Have you ever had pain when you pee? Well, you are not alone. 40% of women have had at least one bladder or urinary tract infection in their lifetime. What constitutes an infection or inflammation? Certainly, sometimes they go undetected, but the Mayo clinic lists these symptoms as signs that something just may not be right down there

• A strong, persistent urge to urinate
• A burning sensation when urinating
• Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
• Urine that appears cloudy
• Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored — a sign of blood in the urine
• Strong-smelling urine
• Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone

I’m sure you know about some common culprits for the onset of this nasty too.

1. Sex: If you’ve only ever had one infection, it’s likely from sex. The best way to avoid them is to urinate within 30 minutes after sex.
2. Dehydration: Water is so good for so many things in your body. After all it’s at least 60% water. Drinking water helps to flush out bacteria.
3. Holding it in: Don’t do it! If you have to go, then go. Peeing, again, helps flush out the bad stuff. Nothing good comes from holding in your urine.
4. Birth Control: Sometimes changing birth control can cause issues with your bladder. As does use of a diaphragm or spermicide.
5. Hormonal shifts: Menopause is a big one when hormones shift in the body. It can make us more susceptible for inflammation and infection.

Keeping the body well hydrated and alkaline goes a long way to help one rid themselves of the problem. Cranberry juice or pills, and in extreme cases putting baking soda in water and drinking it can help too.
But if you are looking for a homeopathic remedy . . . Here are 5 that can help.

• Cantharis: Brilliant remedy in acute stages of inflammation. Commonly known as the Spanish fly, it has cutting, biting, burning pains. There may be retention of urine with intolerable urging. Restlessness, desire for sex, with potential rage and weeping. Lot’s of emotions! On the other hand, if you feel like you are just beginning to get a bladder infection, this remedy might stop it in its tracks. The person needing this remedy may feel worse drinking cold water, or coffee. Though being warm and rubbing your belly could feel good.
• Equisetum: Or a plant more commonly known as Horse’s Tail. This remedy is useful for an aching, tender bladder, that doesn’t feel any better after urinating. There seems to be a constant desire to urinate, and there is lot’s of it. Pains can also be cutting and burning with urination. And you might even dribble in between. Pain feels worse at the end of urinating and sitting. It feels better to lie down. This is a great remedy postpartum if you are having urinary difficulties.
• Apis: This remedy is made from a bee, and is most often used acutely for bites that are hot, red and swollen . . . just like the bite that a bee might give you. But it’s also a great remedy for bladders that are inflamed. Pains are burning and stinging, and urine is scanty often with a foul smell and a dark color. This remedy may be used in newborns who are retaining their urine. Women needing this remedy may feel better being cool and not warm. Emotionally onset may begin with grief, fright, rage, jealousy or mental shock.
• Staphisagria: Or the flower Delphinium. This remedy is probably the best remedy for inflammation after sex. There is a frequent desire to urinate, and urination often feels better. Urination can either be scanty or profuse, and the burning pain is felt most often when not peeing. Frustratingly, it can also feel like you have to pee again, right after you’ve gone. Arguing with your lover, or too much sex can make things worse. But rest, warmth and breakfast can help!
• Aconite: A flower in the family of the Ranunculaceae. Did you get a bladder infection after being in the cold or after a fright? Did it come on suddenly? Here’s your remedy. Urine will be scanty, red, hot and painful. Retained or difficult to void urine. You may feel chilled.

So here they are, 5 remedies that can help. Know that these are only a few remedies that are useful for when it hurts to pee. There are probably 100 more. So if you are not getting the results you are hoping for, call your homeopath!
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Is It For You?I have always been a seeker. Even though it took me awhile to find the benefits of energy healing.
When I was in my early 30’s I was in therapy trying to figure out my life. Every week for over a year I’d walk by a homeopath’s office. Her name was Heather Herington, and that office intrigued me. I wondered what it was she actually did. At some point I decided to find out and went in to see her. I went through a long intake process. She wanted to know about me ~ and that felt good. What I remember most were the results.
When I was going through another of my chronic sinus infections, the ones that usually took a couple of rounds of antibiotics to resolve, I decided to try homeopathy instead. Heather took my case and gave me 2 remedies. She said “If this first remedy doesn’t work, then take this second one”.
It worked. And I was both surprised and delighted. It inspired me to take a closer look at homeopathy. I doubt I’d be here practicing if that intervention didn’t take place.
Homeopathy was my first foray into energy healing. Beyond comprehension, with nothing left of any substance in a homeopathic remedy, it still acts. It acts on the body, on the emotions and on the mind. Some say it works spiritually too. It makes no concrete sense, and yet I have reaped the benefits.From there the leap to experiencing, learning and practicing other energy healing modalities isn’t that great. We are playing in the energetic field where all creation begins.
And so it is with light body work, reconnective therapy, reiki, acupuncture and a whole myriad of other modalities. We are eliciting energetic changes that manifest as certain results in the body.
What are some of those benefits or results? 

