Category: Articles

Photo by Jason Lee, Model in front of waterfall

In the Beginning

Posted on by jasonlee

SOURCE / H & E Magazine
PHOTOGRAPHY / JASON LEE
INTERVIEW / MARK HAMILTON

 American photographer Jason Lee believes the human body reflects God’s glory.

How many other artistic photographers found their vocation courtesy of a personal dare? “It was 2006,” recalls Jason Lee. “I had been told throughout my upbringing that nudity equalled lust, and that it was impossible to spend time with a naked person of the opposite sex and not be automatically aroused. I thought this was absurd, but I wanted to test myself, and the theory, and find out if it was true. So I put out an advert as a photographer to set up what I thought would be my only experience.

“Probably not surprisingly, to those who already know how benign being nude in nature really is, I found that my model’s beauty did not distract me from capturing her likeness as art. We had a marvellous time shooting together, and I found that I had a knack for capturing art nudes. What started out as a personal challenge turned into a passion for pushing back against the negative narratives of body shame and porno-prudish thinking.”

It was the start of a new career, and Jason’s company Genesis Modeling & Photography (shootwithgenesis.com)  – which now offers a range of services including personalised shoots as well as workshops with both models and photographers – was born.

 “The name I chose is directly reflective of the creation account in Genesis, where man and woman were made naked and unashamed. I believe this is the original intent of God and that it has never changed, despite humanity’s fall. As a Christian, I believe that by experiencing and appreciating the beauty of the human body, we are reflecting God’s glory in which we were created. Genesis tells us that we were created in the image of God and in His likeness, completely without shame. My work as an artist in creating nude photography and body paintings is a way for me to present that viewpoint to the public.”

Approach

Jason’s beliefs are fundamental to his approach to work, and life.

“I base my understanding of naturism on what I’ve read and studied in the Bible, so I have settled on the term ‘comfortablist’.   Practically, this means I’m comfortable whether in clothing or without it. I definitely think of clothing as only necessary for specific purposes or decoration, and find it completely unnecessary for the protection of ‘false modesty’. I believe modesty is an attitude, not a dress code. Though I wasn’t raised as a naturist, I made the personal choice to sleep nude around the age of seven and haven’t looked back.”

Jason recounts that his upbringing was “no different to most adolescents in America who were raised in a middle-class conservative family: namely that nudity is reserved for married intimacy or taking a shower, and that it is not to be shared. Something inside me, however, never bought into this idea. I can remember being fascinated by the beauty of the human body, even as a child, yet not really having a sanctioned way to perceive this beauty.

“I was exposed to pornography while visiting a cousin when I was about eleven, and found it to be shocking and degrading. A few years later, I went to the library (this was before the internet was a big thing) and tried to search out pure forms of nudity. What I found were classical art paintings and a section of shelves that were supposed to hold art nude photography books but instead, they were empty. Apparently even tasteful nudity was too much to just leave out on a library bookshelf. The books had to be requested via a librarian and couldn’t be checked out. It seemed absurd.”

Hooked

It should come as little surprise that Jason discovered naturism, although as he admits, it came a little later in life. “It wasn’t until moving to Idaho that I began to experience social naturism and incorporate it into my photography. Idaho is home to two naturist resorts and has many hot springs. I learned after moving here that it is not only acceptable, but often expected, to soak naturally in nature in these hot pools. After experiencing it for the first time, I was hooked and never wanted to wear a swimsuit again!

“Since that first experience, I have enjoyed social naturism many times and find it beneficial for building lasting friendships and promoting body positivity. I have participated in three World Naked Bike Rides, and my wife and I have visited several resorts and beaches, including one in Italy on a recent holiday.”

Of course, not everybody is as relaxed about nudity as that.

“For every one model who agrees to a naked shoot,” reckons Jason, “there are another nine that say: I love your work. But I can’t shoot nude because I have body hang-ups, I’m afraid of what my family/boss/friends will think, or my boyfriend/husband won’t allow me to. I think this is one of the toughest parts of producing artistic nude work. People are afraid. They’re afraid to participate. They’re afraid to admit they enjoy the experience of viewing or owning it.”

