Carousel -- Week Ending 25th April 2008
[ 24 April 2008 ]
How To Deal With Hateful Comments On Your Blog — a post I wrote for Problogger in response to a reader question.
The Bloody Truth — feminine hygiene and the menstrual cycle. Not a pretty topic but pretty interesting!
Pictures! Photographs by Nico, lots of glamorous photos to get you in the mood for summer, David Lachapelle does disaster chic & Paradise Lost by Ellen Von Unwerth (NSFW).
My friend Dr Hitchcock regularly interviews me for his radio show Mixtape Connection in Christchurch, & you can listen to it here! Woohoo!
If you want to watch Australia’s Next Top Model (which has just started airing over here), have a squizz! My favourites so far? Alexandra (loves fashion, is a bit of a snob [my favourite girls are always the arrogant ones on any Top Model show] & fell asleep with a book of Kafka on her head — totally gets my vote), Jamie (beautiful face), Caris (very pretty) & Leiden (really minxy). Who do you like?
I love Cary Tennis, forever & ever. My boyfriend won’t give me his apartment key & how can I get a writing job? (plus letters) are both good reads.
Look Book — A collection of New Yorker covers celebrating fashion & style, from the nineteen-twenties to today.
Ask Nubby #2: 13 Steps to a Successful Blog-Based Business... & she would know! Lots of Nubby love!
Oh, & if you want to be part of a study on blogger/reader relationships, a gal named Bo is doing a bit of research! Have a read of this…
“Do you have a favourite blogger that you want to talk about? I am an Honours student from the University of Queensland, Australia and I am conducting an email-based survey that looks at the experiences that blog readers have with their favourite bloggers. To take part in this research you cannot be a blogger yourself and you cannot know the blogger offline. Please note that for ethical and legal issues you MUST be 18+ years of age and an Australian Citizen to partake in this research. If this sounds like you and you would like to participate in this original and exciting research project then please email Bo. All inquiries are very much appreciated!”
We’re seeing Matt & Angela tomorrow… woohoo!
Your genes are not your fate!
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala
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Whoah, this woman is trying to eliminate her period ENTIRELY? Wouldn’t that be destroying a natural process?
The photo links are wonderful!
Anne
I agree with you Anne, completely eliminating your period sounds very extreme to me! I was quite shocked about the whole thing!
interesting take on menstruation, but it strikes me as a bit misleading/scary…the author’s assertion that menstruation is the body’s desperate attempt to rid itself of toxins is terribly awry! it’s a natural process and while not necessary for life itself (as evidenced in women who have never had it or in people who use contraceptives to reduce its frequency), is certainly not a response to ‘toxins’ (and her wording sounds almost like those old fundamentalist ideas that menstruation came from “woman’s impurity”! the nerve! tee hee).
as a midwifery and holistic nursing student (and off and on raw enthusiast in good health), i can say that i have never experienced any difference in menstruation based on my diet, no matter how long i may continue a streak (my last raw attempt lasted three years, 90% raw). i’m not trying to discredit her experience though!
I agree that the benefits of a raw/vegan diet extend to menstruation/pms. I just want to say, however, that I also believe that the disgust/stigma surrounding periods is really quite a destructive standpoint. This is only my opinion, though, so, moving on …
Thanks for the Galliano-fest. I want to dress like his models every single day. Maybe that should be part of my iTC? ;P
I liked your article about the negative comments, it has happened a lot to me on LiveJournal mainly but my new baby blog is watched constantly.
The menstrual cycle article was interesting and I agree with Anne, it sounds as if she is trying to stop her cycle. Scary :S.
I can’t wait for the summer and the beach OMG!!!
I found the article on menstruation very interesting! And though I would love to get rid of cramps and have healthier lighter periods, I’m not sure I’d like to rid my blood flow entirely.
However before this article I didn’t know that it was NOT normal to have cramps during a period—but it makes perfect sense.
So thank you for sharing that link. I want to do further research on this subject now.
i looove leiden, belinda and caris. i’m the total opposite when it comes to snobby girls – i’m so turned off by them! belinda is toooo cute with her kooky-geekyness! and leiden.. gah… i WISH i could be her! that girl is the absolute definition of ‘spunk’ :)
Hey Gala,
I love your site and always look forward to seeing your updates, so please don’t take this as a criticism..
But please please everyone, regarding that link about amenhorrea – please just google it (research amenhorrea) and have a look through more of the research on the absence of periods and make up your own mind.
