Author Archives: SuzyKnew!

About SuzyKnew!

SuzyKnew! is dedicated to improving the sexual and reproductive health and sexual pleasure of women of color.

The Red And White Blues: Val’s Day In Ghana

Opinion No Comments

The balloons have been out for a week. The radio shout-outs have started already. The flood of ads by every conceivable company, from those who sell pipes to those who sell blenders is underway. Yes, I’m in Accra and the city is Valentine-ed out. It’s more decorated than at Christmas and the performance of love is thick in the air. Ghanaians love Val’s Day. If it could be made a national holiday it would be. People in relationships or even just with crushes scramble to get the most elaborate gifts. In boarding school boys risk getting expelled by jumping the school gate just to go pick up birthday-sized cakes for the girls they like. Not having a Form One boy knock on the gate of the boarding-house with a gift he has been sent by your Form Three boyfriend to deliver to you can lead to my grandmother just died levels of depression in the girls’ dorms.

I have no boo so of course I get no gifts. I’m in a friends with benefits situation with an ex but I didn’t get a Val’s Day gift from him even when we were together so I’m definitely not holding my breath. It feels a little lonely to be left out of the love, especially when it is so commercialized and commoditized there’s no way to escape it. That is until I get kinda glad that I’m not partaking.

You see, Val’s Day can be sad to behold if you are a feminist. In every direction you look there is this uneven gendered element, starting with the gifts. Girls can get away with getting their boo a basic card and some small gift. Men have to shill out much more — chocolates, red rose(s), teddy bears, lingerie, a customized cake, a night out, the works.

Of course all this commercialization breeds some ingenuity. There is a phenomenon where guys break up with girls they don’t intend to live without in the first two weeks of February so come Val’s Day they will be momentarily single and free of expectations. A few days after Val’s Day they reappear with apologies and get their girlfriends back. “I’m sorry I didn’t get you a Val’s Day gift” they say. “I walked into this gift shop in Osu and my hands were itching to buy you this card that was more than four feet tall and this beautiful bra and panty set but we weren’t together so I didn’t think you’d even want to see anything from me.” I think the girls must see through it but they want the boo back so they forgive and hope next year’s Val’s Day will be better. There are also the relationships where the boys try to shake the chicks and the chicks see through it and do not allow themselves to be broken up with because they absolutely refuse to be boo-less on Valentine’s Day.

This one day in the year, 14th February, is a bird’s eye view into the complexity of a lot of the relationships around me. You see, what happens is that men feel exploited for money and are always trying to find a way to get more so they can get women or to find some way to get out of spending it so they can feel like they are getting one over on women. Women feel exploited for sex and are always trying to maximize the return on their coochie by getting some financial compensation or a commitment that validates them in the eyes of society by proving that they are wife material. Or they are scheming about ways to not give it up while still getting what they want from a dude. It’s a very intricate cat and mouse game. It creates this dynamic where women are extremely conscious of their vaginas and what they are doing with it. I don’t mean this in a “get regular pap smears and chart your cycle” kind of way. I mean it in a “this coochie is a valuable resource and every time I give it away I diminish its market value so I will never give it away without getting compensated in some form” kind of way. It creates this dynamic where men think they can control women with money and feel validated in being sexist because they can offer example after example about how chicks deserve to be dogged out because they are mercenary. It makes a lot of the relationships very transactional.

Of course not all relationships are like this and there is lots of genuine love here where the only things being exchanged are respect and support. But this stupid dynamic does exist and on Val’s Day it comes to the fore. Relationships in which men consider giving gifts the most important way to express love and women consider getting gifts the most important way to be shown love flourish alongside real meaningful connections. So the balloons billow all over the city, the inflated hearts dance in the wind, all the 80’s love songs fill the air and I can feel the love while I try not to notice how much of it is hollow.

