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Beauty and anti-aging specialist Manami Kuroda
Intestinal activity alone is not enough!? Synergistic effect with “vaginal care”

“Intestinal activity” is a big trend in both beauty and health. This term refers to lifestyle habits that improve the intestinal environment, such as incorporating fermented foods that have a positive effect on the intestines into your diet. Maintaining a good intestinal environment has been attracting increasing attention in recent years as it can relieve various physical ailments.

So, why is it good for the body to adjust the intestinal environment?

And did you know that the state of this intestinal environment also affects the vaginal environment, which is important for women?

This time, we will talk to Aimi Kuroda, a beauty and anti-aging specialist who advocates body building and anti-aging from the perspective of molecular nutrition, about the intestinal and vaginal environments and proper care.

“Intestinal environment” and “vaginal environment” are related

——The number of people who are interested in the intestinal environment for beauty and health is increasing. What does it mean to have a “good intestinal environment”? What kind of effects does a poor intestinal environment have on the body?

A state in which there are many good bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria and almost no bad bacteria that produce harmful substances in the intestine is said to be a good state of the intestinal environment.

The intestine is an organ that controls 60% of immunity. Therefore, when bad bacteria increases in the intestines and inflammation occurs, intestinal function declines and the immune system is weakened, resulting in increased susceptibility to diseases.

Additionally, if the intestine is no longer able to perform its original functions, digestion and absorption will be adversely affected, and not only will the intestines not be able to take in nutrients even if they eat, but the intestines will become inflamed due to the food they eat, and the performance of the body will decline. This involves organs called mitochondria that exist within the cells that make up our bodies. Mitochondria have the ability to create the energy the body needs from the nutrients it ingests, but when the intestinal environment is disrupted and inflammation occurs, this function is blocked and energy is no longer produced, causing the body's own function to slow down. That's what happens.

——Can the same thing be said about the vagina?

I agree. In the vagina, lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Daederlein's bacillus are resident, and by keeping the vagina slightly acidic (PH 3.8 to 4.5), it maintains a clean and healthy condition.

However, when the balance of normal bacteria is disrupted and bad bacteria such as candida become dominant, it becomes impossible to maintain a healthy condition, causing vaginitis, itching in the sensitive area, increased vaginal discharge, and strong odor. symptoms appear.

On the other hand, if you keep the vaginal environment in good condition, you can expect to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and improve problems in the delicate area, and it is said to have a positive impact on implantation and pregnancy rates.

One thing I would like to tell you here is that the intestines and vagina are adjacent to each other, so the resident bacteria come and go. Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy body, it is important that both the intestinal and vaginal environments are in good condition.

Daily care creates a healthy intestine and vagina

——Are there any effective treatments to improve the environment in the intestines and vagina?

What both have in common is avoiding habits that inhibit the activity of good bacteria, such as stress, lack of sleep, and lack of exercise.

If we look at the intestinal environment, it is greatly influenced by the food we eat, so it is important not to consume too many foods containing trans fatty acids such as sugar, wheat (gluten), dairy products, processed foods, alcohol, and snacks. Let's keep this in mind.

In the vaginal environment, wash the sensitive area thoroughly once a day to keep it clean. However, over-washing can have negative effects, so please use a mild soap suitable for sensitive areas.

In any case, if you force yourself to restrict yourself by saying, ``I have to do 〇〇,'' it will cause stress and ruin your care. We recommend incorporating it into your daily routine as long as it does not cause stress.

Make intestinal health and vaginal care more effective with self-care items

——Recently, there are many supplements and femme care items for sensitive areas, but are they effective?

If you use supplements and femme care items wisely, they will help maintain a good intestinal and vaginal environment.

For example, the "human stem cell culture fluid" included in KYO's "Beauty Charge -Femcare-" is a raw material used in regenerative medicine and is known to have a positive effect on cells (mucosal membranes), so it cannot be applied to the vagina. I think it can be expected to work on the vaginal mucous membranes, rejuvenate cells and improve immunity.

On the other hand, regarding supplements, it is recommended to supplement with B vitamins produced by good bacteria in the intestines, or take in the good bacteria themselves (probiotics) and the dietary fiber that feeds the good bacteria (prebiotics). Even when the action of good bacteria is weak, these nutrients can be supplemented, and it plays a role in supporting the intestinal environment.

However, some supplements that claim the same nutritional value may contain less of the desired ingredient, so instead of making a judgment based on the price alone, check the ingredient list to see if it contains any additives. . It is also a good idea to get a prescription from a clinic that provides nutritional therapy.

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Kuroda Aimi

After working in endocrine and breast surgery and anesthesiology at Tokyo Women's Medical University, she currently works as a beauty and anti-aging specialist. Based on our belief in "beauty and health from the inside and out," we pursue the "beauty and health of our patients" through both an approach to the outside appearance and an approach to the inside of the body based on preventive medicine and nutrition. ing. He was selected to represent Japan in triathlon, and is the author of ``51 Best Anti-Aging Diets and 26 Exercise Techniques Taught by an Athlete Doctor'' (Bugeishunju).

Official Instagram: https://instagram.com/kurodaaimi/
Official blog: https://ameblo.jp/kurodaaimi131/