Would switching the gender balance make a difference?

Jason isn’t convinced. “I mostly shoot with female models, but occasionally work with males. Sometimes I have received a little negativity for not including more males in my work, but I often invite the person complaining to go and create their own male nude work. I can’t do it all by myself! We need lots of new art and lots of new participants if we’re going to change attitudes. But I’m happy to say that I work with a lot of models who are experiencing nude photography for the first time, and have developed a reputation for being a safe person with whom to shoot.”

String

Photography isn’t the only string to Jason’s bow – he also paints abstracts, plays music, builds furniture and restores vehicles – but he does restrict his work behind the camera to the nude.

“When people ask why, I reply because nudity is pure. It’s always my goal to present the purity and soul of a model’s personality, not a fashion show. I’m not selling clothes or cosmetics. I am not interested in being coy but nor am I trying to sell my model’s sexuality in a photo. I look for the raw, innocent essence of who she is – and as much as she would like to share of herself in that space. My work reflects the goodness of the human body in its beauty, as created. It’s as simple as that.”

Jason doesn’t just believe that what he does is art for art’s sake. “I am humbled by feedback from models and patrons who find that my work touches them in a profound way. I’ve had models who have found freedom from body shame and dysmorphia, and reported experiencing a new personal ownership of their bodies. Sometimes this even happens in the middle of a shoot. I have had others who have reported that our work together has helped resolve sexual trauma from rape and abuse. Others have remarked on how their lives have been forever made brighter, and freer, and empowered.”

Given the choice, Jason prefers the great outdoors.

“I most often shoot on location in the Pacific Northwest of the US. My home base is one of the most beautiful (and unknown) places on the planet, though I love to travel, and I’m willing to shoot practically anywhere in the world. I have an invitation to shoot in Puerto Rico soon, so I’m looking forward to that. I’d also love to have my photographic travels take me to places like the UK, Spain or New Zealand, so if any readers are interested, feel free to reach out!

“As for favourite locations, I love to include water of some kind. We have shot around water in every season, even in ice and snow. I always feel that water, whether as a waterfall, steam-filled hot pool or snowy backdrop, incorporates so many elements of nature into one place. I try to always keep my eyes open for new potential shooting spots. I once spotted a couple of abandoned milk vans down in a ravine while on location for a different spot. Of course, we had to climb down and explore.”

Elements

When not braving the elements in the winter months, as part of his Personal Spaces Project, he also shoots models at home where, as he explains, “they can be naturally nude and do whatever it is that fits their mood. It’s designed to capture a personal vibe and natural body energy in a relaxed environment, and explore the personality, mood and creativity of each model.”

Indoors or out, Jason explains that “to come up with a subject or theme for a shoot, I will collaborate with the model. I am also incredibly inspired by the natural handiwork of God in nature. I love to explore a new vista with a model and chase the light and shadows, and compare and contrast the model’s form, emotions and style against the natural features of a landscape or even an abandoned manmade space. Body paints are often similarly imagined while on site, though occasionally a theme will be developed beforehand.

“I have had quite a bit of interest in seeing my work published in book form, so I am assembling my first book of art nudes, and debating on whether I should self-publish or go for the traditional route.

“Apart from that, I am perfectly content with life the way it is. I am happily married, and my wife and I are raising our children to hopefully be well-balanced members of society. We’ve incorporated our beliefs about the body into raising them, and believe this helps to prepare them better for life as adults.”

God willing.

nude body paint in nature

One Life

Posted on by jasonlee

MODEL / HANNAH
PHOTOGRAPHY / JASON LEE

In their fourth collaboration, muse Hannah and photographer Jason Lee, a striking body paint photoshoot took place amidst the captivating landscape of the desert. Set against the backdrop of rare rock formations found in only a few parts of the world, including Idaho, the shoot offered a unique and visually stunning environment. Hannah’s natural beauty and artistic expression were enhanced by the intricate body paint, creating a mesmerizing fusion of art and nature. Both Hannah and Jason embraced the creative process wholeheartedly, resulting in a successful shoot filled with joy and excitement. Through Jason’s lens, the beauty of the desert landscape and Hannah’s captivating presence were immortalized, capturing the essence of their collaborative endeavor.

