I've Got Lactobacillus in My Pants! 


The vaginal microbiome leaped into my consciousness when I got my first BV infection — What I have learned has blown my mind.

Healthy, good bacteria all over our bodies are part of our immune system. When our good bacteria are wiped out, then we get colonized by bad bacteria and become more likely to get infections and STIs.

Healthy bacteria produce antibiotics that fight viruses and bacteria like HIV, chlamydia, and staphylococcus. If someone has bacterial vaginosis, the most common type of vaginal infection, then they are more likely to both get STIs and transfer them through sexual activities than someone with healthy cunt-ecology. Lactobacillus literally fights disease in your pussy.

The healthy vaginal microbiome, most commonly dominated by Lactobacillus, is crucial to our reproductive health. When the good bacteria are out-dominated by the wrong species, women experience extreme problems; a stinky putang and reproductive health issues. It needs to be talked about: BV is the leading result of miscarriages and stillbirths in the US. 

An astonishing 30% of women in the US have bacterial vaginosis at any given time.

Lactobacillus, the same genera of bacteria found in yogurt, are important bugs, not to mention sour —  lactobacillus puts the tang in putang. A healthy vaginal ecosystem should have a pH of 4.0 to 4.5. I use handy pH paper to test and confirm if I suspect an infection. A pH of above 5.5 is a sure sign that things are off. 

Off-pussy is something that we all face, and societal shame about it is rampant. The recovery success is low. Microbes keep your baby healthy in the womb and they prevent your child from having diseases in the future. People not exposed to the healthy lacto-family of bacteria when they are born, due to a vaginal infection or cesarean birth, are more likely to have asthma, be hospitalized, and experience a variety of health problems in life. 

Ecologists understand that to preserve the health of a population of species, one must maintain a healthy habitat. It’s the same concept on a microbiological level. Your vagina is an ecosystem!

I went on a multi-year microbiology research binge to solve my BV problem, learning how to knock Gardnerella (the bad bug) down and replenish my Lactobacillus collonies. I learned a non-toxic method for knocking it out and restoring balance. That’s grit for another post.