Ganja Vibes Blog

LGBT History Month

October Is LGBT History Month!

Love, Understanding, Peace and Beautiful Life

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65189513@N07/6816727896/

Icon Search

Search the entire LGBT History Month database of 186 Icons —from 2006 to 2011—by Icon name or by more than 200 tags including Academy Award, Athlete, African-American,  Author, Composer,  Entrepreneur, Germany, Lesbian, Politics, Transgender and Washington, D.C. Icon Search

How It Works

LGBT History Month celebrates the achievements of 31 lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Icons. Each day in October, a new LGBT Icon is featured with a video, bio, bibliography, downloadable images and other resources. http://www.youtube.com/user/equalityforum soure: http://lgbthistorymonth.com/

How Are Vaginas Supposed To Smell?

One of my gynecology patients approached me this week to ask about her "V-pourri," the scent emanating from her nether regions. When I was writing my bookWhat's Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend, I got so many questions about how coochies smell that I was inspired to write a whole chapter about it. With nicknames like "Fish Taco," it's no wonder we freak out. Many women I meet absolutely despise their vaginas, as if they completely buy into whatever childhood messages they were fed about how the vagina is "dirty" and "bad." For these women, any odor wafting up from down there acts as a big stinky banner of how much they hate their girlness. With vagina nicknames such as "fish taco," "crotch mackerel," "cod canal," "fish factory," "fuzzy lap flounder," "tuna town," and "raw oyster," it’s no wonder we worry about how we smell. But I say it's time to change all that. Why should we hate what's normal, healthy, and part of the rich female experience? One of the most common questions people ask me regarding what it's like to be a gynecologist is, "Doesn't it stink?" They wrinkle their noses, furrow their brows, and raise eyebrows, as if there's something wrong with me for loving my job. Lying underneath that question I often see something that borders on misogyny, as if women are nothing more than a vaginal odor to be avoided. From the time we're children, we're taught that normal bodily functions are "yucky." Pee, poop, and privates all elicit a "pee-yew," so it's no wonder we grow up obsessed with how we smell.

"Roses" via Shutterstock.

Vaginas Are SUPPOSED To Smell!

Ladies, vaginas are supposed to smell. Let me quote my heroine, Eve Ensler, the Queen of Vaginas, whose Vagina Monologues have done as much for the vagina as Martin Luther King, Jr. did for civil rights:
My vagina doesn't need to be cleaned up. It smells good already. Don't try to decorate. Don't believe him when he tells you it smells like rose petals when it's supposed to smell like pussy. That's what they're doing -- trying to clean it up, make it smell like bathroom spray or a garden. All those douche sprays -- floral, berry, rain. I don't want my pussy to smell like rain. All cleaned up like washing a fish after you cook it. I want to taste the fish. That's why I ordered it.
Amen, sister. It's supposed to smell like pussy. Sure, hygiene plays a role, and just like washing your pits and your feet, cleaning yourself down there is part of being an accepted member of society (not to mention being a conscientious sexual partner). Most women even shower, shave, and primp a bit before visiting the gynecologist. I often notice wafts of perfume emanating from the nether regions. I appreciate the respect and notice the effort, but really, it's not necessary. We gynecologists are not as sensitive as you might imagine.

What Should You Smell Like?

So how is the vagina supposed to smell? It depends. When you're straight out of the shower, your coochie may have no smell at all. When you've just finished running a marathon, it may have a strong musky odor from all the sweat glands. When you're menstruating or giving birth, the flinty-iron smell of blood prevails. When yeast overgrows in the vagina, you may smell like freshly baked-bread or a good malt beer. Right after you've had intercourse, you may smell faintly bleach-like, as semen has a classic odor of its own. And when certain normal bacteria overgrow, they release amines that smell -- yup, you guessed it -- like fish. Every vagina has its own special smell -- a combination of the normal bacteria that live in your vagina, what you eat, how you dress, your level of hygiene, your bowel habits, how much you sweat, and what your glands secrete. Remember that the glands near the vagina also secrete pheromones, meant to attract a sexual partner. So you don't want to deodorize your va-jay-jay so much that it smells like rain. Doing so thwarts the primal function of what your smell is supposed to accomplish. Plus, it interferes with the vagina's natural pH balance and can lead to a whole host of gynecological conditions. So own your odor, girlfriends. Sure, if you're worried, see a gynecologist to make sure your vagina is healthy and normal. But as long as everything's kosher down there, accept that your coochie smells exactly how it's supposed to smell.

Want to Know More About Your V-Pourri?

