Dove hires FBI to teach women they're beautiful

Dove hires FBI to teach women they're beautiful - Dove's latest "real beauty" campaign just got grittier. No more real women laughing in their underwear or crying with happiness at the site of their image posted on a billboard in Times Square. For their latest efforts in self-actualizing beauty, the company hired an FBI sketch artist to hammer the point home: You’re beautiful. 

In a two-part experiment, Dove and its agency Ogilvy hired Gil Zamora, an FBI sketch artist to draw seven women as they described themselves. The artist wasn't allowed to view the women who sat on the other side of a curtain, he could only ask them questions about what they looked like. Using the information the subjects gave him about their physical traits, he drew their portraits. The women gave descriptions such as, "I kind of have a fat, rounder face," and "I'd say I have a pretty big forehead."

The subjects had also been asked to spend time with strangers who gave the sketch artist a description of the women for him to draw. 

In the end, the sketches produced from women's self-descriptions were less attractive than those drawn from strangers' descriptions. The women’s reactions: "I should be more grateful for my natural beauty," said one woman. "We should spend more time focusing on the things we do like." 

It was a wake-up call for Kela Cabrales, a tech teacher and digital artist featured in the Dove documentary. "I probably beat myself up way more than I should," Cabrales told The Huffington Post, after the video was first posted online. "I see my 8-year-old daughter, and she’s so happy and confident, and naturally exudes this beauty. And when I see her I feel like, 'Oh god, what pitfalls did I fall into, and how can I keep that from happening to her?' I don’t know what they are -- I wish I did. I really want to protect her." 

As of Tuesday, Dove's video had been viewed over one million times on Youtube. By Wednesday, that number mushroomed to four million. On Thursday, it reached seven million. 

Industry-watchers are largely praising the campaign for its innovative approach to a feel-good message. “Watching these women come face to face with the version of themselves in their mind and the version everyone else sees is extraordinary,” writes an Adweek blogger. Brandchannel also commended Dove for offering a "a glimmer of hope for young girls growing up today." 

The 2,000 plus comments under Dove's Youtube video range from exasperated to emotional. “When I saw this, I sat for 15 minutes straight crying so much," wrote one viewer. "The message is crystal clear and powerful, yet I still think of myself the same way these ladies did at the start. I wish I could think differently of myself.” 

Blogger Stacy Bias had an entirely different reaction to the video. She found the ad to be skewed. “These experiences are so plainly curated," wrote Bias. "They chose pretty, well-dressed women of a certain class and they chose people of a similar attractiveness-scale and social class to describe them.” She also made the point that being “beautiful” should probably not be a woman’s main goal. Believing that others see us as beautiful? Believing that we are beautiful? I want people to question their negative self-perceptions, sure. But I would love for that to happen in a context where beauty doesn’t always end up valorized."

Dove's brand reps don't seem too concerned about any possible backlash. "We’re seeing an overwhelming number of positive responses to the 'Dove Real Beauty Sketches' film," a representative told Yahoo! Shine in an emailed statement. "Dove is committed to creating a world where beauty is the source of confidence, not anxiety. We believe that all women are beautiful and are saddened by the fact that only 4% of women don’t think that they’re beautiful. We hope that the Dove Real Beauty Sketches inspires all women to see the beauty in themselves that others do."

It's yet another ambitious attempt by Dove to promote self-love. Their tactics haven't always worked. One past campaign included promising to let users “replace” weight-loss ads that make women feel bad about themselves. According to Business Insider, the ads didn’t fulfill their promise. Another campaign included launching a device that with one click, reversed the applied Photoshop to models. As Business Insider pointed out, the app didn’t work.

In an era of airbrushing, do you think Dove's message of "love yourself" is headed in the right direction? ( Healthy Living )

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What's the best exercise for heart health?

What's the best exercise for heart health? - A combination of weight training and aerobic exercise might be the best prescription for overweight people at risk for diabetes and heart disease, a new study suggests.

People doing only aerobic exercise dropped weight and inches off their waistlines -- so an aerobic-only program is also a good (and less time-consuming) option, researchers said. Those in the study who just lifted weights saw very little benefit in terms of heart health, although they did gain strength.

"Aerobic plus resistance is clearly the optimal program," said Dr. Timothy Church, who studies exercise and disease at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.

The findings, he told Reuters Health, are in line with other recent research and physical activity guidelines that suggest mixing in a little resistance training with regular aerobic exercise.

Researchers led by Lori Bateman of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina randomly assigned 196 overweight, sedentary adults to three different exercise programs.

One group did resistance training three days a week, working out on eight different weight machines to target upper and lower body muscles. A second group did two hours of aerobic training per week on gym machines -- the equivalent of about 12 miles of walking or jogging over the course of the week. The third group was assigned to do both the weight-training and aerobic-exercise programs.

