Have you ever noticed how, as women, so many of us are raised to feel shame around our bodies?
Shame around the size and shapes of our bodies.
Shame as young girls when we begin to develop and grow.
Shame around menstruation.
We're sent the message so often from very young ages that our bodies are things to keep quiet about - don't flaunt them, don't discuss them, don't use the actual words for your body parts...
Thankfully times are changing, and we're beginning to realise how damaging this can be.
But it can be hard to shake off the years of body shame conditioning we've grown up with, and I know that personally - I have struggled to become comfortable with discussing my body and all of its workings openly and honestly.
I've been the woman who lied about having a stomach bug rather than admit to my boss that I was suffering with period cramps.
I've been the mother who's used the word "Minnie" instead of vulva when asked about body parts by my children.
But I'm determined to break free from that shame.
It is so important that we're familiar with our bodies and how they work, and one area that I have to admit to knowing very little about is intimate health.
Having suffered with Thrush (Canesten Thrush Duo. Always read the label.) once in my 20s, I'm familiar with its symptoms and ways to treat it...but could I tell you the difference between that and Bacterial Vaginosis?
Honestly, until today...I could not.
In fact I didn't even realize that they were different conditions.
And considering the fact that an estimated 75% of women will suffer with Thrush at some point in their lives, it seems rather silly that more of us aren't aware of the various intimate health conditions we can suffer from and how to help prevent them.
I've spent some time today reading up on intimate health – I came across some really helpful information, and I've come away feeling much more clued up.
So I thought I'd share a little about the three most common intimate health conditions among women, and how to help prevent them.
Thrush
What is it? A yeast infection causing inflammation of the vagina. Both bacteria and fungus naturally live in the vagina, but when the Candida albicans fungus increases it can cause thrush.
How to help prevent it:
*Keep your immune system strong by keeping a healthy lifestyle and avoiding stress *Avoid the use of perfumed products and deodorants in and around your vagina *Avoid high sugar foods *Avoid hot baths *Change underwear after swimming and work outs *Always wipe from front to back after using the toilet
Cystitis
What is it? An inflammation of the bladder
How to help prevent it:
*Wash your intimate area with warm water and a gentle product *Always wipe from front to back after using the toilet
You can find out more about the symptoms, causes and treatments of intimate health conditions such as thrush, BV and cystitis on Canesten's website. (CanesOasis Cystitis Relief Granules for Oral Solution contains Sodium Citrate. Canesten Thrush Duo Oral Capsule & External Cream. Always the read label before using any product)
Let me know below what you've learned or found surprising from the links above, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.