In what can only be described as two lunatics enabling each other’s warped logic, fashion designer Donna Karan is defending movie executive Harvey Weinstein.

During a red carpet interview, she offered up some truly shocking ideas, claiming the victims of Weinstein’s sexual harassment and abuse were “asking for it” and stated: “You look at everything all over the world today and how women are dressing and what they are asking by just presenting themselves the way they do. What are they asking for? Trouble.”

This is really hard to believe when she is known for designing extremely provocative clothes and underwear. The fact that she also pretends to care about women’s rights and empowerment, yet defends a decades-long serial abuser, is laughable.

If Donna Karan was interested in dressing modestly, why didn’t she devote her career to making that type of clothing? The answer should be obvious. Her only interest is enriching herself financially, not helping women around the globe. To sell sexy clothes and then blame the buyers, telling them that they’re “asking for it,” is not just hypocritical, it’s sick.

After the Bill Cosby trial, one of the jurors said he doubted the accuser because she went to Cosby’s house wearing a shirt that had a bare midriff. This type of “Blame the Victim” thinking is so pervasive, even in the year 2017, that I seriously doubt it can be completely overcome, especially when celebrities and other influencers keep promoting it.

Let’s be clear, once and for all: No woman asks to be sexually harassed, sexually abused, and/or raped. It doesn’t matter what she’s wearing, if she agreed to a date, if she was drinking, if she’s big busted, if she was flirtatious…it just doesn’t matter! A woman’s body is not public property. She alone can decide who touches her.

While I am extremely disgusted by men who promote and condone this type of bad behavior, it’s even worse when a woman does it. Don’t tell me Donna Karan has never been in a situation that made her feel objectified and/or uncomfortable. Every woman has! She should be standing up for other women, that don’t have her money and status, that are truly vulnerable and have no voice. Instead, she sides with someone who deliberately abused his power, offering career advancement in exchange for intimate touching and sexual favors. (According to many sources, even famous actresses like Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan were caught up in his web of terror.)

As a society, we need to beat the drum that sexual harassment and abuse is not a joke, is not insignificant, and is not okay. This type of crime creates lifelong scars in victims that may never go away. Women deserve to feel safe in their own bodies just like men do. We shouldn’t have to agree to a Hollywood casting couch mentality, that judges women based on their looks alone. A job should be based on talent and marketable skills, not how well a woman performs between the sheets.

I applaud the victims for speaking out and Donna Karan should as well. Instead of judging other women, we need to embrace each other and be more loving and understanding because this issue threatens every single one of us.

Visiting a doctor, especially one I haven’t seen before, always fills me with dread. As long-time readers know, I’ve been dealing with eye trouble for a long, long time. (Full details here for those who are new or need a recap.) Instead of an annual exam, I’m supposed to go twice a year. Not a big deal there, except that my eye doctor, whom I’ve had for over a decade just closed his office. Thanks to Obamacare, he can no longer afford to stay open. Since he is the only doctor I have that I truly like and feel comfortable with, this has been super-difficult. 🙁

He referred me to a lady that was in the same town, but not someone I’d ever heard of previously. I went in without any expectations, filled out my forms, and then proceed to do the tests and recount my on-going tale of woe, regarding my eyes in particular and my numerous health issues in general.

Without skipping a beat, she said to me, “Oh, I bet you have tried everything and seen every specialist, but nobody has a final diagnosis.” Naturally, I agreed and we started talking about all different types of health problems, and the increasing rise of disease, and why almost everybody is sick nowadays, even young people.

Her specialty may be eyes, but oh my goodness, her knowledge of medicine in general was incredible! Not only was she nice, patient, and a good listener, she had some helpful suggestions that may actually work and doesn’t involve anything expensive or invasive.

Try a Gluten Free Diet for 30 days – Gluten increases inflammation throughout the body and most people are sensitive to it, even if they test negative for a true gluten allergy (which I have). It takes a minimum of a month for the gluten to leave your system, but some people have to do it much, much longer. Obviously, this will be challenging for a carb addict like me. Regardless, I am desperate for relief and very open to experimenting.

Drink “Master Tonic” 4x Daily – This tonic is a veggie-spice-vinegar concoction that also reduces inflammation, promotes healing, and boosts the immune system. While it was totally foreign to me, there are a ton of websites that claim it’s awesome. I chose this version from Recipes to Nourish. Some of the ingredients were obscure and locating them was a challenge; otherwise, the only difficult part is the endless chopping and peeling. It has to sit for 14 days before use, then take 1 spoonful every 6 hours until the jar is empty.