As usual, Hannah rocked this shoot and we had a blast doing it. It’s definitely been fun working with her.

Jason Lee

Can Life Be New

Posted on by jasonlee

MODEL / Hannah
PHOTOGRAPHY / JASON LEE
INTERVIEW – CHAPTER I

“[Modeling nude] is the most powerful thing to do.” – Hannah

Discover the empowering journey of Hannah, shared through intimate conversations with photographer Jason Lee. Delve into her experience overcoming personal battles post-sexual assault, reclaiming confidence through nude modeling. Explore themes of vulnerability, self-love, and societal perceptions in this compelling interview series.

Hannah is a treasure. We have worked together on several occasions and on the drive out to our most recent shoot, I got to ask her a few questions and she agreed to allow me to record our conversation and share it. She wanted to share with me about how the experience of shooting nude with Genesis Modeling and Photography has helped her overcome personal battles following sexual abuse. It was a long conversation and so we’ll break it up into a few chapters. We talk about some heavy topics, so if that triggers you, be forewarned. Hannah and I were privileged to shoot together on multiple occasions and this interview is excerpted from an audio-recorded session.
Jason Lee

Here are some excerpts from our interview:

Jason: Can you describe how shooting nude helped you after being assaulted? You called it something like “taking back who you are?“

Hannah: I think after [the assault] happens you kind of lose a sense of yourself, and you just kind of think like, okay, well if that’s all I’m really going to be used for, then maybe that’s all I’m only meant for…. It sounds kind of pitiful I guess, but at the same time, it’s like I went through something and came out basically feeling broken.

And so to be able to gain that confidence and vulnerability back in a good way, it’s just, it’s such a relief-feeling to know that you can still love yourself after that happened to you. That it was not your fault. And I think a lot of people that are victims of those things blame themselves, or they’re like, well, what if I just didn’t go to that party? Or what if I just didn’t have that drink? You know what I mean? And it’s being comfortable again with your body. Like literally, I could just never look at myself naked. It took so long for me to be to do that.

J: Why do you think that was?

H: I felt like it was my fault and I was stressing: how did I let that happen to me? And then I had to realize like a lot of things are out of my control and that I didn’t choose to have that happen. I needed to let it “break you or make you.” I told myself that it’s fine to have the grieving process, but you have to get on your feet sooner or later.

One of my friends is a rape victim as well. And it’s just crazy to think like how often it happens. And then when it happens to you, you reach out to other people and you find out that’s happening a lot more. It changes your perspective, I guess a little bit. So you don’t feel so alone.

J: So by sharing your story, embracing community, it gives you power over…

H: Yeah. It’s basically like, OK, you took that part away from me, but you’re not going to take away the rest. Like you’re not going to take me away from myself. Yeah, for a moment, you tore my identity apart, but now that I found out who I am, again, it’s like, you can’t touch me anymore.

If I can embrace nudity in a non-sexual way, then it’s like, what else is there to see? I think it’s very empowering for us to embrace being comfortable naked.

I think a lot of people are very immature and I admit that I also struggled with insecurity for sure, especially after what happened. I thought no one would ever look at me the same way if I told them what had happened. But being able to look at yourself in a better way – being able to see yourself naked pushes you to realize that it doesn’t really matter how the other people think. It’s how you feel about yourself.

J: Do you think that rape is more about the physical or about the emotional?

H: I think it’s definitely both. Personally, I feel like every rapist, even if they don’t want to extend it, they definitely feel remorse for what they did. Although there are some people that don’t feel that emotion like that, but I think the majority of people do understand that their actions cause pain. My rapist – He tried reaching out afterwards, like after a month and apologizing, but honestly, I just didn’t really want to hear it. I appreciate him understanding that what he did was wrong, but I don’t want any communication of that because it was his choice to do it.