 

F.N. is a thirty something free-lance writer from Ghana. Currently, she is trying out a new life in Washington, DC

How To Get A Valentine Like Peyton Manning

Opinion 2 Comments

Everyone’s talking about Peyton Manning, the quarterback on the winning the Superbowl team. And, everyone’s thinking about Valentine’s Day, only a day away. Putting the two together, we know there are ladies out there – sista’s included- wondering what it would take to get a man like Peyton Manning for a Valentine.

After a quick (and admittedly superficial) look at the landscape of Peyton’s life and the woman he married  here’s what SuzyKnew! speculates it would take:

  • A push up bra and make-up that stays on all day. Blond hair, long legs and a 24/7 gym regimen, too. Looking at Ashley, Peyton’s wife, it’s clear Peyton likes a sculpted bosom, almost like the one Barbie has. And he likes a woman who keeps her make-up together. And, please: no bulges. Your schedule needs to include daily visits to the gym, working with a highly qualified trainer, of course. We won’t even begin to speculate what the botox or facial peel visits might be. Football players and other sportsmen work hard to get their bodies 100%. So, it’s no big surprise they may have big expectations for their women.
  • Deep pockets, business acumen and bold ambition – These days it’s not just women who can be gold diggers. Men like gold, too. Ashley has “ca-CHING$$.” Celebrity Net Worth puts Ashley Thompson Peyton’s wealth at $20 million. The woman also has ambition. She opened her own real estate development firm soon after getting her undergrad degree in the late 1990’s. Not stopping there and showing her interest in men who play sports, the lady acquired minority ownership in her hometown basketball team the Memphis Grizzlies. But, Ashley is reported to be private (Who has time for all those social and celebrity events when you’ve got businesses to run?) spending a lot of time on charities, including raising money for breast cancer. So, ladies, a Peyton Manning Valentine means keeping the money flowing and your looks up – Don’t skip those hair appointments! Nobody wants to see your dark (and nappy…) roots. It also means charity events – if not social events.
  • Thick skin and the ability to forgive unfaithfulness – A NFL football player will play. And, he will play hard on the field and off. Peyton Manning is no exception; reportedly, he likes his side action, too. Dating a high-profile sportsman means all your business is all over the place – even here at SuzyKnew! which is a pretty innocuous site. Gossip columns will send you to your bedroom crying.  All American-guy Peyton Manning is on The Top 20 Unfaithful Players In the NFL list.  Supposedly, Peyton had a long-term affair with an Indianapolis reporter.  It’s hard keeping an eye on your man when he’s always giving interviews to those pretty lady-reporters. All rumors, of course. But, true or untrue, but, it comes with the territory of luxury dating and marrying.
  • The patience of Job – Not only will you have to contend with other honnies but you’ll have to deal with your man’s drug problem. Sportsmen will dope. Peyton Manning has been accused of using HGH according to Al Jazeera documentary “The Dark Side.”  While these accusations have largely subsided along with rumors of the couple’s imminent divorce, others on one topic or another are bound to surface at some time or another. Only the patience of Job will save you in a high-profile marriage where all issues, problems and temptations are magnified under a spotlight.

Truth be told SuzyKnew! doesn’t know the intimate details of the couple’s relationship. We can only hope it’s one built on true love. But, this Valentine’s Day when you look up at your screen and wish your Valentine were some high-profile man, remember it comes at a high price. True love, the bliss of coupledom, and happiness can be found with any man who truly loves, values and respects you.

Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Photo courtesy of Bleacherreport.com

SIZZLE WITH SOPHIA: My Adventures With Grapefruit And YouTube

Love and Sex Sizzle With Sophia No Comments

I know it’s been a minute, y’all.  I’m taking a brief break from writing to focus on a few personal issues.  Not to worry, though.  I dug up a fun piece I wrote back in late 2014 about an attempt to add a little “juiciness” to my sex game.  I hope you enjoy it!

There are lots of reasons I love the internet: this blog, Facebook, Twitter, and the ability to research any topic from the comfort of my home.  Yeah, it has its flaws.  But if used correctly, the internet can be a vast ocean of information and ideas.