Twice Daily Compresses – Every morning and evening, take a warm, moist washcloth and lay it over my eyes and rest for a minimum of 10 minutes. It should help with dryness and strain.

By doing all 3 steps simultaneously, she thinks I will have a lot of relief. And if it doesn’t, at least no harm will be done. I’m cautiously optimistic right now and keeping my fingers crossed that it actually works. I’d much rather try a natural treatment over pills, that’s for sure.

So, if anyone has heard of these treatments or tried them, I’d love to hear about it. My understanding of gluten free is like being on a Passover diet forever, which isn’t too appetizing. Any gluten free recipes that actually taste good would be extremely appreciated!

There are many dangers we worry about as parents, but backpacks aren’t usually on the list. Surprisingly, this common item—which most kids use 5 days a week—can cause considerable physical problems if used incorrectly. To bring attention to this worrisome issue, September 20th has been designated National School Backpack Awareness Day.

The American Occupational Therapy Association suggest these tips to keep kids safe:

• Always select a backpack that is the correct size for your child.
• Make sure the height of the backpack extends from approximately 2 inches below the shoulder blades to waist level, or slightly above the waist.
• Always wear well-padded shoulder straps on both shoulders so the weight is evenly balanced.
• Distribute weight evenly. Load heaviest items closest to the child’s back and balance materials so the child can easily stand up straight.
• Wear the hip belt if the backpack has one, to improve balance and take some strain off sensitive neck and shoulder muscles.
• Check that the child’s backpack weighs no more than 10% of his or her body weight. If it weighs more, determine what supplies can stay at home or at school each day to lessen the load.
• If the backpack is still too heavy for the child, consider a book bag on wheels.

Another one that I’ve done is to weigh the backpack. (Try it and you’ll be shocked how heavy it is!) A lot of the time, kids carry way too much stuff that they will never use. Paring down is a great idea. All of these tips are easy to implement immediately, and with the exception of buying a new bag, won’t cost a dime. 

This post is sponsored by Hill’s Science Diet and the BlogPaws Pet Influencer Network. I’m being compensated for helping spread the word about the Healthier Pets. Happier Lives. campaign, but I only share information that’s relevant to my readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

I have always been a firm believer in regular checkups and preventive care for all my fur babies. By catching medical problems early, it’s far more likely that problems can be treated. Healthy pets should have an annual check-up—with senior screenings starting at age 7—while those experiencing health issues may need to be seen more frequently, as your vet advises.

For the most part, my little angels have good health when they’re young, but start to decline with age. Charlie has experienced a lot of joint-related pain and dental issues. These problems definitely would affect his quality of life if they went untreated, so I’m very careful to take him in as needed if I notice him not eating as often, whimpering, or being lethargic. Visiting the vet is not his favorite activity, I must admit, so I try to bring a treat along. The only thing he fusses over more than a vet visit is a shower!

Along with medical care, good nutrition is paramount. Avoiding low quality pet foods that are filled with artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives is very important. That’s why I love Hill’s® Science Diet®. They offer a full line of high quality food for both dogs and cats that addresses common health needs:

• • Science Diet Youthful Vitality: Fight the effects of aging in senior dogs or cats. (This is Charlie’s favorite food!)
  • Science Diet Grain Free: Suitable for dogs with grain sensitivities.
  • Science Diet Perfect Weight: Over 70% of pets lost weight within 10 weeks of use.
  • Science Diet Oral Care: Reduces plaque and tartar buildup for dogs and cats.
  • Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin: Gentle digestion. Healthy skin and glossy coat for dogs and cats.
  • Science Diet Healthy Mobility: Nutrition to improve dog’s mobility in 30 days.
  • Science Diet Hairball Control: Natural fiber comfortably reduces hairballs.
  • Science Diet Urinary and Hairball Control: Supports whole urinary system health.
  • Science Diet Multiple Benefit: Keeps cats healthy with just one solution for hairballs, skin, and coat.

Hills Science Diet is sponsoring a sweepstakes to focus on the Healthier Pets, Happier Lives™ campaign. This is a national sweepstakes where pet parents can earn $100.00 toward their next vet checkup. The sweepstakes runs for 100 days and their will be a new winner each day (Yes, 100 winners!).  

In addition to the sweepstakes, Hills is also offering a $10.00 rebate on select bags of Hills Science Diet which is recommended by vets everywhere. Enter the sweepstakes and download the rebate here.

Learn more about Hill’s Science Diet by visiting their website and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hill’s. The opinions and text are all mine.