1. 1. More Space For The True You: One of my teachers used to say that trauma is encapsulated in the body. I’d visualize these traumas as little pods. The more trauma (physical or emotional), the more pods. Energy healing, of all sorts, helps the body to integrate the trauma by reminding the body that it is okay in this moment. And that it did a great job in protecting us at that other time. But having too many of these “pods” doesn’t allow energy to flow all that freely through the body, and eventually symptoms result from not integrating the trauma. As integration happens there is more space. And that space gets filled in by your true you, your energetic or soul self. And that feels really good!
   2. Changes in physical symptoms: The side benefit of energetic healing is a change in symptoms. I know, I know, it’s usually the physical symptoms that get us to start looking for healing. Those physical symptoms though are really just a sign that there is trauma of some sort and you aren’t allowing your true self in. So if you come in for the physical symptoms, that’s okay, because those can get addressed, and we have to follow the signs, whatever they are.
   3. Insights into how and why you do the things that you do: This seems like an odd benefit. But unless you are going to a psychotherapist, an energy healer also can provide insights and a sounding board for you to discover yourself. And sometimes that discovery is all the healing that is needed for you to be on your way to creating your best life.
   4. You are shinier: What do I mean by this? You become bit by bit more joyful and perhaps a bit more open. Your light shines through, and you know how attractive light is!
   5. You have an opportunity to let go of things you didn’t know you were holding on to: We don’t always know what’s holding us back. It’s the old “a fish doesn’t know it’s in water” analogy. Energy healing’s opportunity is often that of seeing something I hadn’t seen before.
   6. You might be inclined to keep the energy flowing: Through the process of energy healing, you might begin to realize that it’s not just your practitioner that can help you, but you can help yourself. Afterall, you are an energetic being too. And your practitioner should have ways to help you help yourself. Or you may find those ways all on your own.
   7. Relaxation and better sleep: Here’s a good one. Who doesn’t want to feel more relaxed? Who doesn’t want better sleep?
   8. Your intuition improves: As more and more of the real you, the energetic/soul you, moves into your body, because there is more space for it, the more intuitive you become. You are not relying solely on your thoughts. You rely on how it feels, on how your body feels. Does it feel good? Yes? You can trust that.

If you would have told me 35 years ago that I’d be an energetic healer I would have laughed. I was a serious girl with a serious mind. I also was a traumatized girl with lots of physical evidence. The evidence is always there. In the body. It’s a beautiful thing to tamper with the evidence, allowing it to integrate and heal. Allowing the true you to shine on bright.
I’m inviting you to find yourself an energy healer. Find one that you resonate with. And if this information resonates with you, and you think you’d like to work with me, I await your invitation.

I started my homeopathic practice almost 20 years ago, and the the skills I learned in school and throughout the years were about listening rather than coaching per se. Perceiving the body and the vital force, finding it’s patterns, listening to what it was saying. Because the body always talks! It talks through gestures, through disgusts and desires, through cravings and what makes it comfortable. The body talks through its symptoms, its aches and pains, its discharges and the side of the body things show up.
I am always fascinated and honored to be witness to what the body will show, and what it won’t.
Language is likewise significant. What words does a person use to reveal themselves. We can’t help but reveal ourselves, and that is a beautiful thing.
Homeopathy is very hands off. Observe, decipher the pattern, offer a remedy. Then watch a Being unfold and reorganize. Amazing!
I am, however, a girl who likes some “hands in the clay” too. I noticed that sometimes a remedy opened a door that was a little too arduous to walk through. There were obstacles in the way. A life circumstance, a belief or attitude.
I also found I love engaging with my clients, offering insights into the patterns that I was seeing. It became fun and rewarding to witness a well indicated conversation have an impact on my client’s lives. And so I’ve done more and more of it over time.
Wise, Wild Women became a “thing”. Coaching women to creatively get clear and attend to their desires, whatever they may be.
I got training in coaching. I chose NLP (Neuro linguistic programming) because I love the idea of strengthening positive neuronal networks to help us move in more desirable directions. And it’s fun!
Lately, I’m moving into more intimate realms. As the creator and developer of Yoni’s Bliss, (Yoni is sanskrit for vulva or womb) I am seeing the need for women to look at, unpack and see what’s truly desired in their vaginal and sexual health and well being. Our wombs are the creative center of the Yoniverse. And it’s an area we tend to ignore. And it’s time to stop that!
So what might Coaching do for you?
5 Amazing Benefits:

1. See Your Patterns: Sometimes we need someone to mirror back to us patterns that we are blind to. Through the coaching that I’ve done in the past, I know this to be of huge benefit. Just recently a coach asked me why I was presenting in a certain way, and I didn’t even know I was. I was stunned. And appreciative. It was a quick change because it wasn’t even something that I believed, it was just an old habit. Sometimes the patterns are deeper, and a loving container can make it safe for you to see. And seeing is often the most of it. We can’t unknow something once we know it, and that awareness is half the battle.
2. Get Clear: We often are not clear about what it is that we exactly want. There are often so many wants and desires in our being that it’s a big swirly mush. And then we feel frozen, unable to make any decision about what might be next. Coaching can help get you clear. What is truly important to me? What is that I really want? Clarity helps focus. And focus gets us where we want to go.
3. Shift: Sometimes it’s a shift in focus or direction. Sometimes it’s a shift in attitude or belief. A 2 degree shift can make big changes in your life. You’ll land in an entirely different place with slight adjustments. And we often think it will have to be a big adjustment, but that is NOT true! What a relief!
4. Be More Confident: You already are an amazing human being. Really, you are! Sometimes we just forget. And it’s your job to remember that, not your spouses, not your kids, not your employers. It’s yours. And while that seems like that might suck, it really doesn’t. Because if you see yourself as amazing, so will others. What a catch 22!
5. Enjoy Yourself: As far as I can tell we are here to have fun. We are here to enjoy ourselves and our lives. We are here to explore, create, relate and expand into the full glory of who we truly are.

It is so worth it, YOU are so worth it to get some coaching. It’s about living your best life NOW. And who says that we have to do it on our own? That’s old programming.
So, are you interested in exploring the stuck places in your life, your health, your yoni? I’m totally game to play. Book an exploratory consult to see if we are a good fit!

Our bodies are amazing! Thousands of processes happen every day without our knowledge. Most things run without a hitch. Until they don’t.
Vaginal health is one of those areas that generally “just happens”. Brilliant body that we have, takes care of it all!
Sometimes, though, our yonis (sanskrit for vagina) do get a bit unbalanced. Inflammation in the body from a variety of  causes can show up as itching and discharge, or even pain.
So what is the “right” way to care for this very precious area of the body?

1. Clean with mild soap. Mostly our vajayjays are self cleaning and self regulating. No real cleansing necessary. The most that is generally needed is external cleansing in the bath or shower. Don’t put soap up into the vaginal area, but cleaning around the perineum can often feel good.
2. Recognize that discharge from the vagina is essential and often benign.  It’s the way your yoni cleans itself. This discharge can change depending on what’s going on in your cycle. Ovulation will generally bring more discharge. It should be clear and slightly sticky. This is so that sperm can travel with more ease up the vaginal canal to its ultimate destination, your womb and coveted egg. Sometimes though, discharge can happen for other reasons.
3. Less benign discharges indicate the body is doing it's best to clear the problem.  But sometimes the body needs a bit of help. Discharges that may need help or intervention in some way include: 
   • A reaction to a new partner's sperm. Yes, sperm allergies do exist, but they are uncommon.
   • Yeast or Candida infection.
   • Vaginosis or bacterial infection

1. Utilize Apple Cider Vinegar: For itching and discharge that is white and/or chunky a vinegar douche might be indicated. Yeast infections are pretty common. We have such a high sugar diet, and candida LOVES sugar, so most women are prone to this kind of infection at some time in their lives. If you are looking for alternatives to diflucan this can be a great option. Vaginal tissue is generally acidic, and a candida infection can make it more alkaline. Douching, or sitting in a sitz bath of Apple Cider Vinegar can not only help relieve symptoms, but begin to set things right again.
2. Take your Omegas: Healthy fatty acids in the body are important to keep mucosal membranes in top shape. Omega 3’s, 6’s and especially 7’s have beneficial effects for vaginal tissue that maybe dry especially due to the shift to menopause

Recognize too, that focusing on one symptom in the body could be a sign or signal that other things are off too. And while these might be simple fixes in the moment, a more comprehensive solution might be in order. You'll know. Both you and your body are wise. Listen to what your body tells you as well as that voice within.

It happens. Even the cleanest lube can create a burning sensation when you use it. Maybe you’ve had that experience. Or sometimes it burns and sometimes it doesn’t. And you are scratching your head wondering why, and what to do about it.
Let’s start with some of the reasons your lube might burn.