More than one quarter of the exercisers dropped out of the study during the eight-month exercise programs and some others didn't have complete before-and-after health readings for researchers to compare.

In the end, Bateman and her colleagues analyzed the pre-exercise and post-exercise status of 86 participants.

On average, people in the weight-training group who completed the exercise program gained about 1.5 pounds and added a smidgen to their waistline, without changing any of their other heart or diabetes risk factors.

Those in the aerobic group lost an average of 3 pounds and half an inch from their waists.

Study participants who did both weight and aerobic training dropped about 4 pounds and 1 waistline inch. That group also saw a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom blood pressure reading) and in a "metabolic syndrome" score that reflects combined heart and diabetes risk factors.

However, statistical analyses showed that participants doing both aerobics and weight training didn't necessarily have better outcomes than those who just did aerobic training.

The researchers said it wasn't clear if the apparent marginal benefits of the combination regimen -- the 4-pound weight loss versus 3, for instance -- were due to the effects of weight training, or just more total time in the gym.

Resistance training builds muscle and bone, which can actually add weight to the body, although it is leaner, stronger body mass.

Both the aerobic-only group and the combined-exercise group also lowered their levels of triglycerides -- a type of fat in the blood.

Church, who wasn't involved in the new study, said that the number of drop-outs made the data harder to interpret, but that the trends are consistent with what other researchers have found. Previous studies have also shown that weight training by itself has a very minimal benefit for heart health, he said.

Because aerobic exercise alone seemed to be almost as good, if not as good, as aerobic and resistance training combined, Bateman said that "when you're weighing the time commitment that you're going to spend, if your overall goal is to...improve your diabetes and heart disease risks, our study would suggest that aerobic exercise is the best way to better those outcomes."

That said, "we're not trying to send a message that resistance training is not good for things like increasing lean body mass or increasing strength," she told Reuters Health. ( Reuters Health )

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Why Are Teeth Not Considered Bones?

Why Are Teeth Not Considered Bones? - Teeth and bones are both hard, white and heavy with calcium, but that doesn't make them one and the same. From the way they look to how they heal, teeth are quite different from the body's bones.

Teeth are composed of calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals. Bones contain calcium, phosphorus, sodium and other minerals, but mostly consist of the protein collagen. Collagen is a living, growing tissue that gives bones their a flexible framework that allows them to withstand pressure. Calcium fills in the space around that framework and makes the bone strong enough to support the body's weight.

But bones are still not as strong as teeth. The hardest part of the human body, teeth mostly consist of a calcified tissue called dentine. The tooth's dentine tissue is covered in enamel, that hard, shiny layer that you brush.

The exterior of bones consists of periosteum, a dense, smooth, slippery membrane that lines the outer surface of most bones, except at the joints of long bones, which instead consist of slimy hyaline cartilage. Periosteum contains osteoblasts, or cells that can manufacture new bone growth and repair.

Tooth enamel, unfortunately, doesn’t have the same regenerative powers. Unlike bones, teeth cannot heal themselves or grow back together if they are broken. When a bone fractures, new bone cells rush in to fill the gap and repair the break, but a cracked or a broken tooth can require a root canal or even total extraction.

Another difference between teeth and bones is that bone marrow produces red and white blood cells, while teeth do not. Bones receive their blood supply from a number of arteries that pass through the bone's periosteum to the inner bone marrow.

Although the bloody core of a tooth that's been knocked out might look like marrow, it's actually something called the dental pulp, the living portion of each tooth that contains nerves, arteries and veins and runs through to the jaw bone. These nerves are what cause us to feel toothaches caused by cavities or experience pain when eating something hot or cold.

One last difference is that our teeth are bare and on display, while bones are safety tucked away under our skin. So while you may occasionally use whitening strips to keep your pearly whites looking, um, white, at least you don't have to worry about your bones yellowing. ( lifeslittlemysteries.com )

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When Will We Get the Little Pink Pill?

When Will We Get the Little Pink Pill? - There are at least a half-dozen FDA-approved medications on the market to treat sexual dysfunction in men. Viagra was introduced more than a decade ago, followed by Levitra and Cialis. All of these drugs gotten very positive evaluations and work equally well.

Additionally, if a man suffers from sexual desire problems, he can choose from various prescription formulations of testosterone, including Androgel and Testim.

What about medications to treat women's sexual problems? Will we ever have an FDA-approved drug for women - a little pink pill that's the counterpart of the little blue pill for men? We are getting closer.

Several years ago, an FDA advisory committee reviewed an application by Procter & Gamble to market Intrinsa, a testosterone patch for women. There was no doubt that the compound worked, but committee members expressed concerns about its long-term safety.

