YOGURT & VAGINAL HEALTH

As an important part of the woman's body, the vagina requires as much attention to hygiene as do other parts of the body to help maintain overall good health.


Can YOGURT help improve VAGINAL health? The consensus seems to be Yes, because the Fermented milk products (YOGURT) contain “probiotic,” or “good bacteria” including bifidobacterium, lactobacillus and acidophilus , that compete with Candida in the vagina. Candida is common yeast found in our colon and in women's vagina. It can overgrow if healthy bacteria are killed (when taking antibiotics) and lead to a yeast infection.


A vaginal yeast infection is irritation of the vagina and the area around it called the vulva. Yeast infections are very common. About 75 percent of women have one during their lives. And almost half of women have two or more vaginal yeast infections. The most common symptom of a yeast infection is extreme itchiness in and around the vagina, Burning, redness, and swelling of the vagina and the vulva, Pain when passing urine, Pain during sex, A thick, white vaginal discharge that looks like, cottage cheese and does not have a bad smell, A rash on the vagina. You may only have a few of these symptoms.

Yogurt is rich in lactic acid, because the process of production from milk into yogurt involves the conversion of lactose into lactic acid. Lactic acid helps digest lactose. That means the yogurt provides the enzyme required to digest milk and various dairy products that are high in lactose. Candida yeast infections cannot thrive in a lactic acid rich environment, and because yogurt is so rich in lactic acid makes it a healthy food for women.

Yogurt

Here are some important benefits Yogurt can do to Vagina health

• Help to stabilizes the population of Candida in the Vagina  

• Responsible for maintaining the vagina to a slightly acidic pH levels   

• Help to eliminate offensive Vaginal Odor

• When buying yogurt, always look to make sure it contains live and active cultures.

Other tips to keep the vagina health

• Having hair removed from your genital area will generally keep you cleaner and fresher.

• Always bathe regularly and wash with a lot of water. Especially when on your period.

• If you know your vagina is unhealthy, don't have sex or masturbate.

• Drink lots of water! Make sure you wash after intercourse.

• If you suffer from vaginal dryness, you can use over-the-counter moisturizers and lubricants to make intercourse more comfortable.

• If you think you have a yeast infection, consult your doctor first before initiating self-treatment.

• Use condoms when you have multiple partners, while helping to protect you against pregnancy, It also help keep your vagina clean. Having unprotected sex often can lead to vagina problems as well as the obvious pregnancy and STD

• Wear cotton underwear. Cotton is very breathable; it allows the vagina to get air circulating around it. This helps to keep things from building up "down there", and also helps maintain good skin around the vagina area.

• Avoid sprays and scented soaps. They are designed to leave a bit behind. You don't want anything left on the skin of your vagina at all. Soaps and bubble baths can also worsen vaginal dryness.

Above all, visit your gynecologist regularly. Only your doctor can accurately diagnose any problems you may be having. If you do suspect anything at all, call and make an appointment as soon as you can.

VAGINAL ITCHING

There are many conditions that can cause vaginal itching, some of which are sexually transmitted diseases and some of which are not. Vaginal itching can also be caused by irritation from soaps, tampons, pads and even by some vaginal medications! If you suffer from vaginal itching, only a doctor can diagnose the cause , but it can be helpful to recognize the diseases that most often cause an itchy vagina.

Yeast Infections are one of the most common causes of vaginal itching, but they are generally not considered to be sexually transmitted diseases. They can be transmitted from person to person, but far more often are caused by dietary, hormonal, or other issues that make a woman more susceptible to yeast overgrowth.
About three out of every four women will develop a yeast infection at some point in their lives. Yeast infections occur when the yeast, candida, grows excessively in the vagina and vulva. Pregnancy, intercourse, antibiotics, and a weakened immune system can all make women more likely to get a yeast infection.

