How can you take loving care of your vaginal microbiome and support it preventively?

It is common, but it should not be normal

As you may have read in our previous articles, one of the main known factors that ensure protection for our complex vaginal environment is an acidic pH due to the presence of lactic acid. Acidity prevents undesired pathogens from seizing control of your microWorld. If the environment is weakened and pathogens are gaining the upper hand, there usually appear some easily observable symptoms of discomfort. When suffering from less complicated acute ailments, a visit to your gynaecologist and subsequent treatment in the form of oral or topical antibiotics, antimycotics, or perhaps other treatments are self-evident. I recommend an article on the topic written by our Terezka.

It becomes more problematic with more complicated issues, which we often do not consider complicated. A study has shown that the success rate of treatment of vaginal diseases is only 40% and that an unbelievable 80% of women experience recurrence of the symptoms within 9 months (1). The more often symptoms of an imbalance appear, the more weakened our vaginal microbiome and immune system become, and the more often we should expect the recurrence of the problem. The circle is complete, you get used to the visits at the doctor’s and the treatment, you begin to view it as a normal part of your life, and it will not even occur to you that this cycle could ever be broken.

Then you stumble upon an offer of a gut or vaginal microbiome analysis on the internet, which promises you a personalised comment and probiotics tailored to your needs, containing the strains you are missing. Unfortunately, these are empty promises at the moment. There are still too few studies on the topic and the functioning is too individual. What benefits one woman may harm another, what one woman lacks, another does not need at all. Therefore pay close attention to what is within our possibilities at present, what is worth investing in, and what is still rather a conjecture, random trial and a marketing move.

Does it look difficult and you don’t know where to place your trust? Do not despair, I will try to help you as much as I can. It is clear as day that in the fight against recurring infections, the only way is long-term prevention, practised consciously, calmly and lovingly.

An index of prev(agin)ention

Many, I dare say the majority of recommendations for maintaining a healthy vaginal microbiome or the prevention and treatment of problems coincide with the general principles of a healthy lifestyle which you certainly already know. I will add a few specific tricks to the list, though, that you can use for a short or longer time and not stumble around confused on your way to balance. Never forget, however, that just as you are unique, so is your way to balance.

First of all, start observing yourself and ask what is the cause of the neverending cycles. Do you have other health issues that might have something to do with it? Do you sleep and exercise too little? Are you under a lot of pressure? Go over my list and then focus on the areas which you perhaps neglect a little bit and this might be your body letting you know in its own way.

• Diet

In order to have a healthy vaginal microbiome, you must support your immune system, and almost all roads lead to the intestinal Rome! That is why fermented foods, natural probiotics, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yoghurt, or kefir, should have their place in your diet. Do you watch your intake of vitamins A, E, D, C, β-carotene (pro-vitamin A), folic acid (vitamin B9), magnesium, zinc, and calcium (2)? Do you have a balanced diet with a sufficient fibre content (3)? You can focus on different foods according to your menstrual cycle and always supply your body with exactly the nutrients and vitamins it needs the most in each phase. It is also crucial to keep your blood sugar level in mind. Yeast love sugar, so do not treat them to such a feast and limit your sugar intake. Raw vegetables and the phytonutrients therein, nuts, (ideally soaked beforehand), seeds (I recommend trying seed cycling), oil, fish, and avocado, among other things, can help you stabilise your blood sugar level. On the contrary, avoid processed foods, dairy, and alcohol. Opt for raw unprocessed foods and variety. At the same time keep in mind that your body is unique, so look for the foods and combinations that agree with you. Enjoy the experimentation!

• Probiotics

Besides natural probiotics from food, try taking them in capsules for at least three months. A healthy and complexly populated gut supports a healthy womb as well; this is because the gut is in part a reservoir of vaginal bacteria including Lactobacilli. Probiotics work very well during bacterial vaginosis, as they renew and reinforce the vaginal microflora, especially if we are forced to resort to antibiotics (4). At the same time, probiotics serve as great prevention of other health issues or help when first symptoms appear. They are also excellent during menopause! Regardless of your age or your health problems, you can try Her Biotics, support your gut with a healthy diet, and nutrient absorption with Black Stuff. 

