INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If the woman has a regular cycle, then she'll ovulate on a predictable schedule. Some women prevent pregnancy by tracking their ovulation and avoiding sex on those days. While it works well for some women, natural family planning has a higher failure rate than other options, especially if you have an irregular cycle. It's important to understand the risks.  If you have a regular cycle and keep track of it, natural family planning can be between 75-94% effective for preventing pregnancy. However, you will need to abstain from sex for 10-14 days a month around the days the woman is ovulating.  It takes a minimum of 6 cycles to learn your ovulation patterns. Mark the day you start your period as day 1, then do the same for a second cycle. Count the days between both cycles to get your cycle length. To find your ovulation days, subtract 18 from the number of days in your cycle. Count that number of days, starting at day 1. This is your first fertile day, which begins your “no sex” window.  To find your last fertile day, subtract 11 from your longest cycle, then count out the days from 1. Mark off the window between your first and last day as your “no sex” window. It's best to track your cycle for a few months to see how it varies. This method will not work if your cycle is very irregular or is shorter than 26 days. Use a basal thermometer each morning before you get out of bed. You'll need to leave the thermometer in your mouth or anus (depending on the model) for 5 minutes. Track your temperature daily. It will rise by a fraction of a degree on the days you ovulate, so avoid sex on the days your temperature increases.  It's best to track your temperature every day for at least one cycle to become familiar with your body's normal temperature, as well as its normal fluctuations.  Your basal temperature is your temperature while you are at rest. This means that you should take it before you even get out of bed. Your cervical mucus changes in color, texture, and amount throughout your menstrual cycle. It can tell you a lot about your body if you look at it every day and write down what it looks like. When you ovulate, your body produces more mucus that is often clear and slippery, with a consistency like egg whites. These days are not safe for sex.  Before and after these days, you'll likely have cloudy or yellow mucus that feels sticky. These days may be safe for sex. The safest days for sex are days that your vagina feels dry. Start tracking your cervical mucus the day after your period stops. It's best to track if for several cycles before trying to use this method. It's also best to avoid sex for an entire cycle, as sex changes your cervical mucus.  You can check your mucus by looking at it on toilet paper, placing your fingers in your vagina to collect some, or checking the discharge in your panties. You can download apps that help you track your cycle using any of the natural family planning methods. While some of them are free, others cost money. It's best to try a few to see what works for you.  Some of these apps are intended to help women get pregnant, so make sure the one you choose is for women who want to avoid pregnancy. You can also find apps that allow you to track your cycle but aren't geared specifically toward either preventing pregnancy or conceiving. Abstinence is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy, but it's only effective if you stick to it. Some people use periods of abstinence along with natural family planning, which can make it more manageable.

SUMMARY: Discuss the risks of natural family planning with your doctor. Keep track of your cycle on a calendar. Take your basal temperature daily. Monitor your cervical mucus. Use an app that tracks your cycle. Practice abstinence.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Talking with someone you trust can help you to feel more connected with others and this may ease some of the strong emotions associated with lovesickness. Call or meet up with a friend or family member and tell them about how you’ve been feeling and why. For example, you might call up a friend or family member and say something like, “Hey, I’m having a hard time coping since Regina turned me down for a date and I just need to talk to someone about it. Do you have time to meet up later?” for 15 minutes or more every day to ease anxiety. Stress and anxiety may be symptoms of lovesickness, and it’s important to find ways to manage stress and anxiety. Relaxation techniques are an effective way to experience a sense of calm. Some techniques you might try include:  Yoga Meditation Progressive muscle relaxation Deep breathing Alcohol and drug can have an adverse effect on your mood, so it’s best to avoid these substances if you’re already struggling with mood swings or negative emotions, such as depression and anxiety. Talk with your doctor if you’re having trouble coping without alcohol or drugs. They can provide you with resources that may help you to quit. Difficulty concentrating is a common complaint when someone has lovesickness. The Pomodoro technique is a time management method where you work in 25-minute chunks or “poms.” After you complete a pom, you take a 5-minute break, and after you complete 4 poms, you take a longer break, such as 20 minutes. By working in this way, you may find it easier to maintain your focus and get more done.  Use a kitchen timer or a timer on your phone to keep track of your poms. Mark an X on a piece of paper after you finish a pom and keep a running tally, so you will know how many you have done. Writing about your feelings can help you to purge negative thoughts and feelings from your system and it can also help to relieve stress. Try writing about the emotions you’re experiencing—good and bad—and why you’re feeling this way. Write for 10 minutes or more every day as you overcome your lovesickness. For example, if you’re feeling anxious due to lovesickness, then write about what this feels like, when it started, and if anything seems to make it better. Lovesickness can sometimes be so severe that you become depressed. If you’re depressed, you might feel hopeless, sad, overwhelmed, or irritable. You may also lose interest in activities you used to enjoy. Antidepressants may help you to get through this period of extreme emotion and possibly recover more quickly.  Make sure to tell your doctor about any other medications you’re currently taking. Discuss all of the potential side effects of a medication before starting it.

SUMMARY:
Talk with a trusted friend or family member about how you’re feeling. Relax Avoid dulling your feelings with alcohol or drugs. Try the Pomodoro technique if you’re having trouble concentrating. Write about your feelings in a journal or diary. Ask your doctor about antidepressants if you’re depressed.