Despite my erotic posts, I’m not an official sex expert.  I don’t know everything there is to know about sexual pleasure, so I’m always open to learning new things.  And now that I’m booed up, I have a vested interest in finding new ways to keep things exciting in the bedroom.

So when some friends suggested a certain YouTube video about a new blow job technique involving grapefruit, I was all over it.  Not only do I trust these women to give sage advice, but I also love any excuse to learn something new about sex.  Besides, every woman needs to up her BJ game every now and again, right?

Have y’all ever watched any of Auntie Angel’s YouTube videos?  I hadn’t.  So, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  But I was told that this new grapefruit technique was sure to have my man climbing the walls, so I watched.  And then I watched it again.  And then I went to the grocery store.

Let me pause here to tell you a few things.  First of all, the video is just over 3 ½ minutes long, so it won’t take much of your time.  And Auntie Angel is clear and succinct.  She’s not pornographic or nasty, either.  It’s just a straightforward, instructional video on how to use a grapefruit as another tool to please your man.

I wasn’t prepared for the sound effects, though.  That’s why I had to watch it twice.  I don’t want to ruin it for you, but after the first time, I wondered “am I supposed to sound like that when I suck dick?”  Trust me, I’m not a silent sucker, but damn!  I wasn’t ready for all that!

Anyway, the bottom line is that you cut off the ends of the grapefruit (preferably a pink or ruby red one), then cut a hole in the middle of it approximately the size of your guy’s dick.  Then, while sucking his head, you use your hand to slide the grapefruit up and down his shaft, twisting and turning it as you go.

Oh yeah.  I almost forgot:  you’re supposed to blindfold your guy first.  I mean, what man is going to just let you come put a grapefruit on his dick, right?  And you’re also supposed to warm the grapefruit up in warm water before you begin.  I forgot that last step.  But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

I watched the video twice and decided that this was a fairly easy trick I could try with my Boo.  Since he always goes out of his way to please me sexually, I thought I’d treat him to something new.  So before he was scheduled to come over, I ran to the grocery store to pick up some ruby red grapefruits.

That’s where I encountered my first problem.  At my favorite market, all of the grapefruits were huge!  I’m talking really big, like the size of a baby’s head!  They were way too big for my hands.

I started to panic, digging through the pile of grapefruits like a madwoman.  And y’all know how delicately fruit is stacked at the store, right?  If you pull one from the near the bottom of the pile, the whole thing comes tumbling down.

So here I am, squeezing one giant, obviously genetically enhanced grapefruit after another, trying to use my entire body to block them from spilling all over the floor.  A few escaped, so now I’m chasing these big ol’, rolling grapefruits up and down the fruit aisle.  I’m cursing and mumbling and sweating … and to make matters worse, I damn near knocked over a sweet old lady shopping for lemons!

Did I mention that I got to the store about ten minutes before it closed?  And that Boo was due at my place within about a half hour?  So going to another store was out of the question.

I was just about to give up, thinking I never should have waited until the last minute to do this when I remembered something Auntie said in the video.  She said if you can’t use a grapefruit, a large navel orange would work.  I looked to my left and there they were: bright, beautiful navel oranges that were just the right size.  They could easily accommodate my man’s girth and yet were small enough for me to squeeze with confidence.  I bought three.

Getting the Boo to allow me to blindfold him was even more challenging than the trip to the store.  He’s pretty open to new things, so when I broke out one of my scarves, I was shocked that he hesitated.  I really had to talk him into it.  This threw me off my game which is why I forgot to warm the orange up before slicing it.

Had I really been thinking (and not so hurried), I would’ve had the orange soaking in warm water before he even got there.  But, hindsight is 20/20, right?

Anyway, by the time I convinced him to let me blindfold him, I was nervous and felt even more rushed.  So I quickly cut the ends of the orange, made the hole and joined him on the bed.  And then I started.