• Breathe consciously through your nose, support NO production, and calm your nervous system

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in the regulation of the vaginal microflora, hormones, and prevention of bacterial vaginosis as well as sexually transmitted diseases (5). Additionally, breathing through your nose will also calm you down more easily, and a calm mind can calm your body too. In order to support NO production, treat yourself to some beetroot or watermelon. On the whole, pay more attention to your breath throughout the day and try some other techniques too - diaphragm stretching, feather breathing, WHM, soma breathing, meditation, mindfulness techniques, doing nothing (yes, really!), or kundalini yoga. Rest, take it easy and regenerate.

• Loose cotton underwear and gentle hygiene habits

Do you wear breathable cotton underwear and trousers of looser cuts? Synthetic materials and close-fitting cuts have a negative effect on the acidity of our vaginal environment and its inhabitants (6). Using tampons for a long time and not changing menstrual pads often enough can also be dangerous. Both can serve as breeding ground for pathogens and these can thus enter your microecosystem (especially via the string of the tampon) (7). Be very careful about vaginal douching, using common alkaline soaps and excessive hygiene in general. Vaginal douching using water or soap water (which is even more destructive) simply washes out a lot of your microbial resilience in the form of Lactobacilli and other important microorganisms (8). Treat your lady garden to the cleansing it deserves and take great care when choosing your intimate soap.

• Physical activity and quality sleep

Create your own combinations, observe yourself, do things differently, jump, run, play, and sleep like a cat or a carefree baby.

• Circadian rhythms, inflammation, and cold

Help your body come back to the centre of its optimal functioning. If you smoke, think hard whether it is worth all the complications. Gently but regularly mind your schedule, spend time in nature, in the sauna or with red light therapy, try intermittent fasting from time to time, opt for antiinflammatory foods and let yourself be kissed by the cold. All of this will help your body feel more balanced and reduce inflammation. Animal studies have even shown that cold therapy changes the very composition of the gut microbiome (9) which is, as you surely remember, in close contact with our vaginal microbiome. I have been unable to find studies regarding cold therapy and changes to the vaginal microbiome, but I would bet that there is a direct positive effect, perhaps even more so than in the gut. Especially if you approach cold therapy gently and naturally.

• Medication, contraception, sexual activity

Think about your overall health and the medicine you take, especially antibiotics. Frequent antibiotic treatments increase the risk of chronic diseases. In case you are taking too much medicine, is there any way of reducing it? Hormonal contraception is a tough, albeit logical, nut. With respect to the health of the vaginal microbiome, it is rather beneficial, as the provided female hormones regulate the vaginal environment and its microbiome in a positive way (do you remember the oestrogen → glycogen → Lactobacilli regulation?). On the other hand, hormonal contraception causes many treacherous and at first glance rather unlinked side effects, so it is only up to you which criteria win in each life stage. At the very least, you must know that there are numerous contraception methods, so you can study them and try them out one by one. Condoms are considered protective with respect to bacterial vaginosis. Intrauterine devices, on the contrary, seem to be rather harmful for the vaginal microbiome (6). What I personally found interesting was the positive effect of contraceptive gels in combination with a diaphragm. Spermicide gel with natural ingredients and lactic acid regulates the vaginal pH to become more acidic, thus not only preventing pregnancy but also benefiting a healthy vaginal microbiome - it reduces its susceptibility to infections and mycosis, and is also suitable for more sensitive women. Dear male reader, support your own health as well as your partner’s. The choice of contraception is truly not only a financial decision.

Furthermore, Sys, remember that you can significantly affect you vaginal microbiome by your choice and number of sexual partners and practices (8).

I cannot make no mention of oxytocin, our love hormone. It connects love and contact with our immune system and microbiome, and it is even being considered as an alternative to the oestrogen treatment of vaginal dryness (for example during menopause when women are more prone to dryness), as it stimulates the production of vaginal cells of the secretion epithelial tissue (10). Oxytocin is released when the vagina or other body parts are stimulated, so treat yourself to some gentle love, and make yourself happy.

