Staying up late at night taking care of the kids, coupled with erratic hot weather can spell troubles for women when it comes to gynaecological health.
From lifestyle habits to poor hygiene and diet, we explore a common issue of Leucorrhoea (or vaginal discharge) in women as well as how the consumption of cold foods could aggravate the condition.
What is Leucorrhoea?
Normal Leucorrhoea involves a flow of an often milky white discharge that is odourless from a woman’s vagina.
Known as physiological leucorrhoea, this condition may be normal especially before and after menstruation, mid-menstruation or as pregnancy advances. The purpose is to moisturise the vulva and defend against external evils.
Young girls too can also experience milky white discharge due to factors such as hormonal imbalance due to severe mental stress and trauma.
Other contributing factors:
- Improper vaginal hygiene
- Following improper diet and lifestyle during menstrual cycles
- Excessive intake of oily, spicy and unhealthy junk food
- Drinking alcohol and smoking
- Overindulgence in sexual activity
However, depending on its severity, leucorrhoea could also be a sign of infection.
More Severe Leucorrhoea Observed in Gynaecological Diseases
One could experience itching at the vagina, chest tightness, dry mouth and throat, poor nutrition, pain in lower abdomen among others.
A milky white discharge is considered normal, but could also be a sign of infection with a significant increase in colour or quality. Photo: iStock
The leucorrhoea could present itself as a foul-smelling discharge with a significant increase in colour (such as yellowish and greenish-looking) and quality. In this case, it is known as pathological or inflammatory leucorrhoea.
In broad terms according to Chinese Medicine, it refers to obstetrics and gynaecology disease.
The heavy and abnormal discharge are could be signs of vaginitis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, gynaecological tumours among other diseases.
What Complicates Leucorrhea?
According to local Chinese medicine practitioner Ji Huijun in an interview with ‘Living Well’, most leucorrhea abnormalities are caused by infections or inflammations.
The lack of nutrition, frequent late nights, stress and poor immunity can easily allow bacteria to invade the human body, causing infections.
They include:
- Trichomonas vaginitis
- Fungal vaginitis
A woman who has fungal vaginitis for instance, will observe a thick leucorrhea that looks like curd or tofu residue.
And partly due to the following, among other reasons:
- Usage of an intrauterine device (IUD)
- Cervical polyps
- Cervical cancer
Photo: iStock
Cold Foods and Leucorrhoea
Apart from bacteria infection causing leucorrhoea to increase, Dr Ji said that frequent consumption of cold foods could also worsen the condition.
These cold foods include (not exhaustive):
- Ice cream
- Shaved ice
- Watermelon
- Pineapple
- Pear
- Tomato
The disease is said to be caused by damp toxin accumulation due to spleen and kidney dysfunction.
These cold foods exacerbate the disease by damaging the spleen and stomach functions as well as yang, causing it to obstruct water metabolism.
The accumulation of too much moisture and water in the body will aggravate the leucorrhea problem.
How to Prevent Leucorrhoea?
To prevent Leucorrhoea from worsening, here are some tips by Dr Ji:
- Pay attention to personal hygiene: keep the vulva clean and dry, and change underwear frequently.
- Improve immunity: ensure proper nutrition and engage in exercise to reduce the chance of getting sick.
- Keep to a light diet of less greasy, high-calorie foods
- Consume more fresh vegetables and fruits: intake of fibre and nutrients to maintain smooth bowel movements, and pay more attention to drinking water to prevent urinary tract infections (UTI).
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