Gywneth Paltrow: Unusual advice from lifestyle website Goop

Featuring vagina steaming, shower urinating and the importance of yawning

Since its launch in 2008, Goop, the brainchild of Gwyneth Paltrow, has been responsible for a number of unusual and occasionally bizarre pieces on health, travel and lifestyle. Here are some memorable extracts from the website that promises to deliver “the very best experiences, recipes, products, and advice”.

Not wearing tight-fitting or underwired bras

A piece by Dr. Habib Sadeghi, entitled 'Could There Possibly Be a Link Between Underwire Bras and Breast Cancer?' discussed discredited research suggesting underwiring and form-fitting bras restrict the lymph nodes around the breast and underarm, causing toxins which should be processed and flushed out to build up.

But Fiona Osgun, a health information officer at Cancer Research UK said there is no convincing scientific evidence that bra-use can cause breast cancer.

She told The Independent: “Instead of ditching your bra, cutting back on alcohol, staying active and keeping a healthy weight, especially after the menopause, can all help lower the risk of breast cancer.”

Vagina Steaming

One of the most questioned articles to emerge from Goop advocated women ‘steam clean’ their vaginas to cleanse their uterus and revive their energy levels.

“The real golden ticket here is the Mugwort V-Steam," the post reads. "You sit on what is essentially a mini-throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus, et al.”

The article was criticised by gynaecologists, who warned vagina steaming was neither healthy nor advisable.

Urinating in the shower

Another post, entitled ‘The Secrets of the pelvic floor’ advised readers to urinate in the shower while squatting to strengthen their pelvic muscles.

“Try peeing in the shower squatting down," it read. "When you squat to pee as opposed to sitting straight up on the toilet, you automatically engage your pelvic floor and it naturally strengthens and tones.

“Because your urethra is pointed straight down in this position all you have to do is relax for urine to flow out easily- as opposed to sitting up straight and having to strain to empty your bladder.”

Cooking with sex dust

Yes, you read that correctly. Sex dust is described as an “aphrodisiac warming potion” that promotes fertility in both men and women.

Planning an affordable yachting trip

The concept of an affordable yachting trip would be inconceivable anywhere else except on Goop, which insists it can be done easily.

The article explains: “You and your friends pick your boat, split the fare, and spend a week aboard. The skipper will take you anywhere you want to go, whether you’re in the mood for waterskiing, the beach, a coastal meal, or a nightclub. A hostess, who cooks, cleans, and arranges reservations is extra.”

How to yawn

One article penned by Paltrow herself included a five-step guide on how to yawn in order to “optimise the reflex” and release pent-up stress.

“1. Gently tilt your head back to a comfortable position and allow your mouth to hang open widely while you gently extend into it;

2. “Contract the back of the throat as if to perform Ujjayi breathing — a whispery breath — which is typically done through your nose with your mouth closed. Breathe deeply through your mouth so you feel the air hit the back of your throat;

3. ”Inhale and exhale completely while allowing your shoulders to relax as you exhale;

4. “When the yawn comes, reach and extend into it, riding the yawn to stretch the jaw muscles;

5. "Repeat 8-10 times until tearing starts. As your jaw muscles stretch and relax, and the yawn expands, the lachrymal glands around the eye are squeezed and tearing is induced.”