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The Mel Robbins PodcastThe Mel Robbins Podcast

The Science of Women’s Health: Ob/Gyn Reveals 10 Truths You Need to Know

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — Today’s episode is a must-listen because you’ll learn exactly what to do (and not do) to take better care of your body. In this research-packed episode, one of the top gynecologists in the world is here to debunk 10 myths about women’s health. Mel is asking all the uncomfortable questions you want to ask but never have, and today you’re getting the answers. Gone are the days of feeling small or out of control when it comes to your health. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to take their power back. Dr. Jen Gunter, MD, is joining Mel in this no-shame, straight-to-the-point conversation. Dr. Gunter is known as the internet’s best Ob/Gyn. She is a double-board certified, fellowship-trained medical doctor and a fierce advocate for women’s health. Dr. Gunter says you deserve science-backed solutions, not fairytales, and she is here to bust through all health myths and clear through the misinformation. This conversation is going to make you think differently about everything, from periods to pleasure—it’s all covered today. And you’ll also want to listen all the way to the end for one of the most poignant, inspiring endings to any episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast. Dr. Jen Gunter’s website: drjengunter.com For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-205 Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:30 The internets #1 Ob/Gyn shares why she decided to follow this career path. 07:36 Dr. Jen Gunter reveals the REAL truth about pubic hair. 13:02 This is what we’re getting wrong about our vaginas. 25:38 Debunking the BIGGEST myth about the female orgasm. 37:39 Does your vagina really need to “breathe” at night? 41:08 These common vaginal infections are often misdiagnosed. 49:30 The biggest misconceptions about periods. 51:35 Why “cleanses” and “resets” don’t actually work. 01:00:48 This is the most important take away from this episode. — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@UCk2U-Oqn7RXf-ydPqfSxG5g Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

Mel RobbinshostDr. Jen Gunterguest
Aug 22, 20241h 7mWatch on YouTube ↗

EVERY SPOKEN WORD

  1. 0:00 – 2:30

    Intro

    1. MR

      Today, you and I are busting medical myths and misinformation. What are we getting wrong about our vaginas? (laughs)

    2. JG

      That's a loaded question.

    3. MR

      (laughs)

    4. JG

      I wish people would just, like, forget the word hymen. It is probably the most misunderstood body part.

    5. MR

      So let's talk about pubic hair.

    6. JG

      Everybody wants to talk about pubic hair. It's so fascinating.

    7. MR

      I saw online that if I eat pineapple that my vagina is going to smell better. Is that true?

    8. JG

      Yeah. No. That, that's a load of garbage.

    9. MR

      Oh.

    10. JG

      So it's a vagina, not a pina colada. Like, your vulva shouldn't be smelling like, (sniffs) like a tropical fruit drink.

    11. MR

      But I want my husband, Chris, to go down and drink the pina colada. (upbeat music plays) Hey, it's Mel. Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed by the conflicting medical and health advice on the internet? Well, today, you and I are busting medical myths and misinformation with a world-renowned, double board certified medical doctor. That's right, the amazing Dr. Jen Gunter is in the house. And look, if you're shy about these kinds of TMI things, don't you worry, your friend Mel is gonna go ask the embarrassing questions on both of our behalves. I will go first, like, should you sleep in underwear at night? Is wearing a thong bad for your vagina? How do you properly clean your lady parts anyway? What are the shocking period symptoms that nobody talks about? Don't lie to me, you've thought about these questions before and I know you want the answers. I sure do, and that's exactly where we're going today on the Mel Robbins Podcast. Dr. Gunter, thank you for jumping on a plane and coming all the way to Boston for the Mel Robbins Podcast. We are thrilled that you are here.

    12. JG

      Well, thank you so much for asking me, and I'm thrilled to be here.

    13. MR

      So I'd like to start by having you speak directly to the person that is listening right now, and can you tell them what they may experience in their life and with their health if they listen to everything that you're about to share and they take the research-backed advice that you're about to give them?

    14. JG

      Yeah. So I would say that if you take home one thing from what I'm talking about today is that the importance of facts, of evidence-based information, 'cause that will help you advocate for yourself in the doctor's office. It'll help you figure out what you're seeing online is truth or trash, and it'll help you feel less alone with your own body if you actually know the facts about it.

    15. MR

      Well, one of the reasons why I was so excited to talk to you, Dr. Gunter, is because you

  2. 2:30 – 7:36

    The internets #1 Ob/Gyn shares why she decided to follow this career path.

    1. MR

      are the number one OBGYN that people turn to around the world to debunk all the myths that are out there about women's health, and we are gonna get into every aspect of women's health. We're gonna talk about menstruation, and menopause, and how to take care of your body. And before we do, though, I just wanna know wha- how did you get into being a OBGYN and why have you become the doctor of reason and the doctor of research online?

    2. JG

      Well, I, I'm probably more motivated by anger than (laughs) than anything else. When I was in medical school, I was really bothered by the fact... This was in the, you know, mid-1980s. I was really bothered by the fact that th- everybody who was teaching me about women's, women's bodies were men. And they were, like, all good men. They weren't, like, creepy Me Too men, but still it was, like, wait a minute, like, I thought this was, like, the second wave of feminism and, you know, you know, I was reading my, you know, my feminist literature and here I was being taught about a woman's body by all men. And so that bothered me, and I thought, "Well, I'm gonna go into OBGYN." So that was the motivation for that. And the myth-busting also kind of came from that. I had a significant, uh, personal health problem that, you know, resulted in a lot of, uh, significant health issues for my kids, and I got sucked into a lot of disinformation and found myself in that weird spot between medicine and not knowing and was trying to navigate it, and I thought, "You know, if it's really hard for me, what is it like for other people?" And I was always this, you know, annoying person in grand rounds at the back, like, correcting everybody, and I thought, "You know, if, if it could affect me, then how does it affect everybody?" And so I just decided that I was gonna try to clean up the medical internet, and here I am. (laughs)

    3. MR

      Thank God. Why is real information about women's health so hard to find?

