16 Foods For A Happy And Healthy Vagina

We don’t often sit around the dinner table and talk about our vaginas (not unless you work in the SAHM office) but the fact is, vaginal health is kind of super important for women.

Everyone knows that what you eat affects your health — sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

We’re recommended to eat all sorts of stuff to improve various aspects of our health. But did you know there are some foods you should be consuming to keep your lady parts healthy and happy?

Vagina can get infections – from thrush to UTIs and everything in between. There are a whole bunch of other things that can go wrong with our lady-gardens too. Who honestly wants that? These foods will help ward off nasties.

1.  Apples

An apple a day keeps the gyno away! A study published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that women who eat an apple each day report they have better sexual function, including sexual satisfaction, ability to orgasm and the ability to get aroused, compared with those who don’t. The compound phloridzin which is a phytoestrogen that is found in apples is believed to be the reason for this.

2. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potato contain vitamin A which is good for keeping the vaginal and uterine walls strong and healthy. Vitamin A also helps to generate sex hormones. There’s a joke here about root vegetables, but I am too classy to make it.

3. Avocados

If sweet potatoes aren’t your thing, you can also strengthen your vag walls by eating lots of avocados. They are rich in potassium, Vitamin B6 and healthy fats.

4. Yoghurt

There’s a double benefit to eating yoghurt for vaginal health. Not only do the probiotics in yoghurt give your healthy vaginal microflora a boost and help prevent yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis and UTIs, the extra calcium dose can also help to improve PMS symptoms.

5. Cranberry juice

Cranberry juice has been scientifically proven to fight off the bacteria that causes urinary tract infections, and balances your body’s pH levels. However, you need to be careful not to buy cranberry juice that has been sweetened with sugar because yeast infections love sugar, and it prevents the cranberry juice from doing its thing. Choose unsweetened, pure cranberry juices.

6. Pumpkin seeds

The zinc and Vitamin E in pumpkin seeds help to regulate the menstrual cycle as well as fighting off vaginal irritations. They’ve also been found to help relieve menstrual cramps.

7. Dark leafy greens

While one of the unsexiest things you could do is think about eating kale and spinach, you might want to add these into your diet if you find you’re a bit dry down there.  Dark leafy greens, including chard, kale, and spinach, are naturally blood purifying and enhance circulation and speed up stimulation. The darker the leaf, the better (and you should be wetter).

8. Green tea

Green tea contains polyphonic catching that have been linked with killing the E. coli bacteria that causes urinary tract infections. The caffeine in the tea can also help with PMS symptoms.

9. Garlic

Garlic is a powerful anti-fungal that helps prevent infections and other diseases. It has antimicrobial properties and has been known to prevent itching, UTIs and vaginal odours. It also helps to fight yeast infections.

10. Soy

Soy contains lots of phytoestrogens (a synthetic form of estrogens) which helps to keep vaginas well-lubricated.

11. Legumes, whole grains and vegetables

These foods are rich in fibre, a pre-biotic, which ensures that you nurture the good bacteria in your bowels. Yes I said bowels.  Keeping your colon healthy will help keep your vagina healthy as most bacteria comes from there.

12. Flaxseed

Another food that contains  phytoestrogens (just like soy), as well as omega-3 fatty acids. These are both useful for boosting oestrogen levels and protecting against dryness.

13. Oily fish

This is no joke. Oily fish is high in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to heart health. Food that’s good for the heart is actually good for arousal, because better overall circulation promotes better blood flow downstairs.

14. Water

This is a no-brainer I guess.. Water is good for every part of your body and if you don’t get enough, you become dehydrated as your body pulls water from places it isn’t using it to make sure your major organs continue to work. The lady garden needs to be watered just like every other part of the body. Drinking enough water can help with lubrication problems down there.

15.  Fruit

A study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that women who eat two or more savings of fruit each day are 11 per cent less likely to develop uterine fibroids (non-cancerous masses that cause irreglar bleeding and pelvic pain).

16. Oysters

One of the oldest cliches in the world is using oysters as an aphrodisiac, even though they look so gross (I know lots of people swear by them though). Oysters actually contain lots of zinc, so there may be a scientific reason for them boosting the libido. Zinc helps combat dryness and itching and regulates the menstrual cycle.

Which of these foods is your favourite?