Kamis, 19 Maret 2009

vagina Monologues/Barbados

The Frank Collymore Hall was pulsing, vibrating, raving, crying, retaliating, and gushing self-affirmation when the Vagina Monologues came to the stage last Sunday evening, in a celebration of V-day hosted by the National Organization of Women (NOW). The Vagina Monologues is not only a revolutionary, provoking and eye-opening evening of entertainment, it is a bold step towards increasing awareness about violence against women and girls, and securing financial resources for organizations working towards stopping such violence and helping its survivors. V-Day was born in 1998 out of the Monologues, as its creator and performer Eve Ensler heard in her travels hundreds of women’s stories of rape, incest, domestic battery and genital mutilation. She joined with a group of women to found V-day, a global movement to end violence against women. The V in V-Day represents Valentine, Violence, and of course, Vagina; and this word resounded proudly throughout the auditorium as Varia Williams, Kaye Foster, Amanda Cumberbatch and Cecily Spencer-Cross stepped soundlessly into the lives of different women from across the globe, to share the latter’s experiences, or lack thereof, with their vaginas.

At the opening of the show, the cast burst excitedly into the theatre, clapping in time and adding their own voices to a pre-recorded background chant of the title of the presentation. While the song itself lacked melody and unity with the subject, and suspiciously resembled a hastily-composed signature piece, it served to engage the audience and unabashedly introduce the theme of the show: vaginas. From their entry by the main hall doors and through the audience, the scene onstage into which the women of the cast moved helped, with its living room-type furnishings, to create an atmosphere of camaraderie among them, which was conveyed onto the monologues they interpreted, and so represented fellowship among women across the world. The creation of this sense of fellowship was supported by the encouraging words and looks exchanged among the women as they moved from one monologue to the other. It solidified a dual message: that women’s sexual expression and awareness is to be celebrated amongst ourselves, but also that violence against women is a crisis which we all share as women, and as a society. It undermines womanhood, not only the women who experience it directly, and it undermines civilization.

There was no elaborate scenic or sound design, lighting or costuming. The nakedness of all these elements was key in supporting the theme of the vagina: that which is only directly visible through nakedness, but whose existence moves along a social spectrum from being forgotten, to innately felt, to overtly degraded. A subtly brilliant touch to the costume was a scarf - worn by each cast member – which also served as a prop. It was alternately draped at the shoulder, tied about the head, or worn as a burka, as an uncomplicated mode of transition for the cast members into the different female subjects of the monologues. Manipulation of the scarf by the cast was completely unobtrusive, and contributed to providing some action on a set which would otherwise have been too static at times.

This ability of the cast to abandon self and remain inconspicuous when necessary was transferred to their performance reading of the monologues. They were each able to slip quietly into the roles required to interpret each piece: the intelligent, introspective and refreshingly witty British participant in a vagina workshop whose catharsis came when she was challenged to ‘be [her] clitoris’; the self-effacing older woman whose sad detachment from her own vagina was the lasting result of an embarrassing first sexual encounter left undiscussed and unexplained; the young, at first, innocent Southern American girl whose illegal seduction by an older woman was – sadly, some might say – her only opportunity to love her ‘coochi snorcher’, and therefore herself.

The actors were wonderfully convincing in their ‘roles’, and their voice, accent and movement greatly strengthened the believability of the monologues being related. Amanda Cumberbatch was bright, funny, sexy and intelligent in her readings. Kaye Foster at times stopped just short of overplaying certain parts, but was endearing, amusing and greatly credible in her performances. Cecily Spencer-Cross assumed the role of narrator for much of the presentation, and in her one longer piece seemed not to shine as much as her fellow cast members. Some elements of her voice and movement were mildly distracting, although the compelling story was able to stand on its own, and convey to the audience the desolation and desperation which are left in the wake of grossly violent acts against women. First Vice President of NOW Senator Jessica Odle and well-known lawyer/thespian Andrew Pilgrim also gave creditable performances as guest readers, with Pilgrim’s vivid account of the rape and genital mutilation of a woman by her boyfriend evoking gasps and tears from the audience. Attaching a man’s voice to this piece was a wise directorial choice, and enhanced the sobering and bewildering effect of the account.

