OLAWUNMI OLOKODE

BEING A
LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it!

OLAWUNMI OLOKODE
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Copyright © 2021 Olawunmi Olokode

All rights reserved

 CONTENT

Dedication

1 INTRODUCTION 1

2 THE SKIN 3

3 CARE OF THE MOUTH 5

4 BODY TYPES AND SIZES 6

5 SHOULD I BE COMFORTABLE IN MY BODY? 10

6 REPRODUCTIVE/SEXUAL ORGANS 12

7 THE BREASTS 13

8 THE PUBIC REGION 22

9 TIPS ON HOW TO CARRY YOURSELF AS A LADY 29

10 CONCLUSION 31

11 MEET THE AUTHOR 32

 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

To every woman out there pulling it together and walking towards

being a lady every single day!

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OLAWUNMI OLOKODE

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 INTRODUCTION
The woman body is a plexus of many things. Beautiful, yet ever
evolving and changing. Our bodies literally do not look the same every
week. This is due to both hormonal and few structural changes that
happen, which often times gets women worried.

These questions will guide us as we explore the peculiarities of a

woman’s body.
 What is the woman's body like?

 What are the abnormalities to look out for in your body as a

woman?

The human body is just like a computer system, and like every system,
our skin and “contact” organs act as the monitor. Contact organs are
those parts of us everyone can see, same as us. Many times, most of
the things going wrong within can be sited from these “contact”
organs. Just like you can tell at first what is wrong with a system
through the stuff that shows on the monitor. Those parts of you that
you can see without having to cut through yourself, are what we will
call the monitor.

These parts are namely, your skin, your eyes, ears, mouth, sexual
organs, arms, legs etc.

Our body consists of several organs and components that function

concurrently to make us optimally functioning organisms.

The body, like a computer system, can be sub-divided into two;

software and hardware.

The software of the body is in hormones, enzymes, proteins etc. a lot

of times when these goes wrong, we rectify them using drugs and the
likes. The hardware are our organs; liver, heart, kidney etc. when they
fail, we go invasive and repair or replace them!

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The easiest way to detect an abnormality in your internal organs is

through the physical structures of your body, since you can't see the
internal organs or what is happening there. A lot of things go on inside,
but the easiest way to find out if something is wrong is first through
the monitor; the screen; those “contact” organs.

This book will broaden your knowledge on the following:

 The Skin and Mouth

 Body types and sizes
 Should I be comfortable in my body
 Reproduction/Sexual Organs
- Breast
- Pubic region
 Tips on how you should walk and carry yourself

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 THE SKIN
The skin is the largest organ of the body. The human skin can be
peeled off as one and seen as one large organ! In fact, when weighed,
it measures about 3.6kilograms.

Do you know your skin is a continuation of your gastrointestinal tract? That is,
your skin, stomach, mouth, oesophagus and the likes are the same! The
human body is in essence, a cylinder! Your skin folds into your anus,
then comes out in your mouth and continues as skin. This is an
interesting fact right?

Also, you should note that your skin absorbs every cream you ever
used into your blood stream, it does that to a very large extent. So,
what so ever you would be using on your, you should ensure that it is
safe!

What this means in essence is that there is no stop anywhere, only

transformation of the cells from one shape to another. Seeing that the
skin is a very important organ, it should be treated as such.

The skin has certain features that helps it perform its tasks like it
should. One of this is melanin.

Melanin is responsible for its coloration and protection from the sun's
damaging effect. It is what gives the skin its color. Majority of blacks
have melanin in abundance that is why we are dark skinned; whites and
fair people have little of this.

The skin is a sensory and protective organ. It plays the vital role of
detecting hot and cold sensations, regulating your body temperature,
and protecting your muscles, bones and internal organs from outside
infection and disease.

What are the common problems that you could have with your
skin?

- Allergic reactions which may include irritation, redness, small

bumps, or itchiness.

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- Acne, commonly called pimples.

To mention just a few

Simple skin care routine include:

• Water intake: Water cleanses and removes toxins from the internal
body and you know, the monitor will definitely reflect it.

• Using a silk pillow case and changing it least once a week. Silk is
gentle on the skin unlike cotton, and it reduces wrinkles.

