yeast, BV, and the itchy smelly things we don’t talk about

In this episode of the Stellar Cycles Podcast, we tackle those "itchy" and often taboo topics surrounding women's health that many shy away from discussing. We'll deconstruct the myths that these are "dirty" conditions and should be kept quiet. There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding around these issues, so my goal is to shed light on the differences between these conditions, their origins, and how we can heal and prevent them. 

As these issues affect the majority of women, it’s time we stop shaming each other and start talking openly. The truth is, the vagina is a sensitive area, making women more prone to certain conditions than men. But don't worry—there's plenty to learn that can make managing these issues easier. 

Please note that this episode is based on my own experiences and research. Always seek the advice and treatment of your doctor for any medical conditions. 

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more women's health and wellness tips! 

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Transcript

Alina: Hello everyone and welcome back to the Stellar Cycles podcast, your hot girl database for all things pertaining to your femininity, your cycle and wellness, and your walk in life. As a woman, I'm your host, Elina. And today we are talking about a pretty touchy topic and that is yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, their origin and management. So the goal of today's episode is to normalize the conversation around these itchy and often taboo topics and also deconstruct the myths that these are dirty conditions that shouldn't be talked about. in fact, there is a lot of misinformation and lack of understanding around these topics. So my hope is that in this episode I can shed some light on the differences between these conditions, where they stem from and what we can do to both heal and prevent them. As this is something that affects the majority of women. It shouldn't be something that we shame each other for or keep on the down low in hopes of not seeming dirty to others. The truth is, the vagina is just such a sensitive area in our bodies that women often find themselves dealing with so much more unpleasant conditions than men do. The good news is that there is much to be learned about it and lots to be done so that hopefully it is easier for you to deal with in the future. Just a disclaimer, of course, that this is purely an episode based off of my own experience and research. So please, please, please always seek the advice and treatment of your doctor when dealing with one of these conditions yourself. First, a few updates for you guys. I just want to thank everybody for your outpouring of love and sweet messages on my little pregnancy announcement and my first trimester episode. I told you guys last time that I probably wasn't going to be doing one of these like reveals on my personal Instagram, but I thought, why not share it with the stellar cycles girls, as you guys have come along on this journey with me since I've started the podcast, so it was just really nice to share the news with this sweet little pocket of followers and just girls who have supported and listened to the show. So thank you guys so much for your kind wishes, your encouragement and the congratulations. It was very, very sweet to read. My next update is that poll, ladies, is not for the week. I went to a little Pilates event this past weekend. It was really cute. It was through a send Pilates, which is a little tiny studio in PBE that I had gone to a couple times, and they hosted a lawn Pilates event in collaboration with the O'Reilly Hotel in La Hoya, which I had never been there. But it's so cute. And honestly, the vibe was so precious because you get there. There's all these cute girls, everyone's wearing a cute little workout set, and we were just doing Pilates next to each other, side by side on our mats on the lawn. And when I tell you, it humbled me so quickly because there was some exercises that I couldn't even, get through and had to take a break. And I was like, Wow, okay. So if I really want to do Pilates, I need to get into it now because it truly made me feel out of shape And then after the class, they had a lovely little quote unquote market, although everything, there was pretty much provided for us. It was in the courtyard of the Orly Hotel, which was so cute. There was a little refreshments table with non alcoholics and gorillas with little shadows and arancini little fried rice balls. There was a beautiful little flower bar where you could assemble your own bouquet and they also had goody bags for us that had SPF tanning oil. There was a body exfoliator, a lip treatment, sunscreen, all sorts of little goodies in there. And I did manage to win a raffle there, so I walked away with some cute cropped tees that you can kind of wear over a workout set or if you're just wearing a sports bra. So all in all, that was a really good experience. And although the Sun Pilates studio is quite a ways away from where I live, so I live in downtown and it's in PBE and that can be like a 20 to 30 minute drive depending on traffic. So