Gwyneth Paltrow says steam your vagina, an OB/GYN says don’t

Reblogging this because, well, read for yourself. Don’t do this!

Dr. Jen Gunter

On today’s episode of ask the experts we pit the gynecologic advice of Gwyneth Paltrow, a consciously uncoupled actress and self-professed lifestyle expert who dabbles in vaginal health, against that of yours truly, a board certified OB/GYN who has completed a 5 year OB/GYN residency and a fellowship in infectious diseases and is an expert in vulvovaginal disorders.

Ms. Paltrow, recommends a V-steam. Her words:  “You sit on what is essentially a mini-throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus, et al. It is an energetic release—not just a steam douche—that balances female hormone levels. If you’re in LA, you have to do it.”

My response: Don’t.

Here’s why.

The vagina (and uterus and vulva for that matter) should be viewed as self-cleaning ovens. We know that douching is harmful, heck, even seminal fluid can be harmful (exposure to multiple partners without condoms is…

View original post 765 more words

New Header

R took the above photo of one of our wild cherry trees back in May. I finally got around to changing out the snow-covered windmills today. So, Happy Spring!

Randomocity for You

So, I was thinking of writing a Words in Progress post today. There have been words and they are progressing. But then I got distracted by Karen’s shiny post about herself and decided to play along. 25 random things about me is the meme. Here’s what I came up with (although some I stole from Karen because I’m kind of lazy).

1. My first drafts are almost always handwritten.
2. I’ve lived in 15 different places (7 states).
3. I’ve lived longer in the place I live now than anywhere else in my life. (just did the math on that; wow, I thought it was just my adulthood)
4. I worked for years as a veterinary technician.
5. I like fast cars. Shiny fast cars.
6. I’ve only owned one, though. It’s still my favorite car, long ago that it was. (a black T-bird named Phaedrus)
7. My current car is a 19 year-old Jeep named Clayton. Yes, I name my vehicles.
8. I’ve considered myself a feminist since I was 15. (35 years now!)
9. I love genealogy. So many stories. (My aunt who attended Mt. Holyoke College in the 1850s. My grandfather who was an Orphan Train rider. My great-grandmother, the piano prodigy, who was forced to marry a man 20-some years her senior instead of going to music school. I have dozens.)
10. Both of my parents are the children of immigrants.
11. My cd and record collection is kind of huge.
12. I’m a Cancer. And married to a Aries. Yes, we are both stubborn and cranky in our own ways. I’m not sure astrology has anything to do with that, though.
13. I like spiders. And snakes.
14. My other grandfather was a pianist for a silent movie theater. (see? So many stories)
15. I’ve seen the Northern Lights twice and want to see them some more.
16. I used to volunteer at the Marine Mammal Center when I lived in the Bay Area.
18. I would totally go on a vacation to the moon. (or anywhere in outer space)
19. I have a fondness for Existentialism. (I’m a Whedon fan–kinda goes with the territory)
20. Someday, I want to have a successful enough garden, it produces all the veggies and fruit we need.
21. I support psychedelic research, although I’ve never actually tripped.
22. I love ancient cultures and tribal societies. (well, historic stuff, in general)
23. Yet, I’m just as fascinated with artificial intelligence and future science.
24. I watch at least 2 movies a week, more often than not.
25. I’m always on the lookout for the next perfect pop song. (which very rarely syncs up with what’s actually popular)

Pacific harbor seal in recuperation pool at the Marine Mammal Center. Photo Credit: The Marine Mammal Center (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Your Ft Will Adore The nike jordan Sneakers and revel in the Come upon

I was feeling kind of relieved that there had only been one spam comment this week (plus a little lonely, I’ll admit that), given the number there were last week. That was just getting ridiculous.

 

Ah, but this was waiting in my inbox today. The title of the post was the first sentence of this masterpiece. The body of it is below. Thank you, G, for all this useful information. I did not know that shoes typically slim down as they achieve toes.

 

Listening to one’s body is paramount good final results factor in any sports functions. In the event that your feet tend for being weeping throughout the footwear for a end result of pain, it really is more probable you will not be in the position to give your greatest over-all performance tomorrow. For that reason, as a way to receive in sporting actions, aside with the sports activities expertise as well as abilities, the two ingrained and created, you have to put on the very best sneakers. Come across out a lot more on how the excellent shoe might be admired on account of your toes.? Ankle joint: The actual ankle sports ths best bone tissue in the toes : calcaneum. Here is the bone during which props up the total bodyweight through the total body in advance of relocating this out edge in the toes. Your foot is extremely delicate portion along using the footwear ought to suit properly without having snugly hugging the particular ankle. Considering that foot accidental injuries are becoming common in the course of athletics, the correct choice connected with sneakers or boots could assistance in reducing these.? Midst area of ft: The foremost the key ft is created by your ankle joint towards the commence from the ft, that’s exactly the same form as the arc. As a result offering the bottom for the foot improvement so it helps throughout adjust in pounds through the ankle joint on the floor over the exterior boundary. Essentially the most cradling together with the footwear occurs the next and then the thickness of the place demands to be considered pertaining to experienceing the appropriate fitting.? Toes and fingers: Your toes are very susceptible along with vital components. Typically shoes slim down as they achieve toes, thus resulting in the toes and fingers being capable of quickly pull in direction of the opposite. This might result in skin ailment in addition to other microbial bacterial infections inside the webbing between each and every established of foot.? Examiner: Many athletics people have fatigued bottoms for that reason the stroll fit shoe inserts from the sneakers might be capable of soak up the actual humidity formed.? Skin coloration: Skin knits and allows out sweat also as junk issue, thanks to the sebaceous glands inducing the ft to get oily. The pad can take in these things and also dry swiftly. The nike jordan need to be your own personal favourate golfing ball participant,one among the most genous hockey participant,You can in no way forget about this kind of retailer,our organization provides a budget nike jordan sneakers offering on-line,reduced value nike jordan hockey sneakers from suppliers,lower cost jordan baseball sneakers for guys, for ladies,low-cost jordans sneakers or boots low charge,and all of the footwear is Cost-free postage. G.