Thankfully, despite all the mishaps, it was a success.  It wasn’t the mind-blowing success I’d anticipated, but he liked the way it felt … a lot.  I think he would’ve enjoyed it even more if he hadn’t kept asking “What is that?  What are you doing?”  I finally let him remove the blindfold and he relaxed.  We went on to have some pretty amazing sex afterwards.

Word of warning, though: if you’re in a stable relationship where you don’t use condoms, be sure to rinse him thoroughly before he penetrates you after the grapefruit or orange.  Raw citrus burns!  And keep plenty of towels handy because you’re both going to get sticky.

Overall, I’d recommend this technique as a fun way to “juice” things up in the bedroom.  Check out the video and decide for yourself if this is something you’d like to try.  Just Google Auntie Angel and grapefruit and you’ll find it.  Shout out to my friends who recommended it to me.  I ended up having a great night and the Boo is even open to letting me blindfold him again!

SuzyKnew! Goes To Lagos – Emergency Contraception

Contraceptives Reproductive Health No Comments

Ok. Think.

If you need to find the Morning After Pill fast, where’s the most logical place to find it? I mean a pharmacy located in what type of place?

An airport or train station, right?

So, maybe that hook up didn’t go the way you thought it would or maybe it was tough resisting the charms of that man you met at your friend’s wedding.  In any case, stuff happens and you need a Plan B.

SuzyKnew! continues our video series on what brands of emergency contraception are available where lovely ladies of color live.  Today we take you to Nigeria where we’re flying from Lagos to Abuja.  Before take off, we need to take care of business.  See what we find.

Like we found in Hyattsville, MD, USA, there were two brands of emergency contraception (EC) available – a brand and a generic. But, the brand name Postinor II that the pharmacist says women prefer is stocked out. The only one available is Sendinor , an Indian generic at less than half the price.

Prices here are only a fraction of two brands we found at our first pharmacy in Hyattsville, MD, USA – Plan B at $49.99 and My Plan at $39.99. At the Medvacc pharmacy at the air port, Postinor II sells for 450 Naira ($2 – $3) and Sendinor 200 Naira or $1 or less.

Trending on the web in Nigeria are stories from Nigerian men curious to learn more about EC when they find it their their lady’s hand bag as well details on what to do when you have sex without a condom or protection. You can also find Nigerian doctors on the web explaining EC.

Here we found EC brands that are Levenorgestrel-based, which means they’re effective 72 hours after unprotected sex.  The longer acting product like EllaOne which is better for heavier ladies and works ups to 5 days after unprotected sex wasn’t found – at least at the Lagos airport.  There are several brands of EC available in Nigeria. But, careful, ladies, the WHO and NAFDAC (Nigeria’s FDA) found counterfeit or fake EC back in 2013. Although the government and distributors have made many efforts to get rid of the fakes, chose only reputable pharmacies for your EC stock!

Thank you for following SuzyKnew! and we’ll see you at the next pharmacy!

Photo credit: Pinterest #NWglam

Dr. Drai: 20 Things You May Not Know About The Penis

Ask an OBGYN No Comments

From our favorite obgyn: Dr. Drai:

My new book “20 Things You May Not Know About The Penis” is finally HERE!

Consider this book the conversations we’d have if we were walking through the mall or getting our hair and nails done on a Saturday while sipping on some GOOD TEA! With chapters on whether you should spit or swallow, why jackin’ off is a great thing, and whether or not you should give the small penises any love, you know you are going to be hollerin’ all up and through that mall or salon! OMG! Can’t take you NO WHERE! However, as #AmericasOBGYN and having taken up medicine because of my genuine desire to inform #GYNEGirls, #Preggos, and #GENTs on their health, this book is about education as well.

Did you know:

  • men can do Kegels, too?
  • it is completely normal for a man to have 3-4 erections while he sleeps?
  • prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men?
  • the clitoris has twice as many nerves as the penis?

You already know how I feel about your health; it is the number one priority for me. This book addresses real issues, BUT if you are going to be talking about or dealing with the penis you have got to have some fun! Right?

