All vaginas, including healthy ones, have their distinct odour. Even when you practice good hygiene, your vaginal microbiomes can be different with a unique smell which may change over time. Although researchers don’t know what are the different factors that affect the vaginal microbiota, they do have identified some things that influence vaginal odour. Well, we all know that using disposable feminine hygiene products can cause an unpleasant smell while reusable menstrual cups don’t have any such smell associated with them. This is the case when aunt Flo arrives. However, when we are talking in general, even the things you eat can affect your vaginal odour.
Is It True That Diet Affects Your Vaginal Odour?
Yes, it is. Our vaginal odour is dependent on a number of factors and that includes factors such as your lifestyle, daily habits and most significantly your diet. Some researchers have reported that eating vegetables, sweet fruits like pineapple and herbs can tamper the taste of vaginal discharge. While smoking, caffeine and preservatives can cause your vagina to smell better, and medications may mess things down there, having greens and fruits rich in fibre and healthy sugars can make your vaginal odour relatively better.
Why? Well, the reason is quite simple. When you consume certain kinds of foods, they change the pH level of the microflora responsible for regulating the smell of your intimate area. If you eat food with a strong smell, it can cause odour changes in the vagina and some of the foods that are responsible for altering the smell of your vagina include:
- Spices, smoked foods
- Garlic
- Onion
- Broccoli
- Coffee, and asparagus
In addition to these, consuming excessive amounts of dairy products, meat and liquor can also make your genital smell sour and strong. Alternatively, citrus fruits like grapefruits and oranges can make the smell of your vaginal fluids sweeter and a few types of research claim that people who strictly adhere to a vegetarian diet have a milder vaginal odour.
The Role of Lactobacillus
Lactobacillus is a dominant bacteria present in the vaginal flora. When you consume food with high starch content, it can lead to high levels of glycogen in the vaginal tract which creates an adaptable environment for the bacteria. Sometimes lactobacillus can also affect the smell of your vagina.
Foods That You Can Include to Get Rid of the Foul Odour
Undoubtedly you shouldn’t be concerned about how your vagina smell because there’s nothing wrong with having a vagina that smells like a vagina. However, if you sense there’s a foul odour down there and you want to get rid of it, you can add food like watermelon, cinnamon and pineapples to your diet. Pineapples are rich in Vitamin B and fibre that keep your vagina healthy 2, cinnamon is a mild antibiotic that balances the pH of your vagina and the alkaline spice can neutralize any acidity and watermelon can flush out the toxin and help to keep your vagina clean. You can also try peppermint, plain yoghurt or celery because they also do the same thing.
Undoubtedly most women aren’t familiar with basic things about their intimate care due to the lack of awareness, and even questions like menstrual cups how to wear are swarming on the internet. But, you can always switch to a good diet and keep vaginal infections or foul odour at bay!
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