Comprehensive men's sexual health information, tips and news about men's sexual health.

Cherries

Cherries, with their rich ruby-red colour, act primarily as a tonic for the blood. Being rich in magnesium, iron, copper and manganese, they are able to promote healthy blood development. The rich content of vitamin A and vitamin Ñ found in cherries helps to protect the body against the harmful effects of stress and toxic pollutants found in the air, making them useful in preventing cancer and illness. Cherries contain a miraculous substance which is believed to encourage the death of tumour cells.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits give you a burst of energy and exert useful anti-inflammatory actions. It is important to be wary when consuming citrus fruits as many are exposed to high amounts of food irradiation to protect them against the infestation of insects. Food irradiation creates many toxic effects on the body, which can promote cancer development. Try to buy organic citrus fruits when possible. Citrus fruits are rich in fibre and vitamins A and Ñ Vitamin Ñ is a potent cancer-fighting antioxidant, which helps to ward off stomach, breast, mouth, larynx, pancreas and oesophagus cancer.

Lemons, oranges, grapefruit, mandarins and limes contain strong anti-cancer compounds called limonene, which stimulate the body to produce cancer-inhibiting enzymes and help prevent some forms of cancer, particularly breast cancer. Dutch and Swedish research indicates that people who eat citrus fruit have less risk of getting cancer of the pancreas and stomach.

Grapefruits may protect against the development of cancer due to their high pectin and glutathione content. They also promote the elimination of old red blood cells from the body. In Japanese studies, grapefruit extract has been shown to stop tumour growth in animals. Grapefruit facilitates the removal of cancer-forming carcinogens within the intestines. Grapefruit contains glycyrrhizin, a compound also found in licorice, which is thought to prevent the growth of some forms of cancer and inhibit the activity of some carcinogens. Pink grapefruits are a rich source of a potent antioxidant known as lycopene. Lycopene helps to protect against breast and prostate cancer.

Lemons are an excellent source of the mineral phosphorous, required daily for repair and maintenance of the body’s nervous system. Phosphorous foods aid in repairing the brain, improve memory and promote creativity. Lemons also contain high amounts of sodium, which is beneficial for elimination of wastes, cleansing of the lymphatic system and prevention of hardened arteries.

Many people believe that lemons are acidic. This is true while they are in our fruit bowl. However, when they enter your stomach they become alkaline. It is this quality that allows lemons to help maintain the correct Ph in our body and also to act as a natural, internal antiseptic. A lemon a day will keep you clean and healthy on the inside and glowing with vitality on the outside.

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Bach Flower Remedies were discovered by the English physician, Edward Bach. His flower remedies, 38 in total, were discovered well over 50 years ago and are still widely used throughout the world today in the healing of many emotional problems. Edward Bach used essences from English plants and shrubs to restore vitality to the sick and ailing, so that the diseased person could overcome their worry, fear, depression or other emotional distress and restore health.

Bach flower remedies are prescribed according to the person’s state of mind. A disharmonious state of mind limits and prevents the recovery of physical health and is, in many cases, primarily the cause of sickness and disease.

The remedies are prepared from the flowers of wild English plants, bushes or trees. A state of mental imbalance and distress depletes an individual’s vitality, weakens the body’s immune system and prevents a person from overcoming cancer. When emotional peace and harmony is restored in the mind, health and strength will return to the body.

Negative states of the mind which will lead to disease include, fear, uncertainty, insufficient interest in present circumstances, jealousy, hate, despondency or despair, over sensitivity to influences and ideas, loneliness and over-care for the welfare of others. Flower essences are completely safe to use and will not affect the use of any other type of medicine. These remedies are designed to raise your vibrations, uplift your spirits and give you the power to bring about your own healing. After all, you are your own best doctor!

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Food for Life

The typical hospital food is often devitalized, lifeless and lacking in life-giving nutrients. Dieticians in hospitals follow their education, providing for patients a diet that falls into the ‘balanced food chart’ category. Often the food served in hospitals is a combination of overcooked vegetables, red meats filled with antibiotics, jelly, sugar-filled cordials, frozen fish, white processed bread, margarine, full-fat dairy products and sugary desserts. How is a person meant to heal rapidly and efficiently on such a devitalized diet, lacking in healing life-giving nutrients? The lack of quality in hospital food that is given to patients never ceases to amaze me.

I suggest asking friends and family to bring in salads, wholemeal bread, grilled ocean fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, herbal tea bags and your own juicer. If you wish to speed up your recovery, a healthy nutrient packed diet is the major key! Don’t forget the benefit of balanced nutritional supplements to add extra impact to your healing potential.

