Nowadays, people all over the world seem to face a turbulent time, with an array of worries, from geopolitical matters to climate change, among other things, weighing on their shoulders.

Women, in particular, have seemingly found themselves in an unsettling position, as many are concerned over certain policies, potential changes, and views regarding women’s health. For many, the situation became even more dire after Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., also known by his initials RFK Jr., was appointed United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Led by uncertainty over the future, women took to the internet to share their worries or advice on how best to prepare for the upcoming several years. One internet user addressed the members of the ‘Ask Women Over 30’ community, asking what health-measures she should take to protect herself and prepare for the next four years now that RFK Jr. is confirmed as the health secretary, and quite a few women shared valuable insight, which you can find on the list below.

#1

Consider long term birth control (IUD, implant). Get all your vaccinations now. If your passport is expiring, make sure you renew it QUICKLY. Track your period on a trusted app or old-school calendar style. Eat clean, exercise, and take care of yourself. Prioritize your health.

We have no clue what’s going to happen, but if history is correct, this is going to take a lot longer than 4 years to undo.

Image credits: dko11

#2

This needs to be mentioned: organize. Find a local political group and get involved ASAP, anything from local politics, to grassroots campaigns, to volunteering for abortion funds. 

I say this because since 2015 I have been seeing people advocate for personal safety measures that will pale in comparison to deep systemic issues. I am *not* saying that personal safety guidelines are useless. They’re very very useful. But they can only keep you safe for a short amount of time. Your own personal IUD  (which I have; I’m on my second) will not keep you safe if they pass laws against not just abortion but contraception and you need it removed, need it changed, or if it fails and you need an abortion.

Yes, get your passports, get your vaccines, get your birth control, use period tracking methods that cannot be tracked or petitioned by the US (I use the app clue), have emergency savings so that finances do not prevent you from seeking safety, but do not forget that you need to be part of systemic change above all else. .

Image credits: KillTheBoyBand

#3

This might piss some people off – but if you have weight to lose, this is the time to do it. Just get it done. Go the gym and get strong and improve your health outcomes for your 40’s, 50’s and beyond, because you and I both know we can’t afford diabetes medication. We both know that a positive mammogram result can happen, and you **do not** want to go into chemo without muscle mass.

Our healthcare is about to get even shittier, so we can no longer afford our average BMI of 29 anymore.

Get on long term birth control, if you can. I got the implant. Don’t let the horror stories on the internet scare you, it’s an option if you can’t get through an IUD appointment.

anonymess7:
Same. I know people who have had nightmarish experiences with IUDs, but please do not let one person’s experience make the decision for you.
If an IUD is an option, I say go for it! I just got a new one in December. I had another year on my old one, but given the new administration, I figured I’d just get it done now.
This is my third IUD. The first insertion was uncomfortable but fine. Second was a cinch. The removal of the second was a little ugly — my doctor couldn’t get it out and had another doctor do it — but I think that was a doctor-specific problem. The doctor who took it out (and later performed my third insertion) was SO smooth. 
Zero downtime on my part. Despite the wonky second removal attempt, I still took the subway home, went to the grocery store, etc.
And I haven’t had a period in about 15 years which doesn’t suck.

Image credits: zestfully_clean_

#4

Sometimes I wonder if this is overly doomsdaying, but if you have the space, I would start a garden.

I’ve casually grown some of my own food over the past few years, but really want to up that this year. I just feel like who knows what’s going to happen, between deportation, trade wars, and a likely gutting of the FDA, there’s so many elements that could make fresh food unaffordable or unsafe.

Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, lettuces, cucumbers and Location appropriate fruit trees are usually pretty easy things to grow with no experience. Look up what grows in your area! You can also use an aero garden or similar to grow anything in an apartment.

Image credits: ventricles

#5

So much of the advice here is generally fantastic. I might be misinformed about how serious this is, but my first thought was to stock up on high fluoride toothpaste like 3M Clinpro Tooth Creme, which you can get off of Amazon (I’m trying to pull away from Amazon as much as I can, but it’s where I’ve managed to find it without the dentist surcharge) for $12. Morons keep talking about removing fluoride from the water and having healthy teeth is crucial to general health.

Edit: Anyone reading this should checkout what u/the_comeback_quagga said in their reply to this. It’s definitely a more informed take on fluoride.

