In people who have acne, dead skin cells mix with sebum (oil) produced by the skin and plug up hair follicles in the skin. Bacteria that grow in the plugged hair follicles cause more skin irritation. Acne commonly starts in the early teen years, when the oil glands in the body start making more sebum.
When the hair follicle becomes plugged with oil and skin cells, a “whitehead” occurs. If the follicle is plugged near the surface of the skin and air touches the plug, it turns black and is called a "blackhead." A blackhead isn't caused by dirt.
If the wall of a plugged hair follicle breaks, the area swells and turns into a red bump. If the hair follicle wall breaks near the skin surface, the bump usually becomes a pimple. If the wall breaks deep in the skin, acne nodules or cysts can form. This is called "cystic acne."
HOW TO REDUCE RISK FACTORS FOR CORONARY HEART DISEASE
Experts agree that the decline in death rates from heart disease in the United States is probably due largely in part to the public’s adopting a healthier lifestyle. Many deaths associated with heart disease are preventable. The key to prevention of coronary heart disease is related to many aspects of lifestyle. By modifying lifestyle factors, individuals themselves, hold the key to lowering their risk for developing and preventing illness and death from heart disease.
The American Heart Association offers the following recommendations for lowering your risk of heart disease:
The American Heart Association offers the following recommendations for lowering your risk of heart disease:
- Quit smoking. Cigarette smoking is considered the biggest risk factor for sudden cardiac death. Smokers’ risk of heart attack is more than twice that of a nonsmoker. Smokers’ who do suffer a heart attack are more likely to die than nonsmokers who have a heart attack are. By quitting smoking, an individual can immediately reduce their risk for heart disease.
- Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) increases the workload of the heart. Over time, the heart muscle become weakened and begins to enlarge. This increases the risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure. Adults should have their blood pressure checked regularly. Medication may be needed when lifestyle changes are ineffective in keeping the blood pressure within normal range. The goal for blood pressure is 140/90 or less.
- Control your blood cholesterol.As levels of cholesterol rise in the blood, the risk for coronary heart disease increases. By adopting a diet that is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, coupled with an increase in physical activity, it is often possible to reduce your cholesterol levels. When diet and exercise alone prove ineffective in reducing your cholesterol level, medications may be needed. Optimal blood cholesterol levels are LDL (low density lipids or "bad cholesterol) less than 160 mg/dl if no more than 1 risk factor is present or LDL less than 130 mg/dl if 2 or more risk factors are present. HDL (high-density lipids or "good cholesterol") greater than 35 mg/dl and triglycerides less than 200mg/dl are recommended.
- Increase your physical activity. Regular, moderate to vigorous intensity exercise plays a significant role in preventing heart disease. Studies have shown that moderate exercise, when done regularly, is beneficial in reducing your risk for heart disease. Regular exercise can also help to reduce your blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure, as well as decrease your risk for developing diabetes and obesity. It makes sense to become more physically active. Check with your doctor to see which type of exercise is best for you (visit healthAtoZ’s Fitness Center).
- Maintain and achieve a desirable body weight. Persons with excess body fat are more likely to develop coronary heart disease. Obesity not only puts undo strain on the heart muscle but it can adversely influence blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels, and increase your risk for developing diabetes. Even modest weight loss (10-20 pounds) can reduce your risk of heart disease. A body mass index of 21-25 is recommended.
- Consider estrogen replacement. Postmenopausal women are advised to talk with their doctor about the risks and benefits of estrogen replacement therapy. A decision on whether or not to begin estrogen replacement therapy should be made jointly, by a woman and her doctor, based on a woman’s overall risk factors for coronary heart disease and other existing health conditions.
- Maintain normal glucose levels. Diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease, even when your blood sugars are kept under control. If you have diabetes, it is very important for you to monitor and control as many risk factors for coronary heart disease as you can. If you do not have diabetes, get your blood sugar checked regularly to screen for this disorder.
- Attempt to control the amount of stress in your life. Some researchers have noted a connection between coronary heart disease and stress. Although scientists still do not know exactly how stress might increase your risk for heart disease, it is generally considered wise to try to avoid stressful events, especially if they seem to contribute to other unhealthy behaviors like over-eating, smoking, or increased alcohol consumption.
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Acne in Teens: Ways to Control It
Who gets acne?