Healthy Connections

As human beings we are social creatures by nature, as well as solitary beings. We thrive on fulfilling relationships and connections with other beings including humans, plants and animals. If we are isolated and cut off from others, we tend to lose our vitality. Try to consciously open yourself to other people and express how you are really feeling -that is, if you are ready for this. Establish healthy relationships while in the hospital with other patients, staff and friends who visit you. Many nurses are wonderful listeners and caring souls who are willing to listen to your thoughts and feelings.

Don’t block yourself off from the nurturing energy of human compassion and understanding. Often we try not to upset loved ones by expressing negative feelings while in hospital. I recommend the opposite. Your loved ones are most likely in a stronger position than you at the moment – let them carry some of your emotional burden. Recovery is faster if you are given a chance to express your fears and apprehensions. Get them off your chest; this is the initial step to healing. Surround yourself with caring souls who are there to encourage your healing. Remove any people who may hinder your recovery to perfect health.

Many hospitals and aged care homes are now allowing ‘special dogs’ with calm temperaments to enter them. What a wonderful idea, as dogs are unconditionally loving creatures with the ability to bring new life, love and nurturing into people’s lives. They give a person who is ill something to look forward to and a new ray of inspiration to increase one’s fighting spirit. If we have something wonderful to live for, our mind is taken away from the possibility of dying and driven towards the hope and desire of living.

Television Trauma

Television can be a great distraction. It is often placed in hospitals as a form of entertainment. It can be useful in distracting the mind from thinking about your present illness, as the attention is taken away from your physical body, slightly decreasing the pain and physical suffering. However, it also limits you from exploring the deeper purpose and cause of your cancer or other illness, which can be easily accomplished without distractions. Having cancer is an opportunity to resolve inner conflicts, emotional trauma and fears and requires attention to be able to resolve these issues and beat your cancer.

Television decreases the body’s full breathing cycle and places the nervous system in a constant state of fear, excitement, anger and other jittery emotions. These feelings are fine if experienced naturally, but if over-stimulated through television drama and suspense they tend to interfere with normal digestive and immune functions. Television often has a negative influence on recovery time. If you plan to watch television while in hospital, watch programs that make you laugh, add sunshine to your day and make you feel much more positive.

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Will Chemotherapy Work for You?

Cancer cells, once exposed to a chemical agent such as chemotherapy, have the unique intelligence to create methods to improve their ability to cope and survive. This can result in a resistance to chemotherapy, which acts as an obstacle to treatment success. Cancer cells not only develop a resistance to the particular chemotherapy drugs being used, but also to other toxic drugs and chemicals that they have not yet encountered. Therefore, chemotherapy may initially seem to decrease cancer cells; however, as the cancerous cells develop their own methods of protecting against these drugs, the chemotherapy treatment will, in many cases, hit a plateau.

The effectiveness of chemotherapy depends largely on the condition of the cancer cell. If the tumour is hypoxic (lacking oxygen) or the mitochondrial function within the cell is compromised, chemotherapy is often of little value. Initially you may see a rapid decrease in the size of the tumour, however this is only a reflection of destruction of the weakest cancer cells, leaving the more resistant super-survivors to re-establish themselves and grow their own ‘city network’ again.

To be successful, chemotherapy needs to kill all cancer cells, otherwise it is just a technique for allowing the strongest cancer cells to survive and replicate themselves. Apart from this, chemotherapy leaves harmful toxins within the body that act as carcinogens and if not detoxified may cause the onset of secondary and more aggressive cancers.

Determining Whether Chemotherapy is Working

Certain medical tests and natural diagnostic tests can indicate how successful the chemotherapy treatment is. Blood testing, physical examinations, scans and x-rays are all orthodox diagnostic methods used to indicate how well treatment is working. There are also a number of alternative therapy tests that can offer insight into your present health condition, for example, Live Blood Analysis, Magnagraph testing and Computerized Iridology.

Never hesitate to ask the doctor about your results and what they indicate about your progress. Lack of side effects from the chemotherapy is not an indication that the treatment is not working. Side effects vary from person to person and treatment to treatment depending on many factors and what you are actively doing to assist your treatment.

Use the modern diagnostic techniques to monitor your condition and always ask your health practitioner how effective your treatment is and how your condition is improving. The doctor may tell you in the beginning, ‘we need to get your tumour markers down to 0 to ensure you are in remission’. Later you may find out this isn’t the case, as some doctors, perhaps even out of a misguided concern for your wellbeing, tend to keep you in the dark about your condition, assuming you don’t have the knowledge to comprehend or understand your own illness. Never let any doctor keep you in the dark, ask for details about everything, write down questions to ask at your next appointment and never be swayed from knowing everything about your condition.

