It would be pretty lame if we started a blog with something so repetitively used like “you are what you eat”, wouldn’t it? And it would be exhausting if it was continued with a statement like “that couldn’t be more true regarding your vaginal health”

But here we are, empathically letting you know that no matter how many blogs will state that what you eat is vital in some way within their blogs, that it is totally true, scientifically-proven, don’t turn this into an argument: We need to focus on diet.

Your eating habits will affect your overall health, including more specific feminine aspects of your health like your menstrual cycle, mood swings and the health of your vagina. Think about the discharge, unfamiliar odor and itching that occurs because of BV and yeast infections; diet plays a key role in ensuring that those symptoms that you don’t want to experience are minimized. 

So you might be wondering what new diet plan we are going to introduce you to to ensure that you maintain overall great health and keep your vagina healthy?

What are the best foods for vaginal health?

We aren’t about to push fad diets on you like the keto diet, the carnivore diet or even being a vegan (although yay if you are finding it awesome and loving the lifestyle!). Nor are we going to tell you to remove things like dairy and carbs because of how some might say you shouldn’t have it.

Instead, we want to share with you a lifestyle that is proven in evidence, of human beings who are going against the modern diets or today and sticking to what they are finding to be tried and true. Where they are living to be over 100 years old, still have sex into their 80’s, and have the lowest cases of chronic disease: The Blue Zones.

If you haven’t heard of the blue zones, they are cities where the inhabitants are living a longer period of time than most humans, are at their healthiest, and eating traditional meals that are low in calorie but nutrient dense (That’s the problem with high fat diets, high in calories, low in nutrients).

In another blog we will share more about the blue zone diet, but let’s dive deep into 6 staple foods eaten in these blue zones, why they are great, and which foods to avoid in order to keep your vagina healthy, stave off infections, ease discomfort and even spice up things a little bit between the sheets.

Plain Yogurt: Natures Best Probiotics for Vaginal Health

There are so many arguments against dairy that have great evidence around it. Inhumane living conditions, the feeding practices and the antibiotics are great reasons to drop dairy for good. The issue is that dairy, specifically yogurt which has been a staple of the human diet since 5000 B.C. is dense with the probiotics that so many women seek out to help treat the symptoms of their vaginal infections. 

So there is a tradeoff, to consume yogurt in order to get essential probiotics, fats and protein into your diet or not in fear of consuming dairy?

Nearly 26% of the Sardinians of Italy’s diet has to do with the consumption of dairy.

How can it be that we (I speak for those of us here in America) have a fear of consuming dairy but those in Italy who do consume it are able to live to nearly (or past) 100.

Sardinians mostly consume yogurt derived from goat or sheep’s milk. The benefit of this is that goats are sheep milk has something that cow milk doesn’t have: Lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose. 

Give sheep or Goat derived plain yogurt a shot, likeRedwood Hill Farm Goat Yogurt. Women’s Health Magazine states that developing a habit of snacking on yogurt regularly replenishes your body’s good bacteria. 

In whichever form you eat yogurt, whether greek yogurt or from goat or sheep, it is a great source of calcium, protein, and the probiotics you need.

How we love having Yogurt
  • ½ Cup Of Plain Yogurt
  • 1 Teaspoon of Honey
  • ½ Cup of Berries
  • ¼ Cup Granola

Cranberries For UTI Prevention

So this one might seem a bit tougher, as we do not want you to have cranberry juice. You most likely have heard that drinking cranberry juice is an effective way to prevent or treat urinary tract infections. The reality is that this is most likely untrue because of the reasons we outlined in our blog Cranberry for UTI Management. 

One of the main reasons why is because during processing, many of the nutrients desired such as the phytonutrients and antioxidants are stripped away and what you are left with is red sugar water.

Cranberries have an incredible nutrient in their compound known as proanthocyanidins. These nutrients are showing promise in reducing the recurrence of UTI, and it’s something that cannot be overlooked. 

There are great ways to consume fresh cranberries ,like adding them into your yogurt. 

Make a Cranberry Jam!
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juices
  • 1/2 cup water
  • bag fresh or frozen cranberries (do not use dried)
  • Zest of one orange, about 2 teaspoons
  • Pinch salt

Avocados for Fertility

Don’t worry, your favorite toast-topper that’s commonly served at all the hot brunch spots also happens to be good for your vagina’s health.