I researched some Pilates studios downtown and there's one walking distance away from me. Me and Nova walked the other more. Just to kind of scout out the route and see? Would this be a safe walk for me? It really seems like it is. And I went on Groupon and I got eight classes for $80, which is a steal. So I will be registering for classes here in downtown and kind of making my way into it because I hear that Pilates is very good during pregnancy, so I will be doing that as far as I'm able to. And finally, we have a weekend trip to Chicago for Lollapalooza coming up. It's a bunch of couple friends, so that'll be really, really cute and fun because there will be plenty of girls there that I really like and enjoy being around. And the boys will have each other and I think it'll be a pretty good, pretty good time. Also, my sister in law and her husband, so Sam's sister, she lives over in Michigan, which is about an hour and a half, sometimes 2 hours drive from Chicago. So we're really hoping that they come into the city and are able to go to Lollapalooza with us. Lollapalooza, for those that don't know, it's a music festival spanning four days. And there's some rap, there's some hip hop, there's some EDM. I think it's just a hodgepodge of different artists. So there's something there for everyone. And of course, I'm excited to wear some cute outfits around the city and just do some new things, go to some new places, you know, really have a vibe. And as usual, when we're out of town, Nova will be having a fun at her grandparents house in Escondido, running around their yard and eating all of the snails her little heart desires. But anyway, those are my updates. I really want to get into today's conversation with you guys, because honestly, this feels like such a touchy topic that I put it off and put it off and put it off. But as soon as I got to sitting down and really researching and putting this together, I was like, No, this is really, really good, useful information that I wish I had when I was going through these issues, honestly. And the thing is, on this podcast, we can talk all day about cycle thinking and glamorizing the different foods and meals and workouts. But I started this podcast because of the issues that I saw women coming into the hospital with, right? So it's really important to bring to the forefront these, you know, taboo topics that not everyone wants to talk about, but that we all need information about. And the more that we can spread this information, the more that we can help other women. So why did I pick this topic for this week? Well, there can be a lot of confusion about yeast infections versus bacterial vaginosis. And I really tend to normally gravitate towards sensitive topics, especially ones that I have suffered through silently myself. And based on some conversations that I've had, there are lots of girls, especially the younger ones, who are going through these conditions without a clue as to what's causing them to happen and what's making them stick around. So again, this episode is only based on my personal experiences, thoughts and readings and research. So please always consult with your actual doctor if you're going through this because they are going to be best equipped to help you and you're going to understand why as we go through this episode. So just to give you a little snapshot, we will be covering the differences between East and Beebe, their common causes and triggers ways that you can prevent them, what doctors and pharmacies usually use to treat them as well as lifestyle modifications. You can apply how these conditions can impact your sexual life and menstrual cycle, and of course, the stigma and emotional distress that comes with them. And finally, how to support yourself with resources. I'll give a little bit of a sneak peek into my personal background. So back in the day, I dealt with nonstop yeast infections for about a year when I was around 18 to 19. And first off, I was shook that this was even a possibility, that this was even something that women or people with vaginas could experience. But I don't know if you've ever gone through something like this, you know, that being that aware of your private parts in this fiery way is quite literally the worst way to live and exist day to day. And I was plagued with yeast infections during inescapable events, work day to day work, being at the mall, having to be there and just like suffering through the sensations that come with it, weddings, camping, you name it, It was just awful. And at the time, Vagisil was my best friend. Vagisil is a type of over-the-counter, kind of like anti-itch cream that's safe for your vaginal opening. And I, always had to have that on hand because that was the only thing that would bring me relief. And even back then, I was obsessed with researching quick home remedies, but I just didn't have a full understanding of the condition or its prevention. So I'm really not sure how. But eventually these recurring yeast infections kind of tapered off and I was able to resume feeling normal and itch free again. I think something in my microbiome or my body leveled out and I just didn't have to really deal with that