For these reasons and more, Dr. Ortalano, a gynecologist and the founder of Arbor Healthcare, is Maxim Hygiene’s Fierce Man of the Year. What better month than June, the host of Father’s Day, and what better week than this, a victorious win for marriage equality, to celebrate a man who gets the joy of seeing women and men become parents at the first sight of their children’s’ birth? So even though we’re supporters of fierce women eleven months out of the year, we always have our great men in our thoughts and this post is dedicated to them with equal respect.
In his goal to provide healthcare to women at every stage in their lives, Dr. Ortalano has traveled the world providing women with emergency and educational obstetric care. And as a more domestic effort, he has also agreed to become our Health Specialist in residence!
Dr. Ortalano will be writing a post on women’s health issues monthly, ranging from topics like why douching is unhealthy to menopause. So, next time you have a question about your body or health, send it to us and you’ll get in depth answers to supplement any questions you may have after watching Dr. Oz talk about vaginal issues!
We had a chance to chat with Dr. Ortalano this month and ask him some questions that we think will help you to get to know him. Without further ado, here are his responses.
A “glorious female creature whose idea of beauty is hinged upon the idea that she can change the world with each choice. Who in your life is a Fierce Woman and why?
My wife, Karima. She has always questioned authority; the dogma of accepting what is given has never entered her mind. She is always asking the question “how can this be done better and safer”? I would encourage all women to not blindly accept the traditional approach and to recognize that there are sometimes better and safer alternatives.
If you could give your daughter or any other woman 3 pieces of advice for keeping themselves and their vaginas healthy, what would they be?
1. Avoid douching.
2. Be selective with sexual partners.
3. Research alternatives when managing menses.
What is the most common misconception women believe about their vaginal health?
Douching is healthy. The vagina is designed to cleanse itself and douching can severely disrupt the natural flora of the vagina and create an imbalance of bacteria.
What green business practices do you follow that we can we all implement in our daily lives?
We utilize electronic medical records, but what things have to be printed are done so on recycled products. We also recycle our waiting room magazines. We have purchased an electric car and installed a charging station for our staff to use.
I would encourage everyone to reduce their carbon imprint as much as possible. Little things add up and make a big impression.