Hooha Health: or Eat for your Vagina

Until recently I never knew that our girly bits needed nutrients too. I mean, how would I? No one talks about it. It's private. And private means no one talks. So, how would I know? 

In addition I'm a virgin, which clearly excludes me from most conversations centered around the nethers. I was under the distinct impression that my vajayjay was supposed to be in stasis until "used". Like the hymen as a zip-lock seal. So, every time I got a yeast infection or felt uncomfortable down there it would send me into a spiral of confused panic. How could this happen? I'm a virgin. Virgins don't have vagina problems. Sex makes vagina problems. I don't have sex! I was also concerned that there was something deficient about me. Apparently, naturally and without information, a virgin is expected to know how to take care of and keep up her vagina, but I didn't. I was really afraid I might have accidentally ruined it, or broken it, and then when it came time to use it it wouldn't work, like a machine that rusted because you didn't care for it properly. An episode of Private Practice where a virgin gets married but basically she broke her vagina by having untreated infections and has to get horrible painful shots before she can have sex did not help my fear.

Unfortunately I've had itchiness down there almost non-stop since my period started when I was, oh, about 12 years old. 

Lately, mostly since the Korean health insurance I had decided to label a yeast infection as an STD I've been particularly paranoid.  

I finally came to the conclusion that I get some kind of nonspecific vaginitis, and/or I'm super sensitive down there, since yeast infection meds didn't seem to be working. Heck, I could be wrong, but who's going to tell me? Not you. Of course not you. And since we're on the subject of things not specified, what is a "fish odor" that is supposed to be the indicator of an infection? There are a lot of different fish and they smell differently. Raw fish or cooked? Shellfish or vertebrates? Fried or grilled? What if it smells kind of coppery or just strongly? And the three times I've been to the GYN they didn't really have anything to say. Though, granted, I was terrified, and fairly traumatized by the whole experience (really, years of "only the man you marry should touch you there, you shouldn't even masturbate or take too much fun in washing yourself," and I'm supposed to be okay with someone feeling around, painfully, inside my lady parts?), so maybe they thought I was exaggerating. 

In my research (because I'm good at researching, it's something I do) I ran across this website: Beautiful Cervix Project 

image from Beautiful Cervix Project. Go look at their site

I was very impressed. I'd never seen that before and even in all my thinking and over-thinking I'd never thought that systematically or in depth about that part of my body. 

My gosh, I was even in the Vagina Monologues and we never discussed anything like this (frankly, the vagina monologues could be summed up in "period, period, vagina, touchy, rape, sex, vagina, vagina, vagina, ha." Not a lot of in depth helpful info in it). I didn't realize that it was ok for the look/color/texture of what came out of me to change. When it did I always worried there was something wrong. They didn't cover this in sex ed. I can't remember them covering much of anything in sex-ed.

poster from the Vagina Monologues. No, no one gets nekkid.

After that it got the gears and cogs in my head turning. Maybe there was more to this than I thought. And, frankly, I didn't want to go to the GYN unless I thought I might be dying (you know, since going makes me want to die that would really be the only fitting time). 

I discovered that the vagina benefits from what you eat.

For example Apple Cider Vinegar and yogurt (it's not just your digestion that is helped). 

Folic acid can also help. 

As can eating garlic and drinking thyme tea, which both have antibiotic abilities. 

Also, eating probiotics especially for the vagina can help

As can vitamin E and Boric acid. 

Apparently tea tree oil can help too.

Since learning this I've started drinking a bit of apple cider vinegar every day as well as taking a folic acid dietary supplement, eating a half cup of plain yogurt, drinking thyme tea and rinsing my girly-bits with a diluted mixture of water and vinegar in the shower. 

My girly-parts have never felt better. 

Now, if only someone had told me this years ago.