The Dish on Douche

Women of the world-- think twice before douching. Don't let fears and curiosity drive you to the "feminine care" aisle and grab the first box of Massengill or Summer's Eve Douche that you see. Douching (which means 'to shower' in French) is a process of rinsing the vagina by forcing a watery solution into the vaginal cavity to flush away discharge or other contents. In theory (and in writing, as stated in the above pictured 1950's Ad), douching is a great idea. But in practice, it's simply an awful thing to do to your body. Here's Why:

1. Douching may reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant by approximately thirty percent.
2. It changes the delicate chemical balance of the vagina and can make a woman more susceptible to infections. 3. Douching can introduce new bacteria into the vagina which can spread up through the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes, causing irritations and infections such as bacterial vaginosis, and an increased number of sexually transmitted diseases. 4. Regular douche users face a 73% greater risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) -- a serious condition that can lead to infertility, or even death, if untreated.

So there you have it, coquettish dames. If you must cleanse your body after a night of playful intimacy -- I have a great alternative: A Sitz bath. Here's What you do:
Fill a shallow tub (just to the hip) with warm water, then add salt (enough to make the water taste salty, about 1/2 cup) to match the body's natural saline state.

Or instead of salt, you can Add vinegar (1/2 cup) to help rebalance the vaginal pH to 4.5
You sit in the water, knees apart, until it gets cool. The bath will do the cleansing.