1. It has parabens in it. I know most companies are getting pretty savvy about not putting these in products anymore. But it’s still a possibility, so go ahead and look at the ingredient list.
2. Glycerin, or sugar can often be another reason you experience a burning sensation with a lube. I know all of those flavoured lubricants seem like a fun idea, but it’s no fun for your vajayjay!  And that’s because . . .
3. You might have a Candida (yeast) infection. And if you are using a lube that has sugar in it, that only compounds the problem.  But having a yeast infection in and of itself may cause your vagina to burn when using a lube (especially one pH balanced for your vagina), because when you have an infection it changes the pH of your vaginal tissues.
4. Your lube has alcohol in it. I know, crazy right? Alcohol belongs in your drink, not your lube. But some lubricants use alcohol as a preservative.
5. Vaginosis. This is a bacterial infection that your vagina could be harbouring. And again, any infection changes the pH of your vaginal tissues, and then can cause problems with burning.
6. Chlorhexidine. This is a disinfectant found in some lubes. The problem with it is that it kills all bacteria in the vagina, making it prone to infection, and we are back to vaginosis. Those good guys are needed to keep tissues healthy.
7. Condoms anyone? I know this isn’t strictly a lube issue. But some condoms come pre lubed, or pre spermacided. (is that a word?)  Anyway, whatever is in or on the condom could be the culprit for that burning sensation.
8. Micro tears in vaginal tissue. Caused by too much sex with a dry vagina. So sorry. Another reason to utilize a great lube.

What is a girl to do now that you have found the issue

• Pee after sex. Okay, it won’t necessarily prevent the burning, but it can clean out anything that might be causing the problem.
• Douche with kefir or plain yoghurt. Yeah, maybe kind of weird, but it works to get good bacteria into those tissues to prevent problems and heal things up. And do it more than once. Three to five days usually works.
• Sitz bath with a few drops of tea tree oil and a cup of vinegar in a shallow bath. Sit your bottom in the tub to ease symptoms of a yeast infection.
• The homeopathic remedy Cantharis is great for any peeing you have that causes a burning sensation. Especially if it comes after sex.
• Take your omegas, and especially include Omega 7’s because they are the best for mucosal tissue. You can find plenty of Omega 7’s in a Sea Buckthorn supplement.
• Squirt a water based lube up your vagina before sex. This will get tissues prepared beforehand especially if you are experiencing difficulties with being dry.

There you have it. A healthy yoni (sanskrit for vagina) is a happy yoni. And a yoni is never happy when it hurts. That’s why I created Yoni Bliss. We all deserve sexual satisfaction, and sometimes help is needed to get there. Yoni Bliss is an aloe and water based lubricant with homeopathic healing components that address the underlying issues of dryness and irritability. You can use it on yourself daily to improve the integrity of your vaginal tissues, as well as use it during sex. It’s a great addition to an improved sexual experience. Yoni Bliss is pH balanced for a woman’s vagina, and so it can cause burning if there are any underlying problems going on. This information may be a good start for you to suss out your particular puzzle,  but don’t hesitate to contact your health care professional for added aid.

Your Guide To Yoni MassageI am a 50 something woman. Professional homeopath, single woman, advocate for healthy Yonis everywhere. I support you being in, and loving your sensual body.  I do because wisdom resides in her. Our bodies have so much to teach us if we’d only listen
Several years ago I was inspired to create a homeopathic lubricating gel. I call this gel Yoni Bliss. Yoni Bliss has taken me on a ride these last number of years that I will never forget. It’s not always been an easy one. In some ways I’ve been called to grow up and step into my juicy womanhood. And I can say happily that process is not complete. (But I suppose if it were complete, I might as well croak.)
Yoni is sanskrit for  “vulva”, “source of life” or “sacred space”. These definitions appeal to me. More and more I sink down into that second chakra, sacral energy. I feel grounded there. I can sense my inner knowing there. It feels to me, that is my ultimate feminine connection.
It is in the spirit of curiosity and reclamation that I offer you an opportunity and step by step instructions on how to give yourself a Yoni massage.
I know what you might be thinking. There is no way in heck I will ever do something like that! Or, who in the world has time to do something so decadent?  Or, that scares the “sh*t” out of me.
Or maybe you are feeling a little of all of that plus other inexplicable emotions.
I heard about Yoni Massages many years ago in the book “Wild Feminine: Finding Power, Spirit and Joy in the Root of the Female Body” by Tami Kent. I was entranced. Since then there are many who talk about Yoni massages, but so many of them require a partner. And for a beginner who wants to dip a toe, sometimes doing it solo produces more satisfying results, or at least a little more ease.
But maybe you are wondering why you’d even want to go down this road.
These are some benefits:

• Connect with your body: How often do we touch ourselves?
• Connect with your higher sexual self: Just acknowledging that you do have a higher sexual self can do much to facilitate that.
• Heal your relationship with your Yoni: Have you neglected her, berated her, abused her in any way? Now is time to make reparations and give your Yoni some LOVE!
• Heal your womb: Pregnancies, births, endometriosis, cancer, unfinished creations. As women, our heart is in our womb, in ways we may never know. Paying attention to our bellies, to this whole Yoni area can begin to make reparations.
• Address and release past sexual trauma: This is a big one. With the #MeToo movement are becoming aware of it’s epidemic. Be easy here. Love yourself and be gentle with yourself.
• Let go of past negative sexual associations: Even if there hasn’t been direct sexual trauma, you may still be carrying around negativity around your sexuality. Take this as an opportunity to let go and release. What’s old has no place in your Yoni.
• Improve blood flow: Massage brings blood flow to the area. Blood flow brings nutrients and potentially improved sensation.
• Improve energy: Are you a little stagnant down there? It’s time to wake things up.
• Improve sensation: Yes please!
• Connect to your creativity: This is your second chakra area. It’s all about creativity. Whether it’s making babies or creating in your kitchen, the boardroom or the bedroom, it’s time to get juicy!
• Receive a sense of coming home: Yoni means “abode” or “source”. It’s a place of replenishment. Connect with this sense of home and notice how you relax. You become more at ease, at peace, and even more allowing.

Is that enough of a list to convince you?
If so, let me show you the way.

1. Prepare the Space: Do this in whatever feels good to you. Do you need to turn up the heat to make the space warm? Would lighted candles set the mood for you? Make a nest for yourself. Cushions and blankets on the bed to prop you in any way that’s comfortable for you would be good. Do you have other items that you could bring into this ritual with you? You can make this a sacred time, if you want. If that feels over the top, then prepare in a way that feels good to you. Bring oil that you like on your skin. Use a good water based lubricant, (like Yoni Bliss) or coconut oil for this time with yourself. (the added benefit of Yoni Bliss are the homeopathic remedies that can help to nourish your tissues.)
2. Prepare Yourself: Take a hot bath or shower. Maybe follow it by a cold one. Be aware of your senses. Notice what comes up for you in this preparation. Think about what your intentions are. What would you like to tap into, or learn about yourself? Be open to what may come up for you.
3. Meditate/Breathe: Take some time to get yourself settled in your nest. Close your eyes and breathe. Spend some time noticing how the air comes into your lungs and leaves again. Intentionally slow down your breath and move your shoulder and hips around. Is there tension anywhere? Acknowledge that, and breathe into that.
4. Begin: If you want to do your Yoni massage naked feeling the sensuousness of your skin, go ahead. If that feels too vulnerable wear something that feels good on your skin (silk scarf, yummy robe) and still gives you access to your Yoni.  Start by acknowledging you for taking this journey. It’s not always easy to dedicate time and energy to something that you don’t have any idea what will come of it for you. You are brave!  Begin to touch your skin. Massage your belly, your legs, your arms. Anyplace that feels good and helps you relax and be with your body benefits you. As you sink in more to yourself, move toward your perineum and massage around that area. Begin to include your vulva, your lips and your external vaginal opening.
5. Massage: When you are ready enter the vaginal canal. Use one or 2 fingers and enter in about 1 inch. Now press all the way around, starting wherever it feels most comfortable. Just inch around to feel what might be there. Is there tension or tightness in a spot. Stay with it. Hold it there a moment and breathe in. This may be considered something like a trigger point massage. Once you’ve gone all the way around, go a little deeper and go around again. Once you’ve done that, go a little deeper and go around again. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Do what feels right for you. Maybe it feels less awkward to use your thumb. Try different hands. Just remember to keep breathing. If there is pain, be with it. If tears, be with that. If numbness, again, just notice. Pay attention to the stories you are telling yourself about the process. Pay attention to other thoughts and feelings that come up. You may go deep enough to feel your cervix. Every woman’s cervix is different and can also be closer or further away from the vaginal entry due to where you are in your cycle. Notice what you do about that
6. Complete: When you are done exploring and being with the process, if something felt pleasurable and you want to explore that further, please do. If it feels like you’d give your clitoris more attention, don’t stop. But also if what you’ve done is enough, honor that. You’ll know when you are complete.
7. Journal: If it feels right, and you want to, take some notes. Write yourself a love letter. Thank yourself for your presence. If writing feels too much, just be with yourself. Put your hand on your heart. Inwardly bow to the goddess that is you!

This is a practice for you. Don't do it for anyone else but you. Be selfish about it. Take as much as you can from it. I'm saying that it will benefit your life. It may also benefit your sex life!