    4. JG

      You know, I think that we do a bad inf- bad job about teaching people about their bodies in school, so people start out without the information they need. They have limited times with doctors. They don't, uh, get listened to many of the time, some of it because the doctors aren't trained appropriately, some because they have a 12-minute visit. And then, disinformation is sexy, right? It's a lot easier to tell people that you can solve their problem with some crazy restrictive diet, or with some supplement, or something else as opposed to talking about, you know, the things that are much more complex and harder to distill to sound bites. So I think it's this really sort of complex array of things that is all together affecting women.

    5. MR

      So you do a ton of debunking online. What is the current state of social media in terms of what it's talking about and what rises to the top when it comes to women's health, and how is that making so many of us feel like we're in the dark when it comes to our bodies?

    6. JG

      Yeah. I mean, fear sells on social media. Fear sells in general with the media, but you see a clip and someone's telling you, "If you don't take this hormone, this is gonna happen! If you don't take this supplement, this is gonna happen!" And you, you watch it and, and this person, maybe they're a doctor, or a researcher, or, or they seem like they know what they're talking about, and so you become afraid, and then you're much more likely to watch that. And then what happens is the algorithm feeds you that over and over and over again 'cause the algorithms are so smart. I mean, it's why I get fed shark attack videos all the time 'cause, like, I'm scared of those-

    7. MR

      (laughs)

    8. JG

      ... so once I see them, I watch them to the end. So, you know, the algorithm is not your friend.

    9. MR

      When it comes to women's health, what is your approach to alternative medicine?

    10. JG

      Well, I believe women deserve facts and evidence-based medicine. And alternative medicine is existing outside of that universe. And so, I would say to anybody who promotes that, do not think that women deserve science. Do not think that women deserve studies. Do not think that they deserve the funding to know what's actually happening to their bodies. So yeah, I think that if your therapies are good, you should prove it. We shouldn't be going based on what you say. We should be going on facts. Women deserve facts.

    11. MR

      It's true. And I- I feel so bad for all the young girls that are out there probably getting all their information from influencers on social media.

    12. JG

      Yeah, I mean, there's, you know, there's good influencers and there's ones that are not at all. And you know, it's difficult to have a changing body as it is-

    13. MR

      Yes.

    14. JG

      ... whether you're going through puberty, whether you're going through, you know, the menopause transition. But then if you don't have the facts to have that foundation, it just makes it so much harder. And that's really why I do what I do because I don't- I don't want people to be going, "What the?" You know? I want them to- to have- have the empowerment that comes with knowledge.

    15. MR

      Well, it makes a lot of sense 'cause if you also don't know and then you're experiencing this on your own, and then you're too embarrassed to ask a question even when you do see a doctor, you're gonna just completely start going, "Oh, there's something wrong with me. Oh, like my body's the- the- the bad one or the one that smells bad, or I'm doing something wrong."

    16. JG

      Absolutely. And you might not even bring it up with your doctor because you think it's normal for you to be like that.

  3. 7:36 – 13:02

    Dr. Jen Gunter reveals the REAL truth about pubic hair.

    1. JG

    2. MR

      Let's talk about hair growth and taking care of your hair that is growing around your, I guess, w- what would I even say, the vulva?

    3. JG

      Pubic hair.

    4. MR

      Your pubic hair.

    5. JG

      Yeah.

    6. MR

      Thank you. I'm trying to be fancy here. So let's talk about pubic hair.

    7. JG

      Everybody wants to talk about pubic hair. It's so fascinating. It's so-

    8. MR

      Well, I- I'll tell you why.

    9. JG

      Yeah.

    10. MR

      As a 56-year-old woman, I'm- I'm gonna- I'm gonna share something that I don't think I've ever shared publicly.

    11. JG

      Okay.

    12. MR

      When I got engaged, uh, at the age, I guess I must have been 26, 27, I had this bachelorette party and my friends bought me this ridiculous thing to dress up in that just was this weird kind of series of ribbons that was tied together-

    13. JG

      (laughs)

    14. MR

      ... like a teddy. And when I stepped out, everybody was like (gasps) , because I didn't do anything-

    15. JG

      Right.

    16. MR

      ... to my pubic hair. I mean, this would have been back in the early '90s. Like trimming, waxing, Brazilian wa- Like, this was not a thing. And so I had my first ever pubic hair grooming at my bachelorette party-

    17. JG

      Oh my goodness.

    18. MR

      ... where my girlfriends were literally trimming around this thing that they had put me on. And it was the first time that I'd ever even known that this was a thing.

    19. JG

      Right.

    20. MR

      And so when I look now, fast-forward and I'm 56, and I look at how obsessed even teenagers are-

    21. JG

      Yeah.

    22. MR

      ... about their pubic hair, first of all, it's kinda sad. And secondly, I just think that there's probably a lot of misinformation about what you should do down there, what you shouldn't do down there, why to be careful around it. And so I'm just gonna turn the mic over to you.

    23. JG

      Yeah, well, a- and it's not surprising that people have those questions because I swear, like every second month, every women's magazine talks about pubic hair like it's the most important thing in a woman's life.

    24. MR

      Mm-hmm.

    25. JG

      So yeah, I mean, we have pubic hair for a reason. Most likely, it's to protect the skin, um, to help maintain the pH, help to trap moisture in. You know, so you know, it's probably less important now as it was say, 10,000 years ago when we, you know, didn't have the kind of coverings and you know, ability to, you know, uh, protect ourselves from the elements that w- that we have, you know, now. Um, and so you know, it's a- it's a personal choice, like any hair removal. And obviously, with society, it has sort of waxed and waned, pardon the pun. (laughs)

    26. MR

      (laughs)

    27. JG

      Um, with importance, a lot of it, I think our- our current sort of obsession with it is- is related to the fact that showing pubic hair used to be a sign of nudity. That was the sign of public nudity. So when people started removing more and more like in, you know, uh, clubs and things like that-

    28. MR

      Mm-hmm.

