We’ve been chatting with Kathie Bishop, Medical Herbalist and founder of Into the Wylde, all about thrush and the benefits of organic cotton for thrush. Kathie specialises in helping women with recurrent thrush.
Do you ever suffer from irritation or bouts of thrush, for it to clear and then to find it repeats again within the month? There are lots of things that can increase your chances of getting thrush, one of these being your underwear. so, let’s talk all about thrush.
What can trigger thrush?
“Many of the women I speak to have their own individual triggers for getting a thrush flare-up. But, there are several magic keys that seem to affect all women who experience recurrent thrush. This may come as a surprise, but underwear is often one of them.
In the 21st century, we’ve got so many options to cover our nether regions with. There’s sexy but often scratchy synthetics. Then there’s hold-in-all-bumps shape-wear and never-let-you-down big comfy pants. However, if you suffer from thrush regularly I would always recommend sticking with organic cotton and wearing cotton only as a minimum.”
Let’s talk about thrush…
“Thrush is caused by a fungal overgrowth in the vagina. In most cases, this overgrowth is Candida albicans. Candida normally lives happily side-by-side with your naturally occurring bacterial colony in both 70% of people’s digestive system and vaginas. When something triggers its overgrowth, it’s this which causes the classic symptoms of thrush. These symptoms include itching, irritation, soreness. Another symptom is white discharge, which is classically described as being like cottage cheese with a yeasty smell.
If this is the first time you have had thrush please go to your GP to get it diagnosed. This will ensure that it’s actually thrush you are suffering from. If your symptoms are like the above but differ slightly, I strongly recommend also going to see your GP, as you may be suffering from something different. Differentiations could be things such as a fishy smell or grey/green discharge. Don’t be afraid to go to your GP! It’s much better to get it treated the right way.”
So, how can I help prevent thrush?
“As thrush is a fungal infection it thrives on warm, damp environments. And this is where organic cotton comes in.
Organic cotton is a natural fibre, coming from an organically grown cotton plant. Natural fibres have a low chance of irritating the skin.
As a natural fibre, organic cotton is also breathable. This means it allows airflow between its weave. It is also wickable, meaning it helps to take moisture (wick) away from the skin. Both factors make organic cotton the perfect choice to use when you tend to suffer from recurrent thrush, as it helps keep a damp environment as fresh and dry as possible.
Organic cotton has been grown with a lack of artificial chemicals. This means that the refined cotton thread and the final items are free of any potentially irritating and detrimental pesticides, which could affect delicate and possibly already inflamed intimate skin. Organic period care is also pH neutral and free from disruptive perfumes or dyes.”
“Love your lady garden, love mother earth”…
“And then there’s the environment. Love your lady garden, love mother earth, right? Organic farming has multiple benefits for the environment. These include reducing soil erosion, respecting soil structure, reduced carbon footprint compared to non-organic, respecting water conservation and encouraging biodiversity. And these benefits are seen in the medium-to-long term too. So making the choice of organic cotton is not only a good choice for your intimate health, but good for our planet as well!”
A huge thank you to Kathie for this eye-opening and informative blog! You can follow Kathie on Instagram here and access her website here.” Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us here!