I think people that feel the need to do that didn’t get the love that they needed growing up and they searched for it in the wrong way. They don’t get it from the ways that they’re searching either, because they go out and hurt someone and take away their happiness.

J: How do you think that society contributes to the environment of allowing or promoting rape?

H: I think it should be harder [on rapists]. So I think there’s the legal part where a lot of people that rape don’t get in trouble. It’s very rare for a rapist to go to jail, or anyway for a long time, or a real reprimand or consequence for their actions — whether it’s a female or male, you know, it can come from both ways.  So I think that because of the way you view community and sex and stuff like that, like if you go onto like porn sites, a lot of it — it’s very rough — like not what real sex is. And I think people that don’t experience healthy ways of experiencing sexuality and nudity and being subjected to nudity very often have a difficult time distinguishing what’s right and wrong when it comes to sex. I think society play a huge part in that though. Especially now, if you go on social media, it’s all about girls’ bodies. Like it’s never about like personality or who they are, which might sound cheesy. But like, I feel like nowadays people shop for girls — or men as well — like it’s very subjective.

And I think society needs to do a better job at allowing helpful nudity. So I feel like if we subject everyone to more nudity, I don’t think [sexualizing] nudity would be a huge thing anymore. Like rape would still happen obviously, but I don’t think it would be as severe as it is now.

J: That brings up an interesting question to me: Does sharing nude photographs on social media help people see more normalcy of nudity to you? Or does it add into that shopping culture?

H: I think it definitely depends on how the nudity is being portrayed because you can take two different types of nude photos. You can make sexual nudes, or you can take artistic nudes. Like a girl eating a banana while wearing lingerie is likely insinuating something there. But like, for example, your photo of me, nude near a waterfall, definitely not sexual, it’s just nude.

You know what I mean? Like there’s a difference between sex and nude. And I think we have a hard time distinguishing that in society. And as soon as they see a naked person, they’re like, Oh my gosh, sex, that’s the first thing we are taught to think about. But instead, why, like, why do we think that way?  Why can’t we think of it as just like an art form? And I mean, that’s what it is. We’re all born naked.

J: How did seeing yourself in the photos adjust your outlook?

H: I think a lot of what follows after sexual assault, is a lot of shame. And guilt. And I just wonder, like, why me? To get over that, you just really have to be vulnerable again with yourself. Like I literally never thought I’d be able to look at myself naked again, after the whole thing happened. And then like doing that shoot, I was like, why am I so scared? Like, I’m not going to die if I’m naked. Like nothing bad’s gonna happen!

J: What do you think the mental switch was?

H: I think I just stopped. Like I just stopped allowing my past to determine who I am as a person and as my future. I just allowed myself to embrace who I was and it just felt so good to just be who I was again. And being naked at our shoot was kind of like a turning point for me. I don’t know if it’s the vulnerability aspect or like having the ability to be in a safe place and feel that emotion as well and not be scared. It’s just a really great feeling.

J: Any closing thoughts?

H: I want more people to shoot nude! I don’t know why people don’t just go for it when considering a nude shoot. You know? Honestly, like it’s scary at first, and then when you do it, it’s just like the most powerful thing to do. And it’s just, why was I scared in the first place? It’s like not even worth being afraid about. It’s like everything worked out great. And you learn to love yourself again. 100%.

Stay Tuned for Chapter II.

Nothing wrong – and lots right – with a bit of public nudity

Posted on by jasonlee

An Excerpt from an article by the New Zealand Herald by Vera Alves
(c) New Zealand Herald

Why are we so hung up on the unclothed human body?

Does any major trauma come from seeing a stranger’s intimate body parts?
If the answer is yes, you’ve really got to start asking yourself why.


[A] woman who spotted the naked swimmers in Taupō said she was “horrified” at the sight.


We need to get horrified at horrific things – and there’s no shortage of those around. Get horrified about child cancer, sexual abuse, climate change and the threat of deadly pandemics.


Nipples and penises should be the least of your worries right now.
“But won’t someone think of the children?” I hear the Karens wonder in the deepest recesses of Facebook.