    29. JG

      ... they could start to show more and more and more. So that was kind of part of the definition of public nudity. So I think it's got that sort of titillation associated with it. But you know, no one gets worked up if they see a dude's pubes hanging out from his swimsuit, right?

    30. MR

      That's true.

  4. 13:02 – 25:38

    This is what we’re getting wrong about our vaginas.

    1. JG

    2. MR

      So what are we getting wrong about our vaginas?

    3. JG

      (laughs) That's a loaded question.

    4. MR

      (laughs)

    5. JG

      I would say that there is a large industry out there trying to make you think that your vagina is a broken heap of, you know, something that is the worst possible thing you could imagine. If you walk into any grocery store or drug store, you see shelves and shelves and shelves of products designed for the vagina and the vulva. And, you know, none of them are necessary really, except menstrual products. But you see all these things and, of course, even if you don't have any symptoms at all, how could you not be affected by all of that? So I think the big thing that we're getting wrong is that the vulva and vagina need some kind of extra special care.

    6. MR

      They don't?

    7. JG

      No. They, they, you know, the vagina's a self-cleaning oven. Takes care of itself. You don't need to do anything there. And the vulva's just skin, you know. I mean, people have been taking care of their vulvas for tens of thousands of years without, you know, special wipes and washes and, you know, nobody died out because of that. So I think it's really important for people to remember that there's really nothing special that's needed. You know, you can use a cleanser down there if you want to, on your vulva, on the outside where your clothes touch the skin, not inside. Um, just like you use a cleanser elsewhere on your body, um, and you know that you're good to go.

    8. MR

      So just so I get the terminology right, and I'm embarrassed (laughs) that I'm about to clarify this as a 56-year-old woman, but I'm gonna ask anyway. So the vulva is the stuff on the outside, it's like the curtains, and the vagina is the inside?

    9. JG

      Yeah. So the vagina's inside where you would reach inside to pull a tampon, that type of thing. The vulva's where your clothes touch the skin, and the vestibule is where the two meet.

    10. MR

      Okay, wait. So now you-

    11. JG

      (laughs)

    12. MR

      ... just added a third thing.

    13. JG

      (laughs) I did.

    14. MR

      So the vulva's the outside.

    15. JG

      Yes.

    16. MR

      So as you're sitting here listening to Dr. Gunter, if you're sitting, it's what's pressing against your pants or your underwear if you're wearing them.

    17. JG

      Exactly.

    18. MR

      Okay.

    19. JG

      Exactly. And-

    20. MR

      And then when you open that up, you call that the vestibule?

    21. JG

      Yeah. So think about a doorway, right?

    22. MR

      Yeah.

    23. JG

      So if you're outside on the street, you're looking at the building face, that's the vulva. If you step in the doorway-

    24. MR

      Yes.

    25. JG

      ... that is the vestibule. And if you open the door and go in, that's the vagina.

    26. MR

      So does your vulva and vagina have a pH?

    27. JG

      Sure, everything... Your skin has a pH. So your skin has a pH, your mouth has a p- Every part of your body has, that has water has a pH. And so the vagina has a pH that's between about 3.5 and 4.5. It's, uh, it's acidic. And that exists as part of controlling the vaginal ecosystem. That is what allows the good bacteria to grow, that stops the bad bacteria from growing. It, it's what keeps sort of the whole thing as it needs to be. The skin pH is a little bit higher, and so what you don't wanna do is introduce products into the vagina, even water, because that can actually damage that ecosystem and that actually can cause the pH to rise. So an elevated pH in the vagina is a sign that there's something wrong. It's not a cause, it's the result. And so the, you can't change it with a, with any kind of product. It's an inside job.

    28. MR

      So is there a pill or a supplement or some sort of product that we need in order to clean or balance the pH of our lady parts?

    29. JG

      No. So the whole balancing a pH is this big myth. Anyone who tells you that you can balance the pH of your vulva or vagina has outed themselves as being a, an idiot on the subject. So you can't do that. There's no product that can do that. And I always tell people, "You should be blocking people online if they're talking about that."

    30. MR

      So how do you know if your pH is off?

  5. 25:38 – 37:39

    Debunking the BIGGEST myth about the female orgasm.

    1. MR

      when it comes to the female orgasm. So Dr. Gunter-

    2. JG

      (laughs)

    3. MR

      ... (laughs) where do you want to start?

    4. JG

      Yeah. Um, so I would say one of the biggest myths is that, um, you know, a penis is a reliable way to achieve orgasm. And I would say it's probably the least reliable way. So many, many women are made to feel that if they don't have an orgasm with penile penetration, that there's something wrong with them, and that's actually normal. Lots of people don't. You know, there's nothing wrong with you if penis and vagina sex isn't what gives you an orgasm. Uh, this idea that both people should orgasm at the same time is also, you know, that's Hollywood, you know, which just invests what? Like zero seconds in foreplay, right? So, you know, the idea that you need it. Some people need a lot of foreplay. Some people want a lot of foreplay, right? So the idea that, that you should just orgasm like that, also that's a Hollywood myth. Um, and the idea that orgasm is needed for pleasure, right? So pleasure, desire, all of these things are important in the sexual experience. And so if somebody feels very satisfied with their sexual encounter and they haven't had an orgasm, that's also okay. We shouldn't be making, you know, or, uh, sex necessarily goal oriented. Obviously, if that's what you like, that's different. But it's important for us to understand there's a big wide range of what people like.

    5. MR

      Well, I think that's really important, because I would imagine if you're having trouble having an orga- orgasm with penetration, or if it's taking you longer than you think it should, and you start to develop a story in your head that there's something wrong with you or that this is very hard for you to do, I would imagine that all of that stress and the story you're telling yourself also interferes with your ability to have an orgasm.

