Intimate hygiene in women

Hygiene is next to godliness is an ancient saying found in many nations. Nowadays, people are taking more than one shower a day and if you are a woman, you should know that excessive use of aggressive soaps can seriously disrupt the delicate balance of microflora in the intimate regions and reduce the possibility of self-defense. Almost every modern woman has experienced tingling, itching or pain in the vagina accompanied by exaggerated secretion at least once in her life. These problems rarely stop on their own and they are usually one of the main reasons to visit a gynecologist.

In the period of puberty, women experience the process of secretion in this area which occurs due to the peeling of cells located in the lining of vagina and cervix. The smell,, color and the quantity of secretions vary depending on the period of the cycle. The secretion contains millions of bacteria and the vast majority of them are harmless. The most important microorganisms in the intimate region are the lactobacilli that can turn glycogen into lactic acid. The glycogen can be found in the cells of the vagina and the lactic acid is here to maintain the protective pH value. Disorders in the microflora and changes in the pH levels of the vagina can occur for various reasons – stress, low immunity, fatigue, hormonal changes and misbalance, antibiotic therapy, pregnancy, menopause etc. Wearing a thong or too narrow pads, pants and underwear made of synthetic material contributes to the development of the imbalance because it prevents the skin to breathe and favor the transmission and spread of bacteria.

In order to avoid discomfort, it is crucial to take proper care of your intimate hygiene. There is a huge choice of products and means for keeping proper maintenance of the hygiene in the intimate area on the market. Almost all famous cosmetic brands produce baths, gels, shower gels, wet wipes etc. What is important is to choose a product that has pH value of about 4 and doesn’t contain perfumes. You should be especially careful with shower gels because many of them don’t have pH adjusted to the pH value of skin. This value is about 5.5 and the pH of intimate areas is 3.8 or 6.8 in women in post-menopause period. Since it is not a wise choice to overdo things, don’t overuse these products too. It is enough to apply them once a day or even less frequently. Many gynecologists even advise to wash only with water in order to give chance to the microflora to regenerate in a natural way. When you are traveling, use wet wipes which are specially designed for intimate care, but keep in mind that they are not an appropriate alternative for washing. Intimate hygiene is especially important during the period of menstruation. By practicing proper hygiene you will be able to reduce the risk of development of airborne bacteria and fungi. Try to change the tampons every 2-3 hours and replace them over night too. They should be made of completely natural materials.            

Food and the menopause

Menopause is a term used to describe the last menstrual cycle in the life of a woman. The average age of women that have entered menopause is around 50, which means that women spend around 1/3 of their lives in the so-called post-menopause period. In modern developed societies, around 20% of the total population belongs to the group of women in post-menopause. It is interesting to know that the period when menopause happens is genetically determined and women simply cannot avoid this transition. This means that menopause doesn’t depend on the number of ovulations, the number of childbirths, taking contraceptives or anything similar. The process of decreasing of reproductive abilities in women starts around ten years before the last menstrual cycle – the ovulary functions are slowly shutting down and the level of production of certain hormones rapidly drops. This is a period known as perimenopause.

A lot of researchers have confirmed that certain food can help with menopause. For example, soya can reduce some of the menopause symptoms and difficulties. The good thing about soya is that it can be used in different dishes) together with rice, salads, vegetables etc.). Of course, food and drinks like alcohol, coffee, sugar, and spicy food can even increase the usual symptoms like heat waves, insomnia, mood swings etc.

In the past two decades the most common method of treatment of postmenopausal symptoms is by using hormonal products. The procedure is also known as hormone replacement therapy. It’s good to point out, that women from different ethnic backgrounds experience different levels of difficulties. Asian women have least difficulties in the postmenopausal period and this is probably because of the diet that they practice throughout their life. The main reasons for these difficulties are the unstable levels of estrogen and progesterone in women. They can cause feeling of heat especially in the upper part of the body and even cause redness on the face and on the neck. These so called heat waves can last up to half an hour. These difficulties occur because of the proportional decrease of the level of estrogen when the glands secrete other hormones which eventually lead to fluctuations in body temperature.

It is a well known fact that healthy diet and regular physical exercises can solve many health problems. Some experts consider that a lifestyle of this kind can reduce the risk of coronary diseases and osteoporosis (two diseases that often attack women in menopausal period). That’s why it is highly recommended to take food low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Probably the best way to calculate the optimal level of fat intake is to take less than 1/3 of daily intake of calories.

The activity of phytoestrogens can be estrogenic or antiestrogenic. In the menopausal period women have fewer estrogens, and the phytoestrogens found in the food bind with receptors exhibiting estrogenic activity.

Fruit, vegetables, cereals are especially rich in carotene, vitamin B, zinc and vitamin C, substances that can ease the postmenopausal difficulties.  

Few things that you should know about perimenopause

The period in which the body prepares for menopause is called perimenopause. It is very important to recognize this phase because it will help you go through it more easily.