I work as a mental health nurse for children and adolescents, and it breaks my heart the thought of girls who are struggling with eating disorders reading the linked page and getting such confused information. Sometimes with the girls who are almost at death’s door, it’s only being able to trust the doctors and nurses, when they tell them that their body is showing them medical symptoms of starvation, that helps them to eat.
I know this will not be popular, and Gala – I’m so so sorry if this comes across as negative, but it really matters to me.
Re: the period stuff, I don’t know a lot about it, but I thought the article was interesting, hence I linked it.
What I do know is that the more raw food I eat, the shorter, lighter & less painful my periods are. (& I’m definitely not starving!)
Yikes! Is Bellgene a doctor? It seems she’s giving out some risky advice. PMS symptoms are largely caused by hormone fluctuations (the drop in levels of estrogen and progesterone) before menstruation. Some women do not have periods, or as many while on hormonal birth control, because they are not ovulating. Continuous Amenorrhea can be very damaging to the female body over time because it suppresses estrogen release. Low estrogen release is shown to cause bad bad things early on in life, like Osteoporosis. Amenorrhea is not normal, it’s a symptom of your body trying to save itself by preventing pregnancy.
There’s been a lot of research about this lately because many young female athletes who exercise a lot and are very thin experience amenorrhea. Look up “Female Athlete’s Triad” if you’d like to know about it. It’s also linked to eating disorders, and restricted diets.
It is true that avoiding certain foods, like caffeine, while menstruating can help reduce cramps and other symptoms. So while I do agree that eating raw foods, and good whole foods can make menstruation much easier, I strongly disagree with this woman who is calling amenorrhea “normal”.
I’m also sorry to add negativity to your post, I just worry about young women and yourself thinking these things are okay, when you could be doing serious damage to your body.
Hey Gala, interesting Carousel this week! I am not a blogger myself, but I really like the article you wrote about negative comments left on blogs. I don’t follow many blogs, yours being one of the few, mainly I am more into online comics ;) But reading that made me realize why yours is one of the ones I follow… you are compassionate! You aren’t someone just talking at the world about life, you are fostering a great community, talking to us, the readers. What you said about sending emails to dedicated commentors who suddenly turn nasty really made me think that although the internet is supposed to be one huge, cold, unfeeling place, it doesn’t have to be. And when people reach out, rather than simply put their opinions (positive or negative) out there, knowing they are safe with the cover of the internet, it is truly an awesome thing! So thanks :)
xoxo
Wow, the menstruation link really struck a nerve with me. My first thoughts was “crazy misinformed woman” until I read further and realised the struggles Bellgene has had.
Whilst I don’t really agree with her view that your the reason for your period is to get rid of bodily “toxins” and is not necessary, I understand her need for shorter, less painful periods.
As I have always understood it (and maybe I am totally wrong), menstruation is the shedding of the endometrium, or lining the uterus, which is there to act as a nutritious bed for a baby to grow in. When I don’t fall pregnant each month the lining is ejected to prepare for a new baby bed next month.
Does not having your period mean that the lining just builds up with no where to go? Or that there is no endometrium for a baby to live in (if you do happen to fall pregnant)?
My concern is that Bellgene is taking raw to the extreme; to the point where it is affecting the hormones that trigger her period. It just doesn’t seem healthy to me!
In the past I have experienced horrendous pain (to the point where I was unable to work and was prescribed the pill to combat cramps). It has changed since I’ve grown older. Maybe I am very lucky now, in that I don’t eat as well, or excercies as much as I should, but have relatively short and painless periods.
I am sure that if I ate better, then my period would be “better”. For now I am happy with the way things are though!
PS I think I have a non-sexual crush on Nubby!
Gala, please let us know if you don’t want us to discuss the Raw Food/Menstruation article further. I know it’s getting off the track of your post. It just really bothers me to see unhealthy and possibly dangerous misinformation given to young women.
Yes, ovulation and menstruation are two separate functions. A woman will continue to ovulate, even if she is not menstruating.
Most mammals are not human beings. Female human gestation and menstruation is very different from other mammals. Humans are the only mammals functioning on a 28 day average cycle. Therefore, it’ entirely healthy for say, a dog, to not menstruate as a female human being does.
Regarding the wikipedia entry on culture and menstruation, I believe that sentence is to be interpreted as: women in hunter gatherer societies are often pregnant or nursing, and therefore, not menstruating. But the article is very vague, and wikipedia is not a good source for correct information. In fact, they even misspell Amenorrhea, as “Amenorrhoea” !!? Also, just because something happens to a culture or group of people, does not mean it is good for you.