• Another very important rule in skin care is never to pick at acne

(pimples), this can lead to open wounds that can cause infection and
further lead to disfigurement from scarring.

• Sleep: Sleep decreases the stress hormone cortisol which is

responsible for skin discoloration, thinning skin, and stretch marks.
Sleep also increases the sleep hormone melatonin which acts as an
antioxidant to fight fine lines, wrinkles, and skin cancer. Our body
produces a large amount of human growth hormone while we sleep
which helps to repair the damage we encounter on a daily basis. So, we
can say that sleep is one of ways that our skin gets its superpower of
quick repair.

• The importance of a good diet cannot be overemphasized too.

You have to be deliberate about what you eat

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it
CARE OF THE MOUTH
This is not farfetched that the care of the mouth is in fact one of the
very basics of personal hygiene.

It is in fact one of the basic things we were taught as little children;

how to brush your teeth, the up and down movement, the rinsing and
all.

In adulthood, this is less spoken about because of not wanting to

embarrass another individual.

Don’t worry even if others won’t tell you, this is between me and you.

You need to take time to brush well!

You can improve your oral (mouth) hygiene by:

 Brushing at least twice daily

 Rinsing your mouth after every meal and removing remnant food
particles
 Use brushes and toothpastes recommended by the dentist
 Changing your brush at least every 3 months
 Book an appointment with the dentist for routine checkup and
cleaning
 Cut down on the sugar, it’s not helping.
 Avoid too hot or too cold foods
 Attend to any discomfort promptly

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 BODY TYPES AND SIZES
Are there really body types?

Everyone looks almost the same, with 2 eyes, 1 nose, 1 mouth, 2 upper
limbs, 2 lower limbs and a good body symmetry with the reproductive
organs of course. Anything outside of that is abnormal.

There is more or less no difference in body types, but there are

different body sizes. There is no “typical” or “perfect” body.

Even though the society has set a standard for beauty, you should
know that every woman is beautiful and unique. What makes a woman
beautiful is not what society says but the simple fact that God created
her.

Most of the body types we have are societal. The society identifies body
types based on waistline measurements and bust size.

The few types that have been identified are:

• Rectangle

• Triangle or “pear”

• Inverted triangle or “apple”

• Hourglass

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

Below is a pictorial representation of these body shapes

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Medics also reckon with some classification for body types; they say
that there are ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.

Remember,

No matter your body shape, you are unique!

Here’s a pictorial representation of what I just described above;

- Ectomorphs are naturally lean and long, they tend to find it

trickier to fatten up, but also don’t get fat quickly if they lay off the
training.

- Endomorphs are the opposite, with higher levels of body fat, a

natural pear shape and they have the ability to add muscle relatively
easily.

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

- In between these two you find Mesomorphs who, by a set of

aesthetic standards, could be said to have won the genetic lottery
because they have an athletic build, a high metabolism, and add
muscle easily.

You can follow this link for further reading

https//www.coachmag.co.uk/lifestyle/4511/ectomorph-
endomorph-or-mesomorph-what-is-your-body-type

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SHOULD I BE COMFORTABLE IN MY BODY?

The answer is yes and no!

You should be comfortable in your body because you are unique and
God created you so.

But, you shouldn’t be comfortable with your body if you are beginning
to tend to an unhealthy size!

As much as self-love is good, self-deceit isn’t!

An overweight or obese person is at risk of so many diseases such as

coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, non-healing of wounds etc.

To know whether a person has an appropriate body weight, we use a

tool called the Body Mass Index (BMI). This measures a person’s
weight in relation to their height.

A BMI of less than 18.5 means that a person is underweight.

A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is ideal.

A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 is overweight.

A BMI over 30 indicates obesity.

The formula used is BMI = kg/m2 where kg is a person’s weight in

kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared.

That is Weight divided by the Height which must be in meters and

should be squared.

To do this, you need to know these parameters:

- Your height in meters e.g., 1.5meters

- Your weight in kg e.g., 60kg

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it
STEPS

First, find the square of your height; 1.5 x 1.5 = 2.25 meters²

Now divide your weight by 2.25

60/2.25 = 26.7

The BMI is 26.7 which is overweight.