Both boys and girls get acne. But it may be worse in boys because they have more skin oils. For many people, acne symptoms fade by the age of 25, but they can continue well into the adult years.
Family history also plays a role. If your mother and father had bad acne, you may have it, too.
Your immune system plays a role too. Some people are extra sensitive to the bacteria that get trapped in their hair follicles.
Family history also plays a role. If your mother and father had bad acne, you may have it, too.
Your immune system plays a role too. Some people are extra sensitive to the bacteria that get trapped in their hair follicles.
Things that often make acne worse
- Oil-based makeup, suntan oil and hair products
- Stress
- Hormonal changes, especially during menstruation
- Squeezing or picking at blemishes
- Hard scrubbing of the skin
Things that don't cause acne
- Dirt
- Chocolate or french fries
- Sexual activity
- Masturbation
How can acne be treated?
Many treatments are available for acne, including over-the-counter and prescription medicines.
Over-the-counter Treatments
Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the most common and most effective over-the-counter medicines for acne. These medicines kill bacteria, dry up the oil and make your skin peel off. They are available in many forms, such as gels, lotions, creams, soaps or pads. Keep in mind that it can take up to 8 weeks before you notice an improvement in the appearance of your skin. If an over-the-counter acne product doesn't seem to help after 2 months, talk to your doctor.
In some people, over-the-counter acne medications may cause side effects such as skin irritation, burning or redness. Tell your doctor if you have side effects that are severe or that don't go away over time.
In some people, over-the-counter acne medications may cause side effects such as skin irritation, burning or redness. Tell your doctor if you have side effects that are severe or that don't go away over time.
Prescription Medicines
If over-the-counter medicines are not effective, your doctor may prescribe a retinoid cream or gel. Retinoids, such as tretinoin and adapalene, are usually applied to the skin once a day. Be sure not to get them near your eyes, mouth and the area under your nose.
If you use a retinoid, you must avoid the sun or use a strong sunscreen because this medicine increases your risk of getting a sunburn. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not use a retinoid called tazarotene because it can cause birth defects.
If your acne is severe, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat it. Antibiotics such as minocycline, doxycycline and tetracycline reduce bacteria and inflammation, and can be used in combination with other treatments for acne, such as benzoyl peroxide. Antibiotics can be taken by mouth or used on the skin as a lotion, cream or gel.
Return to topIf you use a retinoid, you must avoid the sun or use a strong sunscreen because this medicine increases your risk of getting a sunburn. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not use a retinoid called tazarotene because it can cause birth defects.
If your acne is severe, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat it. Antibiotics such as minocycline, doxycycline and tetracycline reduce bacteria and inflammation, and can be used in combination with other treatments for acne, such as benzoyl peroxide. Antibiotics can be taken by mouth or used on the skin as a lotion, cream or gel.
How is severe cystic acne treated?
Isotretinoin may be used to treat severe cystic acne that doesn't get better with other treatments. It's a pill that is taken once a day by mouth for 15 to 20 weeks.
Pregnant women should never take isotretinoin. It can cause serious birth defects and miscarriages. A woman who is taking isotretinoin must use 2 types of birth control or not have sex starting 1 month before she begins taking the medication and lasting 1 month after she stops taking it.
There is a possibility that other serious side effects may occur, so people taking isotretinoin should be closely monitored by their doctor.
Pregnant women should never take isotretinoin. It can cause serious birth defects and miscarriages. A woman who is taking isotretinoin must use 2 types of birth control or not have sex starting 1 month before she begins taking the medication and lasting 1 month after she stops taking it.
There is a possibility that other serious side effects may occur, so people taking isotretinoin should be closely monitored by their doctor.
Does acne cause scars?
Acne, especially cystic acne, can cause scars in some people. You can help reduce scarring by not squeezing or picking at blemishes. Also, avoid scrubbing your skin. If you do get scars, treatments to help reduce scarring are available.
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All You Need to Know About Breast Cancer..!
Breast cancer is the one of the commonest malignancies afflicting women. In some parts it is the most common malignancy. It is currently estimated that one in 14 of all female children born will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
Breast cancer causes:
Despite extensive investigation into the cause of breast cancer there is still no known cause. However, a combination of environmental factors and genetic mutations are thought to be responsible for this cancer. In familial breast cancers, a molecular change in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 play a major role in the onset of the disease.