You may think you know all there is to know about the penis and I’m sure you are doing a great job using that knowledge to rock your man’s world. The “Medical T” I drop in this book will take you from “PUT A CONDOM ON IT” to “PUT A RING ON IT” status (well, maybe)! It is such an honor to be considered as a little bit more than a doctor by some of you; y’all are my BOOs, otherwise I wouldn’t have written a book for you with my BEST TIPS.

“20 Things You May Not Know About The Penis” is available now online at http://www.drdrai.com/product/book. ORAL SEX Tips included…Pick up your copy TODAY and get ready to take your man to a whole new level TONIGHT! 

A portion of the proceeds from book sells goes to one of my favorite charities that advocates for victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is REAL. Sadly, I haven’t met a patient yet who has not been a victim. A woman is beaten EVERY 9 SECONDS in the U.S. This truly breaks my heart. Remember if you are in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1. You can also search www.domesticshelters.org to find domestic violence programs in your area OR call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). Pass this info along; you ALREADY know who needs it.

#GYNEGirls, #Preggos, and #GENTs, I really hope you LOVE this book as much as I love all of you! Until next time. Kisses…

Notes From A Sista’ In Accra On Dating, Sexing And Condom Mishaps

Contraceptives Reproductive Health 3 Comments

So the condom broke. I didn’t even notice. He was hard and I was wet and things were gliding and sliding the way they do before I have a really good orgasm. He was moaning my name and that always gets me excited. But then he stopped. I felt this weird tug on the inside, like something was catching on the lining of my walls. I moved. The tug went elsewhere. Then he said “Shiiiiit.” And my heart sank. I sat up and put my head in my hands. I monitor my fertility and I knew that today was not the right day to have a mishap with the condom. Today was play around and have you some twins day. I looked up at him. All he could say was “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” I said “Wow. This is not good.” I exhaled. Shook my head. Then tried to focus on the bright side. “Hey, at least you didn’t come inside me.” He said it again “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” And then I realized that was what the moaning was. I guess he wasn’t an “I’m coming, I’m coming, I’m coming” followed by bared teeth and a series of shudders like my ex was. He was just a moaner. And he had come. Inside me. I had heard about the morning after pill but I had never taken it. Where would I find it? It was one o’clock in the morning. No pharmacy would be open. How soon could you wait? Till eight when the pharmacies opened up? Was that too late? Would some little fishies have swam up and found an egg to shake hands with? Would I already be pregnant by morning?

I kept trying to swallow the giggles hearing about my friend’s adventure with the morning after pill. She never gives a one-word answer so she had chosen to break down the circumstances under which she had to take it to me. See above, they were hilarious. Luckily, the rest of her story is pretty benign. She waited till morning, went to the first pharmacy she saw on her street. They said they didn’t have it, directed her to another pharmacy two streets away. She went there and motioned frantically to the guy behind the counter, wondering if he would need to hear the actual name of the drug and since she didn’t know it if he would immediately understand what she meant when she said “the morning after pill” or if he would be like “the morning after what?” and she would have to fumble through an explanation about moaning and sexing in what a Gallup poll had said was the most religious country in the world. But it went much easier than she thought. She said “the morning after pill” the pharmacist nodded, went into the small room behind the counter, slid a pack across the glass to her, told her she’d need to take it immediately, definitely before 72 hours had passed, and that after she’d taken the white pill she’d have to wait twelve hours and then take the colored pill. It was kinda expensive but she wasn’t about to quibble.  She took it, she didn’t get pregnant, she’s fine.

I was surprised to find out, talking to a few more friends, that the morning after pill is relatively easy to find in Ghana. Almost as easy as the regular oral contraceptive pill. That is, of course, in mid-income areas in the capital city. You don’t need a prescription to get it (though the law says you do) because in Ghana for a lot of things you can usually just walk into a private pharmacy without a prescription and ask for it and they’ll give it to you. They won’t ask too many questions because they figure if you know enough to ask for the drug by name then you’re probably fine taking it. It’s also not some crazy drug that will kill you without a doctor’s supervision. Every friend I talked to had had an easy enough experience finding it, taking it, and most importantly I guess, in every case I talked to it had worked. No pregnancies. No requests for me to be a godmother.