anymore. So let's figure out what is the difference between yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis, because a lot of the times they're so similar that you can confuse one for the other. both have to do with the vaginal microbiome and that's just the balance of good and bad bacteria in your vagina. A yeast infection is normally caused or usually caused by an overgrowth of Candida yeast, primarily candida albicans. So the symptoms are going to look like itching, burning. You might have a thick white discharge coming out that kind of looks like cottage cheese and also redness and inflammation around your vaginal opening with bacterial vaginosis. We'll call it BV for sure. In this episode, it's caused by an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina, particularly a decrease in the lactobacilli and an increase in anaerobic bacteria. So the lactobacilli is the good bacteria that you want to have enough of. And then the aunt and a Roback bacteria are kind of the ones that can cause you problems. So symptoms would be we can include kind of a thin grayish white discharge. So it's not going to be lumpy, clumpy, thick, like with the yeast infections. It's going to be more kind of watery, but also a grayish color. the difference with B V is that is often accompanied, usually accompanied by a very strong fishy odor you might experience burning during urination and also possible vaginal irritation. However, the difference here is that B typically doesn't cause that constant itching that we can sometimes feel with U.S. wool, usually with yeast infections. So the main differences here between yeast versus BV is the type and the color of the discharge. So more of a white lumpy clumpy for the yeast than grayish fishy smelling for the b, v and the itching versus no itching, yeast infection is going to be itchy. B typically not itchy. first, let's kind of break down yeast infections. What causes them? How are they treated? So the cause of yeast infections, again, is the overgrowth of Candida and it can usually one candidate's taking over. It can lead to uncomfy symptoms anywhere in the body. So what kind of contributes to that candida overgrowth? It can be a diet that's high in refined carbs and sugar because yeast feeds on sugar, high alcohol consumption, again, that feeds yeast, high stress levels and imbalance in your microbiota. So that can mean also in your gut an improper use of catheters, which typically isn't something that women of the reproductive age run. Two, but maybe older ladies, or if you have to get hospitalized for any reason, they have to use catheters and they're not being used correctly. That could also contribute to Candida growing. We also have birth control pills or antibiotics can lead to candida, a diabetes diagnosis, a weak immune system. Also, I think a very, very common one would be tight non breathable clothing, especially around your vaginal area. So like nylon panties. Or let's say you're in workout clothes all day and your vagina can't really breathe. Right. And some sexual activity or partners can always be a source of new bacteria to the vaginal canal and are capable of throwing things off. Although this one isn't as big of a factor for yeast as it is for Bebe. And we'll talk about that a little later. what is typically the way in which yeast infections are treated? Well, it's a fungal overgrowth, right. So a lot of the time, as you can run down to the pharmacy and grab an over-the-counter antifungal cream such as clot trimmers. So. MCCONNELL So I have no idea if I'm pronouncing these right, but if you've seen Monistat in the feminine hygiene aisle, you know what I'm talking about. And these creams and suppositories, they can run anywhere from a one day treatment to a seven day treatment, depending on how strong it is and how quickly, you want to knock it out. So usually they come with a plastic tampon like insertion tool that you put the little suppositories in the top and you just kind of push it up inside your vagina and you want to do it pretty far up so that it stays there and doesn't immediately come out of use. So it'll stay up there and kind of do its job. And I would suggest that the most comfortable. I don't know if you guys can hear my dog snoring, but. She is like a tractor. Like, you just can't get away from it when she's sleeping. So funny for a French bulldog that doesn't even have a nose. Anyway, the most comfortable way to use these suppositories is to insert them right before you lie down to go to sleep. Otherwise, if you're upright all day, it'll be just kind of coming out of you and oozing out of you, and you're just going to, feel it. Often these treatments will come with a topical anti itch cream that you can use on your vulva. So your vulva is the outside visible part of your vagina, so that'll relieve you. While the antifungal works inside of you. And it's super, super important to know whether you have a yeast infection or BV. Because if you use yeast infection medicine for BV. First of all, it's not going to help. Second of all, it's going to burn like absolute h e l l. So just something to keep in mind. Now, if those don't work, sometimes you'll go to the doctor and you'll