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Thursday 12pm - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

http://www.intimateecology.com.au/

Intimate Ecology - Moira Bradfield, 101 Wharf Steet, Gold Coast (2025)

29/10/2025

Think of your v&ginal pH as your internal microbial ecosystem warning signal.

When things are balanced, pH sits in an acidic range, usually between 3.8 and 4.5, thanks to your good bacteria (mainly Lactobacillus).
These microbes make lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, and keep the environment calm, moderated and unfriendly to troublemakers.

If your pH rises above 4.5 and stays there, it can signal a bacterial imbalance (dysbiosis).
Bacteria are the regulators of pH, when protective species drop, opportunistic species increase e.g.Gardnerella.

This usually accompanies a change to discharge, odour and comfort overall as the dominant bacteria produce their own metabolites and less effective acids.

A pH that’s in range but accompanied by thick, white, clumpy discharge or itch often points toward yeast overgrowth (Candida).
Fungal microbes can and do thrive when bacteria are imbalanced but in recurrent forms of thrush we see symptoms even when the bacterial environment is stable.

A single elevated reading might just reflect natural variation, maybe after s3x, new lube, or around ovulation.
But a consistently high pH (over several days or cycles) means your microbial community may need support.
That’s why tracking over time is key, you’re watching for trends and patterns and associations with activities, hormones and health.

During ovulation, estrogen rises and mucus production increases.
You might notice a slight, temporary rise in pH, this is normal and healthy in the absence of symptoms.
It helps sp3rm survive the journey.

We usually don’t track during menstruation, as blood temporarily raises pH and skews readings.

pH testing and tracking is a cost-effective, simple way to keep an eye on your internal environment.

It can help you spot shifts early, before symptoms appear, and understand how hormones, lifestyle, and treatment are shaping your v&ginal ecology. This means tou can act sooner and often prevent symptom flares.

Your v&ginal pH is feedback from your ecosystem.

Need support? Book with an Intimate Ecology practitioner for 1:1 intimate health support.

27/10/2025

Did you know Intimate Ecology practitioner Danni offers Pain Reprocessing Therapy? A wonderful therapeutic tool to support in chronic pain conditions like vulvodynia and UTI.

Listen as she discusses pain and nervous system traits. Is this you?

Pain is the brain’s way of signalling danger or perceived threat.

Traits like perfectionism, self-criticism and hypervigilance don’t directly cause pain but they can feed into that internal danger meter and keep your brain in a state of high alert.

When the brain is on constant alert, pain levels can be amplified even in the absence of structural damage.

Recognising these patterns is often the first step toward creating more internal safety and that’s what allows the nervous system to begin shifting out of pain.

If these traits sound familiar and you have been experiencing pain, you might benefit from Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

Link in Bio to bookings

24/10/2025

When your hormones start to find their balance, whether through natural regulation, hormonal support, or v&ginal/hormonal microbiome treatment, you might notice that your v&ginal discharge begins to follow a more predictable pattern. This is your body’s way of communicating hormonal rhythm and reproductive health.

Changes throughout the month are often completely normal.

V&ginal discharge can vary in thickness (viscosity), colour, odour, and texture depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle.

Knowing how your hormones shift can help you tell the difference between what’s healthy variation and what might suggest imbalance or dysbiosis (microbial disruption).

Follicular Phase (before ovulation)
As oestrogen rises, your cervix produces more fluid.
You might notice discharge becoming wetter, clearer, or slippery, sometimes like raw egg white.
That’s ovulatory mucus, designed to help sperm travel more easily (the body is efficient like that).

Luteal Phase (after ovulation)
When progesterone takes the lead, discharge usually turns thicker, creamier, or paste-like.
This isn’t pregnancy, it’s your body creating a gentle protective barrier just in case.

When things feel “off”
During ovulation, pre-bleed, and post-bleed, your vaginal environment naturally shifts. These are “sensitive windows” where microbes can fluctuate, too.

If you notice:
Grey, thin, or fishy-smelling discharge → may suggest bacterial imbalance
Thick, white, and clumpy → could hint at yeast overgrowth

These don’t always mean infection, but they do mean your vaginal microbiome deserves some attention.

Learn your rhythm
Every-body has its own pattern. Tracking your discharge helps you know what’s normal for you, and spot when something’s off before it becomes a problem.

24/10/2025

Ever wonder what hormones we test to support clinical decision making in v&ginal health care?

Hormones when assessed on the right day (in people with cycles) and in relation to the individual can be one of many useful tools to expand understanding in the clinical picture.

Yes, hormones change
Yes fluctuation is normal
That's why timing the test helps to define what ranges are normal.
When you have results, they need to be interpreted in relation to the cycle characteristics and length (for the cycle tested).

Teamed with good case taking, insight, discussion, pH tracking, discharge tracking, dryness and irritation tracking (and if needed companion testing e.g. microbiome), hormonal testing can shine a light on the "why" and inform clinical prescription.