The audience favourite for the evening, however, was Varia Williams’ interpretation of ‘The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy’. Williams stepped into the exciting skin of a brash, intelligent, humorous and unapologetic Southern tax lawyer turned sex worker, whose greatest reward in sexually pleasuring women was experiencing their moans. Her monologue climaxed with a demonstration of these various moans, including the ‘Trini moan’ and the ‘Bajan moan’, whose verisimilitude was summarily refreshing and entertaining, and earned her a standing ovation. In coming to each monologue Williams gave the audience a palpable sense of abandonment of self, and created among us an air of expectancy. Hers was a sound and outstanding contribution to an overall brilliant performance by the cast.

The presentation was directed by Thom Cross, part of the team of Cross Caribbean Productions, whose conceptualization stayed true to the writer’s intentions. The script was well-interpreted, and a good use of space kept the stage comfortably balanced, particularly during the choral segments. Cross maintained unity in communication of the concepts being explored, while not compromising the theme of variety and diversity of experience which was a key part of the message. It was indeed a strong Caribbean interpretation and production of a not-so-brilliantly scripted North American creation.
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Kamis, 12 Maret 2009

tips to reduce Vaginal Flatulence

Madeline Albright was the United States Secretary of State under Bill Clinton. She was succeeded by Colin Powell. Chalmers Johnson wrote a national bestseller about Madeline Albright and Colin Powell called “Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire”. Blowback is like revenge. When you slaughter hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians for no reason it is only a matter of time before they show up in New York City with suitcase nuclear bombs.

Madeline Albright just released her own book called “The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God and World Affairs”. Bill Clinton wrote the introduction. Madeline Albright is a devout Catholic with Jewish roots who was born in the Czech Republic and attended the Emily Post School of Good Manners. Here is what Madame Secretary has to say about reducing the often embarrassing condition of vaginal flatulence:

“There has been a lot of hot air coming from the direction of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in recent years. Laura Bush confided in me that her bush is neither burning nor silent. Vaginal flatulence plagues hundreds of millions of women worldwide. Laura Bush confided in me, “I thought it was embarrassing enough being married to George. Now I have to deal with this. I have an appointment next week with Doctor Khristine Eroshovich. How could I discuss this with a male psychiatrist?”

“So I gave her a few simple tips to reduce vaginal trumpeting. I told Laura that during intercourse she should play extremely loud jazz music preferably by Louis Armstrong. It’s bad enough when your husband begins retching violently but when the secret service agents at your bedroom door begin laughing uncontrollably it certainly compounds the shame.”

“Vaginal flatulence is when air escapes from the vagina during sexual intercourse. It is odorless as it normally does not originate in the colon. The question is how does the air get into the vagina in the first place and how do you prevent it? The worst is regular flatulence simultaneously occurring with vaginal flatulence. If you suffer from this condition “Multi Flatulence” or “MF” it may be a good idea to abstain from pre marital sex.”

“Drinking through straws draws air into the gut and this must be avoided at all costs. Take no options off the table. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, beans, tofu and brussel sprouts cause gas. If your daughter refuses to eat her brussel sprouts she may not be all that wrong. It is helpful to do regular Kegel Exercises, use water based lubricants and do not put your rear end up on a pillow. Try spreading your legs wider or keep them closer together. Avoid doggy style. Like most things in life if it feels great it’s bad for you.”

“During sexual intercourse air is pumped into the vagina by the penis moving in and out. It is helpful if the man uses shorter thrusts. It is even more helpful if the man has a shorter penis. Size does matter but not in the way you thought.”

“During Bill Clinton’s 1992 Presidential campaign Gennifer Flowers announced that she had had a 12 year affair with Bill Clinton. She backed it up with tape recordings of her and Bill having intimate phone conversations and the testimony of two Arkansas police officers who were former bodyguards of Governor Clinton. Hillary Clinton ran to every television station, magazine and newspaper to call Gennifer Flowers a liar, that Bill had never had sexual relations with Gennifer Flowers. Gennifer Flowers described the President’s penis as very small. This has been a blessing in disguise for Hillary Clinton. I realize that Hillary Clinton is the most naive woman in America but I support her run for President because I feel sorry for her
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Vaginal Discharge - How To Deal With it

Vaginal discharge is probably one of the most common signs of a yeast infection. Of course not everyone suffering from a yeast infection has vaginal discharge but the possibilities you experienced them are quite good.