With the start of perimenopause, women enter a new phase in their lives. Perimenopause can sometimes last for few years before the final menstrual period appears. During the time of perimenopause, the ability of fertilization is lost and the woman enters the menopause. Menopause is characterized with permanent cessation of menstruation and cessation of cyclic activity of the ovaries in women. The onset of menopause can be determined when the women didn’t have menstrual period for at least one year. In most cases, menopause occurs after a woman turns 50 years. Most of the women are facing with more or less significant signs and symptoms of perimenopause. Some women experience menopause without any previous symptoms (without perimenopause). Most of these cases are related with sudden surgery that causes menopause. In these cases the symptoms appear suddenly and they are very strong. Natural Male Enhancement Supplement

According to some statistics, around 60% of women between 45 and 55 years experience one or more perimenopause symptoms. These symptoms or signs include – night sweating, anxiety, hot flushes, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, depression, moodiness, irritability, weight gain etc. These are so-called early symptoms, the late symptoms and signs include – hair loss, dry skin, pain in the joints and the bones etc. During perimenopause which can last for few years, the ovaries produce less male and female hormones. This function of the ovaries is gradually taken over by other tissues and organs and even muscles. 

The success of these organs depends on the mental and physical state of the women. The menstrual periods may become scarcer, more powerful and shorter. When the body secretes only small amounts of estrogen and no progesterone at all, the bleeding stops. Few other functions that lead by female hormones are also interrupted. During this period around 70% of the women complain of mental and physical problems. It is important to understand that perimenopause is not an illness but women should be prepared for its effects. Because of the constant improvement of life expectancy it is getting harder to determine when menopause exactly starts.

Luckily, there are few things that can ease the difficulties that appear during perimenopause. For example, during the perimenopause it is very important for the women to get enough quality sleep. The reason for this is that a quality sleep is important for the work of adrenal glands. Another efficient remedy is sun exposure. Many researchers have proven that 10-20 minute exposure to sunlight three times a week can provide enough vitamin D for the body. This is very important for the bone structure. A healthy diet with enough vitamins, plant estrogens and minerals can also be very helpful. Smoking and alcohol should be avoided because they promote degradation of sex hormones. Physical activity like walking or swimming will help your body stay in good condition too. Herbal Sexual Enhancer

Lubricants and sexual health

Lubricants are very useful tool for women that have problems with vaginal dryness which leads to having troubles to reaching orgasm too. There are many reasons for vaginal dryness and the most common one is the hormonal changes that happen in woman’ body usually after childbirth and during the period of menopause. However, very often this dryness comes as a result of taking certain medications and even contraceptive pills. Sexual intercourses in cases of vaginal dryness are uncomfortable and in some cases painful. In addition, because of the increased rubbing there is great probability for damages on the walls of vagina which eventually leads to inflammation and infections. Because of all that rubbing without moisture, men using condoms are also at risk because the condom might break. The easiest way to avoid all these unwanted consequences is to use lubricants and their helpfulness is confirmed by many gynecologists.

There are many lubricants available on the market so don’t choose the first ones you see. Keep in mind that this is a serious thing and you don’t want to choose something that will only worsen the situation. The lubricants usually consist of parabens, glycols and glycerine, mineral oils and sodium benzoate. We must mention the parabens which try to mimic the female hormone estrogen and are very often associated with breast cancer. These parabens can be very dangerous for the sexual health of men too because they can lead to prostate diseases and abnormal sperm. Furthermore, glycerine turns body into glucose.

This situation can cause candidasis and at the same time it irritates the skin. Glycols, which increase the sensitivity, are working in a way that they eliminate certain cells and just like other chemicals they are able to enter the blood. Another substance that can be potentially dangerous is sodium benzoate. This substance is also known as preservative against mold in the food industry and when it is used as a lubricant it can irritate the skin and thus it deactivates certain DNA portions. Many experts link sodium benzoate with liver diseases and Parkinson’s disease. An interesting fact is that if it is combined with vitamin C it can potentially become carcinogenic substance. Liquid paraffin covers the skin and prevents its normal breathing.

Luckily, lubricants are so diverse and they don’t come only in forms that we have mentioned before. You can find safe lubricants in every store and even on the internet. You can notice that the composition of these natural lubricants remind us of some beautiful distant cuisine. For example some of them include – hemp oil, stevia, ginseng etc. All these natural lubricants don’t have any side effects and they will certainly help you with your dryness problem. Some manufacturers even guarantee prevention of possible infections with the help of their natural lubricants. These lubricants even taste good and although they are not intended for eating they won’t be a problem in cases of oral sex. Natural lubricants based on oil are suitable for sex that lasts long. These lubricants are designed for maximal moisturizing and long-time rubbing. t

Natural lubricants are the best way to remove the effect of vaginal dryness and enjoy the sex with your partner to the fullest extent.