Your Yoni Balance
Artwork @soraya_meyer_artwork
By Amy Lupton
Updated February 2022
Our vagina, aka lady flower, yoni, rose petal, whatever you want to call our beautiful, amazing, intricate vagina…needs attention and adornment. You’re a moon goddess, and need to adorn all your woman blessings, from your head to your toes.
So lets talk about our yoni health, and ways to balance its particular biome.
The Flora Flourishes!
Flora in the human body is the good bacteria that naturally exists when optimally balanced. Healthy balanced flora in the digestive tract is the foundation for a strong immune system, even creating nutrients in our yoni. When this inner body ecosystem becomes unbalanced by a variety of reasons, the yoni flora can be overtaken by fungus, or yeast, or improper pH balance. Healthy vaginal flora basically has no symptoms or signs. No foul odor, itching, burning or unusual discharge.
Discharge is normal. The vagina is a mucus membrane, so moisture and some discharge according to time of the month is essential and normal.
Now we know what to aim for, right?
But what about the things that cause flora imbalances? What are they, and what can we do to restore healthy balance, without needless toxic exposure to these ever so delicate tissues?
The following are the typical, with a few of the not so well known culprits of imbalanced flora, or vaginal infections:
Oral antibiotics (creating gut issues, allowing fungal overgrowth into the bloodstream)
Birth control pills (creates hormonal imbalances)
Pregnancy (necessary for creating human life but can cause hormone fluctuations that can cause imbalances)
Multiple sex partners (introducing different types of bacteria into the mix)
Poor nutrition (high in simple carbs, alcohol, sugars, etc.)
Chronic body acid PH
Now for the not so well known culprits:
Unhealthy sex partners, with unhealthy habits (oral fungal overgrowth, for example. Remember all fluids are shared!)
Over cleansing the digestive tract (colonics, enemas, herbal cleanses, laxatives) without consistently replacing the good bacteria and allowing time for them to seed and recolonize, thereby healing leaky porous gut.
DOUCHING! Ughh .. especially with those commercially sold products that contain chemicals. Some douching can be beneficial, if homemade containing probiotics. Over washing or using too much or harsh soap in the vaginal area is also a culprit.
Eating sugary yogurts for gaining good bacteria
Keep the FLORA balanced in the vaginal area by:
Eating a nourishing and whole foods diet, this includes fermented foods such as non-sweetened yogurt.
Do not overwash the vaginal area with harsh soaps or body washes. Never wash inside the vagina, it’s a self cleaning area of the body.
Taking probiotics or in the case of infection, applying yogurt or inserting yogurt into vagina for flora reintroduction.
How to use yogurt for flourishing flora:
Fill applicator with non-sweetened organic yogurt and insert. Also coating your clean finger with yogurt before inserting it into your vagina works just fine too. This can be done several times a day for flora or infection remedy. Mixing a probiotic (such as Femadolpholis) into the yogurt before inserting can add specific vaginal flora and super boost the treatment.
Dryness
Research suggests that 40% to 60% of women experience vaginal dry spells with daily dryness or insufficient lubrication during arousal. Insufficient moisture can be painful and make love play uncomfortable. When persistent, dryness can damage sensitive skin. Hormonal challenges and dips in estrogen, such as menstrual phases, menopause, pregnancy, and breast feeding, are the leading causes, yet the physical complexity of the female system as well as the deep mind-spirit-yoni connection make us vulnerable to dryness and drought.
A few physical causes are: dehydration, creams, body washes, soaps and anti-bacterial foams. Some medications can hinder as well: contraceptive pills, antihistamines, anti-nausea/anti-diarrhea, cough suppressants, anti-depressants, and heart medications.