Yeah, Karen, I’m thinking of the children. The children who are soon going to be adults and grow up with some really messed up views of what bodies look like, if we keep restricting them to the bodies they see on porn sites or in fashion magazines….


This repressed and archaic view of the human body as something to be hidden and ashamed of is nothing if not a form of oppression – and there are far too many people going along with it without questioning it.
Ask yourself: why do you have such a big issue with seeing people naked?
“It’s just not right” and “it’s not the done thing” are not good enough answers.


You’ve been predisposed to think bodies need to be hidden and nakedness is wrong – but here’s the good news: you can change that way of thinking and absolutely nothing bad at all will happen. Your children will not grow up to be depraved – if anything, they might just grow up more confident and empowered – and isn’t that a risk worth taking?


Besides, you’re getting upset at the wrong thing. The problem is not nudity. The problem is the over-sexualisation of the human body, which leads to all kinds of issues. But a non-sexualised naked body – and I think we can all agree there’s nothing “sexual” about breastfeeding a child or going for a swim on a hot summer’s day – should not be a cause for concern, yet it all gets dumped in the same “lewdness” basket.


In fact, “normalising” the regular human body can be a really good thing. If our children are to grow up with healthy views of what a normal human body is, we need to shed these archaic taboos.


If your child sees someone naked, they will have natural questions. It is part of your duty as a parent to ensure you address these properly. It gives you a golden opportunity to talk to them about things like boundaries, consent and respect for others.


The human body is not immoral – stop making it so….

My first World Naked Bike Ride Adventure

Posted on by jasonlee

I just got back from an experience like I’ve never had before: the 2018 edition of the World Naked Bike Ride.

Portland is about a 7 hour drive from Boise. A couple friends and I jumped in the car and made the drive and it was absolutely worth the time invested.

It turns out that of all of the WNBR events worldwide, Portland has the largest one! They’ve been holding the ride for more than a decade and this year’s estimate was that over 18,000 people participated.

It’s kind of remarkable if you’ve never been. We biked across the city from our host’s home to the staging area and had about an hour and a half to soak in the evening sun and listen to a great fusion jazz band (High Step Society) before the ride began.

The whole thing is voluntary and run by volunteers: no tickets, no demands, no clothes!  AND there were no incidents of violence or sexual assault– just people truly being people.

It was an atmosphere of simple joy — it was quite relaxing — and I couldn’t stop feeling happy being there!

About half an hour before the ride, the crowd was starting to grow and the band was getting their groove on. I don’t it on video, but later the natural amphitheatre filled up with nude dancers having a wonderful time. You’ll have to watch the video to see what I mean, but when someone says “naked people dancing,” what do you think of? Maybe a darkly lit nightclub and a pole?

This wasn’t that. This was people having carefree fun in their skin.

I didn’t have my DSLR, but I did capture a few candids of people enjoying the pre-ride festivities, getting body-painted and managed to get just a few during the ride itself. Maybe next year a GoPro will be in order?

As I rode the 6 mile course through Portland’s beautiful neighborhoods and along a bluff overlooking the river, there were two things that really stuck out to me:

  1. Riding a bicycle naked feels just like riding one with clothes on.  Really! No, I didn’t get sore or chafed, but Yes, it was actually less sweaty and cooler because there weren’t any clothes to collect all that body heat.
  2. Along the whole bike route, parents brought their children outside on their driveways where they cheered us on, waving and ringing bells and welcoming us to their neighborhoods. It was such an emotionally positive experience!

I would definitely do this again and I hope you’ll come with me next year!  Here are a few photos:

Nudity and Christianity – Questions from a Viewer

Posted on by jasonlee

In a fascinating conversation, Lucas, a new follower who found Jason Lee’s Instagram profile, candidly shares his disillusionment with mainstream church attitudes toward nudity and his journey toward embracing natural nudity as a spiritual practice.

Jason Lee, of Genesis Modeling and Photography, offers insights into biblical perspectives on the body, highlighting instances of nudity in scripture and resources for further exploration. They discuss the impact of shame on sexuality and the potential for cultural shifts in attitudes toward nudity and the body. Their exchange reflects a growing movement toward reclaiming the body as sacred and rejecting harmful taboos.