    6. JG

      Absolutely. Things that take you out of the moment, right? So, you know, mindfulness plays a big part in a good sexual experience, and things that are taking you out of that, you know, just like, "Is there a pile of dirty laundry?" You know, different things can take you out of that moment, right? Uh, so yeah. I think it's just really important for people to underspen- stand that, you know, it's a, pleasure is generally the goal. And again, people have different desires, different things that they want to get out of sex. And so it's important to think about that whole range of experience. But in general, I would say the, the biggest myth that I undo is this idea that, you know, the penis is the bringer of the orgasm. I mean, obviously, there's lots of people who, you know, you know, lots of women having sex with women have a fantastic, amazing sex. There's people who have fantastic, amazing orgasms with vibrators. Like, you know, the, n- get over the penis. I mean, it's, you know, it's great, but it doesn't, it's not the be all and the end all.

    7. MR

      Um, if somebody's listening and they do have trouble having an orgasm, do you have particular advice or recommendations that you would give to somebody?

    8. JG

      Well, there's a couple of good books that I would recommend. Um, Come As You Are I think is a really great book, um, by Emily Nagoski, and, um, Better Sex Through Mindfulness by Dr. Lori Brotto. So those are, those are a couple of good books that I recommend. Um, you know, a sex therapist can be helpful. Just learning the mechanics, understanding things, uh, and, you know, and exploration. You know, getting a vibrator, you know, trying different things, seeing what pleasures, you know, you know, really sort of, um, you know, thinking about all the different tools that might be available to you.

    9. MR

      So if you're having sex and it's pleasurable, but it's painful, what do we need to know?

    10. JG

      Yeah. So I would like people to know that pain with sex isn't a normal experience. And if you have pain with sex, your healthcare provider should be helping you out. Too often, I see people who just say, "Well, I told my doctor and he said that was normal," and it's, it's not normal. So pain with sex is a medical condition, and it can be caused by many different things. So a yeast infection can cause pain with sex, for example. Uh, the changes with, uh, with menopause can cause pain with sex. People can develop tight muscles around their vagina, a condition called vaginismus, which can cause pain with sex. People can have, um, a nerve pain condition. They had, can have skin conditions that can cause pain with sex. There's many, many different things that can cause it. Endometriosis can cause scarring at the back of the vagina, and that can cause pain with sex. There's a condition called painful bladder syndrome. So you think about all the different structures that are around there. So many, many different things can cause pain with sex. So it's important to get an evaluation and get a diagnosis, so then you can hopefully get the right treatment.

    11. MR

      Dr. Gunter, do all vaginas self-lubricate?

    12. JG

      So everybody makes vaginal discharge, but there's gonna be a spectrum. And with sexual activity, there's also gonna be a spectrum about how much, um, lubrication is made in response to it. And there could be a whole different reason for that. You know, stress could play a role, your physical health, you know, the amount of foreplay you've had, how you're feeling at the moment. And so if you need lube, great, you need lube. And if you don't need lube, great, you don't need lube. If you just like lube 'cause you like it, great, you like lube. You know, why not try different things?

    13. MR

      I take it we should be avoiding the lube that smells like a piña colada? (laughs)

    14. JG

      Well-I would just-

    15. MR

      (laughs)

    16. JG

      ... be, tell people to be mindful that there are lubricants that can be irritating. And, um, there are lubricants that have what's called a high osmolality and those can actually cause damage to the vaginal mucosa. They can be irritating over time. They can even cause some changes that might make it easier for you to contract HIV if you're exposed. Um, so to just be mindful about, like, the warning, the, the warming ones, things like that, you know, so, you know, that there's, um, y- there is, there is certainly potential for irritation with some of them. And, uh, you know, some of them I think have menthol in, which can also be, you know, that provides that warming or cooling sensation, but that can be very irritating to the tissues. So, you know, as a gynecologist, I always recommend people, you know, if they're having any kind of issues, a silicone-based lube tends to be really very well tolerated. But there's lots of good water-based lubes. There's, you know, you can use oil. So there's lots of different options available and obviously if you use something and it irritates you, you know, don't use it again.

    17. MR

      Um, that was a big word, the osmo-

    18. JG

      Osmolality, yeah.

    19. MR

      How would I even know-

    20. JG

      Um-

    21. MR

      ... if it has osmolali- I can't even say it.

    22. JG

      Yeah, well, you would have a copy of The Vagina Bible-

    23. MR

      (laughs)

    24. JG

      ... and you would, (laughs) or you would go to my blog, The Vagenda, and you'd be able to look up some of that stuff. So osmolality is basically the concentration of, of, you know, the molecules in water. And when you have a, a substance that has a high osmolality, it's gonna pull water away. So, you know, we know the osmolality of the vagina, you know, is around, like, 180, 200. And so if you have something that's much higher than that, it actually, again, this is a bit of an analogy, but can dry out the vagina.

    25. MR

      Mm.

    26. JG

      It can pull water out and that can actually cause some damage to the cells. And we see some of these products have, you know, very, very high osmolalities, especially the things like, you know, the warming or the cooling or other types of things. So, um, you know-

    27. MR

      What are the, like, nos? So as a gynecologist, what are, if I'm looking at a lube, what do I want to get? Like, what's your favorite lube?

    28. JG

      Well, you know, so obviously as a gynecologist, we're gonna give the more, you know, sort of, uh, sort of general answer because there's, you know, different situations. But I would say in general, the least irritating lube is a silicone-based lubricant. But not everybody likes the way that feels. So each lube has a different, like, slip or feel to it. So there's water-based and, you know, there's oil-based lubricants and obviously you can't use oil-based if you're using a latex condom 'cause it can weaken that.

    29. MR

      Wait, okay. I didn't know any of this, so hold on a second. (laughs) So, so oil based. So does that mean, like, coconut oil, olive oil? Like, what kinda oil do you recommend?

    30. JG

      So some people use oils, but they also are commercial oil-based lubricants-

  6. 37:39 – 41:08

    Does your vagina really need to “breathe” at night?