You can try this for yourself.

FAQ 1

Does being overweight necessarily mean looking chubby outwardly?

Cause you said 26.5 certainly means overweight!

ANSWER

No, you may look chubby yet not overweight, it depends on your
weight and height.

FAQ 2

If one's BMI is 26.5, and the person looks tall. Does that mean the
person is overweight?

ANSWER

Again, the values determine the result.

If the weight is still 60kg and the height changes to 1.6 meters, the BMI
value changes definitely.

So now, BMI will be 60kg/1.6² = 60/2.56 = 23.4

Now 23.4 is not overweight

Still the same 60kg but different values

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REPRODUCTION/
SEXUAL ORGANS

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

THE BREAST
The Woman's breast is a very obvious part of her body.
Though not necessarily a reproductive organ, it is
essential for sustenance of the new life that is born, I’m
talking about the baby and it also adds to the identity
of a woman. Seeing a man with pronounced breasts is
definitely an abnormal situation but for the woman it
is normal.

Like I said before, society has somehow set a standard

via media, words of mouth etc. Many ladies think that
the pointed and standing breast is the normal and that
any other is a problem.

This is not true! Like I said earlier, In medicine when

considering a body part/an organ, the proper
questions to ask are: “is it present (and appears like it
should/is it where it should be)?” and “can it perform
the role that it is supposed to?”, if the body part can
answer to these questions, it is considered NORMAL.

Now, some women have naturally saggy breasts just

because the suspensory ligament of their breasts is
weak which is not their fault. As we age, our breasts
also age and there is nothing abnormal about this.

Ladies! You are to know what’s normal for the body,

your body and accept it! And if you know that you are
far from what is normal, healthily walk towards the
normal. That’s why you should only consult a

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professional and not dwell on hearsay of folktales

(what grandma did or what mummy did), knowledge is
improving daily).

People out there say scary things, in fact on this breast

issue and sadly, many have been led astray.

Imagine, while I was growing up as a young teenager,

an aunty used to say that a girl child’s breast that is just
budding should be forcefully rubbed back in and
allowed to grow out the second time, she said only if
that is done will the breast be firm.

Now, my own breast had budded beyond the stage of

being rubbed back in and I was 'sad' that my mum did
not do 'what she was supposed to do' and later when it
seemed like I wasn’t getting the fashion-perfect shape
of breast, I wasn’t happy with my body. Now, I actually
laugh that I believed that nonsense!

That’s how much ignorance can affect an individual

physically and psychologically. So, you have to learn
the right thing.

Not everything on the internet is correct! Different

people write different things and put there, it’s like a
journal but you need to always get ‘accurate
information' from a professional.

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

How should the breast be cared for?

1) Love and accept yourself.

2) Know the normal then you can appreciate the
abnormal.
3) When confused about a thing, consult a
professional, not another guesser like yourself.
4) Bathe well and wash all areas of the breast.
5) Be careful of using creams on it (Some people even
us breast enlargement cream, Be careful!).
6) Carry out tests e.g. Breast Self-Examination (Every
woman should know this and teach her female
child, friends, sister).
The purpose of this test is to detect any
abnormality (e.g. Lumps, Cancer) early.

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BREAST SELF EXAMINATION (BSE)

This test like the name implies is carried out by you!

It is used to examine the breasts to know normality and

detect abnormality quickly!

The breast usually has smaller lobes (like very little

walnuts) in it, that is where breast milk is produced.

Sometimes, these lobes misbehave and begin to grow

in an abnormal manner (what we call cancer) if this is
detected early, it can be removed.

BSE can help to detect abnormal growths called

Lumps [pronounced: lomps]. It has five steps and it
should be done monthly some days after your
menstrual period.

Here’s the procedure to carry it out:

STEP 1

Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your

shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

Here’s what you should look for:

The size, shape, and color of your breasts

Check if they are evenly shaped without visible

distortion or swelling

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Understanding your body and how to care for it

Changes that should raise a concern are:

 Dimpling or bulging of the skin

 A nipple that has changed position or an inverted
nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
 Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

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STEP 2

Raise your arms and look for the same changes.

