If you are experiencing a foul-smelling discharge from your vagina, do not panic. It is pretty common among women.
[pullquote]Tips to Prevent Vaginal Odor
- Avoid tight-fitting clothes and panties. Wear cotton panties for better ventilation.
- Avoid taking hot showers and douching because they will kill the helpful bacteria in your vagina.
- Reduce having sugary foods.
- Avoid scented powders, soaps, or pads.
- Change tampons or sanitary napkins frequently.[/pullquote]
However, it might sometimes be embarrassing. Much like your feet or breath, your vagina too has a smell mainly because of an overgrowth of bacteria or yeast.
There are vaginal creams and feminine washes that claim to remedy this situation and leave your vagina smelling like flowers and dewdrops and all things naturally fragrant. But these often disturb the acidic and bacterial balance in your vagina, making it dryer and more prone to infections. More dangerously, these may make conception difficult too. Your best bet is to use home remedies to get rid of vaginal odor.
1. Drink More Water
If you stay hydrated, it will help flush out bacteria from all parts of your body, including the vagina. The ideal amount for women is about 1.8 liters (about 0.5 gallon) of water per day. Women who are overweight or those who live in tropical climates should drink even more!
2. Eat And Apply Yogurt
Probiotics such as yogurt are effective agents for the treatment and/or prevention of bacterial vaginosis – an infection of the vagina. Consuming yogurt regularly helps reduce cases of vaginal odor. However, you may also apply it topically to get rid of the odor really fast.1
3. Eat Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria inside your vagina. Thus, consuming citrus fruits really helps reduce the vaginal odor. However, we wouldn’t advise applying citrus fruit pulp down there. The fruit sugars may contribute to fungal growth.
4. Drink Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is acidic in nature, which helps maintain the pH level that would discourage bacterial growth. Simply drinking one glass of natural, undiluted cranberry juice every day should go a long way toward eliminating vaginal odor. It is also known to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.
5. Have Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Indian gooseberry can help eliminate vaginal odor in exactly the same way that cranberry juice does. Simply chew on pieces of amla every day or have a glass of amla juice daily to get rid of vaginal odor.2
6. Drink Turmeric Milk
The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric have been known to practitioners of eastern medicine over several centuries. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder into 1 glass of warm milk and drink it daily right before you go to bed.3
7. Wash With Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate, more commonly known as baking soda, is purported to remedy the pH imbalance that encourages bacterial growth inside your vagina.
There are a couple of ways you can use baking soda to eliminate bacterial vaginosis:
- Mix 1 teaspoon baking soda into an 8 oz glass of water and drink it daily.
- You can also mix baking soda in water and use it as a vaginal wash.4
8. Wash With Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is well-renowned for its antimicrobial properties and can be used to eliminate the odor-causing bacteria from your vagina. You can create a vaginal wash by adding 6 drops of tea tree oil into an 8 oz cup of water. Use this to wash your vagina daily after taking a shower. This should get rid of vaginal odor in a few days.
9. Wash With Lavender Essential Oil
Besides suppressing vaginal odor with its aroma, lavender essential oil can cure bacterial vaginosis as well. It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents that can kill the bacteria and cure the itchiness.
In 1 glass of water, add 1 tablespoon of witch hazel and about 10 drops of lavender essential oil. Mix it thoroughly and use it as a vaginal wash after taking a shower. Repeated daily use will provide a long-term cure for bacterial vaginosis.
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