Breast Cancer Types
Breast cancer is mainly of two types:
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Following abnormalities in the breast anatomy are suggestive breast cancer symptoms:
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
The exact cause of breast cancer is not known and most likely involves many factors:
Geographical: It is much more common in the western world.
Gender: Women are a hundred times more likely to have breast cancer as compared to men.
Age: Breast cancer risk increases with age. 16% of women aged between 40-60 years have breast-related problems, and complain of breast lumps. In most of the cases, these breast lumps may carry a potential breast cancer risk.
Genetic: A family history of breast cancer will increase the risk of developing breast cancer in a woman by three to five times. Recently, a breast cancer gene (BR CA 1) has been identified. If a woman has this gene present in her chromosomes, there is an 85% chance of developing either breast or ovarian cancer, or both in her lifetime.
Hormonal: It appears to be more common in women who did not bear children. It is also less common in women who have their first child at early age.
Women who started their menstrual periods before age 12, those who delayed menopause until after age 55, and those who had their first pregnancy after age 30 have a mildly increased risk of developing breast cancer (less than two times the normal risk).
Fitness levels and life style related factors such as smoking are also some of the most commonly known breast cancer risk factors that can be checked.
Breast Cancer Prevention:
Cancer prevention though a very ambiguous concept due to their molecular cause of origin, can be achieved through small but effective changes made to lifestyle:
What factors have a protective effect?
Pregnancy and breast feeding have a protective effect in preventing breast cancer.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
Screening:
The prognosis of breast cancer is closely related to the stage of disease at the time of diagnosis, therefore screening for breast cancer is extremely important. Numerous studies have confirmed that populations which get screened for breast cancer yield patients having much smaller tumors with much better prognosis. Currently, mammography and breast examination serve as the foundation in screening for breast cancer. Mammography is an x-ray examination of the breast. It has the ability to detect a cancer in the breast when it is quite small, long before it may be felt by breast examination. Eighty-five to 90% of all breast cancers are detectable by mammography. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of breast cancers are not visible on mammography, but can be felt on physical examination of the breast.
The importance of Breast Self Examination cannot be overstressed. A percentage of breast cancers is not seen on mammography and it is extremely important for a woman to perform Breast Self Examinations.
Currently, it is recommended that a woman should have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40 years. Between 40 and 50 years of age mammograms are recommended every other year. After age 50 years, yearly mammograms are recommended at womens health care centers.
Other diagnostic tests and procedures:
Ultrasound: An ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to visualize structures inside the body. It is often used to distinguish between cysts and solid tumors in the breast. Fluid within cysts can be aspirated (withdrawn with a needle and syringe) for analysis in the laboratory.
Biopsy: It is a procedure which involves removal of a piece of tissue to analyze under the microscope. Biopsy still remains the only confirmatory test for breast cancer. If an area of the breast is suspicious for a cancer, a biopsy is usually performed to confirm or deny the diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Treatment:
In recent years, there has been an overwhelming explosion of life-saving treatment advances against breast cancer. So, once breast cancer is detected, one should go for the following treatment options:
Breast Cancer Awareness:
A pink ribbon is universally accepted as the emblem of breast cancer awareness campaign. It denotes the struggle of the breast cancer patients. It was in 1996, when the pink and the blue ribbon was first designed to create awareness of the fact that "Men Get Breast Cancer Too!”
Breast cancer causes:
Despite extensive investigation into the cause of breast cancer there is still no known cause. However, a combination of environmental factors and genetic mutations are thought to be responsible for this cancer. In familial breast cancers, a molecular change in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 play a major role in the onset of the disease.
Breast Cancer Types
Breast cancer is mainly of two types:
- Ductal carcinoma- occurs in milk ducts
- Lobular carcinoma- occurs in the milk secreting breast lobules
- In-situ breast cancer- cancer cells remains confined within their place of origin and do not attack surrounding breast tissue.
- Invasive or metastatic breast cancer- cancer cells break free of their place of origin, and spread to different parts of the body.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
Following abnormalities in the breast anatomy are suggestive breast cancer symptoms:
- Unusual swelling of all or one specific part of the breast
- Continuous skin irritation or dimpling
- Persisting pain in breast
- Persisting nipple pain or inversion of nipple
- Inflammation or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
- An unusual discharge from the nipple other than breast milk
- Lump in the underarm area
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
The exact cause of breast cancer is not known and most likely involves many factors:
Geographical: It is much more common in the western world.