Are you exploring hormones?

Need support. Book with an Intimate Ecology practitioner for holisitic 1:1 support.

21/10/2025

A 2025 randomized study of olive leaf tea in SIBO showed significant symptom improvements and 88% breath-test normalisation after 8 weeks (two cups/day).
Olive leaf phenolics, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol have antimicrobial and host-modulating effects, supporting a balanced gut microbiome and raising questions around impacts in other microbiomes.
Vaginal use is more experimental and inferred: there’s in-vitro activity against Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma, and some Candida species.

For clients with recurrent urogenital dysbiosis, I often use olive leaf extract in vaginal creams and oral herb mixes as a microbiome-modulating, adjuvant antimicrobial.
In-vitro data show inhibition of E. coli, other Gram-negative and gram positive bacteria, plus biofilm disruption and support for beneficial Lactobacilli.
While evidence for every vaginal opportunist (like Prevotella) is limited, its broad spectrum suggests potential to reduce microbial burden and restore healthy flora.

🔹 Broad in-vitro antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity
🔹 Supports beneficial taxa and balanced metabolism
🔹 Early evidence for Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma inhibition
🔹 Generally safe orally and well tolerated topically in formulation

Are you using Olive leaf for microbiome support?
Need help? Book with an Intimate Ecology practitioner today.

18/10/2025

GBS (Streptococcus agalactiae) isn’t just a problematic pregnancy bacteria.
• It can colonise the v&gina and urinary tract in non-pregnant people of all ages, often associated with clinical aerobic v&ginitis (AV) or recurrent UTIs.
• Many standard swabs ignore or under-emphasise GBS as "normal genital flora" unless pregnancy is noted, so “negative or normal” results are sometimes reported when something’s clearly off.

Why That’s a Problem
• GBS can cause burning, discharge, irritation, and urethral discomfort, all clinically meaningful presentations
• GBS can perpetuate low-grade inflammation, epithelial disruption, and recurrent dysbiosis especially after antibiotic courses that strip lactobacilli and don't consider recovery
• Persistent carriage may contribute to desquamative inflammatory v&ginitis (DIV) like presentations: elevated pH, inflammatory cells, low lactobacilli, and mucosal tenderness.
• Active infection may also ascending to the uterus driving inflammation and creating obstacles in future pregnancy scenarios

Why is pregnancy focussed on?
• In pregnancy, GBS colonisation is screened and treated because of risk to the neonate (sepsis, meningitis, preterm birth).
• But outside pregnancy, people often endure symptoms dismissed as idiopathic or psychosomatic, when GBS is quietly thriving.
• GBS can still wreak havoc on mucosal balance.

Clinical Relevance
• In non-pregnant adults, GBS has been linked to:
• Recurrent UTIs, cystitis, pyelonephritis (especially in postmenopausal women).
• Aerobic v&ginitis and DIV-like inflammatory states.
• Pelvic discomfort and prolonged post-antibiotic dysbiosis.
• Systemic infection risk in immunocompromised or diabetic patients.

Key Takeaways
• Assess culture results for clinical relevance
• Don't dismiss "normal genital flora" statements as normal especially if a gram stain shows gram positive cocci ++
• Evaluate with PCR or microbiome testing
• Support mucosal repair + Lactobacillus recovery post-treatment

Need support with v&ginal health?
Book with an Intimate Ecology practitioner today

16/10/2025

..

When I'm talking to people in clinic about their genitourinary health I ask about stress, work and daily life, in particular I ask about joy, is it present?
Do they like their work?
Do they like their partner?
Where are they finding joy in their lives? And what can they do to change that?
How do we create or observe small glimmers that offset bigger stresses.

It is a practice:
I find my glimmers of joy
*In the morning sun and breakfast on the deck
*Spinning a stick before I head into work for the day
*Excercise and movement
*Good food
*Family hugs and pet cuddles
*Crafting, drawing and sewing

I don't do everything everyday but I have non negotiables that permeate my life so even when there is stress my nervous system feels the joy these glimmers provide.

Dealing with vaginal and urinary issues can be hard, you worry, you stress, internalise and maybe even fight with partners. Finding joy in the small things may smooth the edges and create the space for optimisim and change.

Where are your glimmers?

16/10/2025

Chronic endometritis, low grade chronic inflammation of the uterine lining, often flies under the radar. It’s low-grade, frequently asymptomatic, and can persist undetected for years. It can have a profound impact on fertility.

This inflammation disrupts the endometrial environment right where embryos need to implant and thrive. Its akin to trying to plant seeds in soil that looks fine on the surface but is not great for growth underneath.

