Those of you who have been part of my ‘Tummy health community’ for a while now will probably be familiar with the idea that a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria – or microflora – is vital to gut health. Some may not realise, however, that properly balanced microflora are just as important for the health of our ‘lady bits’.
I get many enquiries from women whose lives are made a misery by recurring, painful UTIs, itchy thrush and embarrassingly smelly bacterial vaginosis (BV). Very often they’ve been on multiple courses of antibiotics to try and get rid of a UTI, but this has left them with thrush that they cannot control, and embarrassing BV.
What is the link between this and probiotics?
The urogenital system, which includes the vagina and urethra (the tube from the bladder), is home to more than 50 different species of bacteria and other micro-organisms. And, according to the latest research, when it comes to keeping this system healthy and fending off infections such as cystitis, thrush and BV, probiotics could be your biggest ally.
Knowing just how powerful probiotics are when it comes to treating these issues is what drove me to develop my For Women probiotic capsules. They are specially formulated to help support female urogenital health, and they aim to restore the balance of bacteria in the bladder as well as bacteria and yeast in the vagina.
Which probiotics do I need?
My For Women probiotic capsules contain lactobacillus acidophilus and lactobacillus reuteri. These are two of the most researched strains of beneficial bacteria when it comes to establishing and maintaining a healthy urinary system and vaginal balance. I’ve also added the strain lactobacillus rhamnosus which has been found to help reduce common IBS symptoms, in particular bloating and abdominal pain, as well as Vitamin C to support immune health.
So, you could say that my For Women capsules are a ‘4-in-1’ – they help support urinary, vaginal, digestive and immune health.
You can buy them by clicking on the image below:
How can I maximise the beneficial effects?
Further studies have investigated the effects of inserting probiotics vaginally (in the form of pessaries) to treat BV and UTIs and found that women were able to cure their BV – and also maintain a healthy balance of vaginal bacteria – following probiotic pessary treatment.
This got me thinking how the powder from my For Women capsules could be used as the base for an all-natural, homemade probiotic pessary.
I am delighted to bring you this simple, economical recipe with its blend of soothing coconut oil, cacao butter and essential oils combined with the probiotic powder to help rid you of the discomfort and inconvenience of recurring UTIs and other urinary health problems.
You can download the recipe here
I recommend using one pessary a night for as many nights as you need to, especially if you’re having a UTI flare-up, or struggling with thrush or bacterial vaginosis. After this, use the treatment just once a week on an ongoing basis as a preventative measure. I’d also suggest wearing knickers and a panty liner in bed when you do the treatment.
My For Women capsules taken orally, or inserted vaginally in the form of a probiotic pessary are a key element of the ‘arsenal’ required in order to go to battle with the bugs and yeasts that can cause such misery.
What else can I do to help myself?
I also recommend a number of dietary and lifestyle measures that can help reduce the risk of getting a UTI, thrush and BV, which you can read more about in my UTI Fact Sheet.
You can download the factsheet here
And, as always, if you have any questions you can contact me by email on linda@justfortummies.co.uk.
