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Is your uterus rioting again like a teenager on the peak of puberty? Then you know it’s time to roll up into fetus position and moan: “Damn you, menstrual cramps!” We feel ya. Painful periods suck and there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of self-pity and complaining. But instead of grumbling and feeling sorry all the time, we decided to find a way to deal with those menstrual cramps. Because there are actually a few things you can do for period pain relief. Period cramps – 3 ways how to stop them Heat it up. I don’t know about you, but when I have a bad fit of the cramps I feel like duct taping a hot water bottle to...

Photo © fb.com/GlobalOne The Ruby Women Group from Global One, Mathare, Kenya. The struggles of women in poverty are many. Early pregnancies being perhaps one of the better known issues, but there is another big one, almost invisible and marked as a big taboo: menstruation. This is a story about a group of 40 women, who received a Ruby Cup and the journey of opportunities this gift sparked. Prior to this journey the women's periods were a burden. Their meager income did not allow them to buy reliable menstrual products and they were often forced to stay at home or wear the same pad (or rags) for several days. Sex for sanitation When talking about the lack of money for...

Benter Oyugi is from the Mathare Slum of Nairobi, Kenya. She is one of the first beneficiaries of Femme International’s Menstrual Health Management Program that distributes Menstrual Kits and Ruby Cups. Benter is now working with the Femme team as a Program Facilitator. What would you do if you wanted to go to school but knew you were out of pads and had no money to buy a new pack? Would you skip school? Or still, go to class but have old newspapers, dry tree bark or kitchen cloths somehow stuffed in your underwear to absorb the flow? Millions of girls and women worldwide who can’t afford the monthly pads or tampons, are forced to take this decision. We had the honour to...

Many sources claim that people with periods bleed between 30 and 40 ml (3-5 teaspoons) on average during their menstruation. 60 ml is considered a heavy flow and if you are +80 ml, you are advised to see a doctor. I went to see a doctor, because I honestly started worrying: I empty at least four full Ruby Cups during my period! A Ruby Cup Medium can hold 24ml which equals 4x of what a tampon can hold. So my flow is around 100 ml. I went to see my doctor to check with her about my heavy flow, since I actually felt that everything was fine, and luckily she confirmed that I have no cysts, no uterine fibroids, no endometriosis and no...

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, so this article does not substitute a doctor's visit. I was also consulted by a physician before treatment, so please do not experiment on your own. Earlier this year I had a blood test done that revealed pretty low iron levels. I was diagnosed with Iron Deficiency Anemia. Finally I had an explanation why I always felt so tired and weak almost every day. After doing some research and speaking to a physician I decided to tackle this problem with a long-term approach. Iron deficiency Anemia is a common condition, so I thought it would be useful to share my journey with you - from being diagnosed to finding the right treatment. Hopefully...