A new follower was frustrated with his local church and saddened with how he’d been treated for embracing the biblical view of the body. I thought you might want to listen in on our short conversation. For the purpose of this blog post, I’ll call him Lucas.

Jason Lee

Lucas: I saw your post about Jesus and wanted to talk about religion and naturism because most religious people are so against nudity. I just recently stopped going to church because even though it was very spiritual, there was still shame towards things like nudity.

Jason: Yeah. The goodness of the body is something the church is still mostly unaware of.  So much of what has been taught is based on non-christian ideas passed down through history instead of what the Bible actually teaches.

L: I went through a sort of awakening and ended up in nature and one day a voice in my head told me to get naked and I did! And it was amazing and I just wanted to share this bliss with the world… but the pastor at my church totally called me extreme and that I need to stay in the middle. That really got me down for a while, but I’m coming out of it.

J:  Did you know there’s actually lots of natural nudity in the Bible? Most people have no idea how normal being naked was in Scripture. In fact, Jesus was naked when he rose from the dead. A casual reader will notice that it says the grave clothes were left in the tomb. Mary saw Him from a distance and assumed he was the gardener. Why? Because in those days people did all their outdoor work naked. Mary wasn’t shocked by Jesus’ lack of attire. And it didn’t stop her from running up and giving Him a hug.

I believe that God is opening up this old truth again for our generation. Instead of hiding our bodies in darkness and assuming sin, we should walk freely in the light as He made us. Light pushes away darkness and brings maturity.

A great resource you’d enjoy is a website written by a friend of mine called the Biblical Naturist.  Matthew Neal has spent years connecting the dots between natural nudity and the Bible.

L: I agree so many of us are waking up to this truth. Getting naked has been a blessing and has actually helped me deal with my sexuality and porn addiction. Now I no longer always have sex on the brain, not to mention the incredible self confidence and the added energy and joy. It’s beautiful.

J: That’s a great testimony. I want to share another website with you: mychainsaregone.org Another great resource that brings light into darkness and shows us that once we change our perspective on the body, addictions falls away.

L: I will check them both out! ?

J: Do! You will be blessed. After His resurrection, we have another glimpse of natural nudity when the disciples were fishing and it says Peter was naked because he was fishing (John 21:7). So he grabbed his shirt, threw it over his head and jumped in the lake and swam to the shore where Jesus was. I can go on!

L: I love it! It’s crazy how people can just ignore all that.

J: They haven’t been taught to see it. They wear cultural glasses when reading the scriptures. And many of the translations obscure the text so as not to offend modern sensibilities.

L: All this shame towards nudity has made porn rampant it has had the opposite effect. Instead of learning love, people instead hate and defile their bodies.

J: That’s right. Teaching people that the sight of simple nudity is sinful only fuels adds fuel to the fire. When you show someone the truth they can be set free and put the fire out!

L: Ever since I got healthy and started going out into nature I’ve been seeing the world with new eyes.

J: Let me tell you one more fun Christian nudity fact. Did you know that until infant baptism took off in the third century, all water baptisms were done in the nude? Men, women and children. Every believer!

L: No, I didn’t, but it makes sense. Why get your clothes wet?

J: Imagine that in today’s church!

L: Haha that would be awesome.

J: Yes, why get your clothes wet, but it was more than that, too. Going into and out of the water unadorned symbolizes being born again. Just as we enter the world naked, believers in Jesus Christ would be immersed in water and rise out–entering the new life given through Christ.  I pray that God’s people will rediscover these powerful truths.

L: I love that! and I pray that too. Slow but surely it is happening. Someone made a very good point how violence is so widely accepted and glorified but if someone is naked then it must be taken down…but plenty of sex in movies.

J: Yes. That makes me so sad that Americans would rather allow their children to see someone shot up or beaten to death than glimpse a simple body part like a nipple.

L: Things just don’t make any sense at all and people are starting to see that.