While the FDA remains in dialogue with various sponsors of testosterone-based treatments, the Intrinsa patch has been approved for use in Europe and soon will be available in Canada.

In the meantime, several pharmaceutical companies have gone on to develop other, non-hormonal treatments for female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Safety is always a concern but the potential problems the FDA associates with hormonal agents like the Intrinsa patch are not a problem for these other classes of drugs.

Flibanserin, one drug now in Phase III clinical trials (an advanced stage of testing in humans), acts on the central serotonin and dopamine systems in the brain. Various forms of the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine are being studied but there are problems with nausea that must be overcome. Another promising drug, bremelanotide, is inhaled through the nose and acts rapidly on receptors in the brain. It is now being tested in humans in Phase IIA and IIB trials. Finally, tibolone is another hormone-based drug popular in Europe and now being tested in the U.S.

These are only a few of the drugs being considered to treat female sexual problems. While all of this activity won't guarantee that a drug for women will soon be approved in the U.S., the sheer number of candidates in the pipeline suggests that we do not have much longer to wait. ( lifestyle.yahoo.com )

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Brain study shows why fresh romance can ease pain

Brain study shows why fresh romance can ease pain - Sometimes love does feel like it should. Falling in love can act as a potent painkiller, and now scientists have figured out why: It stimulates the brain’s reward pathway, much like the rush of an addictive drug.

The next question is whether better understanding of the love-pain relationship might somehow help scientists tackle chronic pain. Falling head over heels isn’t exactly something a doctor can prescribe.

But “maybe prescribing a little passion in one’s relationship can go a long way toward helping with one’s chronic pain — assuming it’s passion with the one you’re with,” said study co-author Dr. Sean Mackey, chief of pain management at Stanford University.

The story begins with psychology professor Arthur Aron of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, who studies the neurology of love. His work has linked that euphoric phase of a fresh romance to brain regions rich in the chemical dopamine. Dopamine is key to what’s called the brain’s reward pathway, the feel-good mechanisms that encourage certain behaviors. Eating sweets, for example, boosts this system — and addictive drugs like cocaine hijack it.

“When people are in love, in many ways it’s not dissimilar to what they get when they take amphetamines or stimulants: They’re very excited, have loss of appetite, sleep loss, they’re active, full of energy,” noted Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and a dopamine expert.

Then pain specialists noticed that if someone in an intense romance gazes at a picture of his or her amour while being poked or prodded, they feel less pain.

Is that because their love is distracting them from the pain? After all, specialists often advise sufferers to listen to music or try other steps to take their mind off the pain. Or did love work some other way? Mackey and Stanford colleague Dr. Jarred Younger teamed with Aron to find out.

They put up campus signs seeking love-struck Stanford undergrads and within hours couples were flocking in, “the easiest study we have ever recruited for in my entire career,” said Mackey.

Fifteen people underwent a battery of tests. They looked at either a picture of their new love or a picture of an attractive acquaintance, or were given distracting tasks such as to list sports that don’t involve balls.

Researchers touched them with a hot wand to induce moderate pain, and scanned their brains.

Looking at their loved one and distraction produced equal pain relief — but the distraction worked through cognitive pathways while the romance triggered a surge in that reward pathway, the team reported Wednesday in the journal PLoS One.

That means the brain can generate pain-controlling responses without medications that perhaps, “if we understood them better, we could trigger them,” said NIDA’s Volkow.

Caution: New love’s flush can fade to commitment, which doesn’t trigger the same brain response. But Aron said he recently found that doing something new and exciting with a longtime partner stirs up that old passion, “a good idea whether you’re in pain or not.” ( arabnews.com )

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Ten secrets your doctor wants you to know

Ten secrets your doctor wants you to know. Be honest, be properly informed — and don’t worry about your hairy legs. The doctor-patient relationship can be strange, especially since as the patient, you’re left wondering what that raised eyebrow or cryptic “hmmm” actually means. Health magazine asked top docs to spill the beans on how you can get the best possible care, and here to share that information is the magazine’s medical editor and TODAY contributor Dr. Roshini Raj.

1. Don’t think you’ve got every ailment out there.

Many people self-diagnose and assume they need a certain medication. This is not always the case. Wait until your doctor examines you and determines whether or not you need a prescription. Medicine is not like buying a new shirt that’s now in style, so it’s important to be careful and certain that you actually need it.

2. Just spill it.

Be up front with your doctor, and don’t wait until the very end of an examination to share intimate details about your health, no matter how embarrassing they may be.

3. Forget what you saw on TV.

Just because a TV personality and her best friend had CT scans of the heart doesn’t necessarily mean you need one too. Only get the tests you need, whether or not you see it on television.

4. Don’t worry about your hairy legs.

Doctors don’t care if you haven’t shaved; it’s not something they are paying attention to.