get a prescription antifungal such as fluconazole. You'd get this from your doctor. Usually it's like one big pill that you take. But beware, because this can be really hard on your body, especially the liver and side effects from this oral antifungal can be things like headache, stomach pain, diarrhea, feeling sick, like nauseous or vomiting, dizziness and rash. one that honestly works pretty well is boric acid. boric acid works by helping to promote the acid balance or the P-H in the vagina. It is actually my personal favorite way to deal with yeast infections. I have a recommendation. The honey pot, boric acid and herbal suppositories. Very, very good. And the woman who started this brand has a really cool story. Maybe we'll have her on the podcast and talk about it. I don't know. boric acid is also very strong, so I wouldn't use this constantly if I were you. But when it works, it works and it keeps those yeast infections away. Usually this boric acid is used as a secondary treatment if the infection returns after antifungal treatment. So like, let's say the over-the-counter creams do not work, maybe the pill form antifungal didn't knock it out all the way. Boric acid will come in and just finish the job But again, be careful because boric acid does affect both the good and the bad bacteria. So it might knock out the bad bacteria, but it could also have you low on your good bacteria and big red warning sign. Do not use boric acid when you're pregnant. Now there's some natural ways that you can bring some relief to a yeast infection at home. So if maybe you can't get to a pharmacy right away or you have to wait to see your doctor, you know, sometimes that can be really frustrating. But here's a few things that you can do and you can run a warm bath and pour half a cup of apple cider vinegar in it. This can be very relieving. Remember, you got to sit in the bath. Don't douche with the apple cider vinegar. Don't put anything up your vagina unless you're putting actual antifungals that are supposed to go up a bit. But the HCV can be really restoring to the acidity. Another thing that you can do that I have tried before is put some sugar free yogurt on a pad and where that it can really help because it contains live bacteria. But just remember that any added sugar or flavoring is going to feed the yeast and help it thrive. So you just want to do completely plain sugar free yogurt. Another one is coconut oil. It's soothing. We know that coconut oil is antifungal. And you can also add a few drops of oil, of oregano and tea tree oil in small amounts for added benefits because those will also fight fungus and bacteria. You can also take vitamin C to boost your immune system. Remember, one of the causes that yeast infections can occur from is a lowered or weakened immune system. So vitamin C, eating some oranges, drinking some homemade lemonade that can really. It really help. And finally, oral probiotics, because I like the honey pot companies so much, they actually sell a yeast balance supplement that contains the probiotics that you need to reduce the growth of Candida and just reduce the occurrence of yeast infections. next, we have bacterial vaginosis or BV. this one can be a little bit more serious because it can actually lead to some really unpleasant and sometimes irreversible conditions. with BV, the causes and risk factors is stuff that makes the bacterial levels in the vagina thrown out of balance and not in the way that is caused by fungus or candida. So these causes and risk factors can include engaging with multiple sexual partners. Ladies, I'm sorry to break it to you, but men can be very, very gross. Like they might not be fully cleaning themselves. They could maybe not be disclosing to you who else or how many other people they're sleeping with. the list goes on and on. Like, never trust a man, also do. So I don't even know if, women do this anymore, but do showing is when you wash the inside of your vagina with various cleansing products. And I have never, ever done this. Never wanted to. Never felt the need to. Because, the vagina is self-cleaning. And if you do have some sort of funky smell coming out of there, a cleanser with scent and fragrance is only going to make it worse. there's definitely some other things that you need to address if that is the case. But doing is not going to help and it could possibly introduce new bacteria into your vagina or kill off good bacteria that you need to keep your microbiome healthy. Another cause or risk factor could be a lack of condom usage. This again goes back to just people spreading things around that they shouldn't be spreading smoking, increased frequency of sexual activity over the counter interventional hygiene products. So maybe sometimes things like those pearls or just anything that like put up inside you, that's not medication. Also, a recent antibiotic use. Just a reminder that, yes, although antibiotics can be really helpful in certain scenarios and knock out infections and save lives, but we can't forget that antibiotics are going to mess with any microbiome Right. And change the balance of the good to bad bacteria. Another surprising cause or risk factor can be female to