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Signs in Detecting Cancer

The most important method of diagnosing and preventing cancer is to be your own best doctor. This means listening to your body, becoming aware of any changes in normal bodily functions and to not live with feeling slightly unwell or off balance. The body is a finely tuned instrument which gives you regular signs as to its discord – listen to your body and take affirmative action by consulting with a doctor or natural therapist the moment you notice any of these changes. Prevention of disease is a much easier path than trying to cure disease, once it is established.

Cancer will not go away if you ignore the symptoms. It is more likely to spread further, especially if your lifestyle and dietary patterns remain unchanged. Pain is not an early warning sign of cancer — cancer is often well advanced before any pain becomes noticeable. If you notice any changes in your normal body functions, seek further advice from a health professional.

Options for Orthodox Treatment

Orthodox medical treatment for cancer will vary with each person depending on the severity and type of cancer you have. The goals of orthodox treatment methods fall into three categories:

1. Curative

2. Palliative

3. Adjunctive

The most common types of conventional or orthodox treatment used to treat cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, biological treatments, hormone treatment, blood cell and bone marrow transplantation and cancer drugs. In recent years, immunotherapy has been added to the list of treatment modalities. A combination of a number of these different orthodox treatments may be used, according to your particular cancer.

In some cases only one type of treatment is used. This again depends on the type of cancer. If any of these forms of medical treatment sound overwhelming, you’re absolutely right. If you plan to undertake any of these forms of cancer treatment, be prepared and informed as to the side effects and complications. These can be many and varied.

New, more advanced cancer treatments are being studied and implemented every day. Always seek a number of opinions about your treatment and choose a doctor who specializes in your specific type of cancer. If you do not wish to undertake any of the orthodox cancer therapies offered to you, seek more advice. Knowledge is important. Find out about your type of cancer and other methods people have used to treat this. I believe it is wise to use alternative medicine in addition to orthodox treatment, to give your body the full support it requires. Try to choose a doctor who is open and accepting of both options.

Are There any Side Effects Associated With Orthodox Treatment?

Orthodox medical treatment of cancer is not without any long-term or short-term side effects. Many books about cancer forget to mention these relevant side effects and doctors often do not mention them, either. Doctors may feel telling patients everything could dissuade them from having valuable treatment against cancer, due to the many side effects associated with its use.

It is your right as a human being to know EVERYTHING about the treatment you will undertake and any side effects associated with its application. It’s no wonder many people, especially elderly people, decide not to follow through with normal medical cancer treatments, as the side effects can often make them feel much worse than when they actually have the cancer itself. Refer to individual chapters on chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy for a full list of side effects and natural remedies to counteract these. Natural medicine works fantastically in the prevention and alleviation of many of the side effects experienced with conventional cancer treatment.

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A health care provider can usually diagnose pubic lice by examining the affected areas,- in addition, the nits and lice can be examined under the microscope.

TREATMENT

Pubic lice are treated with topical creams, such as lindane shampoo, permethrin cream rinse, or pyrethrins with piperonyl butoxide. Some of these medications are available without a prescription. People in the following categories should not be treated with lindane: children younger than two years of age, pregnant or breast-feeding women, people with skin rashes that affect a large area of skin, and anyone with a neurological disorder. Lindane should not be applied to mucous membranes (in the eyes, mouth, or vagina), and it should not be applied after bathing.

The medications are applied to all infected areas (excluding the eyelashes), left on for a brief period (usually four to ten minutes, depending on the one used) and then washed off. Retreatment may be necessary if symptoms last more than a week after the first treatment. After treatment, the nits on the hair can be removed with a fine-toothed comb.

Lice infestation of the eyelashes is treated by applying a heavy layer of petroleum jelly to the eyelashes twice a day for about ten days. This kills the nits by smothering them. Standard lice treatments can be harmful to the eyes and therefore should not be applied to the eyelashes.

Bedding and clothing that has been in contact with an infected person within the last seventy-two hours must also be treated, either by washing it in hot water and drying it on the hot cycle of the dryer, by dry cleaning, or by keeping it away from contact with people for at least seventy-two hours, after which time the lice will have died.

Treatment of all sexual partners within the past month is recommended, even if they have no symptoms. Treatment of furniture and pets is not required. People who have not had intimate contact with the infected person, or who have not slept in the person’s bedding or worn his or her clothing, do not need to be treated.

