Tag Archives: health

Affordable Birth Control With or Without Insurance

October 11, 2017

October 11, 2017 administrator Leave a comment

We are now taking a break from our regularly scheduled, rather light-hearted blog posts to talk about something serious—something that is currently affecting the lives of millions of women across the United States. On Friday, October 6^th, the Trump Administration granted employers the opportunity to deny women insurance coverage for contraception. This is not a drill, we are not being Punk’d, or in some sort of time machine that spit us out in the 1940s. This is real, and the effects that this mandate will cause on women are real, too.

Every woman deserves affordable access to birth control

We believe that a woman’s access to birth control and other contraceptives are her business, and her business only. In fact, that’s why PRJKT RUBY exists, to ensure that every woman has access to birth control, no matter what. Because in the end, you’re the only one who knows what’s best for you – not your employer, the Trump Administration, or anyone else for that matter.
With PRJKT RUBY, you can have your birth control mailed directly to you for only $20 per month, even if you don’t have insurance, while also helping women around the world gain access to family planning. Does it get any better than that?

We’re here for you—with or without insurance

In reality, it is so easy to think “I’ll never need that” or “that would never happen to me,” until it does. If the mandate affects you, we’re here to ensure you won’t have to pay out-of-pocket prices or go without birth control. To see if PRJKT RUBY is the right choice for you, schedule your online video consultation and speak to a representative today.

Five Underwear Rules To Live By

May 19, 2017

World Happenings

May 19, 2017 administrator Leave a comment

A healthy vagina is a happy one. Start with your underwear drawer to reduce your risk of irritation and infections. Follow these five underwear rules and you can’t go wrong.

1. Cotton is king

But it’s sooo cuteee! We know that you love your fancy lacy thong but when it comes to underwear, cotton is king. Cotton is extremely breathable and moisture-wicking, which helps reduce your risk for infections. You can still keep your other undies for special occasions!

2. Use detergent free of dyes and perfumes

Your skin down there is very sensitive and may be more prone to rashes and infections. Ditch the floral soap and fabric softener to one made for sensitive skin, we recommend hypoallergenic. Always avoid bleaching your underwear as well because you can expose your lady bits to chemicals.

3. Say “buh-bye” to thongs

That thong, thong, thong, thong, thong. Sisqo does not know what he’s talking about when it comes to undies. Because of their design, thongs can potentially transmit E.coli bacteria from your butt to your vagina. Yikes!

4. Change and wash them

Yes, we realize this is an obvious one but it’s also very important. When it comes to your knickers, you should only wear them once and then wash them. No digging into that dirty laundry pile that you’ve put off doing. It’s also important to change them after your workout. Sweaty undies are a breeding ground for bacteria so bring an extra pair when you hit the gym and change them right after your workout.

5. Get the right size

Not only are too tight undies uncomfortable and unflattering, but they’re also not healthy. Your vagina needs to breathe, dang it! Don’t put yourself at risk for irritation and infection and toss out any too tight panties. Now you have a perfect excuse to hit up Victoria’s Secret.

6 Things To Know About HPV

April 28, 2017

Uncategorized, Women's Health

April 28, 2017 administrator Leave a comment

Welcome to Sex Ed class. Lesson of the day: Human papillomavirus a.k.a HPV. In a nutshell, HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that affects both men and women. It can potentially cause serious health issues like cervical and other types of cancer. Here’s what you should know about HPV in order to be better sexually informed and keep yourself healthy.

1. HPV is more common than you think

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the US with about 14 million people become newly infected every year, although most people don’t know that they are infected. HPV is so common in fact, that almost all sexually active people get it at some point in their lives according to the CDC.

2. HPV is spread by skin-to-skin contact

HPV is spread by skin-to-skin contact, not through exchange of bodily fluid. It is most commonly spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Once contracted, it can lead to serious health consequences like genital warts and certain types of cancer but in most cases, the infection just goes away by itself.

3. You can’t always tell when someone has HPV

There are often no clear symptoms for HPV, so you can’t always tell if you or your partner has it. Even when there are no symptoms, the person infected can still unknowingly spread the disease to their sexual partners.

4. The HPV vaccine helps protect against cervical cancer and genital warts

Condoms can lower but do not totally eliminate the risk of transmission. It’s very important to receive the HPV vaccine, which protects against some of the most dangerous strains of HPV that cause most cervical cancers and genital warts. You should get all the doses before having any sexual contact in order for the vaccine to be most effective. The CDC recommends getting the vaccination during your early teen years but if you haven’t gotten it and are under the age of 26, you should be eligible to receive it.