The Impact of Soul-dryness
The feminine interconnectedness of mind and body, soul and yoni, make us susceptible to emotional and spiritual factors that lead to soul-dryness. Soul-dryness can certainly contribute to physical dryness as a reflection of deeper life-issues. Some of the sources of this include:
Negative emotions or anxiety about physical intimacy
Unresolved relationship issues
A depletion in the juiciness of daily life
Overwhelming or chronic stress
Sadness, grief, depression
Insufficient mental, emotional, and physical stimulation for arousal and lubrication
Simple self-care strategies may boost the amount of your natural lubrication.
A rainbow diet full of variety and juicy fruits and vegetables is vital.
Unrefined dietary fats, especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, support healthy cells and mucus membranes and may help rebalance hormones.
B vitamins to stabilize overworked adrenal glands and help cope with daily stresses that affect mood and health.
Also, the body requires a lot of pure water for optimal function, and improved hydration and mineral balance will increase the amount of fluids available for internal vaginal moisture. Drink lots of pure, fresh spring water and herbal teas.
Vaginal Steaming
Another alternative method to care for your vagina is vaginal steaming or yoni steaming in Ayurvedic medicine. Vaginal steaming is when you sit over a bowl (usually with a special stool or sitz bath) of steaming water and herbs to cleanse your vagina. There are many herbs that could be used depending on the issue, such as lavender, calendula, rosemary, or mugwort or yarrow.
Vaginal steaming has been used to treat cramps, reproductive issues, stagnant energy, dryness, and many other concerns.
There are pros and cons to vaginal steaming, so we highly recommend checking with your practitioner before steaming.
Yoni Balance Steam Recipe
We suggest you take a pinch of each herb and make a blend that is right for you. You can also make a larger batch and keep in a mason jar under your bathroom sink for when you need it.
We like the following herbs, but as always, its best to chat with an herbalist to make a blend that is right for you and your body.
Rose (increases tone, life giving)
Basil (cleansing)
Skullcap (calming, cleansing)
Calendula (anti-inflammatory)
Motherwort (cleansing, pain-relieving)
Mugwort (all purpose, toning)
Lavender (anti-microbial, calming to infection)
Yarrow (anti-inflammatory, infection reducing)
Bee Balm (helps with burning, itching)
Chamomile (healing, toning)
How to do a vaginal steam:
In a medium-covered pot, pour 8 cups of filtered water, not tap.
Bring to a boil. Add selected herbs, you will need about 1/4 cup total. Let sit for 5 min.
Do not add or use “essential oils” as they are too strong and may burn sensitive genital tissue.
It is very important to test the temperature of the steam before using it. If it is too hot wait a minute and test it again until it feels comfortably warm to steam with.
Pour 4 cups (half) of water into your steaming vessel or still bath. If you search for vaginal steaming vessels or seats, these are available and easy to assemble.
Wave your hand 8-10 inches over the herbal water to make sure it is not too hot.
Remove your underwear and sit on the seat above the steaming water.
Drape a large blanket or sheet around your waist down to the floor making sure no steam escapes.
Make sure you keep yourself warm, keeping something on your feet (socks, slippers) and neck. You do not want any cold to get into your body while you are trying to warm it.
You should feel a warm, rolling heat for about 10-12 minutes.
When the steam dies down dump the water into the toilet. Starting with step #4 begin the second dosage. If it has cooled too much reheat but test again before sitting over the steam.
Please note: this can temporarily increase menstrual flow with more dark fluids or debris. Menses may start earlier than usual due to the cleansing effect. Best to avoid steaming when bleeding.
O woman,
father says natural is beautiful
so why do you redden your cheeks
and blacken your eyes?
Why do you remove the hair on your legs
and draw them into your brows?
Why do you hold your breath
lest your stomach show
and hold your fart
lest they know
that you’re a human? O woman,
father says natural is beautiful
so why do you straighten your hair
to curl it next
and pretend to orgasm
so they think you enjoyed the sex?
Why do you dumb yourself down
and push your breasts up?
Why do you smile when you’re told to
and love when you don’t want to?
When? When
will you stop, woman?
Father says natural is beautiful
but that is doubtful
for what does father know
he’s only a fellow.”
― Kamand Kojouri
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