5. Be honest about how much (or how little) you work out.

Being busy is not the same thing as being physically active. With exercise, more is better, but anything is better than nothing so don’t lie about it to your doctor.

6. Don’t think of the spa as a medical facility.

Some people seek medical treatments at spas, when they should be done at an actual medical facility. There’s a huge difference in sterility and guidelines, which a lot of patients don’t realize.

7. Get a second opinion, but not from your mom.

Patients are more than welcome to get a second opinion, but make sure it’s a legitimate one. Friends or family members with similar symptoms don’t qualify as experts.

8. Don’t shop for skin-care advice at the mall.

Don’t splurge on fancy new skin-care regimens at beauty stores. Pay the affordable co-pay to see a doctor.

9. Know the facts.

While it’s important to be aware of risks associated with certain medications, it is also important to understand their benefits. In many cases, the benefits far outweigh the risks.

10. Ask yourself: Is this a real emergency?

Don’t rush to the ER or call your doctor in the middle of the night unless you have a serious, life-threatening health problem. At the same time, if you are in serious danger, don’t hesitate to call your doctor no matter what time it is. ( Health magazine )

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Discharge & Bleeding in Pregnancy

Discharge & Bleeding in Pregnancy. Pregnancy Discharge. It is normal to have an increase in vaginal discharge during pregnancy, but it is best to discuss with a midwife or other health care professional the nature of the discharge in case of problems. The root causes behind vaginal discharge in pregnant women are the same as the causes in those who are not pregnant.

These causes are:

• Hormonal activity,
• Infection,
• Non-infective irritation,
• Cervical ectropion (cervical erosion)

Hormonal Activity

It is quite normal for increased hormonal activity to lead to an increase in normal vaginal emissions. Clear or whitish mucous based discharge known as Leukorrhea, which is non irritant and mild smelling, can increase substantially while pregnant. Panty liners can be used to control these increased emissions, but tampons and douching are not advised as they can cause problems.

Infection

Discharges that are smelly, discoloured, irritant or bloodstained need to be assessed for infection. This will probably involve the use of swabs in order to find out the type or types of infection suspected.

The two most common infections are:

• Candidiasis (thrush)
• Bacterial vaginosis

Candidiasis

Commonly known as thrush or yeast infection, emissions from candidiasis are characterised as being whitish or whitish grey in colour, having a lumpy consistency similar to cottage cheese and a yeasty smell like beer or baking bread. These infections occur when the yeast organisms, which are always present, are affected by certain conditions, including pregnancy, and become out of balance with the other natural micro organisms.

For the treatment of thrush, various home remedies are said to work quite well. Ingestion or direct application of yoghurt will help to kill the yeast organisms as it contains lactobacillus which is a probiotic or "friendly bacteria". The use of garlic and boric acid are also said to be effective. Various prescription antifungal drugs exist to treat candidiasis:

• Clotrimazole (e.g. Canesten) whilst no adequate tests have been performed on pregnant women (as is common with most drugs), no adverse effects on the foetuses of pregnant animals have been found in tests.
• Nystatin (e.g. Mikostat, Mycostatin oral and Restatin) has a similar safety status to the above.
• Fluconazole (e.g. Diflucan, Flucand and Flucoheal) also has not been adequately tested on pregnant women.Tests on animals do indicate adverse effects and toxicity on foetuses but the drug could be prescribed if the benefits were thought to outweigh any potential dangers.
• Ketoconazole (e.g. Nizoral creams and shampoos) has a similar safety status to the above.
• Other drugs are used in more severe cases, usually in hospitals.

Sugar intake is a factor that affects yeast infections, and it is sometimes recommended that cutting back on refined sugars is a good idea.

Bacterial Vaginosis

This condition is also related to the balance of micro organisms present in the vagina, and is characterised by watery non irritant discharge with an unpleasant fishy smell. BV is thought to increase the risk of premature labour threefold, so it is especially important that it is treated. Antibiotics like metronidazole (e.g. Anazol and Elyzol) are used to treat BV. This drug although not adequately tested on pregnant women, has not been found to indicate any risks to animal foetuses in studies

Other Infections

Trichomoniasis is usually transmitted through sexual intercourse. Symptoms include soreness and a greenish yellow or grey discharge that is foul smelling. It can affect both sexes, therefore partners must also be treated to avoid passing it back and forth. Treatment is usually by prescribed antibiotics.

Chlamydia is also sexually transmitted and sometimes results in discharge. It is more common to have light bleeding especially after intercourse and sometimes pain in the pelvic and lower abdominal region.

Always consult a midwife, doctor or health visitor if you suspect an infection before attempting any course of action.