Vaginal discharge can have different aspects. They can range from foul smelling to odorless and barely noticeable. Fortunately there are various ways to deal with vaginal discharge. One of them would be homeopathic remedies.

First you might want to know what the discharge will be like before taking any medicine. They can be like:

- Foul smelling
- Odorless
- Thick white cottage cheese-like texture
- Thin consistency
- Milky egg white consistency

Sometimes you can women can also experience a yellowish vaginal discharge that is firm and that is acrid or pungent.

Of course these symptoms have an impact on every affected women day-to day lives. It is not uncommon for these symptoms to have an emotional impact. Vaginal discharge often leads to vaginal burning, itching and irritation. This is why homeopathy focuses of curing the vaginal discharge symptoms along with the emotional impact it can have on women.

If you are not comfortable with homeopathy to cure your vaginal yeast infection and vaginal discharge problems there are other treatments you can consider.

One of the things you might consider to help you get rid of your vaginal discharge is to change your diet. Changing your diet to reflect the fact that you suffer from a yeast infection can help you getting rid of it.

You may not know but there is some food that will help you get rid of a yeast infection while other might just encourages it. You should stay away from yeast containing foods such as:

- breads
- fermented food products and alcohols
- food rich in sugar and carbohydrates
- refined foods
- red meat
- mushrooms

Staying away from this kind of food should help you a long way getting rid of your vaginal discharge problems.

You should consider eating things like:

- brown rice
- millet
- citrus fruits like grapefruits and oranges
- lemons and limes
- unsweetened yogurt
- curd
- cranberries
- garlic
- onions
- vinegar
- cinnamon
- oregano
- vegetables

Also one of the most important elements that people often forget to include in their diet is water.

Drinking at least eight glass of water everyday will help you clean your system by clearing away unwanted toxin from your body. On top of that it will give you a refreshing feeling just when you need it the most.

One other important factor that can be responsible for your vaginal discharge and yeast infection problem is stress. Trying to eliminate stress and adopting a healthier lifestyle can help put your yeast infection and vaginal discharge problems in the past.
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Minggu, 08 Maret 2009

Menopause Relief

Here’s a four letter word I’ll bet you haven’t heard in the last ten minutes! Now, hold on just a minute. Before you stop reading or let your mind wander into the pits, let me tell you what this hated four letter word is. It’s the word DIET, and it’s a word that no one, particularly women, like hearing … especially at this time of year.

“Oh, sure,” you say. “Just when I’m about to shop, cook, bake, and put every scrumptious thing I can think of out for everyone else to eat, now you’re going to tell me I need to think about … well, you know … that word?”

Actually, I’m not going to tell you what you can’t eat, but rather what you CAN eat. After all, wouldn’t you, being a woman going through menopause, like to know what you can eat, not gain the extra weight, and still enjoy all the extra large meals without aggravating your hot flashes and bringing on the headaches? Now see! The word “diet” can actually be a good word. Let me show you what I mean.

Often times, a woman will go her whole life eating food from fast-food chains, boxed meals in the microwave, quick fatty snacks, and 101 other breaded, deep-fried, or grease-laden foods that aren’t what she needs to keep her energy levels up and her systems running smoothly. Rather than running like a well-oiled machine and humming along, she ends up being more like a gunk filled engine that is just about ready to come to a grinding halt. With just a few minor but constant changes, you can clear the gunk and start humming again, literally!

So, stop following all the fads and believing all the infomercials that promise a “new you in only one month for $19.99”. How about a “new you” beginning today and lasting for the rest of your life? And, I might add, a longer life at that, without the $19.99. “How,” you ask?

It’s just a matter of knowing what foods to eat, how to prepare them, and for what reasons, plus a couple of tweaks for added personal benefits and comfort. That doesn’t mean you have to put the microwave into storage, but think about it. When you’re in a hurry, NOT heating food is even faster than the microwave, and often times much better for you anyway. So let’s get started and see how many of these foods and tricks you can, or rather are willing, to adapt to your lifestyle.

