The microbiome is a place where our inner cosmos can thrive, if we pay careful attention through nurture. But what is the connection between skin health, the gut, and UTIs? How can we give our bodies the boost they need to fight off infection in practical, effective ways in our day-to-day lives without stress?
Adina the Naturopath gives us her insight into how pH works (all those numbers!), simple pro-tips for improving it, and how she found her purpose in naturopathy.
Skincare is your thing! How highly do you value the importance of pH balance for the skin’s microbiome?
Was there a personal experience that inspired you to pursue becoming a naturopath?
Yes, I think like most other practitioners, I experienced a long journey overcoming difficulties with my health. I suffered from severe digestive issues and acne in my 20's and I saw multiple GPs and gastroenterologists. All my test results came back clear and they put me on a fodmap diet. I was prescribed multiple rounds of antibiotics and other medications with little to no improvement, and actually perpetuated the problem. I ended up seeing a Naturopath who I worked with for 6 months and saw significant improvements in my digestion, but also sleep, mood and energy. At that time I didn't know how to look after my body, so seeing a Naturopath helped me improve my diet and lifestyle, which really transformed my health and I decided I wanted to share this information and help others who were also experiencing chronic health issues.
For topical body products such as lubricant or body wash, what ingredients do you look for (or avoid) when recommending a product to your clients?
I'll speak to the lubricant because I feel that's a really important topic and something everyone should be aware of. I always recommend a water based lube because it can be used with condoms and sex toys safely. Other lubes like oil based, for example, can be used with condoms, but more importantly, oil based lubes take longer to leave the vaginal canal, which can cause a perfect breeding ground for bacterial overgrowth in cases of bacterial vaginosis or thrush. I would always recommend unscented products, as the fragrance can not only disrupt the pH of the vaginal microbiome but actually disrupt the bacterial balance, which can contribute to chronic vaginal infections like thrush, bacterial vaginosis, and recurrent UTIs. The pH of the vagina should always be acidic in order to protect you from those kind of infections, so always look for a pH balanced (pH should be around 4-5), water based lube that does not contain any glycerin, propylene glycol, petroleum oils, fragrance, benzocaine and sugars.
Even though vaginal douching has been considered a normal way to cleanse for generations, what are the real consequences and how can they be avoided?
Vaginal Douching disrupts the pH balance of the vagina. The vagina must be acidic with an optimal pH of 3.5-4.5 in order to maintain the bacterial balance to avoid getting things like thrush and BV. Douching disrupts the pH of the vagina which is counterproductive because it can actually lead to issues like fishy odour and bacterial vaginosis, which is what you are trying to avoid with douching,
A common issue with UTI sufferers is constant antibiotic use. What are some of the downfalls of antibiotics for gut and skin health? What alternatives would you recommend to treat BV and UTIs naturally?