    1. MR

      do you need to wear underwear?

    2. JG

      N- no. I mean, you can, you don't have to. If you like to, that's great. You know, I'm a practical person. I don't like to get discharge on my pants 'cause, you know, some of them are dry clean only. I don't wanna have to wash them more often, but you know what? It's each to their own. It's totally fine. It's not serving any, any specific health purpose. Again, you know, people managed without, you know, underwear for, for millennia. Um, right? So yeah, if, if you wanna wear it, great. If you don't want to, don't. Um, you know, it's all good.

    3. MR

      Now, I remember growing up, my mom always used to say, "You gotta sleep without underwear on 'cause you gotta let it all air out." And that seemed to make sense (laughs) to me. But now I'm sitting here going, wait a minute, does your vagina need to breathe at night?

    4. JG

      Yeah, your vagina doesn't have lungs, so no. (laughs)

    5. MR

      (laughs) Oh my God.

    6. JG

      No, I mean, it's a, you know, no, you don't need to air it out. Um, you know, the, you know, the, the one minor exception might be if you're, you know, wearing latex against your skin all day, something that, that traps moisture and causes rubbing and irritation, um, you know? So in the same way, you know, if you think about a, a baby in a diaper, right? That it's so occlusive, uh, because it's meant to stop any urine from getting out, right? So the idea that if you've had-

    7. MR

      Mm-hmm.

    8. JG

      ... something occlusive on your skin for long periods of time, yes, it is good to give your skin a break from occlusion. But that's not what underwear is. I'm always like, when people say that, have they seen underwear? You know? (laughs) It's like, what underwear is like that, you know?

    9. MR

      Well, what about shapewear? Does shapewear, like, is it bad for your vi-

    10. JG

      No.

    11. MR

      ... vagina health?

    12. JG

      No, it's not. Your vagina's on the inside. Nothing on the outside is gonna affect it. So, you know, if your shapewear is irritating your vulva, then, you know, it's probably a bit too tight. Just like if it's irritating in your groin or something else, you know? Um, just like if your shoes are too tight and they're uncomfortable, you know? But if it's comfortable and you're fine, then wear what you like.

    13. MR

      Um, I saw something online where a person was going off, of course, about the fact that lace underwear can give you a yeast infection.

    14. JG

      (laughs) No. I don't know where people come up with these things. I think, though, again, follow it through to the end. You know, who wears lace? Loose girls, right? Black lace. So if you think about this white cotton underwear myth, where does that come from? Well, who wears black lace underwear? You know, in the '50s that would've been, you know, those kind of girls, right? I mean, awful patriarchal ideas. And so yeah, I mean, th- the idea that the color of your underwear is gonna have some kind of like health repercussion, well then why isn't my green shirt affecting my skin, right? Why isn't your black shirt affecting your skin? How does the color of fabric only uniquely affect the vulva, right? That doesn't make any sense at all. So no, I mean, you, lace is fine if, again, if it's irritating you, like if it's in the wrong... You know? We've all put on underwear where it's just like caught in the wrong place in your groin-

    15. MR

      Mm-hmm.

    16. JG

      ... or just like the wrong place, then put a different pair on. You know, that's, that's really about the fit.

    17. MR

      So obviously a thong is fine.

    18. JG

      Yeah.

    19. MR

      As long as it's not irritating you.

    20. JG

      Yeah, exactly. Everything's fine as long as it doesn't irritate. Look, if you wanna wear something that's too tight, look, I personally don't 'cause I like to be comfortable, but I'll admit I have worn uncomfortable shoes 'cause they looked cute.

    21. MR

      (laughs)

    22. JG

      So each to their own.

  7. 41:08 – 49:30

    These common vaginal infections are often misdiagnosed.

    1. JG

    2. MR

      So you say that yeast infections and, uh, bacteriosis in the vagina are common, but that they are often misdiagnosed and misinterpreted. So as a gynecologist, what do you want us to know?

    3. JG

      Yeah. So unfortunately, you know, diagnosing a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis over the phone or remotely is very difficult.

    4. MR

      Mm.

    5. JG

      'Cause the symptoms can overlap a lot and there's lots of things that can produce identical symptoms to a yeast infection.

    6. MR

      What are the differences between them?

    7. JG

      So bacterial vaginosis is a change in the vaginal microbiome that has allowed, um, emergence of what we call anaerobic bacteria. So bacteria that is, you know, less healthy for the vagina. Normally, that bacteria is kept in check by the good bacteria, but so it's been allowed to overgrow and it has changed the, um, the bacterial makeup of the vagina.

    8. MR

      Mm.

    9. JG

      And it can produce an odor. Uh, it can produce an, a discharge, and that can be a little bit irritating as well. Sometimes people get an itch. Everybody's different. A yeast infection is an overgrowth of yeast. The pH of the vagina remains the same, where the pH rises with bacterial vaginosis, and we don't really understand why people get recurrent yeast infections or, you know, we all have yeast in our vagina, we have yeast on our skin. We all have yeast everywhere in small amounts. And why for some people yeast starts to overgrow, we don't really know. There certainly are some factors that are linked to it, but, um, so sometimes it could be that people acquire a strain that's more virulent, more aggressive. Uh, there may be local immune system issues with the vagina as well. Um-... uh, estrogen in the vagina can sometimes increase the risk of yeast infections. That's why we see more in pregnancy as well. So there can be lots of different reasons for that. But other things can cause itch as well. So people can develop a dermatitis of their, um, vulva, and it can be very itchy-

    10. MR

      Mm.

    11. JG

      ... and they can be misdiagnosed as having a yeast infection. So, so it can be hard to tell over the phone. So, you know, I always tell people, "If you believe you have a yeast infection, you know, obviously it's ideal to talk with a healthcare provider. But if you end up using an over-the-counter product, and you don't get better, then you absolutely need to be seen, because the majority of yeast will be treated with an over-the-counter product. So that should work about 95% of the time." So if it hasn't worked, then you need to be seen because then either if you do have a yeast infection, you might have a resistant strain, so you need to have that checked out. But you, the more likely thing is that you never had a yeast infection to begin with.