females sexual activity and finally shared sex toys. Yeah, I know. some of these might sound like shaming, but they're really not. this is from a literal study that I read up on before I wrote this episode. So, you know, the choices that you make are completely yours. It's a free country. You can do what you want, but nobody is free from consequences. And sometimes our health can suffer from our choices. So what are those consequences of BV? Well, because BV affects your microbiome and protects of bacteria, it can actually leave you more vulnerable to as STIs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea by almost two times, makes you twice as likely to get those things if you're dealing with b, b some more risks can also lead to an inflamed endometrium, inflamed fallopian tubes, which can result in fertility problems because when those areas are inflamed, they can't properly transfer an egg and implant a fertilized egg where it needs to be. So this study that I was talking about, it's called Bacterial Vaginosis by Nora Kyrie's, Karen Carlson and Manish Garg from May six, 2024, just a couple of months ago, also reminds us that African-American women are more susceptible to this condition, a lot more so than their Asian and European counterparts. a simple imbalance. Once in the vaginal bacteria, something that might not seem that important can lead to a host of problems down the line, if not properly taken care of. So how is being treated? Well, first, it's identified by a vaginal swab to confirm that it is indeed. Right. Because you want to take the right medication for it. what they might start off with is prescription antibiotics so metronidazole clindamycin I'm sure we've all heard of. these can be either given to you orally or as a topical cream or gel that you kind of put around the area. And like I said earlier, in the yeast infection section, you want to avoid self treatment with over-the-counter yeast infection medications because they're not going to work for B B, B can actually come back to 80% of women within nine months of treatment. And I'm assuming this might be because people will get their medication, go through the whole course, but don't change any of those things but their lifestyle that caused them to get it in the first place. Right? They just kind of go back to doing all of those other things without really thinking about it. And also, this can be due to the frequent failure of antibiotics to restore the vaginal microbiome. So remember, antibiotics, they're going to kill off both the good and bad bacteria, which doesn't exactly it might kill off the infection, but it doesn't equate to a completely healthy and normal microbiome. And finally, another treatment is boric acid. So boric acid has also shown to be good at treating b b, especially when other methods don't work. But again, it's not an option for pregnant patients and has not been FDA approved as a quote unquote medication. So that's kind of the differences between East and BVM. But how can these conditions impact our relationships, our cycles and our self-esteem? when it comes to sex, you are going to need to take a break. When you are treating these conditions, you want to avoid sexual activity during active infections just to kind of like prevent discomfort and transmission, like if your vagina is on fire. I don't think that having sex is going to make it feel better. So you can also remember to use condoms to reduce the risk of BV recurrence that is linked to sexual activity. And of course, you can openly communicate with partners about these conditions because you really want to foster understanding and support. Chances are they could be the reason you are dealing with that imbalance. But definitely don't shift the blame, but normalize having those conversations when it comes to the menstrual cycle. Sometimes women can experience recurring yeast infections during or after their period. Yes, this can be interconnected. when we're on our period, it can trigger yeast infection because of changes in our hormone levels, like a higher estrogen and changes in our vaginal. Paige So like the changes in the acidity can encourage that overgrowth of Candida. But thrush thrush is also another word for yeast infections. But yeast can also very easily be treated with that antifungal medication as well as probiotic supplements. Just a reminder that your period isn't going to, like, flush out your infection or just make it go away. But you can also help manage that infection during your period by avoiding the scented pads and tampons and just practicing good menstrual hygiene, you know, changing things every so often wiping with, unscented wet wipes and just kind of keeping things nice and clean down there. when it comes to the emotional aspect, the psychological aspect. Don't be embarrassed. Just address those feelings that you feel of embarrassment or distress by educating yourself and seeking support from health care providers or support groups. And just remember that these conditions, they're very common and they're treatable. You can do something about it. There's no way to beat yourself down and, you know, feel bad about how you got the condition or where it