Avocados are rich with healthy fats, potassium and vitamin B-6. Translating into simple English: all of these are good for your sexual health as they increase lubrication and estrogen levels. 

A quarter of a normal-sized avocado is enough to give you its incredible benefits.

We know you have great ways of making avocado, so we’ll love it up to you. Just try your best to only consume ½ of a hass avocado maximum every day!

Root Vegetables for Prebiotics

You’ve had them before, you may love them, and you also be turned off by them depending on where you get your news from.

Tubers are root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips and yucca.

We absolutely love tubers! First and foremost, its a great source of energy. Remember carbohydrates give you energy, but the source of the carbohydrates are very important. 

Tubers are lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they don’t spike like simpler sugars you find in fruits and table sugar. The low glycemic index means that there isn’t a high spike in insulin leading to a sugar crash (we can get more into this later).

They are also incredibly nutrient-dense. So having a variety of rooted vegetables in your diet gives you access to many nutrients that work together to optimize your health.

Last, and this is the most crucial: they are natural prebiotics. Remember what a prebiotic is: a fiber that can give off the healthiest of forms of sugar. These sugars are used in the vagina to create the defenses needed, like hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid, in order to fight off anaerobic pathogens (the bad bacteria!).

Don’t fear sugar and reap the benefits that come with rooted vegetables.

One of our favorite tuber dishes
  • 1 cup yucca
  • Teaspoon of mixes garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • Pinch of rock salt and cilantro.

Garlic for BV

Ladies, you need to make the most of garlic to improve your vaginal health. Thanks to its antifungal and antimicrobial properties, it could be a great addition in your diet in preventing several vaginal issues. For excessive vaginal discharge, burning, excessive itching and unusual odors, garlic provides a natural remedy. 

Developing a habit of eating roasted garlic or adding it in your cooking will help your overall immune system. 

And for the love of god please don’t put garlic cloves up your vagina.

Leafy green vegetables: Where to get your vitamins for vaginal health

Among a list of health benefits that they offer, vaginal health is one of them – and a very crucial one too. Studies suggest that dark leafy greens purify the blood with the help of nutrients present in them. This ultimately enhances blood circulation that rids you of vaginal dryness and increases stimulation. 

What are the worst foods for your vaginal health 

Alcohol 

Having a glass of wine at night isn’t really an issue. In fact, the Sardinians of Italy tend to have a drink every night as a form of relaxing after a long day. The issue is when we get into having several or multiple cups per night. 

Hangovers aren’t the only issue that accompany excessive drinking. Constant alcohol consumption can cause vaginal dryness and contribute to overall lower vaginal health and may mess with your estrogen levels as well. 

Enjoy wine and try keeping it to one glass per night.

Asparagus 

Making urine smell bad isn’t the only thing asparagus do. According to Women’s Health Magazine, asparagus affects your vaginal pH as it is an alkaline food. While the normal vaginal pH should be acidic, when disturbed, it may wipe off plenty of healthy bacteria in vagina. This could lead your vagina vulnerable to several vaginal infections including bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections. 

Limit your asparagus use if you want to keep your vagina happy and healthy. 

Coffee 

You must really be hating this list now.  Well, it’s vital you know the truth.

Besides changing your vagina’s natural odor, a study has shown excessive use of coffee may lead to an increase in yeast bacteria due to a reduced candida-fighting abilities in your body. 

Fried foods 

It’s obvious that we shouldn’t be consuming fried foods: They are high in trans and saturated fats, this gives you another reason to avoid them. Trans and saturated fats are both high in calories and are types of nutrients that the body cannot break down easily.

Processed Sugar 

It’s hard to say no to chocolate cake, but too much sugar is harmful for your vaginal flora. 

High sugar content provides optimum feeding grounds for bad bacteria. They feed on these simple sugars, grow in number and dominate the good ones. This ultimately leads to multiple vaginal infections such as vaginal yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis etc. 

Processed foods 

80% of our diet consists of processed foods such as pasta, white bread, potato and other tubers. This amounts to only 20% of the food similar to what our ancestors took. Moreover, good bacteria do not grow well upon exposure to foods with gluten casein. Food such as wheat, barley and rye contain gluten while processed dairy products contain casein. 

Research suggests that consuming high amounts of processed foods may lead to disrupted vaginal health. Make sure to cut your intake of processed foods and increase the amount of natural greens, probiotics and fruits in your diet.