Edited: Szabó Regina
In today’s article I would like to introduce a real Hungarian pioneer and her work, the founder and owner of the „hormonmentes” (hormone-free) blog, webshop and YouTube channel, none other than Janka Cserháti-Herold. At the time of writing this article, her YouTube channel has no less than 113 000 subscribers, and her other platforms also have several thousand followers. She currently has 65 uploaded videos, while also appearing in public media, TED talks, and the 2019 Semmelweis Summer University.
She started her private business in 2015, which meant she was the first in Hungary to sell hormone-free contraceptives and other, lesser known feminine hygiene products, such as menstrual cups. She has a communication – international studies degree, but by profession she is a fertility awareness expert, and at home a wife and a mother to three children.
Her YouTube channel can be described as a mix of scientific and personal content – topics include body positivity, male and female reproductive anatomy, the menstrual cycle, different types of contraceptives, education about sexuality in general, childbirth, STDs, and the topic Janka’s most versed in, fertility awareness method. All of this is talked about by the determined and direct Janka, without batting an eye and judgements, often sharing her personal experiences. There are, of course, lighter topics – even though she makes the most embarrassing issues sound normal – like Q&As or „what’s in my handbag?” videos. Her videos vary in length, some are relatively short, meanwhile others last tens of minutes, often while having a guest (other YouTubers, influencers, or gynaecologists).
Janka’s work and content has several „superpowers”, of which I would like to highlight the general positive impact on the lives of everyday people, and the way they contribute to the work of health professionals. Perhaps the most important is the transmission of easy to understand, authentic information. Combined with the opportunity provided by YouTube to reach a wide audience, it’s a real effective way of educating thousands of people, while being free of embarrassment and judgemental looks. This can be of great benefit to both ordinary people and health professionals: if everyone knows the basic structure and functions of the human body, and more importantly their own body, they will better and faster recognize any pathological changes that may occur. A well-educated patient saves time for both parties and can often save them from taking unnecessary risks. To stay on topic of hormone-free products – when it comes to hormonal birth control, predisposition to thrombosis is a serious risk factor, so family history is especially important. I would note here, that today it is the part of the job to be able to offer reliable and easily accessible internet resources for the patients, it is not enough anymore to let them discover things on their own. The content of hormonmentes is a perfect example for this, being both straightforward and controlled to fit scientific standards.
Another important and intentional aspect is the constant discussion of taboo topics, creating a great environment for open communication and a certain kind of normalization among Janka’s community. This ultimately leads to more relaxed, embarrassment-free conversations between patient-patient, and patient-doctor too.
And as another „hormonmentes-superpower”, I’d like to put the encouragement of curiosity and research in the spotlight. The message „Stay curious!” is often said, Janka’s goal is not to have us memorize and repeat everything she says, like if it was the Ten Commandments, or to convince us of her position on controversial topics. Rather, she wants to arouse interest and a desire for knowledge. That is the key to responsible decision-making when it comes to our health. As future healthcare professionals, it is in our interest to make patients curious when it comes to their body.
To summarize, Cserháti-Herold Janka took on the responsibility of educating an entire country and to talk about issues that no one wants to talk about. And it worked! According to herself, she gets tons of positive feedback about her YouTube channel, her followers often share their experiences, success stories. Perhaps the next step for her is to get even more involved in the health care system and introduce hormone-free methods to an even larger audience. So if you haven’t already, go look up who is this „hormone-free Janka”!