First, eating fruits and vegetables is pretty basic, and not something you probably thought was really important. Of course, they increase your overall health, but what do they do for a menopausal woman? Actually, many fruits and vegetables have phytoestrogens and borons already in them.

What that means is this: Phytoestrogens are a weak form of the natural estrogen that you have in your body. It’s that hormone that decreases as we get older and puts us into menopause, if you will. The lack of it jumpstarts the menopausal symptoms we all experience to one degree or another.

Boron is a mineral that helps to keep the estrogen in your body. So by eating more of the fruits and vegetables that contain the highest forms of phytoestrogens and boron, we end up fooling our bodily systems into thinking there’s more estrogen in our body than what is really there. Consequently, many of the menopausal symptoms often subside, and at times, even stop altogether.

So what are these particularly glorious fruits and vegetables? The fruits are plums, prunes, strawberries, apples, pears, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, and raspberries. Now, there has got to be at least one out of that entire list that you like! They are wonderful! Not only do they fill that “sweet-tooth” craving for dessert after a meal, they’re naturally low in fat, are filled with vitamins and minerals, and very high in fiber to help keep the systems flowing, if you know what I mean. They’re terrific for avoiding the constipation that often accompanies menopause.

For vegetables, the list is even longer: sweet potatoes, lettuce, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, onions, soybeans, and turnips. All of these can be eaten raw or cooked, but raw is better since the nutrients they contain aren’t damaged or destroyed by heating first.

You may have noticed I didn’t mention beans. Beans are incredibly good in alleviating menopausal symptoms. Each one is like a mini-package of nutrients because they’re filled with high amounts of vitamins and minerals, calcium, folic acid, B-6, phytoestrogens, and they’re a low-fat source of protein. They can also slow your appetite because they absorb glucose. In other words, you won’t be as hungry as often, which means you won’t feel the need to snack between meals.

As a quick tip, you can add beans just about anywhere in your diet. Include string beans or kidney beans in chili, salads, or stews. Buy canned bean soups or order side dishes of beans or bean soup when eating out. For snacks, use bean dips or make a quick three bean salad. The possibilities are endless … and delicious.

Something else you will need to include in your diet is fat. Yes, you heard me right; FAT. The problem is that too many women include the wrong kind of fat. It’s the saturated fat and trans-fatty acid that we need to avoid. That’s the fat that quickly moves to your thighs, hips, butt, and around the middle; just what we don’t want. You might just as well paste the chips right to your butt because that’s where it will end up anyway.

If you think about it, when was the last time you saw a robin hopping in your yard with a butt wider than she was? Throw a worm, seeds, or a piece of bread in the yard and see how long they last. Then lay a chip out there and see if it’s even touched before it turns green. If your neighbor’s domesticated dog stays home, that chip will be there until it gets mowed over. Even the wild animals know what to eat and what not to. They eat what they need to survive and accommodate their lifestyle. We should all be so wise.

We can also learn a lesson from farmers that raise livestock. Before going to market, livestock is often “fattened up”, so to speak. Ask a farmer what nutrients they do and don’t feed them and for what purposes. Personally, I don’t plan to go to market except to shop, so I certainly have no need, nor desire, to be fattened up. For that reason, knowing what the correct and incorrect fats are is crucial.

The wrong fats are those that come in packaged things like cookies, chips, and crackers. The right fats that we need are those that contain Omega 3 fat. These are found in fish, fish oil, olive oil, and canola oil. Oh, sure, they’re a little more expensive to buy initially, but the savings come in the form of all the medical bills you won’t be paying down the road. Then too, you’ll live healthier and enjoy the additional benefits along the way.

You can also change your fat intake by using these oils to cook with, by eating leaner meats, and by shopping for low-fat dairy products. If you want to stay away from butter, buy margarines in tubs that include liquid canola or olive oil that are listed as their first ingredients. Because most packaged foods still use Omega-6 hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, stay away from those and cook more fresh foods.

One more point to be made here concerning fat is this. Not only is what we put in our body important, but when it goes into them is just as important. Most women, and men too for that matter, eat their largest meal as the last meal of the day. Instead of eating a large breakfast to charge them up with energy and nutrients to be used throughout the day, they generally eat more as the day goes on.