Here are some questions I answer in What's Up Down There:
  • My crotch gets extra funky sometimes. Not to quote a douche commercial, but why do I have that not-so-fresh feeling down there?
  • Aside from douching, are there natural things you can do to make your vagina smell more fresh?
  • What should I do if my partner doesn't like to go down on me?
You'll find the empowering and reassuring answers to these questions and more in What's Up Down There: Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend. Three cheers for vaginas, Dr. Lissa Dr. Lissa Rankin is an OB/GYN physician, an author, a nationally-represented professional artist, and the founder of Owning Pink, an online community committed to building authentic community and empowering women to get -- and keep -- their "mojo." Owning Pink is all about owning all the facets of what makes you whole -- your health, your sexuality, your spirituality, your creativity, your career, your relationships, the planet, and YOU. Dr. Rankin is currently redefining women's health at the Owning Pink Center, her practice in Mill Valley, California. September 28, 2010 10:00 am by Lissa Rankin in Health How Are Vaginas Supposed To Smell? | BlogHer.

Juicing RAW Cannabis

  There’s no shortage of controversy surrounding the use of medical marijuana. Despite the copious amount of scientifically-backed data gathered over decades, if notcenturies, which show that cannabis has tremendous therapeutic potential, many lawmakers remain hesitant to approve its use. Regardless, a growing number of dedicated researchers continue to investigate new therapeutic applications for juicing or eating raw cannabis. For some people, it still remains difficult to distinguish between the plant’s medicinal and recreational uses. Inhaling the plant’s vapors gets you high, even when that isn’t the primary reason why its being consumed. It’s not just anti-cannabis critics who have a problem with this issue. Many of the people who consume raw cannabis with a doctor’s recommendation have no interest in getting high. For them, the plant is a safe and natural method of relieving constant pain and constant discomfort, and it’s euphoric and thought befuddling qualities are seen as (unwanted) side effects. Research is now showing benefits from eating or juicing raw cannabis. One term that is regularly used in conjunction with cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the ingredient in marijuana that produces the “high”. Cannabis does contain another beneficial chemical compound called Cannabidiol (CBD) which has been proven medically to help relieve inflammation, convulsions, nausea, as well as inhibit cancer cell growth. Raw cannabis contains THCA and CBDA, ineffective alkaloids. They must be heated to produce THC and CBD, which in turn produces the “high.” This is the reason for smoking or vaporizing. By eating or juicing raw cannabis in its natural state, there is no “high” to speak of. Drinking fresh-squeezed cannabis juice (similar to wheat grass juice) or eating raw cannabis as a leafy green vegetable is fast becoming a preferred means of consumption for individuals in search health benefits without losing their heads in the clouds. I personally have not tried this but please let me know your thoughts on this as it is a very interesting topic gaining popularity for a wide variety of health giving properties. -Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM 6/19/12 Follow up from Dr. G: I would like to share with everyone an interesting and informative message I received from Jeffrey C. Raber, Ph.D. (thewercshop.com). Please read below:
When you consume “raw” cannabis, that is cannabis which has not been heated, you are consuming the cannabinoid acids. THCA and/or CBDA. If you have a strain that is dominant in CBD, then the raw form is delivering CBDA. If you have a high THC strain, then this raw form will deliver THCA. Look up tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or cannabidiolic acid. Those are the A forms of the molecules you are consuming. Almost all varieties today contain large amounts of THCA which when heated provides THC. By volume (it is reported by weight actually), there is next to no CBDA or CBD in virtually all of the strains currently available. NOT ALL STRAINS ARE THE SAME! EVEN THE SAME NAMES ARE MOST OFTEN NOT THE SAME (mis-named, different grower = different method = different end product)! Over-generalization of this marvelous plant is what is diminishing its stock and ruining the value it has to offer. We’ve done thousands of strain tests and have in-house expertise directly from The Netherlands, we are the most informed laboratory of professional scientists in the US, you can rest assured my comments are correct. Only about 2% of the strain products available today have CBD above 1 wt% in them. It is RARE! And most likely almost none of it exists in non-medical states today. Juicing is working because it provides the cannabinoid acids, which are potent anti-inflammatory compounds that help regulate the endocannabinoid system in ways not fully understood just yet. When you juice properly, you consume almost no THC or CBD, it is all THCA and CBDA! That is why you don’t receive any psychoactive effects. Juicing improperly may lead to heating the solution and causing THC to form. The only way to know exactly what you have, strain or juice wise, is to have it tested by a reliable and accurate lab (and not all of the “labs” today operate in that faction either unfortunately). Only through accurate information dissemination, more thorough understanding and improved patient care will we be able to fully free this marvelous plant! We all have to do our part! Dr. Courtney, who we maintain an excellent relationship with, is a true pioneer in the fashion and we should all aim to support him and his efforts in every way we can. Let’s be sure to get the right information out there to everyone!
Juicing RAW Cannabis - Eating RAW Cannabis? | Natural Health & Organic Living Blog.  

