sweet potatoes can contribute to making uterine walls strong. These vitamins have been linked to help aid in fertility and reproduction in women. Also, sweet potatoes help produce more hormones that helps you stay energized.
• Apples– A study conducted in 2014 found that women who ate an apple a day had better sex, and had more lubrication than women who did not. The polyphenols and antioxidants in apples stimulate blood flow to a woman’s vagina, and boost arousal. Apples contain a chemical that resembles the female sex hormone estradiol, which protects against vaginal dryness.
• Lemons– The acidic nature of lemons helps maintain the vagina’s healthy pH levels, as well as protect the cells from damage.
• Probiotics– This is especially good for your vaginal health! Probiotics balance pH levels, prevent infections and yeast infections, and help with PMS symptoms. The live cultures in yogurt provide “good bacteria” in your body, and produce chemicals like lactic acid that inactivate or kill other infection-causing organisms.
• Green tea– This kind of tea has polyphenolic catechins that can help prevent UTIs. 
• Soy– The phytoestrogens in soy help keep your vagina lubricated. It also helps with women who are dealing with low estrogen levels, which causes vaginal dryness. Make sure to eat soy naturally from foods such as edamame, and tofu.
• Garlic– Garlic is antimicrobial, and can help prevent vaginal problems such as itching, odor, discharge, UTIs, and yeast infections. 

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  Avocados– Avocados provide vitamin B6 and potassium to support healthy vaginal walls, and prevents vaginal dryness, itching, and burning. They help keep the vaginal walls naturally lubricated.

• Dark chocolate– The antioxidants, magnesium, methylxanthines, and amino acids dark chocolate has boosts libido, soothes nerves, and releases the feel good chemical, dopamine. 

Adding these foods to your diet will benefit you both physically, and vaginally. It is important to keep your pH levels between the healthy levels in order to prevent bacteria from growing and causing issues. UTI’s and other conditions can be avoided as long as you properly take care of your vaginal health, including eating the right foods!