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(And What You Can Do To Fix It)Ever notice that once you are in a relationship for awhile the juiciness wanes a bit? Maybe you’re not as wet as you were when you first met. Maybe you just aren’t having the sex you once did when everything was new. The butterflies in your stomach aren’t quite as active, anticipation has faded, maybe the excitement that once was is no longer.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s likely that all of those feelings, sensations and emotions have been replaced with comfort, stability and ease. Trust builds over time. Which definitely has its own yumminess.
But here you are 1 or 10 years later wondering why your vagina is dry? Are you just not turned on by him anymore? Is it his fault? Is it yours?
Whoa. Slow down girl. Let’s talk about some of the real possibilities.
Here are 7 Reasons Your Vagina Is Dry After One Year Of Being In A Relationship

1. Lack of Arousal: Okay, it’s true, arousal often brings wetness. Maybe you aren’t spending enough time focusing on what it is that turns you on about him. Remember when you first met, the little things that turned you on? Maybe it was the curve of his neck, the shape of his lips or the way he looked at you. Try milking those remembrances.
2. Lack of Foreplay: Sometimes we get so busy, we think we don’t have time for foreplay. Or we want to have sex, but we don’t want to spend much time at it. So the dance of foreplay is lost. Remember when just thinking about him, and the anticipation of things to come made you wet? Remember when kissing him, smelling him and the feel of his skin sent you over the moon? Maybe it’s time to bring some of that back!
3. Stress: Whether it’s your own emotions about family, work or kids, or relationship issues with your beloved, stress is no fun. And it can be reason for your body not responding in the way that you’d like your body to respond. Stress is nothing to laugh about, and it’s certainly not something to sweep under the rug. Finding help, either a therapist or coach helps. Meditating, slowing down, and recognizing all the good in your life helps too. Do something about your stress, and you may find that dry vagina balancing it’s own self out.
4. Hormonal shifts: In the last year did you change your contraceptive, get pregnant or move into menopause? Women are our hormones. We just can’t get around it. We are run by our hormones. And those hormones shift and change over time, and depending on a whole variety of factors those shifts can affect our natural lubrication. Sometimes we need to just ride it out. Sometimes we need a good lube. (Yes, I developed Yoni Bliss for this reason, as well as to help your body balance itself out again.) Sometimes we need to look at herbal supplementation or medication. Do what feels right for you.
5. Health Changes: The body becomes dis-eased for many different reasons. But those changes can make a difference in all areas of our lives including our body’s response during sex.It may make no sense that it means you aren’t as lubricated as you’d like. But our bodies are complicated and it’s amazing that it works in such an incredibly intricate way. Getting help for those changes always seems prudent to me.Although I’m a proponent of receiving help in a way that feels life giving for you.
6. Lifestyle Changes: Has your new relationship brought on lifestyle changes for you? Some lifestyle changes are good. Maybe we are working out more, or watching what we eat. But sometimes we get into changes that aren’t so good for our vajayjays. Maybe we are drinking more alcohol, or smoking more, or not getting enough water. You might be thinking you are having fun, but your body is rebelling. Assess and see if there are changes you want to make that would make you and your yoni (sanskrit for vagina) feel better.
7. Cleaning too much: Our vaginas are designed to be self cleaning. But sometimes, due to our desire to smell good, or be desirable for our mate we may get into an internal cleaning or douching regime. All I can say to this one is STOP IT! Your vagina doesn’t need any help in this department unless it is under stress with bacterial or yeast infection. But under normal circumstances there really is nothing that needs to be done. Really. Yes, of course, shower or bathe. Use a mild soap on your perineum, and go no further. 

So there you have it. If your relationship feels good. If it’s making you happy in oh so many ways, there may be nothing to fret about if your vagina is dry now and then. But if you are concerned, these suggestions may help you on your way to solving the problem.

September 4th was World Sexual Health Day. 
I am a little behind with this post. But let's talk about sexual health anyway!
What is sexual health? The World Health Organization describes it like this:
Sexual health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence.
 
So good, right?
Wellbeing. Being well in my physical body, my mental body and in my community or socially. Sexually well. What a concept. And when we look at that world wide, we have a ways to go. Violence is real. Coercion is real. Rape is real. Genital mutilation is real. It can be rather depressing to think about. But I want to bring it closer to home. Change starts with you and me, and if we can focus on our own sexual health my knowing is that it ripples out into the world. So what about you?
 
Yes you!!
 
What is your sexual health like? Let me ask you a few questions and you can assess.