Naturally, lethargy and a foggy mind set in and the fat they’ve taken in has no way to become burned off. By eating the larger meal late in the day, most then sit in front of the television or computer until bedtime and everything settles into place instead of being used to maintain a higher activity level. It’s actually ironic that this is often called “vegging”. You can combat the “slows” by eating your large meal in the morning and then tapering off. It gives your body what it needs to be alert and active, and it uses the time to remove the excess that isn’t needed.

There are many small changes that you can make in your menopause diet that will allow you to go through the hormonal highs and lows with grace. They’ll help your weight, your attitude, and your other symptoms naturally, without all the additional medications that usually come with a list of side effects and warnings. If you’re not quite ready to initiate all of the changes at once, try adding a new one every few days. Mark the calendar and make a point of following through.

As time goes by, your menopause symptoms will disappear, but the better eating habits and new found youthful attitude will stay with you always. Just think of it! You could be the healthiest and youngest looking grandmother around! Why not?!
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Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy

Vaginal discharge during pregnancy is common and it is not your imagination. This discharge is referred to as leucorrhea, a mild smelling milky discharge. Vaginal discharge during pregnancy is due to the fact that you are now having increased estrogen production. You are having a greater blood flow to the vaginal area as well. The secretions from the cervix and vagina, old cells from the walls of the vagina, and normal bacterial flora from the vagina are causing the excess discharge.

The so called mucus plug creates a protective barrier. When you are getting closer to labor you will notice even more vaginal discharge during your pregnancy. This discharge will look a bit different than when you were in your earlier months of pregnancy. This is fine, it is just a part of being pregnant and the body taking care of itself. When your cervix begins to thin out and dilate it will expel this mucus. Then you will notice that the discharge looks like egg white and you will probably expel the plug in one gelatinous glob. This discharge might be tinged with a bit of blood. Do not let this bother you as this is only normal before the baby is born.

One word of caution when you are getting a lot of vaginal discharge during pregnancy it can be hard for you to tell if it is mucus or you’re leaking amniotic fluid. If you do have any doubts please contact your physician as this is a severe problem for the baby. If you are not yet in your 37th week and you notice an increase in discharge or a change in the type of discharge like if it becomes watery, or bloody then call the physician immediately. This can be a sign of preterm labor.

Preterm labor can be prevented if caught soon enough so you can carry your baby full term. Vaginal discharge during pregnancy, lower abdominal pain, with cramping farther along in your pregnancy is all signs of preterm labor.

This could just be a sign that your uterus is stretching or it could mean that you are indeed going into preterm labor. It is very wise for you to contact your physician immediately so he can help you prevent this process.

You may have an infection which is usually an odorless, whitish discharge that’s causing you discomfort such as itching or burning. A vaginal discharge during pregnancy untreated can result in a yeast infection. It is always good for you to check your discharge because it might be foul-smelling, frothy, yellow, green, or gray which means that you have a different kind of infection or a sexually transmitted infection, even if you don’t have symptoms of irritation, itching or burning. We like to advise that you should not try to treat yourself with over the counter medications. It is very important to first see your practitioner for a proper diagnosis to make sure you get appropriate treatment.

I know at this point you are wondering if there are any things that you might be able to do to help with the problem. Let me tell you now, yes there is, vaginal discharge during pregnancy is not uncommon but it is very irritating and some simple methods are available that will help. Firstly, very important - do not ever use a tampon during your pregnancy! Use panty liners to absorb the discharge and change often to prevent any infection. Next keep your genital area healthy by keeping it clean. Always wipe from front to back when you are cleaning your self. Next wear cotton underwear; avoid tight pants, nylons, bubble bath, scented pads or toilet paper. It is necessary that you also avoid feminine hygiene sprays and scented or deodorant soaps for the protection of the fetus. One other main concern that physicians and midwives have is that you do not douche. I know that vaginal discharge during your pregnancy is sometimes uncomfortable and you may feel unclean but you need to understand this is just part of being pregnant. The process of douching can upset the normal balance of vaginal flora and increase your risk of a vaginal infection. Douching has been noted in some rare cases to introduce air into your circulatory system through the vagina, which can cause serious complications. Keeping your self clean and wearing panty liners is the safest way to go when you are pregnant.
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