Have you ever wondered why we are always talking about embracing our bodies but, never really talk about our... well you know our vaginas. Half of the time we don't even call it by its name because that's even awkward. I am here to make vagina conversations less of a taboo, perverted topic. We are going to be exploring our female reproductive system on the physical to a much deeper level. However, first I would like to talk about the issue we have in our community about talking about our womanly health.
(Sarah Baartman and Henrietta Lack will be feature below. If you don't know who they are click the link on their name.)
It's not a secret that the black woman's body has been exploited for a while. Sarah Baartman's "genitals [had been] in jars displayed at Paris's Museum of Man" for over a hundred years(BBCnews). Then you have Henrietta Lacks who had cervical cancer and her cells "are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research." (wikipedia); all the suffering these women went through and they nor their families reaped any benefits. The trauma our bodies especially our reproductive systems have been through from painfully being cut and chopped on to remove parts or all of our woman parts to being sexually assaulted during slavery to being put on display. There is no wonder we have a hard time talking about vaginas! Our history hasn't allowed us to take ownership of them. But women of yesterday suffered so, us modern women wouldn't have to. I'm going to tell you what your mama didn't!
In this video I explain our menstrual cycle and our female reproductive system.
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| https://www.medicine.com/topic/women-s-health-issues-vaginal-infections-and-pelvic-inflammatory-disease-vulvitis |
*Your labias protect your urethra, clitoris, and vagina
*Your urethra is where urine comes from. Ours are shorter than men's so, that's why it's alot easier for us to get UTIs
*clitoris is one of the most sensitive parts of your body
* Your Hymen is a thin piece of skin. They used to say that's how you could tell a woman was a virgin if it was still in tacked. But that is not true it can break alot of different ways.
It's important that we call our body parts the correct terms and understand their functions. I know it sounds alot better to call it a "cookie","snack", "box", "lotus bomb", or whatever you may call it. However, if we don't know the real names or we don't use them, our young girls get confused as to what's what. Which leads to feeling uncomfortable about talking about changes in their bodies and sexual assault. So now that we know the correct names and their functions let's talk about how to keep our reproductive organs healthy!
Daily Routine:
Did you know that a healthy vagina's pH balance is between 3.8-4.5? Here's a couple of things that will help keep you healthy and balanced down there:
- NO stuffing your vagina with flowers, herbs, douching or steaming .
- Allow your vagina to self clean it doesn't need any help
- Clean your labias and around your vagina with water or a mild all natural pH balanced cleanser (I make my own)
- DO NOT use any Summer's Eve products. They are trash! I know it's hard hearing because I grew up on it too!
- Make sure to urinate no more than 30 min. after sex
- Wear cotton underwear as much as possible
- Do not wear thongs often
- Go commando when you are in private especially at night time
- Keep hygiene wipes to freshen up when ever needed and when urinating
- Take a wash up after you take a poop, sex, working out, after changing a heavy period pad or coming off your period, when you get up in the morning, and before you go to bed.
- Exercise to increase your natural lubrication and blood flow
- Take caution with fast foods, red meats, sea foods, and strong foods such as apparagus, brussuel sprouts, too much garlic, too many onions. will let off a pugnant (not foul) odor in your vagina.
- DRINK WATER (you should be drinking 1/2 your body weight in oz. of water. Ex you weight 120 you should be drinking 60 oz of water.)
- You shouldn’t spray perfume or any scent down. Men are actually attracted to your natural scent as long as you are keeping your body cleansed and healthy
Sometimes we are being careful as we possibly can, but nothing is perfect. When your pH is out of wack, it lowers your immunity against infections and diseases. Symptoms of a vaginal infection include but not limited to pain during intercourse, constant, pain, or burning during urination, bleeding/ spotting, foul smell, swelling, bumps, abdominal cramps, and/or abnormal discharge. As embarrassing as having an STI, UTI, or vaginal infection may be, they are very common and it doesn't always mean that you are trifling.
" Vaginal infections are so common that nearly every woman will experience one at some point. (everydayhealth.com)"UTIs, yeast infections, boils, BV, chlamydia, gonorrhea are very common infections and are all curable. "Human Papilloma Virus affects about 80% of people"(mycleverlandclinic.org) and herpes complex-1 47% of people are the most common incurable infection. Most people don't know they have had HPV because our body's immune system kills the infection and never needs treatment; however, HPV can lead to cervical cancer if it stays in the body. Herpes complex -1is very manageable with proper knowledge and stress management. Again most people don’t even know they have it! Makes sure to get proper knowledge able infections/diseases because that are a lot of out-dated stigmas.
It's important to go to the doctor when you notice symptoms as well as getting checked in between every partner. As much as I am about that natural lifestyle, flowers and herbs aren't going to cut it here! Some infections/disease may be asymptomatic but, still spreadable. Untreated infections can spread to other organs and can completely damage them and your womb leading to infertility and make you more susceptible to other diseases and infections. Also"sexual activity, diaphragms for birth control, or sex toys, can push germs into the reproductive and urinary tracts." (digitalhealth) Which is why it's important to make sure that anything that is going into your body is clean. NO back to front activity. This includes in the bathroom and in the bedroom. This will ensure you get an infection! (Just in case you were wondering your butt has a higher pH and the ecosystem is different back there.) Don't be afraid to see that your partner has been checked by doctor as well and you know their status for STIs. As you can see there is alot to talk about with your partner before you engage in sex!
Besides the physical risks that you are taking with your partner, you have to be aware of the spiritual/ emotion risks that you are taking with him. Our wombs are not objects but, they hold on to things. We are like cars, when we are brand new, there no damage or miles. You may be a luxury car or a pick up truck. A Mercedes or a Ford. We can take a ding here and a ding there, and depending on your make and model we will be alright for a small price. It's those salvage situations we want to avoid. When you face a major collision, you may still be able to carry on, but you will always be broken inside. Also you want to keep in mind just like the car fax, you don't want too many taking you for a ride. Your soul holds on to every man that you lay down with. When a woman is with too many men, it can really mess with her spiritual health. You have a piece of each of their souls.
You want to think about what this man can bring to you years from now before you have sex with him. When you find someone that has been riding with you for a while, they aren't just going to give up on you because you are getting old. They know that they put the mileage on you; they know where you have been and they are going to see the value in you no one else can see. And they are going to be willing to work with you because they know you have been reliable and getting them from point A to B. I like to think of myself as a Honda: I'm nothing fancy, but I am loyal and durable.
Also ladies, along with us taking caution with our womb energy, we SHOULD NOT be having sex while are on our periods or while we're pregnant!!! And if you were to pick a time to dress modest it should be while your pregnant(no crop tops, going braless, pants unbuttoned, wear legging showing off you back side,etc.). Your period is a feminine time to yourself. There's nothing gross about your period, but it should be personal (including making sure you hide all evidence you are on it as much as possible.) As far having sex while pregnant that is perversion! You're having sex with a man and your baby? That is not a healthy, nurturing start for a child! And just for the sake of all these chaotic studies drink of ANY amount is NOT OK when pregnant.
When we know how to take care of our female reproductive systems from the inside out, we can find ourselves as women. We don't have to be ashamed of our bodies and ignorant to how they operate. We need to know more than how to seduce a man into our vagina's to make us feel validated. It's OK if someone did not tell you how to step into your womanhood. It's a modern age where we can be miles apart and still give our sistas a hand that the bedrock generations before us didn't have to give.
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