1. What's your relationship like with your body?  Do you love it or hate it? Do you love parts of it and hate other parts of it? Or do you ignore it all together? I think most men and women struggle to some extent with their bodies. Societal programming about what a beautiful body, a desirable body should look like is ever present, even as it changes from generation to generation. Family expectations too run rampant. What if you don't look like anyone in your family? Judgments abound.  It's hard to have sexual health when we judge our stomachs, our breasts, our legs. And how intimate are you with your own vulva? Have you looked at it, appreciated its beauty?  Woah! Have I gone too far?
2. Do you enjoy your own sexualness? Face it, we are sexual beings. From the moment we are born we are sexual beings. Our bodies are designed for pleasure. Our senses are potent. Tasting, feeling, seeing, hearing and smelling. Yes, these senses help to protect us, but they also please us.  Being sexual doesn't necessitate copulation or any other touch from another. It doesn't necessitate touch from ourselves to ourselves. But you have a body. My interesting point of view is that it was meant to be enjoyed.
3.  What are your relationships like? The kind of relationships that you have with others are probably the most indicative of the relationship you have with yourself. Feeling unheard, abused or maligned? What are the ways in which you are not listening to you? Are you ignoring that small voice inside? Do you have symptoms in your body that are talking to you and which you are not hearing? Do you bad mouth yourself? Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, and if you actually listen to your self talk, you might make sense of what we hear in our external world.
4. Are you safe in your sexual relationships, or do you hold trauma in your body?  1 in 5 girls are victims of childhood sexual trauma. If you haven't been sexually traumatized, you likely know someone who has been. And if you weren't sexually traumatized, it doesn't mean that you weren't traumatized in some other way. That trauma can get in the way of your relationships and your sexual relationships. Opening up to someone sexually requires trust. And we need to trust ourselves to know what we know most of all. How often have you cut off your awareness for that connection with another? And are there traumas that you aren't even aware of that may be inviting healing today?
5. Do you recognize your potency? We are potent beings. Our bodies possess the capacity to heal. Our wombs create and grow new life. This potency attracts many experiences to us. It attracts our partners, our friends, our sexual experiences. If you were more aware of this potency, what might you choose? Me, I think I choose more fun, more playfulness, more connection, more pleasure . . . more sex. Because, bottom line, sexual health also means being willing to be sexual in whatever way that we choose throughout life.

How'd you do? How do you want to do?I am an advocate taking all health into your own hands. Our bodies are amazing. Our sexuality and sexualness are amazing. Take your body as a whole. Take your life as a whole. Don't segment it. What if you chose for you? What if you took care of you? My belief is that sexual health ripples out from there.

And Who Doesn't Want Great Vaginal Health?Food is medicine. We hear that all the time. And there is always a lot of debate about what foods and in which combinations are best for our bodies in general, though we don't often talk about foods for vaginal health.
Which foods, of course, are conditional on who is doing the eating. We are all put together chemically and energetically quite differently despite our seemingly sameness.
Sex is also medicine. Whether it’s with oneself or with another, we all know it’s benefits if only in the way that it makes us feel. (I won’t bore you with the chemistry of hormones and endorphins right now.
This isn’t a discussion about what foods to choose on that promising first date. You know . . . so that it might lead to the sex is medicine part, but I do want to have a conversation about food and your Yoni. (sanskrit for Vagina, or Vulva)
Food is medicine for your Yoni. Food keeps your tissues hydrated. It can help with cramping, stave off infections, and keep your vaginal tissues in proper pH balance. (Vaginas are slightly acidic) Food can bring more blood flow into the vaginal canal helping to increase orgasm. And food can increase sexual desire. It's so important to look at foods for vaginal health!
So which foods might do all of this?Let me tell you!

1. Cranberries: Our vaginas adore acidic foods and drinks. The vaginal canal is naturally acidic and when it’s off balance it can be prone to infection. And because the urethra is right down in that direction, it too is susceptible. Cranberry juice sans sugar (so read the label carefully) helps if you are prone to bladder problems by not allowing the bacteria to stick to the ureter walls.
2. Lemon Juice: Lemon water increases vaginal secretions as well as keeps pH balanced.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps balance acid/alkaline balance in the body as well as convert proteins into useable amino acids which are building blocks for oh so many things, including our hormones. So a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water before meals down the road addresses any imbalances between estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Balanced hormones, balanced vagina.
4. Oysters: Contain dopamine and zinc. Confidence and a higher sex drive. Who wouldn’t say that’s good for a vag?
5. Avocados: Rich in Vitamin E and healthy fat, avocados are great for long term vaginal moisture. Avocado’s may also help to alleviate cramps.
6. Salmon: A great source for your omegas, that fat source that keeps your yoni juicy.
7. Sweet Potatoes: Contain high Vitamin A content which is great for strengthening your vaginal walls.
8. Yoghurt, Kefir, Kombucha, and Kimchee: What do these have in common? Probiotics. Essential for keeping vaginal tissues healthy and out of infection’s way.  And my favorites . . .
9. Red Wine: The Flavinoids found in red wine could prevent ovarian cancer. But overdoing it could cause more problems, including dehydration. (which could be the cause of your vaginal dryness.)
10. Dark Chocolate: Antioxidants, flavinoids and magnesium. Again, great for sexual health and even a libido boost. Just be sure to get a high cocoa content. (70% or higher.

