12 ‘healthy’ hygiene habits that are actually bad for you

Gynaecologists everywhere agree that douching isn’t exactly recommended for your vaginal health. Wendie A. Howland, principal of Howland Health Consulting, tells Reader’s Digest that douching disturbs the normal pH and washes out beneficial bacteria, leading to an array of possible infections. A study from Environmental Health even found that douching products increase your exposure to harmful chemicals called phthalates, which can disrupt your hormones, increase your risk of chronic disease, and lead to reproductive problems down the line.