Non Infective Irritations

Non infective irritation, or non infective vaginitis, is fairly self explanatory. The symptoms are irritation, itching and sometimes vaginal discharge without there being any infection. Causes of this condition can be:

• Reaction to toiletries, vaginal deodorants, fabric softeners etc,
• Wearing tights, exercise pants etc,
• Sweating,
• Wearing a wet bathing suit,
• Sexual activity.
• Treatments for this condition should be discussed with a doctor. Precautionary measures include:
• Wearing cotton underwear
• Cleaning the vaginal area from front to back to avoid contamination
• Not wearing too constrictive clothing around vaginal area
• Not scratching
• Avoiding that which may trigger reaction, vaginal deodorants etc.

Cervical Ectropion (Cervical erosion)

This is a fairly common condition during pregnancy as it is affected by changes in hormones. It involves a shifting of a delicate membrane in the cervix area which contains mucus producing glands. This in turn can lead to vaginal discharge of a mucous like nature and also some light bleeding which is painless.

The Mucus Plug

The mucus plug is like a gel sealant inside the cervix which protects the foetus from infection by sealing the mouth of the uterus. Expulsion of the mucus plug is also sometimes called "bloody show". The mucous discharge is usually brownish yellow, sometimes pinkish in colour.

Along with a general increase and thickening of discharge that may occur as the pregnancy nears labour, there can be quite a lot of mucous when the mucous plug loosens, which can be a sign that labour is imminent. Although it could be a matter of hours, days or even weeks until the cervix becomes fully dilated.

Bleeding in Pregnancy

There are many reasons why vaginal bleeding may happen during pregnancy. Some of these reasons have already been covered. It is not unheard of for women to experience some bleeding during early pregnancy around the time they would normally have their menstrual cycle. In some cases this can continue throughout the pregnancy. There can also be some bleeding in the very early stages of pregnancy at the implantation stage of the fertilized egg. Bleeding can also occur later on due to the placenta embedding itself in the lining of the uterus.

Bleeding in early Pregnancy

Other reasons why bleeding could occur in the first trimester are threatened miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. In the case of threatened miscarriage, bleeding can be brown spotting, blood stained discharge or bright red bleeding. There could also be abdominal pain. A midwife or doctor should be consulted if there is any vaginal bleeding.

The highest time of risk for miscarriages is immediately after implantation. It is estimated that 50% of all fertilized eggs fail to remain in place. This results in many unnoticed miscarriages as the eggs simply come away with normal or slightly delayed periods. It is thought that 80% of all miscarriages happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, often around the times when the monthly cycle should be.

Ectopic pregnancy is where the embryo is implanted outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tube. This is a potentially very dangerous condition which could lead to haemorrhaging if not diagnosed in time. Abdominal pain, caused as the tube becomes distended, tends to happen around the second month of pregnancy, and vaginal bleeding is often also present. A scan will be taken to confirm any diagnosis of suspected ectopic pregnancy.

Bleeding in later stages of Pregnancy

Any bleeding that takes place after 28 weeks is known as ante-partum haemorrhage and could be caused by one of two potentially serious conditions.

Placenta praevia occurs when a low lying placenta blocks the entrance to the cervix. This complication affects approximately 0.5% of pregnancies. Women who are at greater risk of placenta praevia include those who have had caesarean delivery or an abortion.

Placental abruption occurs when the placenta comes away from the wall of the womb. This occurs in about 1% of pregnant women. A major factor in this complication is maternal hypertension.

If bleeding suddenly occurs in the late stages of pregnancy, the women should lie down and arrangements should be made to immediately get her to hospital. ( articlealley.com )

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Cancer checks 'a waste of time'

Cancer checks 'a waste of time'. Over the past 20 years, the number of reported cases of testicular cancer in Britain has doubled, to 1,400 a year. It is the commonest form of cancer in young men and is treatable is caught early.

Here Dr Keith Hopcroft reveals his controversial view on checking and screening for the cancer . . .

We are constantly told that men should routinely examine their testicles for lumps and bumps, and they shouldn't be surprised if their GP asks to check them, too.

On the face of it this seems to make perfect sense. Testicular cancer is the most common type of malignancy in young men, a group notorious for neglecting their health and avoiding doctors. And, of course, it's crucial to seek medical advice swiftly if there's even an inkling that something's untoward.

But there's just one problem: routine examination of the testicles to detect cancer, whether by doctor or patient, simply doesn't work. Worse than that, it may cause harm.

Testicular cancer is, thankfully, rare. The average male has an annual risk of developing the disease of about one in 25,000 and the average GP can expect to see one new case every 15 years.

Besides, the disease isn't usually 'silent': unlike the cervix, which tends to go through pre-cancerous changes requiring detection through smears, the testicle usually announces the presence of a cancer with obvious symptoms such as aching, heaviness or swelling. So the chances of a man or his doctor fumbling across an unsuspected testicular cancer are minuscule.