came from. The thing is, there's there are solutions to it. Now, what are things you can do to stay free from both of these unpleasant conditions? So I want to share some prevention strategies with you guys. Obviously maintain good hygiene without doing. And this means like, you know, wash around the outside of your vagina, keep that area clean. But there's just absolutely no need to be squirting soap up yourself like it won't help you. You can also choose to wear breathable cotton underwear and avoid wearing tight fitting clothes too much, especially during the summertime. And I would also suggest you to change out of work clothing like swimsuits or gym clothes like promptly. Don't keep those on all day. We can also avoid scented soaps, bubble baths, vaginal sprays. If you find that your, you know, girly parts are a little more sensitive to that type of stuff, just avoid it. We can also always use more discernment on sexual partners and activities. Remember, new people are always going to introduce new bacteria, period. And of course, keep up with your immune system because your immune system helps you fight off infections everywhere, not just the cold, not just COVID, but also infections in your mouth and other orifices that you might have. And when it comes to our lifestyle, we can apply some dietary changes. So if you are prone to yeast infections, you can always reduce your sugar and refined carbs and consider adding things like yogurt and probiotics to the diet, especially foods that contain good probiotics like sauerkraut, cauliflower, crunchy cruciferous foods. And just remember that yogurt, the sugar free kind, is going to be the best if you're trying to avoid Candida overgrowth. And then probiotic supplements themselves. So you can use some various supplements that you can find in a health food store that are rich in lactobacilli. So remember, lactobacillus is the good bacteria that's going to keep that stuff away. And it's just also going to help you maintain a healthy vaginal microbiome we can always prevent these conditions from returning back and bothering us again by, first of all, identifying and addressing the specific triggers. Get real with yourself about what it is in your life, in your lifestyle that keeps introducing this infection or this bacteria back into your life. Like I just said, regular use of probiotics is also going to help. And when it comes to recurrent BV, your doctor might just have to recommend a longer term antibiotic treatment or the use of boric acid suppositories. Even though both can be a little harsh on the system, I would probably lean more towards the boric acid because antibiotics, especially long term antibiotic treatment, it's probably not going to be very good for your body. And we learned, too, in this episode that sometimes the baby can come back because the antibiotics didn't really work. when it comes to researching on your own, always make sure that you're getting reliable information you can read peer reviewed studies. You can go on the Mayo Clinic website. Obviously, your doctor is going to be a good, reliable, reputable source of information. And as always, don't read into those Internet myths or fall for the quick fixes. Always, always double check with your health care provider. to wrap up today's episode, remember that the key difference between yeast infections and baby is going to be the type of discharge and the presence or absence of itching. But you'll always get to verify that with your doctor, and they can test for what exactly you have going on. And both of these conditions, they have a lot to do with our diets, the clothing we wear, our hygiene practices, our activities, essentially the choices that we make. So, so much of this is in our hands and that's very empowering. make sure you know what you have going on to choose the right course of treatment. Remember, antifungal stuff isn't going to work for BP and you don't want to take antibiotics for no reason if you do have a yeast infection. And don't forget that having something like this or going through it, it's not something that makes you dirty. And chances are we've all been through it. So help your immune system, help keep you protected. By protecting your microbiome not only in your vagina, but also your gut, your skin, your mouth, etc.. And don't forget, there's a multitude of resources available to help you. thanks for joining me on this important discussion about yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. I hope that by sharing my own experience and research, we've been able to break down some of the stigma and myths surrounding these conditions. And remember, it's crucial to seek professional medical advice if you're dealing with any of these issues. Knowledge and open conversations are powerful tools in managing our health. So stay informed, take care of yourselves, and let's continue to normalize these conversations so girls take care and be well. Make sure you follow us on Instagram at the Stellar Cycles Pod. Please give this podcast a five star rating if you enjoy it and if you are feeling extra generous today, I would love to read a review that you post for me. Till next time. Stellar cycles out.