Gender: Women are a hundred times more likely to have breast cancer as compared to men.
Age: Breast cancer risk increases with age. 16% of women aged between 40-60 years have breast-related problems, and complain of breast lumps. In most of the cases, these breast lumps may carry a potential breast cancer risk.
Genetic: A family history of breast cancer will increase the risk of developing breast cancer in a woman by three to five times. Recently, a breast cancer gene (BR CA 1) has been identified. If a woman has this gene present in her chromosomes, there is an 85% chance of developing either breast or ovarian cancer, or both in her lifetime.
Hormonal: It appears to be more common in women who did not bear children. It is also less common in women who have their first child at early age.
Women who started their menstrual periods before age 12, those who delayed menopause until after age 55, and those who had their first pregnancy after age 30 have a mildly increased risk of developing breast cancer (less than two times the normal risk).
Fitness levels and life style related factors such as smoking are also some of the most commonly known breast cancer risk factors that can be checked.
Breast Cancer Prevention:
Cancer prevention though a very ambiguous concept due to their molecular cause of origin, can be achieved through small but effective changes made to lifestyle:
- Restricted alcohol consumption
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Inclusion of limited fat in diet
- Regular exercise
- Avoiding unnecessary consumption of antibiotics
- Reverting to organic food free of pesticides
What factors have a protective effect?
Pregnancy and breast feeding have a protective effect in preventing breast cancer.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
Screening:
The prognosis of breast cancer is closely related to the stage of disease at the time of diagnosis, therefore screening for breast cancer is extremely important. Numerous studies have confirmed that populations which get screened for breast cancer yield patients having much smaller tumors with much better prognosis. Currently, mammography and breast examination serve as the foundation in screening for breast cancer. Mammography is an x-ray examination of the breast. It has the ability to detect a cancer in the breast when it is quite small, long before it may be felt by breast examination. Eighty-five to 90% of all breast cancers are detectable by mammography. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of breast cancers are not visible on mammography, but can be felt on physical examination of the breast.
The importance of Breast Self Examination cannot be overstressed. A percentage of breast cancers is not seen on mammography and it is extremely important for a woman to perform Breast Self Examinations.
Currently, it is recommended that a woman should have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40 years. Between 40 and 50 years of age mammograms are recommended every other year. After age 50 years, yearly mammograms are recommended at womens health care centers.
Other diagnostic tests and procedures:
Ultrasound: An ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to visualize structures inside the body. It is often used to distinguish between cysts and solid tumors in the breast. Fluid within cysts can be aspirated (withdrawn with a needle and syringe) for analysis in the laboratory.
Biopsy: It is a procedure which involves removal of a piece of tissue to analyze under the microscope. Biopsy still remains the only confirmatory test for breast cancer. If an area of the breast is suspicious for a cancer, a biopsy is usually performed to confirm or deny the diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Treatment:
In recent years, there has been an overwhelming explosion of life-saving treatment advances against breast cancer. So, once breast cancer is detected, one should go for the following treatment options:
- Surgery
- Radiation
- Surgery followed by Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Combined Therapy
- Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer
- Hormonal Therapy - Aromatase Inhibitors
- Targeted Therapies
- Complimentary and Holistic Medicines
- Angiogenesis Inhibitors Therapy
Breast Cancer Awareness:
A pink ribbon is universally accepted as the emblem of breast cancer awareness campaign. It denotes the struggle of the breast cancer patients. It was in 1996, when the pink and the blue ribbon was first designed to create awareness of the fact that "Men Get Breast Cancer Too!”
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How To Prevent Obesity Among Teenagers??
OBESITY AMONG TEENS
Due to bad eating habits obesity among children and teenagers has crossed the border line. Obesity not only creates health problems but it also discourages the confidence and self image of the teenagers. Every one wants to have a perfect figure and this is more apparent among teenage girls. Teenagers with obesity suffer from various kinds of psychological problems. Here are explained causes of teeage obesity and ways to prevent obesity among teeagers.
Adopting unhealthy lifestyle : Thee are various factors that can cause obesity among teenagers and unhealthy lifestyle is on the top in the list. Teenager get frequently allured with captivating ads of junk foods andfizzy drinks. They should understand the long term harmful effects of junk foods. They should avoid such foods to prevent obesity and other health related problems.
