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Heres what the science says about eating forhealth below the belt.
But first, why is a healthy vaginal microbiome important?
Dysbiosiswhich refers to an imbalance between beneficial and disease-causing microbesisnt limited to the gut.
a professor of microbiology and immunology and the acting director of the Institute for Genome Sciences at University of Maryland-Baltimore
Cue the pesky itch and, erm, fishy odor down below.
What impacts the vaginal microbiome?
Quick biology refresher: pH refers to how basic or acidic something is.
In optimal conditions, the vagina is dominated by a few select species ofLactobacilli,includingL.
Lactobacillibacteria typically produce lactic acid, which keeps the vaginal environment acidic.
That may sound weird, but its actually key.
Acidity is antimicrobial and prevents colonization by microbes that are undesirable in the vagina, Dr. Ravel says.
When vaginalLactobacilliare outnumbered by other bugs and the vagina is less acidic, youre more prone to infection.
That may be part of the reason why people with higher levels ofL.
a professor of microbiology and immunology and the acting director of the Institute for Genome Sciences at University of Maryland-Baltimore
crispatusin their vaginas seem to be less prone to infections likeBV5andHIV2.
What are the best foods for the vaginal microbiome?
The one macronutrient that comes up again and again is fiber, Dr. Ravel says.
For example,preliminary studies10have shown that oral probiotics can help women with BV.
Pass the kimchi, c’mon.
FAQs
What about cranberry for UTIs?
If it doesnt, then stop, he says.
Can eating high-glycemic foods and excess added sugars cause yeast infections?
(Case in point:Research showsthat women with diabetes are no strangers to recurring yeast infections.)
Can probiotics benefit your vaginal microbiome?
Bacteria from oral probiotics arent able to colonize the vagina, but that doesnt render them useless.
Some people do benefit from taking oral probiotics for conditions like BV.
But a healthy diet should help rectify some of the underlying issues associated with [vaginal dysbiosis].
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