STEP 3

While you’re at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid

coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a
watery, milky, or yellow fluid. Go ahead and gently
squeeze the nipple to see if anything comes out.)

Note: Milk should not come out of the breast of a

woman that is neither pregnant nor breastfeeding. If it

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Understanding your body and how to care for it

does, it could be a sign of Hyperprolactinemia, (this

is when prolactin, the hormone responsible for
producing milk in a breast feeding mother is in excess).
This can be bad and cause inability to conceive.

During breastfeeding, the woman has a natural birth

control (she won’t get pregnant because prolactin
inhibits the hormone that helps women to get
pregnant. So this step is very important.

Also, blood should not come out, it could mean cancer!

STEP 4

Lie down then feel your breasts.

Use your right hand to feel your left breast and then
your left hand to feel your right breast.

Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads
of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together and
do it in a circular motion.

Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to

side.

Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole

breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger
and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the
breast. You can also move your fingers up and down
vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn.

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STEP 5

Finally, get into the shower, feel your breasts again. It

could be easier to feel the breasts when the skin is wet
and slippery. Cover your entire breast, using the same
process described in step 4.

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

Here’s a pictorial summary of the steps

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THE PUBIC REGION

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

THE VULVA AND PERINEUM

The pubic region includes your Vulva and Perineum.

I’m not so sure you are familiar with the word Vulva
and Perineum, so I’ll define them.

The Vulva is that part you refer to as your ‘private part’,

down below…

Simply put, it is the external part of the female genitals.

It consists of: the vagina opening, the opening of the

urethra (where urine comes from), the clitoris (the
triangular projected part on top), the small and big lip-
like flesh that covers the other openings, they are called
the labia minora and the labia majora respectively.

The perineum is just the area between the Vulva and

the Anus.

Let’s talk about the Vagina;

The vagina is a home to billions of bacteria. It is

however a self-cleaning organ.

Its functions are not oblivious; for reception of the

penis during sexual intercourse and for the passage of
the baby during childbirth.

It is naturally acidic so that it will neutralize the alkaline

semen of the man during sexual intercourse for the
sperm cells to be well mobile for fertilization to take

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place.

Its acidity also serves as a defense mechanism to

protect the vagina from intruding microorganisms.

Does these look like a lot of technical terms? Let me

explain.

The vagina acidic because there are microorganisms

there (which are considered normal) that continue to
produce this acidic content.

These microorganisms (bacteria) are like the

gatekeepers of the vagina and if they are taken away,
there is a freeway for other non-beneficial bacteria to
cross in, these non-beneficial bacteria are the ones that
cause infection.

The vagina has its way of speaking to its owner,

sometimes it would say “focus on me” by its smell or
“you are cleaning me too much” maybe by pain or its
appearance.

So what are the things to pay attention to when it

comes to your vagina?

You should pay attention to:

 The smell
 The color of discharge
 The presence or absence of pain

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

VAGINA SMELL
Normally the vagina has a characteristic smell (not
odor) and it varies with people and time as well.

But there could be odd smells which are always

indicative of one issue or the other.

Cases like PID (Pelvic inflammatory disease) and other

sort of infections around the vulva or in the vagina
come with certain odors.

There could be a fishy smell (Trimethylamine is the

compound responsible for that, as seen in bacteria
vaginosis infection) although there are other serious
issues. The smell could merely be a product of poor
hygiene.

Here are some of the smells and what it may mean

 Fermented/sour smell - due to acid (produced

by the normal bacteria). This is common and a bit
normal.
 Metallic smell - due to blood (during
menstruation)
 Sugar-like smell – still due to action of bacteria
(not usually a problem)
 Chemical-like smell - due to urine or infection
 Fishy/decay smell - due to bacterial vaginosis (an
infection that needs to be treated promptly)
 Rotten smell – due to overstayed menstrual pad
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VAGINA DISCHARGE AND ITS

COLOUR
Vagina discharge is a housekeeping function of the
vagina.

Remember I told you that the vagina is a self-cleaning

organ, vagina discharge is one of the ways by which the
vagina cleans itself.

Healthy vagina discharge allows the vagina to carry

away harmful bacteria and dead/old cells so that it
remains clean, healthy, free of infection and serve as a
lubrication.

