Talking sex with your doctor isn’t always easy. Whether you are afraid she will judge you,  you just don’t feel comfortable sharing the intimate details of your life between the sheets, or you can’t think straight with a speculum between your legs, many people get tight lipped in the doctor’s office. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have questions.

We thought we’d help and every Thursday our friend Dr. Lissa Rankin will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I recently found out that I have HPV. I was so shocked and upset by the news that I couldn’t really think of anything to ask my doctor. So, I was wondering what I should do. This was the first time I’ve ever been tested, so do I have to tell every guy I’ve ever been with (even those I didn’t actually have sex with)? And do I have to tell all future partners?

A: First of all, I’m sorry you have Human PapillomaVirus (HPV). If it makes you feel any better, I have had it too. You didn’t say whether your HPV is the type that causes genital warts or abnormal pap smears (they tend to be different strains but may travel together). But I’d be happy to educate you about HPV in general, since you were too freaked out to ask your doc. Read More »

Health guidelines and facts are constantly changing as we learn more about the human body and what we need to stay strong. To maintain optimal health, you need to keep up to date with the newest in fitness, nutrition and medical research.

Check out the latest headlines about that unique body of yours:

- So you think you’ll impress your crush by taking on a beer bong like a champ? A new study published in the March issue of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors asked women how much they thought they needed to drink at a social event to interest a man. The women’s estimates were more than twice what the guys said they would prefer. At your next party, drink less and truly impress! Read More »

Friday night: You’re at a crowded bar, and have to pee. Fearing the toilet seat, you pop a squat, clench your thigh muscles and hold onto the walls while you unleash your last five beers. You make sure you wash your hands (sometimes twice, depending on how filthy the pub is), and maybe even reach into your purse for some hand sanitizer, just to be safe.

Saturday night: You’re at a frat party. You just won three consecutive games of beer pong. You don’t think twice about drinking your cups, despite the fact that you’ve seen the ball land in other peoples’ used cups, roll along the basement floor, and watched the ball pass between thirty-something unwashed hands.

What gives?!?

Obviously, beer pong isn’t the most sanitary party game out there. But you have the “water cup,” right? That cup of tepid, dirty water is totes gonna disinfect that old, recycled ping pong ball (that was most likely found under someone’s bed 10 minutes before party time). Or not.

Some microbiology students at George Washington University decided to test exactly how detrimental to your health beer pong can be. If you like beer pong, you may want to skip this article. Read More »

[Disclaimer: The information presented in this post is the opinion of the author and CC does not promote the use of the drug without a prescription and for anything other than its prescribed use. You've been through DARE. You're old enough to make mature decisions regarding your health]

If you’re in college, chances are you’ve run across those infamous peach pills at some point. I’m talking about Adderall. These little orange suckers are everywhere, from the library to the lecture hall…to your local sketchy party.

Adderall is designed to be used as study tool for students diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, but you don’t need to have either diagnosis to feel the desired effects of this drug. It’s an amphetamine, so it enhances your attention span and wakes you up, thus helping you pull all-nighters during finals week and just have more stamina for academia in general.

Basically, it’s like Red Bull. On cocaine. With five iced lattes.

But, Adderall is not always used for it’s intended medical purpose (shocker!). These pills can also aid in weight loss, making it popular with girls looking for an easy way to shed the pounds. Not only that, but it’s used to help people party more effectively. Adderall keeps you awake and sharpens your mind, both allowing you to keep that party goin’ a little longer.

As a prescribed user of Adderall, I have used the drug for all of the above reasons. I’ve taken Adderall to help me write twenty pagers, to drop some of my winter weight, and to party. Read More »

In Sex Ed, we had to take “Name that STD” tests. In college, our RA’s handed out “Safe Sex” kits filled with condoms and pamphlets on HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection. About 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, with about 6.2 new infections popping up each year. Over 50% of sexually active men and women acquire a genital HPV infection during their lives, and on college campus, the numbers are even higher. If those numbers aren’t enough to encourage you to get the new HPV vaccine, check out the story of Dede, an Indonesian fisherman who just got diagnosed with some pretty serious HPV.

1% of sexually active people break out in genital warts. You might think that number seems low, but are you really willing to play Russian roulette with your vagine? Getting back to Dede, the 35-year-old man has been labeled the “Tree Man,” due to some mysterious lesions on his skin, and root-like growths stemming from his hands and feet. For years, his condition went undiagnosed, until an American doctor discovered that Dede has an HPV infection. Unfortunately for the fisherman, he also has an uncommon immune system defect, so while most people can hide their downstairs bumps, Dede grew severe warts all over his body, causing him to lose his job, his wife, and his self esteem. Read More »

First day of class. I’m sitting in the front row, binder open and pen at the ready. The teacher is going over the syllabus. “This is the attendance policy in the class. You are allowed…”

“*sniff.*”

“…absences.”

I wrinkled my nose in distaste and glared at the various people in my Criminology class, coughing and sniffling and sneezing for a while, leaning forward and straining to hear my professor. “As for the papers, the due dates have been posted on…”

“*cough*”

Gritting my teeth, I glanced over my shoulder at the girl to the left, covering her mouth and looking miserable. I turn my head back to my teacher and listen to her explain to me why I’m taking a course on crime when a horrendous gurgling grunt comes from the back of my throat, and I am horrified at the way I just cleared my throat and made the same sound my mother’s Camry makes when it starts up. No way in hell on the first day in class was I already sick.

I was determined to not be taking off days to roll around miserably in my dorm so early in the semester, and sure enough, a few days and a few tissues later, I’m back to my normal and almost entirely healthy self – without the help of anything from the “Cold/Flu” aisle in Rite Aid. How?

Sit back and learn, ladies. Read More »

It’s summertime… which means it’s hot and humid and my hair is poofing like Sarah Jessica Parkers in Girls Just Want To Have Fun- only I’m not trying to make it look that way.

But at the same time, it’s summertime! (Notice the difference with the exclamation point. Adds a nice exciting touch don’t you think?) And a little humidity and ugly hair is not going to keep me cooped up inside. I’m spending as much time outside as possible thank-you-very-much because before I know it I’ll be knee deep in snow, picking icicles off my eye-lashes (yes that has happened before) longing to be drenched in sweat.

So in order to maximize my time outdoors this summer, I have found the key is staying hydrated. And now, the same great people who brought us those yummy Luna Bars (try Carmel Nut Brownie as a mid-afternoon snack) are making it easier for us to get in our 8-10 glasses of water a day with Luna Elixir’s. Four great guilt free flavors that not only keep you hydrated but pack a whole lot of goodness for our female figures. Read More »