Lately

Ganja Vibes was in action this week as the Adult Novelty Expo & International Lingerie Show invaded Las Vegas, Nevada! With great anticipation for the launch of our official website, BOY do we have some delectable goodies in store for all of you. Very soon, when logging onto www.GanjaVibes.com you will find the latest in adult novelty, fetish, lifestyle accessories and what all will soon realize is the revolution in Canna Culture. We look forward to bridging the gap and having SO MUCH FUN, you'll never log off! Twist one up, load it in, do what you do and get ready! Thank you for your support! Dutch Passion White Widow     Heather B having a good time at the Munkey Barz booth with none other than, Stevie Shae & Tara Lynn Foxx!! The hottest ladies at the whole convention. Find these vixens: @StevieShaeXXX & @TaraLynnFoxx

Cannabis Cup Seattle!

http://youtu.be/W2HCFyaqEcg HIGH TIMES is headed to the Emerald City! For the very first time, HIGH TIMES will host a Medical Cannabis Cup in Seattle – September 14-16, 2012. Join the world's premier marijuana magazine in the Pacific Northwest for a medical cannabis competition like no other. HIGH TIMES will crown the very best medicinal indicassativas, hybrids, concentrates, hashish, and edibles! Don't miss your chance to take in a mind-blowing two-day expo, cultivation, legalization, and activism seminars, and of course a very special Friday night VIP party. Grab your tickets today! For more info, or to purchase tickets, head to medcancup.com

Why Are No Women Celebrity Stoners Willing to Come Out of the Greenhouse?

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"]NORML Logo NORML Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
Famous women stay mute when it comes to their relationship to weed, but their voices could be of the utmost importance. The only way famous women talk openly and politically about pot use today is if they are using it “medically” -- as in the case with Melissa Etheridge, who spoke openly about her pot use during the chemo treatments she underwent during her 2005 battle with breast cancer. What we don’t hear is celebrity women who are willing to advocate for the legalization and taxation of weed, aka cannabis sativa. But they should, because it’s better for the economy, for the sick and ailing and prescription-addicted, for farmers and for the environment. Twenty million-plus Americans use marijuana recreationally. And here’s where things get tricky for potential high-profile women advocates. Women have not been shown “what’s in it for them” if they endorse re-legalizing marijuana and industrial hemp. Subsequently, they still feel there’s too much at stake both personally and professionally to publicly stand up for drug policy reform. Even as much of our history as a nation included this plant -- it served us as rope and masts in the ships that won our wars, as the medium for our founders’ message when the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper -- f amous women stay mute when it comes to their relationship to weed. 
Where are the female Tommy Chongs, the Snoop Dog (Lion)s, and the Willie Nelsons? They are out there, but they’re not talking. And they need to understand all they have to gain by coming out of the greenhouse or the pot cookie closet. Is it because they’re not as cavalier as men when it comes to going on record about breaking the law to smoke pot? With upwards of 850,000 marijuana arrests yearly and over a trillion spent, the war on drugs has been the costliest war in American history. Our job at the NORML Women’s Alliance is to urge women to become more vocal about the need to “free the weed.” But a sister needs to help a sister out!
So this is a call to arms to Kristen Stewart, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Sarah Silverman, Joss Stone, Paris Hilton , Drew Barrymore, Charlize Theron, Rihanna, Cameron Diaz , Mischa Barton and Jennifer Aniston. Which one of you will be gutsy (and career savvy) enough to cash in on your celebrity stoner status? Millions of us are waiting for our USmagazines to arrive with those first photos of a green goddess collecting her platinum bong for her commitment to the cause.Here are three good reasons why famous women should consider legalizing marijuana in America.
1. It’s an entirely green initiative. Oil companies are already bidding on the oil reserves underneath the ever-melting polar ice caps. Hemp is oil and all of our cars and airplanes can run on it while also putting out-of-work farmers back to work. Hemp actually improves the environment where it is grown. 2. It could save your life. Not only is pot way cooler than alcohol, it’s also non-toxic. Dylan Thomas could not have smoked himself to death. There has never been a cannabis-related death. Ever. In fact, recent studies show that cannabis kills stage 4 cancer cells. It’s not only not bad for you, studies are showing that cannabinoids (helpful compounds found in the plant) support the immune system. These same compounds found in the pot plant are found in mother’s milk. So, while drinking can kill you -- and others if you drive while intoxicated -- pot could save your life. 3. It will probably make you a pop cultural icon. If you are a famous hot female, what’s more rad than getting photographed smoking a blunt in a Bob Marley bathing suit in Barbados? Rihanna could change lives if she would just come out and say, “I smoke pot. I like it.” Dr. Andrew Weil, the guru of alternative medicine, has called cannabis sativa the dog of the plant world. In other words, the pot plant has been growing loyally since the dawn of mankind, making itself useful to us as fiber, food and medicine. This war on weed is being sustained by a self-interested government that has never figured out how to properly profit from legal marijuana production, and is afraid of its power to put so many big oil and pharmaceutical companies out of business. Famous women can help change this by arming themselves with the facts and being fearless in the conviction of their choices. Theirs are the voices that are missing from this important struggle, and they need to step up. It’s high time. Greta Gaines is a singer/songwriter who lives in Nashville, TN with her husband and two young sons. She serves on the national board of NORML and on the NORML Women’s Alliance. She has been named in Skunk Magazine’s “100 most important marijuana activists.”
« Previous 1 3 4 5 6 7 11 Next »