    12. MR

      Mm.

    13. JG

      So you kind of get, like, one, one remote treatment, and if that doesn't work, then you really need to escalate it.

    14. MR

      Gotcha. And again, it's the same factors. If you're having pain while having sex, if there's a smell that's not normal or bothers you, if the discharge has changed, if you're itchy, those are all the same symptoms?

    15. JG

      Those, yeah, and the problem is, is they can overlap with many different conditions.

    16. MR

      Mm.

    17. JG

      So, you know, you can get itch and irritation from low estrogen and menopause. You can get itch and irritation from BV, bacterial vaginosis. You can get itch and irritation from yeast. You can get itch and irritation from a dermatitis on the vulva. So, you know, so sorting those things out is actually, if you're a specialist, it's not that hard if you ask the right questions and do the right tests. Um, but it's important if you have those symptoms to, you know, to see someone who can help you.

    18. MR

      You know, there's a lot of stuff online about boric acid being used to balance the pH of your vagina. Is that true?

    19. JG

      No, you can't balance your pH of the vagina. If you put acid in the vagina, it's just gonna return back to its pH, you know, e- the pH that it was very shortly after that. Um, boric acid doesn't work by raising the pH of the vagina, by the way, or affecting the pH of the vagina. Um, it works because it's basically a detergent. It's a, it's, um, it's like bleach basically. It kills everything. So, which if you have a, a serious yeast infection that can't respond to other medications, then that might be an option. And we also use it as part of a multi-step regimen for bacterial vaginosis because the sort of, the boric acid can destroy biofilms, which are complex sort of bacterial colonies in the vagina or complex colonies that, um, that can allow bacteria to persist.

    20. MR

      Is that something people buy over the counter?

    21. JG

      Yeah, and there's been a, a huge explosion of this. And, you know, I see people come in who've been using boric acid for months. They're using it all the time, and the thing is, it kills your good bacteria too. So you don't wanna be using it. You don't wanna use it to just touch up your pH or touch things up. That's-

    22. MR

      (laughs)

    23. JG

      People do that all the time, and it's advertised. There's, there's influencers on social media that advertise 'cause they're paid to. And, um, I would say that boric acid is probably the most misunderstood thing out there, and I'm not the only person who's sort of seen this explosion of people using it. I was talking at a, you know, medical conference a few years ago, and I mentioned that, and these other, n- you know, OB-GYNs who do the same thing I do are like, "Oh my gosh, I was doing the same thing." And yeah, it's, it's a tool that we use in very specific situations, but it's not something that you should be using chronically. And the very rare situations where we may recommend that, you should really be under the guidance of someone who understands chronic yeast infections.

    24. MR

      Wow. I, I mean, I'm, I'm just kinda letting all this sink in because you're right. The internet is this huge wild west of misinformation, and if you also put that against the backdrop of a history of chronic shaming of women for just normal body function and being marketed to for all of these products that we don't need and in fact can damage the way that your body is naturally designed to work, like it's kinda scary.

    25. JG

      Yeah, I mean, the internet is an amazing propaganda tool. It's also an amazing research tool, right?

    26. MR

      Mm-hmm.

    27. JG

      And so like any tool, it's like a car. If you drive it correctly, you can go and see amazing places. You can visit the Grand Canyon. You can go to the Redwoods in Northern California. You can go to New York City. You can do amazing things in a car. And you can also drive on the wrong side of the road and kill someone, right? So it's like any tool. If it's used correctly and you're taught how to use it, it can be amazing. And if it's used incorrectly by, and again, there are people who are wanting to use it incorrectly for malice, people wanting to use it incorrectly just to sell products, and people who just don't know any better, right? So you get all that as well. And so if you don't know how to sort it out, it can be a problem.

    28. MR

      Holy cow. You are just lining these things up and knocking 'em down, Dr. Gunter (laughs) . I feel like right now is a great moment to take a break, and during the break, here's what I want you to do. Digest what we just talked about, but share this with anybody that you care about because we all need this information. Everybody deserves the truth, and that's what you're getting from Dr. Gunter today. And when we come back, we're going even more TMI. Stay with us 'cause we're going there, and we'll be waiting for you after a short break. Hey, it's your friend Mel, and because you're here with me on YouTube, I took out my own ad because I wanted to say one thing. First of all, hit subscribe because that really helps support this channel, helps me bring you free videos. Second, make sure you take advantage of this free workbook that I have created as a thank you to you for subscribing to this channel. This workbook is gonna help you answer the single most important question you could answer in life, which is, what do you really want? It's a surprisingly hard question to answer, but now it's not because you have the science-backed approach that I use in my work, in my marriage, in my life, to help me get to the truth about what I actually want. This workbook uses science. It is free to you. You can get your hands on this puppy in just a minute. Click the link below and it is yours as my thank you for being here and supporting this channel. Again, this is gonna help you.Answer the question, what do you want? Because if you can't answer that question, there's no way you're gonna get it. So use science and let me support you in answering the question and gaining the clarity and the courage that you need to figure out what your next move is. All righty. Take advantage of this. MelRobbins.com/what. Hit subscribe, and let's get back to the video. Mwah. Welcome back. It's your friend Mel Robbins, and you and I are here with Dr. Jen Gunter and I am asking her all the questions that we've been afraid to ask our doctors and Dr. Gunter is showing up. So Dr. Gunter,

  8. 49:30 – 51:35

    The biggest misconceptions about periods.

    1. MR

      what are the biggest myths about periods?

    2. JG

      Ooh. Well, I think, uh, one of the biggest myths is, uh, that, um, that you're releasing toxins or impurities during menstruation and, and you're not. It's just blood, like the blood from your arm, uh, with some endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus and, uh, some inflammatory fluid and some cervical mucus. And then, you know, by the time it comes out, it's picking up some of that vaginal discharge.