Image credits: ragefulhorse

#6

Sterilization if you don’t plan on having kids. With childbirth related deaths continuing to climb the gamble just isn’t worth it.

Image credits: critiqu3

#7

Get your vaccines! Flu and COVID, and make sure your tetanus is up to date.

Stock up on masks. Bird flu is coming.

Get a pap smear if it’s time. Same for mammogram.

Visit the dentist, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, whatever other specialist you’ve been putting off.

Take steps to improve your overall health and lessen your chances of needing to go to the hospital: eat right, exercise, take a multivitamin.

Ditch any period tracking app you’re using. Use one and pause instead.

Image credits: library_wench

#8

Get your partner’s vasectomy scheduled. Why’s it always on us?

Image credits: SoulsticeCleaner

#9

Eat fruits and veggies and a variety of whole foods. 

Don’t eat way too much sugar and junk food.

Drink enough water

Walk and move your body

Get good sleep

Take your meds and seek medical care when needed

Cultivate positive, supportive social relationships

Try to manage stress

Don’t smoke, don’t drink too much, don’t get addicted to other d***s either. 

Just do your best and try to get lucky, life is complicated and you can’t control everything. 

All legit health advice I have ever seen boils down to that list. It’s easier said than done though. .

Image credits: Alternative_Chart121

#10

As someone who works in digital marketing and with public data, get off any and all period tracker apps. There’s nothing stopping them from giving your data to authorities who are interested in prosecuting women for suspicion of abortions besides a “we pwomise not so sell or give your data to annnnyone else 🥺”

Image credits: watsername

#11

Make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible and ask for titers for your vaccines. Get vaccinated with whatever is low.

Decentralize your healthcare as much as you can from the “dominate” system. For example, learning CPR/First Aid is going to be useful because our healthcare system has already been crumbling. Learn to take care of minor things at home so you can avoid the ER hassle.

Just in general be proactive about your health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women and there is a lot you can do to prevent it. Stay in a healthy weight range, do regular strength training, be active, eat well.

EdgeCityRed:
I asked my pharmacist about titers, and the guidelines are pretty simple for vaccines; some are ‘lifetime good’ (such as the polio vaccine, unless you’re over 60, in which case you might need a booster), and some are ‘it’s been a decade, time for a booster’ and they don’t need to run titers.
I hadn’t gotten a tetanus shot in a while and recently got the TDAP (which is typically given every 10 years). I am not in a risk group needing the MMR vaccine again, but I did take the flu and pneumonia vax.

Image credits: NoLemon5426

#12

Get a pap smear and ask for an HPV test too!!! Get a comprehensive STI test. Get your vaccinations re-upped (tetanus anybody?). Go to your dentist and eye doctor. Get long-term birth control. Eat lots of veggies and take at least a 20min walk every day. Renew your passport and get a real ID.

Image credits: dopaminedeficitdiary

#13

Build (or strengthen) a community you can depend on. Not just for help with dealing with all the c**p that’s coming, but one nurtures its members, has space for goofing off and silliness, and genuinely brings positivity to your life.

Image credits: MaIngallsisaracist

#14

Wear a high quality mask (KN95/N95/KF94 or better) when sharing air.

Image credits: ProfessionalOk112

#15

If you have the means, then I would suggest to leave the country. This s**t show will only get worse and as long as you’re young and free, there’s no reason for you to stick around in this circus.

Image credits: hocarestho

#16

When you see your GP get prescriptions for Plan B and other pregnancy related medications because access to those may become limited/non-existent. Even if you don’t need those things having them on hand for someone else would be valuable.

Cyber_Punk_87:
Generic Plan B is available over-the-counter and cheap, and the other pregnancy-related medications can be purchased online. How it’s bought and delivered might initially feel sketchy, but it works, and the meds come in the mail.

Image credits: FrankaGrimes

#17

Get your series of hpv vaccines! RFK has long been a vocal critic of vaccines, including the HPV (cervical cancer) vaccine, Gardasil. He has actively campaigned against vaccines while also financially benefiting from lawsuits related to them.

My dad is also anti vax. I was not allowed to get it in school and by the time I got it as an adult I had already contracted one of the high risk cancer strains and am now 31 years old and have pre cervical cancer.

Image credits: peppapigforever12

from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/TlH3O6o
via IFTTT source site : boredpanda