Self-Care Books
47 Simple Wellness Tips for the Body, Mind, and Soul- Kendra Pennington
I had my first experience with this ph imbalance as Virgo came into season, which totally made sense. I am writing this article to review the products I used to treat my bout of bacterial vaginosis homeopathically. No it is not a topic that everyone chats about over morning coffee but it is not a topic that needs to continue holding a stigma either. Your vagina is not taboo and bacterial vaginosis infection is something women sometimes suffer from, no big deal. Celebrate being a woman and all that it encompasses.
August is my birth month so I was enjoying some red wine every now and again each week. Alcohol always creates imbalances in pH levels but that was a contributor not the beginning. It all began while in the shower with a beautifully smelling natural sugar-scrub soap that I accidentally got into my vaginal opening, which stung quite a bit. Since I was a kiddo I couldn’t take bubble baths because they gave me UTI’s. Well, this time the soap imbalanced my pH.
The next day I went on a work adventure in the Texas heat, so I was sweating profusely (hello bacteria) for about four hours on and off. All of these factors mixed together created bacterial vaginosis. About two days after all of these events occurred I noticed a burning and stinging on my perineum, I thought, okay maybe it is all the heat and working outside. Then the next day I realized my vaginal fluid was not normal for this time of month. In cases like this a flashlight and mirror are your best friends, don’t be bashful! As I suspected, something was up. The fluid was white/grey, thick but a little runny but not a yeast infection (which I have not had but I know people who have had them) and the odor was unpleasant and not my own. So I did some research on homeopathic remedies and went on a journey the next day to find them.
I confided this to my sister and she exclaimed, “why don't you just go to the doctor and get a pill?". I told her that a pill would just imbalance my body more than it already is and I would need to recover from taking medicine on top of the pH imbalance. Just so everyone knows though, after seven days if this would not have cleared up I would have made an appointment with my gynecologist. I do enjoy and am grateful for the luxury of modern western medicine but I prefer an alternative approach for healing when at all possible.
What Did I Ingest?
Probiotics of course help! I had stopped taking them every night because I was feeling like I didn’t need them. Well, part of the reason I got into this unbalanced pH infection is because my gut was off. So a clean diet and probiotics started making things right in the world. I always take supplements as directed and I love the brand Garden of Life. In the photo you see that they are the ones that are shelf stable, I buy these when I go out of town. I prefer probiotics that are to be kept in the refrigerator, they are more potent.
I read that you need to take a dosage of 500 mg or more of garlic so I bought a well-known natural brand Kyolic, in which the dosage was 600 mg. I know this bottle in the photo says “cardiovascular” but its main ingredient is garlic. I am taking it according to the directions which has resulted in a successful recovery. Side note, I always finish a bottle of herbal supplements. Just because the symptoms subsided does not mean to stop taking the supplement, herbal supplements are different from a “one and done” pill from the doctors office. I promise the extra care to take the supplements in their entirety will benefit you.
Bath Time
The articles said to forgo soap all-together or use pH balancing soap. So of course, I don’t like to not use soap when washing my genitals (partially how I got here in the first place) so I bought Good Clean Love, PH balanced personal wash. Smells light and and is soothing, which is exactly what you want to feel when your perineum is swollen, red and burning.
Warm water was recommended to ease the pain of a swollen, burning perineum which I did while in the shower but I took this to another level with non-scented Epsom salt baths. These helped more than I could express. Side note, stay away from synthetic fragrances and perfumes. The Epsom salts with added “oils” are synthetic unless you buy them from a natural foods store and the ingredients are pure or add it into the water yourself from a brand that is pure. In my experience opinion, artificial additives can make your issue worse.
Topical Applications
My savior in this whole collection of remedies was The Honey Pot Company Soothing Lavender Vulva Cream. This cream smells SO good! Like a melt away mint during the holiday season. The cooling sensation of mint was a welcoming relief from the very real discomfort of a swollen and burning perineum. I found this at Target in Midland, Texas and of course used it as directed and the results speak for themself.
Internal Applications
The golden ticket to curing a bacterial vaginosis infection is boric acid suppositories. I called a health food store and searched at Market Street in Odessa, Texas for boric acid suppositories but no luck. Then I discovered Google would have the answers (duh). Target in Midland, Texas had some. This is where I discovered the brand mentioned above, The Honey Pot Company. They also make boric acid and herbs suppositories, score!
Moon Cycle, Sex and Panties
There were many other do’s and don'ts on the list of homeopathic care concerning bacterial vaginosis. One of those don'ts was using a tampon while healing. You may be asking, “did she really start her moon cycle during all of this?”. The answer is yes in fact, I did start my moon cycle just one day after I began treatment. Good news though, you can still use suppositories and continue treatment as discussed above. The only catch is not using tampons meaning you need to use pads. I of course used organic cotton pads along with my Thinx underwear at night.
Don’t have sexual intercourse. Honestly will all of this going on down there that would be the last thing on my mind. Do wear cotton underwear. If using topical ointment or suppositories use an organic cotton liner.
Knowing your gift, your body
I have made it a point within the last four years to know my body, mind, soul and all of the subtle energy that runs along with it. I believe that when you are in-tune with yourself it is easier to discover balance mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Visa-versa it is easier to pin-point imbalances. I cannot thank these companies enough for existing. In three days my perineum was no longer in constant pain and in a week my symptoms subsided, everything was back in balance.
DISCLAIMER: this article is not medical advice. If you have any type of persistent medical issue seek professional help from a licensed medical doctor.
12/17/22 entry: After I did the biofeedback session, along with the treatment plan that Rejuva Wellness had me on (other posts have links and information on all of this), I have never had an issue with my vagina or bacterial vaginosis, and it is going on two years now.