Bacterial Vaginosis is another common cause of vaginal itching, and the itching is often accompanied by runny vaginal discharge and a fishy odor after sex. Like yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis is not always considered to be sexually transmitted, but it is clearly associated with sex

Trichomoniasis, like bacterial vaginosis, also causes a change in vaginal discharge along with a strong vaginal odor and vaginal itching. Unlike bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections, it is clearly sexually transmitted, although it rarely causes symptoms in men.

Mycoplasma Genitalium is one of the bacteria that is associated with bacterial vaginosis infection, but it is occasionally also diagnosed on its own. It's most common symptom is vaginal itching and discharge, but like many STDs it often causes no symptoms at all.

Menopause: The drop in estrogen production that occurs at the end of a woman's reproductive years can cause the vaginal walls to thin and dry out. This can lead to itching and irritation. Thinning of the vaginal walls is also a problem in some women who breastfeed.

Chemical irritants: A number of chemical substances, including creams, douches, condoms, contraceptive foams, detergents, soaps, scented toilet paper, and fabric softeners can irritate the vagina.

Lichen sclerosus: This is a rare condition that causes thin white patches to form on the skin, especially around the vulva. The patches can permanently scar the vaginal area. Postmenopausal women are most likely to develop this condition.



Other STDs That Cause Itching Around the Genitals
1- Pubic Lice are little bugs, like scalp lice, that like to nest in the pubic area. Their main symptoms are itching and visible lice or nits.
2- Scabies is an infestation, like pubic lice, but the symptoms are slightly different. In addition to itching, people often get pimple-like bumps and a skin rash that can become infected if individuals scratch too much.
3- Molluscum Contagiosum causes raised fluid-filled bumps on the skin that are usually painless, but that can also cause itching and discomfort. It is important to avoid scratching the bumps, however, because doing so can cause the disease to spread or your skin to become infected by other bacteria.
Conditions that Cause Vaginal Itching

* Yeast Infections
* Bacterial Vaginosis
* Trichomoniasis

More Conditions that Cause Genital Itching

* Scabies
* Pubic Lice
* Molluscum Contagiosum

Other Common STDs

* Chlamydia
* Gonorrhea
* Syphilis


TREATMENT

Vaginal irritation will often get better on its own. However, if the irritation continues,becomes severe, or comes back after treatment, call for an appointment with your doctor. The doctor can do a pelvic exam. The doctor will probably also take a sample of the discharge to find the source of the problem.
How vaginal discomfort is treated depends on what condition is causing the problem:
* Vaginosis and STDs are treated with antibiotics.
* Yeast infections are treated with antifungal medications. They are inserted into the vagina in the form of creams, ointments, or suppositories, or they are taken orally. You can buy these medications over the counter in different doses -- one-day, three-day, seven-day. However, if you've never been diagnosed with a yeast infection, see your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medication.
There are excellent bacteria in plain yogurt that aids fight yeast and yogurt can be used both internally and externally.

However, plain, unsweetened yogurt is the best since sugar feeds yeast, this is a vital point. For a contemporary treatment, you can also dip a tampon in plain yogurt and insert it into your vagina or simply rub some on the outside. Don't worry about getting vaginal itching away by painting those vaginal walls white with yogurt. It appears that once it has done its job, it is best to wipe up to avoid feeling itchier due to the moisture. Garlic is a huge enemy of yeast! Inserting one garlic tab or a garlic clove into the vagina every few hours or as needed provides soothing relief. If you utilize garlic tabs, be sure the ingredients are natural and untainted.

Garlic is one of nature's astonishing "drugs" that has a number of other health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and reducing horrific cholesterol. It is a natural antibiotic. Also don't avoid bathing and practicing respect for your doctor prescriptions who might diagnose underlying causes

* Menopause-related itching may be treated with estrogen cream or tablets.
* Other types of itching and irritation respond to steroid creams or lotions, which reduce inflammation. A prescription-strength steroid cream can relieve the irritation of lichen sclerosus.

In young girls, it's important to report any itching, burning, or irritation to the doctor because they can be signs of sexual abuse.