Vaginal discharge is also a reflection of your health.

There is a normal discharge and the abnormal has to
be looked out for because it changes with your body’s
needs to reflect the state of your body.

If your discharge changes in color, amount, or smell, it

calls for attention.

Normal/healthy vaginal discharge typically appears as

milky white or clear.

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

What are the other vagina discharge colors and

what do they mean?

Here's a chart that summarizes everything:

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CARE OF THE VAGINA/PERINEUM

The care of the vagina/perineum cannot be
overemphasized.

Even though the body naturally has a means to clean

the vagina, there are some precautions to still take.
Some of which are:

1. Avoid douching (this is washing or soaking the

vagina in water usually mixed with vinegar or even
soap).
2. Avoid using antiseptic soaps to wash (The vagina
is a self-cleaning organ. It cleans itself via the
discharges. Using antiseptic lotions removes all
the important bacteria).
3. Change your undies (proper hygiene of your
undies can go a long way to improve the health
down there).
4. Wear cotton undies, not nylon, silk, do not wear
pants that are too tight (this is to avoid heat which
facilitates the reproduction of bad bacteria).
5. Rinse after urinating (to avoid creating an
environment for bad bacteria to breed).
6. Only wash front to back, never back to front (you
don’t want the ugly bacteria from the anus, poop
and all to enter your vagina).
7. Practice good hygiene during your menstrual
period (change pads frequently and avoid
overstay).
8. Be observant, watch out for infections and treat it

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 HOW TO BE A LADY
Understanding your body and how to care for it

TIPS ON HOW TO CARRY YOURSELF

AS A LADY
 You must believe in yourself, in your uniqueness.
 You must learn to love and accept your body,
making it better each day by your actions, IN A
HEALTHY WAY! This includes what, how and
when you eat.
 Maintain a correct posture; Be conscious of how
you stand and sit. Don't slouch, stand upright! It
shows firmness, discipline and confidence.
 Be kind to people, let it reflect in how you look at
people and even talk to them.
 Respect people, it is beautiful.
 Practice a very high level of personal hygiene.
 Be hardworking and be able to bring something to
the table. Have something you are doing, laziness
is ugly.
 Dress modestly. You’d be respected better, unlike
being seen as just a sexual object because of
unnecessary exposure.
 Be very observant.
 Be sincere and genuine. There’s nothing classy
about lying, no one appreciate fake things.
 Stand up for what you believe in. Don’t just be a
puppet, think intelligently and objectively.
 Speak clearly and maintain eye contact in
conversations, it shows confidence.

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 Carry your body gracefully, it is YOUR own and

no one can carry it for you like you would!
 Call and refer to yourself as you would have people
refer to you.
 Be industrious and willing to lend a helping hand
at all times
 Be open to learning. A person that stops learning
is dead while living.

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Understanding your body and how to care for it

CONCLUSION
“A woman’s health is her capital.”
– Harriet Beecher Stowe

“At the end of the day, your health is your

responsibility.”
– Jillian Michaels

In the end, you are responsible for your health and for
the wellbeing of everyone around you.

Why? Because you are a woman and you are made to

nurture!

I hope this book has enlightened you!

It is not enough to read to know.

Without practice, all your knowledge is a waste!

This is a taster version, there will be subsequent

reviews of this book, and many other important things
about the female body will be addressed. Anticipate!

You are free to share this book. Don’t hoard useful

information!

Stay healthy!

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MEET THE AUTHOR

Olawunmi Olokode is a
registered nurse

She is dedicated to helping

people who desire to be
healthy to attain and maintain
a healthy status.

She is an advocate of
preventive medicine as she
believes that it is the cheapest
and most effective form of
medicine.

She is the lead coach of Healthphilic; a healthcare

company that provides accurate information to
manage people’s health.

You can connect with her via:

Instagram @healthphilic @rnolawunmi

(https://www.instagram.com/healthphilic) ;
(https://www.instagram.com/rnolawunmi)

YouTube: Healthphilic
(https://youtu.be/U1UkcfQBwk0)

Facebook: Olokode Olawunmi

WhatsApp: +2348166430332

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