Contrary to popular belief, pineapple and cranberry juice don't change the taste of vaginal fluids. And thank God they don't, or else a partner would be tasting your pizza or garlic leftovers from the previous evening.

Besides staying hydrated and avoiding harsh soaps, there are a couple things that I have found to be effective. First off, you can buy vaginal pH test strips. I prefer the ones designed specifically for this task, as they come with a convenient handle. A normal vaginal acidity is between 3.8 and 4.5. Anything more alkaline could indicate bacterial vaginosis, menstruation, etc. Even sperm can temporarily make the microbiome more alkaline, so consider that too. It's one of the first clues that something could be awry.

So, if you discover a problem, again, many solutions. One-off bacterial vaginosis can be fixed with oral or gel antibiotics, but that's not good for "maintenance."

A healthy vaginal microbiome is primarily strains of Lactobacillus, so I prefer suppositories with a diverse blend of Lactobacillus. Suppositories are favored over oral here because oral has mixed literature on the effects impacting the vaginal microbiome.

Boric acid (stronger) or vitamin C (weaker) suppositories are great ways to quickly add acidity based on test strip results, but never take boric acid orally (it's toxic, your gastrointestinal system isn't designed for it). I can explain in great detail why this is, but basically, the acid stays local there and creates a beneficial environment for the user.