VAGINAL HEALTH IS INTEGRAL PART OF YOUR OVERALL HEALTH

YOUR VAGINAL HEALTH; THE POINT WHICH YOU ARE LEAST CONCERNED BUT MOST IMPORTANT FOR YOUR OVERALL HEALTH

Maintaining a healthy vagina inside and out is a good way to keep yourself healthy. You may not have thought about vaginal health, it may seem tricky, or even embarrassing, but it’s really important to pay proper attention to this part of your body.

Before you start taking steps towards your vaginal health, you must understand “What a Healthy Vagina is?”

The vagina has a variety of bacteria, yeasts and other micro-organisms, which occur naturally. Lactobacilli are good bacteria that keep other bacteria in check, and normally keep the vagina slightly acidic. The vagina has its natural system of maintaining the balance of good and bad bacteria and you do not need for external supplementation or application of Lactobacilli.  When the balance is maintained, the vagina will usually have a mild, slightly pungent or earthy odor and there will be occasional small amounts of white discharge that may look yellow when it dries on underpants. Around the time of ovulation, usually about two weeks after the first day of your period, there is often a noticeable increase in discharge for a few days, and this discharge (comprised of cervical mucous) may be very stretchy and copious. If your discharge is associated with severe abdominal pain, pain with urination, or a fever, seek immediate medical care.

Sometimes, external factors cause an imbalance of the natural bacteria in your vagina that can lead to problems, such as vaginal infections.  The three most common vaginal infections are vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis. Some girls are more prone to these vaginal problems than others. You should be observant of signs of vaginal problems which can be as below:

·         Itching, irritation or soreness around the vaginal opening

·         It burns when you urinate (ouch!)

·         Increased or unusual discharge

·         Swelling in the genital area

·         Abnormal bleeding

·         An unpleasant odour

Vaginal problems can be caused by hormones, health problems, pregnancy, or even STDs. Stress, illness and hormone changes can also upset the vaginal environment, but there are a whole bunch of things you can do to maintain vaginal health and prevent infections. If you are getting some of these symptoms it could be time to head to the doctor and adopt some simple precautionary steps to maintain proper vaginal health:

·         Make sure your hands are washed before and after touching the genital area
Always wipe front to back

·         Maintain great hygiene – you don’t need to scrub and scrub to maintain a healthy vagina but you equally don’t want to go a week without a shower!

·         Do not use feminine hygiene sprays, douches, or deodorants, they contain chemicals

·         Don’t use soap. In case you need to wash your vagina use natural/herbal vaginal hygiene products

·         Don’t use other people’s towels

·         Use Everteen Vaginal health gel as it helps in revitalizing vaginal condition

·         Maintain your health and fitness by exercising regularly

·         Make sure you eat right and limit the amount of junk food in your diet

·         For a healthy vagina, wear 100% cotton underwear

·         For some extra air time, try sleeping without underwear

·         Avoid tight-fitting clothing.

·         Wear only loose-fitting boxers or no underwear at night.

·         Change out of wet swimsuits or sweaty workout clothing as soon as possible.

·         Change pads and tampons regularly.

·         Don’t  use pads and pantiliners for everyday discharge; Use them only when you have your period

·         Wipe from front to back after a bowel movement.

·         Shower or bathe regularly, and encourage any sexual partners to do the same.

·         If sexually-active, change condoms when switching from oral or anal to vaginal intercourse.

So if you do not think about your genitals aside from specific reproductive or sexual health concerns, this is the time when you should start thinking about it because the overall health of one’s vagina is important regardless of one’s level of sexual activity.

Its good to encourage yourself to inculcate above tips in your daily routine as it will ensure your vaginal health and a great quality of life.