A few friends talked about how sick it made them feel but everyone thinks it was worth it and they’d do it again. As far as they know, everyone in urban areas in the capital city except teenagers or people who the pharmacists just feel like giving a hard time should be able to get their hands on the morning after pill, get the proper information on how to use it and get it multiple times if they want. Easy peasy. Of course for low-income urban areas, for rural women or even women in bigger cities like Kumasi, Cape Coast etc. it would be a whole different story. There are fewer pharmacies, they are less well-stocked, and they are less likely to have things that are considered “special” drugs. Have a headache, fine, you’ll find something. Need a drug for your gout, you’re plumb out of luck. In Ghana, having a robust sex life as a thirty-something year old woman is complicated, for a number of reasons (there aren’t too many age-appropriate single men, men aren’t monogamous, for most of them there isn’t a lot of focus on a woman’s pleasure, you get lots of societal pressure to get married, folks are pretty secretive about casual sex etc. etc.). So though the good news may be that emergency contraception isn’t too hard to find in Accra the bad news is that finding a real relationship to need it in might just be a tad bit harder.

F.N. is a thirty something free-lance writer from Ghana. Currently, she is trying out a new life in Washington, DC

 

 

Giving Thanks: Guest Blogger Lillian Ogbogoh

Opinion No Comments

Can you imagine how awesome the world would be if we actually all gave thanks for the things that showed up in our lives? Yes. I know that there are days you just feel like you can’t catch a break, so stopping to be grateful you will rather look for bellybutton fluff  than give thanks or is that just me?

Giving thanks is really important not just as a reminder of all the amazing things that are showing up in your world but it is the best thing to chase away the oh woe is me blues.  Did you know that your brain as amazing as it is cannot hold two opposing thoughts? So when you are feeling a little blue, a quick counting of all things that you can be grateful for  does wonders to change your mood.

So I ask what are you giving thanks for? Sometimes we seem to only count the major things that show up in our lives but recently I have taken to counting everything. From getting a seat on my morning commute to waking up and feeling that I am contributing to others in my circle, I count the amazing friends I have in my corner who are always ready to support me or just be there while am working through a case of the grumps. Are you getting the picture? The things you can give thanks for are numerous and varied and they all go back to why it is great that you are alive and present in the world.

Okay so you are starting to look up from your belly button which is really cool J I am not going to tell you to keep a gratitude journal that you should grab first thing in the morning to list all the possible things you could give thanks for if you did that will be cool as that is an amazing way to keep track of all the amazing things that show up in your world. You could use your keep note option  on your phone to note down what you are giving thanks for.  And the awesome thing about giving thanks the more reason you would have to give thanks it seems to have a doubling effect.

So who and what are you giving thanks for in your life?

www.lillianogbogoh.com

www.twitter.com/LillianOgbogoh

The 5 Best Reasons To Go Off Hormonal Birth Control

Fertility Awareness No Comments

If you’re thinking about going off the Pill or other hormonal birth control method, you might have been thinking about it for some time. Maybe you’ve done some research (thanks, Google!) and seen some stuff that’s got you scared and apprehensive about taking that step (again…thanks Google). Maybe you’re just not sure what you’re going to do about contraception when you come off the method you’ve been using for years. Whatever the reason for your decision, and there are many good reasons to not use hormonal birth control, you might be finding you’re not getting a whole lot of support from your doctor, health practitioner, or even your partner and your friends. So, let’s take a look at the positive and everything that you have to look forward to (and don’t be afraid to share this article when you need it!).