5. Pap testing can prevent cervical cancer

Getting pap tested regularly is important since it’s the best way to screen for cervical cancer. If the abnormal cells are treated early on enough, cervical cancer can be completely treatable.

6. There is no “cure” for HPV

There is no treatment for the virus itself but you can get treatment for problems caused by HPV such as cervical cancer and genital warts.

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS): What You Need to Know

February 21, 2017

Women's Health

February 21, 2017 administrator Leave a comment

From time to time, we hear horror stories about women leaving tampons in for too long, contracting toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and getting severely ill or dying. And, just like hearing a story about a plane crash, the likelihood of it happening to us feels like a definite possibility. There are so many rumors and misconceptions about TSS that we wanted to clear the air by providing the truth about toxic shock syndrome and what you can do to prevent it.

What is toxic shock syndrome (TSS)?

Toxic shock syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection. It results from an infection produced by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria and by group A streptococcus (strep) bacteria.

How do you get it?

Tampons themselves are not the cause of toxic shock syndrome, but experts believe that they can give the bacteria an environment to grow quickly and produce toxins. If those toxins are released into your bloodstream, there can be severe consequences such as organ failure and shock. When you are using tampons, be sure to follow the eight-hour rule for changing and avoid using superabsorbent tampons (the more material, the more room for bacteria to grow).

Toxic shock syndrome can be contracted in a variety of other ways such as surgical incisions, burns, cuts, skin infections, and any device that you insert into the vagina including menstrual cups, contraceptive sponges and diaphragms.

Will I contract it automatically if I leave my tampon in for too long?

You should always take your health seriously but don’t panic if you happen to leave your tampon in for longer than 8 hours. If it’s been 12 to 24 hours and you feel normal, just remove it and go on with your life. If it’s been longer or you are unable to take it out, you should take a trip to your OBGYN to get it removed.

What are the symptoms?

Possible symptoms of toxic shock syndrome include sudden high fever, low blood pressure, a rash that looks like a sunburn on your palms and soles, muscle aches, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, feeling faint or dizzy, and redness of mouth, throat, and eyes. If you have signs or symptoms of toxic shock syndrome, you should see your doctor immediately.

Is it common?

It is actually very rare, in fact, with only 1-2 out of every 100,000 women contracting it.

Does it only affect menstruating women?

Although around half the cases of TSS occur in menstruating women, toxic shock syndrome can affect children, men, and postmenopausal women as well.

Should I give up tampons altogether?

No, when used correctly tampons are perfectly safe. However, it is important to take precautions such as switching your tampon every 4-8 hours, washing your hands before insertion and removal, and avoiding superabsorbent tampons.

6 Tips For Working Out On Your Period

October 20, 2016

Uncategorized, Women's Health

October 20, 2016 administrator Leave a comment

Getting your period can really screw things up sometimes (see here), but you don’t have to let it control your life. Yes, when your period comes your gut reaction may be to go into a Netflix-chocolate induced hibernation but working out may actually make you feel better. Bonus: you won’t even have to change out of those yoga pants you’ve been sporting for the past three days.

1. Best Workout Ever(?)

The recommended period while on your period? Surprisingly, experts recommend high-intensity interval training (HIIT). When your period starts, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop, making it easier to use fuel (carbohydrate/glycogen) and therefore allowing you to push harder. So, push it real good!

2. HYDRATE

Drink up that H20 now even more than usual. Not only is hydration important for your normal workout, but it can also help fight period-related symptoms like cramps, bloating, headaches, etc.

3. Go for a Swim

You may have ruled out swimming as a bad idea, but it’s actually a fantastic period workout. Swimming helps circulation, which may reduce cramps. So dive in.

4. Get Zen

You may be sore during your period, so what’s better than a good stretch? Yoga will help with your mental well-being, tone your muscles and relieve some of your aches and pains. Namaste!

5. Pack Protection

Don’t forget to pack your choice of fem hygiene products. If you don’t like tampons, there are other options like period underwear for light days.

6. Listen to Your Body

If your body is telling you to take it easy or if you are cramping, skip the cardio class and do a low-intensity workout like walking or biking. No one knows your body better than you, boo.