(^32) – SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 everythingzoomer.com
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improbably entertaining The
Vagina Bible because “there is so
much misinformation out there.
Keeping women uninformed
about their bodies is a tool of the
patriarchy. I felt this urgency,
just like I’d have an ethical duty
if I saw someone bleeding at the
side of the road.”
The book is chatty, with a girl-
friend tone, but chock full of
everything you want and need
to know about what’s going on
“down there,” from vulvar itch to
how many contractions are typ-
ical during an orgasm (the range
is between three and 15 with the
whole thing lasting five to 60
seconds). Also, some things you
don’t want to have to know about:
genital ulcers, bacterial vagin-
osis, painful sex and more.
She’s also included a chapter
on a hot-button topic: cannabis.
“I’m always wary when there’s
hype,” she says about her hesi-
tation to recommend it. “If you
want to use it recreationally,
you do what you want with your
body. The science will hopefully
be forthcoming and nothing is a
miracle cure.”
Gunter is a firm believer in
transparency about everything,
including herself. Twice di-
vorced, with twin 15-year-old
sons who were born severely pre-
mature but are now doing great,
she ended a seven-year relation-
ship at the end of last year and
“went on all the dating apps. I
had 25 horrible first dates and a
couple of nice ones.”
Oh, and she also wants you to
know, if you read The Vagina
Bible, that she doesn’t wax
her labia majora (she trims) and
that she uses Old Spice deodor-
ant for men.
“I love the smell,” she explains.
“It’s super cheap and it’s me tell-
ing myself I’m a badass lady pir-
ate every morning.”
Zoom In Vitality
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO LIVE
in a time with effective prophylaxis
and treatments for many diseases.
But we are still vulnerable. The
World Health Organization (WHO)
has identified 10 threats to global
health in 2019, and three are of con-
cern to us as we age.
Vaccine hesitancy is defined by the
WHO as reluctance to vaccin-
ate despite the availability
of vaccines. According to
the agency, vaccination
currently prevents two
to three million deaths
a year, and a further 1.5
million could be avoid-
ed if global coverage of
vaccinations improved. The
reasons people choose not to
vaccinate include inconvenience in ac-
cessing vaccines and concern about
their health effects (although vaccines
are safe and effective). Vaccines are im-
portant for older adults. As you get
older, your immune system weakens,
and it can be more difficult to fight off
infections. You’re more likely to get dis-
eases like the flu, pneumonia and shin-
gles – and to have complications that
can lead to long-term illness, hospitaliz-
ation, even death. If you have an ongoing
health condition – like diabetes or heart
disease – getting vaccinated is especial-
ly important. Vaccines recommended
for older adults include a pneumococ-
cus vaccine (prevents pneumonia and
other serious infections) and the shin-
gles vaccine. In addition, a tetanus shot
should be updated every 10 years.
Measles has seen a 30-per-cent
increase in cases globally, includ-
ing in places where it was almost
eradicated. Do you need to get
the vaccine? Most people born
before 1957 are thought to have
been infected naturally with the
virus through measles outbreaks.
However, there are some who are
not immune. The live version of
the vaccine introduced in 1963 ap-
pears to have worked well, but an-
other version (the “killed” version)
did not. That was administered be-
tween 1963 and 1967. Therefore,
people who either received the killed
version of the measles vaccine or
don’t know what kind they received
in the 1960s should be re-immun-
ized. Doctors can check a patient’s
immunity levels with a blood test to
detect antibodies that fight
measles. People born be-
fore 1957 whose lab test
shows they are not im-
mune and may be at
risk should have one
dose of the MMR vac-
cine and a second dose
28 days later. You are at
a high risk if you travel dur-
ing an outbreak, are near travel
hubs or destinations or are a health-
care provider. You could be at risk if
you only got one dose of the vaccine.
And then there’s the flu. The WHO
warns that we will face another influ-
enza pandemic – 1918’s Spanish flu killed
more than 50 million people – the only
thing we don’t know is when and how
severe it will be. Every year, the agency
recommends which strains should be in-
cluded in the vaccine. It’s not perfect as
it cannot include all strains, but it is the
best defence we have.
Dr. Zachary Levine is an assistant
professor in the faculty of medicine
at McGill University Health Centre
and medical correspondent for
AM740 (a ZoomerMedia property).
GLOBAL
WARNING
In this month’s
House Call, Dr.
Zachary Levine
investigates what’s
threatening us now
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