    3. MR

      So what are the shocking symptoms of periods that no one talks about?

    4. JG

      Well, I don't think anybody talks about period diarrhea, although I've certainly made that my personal mission to talk about that. So about 12% of people who menstruate get period diarrhea. And if you've had it, you know, and if you don't, then you're really lucky. Uh, and I had terrible period diarrhea. I mean, there were days where I'd have to go to the bathroom 10 times, like just, you know, I think I'm a prostaglandin overproducer. And, uh, yeah, so that's a symptom that people can have. And it's always amazing to me, you know, whenever I talk about menstruation, I ask people in the room to lift up their hands if they've ever had menstrual diarrhea. And usually, yeah, you have, yeah.

    5. MR

      (laughs) Yes.

    6. JG

      Usually it's higher than 12%, but I also think that, you know, my audience probably skews more to people who've had iss- m- you know, medical issues.

    7. MR

      Mm-hmm.

    8. JG

      So that's probably why. But then I ask, you know, and they're almost all women in the audience, "Who's never heard of it?" And there's always women who put their hand up. And I don't fault them. Nobody talks about it.

    9. MR

      Well, I didn't think it was a thing. I just thought it was obvious because you're having cramps, so wouldn't everything be impacted by the cramps that you're having?

    10. JG

      Yeah, I mean, not everybody gets it. It's due to the prostaglandins. And we all have this sort of different, I would say, sensitivity, for lack of a better word, with prostaglandins. Probably some people make more, maybe some people have more, uh, prostaglandin receptors, you know, because there's, there's a scale in which people have menstrual cramps, right? There's people who are like, "I, like, don't know what you're talking about. Like, I don't feel anything ever." And there's people who have really bad menstrual cramps and, and not due to another medical condition like endometriosis or something like that. So there's this whole spectrum. And, you know, some of that may be the fact that, you know, some people just either make more prostaglandins, which are the hormones that are produced during menstruation that, um, that are, you know, part of the menstrual cycle.

  9. 51:35 – 1:00:48

    Why “cleanses” and “resets” don’t actually work.

    1. JG

    2. MR

      So Dr. Gunter, is there a, uh, cleanse that actually works to clear out the pipes and drop pla- pounds, medically speaking?

    3. JG

      No. Clean- if when you hear the word cleanse, you should think scam. You should translate that into your head because it hearkens back to the time when, when we were trying to get closer to God. You needed to cleanse yourself to be closer to your, you know, your deity. And if you think back, you know, several hundred years, we thought about bodies in the sense of humors, right? You had black bowel, yellow bowel, phlegm, and blood, and it was this imbalance and we wanted to get back in balance. We wanted to get more pure. We wanted to get, you know, closer to God. And, uh, when germ theory was discovered, you know, there's kind of the branching off, but it's really fascinating that the wellness industry has really tapped into that sort of, that sort of purity culture.

    4. MR

      Mm-hmm.

    5. JG

      Um, I mean, it's been with us for, you know, thousands of years. Um, but, but yeah, so cleanse is really a very purity culture type of term.

    6. MR

      Is there a term that you would use instead? 'Cause I do feel like there's this desire, at least when I think of wellness, like I wanna do a reset. I wanna, you know, if my gut's not in good health, I wanna do something that's gonna reset it. I, I see you furrowing your brow at me.

    7. JG

      (laughs) Yeah. There's no reset.

    8. MR

      I've been brainwashed? Is that what you're saying?

    9. JG

      Yeah, yeah. So you're saying you wanna, you wanna have a, you know, that sounds like a religious experience at a temple or church, right? Obviously, how you feel about your body is different for different people and there's lots of people like, "Oh, I feel really reset when I go away for a weekend." And again, that's meaning different things to different people, but is there something medically that you should, you know, do to kind of reset your body? No, you just, like if you want to start eating healthy, start eating healthy. If you want to start exercising, start exercising. There's no purity test that you need to pass or, you know, supplement that's gonna get you there.

    10. MR

      Do you actually need to poop every day?

    11. JG

      I mean, you, the, the, the normal range is anywhere from three times a day to every three days. So, you know, it's, there isn't a, isn't a sort of a set what you should do, but a lot of wellness influencers love to talk to you about that and love to push that because there aren't gonna be that many people then who poop exactly once a day, right? I mean, the best way to look after your body from a gastrointestinal standpoint, I mean, it's a very generic example, is to eat 25 grams of fiber a day. And, you know, the average American diet I think has like 10 or 11 or 12. And if people are looking for to make like one dietary change, you know, unless there's a specific reason, your doctor's advised against it, um, you know, adding fiber to your diet, it reduces your risk of breast cancer, it reduces your risk of colon cancer, it redu- you know, reduces your risk of type two diabetes. It's, you know, it's interesting. There's all these sort of miracle cures-

    12. MR

      Right.

    13. JG

      ... that are out there, but they're just not sexy, right? Like, add more fiber.

    14. MR

      (laughs)

    15. JG

      Like, you know, like it's easier to call it the stand on one arm, you know, uh, reflex diet, you know? Uh, but yeah, it's, it's just, you know, fiber. You know, if people could take away two things for good health, I would say, you know, whether it's for your menstrual cycle, whether it's for menopause, whether it's for your vagina, whether it's for any body part, it's, would be exercising and, and eating more fiber. Those would be the two take home messages.

    16. MR

      What are your favorite ways to get fiber?

    17. JG

      I am a big fan of high fiber cereals 'cause I'm lazy. So if I have a high fiber cereal in the morning, then I'm like a third to a halfway there. I love, um, Kellogg's, uh, Bran Buds. Call me, Kellogg's. I would, like, totally advertise for you. Um, so they have 13 grams of fiber in a third of a cup. So you're like halfway there and it's like 70 or 80 calories, and I mix it with a little bit of raw oatmeal, a little bit of walnuts, a little bit of blueberries, put a little bit of milk on it. You're good to go. I have had more people tell me that I have changed their lives with Bran Buds than with anything I've recommended.

