Natural Remedies for Vaginal Dryness (Coconut Oil)
Vaginal dryness is a condition resulting from insufficient lubrication in the cervix. Oftentimes, this leads to inflammation and thinning of your vaginal walls. You will also experience itching, stinging, or burning sensation down there, which makes sex painful and uncomfortable.
Vaginal dryness, or vaginal atrophy in the medical world, is more common on women between 45 and 55 years old, which is also known as the menopause stage. An estimated 40 to 60 percent of menopausal women will experience dry spells along with itching, pain, burning and bleeding symptoms.
Even if vaginal dryness is common in older women, this doesn’t mean you are safe from this condition if you are below the age of 40. Even if you are younger than that, there is still a possibility you might experience vaginal dryness once in a while due to several factors, which you will learn more about in the next section.
When it comes to vaginal dryness, there is one factor playing a major role that led to this condition, It’s called estrogen. Estrogen is the hormone responsible for keeping your vagina well lubricated. Consequently, the vaginal lining is red, bright, plump, and moist. As you age, estrogen levels start to drop, causing changes in your body, including your vaginal area. This makes the vaginal lining drier, thinner, and less elastic, hence dry spell along with other menopause symptoms.
Does this mean ensuring normal levels for estrogen won’t cause vaginal dryness? Not necessarily.
Other causes of vaginal dryness are:
- Poor hygiene practices.
- Existence of medical conditions.
- Douching and soaps.
- Stress, anxiety, or depression.
- Lack of foreplay.
- An allergy from irritants.
Depending on the cause of dryness, here are some of the treatment options:
- Lubricant, which can be oil, water, or silicone-based.
- Use of vaginal moisturizers to help bring back the moisture down there.
- Herbal medicines that contain ingredients like wild yam and black cohosh to encourage lubrication.
- Vitamin E vaginal suppositories.
- Low-dose estrogen therapy such as vaginal creams, inserts or a vaginal ring.
- Hormone replacement therapy.
Eat more phytoestrogen foods such as tofu, soy and flaxseed.
natural oilsThese treatments have their corresponding pros and cons; however, nothing beats going natural when it comes to preventing vaginal dryness from messing up with your sex life. By going natural, this means use of natural oils.
Natural oils like olive, grape seed, and sunflower are good products that could help combat dryness and bring back moisture down south. Apparently, there is one type of natural oil that stands out in this category: coconut oil.
What’s with coconut oil that makes it extra special?
Coconut OilCoconut oil is made by pressing the fat from the coconut’s white meat. At least 84 percent of its calories came from saturated fats, which explains its ability to withstand high cooking temperatures and having a longer shelf life.
Before you react on the saturated fat, you should know that the oil’s saturated fat is made of medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs, which are known to boost good cholesterol, among others. This also explains why people who consume coconut, like the Tokelauans from South Pacific and Kitavans, are healthiest and with no evidence of heart disease.
Aside from its MCT content that helps improve your blood cholesterol levels, here are some of the evidence-based health benefits of this superfood from the Pacific:
- Increases your energy expenditure, thereby enabling your body to burn more fat.
- Kills harmful microorganisms such as virus, bacteria, and fungi.
- Reduces your hunger, which could positively affect your body weight in the long run.
- Helps you lose fat, particularly abdominal fat.
- Boosts brain function of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Here is the best part: aside from boosting your health, coconut oil could also be your skin’s best friend. The next section will tell you what this superfood can do to boost your skin’s vitality and health.
Here’s how coconut oil can help:
The antibacterial and antifungal properties of coconut oil help in targeting harmful bacteria causing yeast infections.
Coconut oil is a natural sweetener and could act as a sugar substitute that controls the growth of fungal yeast.
Acts as a barrier against sensitive, irritated skin.
It is also an antioxidant that effectively kills excess yeast and fungal overgrowth.
Particularly for older women, coconut oil menopause treatments are the natural approach. Here are tips to help stop and prevent that drought down south:
- Stay away from synthetic materials and go for cotton underwear to avoid irritation.
- Avoid scented or harsh soaps and cleansers when cleaning the area down there.
- Increase the amount of foreplay to encourage natural lubrication.
- Consider vaginal moisturizer to help bring back and maintain moisture and hydration down south.
- Use lubricant during sex to minimize pain and discomfort.
- Combat stress and keep it to its minimum.
- Say no to douche since it triggers more dryness and irritation.
Comments
I like the fact, that coconut is such a good thing,love coconuts,my mom used it a lot as a child,I will start using it for myself.