You probably already know that the most popular time of the year to catch a cold or come down with the flu is during the fall and winter seasons (if you want a brief rundown on the differences between a cold and the flu, you can check a list out here). However, were you aware of the fact that the flu virus actually moves, full speed ahead, right around October?
If you add to that the fact that late August thru late March/early April is when the common cold prefers to show all the way out the most, this is the perfect time to talk about what happens to your body whenever you catch a cold — oh, and to add a bit of “the more you know” to this piece, I’m going to also share what your vagina goes through whenever a cold decides to temporarily take over your body.
Why is this relevant? Well, the way I see it is, if whenever you find yourself getting sick, it seems like your vagina isn’t “at its best” either, you should know that it’s definitely not all up in your head. When your immune system is working in overdrive to get your viral infection under control, sometimes your vagina has to struggle (just a bit) to get through that.
And now that you know, for a fact, that oftentimes there really is something up with your “her” whenever you are under the weather, you can learn about what you can do to make dealing with a cold easier when it comes to your vagina — and, ultimately, you too.
What Happens to Your Body, Overall, When You Catch a Cold
GiphyIsn’t it wild that there still appears to be no cure for the common cold (that partly may be because there are over 200 different viruses that can give you a cold)? This means that if you happen to catch one, all you can really do is treat the symptoms and hope that it lasts closer to two days than two whopping weeks (which tends to be the sliding scale of how long a cold chooses to stick around).
And although I’m sure that you are very well aware of the fact that a cold brings with it things like coughing, congestion, and sometimes a fever, have you ever stopped to think about what is actually going on inside of your body when you have a cold?
From what I’ve read and researched when a cold-causing virus gets into your nasal passages/sinuses, it takes a couple of days for your immune system to get the message that something is up. Chemical messengers within your body, known as cytokines, are what put your immunity on notice. As your blood vessels start to swell up in order to fight off the virus/infection, that’s what causes congestion.
Then, as your white blood cells begin to get involved, that can lead to inflammation which sometimes results in things like a runny nose and cough. Some other things that can happen to you while you’re dealing with a cold are you may experience body aches, a sore throat, headaches, sneezing, and a fever.
What Happens to Your Vagina, Specifically, When You Catch a Cold
GiphyNow as far as what happens to your vagina while you’re dealing with a cold, the main thing that transpires is your blood vessels become wider in order to make way for more white blood cells to fight the virus. As a result, you may see an increased amount of vaginal discharge. On the flip side to this, if your cold ends up dehydrating you (which isn’t uncommon), that could result in you experiencing a noticeable level of vaginal dryness.
Also, something else to keep in mind is, that if you are stressed out a lot, that can actually make you more susceptible to catching a cold, and if stress is your “cold culprit,” that can significantly increase your chances of having a yeast infection — and both at the same time is the absolute worst.
Now, here’s where it really gets kinda wild. Although it makes no sense to take an antibiotic for a cold (because antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viral ones; you can read more about that here and here), if you do end up with a yeast infection and a cold at the same time, the antibiotics could end up throwing off your vagina’s pH balance even while treating the yeast overgrowth; unfortunately, that could still lead to some level of vaginal irritation.
Oh, and as far as antihistamines and decongestants that you may be taking to treat your cold? Those typically will narrow your blood vessels, even in your genital region, which can also result in vaginal dryness. The same goes for any sedatives that you may take to make it easier to sleep more soundly while you’re healing from your cold.
It should also go on record that certain cold medications can come with side effects like rashes, redness, and itchiness — and that could include your vagina and/or vulva. Yeah, like I said, your vagina and vulva are not always or automatically exempt from the cold that you may be experiencing.
How to Soothe Your Vagina While You Have a Cold
GiphySo, even if you can’t cure your cold, is there anything that you can do to either lower the chances of your vagina experiencing all of what I just mentioned or make the symptoms far more bearable? Indeed, there is.
Consume probiotics and vitamin D.
As far as preventative measures go, something that you and your vagina need are probiotics and Vitamin D. Probiotics are dope because they help to fill your gut with the good bacteria that it needs to fight viral infections (you know, since 80 percent of your immunity is in your gut, to begin with) and vitamin D is awesome because it helps to make your immunity “activate” quicker; plus, it helps to prevent viral infections from transpiring in the first place.
As far as your vagina goes? Probiotics decrease the chances of your pH balance being thrown off (which could lead to a yeast infection) while vitamin D reduces the risk of vaginal-related infections as it also helps to decrease vaginal dryness.
Hydrate.
