6 causes of vaginal odor, what you can do about them

No need to be alarmed though as it is absolutely normal for the vagina to have a smell but when you experience a stronger smell such as a fishy smell, then there may be a bigger problem and you may need to pay your physician a visit.

Here are possible reasons for your vagina being smelly and what you can do about it.

Food

Avoid eating foods that are too spicy and contain garlic. Foods that are high in potassium such as bananas, avocados and potatoes also contribute to a bad vaginal smell.

Instead add fruits such as pineapples to your diet. They are rich in Vitamin C which helps the body to get rid of free radicals and chemicals that may cause infections in the vagina. Yoghurt contains living organisms called probiotics or healthy bacteria that help fight infections and maintain pH levels in the vagina.

Cranberry juice helps prevent bacteria from attaching on the walls on the bladder, multiplying and flushes them out of the vagina during urination. It is also believed that their sweet smell enhances the flavor and scent of vaginal discharges.

It could be the medication you are taking

You may notice that when you are on some medication such as antibiotics, your urine may smell like the medicine. So the medication you are on could be the cause of vaginal odor.

Once you are done taking your medicine, your vagina will go back to its natural smelling state.

Sweating

The sweat you produce from doing things such as exercising mixes with the vaginal discharge and could cause a bad smell from down under.

Take a shower after physical activity to wash out the sweat.

Forgetting your tampon

Yes it happens. For those that use tampons during their menstrual cycle, you are required to change it at least every 4-8 hours depending on the flow of your cycle.

If you wear it for longer than that then you may experience vaginal odor.

Wearing tight clothing and tight underwear

Putting on tight clothing does not allow your vagina to breathe which then leads to sweating which in turn causes vaginal odor.

Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight and you could also choose to sleep without underwear at night to allow your vagina to breathe.

Douching

Douching is basically washing out your vagina with water.

It is okay to want to stay clean but over washing down under could lead to a change of your pH levels of the vagina thus causing bacteria to manifest down there. The bacteria then causes infections which cause a bad smell down there.

Avoid douching as a way of keeping your vagina clean.