How Going Vegan Cured My Recurrent BV
If you have ever struggled with BV—especially, persistent, recurrent, CHRONIC bv, you have probably tried everything.
And everything, to no avail.
I know because this was me. I am no doctor or medical professional, so, I don't know what went "wrong", but for some reason, during the years following childbirth, my ph balance just —for lack of better words, went wrong.
What is BV?
BV is an infection caused by having an imbalance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in the vagina—most commonly, affecting women ages 15 to 45. The cause of this is still unknown, oddly, but there are a LOT of varying factors that can cause this, such as:
Smoking
Improperly wiping
Douching
Although BV is not a STD, starting a sexual relationship with someone new, can upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina.
AND the one your doctor will not tell you most likely, but consuming meat and animal products.
Plus a host of other totally variable factors that are often difficult to pinpoint.
Women's vaginal issues are not jokes
I felt I had no one to ask because no one talks about this for this very reason. It's funny and common to make fun of women's vaginal issues. We hear and see it all the time. Plus, it was highly embarrassing due to the taboo nature of having any kind of issue with our vaginas. This has always been a way to make fun of, belittle and demean women. I didn't know who to ask, so, after years of my doctors trying every kind of antibiotic, my last doctor ultimately prescribed boric acid suppositories, and while that worked, I couldn't help but feel broken as a woman.
Why should I have to use boric ACID suppositories to maintain my body's natural ph balance? I would have to insert the suppositories every other day to keep things on track. This felt so off, but since it worked, I honestly felt relieved, but it still felt off. Why do I need to do this? Why isn't any doctor telling me what is really causing this? Why don't they know? Aren't they doctors?
In November of 2019, I went completely vegan
As far as my diet goes, I eliminated all meat, dairy and animal products—cold turkey in November of 2019. No pun intended. Not one of those doctors over the course years from 2014 until 2019 ever told me that I need to stop eating dairy products and meat.
I don't know who said this, but, your vagina is vegan even if you are not
I was honestly only looking forward to the physical benefits of being vegan, not really thinking of how this would transform my body internally. Early in 2020, I started to notice changes in different bodily functions and one being, the consistency of my discharge. I decided to stop using the suppositories to see if MAYBE anything had really changed regarding my chronic BV.
Before becoming vegan, if I would have stopped taking the suppositories even after 1 day, the BV would begin making its way back, but not this time! I thought I was imagining things (imagine having struggled with a condition for years, so imagine my disbelief), but I wasn't! I was not imagining this.
3 days had passed and no BV.
I let a week go by and still, no BV had returned.
2 weeks, 3 and then a month?!
All free and clear.
I was finally free and cured of BV. And it all started with me going vegan.
BV does not mean you are dirty or have bad hygiene
Please stop with the stank pussy jokes. Especially if you're a woman. It further aids in disgusting misogyny in this way. Plus, this could very easily be you. BV is a medical condition that is difficult to pinpoint and can be being caused by a number of different things and it doesn't mean you are dirty or that you don't take care of yourself. I knew then after that month that it was the change in my diet that caused this for me because nothing else about my life or things I consumed had changed. In 2017, I had separated from my husband, so I had no sexual partners. I take good care of myself, and I stay clean, so contrary to the ignorance regarding this topic, it had nothing to do with my cleanliness or hygiene.
I am now 8 months in as a vegan and completely free and cured of my chronic BV.
It has not returned. For this reason alone, I will never go back to consuming animal products again.
When I say I am vegan, I mean that I no longer eat any kind of meat, fish, turkey, poultry and nor do I consume milk or cheeses or any of its byproducts. So much has changed since eliminating meat and animal products from my diet. If you are like I was and struggling silently for years with chronic BV and you feel like you have tried everything, please consider going vegan or at LEAST try it to see how it goes for you. I would suggest going a few months to see how things change. Make it a challenge! Pay attention to your body. Write down your symptoms and the dates and keep track of what you consume. Drink lots of water and get good rest. That will give your body enough time to adjust and for you to notice any difference. You got this!
If you'd like an idea of the kinds of things I eat and feed my children as vegan or plant based, please subscribe to my email list to be notified when I post again! I will be making a post that includes a typical week or so of vegan meals I make for us and that we eat regularly.
What has been your experience with any of this? Any questions? I'll be happy to answer anything to best of my knowledge. Let me know in the comments!
Shani Aisha