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Tzanck Prep Test

The Tzanck prep test is not performed today as often as it was in the past, and it is less sensitive than culture in the diagnosis of herpes. This test is performed by scraping a lesion, putting the sample on a slide, staining it, and looking under the microscope for characteristic cell changes. It cannot distinguish between herpes type 1 and herpes type 2.

Antigen Detection

Antigen detection is performed from a lesion and can usually provide results more quickly than culture because nothing needs to “grow.” The test is designed to detect the antigens or proteins that are on the surface of the virus. Even in the scab stage, a lesion may have antigen present, so this test may be more sensitive than a culture in testing an older lesion. It cannot distinguish between the types of herpes, however, and a negative test does not rule out herpes.

Polymerase Chain Reaction Test

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is newer. It is intended to detect the genetic material of the herpes virus and is much more sensitive than culture tests. It is also much more expensive than culture tests and is not offered in all areas of the country. It can be used to test a lesion or spinal fluid to evaluate for herpes.

Pap Smear

Sometimes a Pap smear shows changes consistent with herpes if there is an outbreak on the cervix at the time the smear is performed, but the test is not a reliable screen for herpes. (See the section on genital warts for more information on the Pap smear.) In one study, in which women had active cervical inflammation from herpes that was confirmed by culture, the Pap smear detected the herpes virus only about 60 percent of the time.

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Cigarette smoking has also been linked to frequent recurrences, again probably because the practice suppresses the immune system. One study showed that women who smoke are four times as likely as nonsmoking women to develop visible warts. This finding probably applies to men as well. As discussed later, smoking is also a risk factor for the development of cervical cancer.

A lack of folate in the diet is another apparent cause of frequent recurrences. Folate (or folic acid) can be obtained by eating green, leafy vegetables or by taking a multivitamin daily Some studies have hinted at the role of antioxidants—such as vitamins A, C, and E, and beta-carotene—in helping to prevent cancer, including cervical cancer due to HPV. Studies have also shown that these nutrients may offer better protection if they are obtained through the diet rather than from a supplement.

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Arnie was still feeling blue after his separation from his lover following a relationship that had lasted for several years. After the breakup, Arnie decided that he didn’t want to date for a while and that he would concentrate on other aspects of his life—his job and friends and family. A few months later Arnie’s friend Alex invited him to a party. Not expecting to meet anyone new, Arnie was pleasantly surprised to meet Kyle, who was new in town. Kyle made Arnie laugh, which he felt he hadn’t done enough since the breakup.

After a few dates, things started to get serious, and after one romantic evening Arnie sensed that they were moving toward a sexual relationship. He told Kyle that he thought it would be a good idea if they used condoms when they had sex. Kyle was offended. “Why do you want to use condoms? It spoils the pleasure. Do you think that means I have an STD?” Arnie had always been very careful in the past, and he had never had a partner complain about condom use. He knew that even people who look and feel healthy can still be infected with an STD, and he worried that if Kyle was willing to have unprotected sex with him, it probably meant there had been unsafe sexual encounters in the past.

Kyle and Arnie decided to end the evening without becoming intimate. When they met for lunch the next day, Arnie explained what he knew about sexually transmitted infections and condom use, and how it meant that he cared enough about himself, and Kyle, to want to be safe. Kyle’s earlier comments, Arnie realized, indicated that Kyle had incomplete knowledge about STDs, but Kyle was willing to listen to the information Arnie provided. They decided to go to a local STD clinic and be tested for infections before becoming intimate.

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Hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are very common inflammations of the blood vessels in the anal area that occur with straining to have a bowel movement. They are not caused by a sexually transmitted organism. There is usually rectal pain, and there may also be bleeding from the anal area. The symptoms may disappear on their own, and they may recur.

Herpes. A person can become infected with herpes in the anal and rectal area through unprotected anal sex. In addition, a person may experience recurrences of genital herpes in the anal area or on the buttocks, whether or not he or she has ever received anal sex. This does not mean that the virus has spread; rather, it is just recurring in a different area. There may be sores (they often look like slits in the skin), rectal pain, difficulty having a bowel movement, rectal discharge, and bleeding.

Intestinal infections. There are many intestinal infections—such as those caused by giardia, salmonella, and shigella—that can be transmitted through unprotected anal sex with an infected partner. These infections can also be spread through actions unrelated to sex, such as ingesting contaminated food or water. Where the infection occurs—in the small intestine (enteritis), the rectum [proctitis], or a combination of the rectum and colon [proctocolitis)—determines what symptoms will develop. (See the section on proctitis, proctocolitis, and enteritis in Part II for a complete description.) There may be rectal pain, bleeding and discharge from the anal area, diarrhea (which may be bloody), and abdominal pain.

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