It may not be pleasant discussing issues “down there”, but it’s better than suffering in silence when you’re dealing with the painful burning feeling of a urinary tract infection, bacterial vaginosis or the crazy itchiness of a yeast infection. What if these chronic infections could be helped by balancing your inner ecosystem? Would it be worth a chat with your local Health First Network member store professional?

Let’s start with yeast infections. Yeast in our intestinal tract is normal. The ratio of good bacteria in the body to yeast is quite large, and it’s easy for that ratio to get out of balance. Things such as nutrient deficiencies, eating too many refined carbohydrates and sugar, experiencing a lot of stress, taking antibiotics and other medications or the presence of toxic heavy metals in our bodies can set up the environment for yeast overgrowth to occur and thrive. Candidiasis is when a yeast strain known as Candida Albicans overgrows to the point that it becomes a medical problem. Candida is telling us that we need to get things back into balance. Look at your diet, lifestyle, stress levels and whether heavy metals might be present and make the necessary changes.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women are almost always caused by bacteria moving from the rectum or vagina to the urethra and bladder. It is inflammation usually caused by bacteria attacking the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra. The bacteria that most often cause UTIs is Escherichia coli (E. coli) which sits on the skin in the genital area. Increasing urine production is essential to remove bacteria that have been able to move into the bladder or kidneys. Here are some steps you can take if you are prone to UTIs:

• Don’t hold urine. As soon as you feel the urge, you should urinate.
• Drink plenty of water to flush out bacteria (drinking unsweetened cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections).
• After having sex, you should urinate to help wash away bacteria.
• After having a bowel movement, you should wipe from front to back.
• For those that get frequent urinary tract infections, you may want to avoid using the diaphragm as a method of birth control.

Microbes live throughout our bodies and the species that reside in the vaginal tract play a significant role in the maintenance of good vaginal health and prevention of infections. Ultimate Flora VS is formulated to help sustain a healthy balance of vaginal bacteria. Each capsule contains 45 billion live Lactobacillus cultures and 5 billion live Bifidobacteria, mirroring the prevalence of Lactobacilli and the lesser numbers of Bifidobacteria in the vagina. The nine strains in Ultimate Flora VS formula were chosen for their prevalence in a healthy vagina and urinary tract. A once a day capsule makes it convenient too!

By Caroline Farquhar, R.H.N., B.A. E.M.P.

About the Author: Caroline Farquhar RHN, BA

Specializing in digestive care and cleansing, Caroline has been educating audiences through seminars, TV and radio appearances across the country on the topic of how to achieve better health naturally. Caroline has written and published articles for magazines and websites, has created educational programs and taught at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. Learn more about Caroline at renewlife.ca