What to eat for a healthy vajajay?
Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: food for a healthy vajajay.
Fortunately, more and more people are aware that healthy intestines are the foundation of your health. What you eat and drink is obviously directly related to that. There is a lot to say about it (and we would like to leave that to the people who have studied it), but we can say that if your microbiome is in order, you can be happy. And not only intestines have a microbiome (a collection of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeasts that are necessary to protect against pathogens), a vagina has one too and it needs to be well taken care of.
Because from within, as a woman, you can influence the health of your vagina, say gynecologists Carolyn Delucia and Mary Jane Minkin from VSPOT and Yale University, respectively. By avoiding certain types of food and drink and consuming others more often, you can contribute to the boost of good bacteria that keep that sensitive area healthy. Look, if things aren't going well down there, you should definitely see the kitty doctor, so don't take what we write about food as medical advice, but some things would help keep things cozy down there.
Probiotics for the kitty
All vaginas house microorganisms that together form the vaginal microbiome. A very important part of that are lactobacilli: good bacteria that provide protection against ‘bad’ organisms that cause diseases. They also produce lactic acid, which combats unwanted organisms. Lactobacilli exist in the intestines, in the mouth, and thus in the vagina. You also find lactobacilli in probiotics, and if you get them through certain food types, you can contribute to good vaginal health by keeping the pH level in check. Disruption of that pH level can lead to yeast infections, according to Delucia. And foods and drinks with a high sugar content are really bad in that case, because with sugar, you are essentially feeding the yeast.
Fermenting for the flamoes
Food that is rich in probiotics contributes to a healthy microbiome. Fermented foods are especially full of it, such as sauerkraut and kimchi. Both are certainly not a punishment to eat; the former we, as a sauerkraut mash-loving people, can easily consume weekly. And the latter, kimchi, is also gaining more popularity. Do you know what it's super delicious on? As a surprising topping on a hamburger. But it also gives a nice, interesting twist in a very thick gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Yogurt, another fermented superhero. And kombucha is packed with probiotics.
Vitamin V(agina)
And certain vitamins can also contribute to vaginal health, say these doctors. Vitamin C strengthens your immune system and helps fight infections. This vitamin is easy to obtain by eating red bell peppers, strawberries, kale, and kiwis. Cranberries are full of antioxidants and may help against bladder infections. Vitamin A contributes to healthy cell walls of the vagina and uterus and is found in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and mango, among others. You can easily make something delicious with that, for example, the best loaded baked sweet potato. Or – we can't help it – that tagine for your vagina, with lamb and pumpkin, for example.
In short, even if you don't think about it all the time while cooking, it turns out that it takes little effort to give things down under a bit of healthy extra lovin’ through food and drink.