J: The more people recognize the silliness of hiding our bodies and join in, the harder it is for controllers to use the body as a product or as a tool for evil. And I bet there are other Christians in your area who have also learned this truth.

L: Yeah people wanna get rid of separation and old beliefs it’s beautiful. And I have found some people around here like me!

J: Thanks for reaching out, Lucas and for supporting my work. It’s encouraging to hear that God is revealing truth all over America.  Let’s keep sharing!

Why Swimming Suit-free is Best

Posted on by jasonlee
Excerpts from “Why You Should Never, Ever [Wear] A Wet Bathing Suit: Your body will thank you.”
Updated Aug 11, 2016
by Carla Herreria

In Carla Herreria’s cautionary piece, she underscores the health risks of wearing wet bathing suits, ultimately suggesting that foregoing swimwear altogether may be the best course of action. Expert insights from Alyssa Dweck highlight the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and the potential for yeast infections in women due to the warm, moist environment of wet swimsuits. The article serves as a persuasive argument for embracing nudity, promoting the idea that allowing the body to breathe freely can mitigate the discomfort and health concerns associated with wearing swimwear. Let’s dive in!

Lounging in wet swimwear isn’t as glamorous as the Kardashians make it out to be. Wet swimsuits can cause problems ranging from yeast infections to UTIs.

“Yeast and bacteria really thrive in moist, dark places, like a wet bathing suit or wet workout clothes,” says Alyssa Dweck, an assistant clinical professor and OB/GYN at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Women with weakened immune systems, such as those who have diabetes or who take certain medications are more likely to be affected, but it’s good advice for anyone. So, here’s a much-needed wake up call to motivate you. Below are a few reasons to never, ever [wear] a wet swimsuit:

1. It’s the perfect combo for bacteria.
Let’s face it: The inside of a wet swimsuit is both warm and moist, so it’s basically a breeding ground for bacteria.

When in the water, swimsuit material tends to absorb the various chemicals and bacteria that exist in pools or the ocean. Your private parts are cradled inside of your suit, along with all of those gross substances. This can throw off the balance of healthy bacteria in the vagina or introduce harmful bacteria into the urethra, leading to a number of maladies, including vaginitis and urinary tract infections.

2. It can lead to yeast infections.
Since yeast thrives in warm and wet environments, wet bathing suit bottoms can cause yeast infections in women, especially those who suffer from recurring yeast infections.  The bacteria that festers in wet bathing suits can cause an overgrowth of yeast cells in the vagina or vulva, according to University Hospitals. This can lead to some pretty uncomfortable symptoms, including burning, soreness and clumpy discharge.

3. It may result in an itchy rash.
You’ve heard of athlete’s foot, right? Well, sitting in a wet swimsuit can cause a very similar infection around your genitals known as “jock itch.”

If you’re wearing a wet suit and happen to come in contact with a type of mold-like fungi known as dermatophytes, it can spread to the skin of your genitals, inner thighs and butt, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Mayo Clinic. This growth leads to red, itchy rashes that may grow in the shape of a ring.

“It’s very similar to a yeast infection in the vagina because they’re both caused by fungus, although it is a slightly different strain of fungus,” Dweck said.

Even if there is no fungal infection involved, people with sensitive skin may experience skin irritation from wearing wet material. “Some women just get irritation from constant moisture,” Dweck said.

Now that the ugly facts are out there, it’s time to take charge. Your body will thank you for it.

The Best Exercises to Look Great Naked

Posted on by jasonlee

Being strong and healthy is nice and important, but the reason a lot of us exercise is to look good. These aesthetically-focused exercises won’t make you hot overnight, but in combination with a healthy diet, they’ll give you the best bang for your workout buck so you look good dressed up—or undressed.

The exercises we’ll highlight are different for men and women. For men, we’ll broaden the upper body and develop defined leg muscle. For women, we’ll focus on tightening up arms and building a firmer, tighter booty. Still, not every body type can be (or needs to be) a statue of a Greek god or goddess. If that’s not you, you can still look great naked. These exercises will still help you get healthy and strong no matter who you are.
Click here for more.