Amenorrhea is a complete absence of menstruation over 90 days. When the body is lacking a certain level of fat, it will cease to menstruate in order to conserve energy to save the body. Your body also does not want to lose blood at this time. You will still be ovulating, but your body will not build up a lining of nutrients in the uterus. The thyroid will cease the release of gonadotropin, a hormone that in turn signals the release of estrogen. Not having this estrogen can do serious harm to your body over time.
It is not the same as having a lighter period, which is okay. So for Gala, and other raw foodists who experience lighter periods, there’s no call for alarm.
I’m not a doctor, and neither is Bellgene. Please ask a real doctor before deciding if you think it’s healthy for you not to have a period.
I’ll have to agree with everyone else, and say that the menstruation article worries me. I’ll agree that it’s interesting to consider the affects of one’s diet and lifestyle on one’s period and PMS symptoms, but I don’t think I’ll ever even be willing to consider taking a birth control pill like Seasonale, the one where you only get your period every three months. My body builds up a fresh lining for a potential embryo every month, and it can’t be healthy to keep that lining there month after month, even if there is no chance of pregnancy.
Although I’m glad she supports the Diva Cup. I’ve recently purchased a Moon Cup, which is a different brand, though I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it yet. Like, at all. I really want to though! It’s so frustrating to be using pads and tampons because I can’t get the Moon Cup in right!
I think this topic is very interesting but we all have to remember not to believe EVERYTHING anyone tells us. It’s an interesting article and i’m glad to hear that just going Raw helps some women with their cycles.
I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome three years ago at 19, after experiencing extreme pain & heavy lenthly periods. The Dr’s I saw thought it very odd considering I wasn’t overweight, but my family has history of endometriosis.
I have tried pretty much every birth control pill on the market, & most of them worked in regulating my cycle & reducing the pain slightly. But ALL of them turned me into a frantic, anxious, psycho-bi%&* from hell! I didn’t even notice that was what the problem was, until I stopped taking them.
I have tonnes of friends who have experienced the same thing. I encourage everyone who has problems with their cycle to try any natural alternatives that are well-thought out & consulted with a dietician/naturopath/Dr or other professional. Raw is not about starving yourself! Or denying your body of essential nutrients.
This Summer, I cut down my intake of meat & dairy producs, such as drinking calcium rich soy whenever possible & ate more fruit, veges & less meat.
Although I am nowhere near vegan or raw, I still found that with regular enjoyable exercise my periods are shorter (back to 5/6 days now!) & I only experience about 2 days of pain (1 unbearable) & need less medication.
I went back to my Dr about 3 months ago and had another ultrasound. They were amazed, because 4 of the cysts that were originally seen have gone & when I told them about my lessened symptoms they told me to keep doing what I was doing because it seems to be helping.
Having said this, I know it won’t be the right answer for every woman. We are all different & what works for you might not work for someone else, but I believe if it’s a natural choice alternative that’s available (& is a non-lifethreatening condition) you should consider it at least.
I loved your Problogger article about hateful comments; humor and grace win every time!
Love those beach photos! (And the discussion here in the comments is really interesting.)
I’m glad I’m not the only one who found the menstruation link pretty disturbing. The way the author says “for those who continue to menstruate” as if it was normal for periods to stop just gives me the shivers. Shorter and lighter periods is one thing; total cessation is quite another. Amenorrhoea is one of the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa- that’s how seriously it is taken as a symptom of insufficient body fat. I hate to react so negatively to links you post, Gala, because IMHO one of the best things about iCiNG is its positivity, but I’m inclined to go along with the established medical opinion that lack of periods is not a sign of health.
Laur- “amenorrhoea” is actually the British English spelling, so it could be that whoever edited that article was British.
That talk on telomeres is amazing. I’ve heard that you can control how ragged they get and even how you can turn gene expressions on and off but I never realised you could enact serious changes in 3 months! Wow, I’m so making myself a workout and like, sticking to raw food like crazy! I really want to watch the ted talk that he mentions at the beginning but I can only get that the guys first name is Craig…
To those who said aboust asking “a doctor”, well some doctors know more and some less. For sure there are many who would even warn people off a raw diet, or tell you that you need milk for calcium (in fact the opposite is true). So what I’m saying is that not every doctor is an authority just because they are “a doctor”.
I really do love these David Lachapelle pictures ( and love the shots individually in secession and as a series they lack narrative. Though the photo of the girls in the silver dresses is my favourite, I love the hair and the make up. I wish I had big boofy long 60’s hair…so hot. That Viktor and Rolf bed dress looks like my dream dress. I could just lie down anywhere and go to sleep. hehehehe.