Since having a cold can cause you to lose fluids and electrolytes (including in your vaginal region), it’s wise to drink more water and orange juice while you have a cold. Not only will that help to replenish what has been lost, but it can also help to flush out toxins. Plus, orange juice contains a lot of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help strengthen your immunity. By the way, other drinks like a turmeric latte or matcha tea can help your immune system to get to a better place as well.
Take (and apply) some flaxseed oil or grapefruit seed extract.
As far as vaginal dryness goes, something else that you can do is take some flaxseed oil as a supplement and/or apply it directly to your vulva. Not only will it provide moisture to both your insides and “outsides” without any chemicals, but there are also properties in flaxseed that help your skin retain its pH balance.
Oh, and if you gargle with some grapefruit seed extract, that can fight your viral infection up top, while if you add a bit of it to your vulva (with the help of a carrier oil), that can help to rid your vulva of any cold-related germs down below.
Use a lubricant.
If you’re the only one who is sick, it’s probably best that you try and steer clear of your partner as much as possible because colds are hella contagious. However, if you’re both on the icky side yet you can muster up the energy, sex can give you the kind of endorphin boost that will help you to feel better while orgasms can temporarily clear up your congestion (just sayin’).
That said, since oils and latex don’t exactly get along if you do have some vaginal dryness going on and flaxseed isn’t going to work for you personally, try a silicone-based lubricant — just to get you over the hump (umm, so to speak). Because even if a cold has the rest of you feeling kind of blah, at least your vagina can get a bit of a pick-me-up, right? Yeah…that’s what I’m sayin’. LOL.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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Using the same material from the interior of the Volvo EX90, Hudson crafted a wool-blend car coat and waistbelt that combine the vehicle’s Scandinavian design with his signature tailoring and intention. The exclusive collection launched on October 20, and each piece is made-to-order by Sergio Hudson Collections.
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In October, I traveled to Charleston with a group of journalists to get a firsthand look at Hudson and Volvo’s location. During a fitting, Hudson said his goal is to make “great work that can stand the test of time.”
“People can look back on and say, ‘I remember when Sergio did that collaboration with Volvo,’” he continued. “Thinking about aligning yourself with classic brands that speak to where you want to go. And I think that's what this collaboration kind of means to me and my business.”
Hudson pinpoints his mom as the biggest influence for his designs. This collaboration was no different.
“This particular coat reminded me of the swing coats that my mom used to wear in the early 90s. You know, diva girls in the early 90s had Sandra suits,” he said, referring to Jackée Harry’s character in 227. “My mom wore those and she would have these matching swing coats to go over them. And that's where the initial idea came. This would be around the same time that we had our Volvo. So she would put on her suit, her swing coat, get in that red Volvo, and go to church.”
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With this capsule and beyond, Hudson wants to see more staples rotating in and out of closets this fall. He advises fashionistas to build her closet out with essentials to mix and match that aren’t just stylish but also sustainable.
“It's just those special pieces,” he said. “You can wear the same shirt and pants every day and nobody will notice. But if you have a special boot, a special coat, a special bill, a special bag, that kind of speaks to everything that your style stands about, that is something you should focus on.”
These are the same kind of staple pieces that return to our Pinterest boards and TikTok feeds season after season. Fast fashion has never been Hudson’s aim. “I'm trying to create a special pieces that can stand the test of time,” he said in his warm, Southern accent. “I'm only creating those kind of pieces from here on out.”
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For Hudson, this collaboration is revolutionary. It’s his first time working with a car company and experimenting outside of his wheelhouse in this way.
“This is a Scandinavian brand, and, you know, it's 70 years old. I'm an African-American boy from South Carolina that has had a brand for 10 years. So I think bridging those two worlds and seeing the similarities was the beauty of this project,” he explained.
Though Hudson and his partner and CEO of Sergio Hudson Collections Inga Beckham have made massive strides in just 10 years, Hudson said the industry is far from where he wants to see it when it comes to Black representation. He pointed to how few Black designers were at this year’s Met Gala despite the theme being Black dandyism.
“The fact that I dressed 18 people speaks to how many of us weren't there,” he said. He implored more of industries, fashion and beyond, to collaborate with Black designers often.
“Allow mentorship. Allow funding. Allow great design to shine through,” he implored. “When it comes to being a designer of African descent, when you can't get the funding that your counterparts have, you can't compete. When you get opportunities like doing a collaboration with Volvo, or you get opportunities to be at the Met Gala, that's putting us on the equal playing field, but really the funding behind it is what we need to take it to that desk level.”
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