What is more, a man examining his testicles for lumps is quite likely to find some non-malignant part of his genital anatomy he has never previously noticed. The result is stress, an eventual courageous visit to the doctor, the possibility of unnecessary tests and more anxiety while he waits for the results.

The huge glare of publicity surrounding testicular examination has the potential to turn a trickle of men who've always tended to remain healthily cautious into a flood of cancer-fearing neurotics.

What evidence there is fits with the impression that, as a screening test, self-examination is lousy: most researchers in the field say it isn't worthwhile and many go so far as actively to discourage it.

There's no doubt that men's health is long overdue proper media and medical attention. The problem is that the genital fixation may backfire badly.

Quite apart from having no good scientific basis and the potential to create unnecessary worry, promoting testicular screening may simply discourage men from attending the doctor.

Serious delays in diagnosis are linked to the ways men behave - the problem is not a failure to notice symptoms but a reluctance to do anything about them. There's also the danger that this focus on testicular cancer will portray the disease as more evil than it really is. In fact, it is very treatable and often curable - in 90pc of cases.

Treatment is possible for all patients - and even those in whom the cancer has spread dramatically can end up with a clean bill of health.

So let's shout about men's health. Let's make men more aware of symptoms; make visits to the doctor more acceptable and less intimidating; make the NHS man-friendly. But let's not scare them witless or even scare them away.

Men should be able to keep their privates private and doctors should recall that one of the most fundamental ethical duties governing medicine is 'Primum non nocere' - first, do no harm. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Time to see a sex therapist!

Time to see a sex therapist! . Knowing when to consult a sex therapist can make or break your sex life, and probably your relationship. We list the signs you must look

out for

Given the hush-hush attitude that many people harbour towards sex, its not surprising that approaching a therapist for sexual issues is seen the last resort. In fact, it’s even considered unimportant. The result —frustration and strain on marital life. Here are the warning signs.

Why procrastinate

Guilt: Most people are taught to look down upon sexual desire as something shameful, vulgar and condemnable. Those who consciously suppress their sexual desire and refrain from sex are respected and often glorified. A young man feels guilty if he feels sexually aroused looking at a beautiful woman. A woman too, condemns herself for experiencing a normal sexual urge. In some cases, husbands even look down upon their wives for their expression of sexual urge! This attitude prevents people from seeing a therapist.

Quacks: Sadly, the city is full of quacks who pose as sex specialists. In most cases, these people are unqualified. With no proper medical degree, they propagate myths such as masturbation is harmful or nightfall is a disease. Understand that qualified medical practitioners are not legally allowed to publish or display any advertisement. Before visiting those so-called specialists, who put up big claims, remember to do a cross check. Compared to other specialists, qualified sex therapists are less in number. This lack of availability worsens the problem.

Not knowing when to consult: The third reason why people either hesitate or completely avoid consulting a sex therapist is due to a lack of clarity about when to consult. Women prefer visiting a gynecologist whenever they have complaints related to their genitals. However, sexual problems are often emotional, psychological or even relational in origin, and don’t always fall under the ambit of a gynecologist’s expertise. Clinical psychologists and counsellors on the other hand, have a psychology background and may not be able to provide sex therapy like a qualified doctor.

Consult a sex therapist when

Dealing with attitudinal issues: Often, the man or woman needs to deal with attitudinal issues regarding his or her own, or the partner’s role in the act. For instance, who should make the first move, what is the correct technique and duration of foreplay, the correct frequency of intercourse, when and where intercourse should be performed, who is supposed to be the active partner, etc.

Having perverted urges: Be it boredom or the need to experiment, men or women often engage in perverted sexual behaviour. If not dealt with properly, the urge can cause harm.

Unable to penetrate, perform: When a man is unable to penetrate during sex with a willing partner, it calls for a detailed investigation of the problem.

Unable to reach orgasm: A woman’s orgasm is probably the most befuddling of all topics. Consulting a sex therapist is advised if the woman is unable to experience orgasm during willing sexual encounters with a loving partner, in spite of active participation.

Getting married: It is amazing how much individuals often learn out of premarital counselling, as they deal with relationships at various levels.

About sexual orientation: Rather than grappling with guilt and confusion, and letting the perplexity affect you, it is better to visit a sex therapist. Not to forget, there are many grey areas of sexuality such as bi-curious and homocurious. ( indiatimes.com )

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Score Brownie Points With Your Spouse

Score Brownie Points With Your Spouse

The Issue: Chores

If you’re the husband:

We know you miss your bachelor days when the word “cleaning” meant taking a stack of pizza boxes down to the dumpster. But cut her some slack. Pick the household tasks it won’t kill you to do and tell your wife you’ll be responsible for those. Think of it as a chance to get in a little extra cardio each day.