• Herbs

A herb garden shall be the last tip on our list. Have you ever tried vaginal steaming? With the right combination of herbs you can support your body in more ways than one. It is only up to you what alchemistic combination you choose for your magic today. As a small decoy, I will only mention a few herbs and leave it up to you whether you decide to explore them further. These include Clitoria (with beneficial effects for both women and men), yarrow, rose, Calendula, camomile, or lavender, and many others. How better to support our lady garden than with the love of an actual garden out there?

I wish you plenty of happiness on your loving way, dear woman.

Products from the article:

https://www.systers.bio/en/produkt/vitalvibe-her-biotics-womens-probiotic-30-capsules/

https://www.systers.bio/produkt/herba-roja-bylinna-naparka-plodnost-bio-25g/ 

https://www.systers.bio/produkt/herba-roja-bylinna-naparka-vedma-bio-25g/ 

https://www.systers.bio/en/produkt/black-stuff-for-microbiome-health-90-capsules/

https://www.systers.bio/en/produkt/wild-nutrition-premenstrual-complex-60-capsules/

https://www.systers.bio/en/produkt/wild-nutrition-womens-fertility-60-capsules/

https://www.systers.bio/en/produkt/wild-nutrition-vitamin-and-mineral-complex-for-pregnancy-90-capsules/

https://www.systers.bio/en/produkt/change-of-life-menopause-for-women-45/

Bibliography:

(1) Kalra A, Palcu CT, Sobel JD, Akins RA. Bacterial vaginosis: culture- and PCR-based characterizations of a complex polymicrobial disease's pathobiology. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2007 Nov;9(6):485-500. doi: 10.1007/s11908-007-0074-4. PMID: 17999885

(2) Thoma ME, Klebanoff MA, Rovner AJ, et al. Bacterial vaginosis is associated with variation in dietary indices. J Nutr. 2011;141(9):1698-1704. doi:10.3945/jn.111.140541

(3) Miller EA, Beasley DE, Dunn RR, Archie EA. Lactobacilli Dominance and Vaginal pH: Why Is the Human Vaginal Microbiome Unique? Front Microbiol. 2016 Dec 8;7:1936. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01936. PMID: 28008325; PMCID: PMC5143676

(4) Saraf VS, Sheikh SA, Ahmad A, Gillevet PM, Bokhari H, Javed S. Vaginal microbiome: normalcy vs dysbiosis. Arch Microbiol. 2021 Sep;203(7):3793-3802. doi: 10.1007/s00203-021-02414-3. Epub 2021 Jun 13. PMID: 34120200

(5) Yeruva T, Lee CH. Regulation of Vaginal Microbiome by Nitric Oxide. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2019;20(1):17-31. doi: 10.2174/1389201020666190207092850. PMID: 30727888

(6) Calzolari E, Masciangelo R, Milite V, Verteramo R. Bacterial vaginosis and contraceptive methods. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2000 Sep;70(3):341-6. doi: 10.1016/s0020-7292(00)00217-4. PMID: 10967168

(7) Bradshaw CS, Morton AN, Garland SM, Morris MB, Moss LM, Fairley CK. Higher-risk behavioral practices associated with bacterial vaginosis compared with vaginal candidiasis. Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Jul;106(1):105-14. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000163247.78533.7b. PMID: 15994624

(8) Cherpes TL, Hillier SL, Meyn LA, Busch JL, Krohn MA. A delicate balance: risk factors for acquisition of bacterial vaginosis include sexual activity, absence of hydrogen peroxide-producing lactobacilli, black race, and positive herpes simplex virus type 2 serology. Sex Transm Dis. 2008 Jan;35(1):78-83. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0b013e318156a5d0. PMID: 17989585

(9) Ziętak M, Kovatcheva-Datchary P, Markiewicz LH, Ståhlman M, Kozak LP, Bäckhed F. Altered Microbiota Contributes to Reduced Diet-Induced Obesity upon Cold Exposure. Cell Metab. 2016 Jun 14;23(6):1216-1223. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.05.001. PMID: 27304513; PMCID: PMC4911343

(10) Plesniarski A, Siddik AB, Su RC. The Microbiome as a Key Regulator of Female Genital Tract Barrier Function. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2021 Dec 17;11:790627. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.790627. PMID: 34976864; PMCID: PMC8719631