1. Pistachios

Okay, so whoever likes pistachios, please hop into the comments and break it all down for me. There aren’t too many foods that I absolutely don’t understand, but that nut (and dill)? Uh-huh. LOL. Still, as a writer, I’ve gotta share more than what I like, and so, when it comes to a healthy snack, pistachios are actually pretty damn impressive. They’ve got a lot of fiber and a ton of protein and are a solid source of copper as well as vitamin B.

Plus, pistachios are packed with antioxidants, can help you to achieve/maintain your weight goals and they help to keep your cholesterol levels where they need to be, too. And why would your vagina not mind if you chomped on a few of these nuts? Something else pistachios can do is help keep your arteries in good condition so that blood is able to flow freely. If you know anything about what makes for a good orgasm, you know that excellent blood circulation plays a significant part.

2. A Metal Spoon

Can you guess what a metal spoon can do for your vagina? Well, if you can’t seem to find your favorite sex toy or you want to get a bit creative, a metal spoon can certainly come in handy. If you freeze it first, it can be pretty damn stimulating if you’re into temperature play, or if you add lubricant to it, the texture of the metal spoon, along with the moisture of the lube, could make for an unexpected orgasm — especially if you lightly tap your clitoris or move the spoon on it in a circular motion.

3. Kudzu

In Asia, kudzu is considered to be a type of arrowroot. In America, it’s a weed. Either way, if menopause-related symptoms are causing you to experience vaginal dryness, consuming some kudzu could help to bring about some relief. Plus, since some studies say that it’s also an all-natural remedy for inflammation and headaches — I mean, what could it hurt to at least give it a shot? (You should be able to find it at your local vitamin or health food store in capsule or extract form.)

4. Condom-Covered Food

If you’ve heard that you should never put food into your vagina — the answer is yes and no. I mean, without getting too deep into it, a frozen banana (that has the peel taken off of it) caressing some spots ain’t never hurt nobody…so long as a condom was placed over it first.

Yep, therein lies the trick if you want to get a little creative with some of those edible aphrodisiacs. You can always cover them up with a prophylactic or two, add a bit of lube, and then dive in (again, so to speak). Just make sure that the food is a solid and that it’s well covered up first. The last thing you want to do is spend half of the night trying to dig out some banana strings, otherwise known as phloem bundles — umm, I heard. #wink

5. Tugging

One day, semi-soon, I will pen a piece about the various types of vaginal massages that are good for you. For now, I’ll just say that if you’ve never given yourself this type of massage before, you are totally missing out, sis. — including when it comes to tugging. Warming up your fingers and using your thumb and index finger to gently “tug” at your clitoris (or clitoral hood) and then allowing the skin to “bounce back” can provide a stimulating sensation that is a great stress release or an enticing form of foreplay…if you want someone else to do the tugging instead.

6. Pickles

Since 80 percent of your immunity is in your gut, it’s important that you prioritize its health; probiotics are one way to do that, and fermented foods are packed with them. The connection between probiotics and your vaginal health is they can help to give your vagina the type of “good bacteria” that can keep infections at bay. One type of food that can get you the probiotics that you need is pickles — fermented ones, that is.

If you’re thinking to yourself, “Aren’t all pickles fermented?” the answer is actually, no. The other ingredient that can give pickles their tanginess is vinegar, so if you want a fermented one, look for pickles that say that on the packaging, or you can always ferment your own (instructions for how to do that are located here).

Hey, pickles also have antioxidants, are a good source of vitamin K, and are a low-calorie snack, so if you enjoy them, now you can feel really good about it.

7. Frankincense Oil

Ugh. Ingrown pubic hairs are the absolute worst, ain’t they? Although doing things like exfoliating your skin prior to shaving your pubic region (if shaving is what you do) and replacing your razor blade after every 5-7 uses can help to keep ingrown hairs from becoming too much of a problem, if you’ve already got one, try applying some frankincense oil to it.

Thanks to its strong antiseptic properties, applying a bit of the oil to an ingrown hair can help reduce swelling, clean out any bacteria, and even lessen any discomfort that may be associated with the inflammation that comes from the bump(s). Just make sure to use it externally, not internally. Essential oils can burn like a mutha otherwise.

8. Cortisone Cream

So, what happens if, after shaving your va-jay-jay, some incessant itching follows? Honestly, one of the best remedies to bring you almost instantaneous relief is some good ole’ cortisone cream. It relieves itching, reduces swelling, and it can help to get rid of redness and other forms of irritation, too. Just make sure that you apply it to the outer part of your vulva; you can sting and further irritate your inner labia otherwise.

Oh, and if you’d prefer a more chemical-free approach, try a mixture of coconut oil and tea tree oil. Coconut oil’s antimicrobial properties and anti-inflammatory properties can help to soothe skin issues (including eczema), and tea tree oil can soothe itching and kill irritating bacteria on contact as well (although it’s not recommended that you use it to treat eczema; it is good for psoriasis, though).

9. Crotchless Panties

I’ve always found crotchless panties to be sexy. I’m not exactly sure why. Actually, now that I’m putting some real thought into it as I’m writing all of this out, I think it’s because I like the concept of lingerie so much, and crotchless drawers make it possible for you to be both dressed up and naked at the same time.

Plus, let’s not act like they don’t provide easy access (which makes them hella convenient), along with the fact that they allow your vagina to breathe without being irritated by popular lingerie fabrics like lace (which is always a good thing). Anyway, there goes my quick commercial for why every woman should own at least a couple of pairs of crotchless panties. Do you?

10. Peppermint

If you’ve never brought menthol into your boudoir, why the hell not? Not only does it help to provide an incomparable type of tingling sensation, but menthol also has the ability to trigger the feeling of cool receptors in the body — which means that it can be another type of temperature play (who knew?).

What I personally like about peppermint (or wintergreen) especially is it can be great for the giver as well as the receiver as far as oral sex goes. For the giver, it’s a nice taste, and for the receiver, it gives all the feels. So, keep some peppermint candy by your nightstand. It’s a sweet (pun intended) move.

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There you have it — pseudo-quirky things that your vagina (and vulva) will thank you for.

Just try it and see.

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