Here are a few tips for preventing and treating vaginal irritation at home:

* Avoid scented pads or toilet paper, creams, bubble bath, feminine sprays, and douches.
* Use water and a plain, unscented soap to regularly clean your genital area. But don't wash more than once a day. Doing so could increase dryness.
* Always wipe from front to back after having a bowel movement.
* Wear cotton panties (no synthetic fabrics), and change your underwear every day.
* Change the diapers of infant girls regularly.
* Use condoms during sexual intercourse to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
* If you are experiencing vaginal dryness, use a vaginal moisturizer. Apply a water-based lubricant (K-Y, Astroglide) before having sex.
* Avoid sexual intercourse until your symptoms improve.
* Don't scratch -- you can further irritate the area.

Safety Peroid in Menstruation Cycle

Most women talk about safe and unsafe period but only few may understand the principle behind it. Safe and unsafe peroid is a calendar method of family planning anchored on having a proper understanding of the history of a woman's mestrual cycle. Before we talk about safety periods we have to first understand what mentrual cycle and ovulation time is all about.

Menstrualcycle: This is the most fundamental event, every woman, girl, lady must understand. Menstrual cycle can be classified in various parts, which are

Menstruation: This simply means uterine (womb) bleeding. It is a monthly event that occurs in every biologicaly normal woman with in her reproductive years. (15 - 45). Menstrual flow which is commonly called "menses" is a monthly expectation of every health woman within this age bracket except pregnancy occurs.

Menstrual period: Every woman bleeds every month (under normal circumstance) through her virgina i.e menstruation or menstrual flow. The duration of the menstrual flow varies from individual. In general , women menstruates between 2 to 7 days. Your menstrual period is therefore the duration of your menstrual flow or bleeding. i.e the time the leeding started and stopped. It is important to mention again that menstrual period varies widely in women normally 2 to 7 days. This implied that if Mrs. A menstruation bleeding lasts for 2days and stops and Mrs. B, 4 days and Mrs. C 7 days. they could all be considered normal. there is however exception to this; menstrual blood has a character; it does not clot (form blocks). If therefore you notice your mense comes out in block of blood, it is most likely you are bleeding more than necessary. in such case, you need to see your doctor to find out the cause and treat if need be.

Menstrual Cycle: Menstrual cycle could be defined as the time gap between two consecutive menstrual flows. It is different from menstrual period which is actual the duration of the actual bleeding. Take for instance if Mrs. A saw her menses on 1st april and it flowed for about 4 days and stopped , her menstrual period is 4 days. If she saw her menses again on 30th April, it could be said that Mrs. A menstrual cycle is 30 days. i.e the time between two consecutive menstrual periods.

Menstrual Period: In most women, the menstrual varies between 21 and 35 days. On the average, most adult women see their period every 28 days. It is however important to state that the number of days that make a woman's mentrual cycle does not matter so much. What actually matter is the regularity of the cycle. take for instance , If Mrs. A sees her menses every 28 days, Mrs B 30 days and Mrs. C every 26 days. they could all be said to have biologically normal menstrual cycle; provided easy person cycle maintain's regular pattern.

There are two major period that occur each mnoth on the menstrual cycle. These include

1. OVULATION
2. MENSTRUAL FLOW

Ovulation period: This term is commonly used but poorly understood in medical terminology. Ovulation period represents the period in a woman's menstrual cycle when her ovary releases a mature egg into the fallopain tube. The importance of this period is that , it is the period that produce pregnancy. outside this period, a woman could be said to be said to be biologically barren.
This implies that ovulation period is the most important subject of our topic of interest; safety periods. Most women as this question;

