Summertime Health Tips for Women

Aahhh... summertime! At long last, hot days filled with warm weather fun. You've earned it. Just remember with heat and humidity come a host of real issues for women that can put a damper on fun in the sun. Below are a few tips for surviving some of the most common pitfalls of the season.

When you've got hot summer plans, a visit from "Aunt Flo" can be a real downer. Let's face it... who wants to be intimate when your v-zone is feeling 'funky?' A number of everyday triggers, including menstruation, pregnancy, intercourse or medications, can upset the delicate vaginal ecosystem and elevate pH, causing odor, increase or change in discharge, or even a bacterial infection.

Fragrance sprays, wipes and pads just mask the problem and can be harmful to delicate tissue. RepHresh Gel keeps the pH balanced -- decreasing the chance of bacterial vaginosis, and eliminating that "fishy" odor by treating the root cause.

Did you know that using a water-based lubricant can upset your natural vaginal pH if it isn't pH balanced? Wet Platinum silicone-based lube has no pH to interfere with yours and it is much longer lasting than a typical water-based lubricant. It's even guaranteed never sticky, even on a hot summer's night!

She wore an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, polka-dot bikini -- along with an itchy, burning bikini line rash! Not only is razor rash unattractive, it's also painful. Ease the heat buildup by wearing cotton panties and loose clothes. When shaving, use a new razor blade to get a close, clean shave and you can use Wet Platinum silicone-based lube instead of shaving cream for a super silky shave sans the bumps and burn.

Love that new pair of strappy sandals but hate the nasty blister it raises on your pinky toe? Fill a plastic bottle with water and tuck it into the too-tight area with the cap pointing up, then pop your bottle-filled shoe in the freezer overnight. The water in the bottle will expand as it freezes, gently stretching the straps to provide a little extra wiggle room for those tender piggies.

After a fun beach weekend, your hair is screaming to be scrubbed, but after a fresh shampoo, your hair smells like a wet dog! Overexposure to heat, sun and humidity can create an extra-oily condition on your scalp, also known as 'smelly hair syndrome'-- an itchy stink that regular shampooing can't erase.

Good news: the remedy is as close as your kitchen. Mix one part baking soda in three parts water. Apply the paste to damp hair and leave on for five minutes, then wash and condition as usual. Also, apple cider vinegar can restore your hair's normal pH, preventing frizz and adding shine. Rinse your hair with one-half tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one cup of water. Leave on for one to two minutes, then rinse completely.

With a little planning and the right strategy, surviving summer can be as easy as a day at the beach!