I like those Galliano sets of photos because it kinda shows that maybe there is some relevant to couture fashion to what we actually wear, epically the ways in which he clashes colours. Floral dresses with clashing strange coloured tights sounds like an awesome idea to me!
I was going to respond about that menstruation article then something else struck me as I read the comments. If we disagree with what’s been written in an article Gala has posted a link to, surely it is not “negative” to voice an opinion as long as it is done reasonably and respectfully and not hurtfully or hatefully? I always assumed the reason Gala posts such links is that she thought they were intriguing and got her brain whirring and wondered what other people would make of them, and that as such the point was to discuss them and make up our own minds about them?
I process the information I am exposed to through icing by imagining it is my best friend telling me it. If my best friend told me she felt eliminating her period through diet control was a neat idea, I’d gently but firmly tell her to seek advice from a trusted doctor first, that the fact that so many religions have rituals centered around menstruation suggests it has been a part of human nature for a very long time and is not caused by the food we eat in these modern times. I would make no apologies for saying so either, as I feel that not to do so would make me a terrible friend in this situation.
So while I disagree with what has been said in that article, I am glad Gala posted it as I was totally unaware that the need for menstruation was even under debate so it’s been eye-opening for sure!
Like Rachel, I’m happy the woman who wrote the menstruation article (very briefly) mentioned diva cups.
Menstrual cups are amazing and I wish more people knew more about them… though, at first I can see why some people think they’re just gross (not everyone wants to be so close to their fluids and whatnot)...
I’ve got a diva, and after doing lots of reading online and personal practice, I’ve really enjoyed it. I actually smile when I pass the feminine hygiene aisle at the store because I don’t have to go down there any more!
But the diva isn’t for everyone — personally, I’m waiting to buy a lunette or one of the newer brands… but you’ll never know what’ll work for you until you try it.
Livejournal has a really good menstrual cup community that I learned a lot from. It’s a bunch of women talking about all the issues, concerns, and tips regarding cups. I especially recommend that women look up folding techniques! Cups take a few tries to get used to, but luckily you can actually practice with these and things do get easier.
I’m hoping to get all of my sisters and my housemates using cups soon. It’s really nice saving the money, and obviously I’m thrilled to not have those chemicals in me nor be creating all this waste.
I definitely think more women need to know about cups.
I loved your article on dealing with unpleasant commenters on ones blog. As a new blogger myself, it was important information. Thank-you so much
I love that more people are becoming aware that “cups’ are a awesome alternative to tampons and pads , while they are not for everyone , I suggest that every woman has the right to know about them …
They Rock ! and it seems so much better for the body
Thank you for getting me addicted to Australia’s Next Top Model!! ;)
I like Alexandra and Jamie also.. , I found Leiden slightly irritating, as well as the young girls who are friends (Alyce and Rebecca)...
thanks for the recommendation! I’m used to Tyra so it’s very interesting to hear Australian accents! :)
ANTM: Style-wise, I’d say Alexandra. loved her outfits the whole time. personality wise: Leiden. Not sure why, she just intrigues me. Natural beauty: Alyce.
I do wish that Belinda would get different glasses or contacts, I think the glasses she has currently bring her down!
About the menstruation article…I felt like her tone sort of polarized me. She seemed like she was totally convinced that it was healthy and she didn’t leave room for argument. And really, how could something that happens to every woman on Earth be unhealthy? I think she should definitely read up on the other side of her argument before speaking so strongly.
And I love the pics, Gala!! Leeeeet the sunshine in, leeet the sunshine in….
I only get my period every three months because I’m on the pill. It’s really just me being selfish – I hate the cramps and the moodiness. I would never leave it longer than that – eww, dead blood that’s been stuck inside you for over three months??
I do believe the first bit of the article when she says that bad cramps are a sign of a higher level of toxins. But she is a little judgmental in her views of how to not have as many toxins. Plus, the blood itself isn’t a sign of toxins, just the cramps.
PS: Is anyone else unable to get past comment 373 on the Transformation Challenge post? Help, it won’t let me in!
ooh i have never watched ANTM before because i don’t have pay TV – i didn’t realise that all the eps were on Youtube, yay.
i like Jamie so far, she seems like a nice gal. and the blonde country girl… “word vomit”, haha. i guess i like the down to earth personalities, but i know that the producers of the show would be aiming to make each girl distinct so i’m sure the editing has a lot to do with how the girls come across!