The shape of your nose doesn’t matter. Neither does your bra size. Yep, that goes for the length of your legs, the color of your eyes, and the texture of your hair, too. Magazines, movies, and the media might give you another impression, but don’t believe the hype. You are luscious and lovely. Right here. Right now.
Unfortunately, that’s easy to type and not always easy to believe. PMS. Breakups. Supermodels. Bad days. Health issues. Life has a way of throwing things in our path that can make us feel inadequate, insecure, or unattractive. On those days, some of us look in the mirror and see a distorted version of ourselves, and nothing’s good enough.
But what if you could stop that? What if you could turn self-loathing into feeling good?
Try this: The next time you feel bad about your body, tell your inner critic to STFU.
Then figure out the most loving, kind thing you can do for yourself and do it. Think about what you’d say to your best friend if she needed cheering up. Replace all the negative stuff you think with good stuff. You don’t have to be perky. Just be positive.
Or try yoga. It boosts endorphins, tames bad moods, and helps you feel better in your body. Or maybe treat yourself to a new lip gloss, bubble bath, some art supplies, or anything that’s a pick-me-up. (A little shopping therapy never hurt a girl.) There’s also calling someone and venting. Body image stuff is universal, so chances are good that someone in your life will relate.
Bottom line: Every moment, you can take an action that supports you instead of tearing you down. Go with the supportive one. Be compassionate toward yourself. Your view of you is all that matters. Make sure you’re seeing yourself for everything you are.
We’ve got great things planned for Loop members, so remember to check back regularly to see what’s buzzing. Sign up for help navigating your birth control and to get useful information about Twirla.
Twirla® is a weekly birth control patch for women of reproductive potential with a BMI <30 kg/m2 for whom a combined hormonal contraceptive is appropriate.
Twirla is less effective in women with a BMI ≥25 to <30 kg/m2 and should not be used in women with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2.
Do not use TWIRLA if you have or have had blood clots; history of heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure that medicine cannot control, any condition that makes your blood clot more than normal, or certain heart valve problems; smoke and are over 35 years old; BMI ≥30 kg/m2.
TWIRLA is also not for women who have diabetes and are over 35 years old, diabetes with high blood pressure or kidney, eye, nerve, or blood vessel damage, diabetes for longer than 20 years; have had breast cancer or any cancer that is sensitive to female hormones; certain kinds of severe migraine headaches; have liver problems or liver tumors; unexplained bleeding from the vagina; who are or may be pregnant; or who take hepatitis C drugs containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, as this may increase levels of liver enzymes in the blood.
TWIRLA may not be a good choice for you if you have ever had depression; jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) caused by pregnancy (also called cholestasis of pregnancy) or related to previous use of hormonal birth control.
TWIRLA increases the risks of serious side effects, including blood clots, stroke, or heart attack, especially in women who have other risk factors. These can be life-threatening or lead to permanent disability. This increased risk is highest when you first start using hormonal birth control and when you restart the same or different hormonal birth control after not using it for a month or more. Treatment with TWIRLA should be stopped at least 4 weeks before and through 2 weeks after major surgery.
The most common side effects reported by women using TWIRLA in a study were skin reactions at the patch site, nausea, headache, menstrual cramps, and weight gain.
These are not all the possible side effects of TWIRLA. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
TWIRLA is a birth control patch for women with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2 who can become pregnant. It contains two female hormones, a progestin called levonorgestrel, and an estrogen called ethinyl estradiol. TWIRLA may not be as effective in women with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or more. If you have a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, please talk with your healthcare provider about which method of birth control is right for you.
You should not use TWIRLA any earlier than 4 weeks after having a baby or if you are breastfeeding.
Hormonal birth control methods help to lower the chances of becoming pregnant when taken as directed. They do not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The risk information provided here is not complete. To learn more, review the TWIRLA Patient Information and talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
