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My Vaginal Health Was Out Of Wack Until I Made This Change To My Diet
Here I go talking about vaginas again…
But I love my vagina.
It's one of the ways I feel tapped into my feminine power as a woman and I appreciate it for what it is able to do and what it is made to do. However, for most of my adult life, I've struggled with maintaining the overall health of my vagina, beginning with bouts of bacterial vaginosis, or BV, that would occur roughly twice a year. I'd be prescribed antibiotics for seven days, followed by a 24-hour tablet to treat the yeast infection that followed because of the harsh antibiotic regimen, and I'd be healthy for about six months and then it would start all over again.
I always heard from my doctor at the time that BV was very common among sexually active women--and it is. Prevalence of BV cases amongst women between the ages of 15 and 49 is said to be around 21.2 million per year. What exactly is BV? Bacterial vaginosis is an infection that can be a result of sexual activity but is not sexually transmitted. In fact, this form of infection is often caused by the naturally occurring bacteria in the vagina becoming unbalanced in some sort of way, creating symptoms like abnormal odor, itching, burning, or discharge. About 84% of women experience no symptoms at all.
Within the last year or so, I realized that my recurring BV was becoming even more common, and I could not for the life of me understand why I had to lie on the examination table with my legs up, patiently awaiting that speculum over and over again. It seemed like everything disrupted my pH balance: soap, sex, periods – everything. It was embarrassing and it made my excitement for sex dampen just a little. In its last appearance, I decided to get a second opinion, because I felt that pumping my body full of antibiotics and depleting my vagina of its good and bad bacteria to the point of a yeast infection was not a good move and would be an even worse move if I developed a resistance towards the medication.
I decided to look up a holistic gynecologist center in Atlanta and see if they had any opinions on the matter. My doctor there had one: cut the sugar. It surprised me that I had never heard that suggestion before by my previous doctor, especially after the initial visit stemmed into several visits intended to clear up my recurring infections. Sugar was the culprit.
It promoted bad bacteria while disabling my body's ability to ward off bacteria from entering my vagina. This is also why my pH balance was always out of whack and whenever it would become unbalanced, my body could not work to stabilize it. Thus, hello disruption of my normal flora and hello bacterial vaginosis.
My doctor gave me a list of suggested foods to help bring my vagina back to a state of happiness.
Here is an example of the low to no sugar grocery list I try to abide by when stocking up every couple of weeks:
Some of these items are mainstays and are always in my pantry or in my freezer to have on hand, but when I grocery shop for myself, I typically go with the two protein/veggies/fruit, eggs, Greek yogurt, and granola rule. It's a great way to keep my budget in check and I can mix, match and add variety to what I keep on hand to cook at home.
In addition to eliminating sugar, I was told to add a probiotic to my daily supplement intake (kind of pricey, but so awesome). I had to say goodbye to sugar and as someone who is pretty addicted to the addictive substance, it was hard, but what is helping me is getting rid of it slowly. I have a pretty toxic relationship with sodas, but I do my best to get my sweet tooth fix in other ways, for example with fruit. When you're used to living a life on the go and grabbing whatever's easiest to eat, on top of drinking caffeine as a means to counteract your lack of sleep, a difference in diet can be a soft shock. However, I'm loving the more awake I feel throughout the day and how healthy and happy my vagina has been these past few months. No harsh meds necessary.
Keeping that grocery list in mind, below are some easy, simple dishes that are quick, healthy, and most of all: low on sugar.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner for beginners, you ain't even know…
Yogurt Breakfast Bowl
One of my favorite ways to start the day is with a filling breakfast and I've found that one of the best ways to do that is with a yogurt bowl. I love yogurt bowls because the added ingredients counteract the tartness of Greek yogurt. And yes, in order to get the full breadth of its benefits, you must go with Greek - plain Greek to be exact. It might be very tempting to gravitate towards Chobani brands of yogurt where the fruit and its syrup is already in the container or the Yoplait fruit flavored varieties, but those psuedo healthy options are chock full of added sugar, diminishing much of the health benefits of eating yogurt. So if you're going to start your day off with yogurt, do it right and go plain Greek. Get your sweetness from the fruits you decide to add.
Avocado & Strawberry Arugula Salad w/ Poppyseed Dressing
Salad dressing is typically a very unhealthy way to consume a very healthy eating alternative. It usually has a lot of fat and sugar and for that reason, I typically stray away from the ones on the aisles and either do a balsamic vinegar or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. For a recipe like this, however, poppyseed dressing is usually my dressing of choice. Most poppyseed dressings can contain as much as 1/3 cup of sugar, if not more. So I tend to go this route when dressing my fruit salad. If being a mixtress in the kitchen with your dressing isn't your thing, find a dressing at your market and compare labels to pick the lesser sugar demon.
Spaghetti Carbonara
After a long day at work, I'm hardly the person who wants to cook an elaborate meal. Spaghetti carbonara is one of my go-to meals because it's quick and easy. White pasta has more sugar than whole wheat pasta due to its refinement process, so if you're trying to get even more health points, reach for whole wheat in the pasta aisle for this recipe.
What are some of your favorite holistic ways to keep your body in check? And which of these recipes do you want to give a try? Share below!
Featured image by Getty Images
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This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
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Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
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When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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