1. When is the ovulation time?


2. How could a woman know if she is ovulating or not?

When is the ovulation time? The question usually come as away of seeking directive on when best a woman can have sexual intercourse in order to achieve pregnancy. As it is important for those that wish to have children, so it is important for those that want to prevent prenancy, more accurately rather, control their family size.
The timing of the ovulation period during the menstrual cycle varies widely in woman. This is principally because of wide variation in the days of the menstrual cycle. which implies that the ovulation period of Mrs. A with menstrual cycle of 28 days would be slightly different from Mrs. B with menstrual cycle of 26 days.
Nevertheless, irrespective of the number of days that make up your menstrual cycle, as far as it is regular, your ovulation day could be determined. In a 28 days regular menstrual cycle, the ovulation occur almost always on the 14th day. This day may not be true for a woman with longer or shorter menstrual cycle.
A constant factor has made it possiple for every woman with a regular cycle to determine her own ovulation day irrespective of the lenght of her cycle.
Here is the point; the number of days from ovulation to next menstrual flow remain approximately the i.e about 14days. This may require an element of calculation as it relates to each womna with her cycle dayss. going by that formula therefore; if Mrs. A menstrul cycle is 28 days her ovulation day come on; 28days minus 14. This implies that Mrs. A's ovulation occurs on the 14th day of her menstrual cycle.. Also if Mrs.B menstrual cycle is 30 days. her ovulation days come the 30 days minus 14 i.e 16th day of her cycle.

HOW COUNT A WOMAN KWON IF SHE IS OVULATING?
Attempts to monitor accurately the day of ovulation have been quite historic and challenging. This is basically because of the wide variation in woman's menstrual cycle as well as the reqularity of the smae there are some physical and biochemical changes that occur in women which could give a tentative idea of ovulation . Some of these include:
MID - CYCLE CRAMP OR PAIN: It was observed that during the release of egg from the ovary; a pain inducing hermon-like substance called Prostaglandure, which aids the rupture of the ovarain surface is secreted. The release of this substance which precede the release of the egg from the ovary induces mild to moderate abdominal pain. some sensitive woman could notice such pain about their mid- cycle or as the case maybe.
SLIGHT INCREASE IN BODY TEMPERATURE: A hormone called Progesterone which is released immediately after ovulation has a thermogenic effect i.e it slightly increase the body temperature by 0.5 Degree Celsius to 1.0 Degree Celsius.

CHANGES IN CERVICAL OR SECRETION: Befroe and after ovulation period the cervical or vaginal secretion or discharge is usually thick and gumnig (stick). However during ovulaiton, this stick secretion becomes slippery and slimy in nature. a woman who examines her vaginal discharge daily would notice this unique change which signifies that ovulation has occurred.


CALENDAR CALCULATION: As earlier discussed proper calculation of the menstrual cycle i.e (total number of days minus 14) could give a woman a tentativeday of her ovlation.Other methods such as serial ovarian ultrasound, Hormone Assay, Enzyne Immuno - Assay, Salivary Electrolytes etc. Require the participation of a technician or a doctor for confirmation.




NOW BACK TO OUR MAIN FOCUS. ( SAFE AND UNSAFE PERIOD)
For you as a woman to know your "Safe" and "Unsafe" period you must first off all know your ovulation time base on the length of your menstrual cycle. By simple mathematic, Minus 14 from the total number of days of your menstrual cycle.

UNSAFE PERIOD: It was observed through research that beside the very day your ovulation take place, ther are certain number of days about that time of the ovulation that can still produce prenancy if sexual intercourse take place. The day before ovulation day appear most likely to be unsafe than the days after ovulation.


YOUR UNSAFE DAYS:
Women could be pregnant from intercourse beginning from two days before her ovulation day in addition to the actual day of ovulation. As a preemptive protective measure two days ovulation are also considered "Unsafe"
Although some recent unclear reports give more number of days. In summary, a woman has a chance of becoming prenant approximately with 5 days of her monthly cycle. The days include 2 days before ovulation, 2days after ovulation and ovulation days. Now you know your safe and unsafe period, but there is still one major challenge, which is discipline and commitiment of keeping your eye on the calender.


The discipline aspect has to do with the willingness of the woman to abstain from Sex for one week each month according to the woman's menstrual calendar. In order to avoid confusion, it is advisable for her to circle or mark on a calender the days she is not to have sex without protecting herself.