The vaginal microbiome acts as both gatekeeper and communicator for the upper reproductive tract. A Lactobacillus-dominant microbiome generally protects against ascending infections and inflammation. But when the balance shifts toward anaerobes like Gardnerella, Prevotella, or with other acute infections the risk of microbial ascent increases. These subtle imbalances can seed the endometrium, leading to chronic immune activation and altered cytokine signaling.

Resulting in reduced implantation rates, higher miscarriage risk, and that frustrating label: “unexplained infertility.”

If you've been told this or even worse “everything looks normal,” it might be time to look deeper, at the microbial relationships between the vagina and endometrium and consider inflammation in the endometrium itself.

Need support? Book with one of our microbiome specialist naturopaths today.

15/10/2025

You may think of the vaginal and endometrial microbiomes as separate ecosystems, but their proximity and shared regulation make them more like roommates sharing a wall. Both belong to the female reproductive tract microbiome continuum, yet each has its own micro-identity and immune tone.

Both are shaped by hormonal cycling, mucosal immunity, and sexual or reproductive activity. In health, Lactobacillus species dominate particularly: L. crispatus, L. jensenii, and L. gasseri, maintaining low pH and producing lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins for protection.

The vaginal microbiome is the frontline defender, dense, acidic (pH 3.8–4.5), and highly responsive to hormones, systemic health, and lifestyle.

The endometrial microbiome, though connected via the cervix, is a quieter, low-biomass environment. It’s less acidic (pH 6–7) and detectable only with ultra-sensitive tools such as qPCR, 16S rRNA, or metagenomic sequencing. It’s typically Lactobacillus-dominant but can include Bifidobacterium, Gardnerella, Cutibacterium, and, in imbalance, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, and anaerobes.

A Lactobacillus-rich endometrium supports implantation and pregnancy. Dysbiosis, however, can trigger inflammation, chronic endometritis, or fertility challenges.
Because of its low biomass, endometrial microbiome sampling demands care, contamination from the vagina is a known confounder. Some clinics use sterile catheter-based sampling; others assess menstrual blood, ideally paired with vaginal testing for context.
Supporting both microbiomes means considering their shared influences, the gut, hormones, immune tone, and mucosal resilience.

Naturopathic and holistic care can individualise this support, complementing or standing alongside standard interventions.

Ultimately, we’re not just “balancing bugs”, we’re restoring harmony across interconnected eco-niches.
Have you heard of the endometrial microbiome before?

04/10/2025

Recurrent thrush isn't always associated with a bacterial shift but when the bacterial microbiome is disrupted it needs to be considered in relation to:
Which microbes?
How are they creating risk?

Sometimes, when looking at patterns of recurrent thrush that are influenced by microbiome factors we are looking at 'chicken or the egg' scenarios. If there is a concurrent bacterial dysbiosis is it providing opportunity for Candida persistence and opportunity or vice versa? Relative abundance matter here (on microbiome testing).
Are there atypical microbes present that need to be addressed before Candida reduces? These could be fungal or bacterial.

Understanding v&ginal microbiome patterns, the characteristics and behaviours of specific microbes can help in identifying what needs to be adjusted to reduce Candida associated symptomatology and recurrence.

Have you explored the comprehensive microbiome?

Not long now before our RVVC webinar. This is a case based webinar for practitioners. October 14th 6pm AEST

Link in Bio.
# UTI

03/10/2025

Recurrent vulvov&ginal candidiasis (RVVC) is a frustrating and often life-disrupting condition, affecting up to 10% of of an at risk population. Standard antifungals may ease symptoms, but they don’t always address the microbiome imbalance and recurrence specifics.

Sometimes genetics are part of a bigger picture. Some people carry “non-secretor” variants of the FUT2 gene. This means they naturally produce fewer fucosylated glycans (like 2FL) in their secretions. These glycans normally act as prebiotics, supporting protective Lactobacillus species and strengthening mucosal defenses and immunity. Without them, the v&ginal environment may be more vulnerable to Candida persistence.
Supplementing with 2’-fucosyllactose (2FL), a prebiotic that mimics what secretors naturally produce, could help:

*Restore a lactobacilli-dominant v&ginal microbiome
*Strengthen epithelial barriers
*Balance immune signaling to reduce inflammation
While clinical data in RVVC is still emerging, this genetic microbiome link suggests 2FL might be especially relevant for those with non-secretor status. It represents a forward-looking strategy to personalise microbiome support in RVVC.

Join our upcoming practitioner webinar

We’ll explore in one of the four case studies presented how:

*Genetics influence risk via family history
*How HMOs like 2FL may help manage RVVC
*Practical insights for clinicians working with RVVC

Date: October 14th
Time: 6pm (Brisbane time)
Register via the link in bio

Intimate Ecology - Moira Bradfield

29/10/2025

27/10/2025

24/10/2025

24/10/2025

21/10/2025

18/10/2025

16/10/2025

16/10/2025

15/10/2025

04/10/2025

03/10/2025

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