3 Things You Wish You Learned in High School Biology

Biology - the study of life and living organisms. Most of us took High School Biology, some of us probably slept through it as well. But no matter where or when you took Biology, there are several important life lessons your professor probably forgot to teach you. For example, health symptoms and health risks are different between men and women, putting women at a greater risk in many cases. Additionally, women are more likely to experience digestive issues. And pH matters when it comes to the human body: hair, skin, and yes, your vagina! So, we're here with the RepHreshing Truth about the things they didn't teach you in high school.

1. Your pH Matters - Everywhere!
   Remember trying to translate those funny pH strips to determine how acidic or basic a specific substance was? Well, we have good news and bad news. Even after you've passed Biology and graduated, pH still matters. The good news is you don't need pH strips to understand what we're talking about.

   The pH of different parts of your body matters. Your skin has a barrier known as the "acid mantle" which is "responsible for keeping in liquids and moisture while blocking germs, pollution, toxins, and bacteria" (Women's Health Magazine). The balanced pH of this acid mantle is 5.5 and when it is thrown off balance, you are likely to see acne, inflammation, or wrinkles. Like your skin, your hair also has this acid mantle and maintaining the pH of your hair at 4.5 to 5.0 will make your "hair smoother and shinier" (Curly Nikki).

   You may have come across pH-balanced skin and hair products before, so this might not be new knowledge. However, what most women don't know is that the pH of your vagina matters (seriously!) and a healthy pH level for your vagina is completely different than the healthy pH of skin or hair. A slightly acidic vaginal pH of 3.5 to 4.5 is ideal for beneficial bacteria and creates a hostile environment for pathogenic bacteria. Studies show that vaginal issues often occur when vaginal pH is unbalanced. By maintaining a healthy vaginal pH, you can help reduce your risk of vaginal issues.

   If you want to get ahead of the game and maintain your vaginal pH, try RepHresh! RepHresh Gel maintains vaginal pH within the healthy range of 3.5 to 4.5, effectively eliminating odour and relieving vaginal discomfort. And it lasts for days, so you don't have to keep reapplying it every day. When used once every 3 days, RepHresh Gel is clinically shown to maintain healthy vaginal pH or you can use RepHresh Gel when unbalance pH is most likely to occur: after your period, before or after sex, after douching or for freshness anytime. Maybe your biology teacher would have mentioned pH, if they had known about RepHresh!

2. Health Symptoms and Risks are Different for Women
   In your biology class, you may have been taught that we would be able to detect a heart attack if we were experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, and pain in the left arm. This is true, just not for women. While these are all symptoms for a heart attack in men, and women may experience some of these symptoms, often times it is different for women. Symptoms of a heart attack in women can include back, neck, or jaw pain, nausea and lightheadedness, sweating, and fatigue (WebMD). Because of these differences, women need to be much more aware of body aches and pains as they get older.

   It is also important to know the true differences in health risks between men and women so that we may detect any potential illnesses early on. Your biology teacher may have treated heart disease as if it were a "man's disease". But, according to Women's Health Research, heart disease kills over 50,000 more American women each year than men. Additionally, 40,000 more American women than men suffer from a stroke each year and women are two-to-three times more likely than men to suffer from depression. Since women are at greater risk for many life-threatening illnesses, it is important that we take control of our health and seek medical attention when we feel "off".

3. Women Have More Digestive Issues
   As women, we don't typically feel comfortable discussing our digestive issues with other people, especially men. But the main thing we wish we learned in High School Biology, and wish guys learned as well, is that women have a lot of guts.

   According to Cynthia M Yoshida, MD, a gastroenterologist on Oprah.com, women have more stuff squeezed into a smaller space. While we have the same digestive organs as men do, the lower portion of the colon tends to be longer in women. Additionally, we have a lot going on in terms of reproductive organs. Because we have so much stuff in such a small space, our "digestive systems don't have as much room to expand when troubled by excess gas, air or food" (Oprah.com). So, don't feel embarrassed when you're having digestive issues, remember that all women are in the same boat!

   Luckily, there are a lot of options available today to help with digestive issues. Depending on your digestive problems, you may wish to talk to your doctor about some of the newer prescription options. Even if you talked to your doctor several years ago, you may be surprised by your options today. If constipation is a problem, you might consider an over-the counter option like a laxative. But, that can take a while to provide relief and may come with diarrhea and cramping. Many women find that a simple enema product from their local drugstore will provide relief in minutes. Sometimes the old-fashioned solutions are still the best!

While Biology Class was years ago for many of us, we can probably all agree that these 3 things slipped through the cracks. Now you know why your digestive issues can be so unbearable, what to look for when experiencing a heart attack, and how pH affects the health and functioning of different parts of your body. Share these 3 tips with your girlfriends so that they too can learn The RepHreshing Truth!