    18. MR

      I'm filling a new sponsor of the Mel Robbins Podcast.

    19. JG

      (laughs)

    20. MR

      We're gonna make sure that they know that you're the one that recommended it. Other than exercise and 25 grams of fiber a day, is there anything else you can do to boost your immune system?

    21. JG

      No. And boosting your immune system isn't even a thing you wanna do. Like, and what do you mean, boost your immune system? What part of it? Your T cells, your B cells, your adaptive immunity? Like-

    22. MR

      I have no idea.

    23. JG

      Exactly.

    24. MR

      I just think I'm supposed to.

    25. JG

      No. In fact, there's some diseases that are related to an overactive immune system, right? So it's a, boosting your immune system is a, like a medically nonsensical term.

    26. MR

      Wow. Okay. (laughs)

    27. JG

      (laughs)

    28. MR

      You know, everyone is talking about seed oils, online at least.

    29. JG

      (laughs)

    30. MR

      A- Are they bad? Are they good? What is a seed oil? I don't even know. (laughs)

  10. 1:00:48 – 1:07:12

    This is the most important take away from this episode.

    1. JG

      And so investing and learning how to, to check information I think is a really great tool, you know, not just for the disinformation that's all around about medicine. There's all kinds of disinformation about so many different things, so investing and learning. And, and the other thing I would say is that anybody who's trying to tell you that you need to fix something urgently, that there's, "You're wrong, you've gotta act on this," that, you know, that's a sales pressure tactic. There is-You know, you're not in... Unless you're in the emergency room and you're, you're literally bleeding to death, there's always time to step back and gather the information and to not act out of a place of, of, you know, anxiety or panic. And so, you know, urgent health situation, different, but, you know, in general, kind of the stuff that you see coming at you on social media, you have time to stop and reflect and absorb and look for other sources.

    2. MR

      Um, that one certainly hits home because I, uh, have a situation, I think everybody probably has one in their family with somebody that they love, where my husband's father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and six days later he was in an emergency room, no second opinion, and the surgery went horribly wrong.

    3. JG

      Mm-hmm.

    4. MR

      And there's no doubt in my mind that that rush to surgery and not taking a breath and reminding yourself that we have time here, that that ultimately killed him.

    5. JG

      Aw.

    6. MR

      And so I do think that that's a really important thing for you to hear, that you have time. Is there a particular way that you would recommend that we research? Because of course, most of us go into our doctor's with the printouts from WebMD and-

    7. JG

      (laughs)

    8. MR

      ... probably get the giant eye roll from the docs.

    9. JG

      (laughs)

    10. MR

      You know, like, "Oh, here we go, here we go. Done the research." But is there some way that you would recommend that we conduct our research or that we... or other sites that you can think of that you would send us to?

    11. JG

      Yeah, so I'm not a believer in hacks, but I'm gonna give you my number one hack. (laughs) Uh, so Google is not a medical library. Google is a repository of information and it's not curated for you in a way that's helpful for you. It's a popularity contest. There's so much search engine optimization that goes along and so what comes up first is not always gonna be accurate, and we all take what comes up first or second. And you know what? If the first, second, or third thing isn't what you want, instead of going further, we all just start (laughs) the search again. What you can do is have your topic and then find out the name of the medical professional organization that is, governs that area.

    12. MR

      How do I do that?

    13. JG

      So, for example, for menopause you would put, you would put your question and you'd put "hot flashes" and then you... "Hot flashes treatment" and you would either put Menopause Society or NAMS. They used to be called the North American Menopause Society and that probably still gonna come up in a search. That will force everything that's Menopause Society-related to come up first.

    14. MR

      Now, if I were doing that on a type of cancer or on a certain type of bone break, if I use the word "society," does something come up?

    15. JG

      So you could start with the American Cancer Society.

    16. MR

      Got it.

    17. JG

      And then on that page, then you might find, okay, um, you know, esophageal cancer is under this. You could also ask the doctor, "So what's the organization that writes the guidelines for this condition?"

    18. MR

      Or you could just Google that.

    19. JG

      (laughs)

    20. MR

      What is the organization that writes-

    21. JG

      Well-

    22. MR

      No?

    23. JG

      They're not all what you think. So there's, you know, there's, there's... I can never remember the name so I'm not gonna say it, but there's one p- pediatrics organization that's actually basically a hate group, but they've got their name that's almost identical to the American Academy of Pediatrics. So, so you have to be very careful.

    24. MR

      Mm.

    25. JG

      There are bad actors out there. So ask the physician, "Who writes the guidelines?" 'Cause there are guidelines. Um, you, or you could go put WHO, World Health Organization. You could put CDC because there's guidelines. Like, if you're dealing with cancer, well, there's, you know, somebody's come up with the guidelines for esophageal cancer. Someone's come up with the guidelines for, you know, for endometrial cancer. What's the organization? And start going there. But... And the American Cancer Society would be a great place to start. And, you know, try to, you know, try to get articles from there and then often you can find, you know, references in those sites and go on. But it's, it's not gonna happen like that, right? Also, some places have me- have medical libraries and you can go and talk to the medical librarian.

    26. MR

      Ooh.

    27. JG

      Now, smaller hospitals don't necessarily have that, but there are some places that do. My son, who's, um, who's got the heart problem, is having, um, open heart surgery next month and that's how, you know, I sort of looked up all the things that, you know, his doctor told me and, you know, I, I believed her and, and I trust her and she's fantastic, but you know what? You, you... I wanted to look things up as well. And so, you know, that was the strategy that I took.

    28. MR

      Well, Dr. Jen Gunter, the entire Mel Robbins podcast family is gonna be sending your family all kinds of loving energy-

    29. JG

      Oh, thank you.

    30. MR

      ... for a wonderful outcome.

Episode duration: 1:07:12

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