Ankles! (Photo credit: pjf@cpan)

Well, That Turned Out Well…

The Preditors & Editors Poll results came out today. A lot of Candlemark & Gleam folks did quite well, and I was tickled to see that Substitution Cipher came in at number 11 on the list of best anthologies. Just shy of the top ten, which is quite exciting for a newb such as myself. So, thanks to everyone who voted for it! I and all the other authors really appreciate it.

Did you vote in the P&E poll? What did you think of the results? What are some of your favorite books of 2012? Let me know in the comments, and you could be the lucky winner of an electronic copy of Substitution Cipher, just cuz. Well, this is my hundredth post on this blog. Why the hell not?

I’ll pick the winner on Sunday, January 13 January 20 (c’mon, M, learn how to read a calendar). And if you already own a copy? Thank you! Please spread the word.

Why, WordPress, why? Photograph of President Truman and others with their backs turned to the camera, looking out a window near the summit… – NARA – 199297 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Weekly Linkroll

It’s been a contemplative weekend. I’ve been working on 2082, which I want to talk about, I think, at some point. There’s another Outsider post brewing. And I redid the blog design here. Enjoying the sunshine today, too (well, I was; it’s clouded over again since I started writing this). Three out of the last four days have been sunshiny. This is unusual in the winter in New England. Usually it’s GREY ALL THE TIME! So, yeah, that’s been nice.

WordPress suggested this illustration based on what I’ve written so far. It’s the burning of Columbia, South Carolina, February 17, 1865, by General Sherman’s troops. Your guess is as good as mine on that.

Anyway. It’s time to share my favorite links of the week. Hopefully, you find something you like, as well. And if you have some to share, please do in the comments.

So what do we have…

Truth really is stranger than fiction
From Women and Words: try to write a fictional story about any of these true ones. Now those are some prompts!

3 Steps For Creative Writers to Tell it Slant
The Artist’s Road’s suggestions for more showing and less telling. I always have to work on this.

Why I Don’t Give Writing Advice
Natania Barron’s thoughts on writing and success.

The Best Videos of 2012, From People Who Have the Best Taste in Videos
Kasia Cieplak-Mayr von Baldegg at The Atlantic called on her favorite video-watchers to share their favorites with her. I’m still working my way through them. Impressive!

Intention vs. Reality: Why BMI Is Not Just a Tool
Heina at Skepchick takes on a CSI article by Ben Radford on the dreaded BMI where he states that it’s just a tool and is never misused to shame people. Yeah, right. Good information. And no, I’ve never been a fan of CSI (or CSICOP, as they used to be called), so this article doesn’t surprise me. They are debunkers, not true skeptics. There’s a difference.

27 Science Fictions That Became Science Facts In 2012
“We may never have our flying cars, but the future is here. From creating fully functioning artificial leaves to hacking the human brain, science made a lot of breakthroughs this year.” From Buzzfeed.

So, the Sun Came Out

and lit up the ridge across the valley from my house. Those windmills just started turning last week. I’m not one of those Vermonters who thinks they’re destroying the beauty of the ridgeline, so not.in.my.backyard. I think they’re cool, and they look really neat in the snow.

2012 was a mixed bag for those of us living at what used to be Rancho Felis Domesticus. No more living kitties running around, but in my dreams those ghost cats are all over the place. So, perhaps a new name for the place is in order. Suggestions welcome. (What’s the Latin for ghost cats?)

In that regard (and for a lot of other reasons) 2012 can be gone anytime. But, holding that first book in my hands? Holy cow. That was–is–something pretty cool. So the year wasn’t a complete failure. Pretty freaking exciting, to be honest.

This blog is another good thing of 2012 and I hope it continues that way. I’m amused that more people visited my blog this year than climbed Mt. Everest, or so says WordPress in the year-end summary that it sent me. Interesting stat to pick.

Here’s hoping for more happy stuff like that in 2013 for all of us. Happy New Year!

Bullets

• Zed’s Story is with my alpha reader. The submission deadline has been extended. I am content … for now.
• Book review coming up next week as part of the latest Novel Publicity Whirlwind Book Tour.
• Favorite spam of the week: “Thanks for the good writeup. It in reality used to be a leisure account it. Glance complicated to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we keep up a correspondence?”

I’m especially taken with the phrase “glance complicated.” A quick google image search on that phrase gives us this pretty picture to close out today’s post.

Just A Note

I may have received my favorite spam comment on this blog, so far. All the text was in Cyrillic (which I can’t read), except for two words: Peacocks and Bam!
I’m sad I’ll never know more about the exploding peacocks of eastern Europe and Asia

Peacock (Photo credit: JeanM1)

.

Of Writing and Sea Life

Why do they call it floundering? You know what I mean. That point in a project (or maybe your life) where you’re struggling. Struggling to finish it, struggling to find the point. Going from one thing to another with no real clear mark to shoot for.

I’m at that stage with this latest short story I’m working on. Many pages written; more than half the words I’m allowed for this submission I’m aiming at.

And yet, I’m floundering.