The 5 best reasons to go off hormonal birth control:

1) You’ll enjoy sex more! It’s pretty much guaranteed that hormonal birth control has thrown cold water on your sex life in some way, at some point. Whether it’s made you less interested in sex, reduced your sexy dreams, given you less lubrication, pelvic pain or a harder time getting orgasms. Taking a pill to prevent you from getting pregnant, that then stops you wanting to even do the thing that might get you pregnant anyway is one of life’s cruelest jokes on women. We think not having to worry about getting pregnant will be the most amazing aphrodisiac (it makes sense!), but these synthetic hormones have the effect of removing the libido peaks all women would otherwise get with their non-medicated cycle. For many women, coming off the Pill is a revelation, because all of a sudden they really want sex, like physically want it, in this strong way they may not have felt since they were a teenager.

2) You’ll improve your relationship. Our body’s own hormones impact how we react to other people and how they respond to us. Many studies have shown that using the Pill causes men to behave differently around women and skews how women feel about men. Some experts even recommend women try coming off the Pill before marrying their long-term partner, just to check that they’re actually attracted to him. If you’re single, you might find not using the Pill helps you tune in better to your intuition when it comes to seeking out a date. If you’re in a relationship, coming off might cure any doubts you have. Not feeling solely responsible for preventing pregnancy is also really important for some women – sharing that part of a relationship can open you both up to more communication and intimacy.

3) You’ll experience all the feelings. Although the Pill can help some women avoid the perils of PMS (that said, there are better ways…), many women decide to come off the Pill because they feel it has caused them, conversely, to experience mood swings, depression or anxiety. The effect of hormonal birth control on your mood might be obvious to you now, or you might be questioning how it makes you feel after a decade or more of using it. For others, these methods of contraception cause a “blah” or dulled-down feeling that means they find it hard to get excited or feel really happy or enjoy life to the fullest. Everyone’s different. Going Pill-free can bring in a whole range of feelings and mood changes – some women have said it’s like coming out from under a cloud or from behind a veil. Colors are brighter, tastes better, and smells sweeter, a bit like when Dorothy switches from black-and-white Kansas to technicolor Oz! But without the weird little wizard man.

4) You’ll up your fitness game. This is a little-known fact unless you hang out with professional athletes – hormonal birth control actually prevents you from gaining muscle effectively. Some athletes have also noticed that the Pill makes them retain water weight through bloating. This all links back to testosterone – the Pill pretty much wipes out women’s testosterone levels which you need for energy, sex drive, and for building your strength and fitness. So, choosing non-hormonal birth control might actually help with your goal to tackle a triathlon this year or just to lose those 10 extra pounds. At the very least, it might make it less of a drag to get to the gym a couple of times a week.

5) You’ll stop worrying about scary headlines. Unfortunately, some methods of hormonal birth control cannot be categorized as safe. We’re seeing more and more in the media about the blood clot risks associated with the Pill and other hormonal methods like the NuvaRing and that’s because new brands with new formulations have been shown to have a significantly higher risk than the hormonal birth control methods of the past. You may have even already swapped your method because you read an article or your doctor mentioned the issue. As we get older our bodies change, we gain weight, we might be more sedentary – and as such our personal set of risks change. If the headlines have made you uneasy and you don’t feel like you should be at risk of death just because you want to avoid pregnancy (especially when there are so many other options out there for you), then coming off hormonal birth control can be a big sigh of relief.

Written by on Dec. 16, 2015

You’re reading The Daysy Planet. The most accurate, all-natural, fertility management solution for planning or preventing pregnancy. 99.3% accurate. Advanced tech with proven pedigree. Hormone-free, elegant, easy. Meet Daysy.

photo courtesy of Daysy.me

How Easy Is It To Find Emergency Contraception?

Contraceptives Opinion Reproductive Health No Comments

Happy New Year!  Thanks for following SuzyKnew!

We’re starting a video series to find out how easy – or hard – is it to find emergency contraceptives in your local, neighborhood pharmacy.

We’ll be going to pharmacies around the U.S., UK, Nigeria, Angola, France and more countries to check out and see what’s going on.

Our first video is at the Rite Aid on Baltimore Avenue in Hyattsville, MD.

Rite Aid only had two choices for Emergency Contraception.  Take a look at the video to find out which ones are there. Or click here.