No One Told Me!: Recent Episodes
The Gal Pals Guide
Join the Gal Pals every other week for some TMI talks where you’ll be thinking “ No One Told Me!”. For friends, sisters, and moms. For all women and vagina havers. Evidence based information brought to you by a Science Master obsessed with research and a Physician Assistant.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
This week the Gal Pals talk about Period/Cycle Tracking.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5432133/
ACOG committee opinion and recommendations:
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2015/12/menstruation-in-girls-and-adolescents-using-the-menstrual-cycle-as-a-vital-sign
This week the Gal Pals talk about Pap Smears.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
Ontario Screening Pathway: https://www.cancercareontario.ca/en/system/files_force/derivative/OCSPScreeningGuidelines.pdf
This week the Gal Pals talk about Fertility Awareness Based Methods (aka. Natural Family Planning). Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to” Resources:
https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/familiarizing-yourself-fertility-awareness-birth-control-option https://www.naturalcycles.com https://fertilityfriday.com https://femmhealth.org https://www.fertilitycare.ca https://www.vitaefertility.com https://woomb.ca https://ccli.org https://billings.life/en/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/rhythm-method/about/pac-20390918 Frank-Herrmann P., Heil J., Gnoth C., et al. “The effectiveness of a fertility awareness based method to avoid pregnancy in relation to a couple’s sexual behaviour during the fertile time: a prospective longitudinal study.” Human Reproduction 22 (2007): 1310-1319.
This week the Gal Pals talk about Non-Hormonal Birth Control. Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
- https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/hw237864
- https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control
This week the Gal Pals talk about Hormonal Birth Control.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
- https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/birth-control
- https://www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/facts/birth-control
- https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/tw9513
This week the Gal Pals discus What is Sex Education.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
- Global review on comprehensive sexual education (2015) https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000243106
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6406865/
- https://www.ontario.ca/document/health-and-physical-education-grades-1-8/human-development-and-sexual-health-education-grade
This week the Gal Pals Talk about losing Tampons and TSS Myths.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
- Types of Hymen: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/hymen-variants
- TSS: https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/tss.html
This week the Gal Pals Talk about Swimming when Menstruating Myths.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
More on Myths Debunked: https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/womens-health/2016/june/swimming-and-your-period-5-myths-debunked
Exercising on your period (summarizes studies): https://www.evidentlycochrane.net/exercise-for-period-pain/
Shark Info:
- https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/reduce-risk/menstruation/#:~:text=A%20shark's%20sense%20of%20smell,a%20factor%20in%20shark%20attacks.
- https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/sharks
This week the Gal Pals Talk about Scented Feminine Hygiene Product Myths.
*Please bear with us, we had some audio issues this episode and are working to fix them :)
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
Office on Women’s Health (US): https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/douching
Cleveland Clinic on scented products: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-scented-tampons-and-pads-bad-for-you/
Vaginal Douching Literature review:
Cottrell BH. Vaginal douching. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2003 Jan-Feb;32(1):12-8. doi: 10.1177/0884217502239796. PMID: 12570177.
This week the Gal Pals Talk about UTI Myths.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
Christina M. Coleman, Kimberly M. Auker, K. Brian Killday, Parastoo Azadi, Ian Black, and Daneel Ferreira. (Mar 2019). Arabinoxyloglucan Oligosaccharides May Contribute to the Antiadhesive Properties of Porcine Urine after Cranberry Consumption. Journal of Natural Products 2019 82 (3), 589-605. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.8b01043
Juthani-Mehta M, Van Ness PH, Bianco L, Rink A, Rubeck S, Ginter S, Argraves S, Charpentier P, Acampora D, Trentalange M, Quagliarello V, Peduzzi P. Effect of Cranberry Capsules on Bacteriuria Plus Pyuria Among Older Women in Nursing Homes: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA 2016, 316:1879-1887.
This week the Gal Pals Talk about Us. What is a Physician Assistant? What do we mean by "Science Master"? How did we meet? Why did we start this podcast? Why do we say "people with vaginas"? Resources: What is a PA?: https://canadianpa.ca/whatisapa/
This week the Gal Pals Talk about Discharge.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
More about vaginal discharges: https://www.merckmanuals.com/en-ca/home/women-s-health-issues/symptoms-of-gynecologic-disorders/vaginal-discharge?query=Vaginal%20Itching%20and%20Discharge
This week the Gal Pals Talk about Breast Pain.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Resources:
Reasons for breast pain: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/breast-pain-10-reasons-your-breasts-may-hurt
Guidelines on self examination: https://canadiantaskforce.ca/guidelines/published-guidelines/breast-cancer-update/
Breast self examination: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/hw3791
The Current: Combating anti-Asian hate crimes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-current/id151487761?i=1000513554802
CBC Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-atlanta-killings-and-anti-asian-hate/id1439621628?i=1000513654230
This week the Gal Pals Talk about Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
Sources:
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2021). Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/premenstrual-syndrome
Richardson, J. (1995). The premenstrual syndrome: A brief history. Social Science & Medicine, 41(6): 761-767
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0277953695000426
This week the Gal Pals Talk about Periods... well.... actually the menstrual cycle!
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”
For more information: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/your-first-period
An introduction to your Gal Pals, Kayla and Arnie!
Join the Gal Pals every week for some TMI talks where you’ll be thinking “ No One Told Me!”. For friends, sisters, and moms. For all women and vagina havers. Evidence based information brought to you by a Science Master obsessed with research and a Physician Assistant.
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only, please seek a medical professional if you have concerns. We do our best to provide up to date information backed by evidence based medicine. “We do the research, so you don’t have to”