If you’re the wife:

Feel like you’re saddled with the bulk of the chores? We hear you. But before you give him the cold shoulder (or “accidentally” dye his boxers magenta), make a list of all the things your spouse takes care of (the lawn, car maintenance, etc.) and give him credit before you rib him for never turning on the vacuum.

The game-changer:

Play “chore wars.” Deal each other cards with pictures of various chores on them. Once you have your hand, start bartering (i.e., trade the “dishes” card for the “taking out the trash” one). Then get up and get your jobs done. The person who completes their cards first gets to choose their prize (wink, wink).

The Issue: Sex

If you’re the husband:

If you could sum up your first few years of marriage, would you use the line: “I was told there’d be more sex”? Careful, buddy, you’re on a two-way street. If you don't make the goods enticing (yes, beyond 1-2-3 missionary) how will she come back for more? Next time, turn the focus all on her.

If you’re the wife:

Every couple is unique -- how often they do it, who initiates, and how much they experiment. The key is that both of you are satisfied. But if you feel like you’ve both fallen into a routine or one of you has unrealistic expectations, talk about it.

The game-changer:

Make a sex date once a week. Pick up a book like The Kama Sutra and set aside one night each week for a little game. Take turns closing your eyes, pointing to a page, and doing the frisky pose featured on that page.

The Issue: Cooking

If you’re the husband:

Whether you hate to cook or consider yourself a younger, hotter Tyler Florence, make it a team effort. Marinate the meat while she chops vegetables. Grocery shop and try some new recipes. If she works late, surprise her by cooking dinner and cleaning up after.

If you’re the wife:

Cooking for two every day -- or even just a few times a week -- may be a totally new experience for you. Let yourself off the hook by dressing up your favorite take-out items. Also, let your partner know that his help is totally welcome. Let him know that you won’t be the Top Chef police if he messes something up.

The game-changer:

If neither of you has skills in the kitchen, take a cooking class so you can learn together (check out your local community college for classes).

The Issue: Money

If you’re the husband:

Okay, so this isn't a great time to be spending. She’ll be beyond annoyed if you come home one more time with a new Xbox game since you “already have the console and that’s the most expensive part!” She wants things too, y'know.

If you’re the wife:

It’s easy to belittle your guy's choices when he’s blowing dough on fishing gear, but are your spending habits any better? Yes, we all need clothes, food, and shelter, but if those three things add up to a new Marc Jacobs purse, dinner out with the girls, and throw pillows for your crowded couch, check yourself!

The game-changer:

Set aside money in your monthly budget purely for entertainment purposes -- call it your own “slush fund.” Take that fun money and switch it up from month to month. For example, in June it’s divided equally among spouses, and June, you pool together for a fun weekend getaway. ( thenest.com )

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Breast cancer: how to reduce your risk

Breast cancer: how to reduce your risk. It's the disease women fear most - and new discoveries about genetic causes only make us feel more helpless. Yet there are changes we can make to help prevent it, says Jane Feinmann

The fear of breast cancer is a source of persistent anxiety for many women alongside a fatalistic feeling that, short of radical surgery, there's little if anything that can be done to reduce the risk of this frightening disease.

A report earlier this month of a newly discovered gene on chromosome 8, named NRG1, will have done little to reduce this anxiety. NRG1, a gene we all have, has been shown to act as a brake on the growth of tumours, stopping cancer cells from developing. Around one in two women with breast cancer has a damaged version of NRG1, effectively turning off the gene and thereby allowing cancer to develop.

Take control: mammograms save thousands of lives every year. Photo: Posed - Getty Images

Scientists say the breakthrough could lead to new ways of treating cancer. But, for many women, it's a further cause for concern. While genes are only responsible for a tiny percentage of breast cancers, it's worries about genetic susceptibility to breast cancer that particularly prey on women's minds.

For the increasing number of women who have a close relative diagnosed with breast cancer, there's a feeling that so many risk factors cannot be changed, with family history the number one cause for concern. But women are told they're also at greater risk if they have their first period at a younger than average age, if they are tall or thin, or if they have their first child over 30 or are childless - most of these factors beyond a woman's control.

Such pessimism is no longer appropriate, however. Here are some ways to help prevent the development of breast cancer - or at least to ensure that the disease is picked up and treated at the earliest possible moment.

Breast-feeding could save your life

There's been overwhelming evidence for some years showing that taking an "often and early" approach to motherhood reduces the breast cancer. Indeed the increase in rates of breast cancer in newly prosperous countries such as India and China is thought to be largely linked to the trend in these countries for having children later in life.