So dig in! Be a foodie for your Yoni. She will thank you for it!
Looking for Homeopathic Remedies For When It Hurts To Pee?

9 Ways To Increase Your LibidoHave you lost that loving feeling? Are you finding that you just don’t have it in you to respond to your partner’s advances, let alone start something fun? Do you want to boost your sex drive naturally?
You are not alone. Hormonal shifts and changes have huge impacts on a woman’s sex drive. And I don’t know about you, but I want to keep my sex drive.
Sex is both a head and body game. Ideally both have to be in it for sex to be satisfying. I’m going to break this article down into two sections, things you can do, and homeopathic remedies you can take.
First, what’s a woman to do? Keep an open mind about some of these suggestions. Do any resonate enough with you that you’d like to try them out?

1. 1. Meditate: I know this one may seem a bit odd. Why meditate if you are trying to boost your sex drive? The Centre for Sexual Medicine at the University of British Columbia asked this question in one of their studies about women and libido. They determined that focus was necessary in sexual desire and satisfaction. Bringing yourself back to each moment in meditation is a skill that transfers over to sex. Simply put, it brings you back into the moment.
   2. Breathe: Deeply. Bring your breath into your chest and lungs, and then all the way down to your belly. Let that breath out slowly, then breathe in again. Bring that breath down to your pelvic floor, and into your yoni (sanskrit for vagina, vulva, womb, or my favourite, source)  Notice the sensations in your body as you breathe. Any tingling happening? Breathe in again. Keep your breath slow. Focus on sensations. Focus on and milk the yummy ones.
   3. Practice Your Kegels: Besides doing something good for your body and your pelvic floor, kegels also bring your attention to your pelvic floor. I know that’s a bit of a “duh”. But again, it’s about focus, attention and sensation. What does it feel like to clench your PC muscle? Doing 10 of these three times a day will keep the focus on your vagina and it’s pleasure potential
   4. Exercise: As we age our testosterone levels decrease, and besides decreasing muscle mass it also decreases sensitivity in our vaginas and clits. Exercise counters this by boosting testosterone in the body and therefore our libidos. Good choices include yoga because it can also alleviate anxiety and depression, libido downers, as well as weight lifting.

Homeopathic Remedies that help. 

• Damiana: Botanical name Tumera Aphrodisiaca. This remedy is said to “invigorate the system”. It’s botanical name suggests a strong use in boosting sex drive. It may also be useful for painful periods, irregular periods and discharges between periods. My suggestion would be to take 1 dose of a 30C potency one time a week for 3 - 5 doses and see what you notice.

• Sepia: Ink juice of the Cuttlefish. I’ve talked about this remedy before in other articles. I love this remedy for women in general. And when it’s a good fit it is amazing! Sepia helps women who are worn out from childrearing, working hard, and not getting enough sleep. Generally they don’t want to be touched when in this state. If this is you, and your sex drive is out the window give Sepia a try.

• Natrum Muriaticum: Basically this remedy is Salt. This remedy is in my homeopathic lubricating gel for women. Think about salt in your body. It retains water. Holds on to it. Energetically and emotionally Nat. Mur. speaks to grief in the body. All those tears you have cried, and all those you have not, and cannot. Women are the salt of the earth. We hold so many emotions, so much pain. How much unrequited love have you not yet let go of. This can hinder our sex drive. Take this remedy if these deep emotions are what hold you back from satisfaction.

• Ignatia: Another grief remedy. Ignatia comes from the St. Ignatius Bean, a plant in the Loganiaceae family. Women needing this remedy are highly sensitive and likely nervous. Are you sighing, and moody? Weepy?  The sensitivity and grief from the woman needing this remedy can interfere with her being intimate. She’s mostly very introspective and shut down.
• Agnus Castus: The Chaste Tree. We need only look at the name and see it’s affinity. Useful for lower sexual vitality, especially if also feeling somewhat depressed and depleted.

A good place to start with any of these remedies is to find a 12C or a 30C of the remedy and try it. One time a day for 3 - 5 days, OR one time a week for 3 - 5 weeks. A Homeopathic remedy is different from herbal tinctures and teas. They are diluted to an infinitesimal amount which means that it’s an energetic dose of the remedy, kind of like Emoto’s water experiments.
Of course there are many remedies that boost your sex drive. Talking with a homeopathic practitioner can help you sort out what remedy might be best for you.