To follow the silly pajama picture that I took as soon as my book arrived in my mailbox back in November, here is one of the pictures I took yesterday while trekking with Rupak around New York City to all of the bookstores to see Body Drama actually on the shelves!

This picture was taken at Barnes & Noble, and we found five copies in the Women’s Health section of each of the B&Ns we went to.

We totally felt like postal workers, because of their motto: “Neither rain nor hail nor sleet nor snow…shall keep this carrier from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.”

It was raining and gloomy and cold, but NOTHING was going to keep us at home when there were hundreds of Body Drama books around! We just bundled up and walked for miles, dodging muddy puddles, tiny dogs, and old Christmas trees along the sidewalk.

We were most looking forward to the setup at all of the Borders bookstores, because Body Drama is supposed to be featured on their front-of-store “New Year, New You” table through January 28th. Sadly, the two Borders that we went to had their shipment of books delayed, and they hadn’t gotten it in yet!

Look for Body Drama in your local bookstores, and if it’s not there, ask them to carry it!

YAAAAAAAY!

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Though we don’t talk about it much, vaginal discharge is a big part of being a woman. No, it’s not mentioned in health class or sex ed, but it’s always there, and it can tell you a lot about your well-being! As promised in the “My vagina secretes stuff” drama on page 129 of Body Drama, here is a super-duper vaginal discharge calendar for all your discharge tracking needs!

Remember to see your doctor if while keeping your vaginal discharge charts you notice any of the following:

• discharge that is an unusual color (such as yellow or green)
• bad odors
• more discharge than usual for an extended period of time
• anything painful or accompanied by sores

Click Here to Download the BODY DRAMA Vaginal Discharge Calendar PDF File

Have fun with this calendar- I know I am!

DISCLAIMER: The author is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained on this blog are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. The author shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion on this blog.

Tagged as Book Extras

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When writing Body Drama, I faced a dilemma. I wanted to share all of the good, the bad, and the ugly of our bodily functions, and I also wanted to shed more light on how absurdly unfair our culture’s obsession with bodily perfection is. Still, as much body drama as we have to deal with in America, there are parts of the world that have it far worse. I wanted to convey that as well.

On page 89 of Body Drama, I share a bit of information about the young women of Cameroon, many of whom go through the agonizing process of having their chests ironed with hot stones in order to slow down breast growth. In Cameroon, breasts indicate that a girl is ready for marriage, regardless of her actual age or maturity. Once married, she is pulled from school, leaving her uneducated and weak. The longer she can keep her breasts from showing, the longer she can stay in school, and the better chance she will have for a healthy and happy life.

Sadly, some parents aren’t worried about their daughters being married off too early, but they are worried about their daughters becoming sexually promiscuous, so they iron their daughters’ breasts in an attempt to prevent romantic encounters.

Regardless of the reason for the breast ironing, the young women themselves usually have no say about the choice that is made to iron their breasts. The painful and traumatic procedure is performed on them against their will.

Breast ironing isn’t the only way women’s bodies are routinely abused. Other global examples include female genital mutilation, a procedure that involves the mandatory removal of parts of a woman’s genitals for social acceptance. Some cultures “only” remove the clitoris (taking away most of the pleasurable nerve endings down there), while other cultures remove the clitoris and the inner labia (see page 117 in Body Drama for descriptions and photographs of the parts of a woman’s vulva and vagina). Still other cultures remove even more flesh from that area, requiring weeks of recovery and leaving only a pin-sized hole to painfully urinate from. In some cultures, women who do not have this procedure done are often shunned or even killed, so the pressure is on parents to continue this barbaric practice, even though it is illegal in many places. According to Amnesty International, over two million women still endure female genital mutilation every year.

There are many other ways that our bodies are treated poorly in America and around the world (rape, sexual violence, physical abuse, etc.) and I will post about these issues later. However, right now, I wanted to remind everyone that we are super lucky to be able to even have discussions about and ask questions regarding our bodies, and we shouldn’t forget that. Some women are dying (literally) for an opportunity to be able to know, own, and love their natural bodies.

How Can You Help?

At first, attempting to help women who live thousands of miles away from you may seem useless, but there are many ways you can make a great difference in the lives of others no matter where you (or they) are!

1) Educate Yourself. The more you know about the issues that women face in your own country and around the world, the more you can help. A knowledgeable person can spread the word and create awareness about barbaric rituals like breast ironing and female genital mutilation, so read your local paper and check out global online news sources like BBC.com. Every day, you’ll find stories on dozens of issues and causes and concerns for you to form opinions on.

2) Donate. Most of us don’t have a lot of extra money, but every little bit that you can spare helps. If a certain issue or cause speaks to you, try sacrificing something that you frequently purchase until you’ve saved up a sizeable amount. For example, if you buy a soda from the school vending machine at every lunch, try going without one starting tomorrow. By the end of next month, you will have saved $20-$30! That might not sound like a lot, but in other parts of the world that amount of money can do a lot of good. You can also consider having a car wash, bake sale, walk-a-thon, or another fundraiser for your organization of choice. If you haven’t picked an organization yet, here are a few for you to look into, but if none of these fit your interests, keep looking. It’s important to do your own research and to find the organization that you and your personal beliefs best fit.

• V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.
• UNICEF addresses the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries everywhere. Also focuses on gender equality and the education of girls.
• Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights to be respected and protected for everyone. One of its focuses is stopping violence against women.
• Girls Speak Out offers workshops, action projects, trainings, and conferences that build girls’ strengths and power as leaders on five continents and countless countries, including Cameroon.