The findings on breast-feeding have been less clear-cut - until now. In September, researchers reported that breast-feeding for a minimum of three months reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer by a stunning 25 per cent - and it doesn't seem to matter if formula milk is also used and if the three months is spread over more than one infant.

The findings, reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, were the result of eight years of monitoring more than 60,000 women who had been recruited in the Nurses' Health Study in the US. The research team found that breast-feeding provided the greatest protection for women who had one or more close family member diagnosed with breast cancer - among this group, those who breast-fed had a 59 per cent reduced risk.

"This reduction in risk is comparable to that found in high-risk women who take hormonal treatments such as tamoxifen," said lead researcher, Dr Alison Stuebe of the University of North Carolina. "While family history is not modifiable, this is truly an action women can take to reduce their breast cancer risk."

Eat a low-fat diet- and get your daughters on the same regime

Women who eat a low-fat diet have lower levels of female hormones in their blood - and this reduces the risk of breast cancer, especially in the years after the menopause when body fat is the richest source of oestrogen. There is also some evidence that the earlier you start, the greater the impact. Research suggests that a low-fat diet in the teenage years has a major impact in establishing low levels of oestrogen in the blood levels and thus reducing the risk of breast cancer in adulthood. An ongoing study, however, is investigating the safety of encouraging a low-fat diet in teenagers, particularly with regard to the impact on the developing skeleton and the possible risk of osteoporosis.

Get sun-soaked

It's well known that breast cancer is most common in areas of the world that get the least sun. The reason seems to be that there's a correlation between breast cancer and low levels of vitamin D, which the body makes in response to the ultraviolet B rays of the sun, according to Canadian research. The study tested levels of the sunshine vitamin in 512 women with breast cancer and found that, over the following six years, those with the lowest levels were most likely to suffer a recurrence of the disease or to die of it. Laboratory and animal studies suggest that vitamin D may actually prevent breast cancer developing by curbing the growth both of abnormal cells and the blood vessels that feed tumours. Nutritional expert Dr Andrew Weil recommends that anyone at risk of vitamin D deficiency should take 1,000mg daily supplement of vitamin D3, the most easily absorbed type. "It isn't easy to get enough D from your diet," he says - though the best sources are fortified milk and cereals, eggs, salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines.

Take regular exercise throughout your life

Everyone needs to exercise - but it's particularly important for those at high risk of breast cancer. Recent research showed a reduction in the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer in women who spent a minimum of three hours a week exercising from their teenage years onwards. And, once you're past the menopause, the importance of exercise becomes even more crucial. Post-menopausal women who are overweight and exercising are at lower risk than those who are overweight and not exercising. Those who are a healthy weight and exercising are at lower risk than women who are a healthy weight but not exercising.

Know your family history

Eligibility for a mammogram could soon be based on a woman's genetic risk of developing breast cancer instead, experts predict. For a start, a simple mouth swab, currently under development, will make testing much easier. And scientists at Cambridge University have recently reported the discovery of a number of new genes, each of which individually has a modest impact on the risk of breast cancer - but which, in combination, can hand a woman "a bad hand of cards" genetically.

As more of these low-risk genes are identified over the next few years, it will make sense, scientists say, for women to get the test in their early 30s. Those at high risk of developing breast cancer could then be given access to regular mammograms, while older women at low risk could choose not to have mammography.

The researchers still have to prove that "these combination genes raise the risk of breast cancer in the real world, and that's a few years away", says Professor Sir Bruce Ponder of Cancer Research UK's Cambridge Research Institute. Until then, it's worth getting to know your family history in order to be alert to early signs of cancer. The red flags are women with a relative on either side of the family who have had pre-menopausal breast cancer, bilateral breast cancer (cancer that appears in both breasts) or ovarian cancer.

Avoid drinking to excess

According to Cancer Research UK, drinking raises the risk of developing breast cancer - but only minimally, unless you're consuming seriously unhealthy amounts of booze. In a review of the evidence published in June, it says that, by the age of 80, the number of women who will develop breast cancer will be 8.8 out of 100 if they don't drink at all, 10.1 if they have two drinks a day, and 13.3 if they have six drinks a day

Have regular mammograms

There are experts who claim that having a mammogram puts you at an increased risk of over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment and therefore is not worthwhile. However most experts agree that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. In Britain mammography has so far detected 117,000 cancers, saving around 1,250 lives every year and bringing a 35pc reduction in mortality in the 50 to 69 year age group.

Such statistics suggest that it is definitely worthwhile being tested even if it means having to go through a somewhat unpleasant test - and the good news is that a blood test which detects a breast-cancer fingerprint long before a tumour has started to grow could replace the mammogram within years. It's also worth bearing in mind that a positive mammogram is only the first step in a diagnostic procedure that involves a number of checks and tests before treatment is considered. (© Independent News Services)

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