3) Do Something. It is very powerful to realize what you can accomplish for a cause once you (and perhaps some of your friends) decide to take the issue seriously. For example, the only reason we know about breast ironing is because of a group of dedicated women called The Network of Aunties Association, also known as RENATA. The women of RENATA are survivors of breast ironing who decided to take a stand against this unfair process that left them both emotionally and physically scarred. As Margaret Mead once said, “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” Once you figure out what you are most passionate about, get started ASAP on making a difference!

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As I say in Body Drama, no one can explain the precise cause of birthmarks, but genetics plays a part in the mix. For example, my Grandma Nancy (I’m named after her) had a Florida-shaped hyperpigmentation spot (darker mark on lighter skin) on her inner right thigh. My mom has the same exact birthmark, but right in the middle of her forehead. I have the exact same birthmark in the exact same place as my grandmother, which leads me to believe that my little girl will probably be sporting the forehead Florida!

In the past, facial birthmarks were considered disfiguring and impossible to conceal, but today, people can find relief from their facial birthmarks in a variety of ways. Laser surgery works for some (though it can cause scarring in others) and makeup is always an option, too. Some go au naturel and choose to embrace their birthmark as a wonderful part of who they are.

Whatever you want to do about it, if you have a facial birthmark, scar, or other unique issue that is visible to the entire world, it is very important to not let it make you who you are. How you choose to work with what you’ve got is what really matters!

For an example of someone who hasn’t let their facial birthmark keep them from achieving their dreams and goals, check out this actress/dancer’s story:


“I have a large port wine birthmark on my cheek. I started wearing makeup in the 6th grade after being called “buttface” by the boys on the bus. I used to avoid swimming in public settings because it would wash my make-up off. I also had several laser surgeries to lighten the color, but it was an experimental thing at the time and I ended up with a little scarring. I think the hardest thing about having it is feeling like I always have to have make-up on. I use Dermablend and Colortration for coverup.”

“Although I was teased mercilessly as a kid, I have successfully done print ads and even beauty shots with this mark and I don’t feel it has ever kept me from being cast, and in the past few years I have been working on being more comfortable with people seeing me without make-up.”

Thanks for sharing your story, B! There are lots of women out there who are facing similar issues who will feel better after reading about your experience!

Have you a facial birthmark or scar story that you’d like to share? Contact me and I’ll post it!

Tagged as Book Extras, Real Stories from Real Girls

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As I say on page 59 of Body Drama, gorgeous skin doesn’t have to cost a fortune! You can beautify your skin for pennies with common household products. On pages 32 -33 I share how to give yourself an aspirin-based facial to soothe spotty skin, and page 59 offers even more facial recipes (like the Honey-Avocado Facial Mask, which is my favorite), but I couldn’t resist sharing a few more ingredients to use in making your own homemade facials, as well as a couple of ingredients good for body scrubs. After all, why buy when these masks and scrubs are so cheap to try?

Remember, food and chemical allergies also apply to what you spread on the outside of your body. For example, if your throat closes when you eat avocados, DO NOT use the avocado facial mask. Even if you don’t have any allergies that you know about, it’s a good idea to do a “patch test.” Before using, dab some of the mask or scrub on your neck or inner wrist and wait five minutes to check for allergic reactions, such as redness, tingling, or a rash.

Depending on your skin’s needs, try mixing and matching these cheap facial mask ingredients to get started on a path towards smooth skin. For a single application, only a tablespoon or two of each ingredient is necessary.

Inexpensive Facial Mask Ingredients

• Raw Egg, either whole, just the white, or just the yolk (egg is good for all skin types, and extra yolk is great for dry skin)
• Cucumber(very refreshing mashed up in a mask OR sliced and placed over eyes during relaxation)
• Lemon Juice (great for skin discoloration from old pimples)
• Strawberries (great when mashed up for skin discoloration from old pimples)
• Sour Cream (especially for dry skin)
• Olive Oil (especially for dry skin)
• Baking Yeast (especially for oily skin)
• Tomato (great when mashed up for oily skin)
• Milk of Magnesia (especially great for oily skin)
• Oatmeal (exfoliates and moisturizes)
• Cornmeal (exfoliates and moisturizes)
• Banana (softens and moisturizes)
• Honey (I mentioned this in Body Drama, but I wanted to plug it again, as it is great for all skin types to tighten pores, to draw out impurities, and to soften skin)

Inexpensive Body Scrub Ingredients

Many of the ingredients used in facial masks can also be used in body scrubs, especially cornmeal, olive oil, oatmeal, and as I mention on page 59, coffee. Two more ingredients that are too harsh to use on our faces (or genitals) but are perfect for the rest of our body parts include sugar (brown and white) and salt (table or epsom).

For an all-over body scrub, triple the number of ingredients that you would use for a facial. For example, if you use one tablespoon of honey, two strawberries, and one tablespoon of cornmeal for your facial, use three tablespoons of honey, six strawberries, and three tablespoons of cornmeal for your body scrub. As you become more accustomed to making your masks and scrubs, the proper amounts will become easier to gauge!

If you’re interested in purchasing a few extras for your facials and scrubs, consider these under $10 oils:

• Lavender Essential Oil (just a drop or two for any skin type will bring a boost to your facial routine)
• Tea Tree Oil (especially good for acne-prone skin)
• Vitamin E Oil (great for skin discoloration from old pimples)

More Cheap Extras!

If you’re looking for a good toner, many women swear by witch hazel as an inexpensive but effective facial refresher. Also, milk of magnesia can be used not only as an ingredient in your facials but also as a soothing toner, especially if you have oily skin.

If you have dry skin, try a week of moisturizing your face and body only with olive oil. It may work wonders for you, but if it doesn’t…you can always cook with the rest!

Contact me if you have other cheap facial ingredients that you’d like to share! I’ll include them on this list and credit you!

DISCLAIMER: The author is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained on this blog are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. The author shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion on this blog.

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