Sedentary lifestyle and Parties : It is one of the major cause of obesity among teenagers. They should take regular exercise to keep them fit and healthy. Teenagers often throw parties that can lead them to indulge in drinking. Drinking also causes obesity. It is harmful for health and also enemy of your perfect figure.
Stressful lifestyle: During teenage relationship are often made and broken instantly that indulges them to emotional eating and which causes obesity among them. Teenager can de-stress and relax themselves with the practice of meditation and self control. It will make their life positive and healthy.
Hormonal problem : Some hormonal changes in teenagers can also cause obesity. Teenagers having such problem should be diagnosed in time for treat them timely.
Take healthy diet : Teenagers should take healthy diet consists of vegetables and fresh fruits. They should reduce the intake of foods having rich calories, sweet items and should avoid fast foods.
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Premarital Sex (Right OR Wrong???))
Premarital Sex - Positives and Negatives
"Is it ok to have premarital sex?" That is a common question among teens and engaged couples. Perhaps you are in a relationship that is progressing in that direction, but you're not sure what to do. In your mind, you are probably weighing the pros and cons of premarital sex. On the positive side of the scale, there is acceptance from your peers, hope for pleasure, and the fulfillment of sexual desires. The negative side of the scale carries the weights of morals, fear of pregnancy or disease, and guilt. How do these scales balance? What is the right decision? Let's take a look at some of the facts.
Premarital Sex - Is it Moral?
Morality is a factor for many people when deciding whether or not to have premarital sex. Is it a factor for you? After all, the messages we receive from most TV shows and movies these days tells us "everyone is doing it." In light of today's permissive attitude, your peers may think you're weird to even question it.
But maybe there is something inside you, like a voice in your head, that is making you uncertain about whether or not sex before marriage is a right or wrong action. Many people refer to this voice as their conscience. How can you know if your "conscience" is right? People all around the world look to the Bible as a moral or religious book, so let's see what it says about premarital sex.
The Bible refers to premarital sex as fornication. That's a word we don't hear much these days, so what does it mean? Fornication is sexual intercourse between people who are not married to each other. The only distinction the Bible makes between premarital sex and adultery is that adultery involves married persons while fornication involves those who are unmarried. Premarital sex is just as much of a sin as adultery and all other forms of sexual immorality. They all involve having sexual relations with someone you are not married to.
The Bible explains, "…The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body" (1 Corinthians 6:13). Verse 18 of this chapter goes on to say, "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." Galatians 5:19 speaks the same, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity…" Ephesians 5:3 says it most plainly, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." From these verses, we see that the Bible promotes complete and total abstinence from premarital sex.
And so does many other holy books like Bhagvat geeta( Hindu) Quran (Muslim) etc..explains the abstinence from premarital sex..!!
Premarital Sex - Is it Safe Physically and Emotionally?
Another consideration when deciding about premarital sex is safety. Did you know that 50% of the people who currently have HIV are between the ages of 15 and 24?1 Using a condom only reduces the risk of contracting HIV by 85%. Condoms do not significantly reduce the risk of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases.2 Take these statistics into consideration when making your decision.
Most people don't consider the emotional effects of premarital sex. You see, sex is an emotional experience and it affects our lives in ways we don't understand. After engaging in premarital sex, many people express feelings of guilt, embarrassment, distrust, resentment, lack of respect, tension, and so much more. As you read the next section, consider God's love for you as a primary reason for sexual purity. God does not want you to experience unnecessary emotional pain!
Premarital Sex - Recreation or Re-creation?
In discussing premarital sex, we often focus on the "recreation" aspect of it. Yes, sex is pleasurable. God, our Creator, designed it that way. It may be hard to think of God creating sex, but He did! In God's plan, sex was designed for married couples to enjoy the pleasure and excitement of sexual relations. The Bible talks about this in Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." God created sex to be fun, exciting, and pleasurable. At the same time, though, it is clear in the Bible that God restricts sexual activity to married couples.
Why is this? Yes, sex is pleasurable, but in God's view, the primary purpose of sex is not recreation, but rather re-creation. In other words, sex is for reproduction. God does not limit sex to married couples to rob pleasure from those who are unmarried. Rather, God commands against premarital sex in order to protect unmarried people from unwanted pregnancies, from children born to parents who do not want them, and to protect children from parents who are not prepared for them. Imagine, for a moment, a world without premarital sex. There would be no sexually-transmitted diseases, there would be no un-wed mothers, there would be no unwanted pregnancies, there would be no abortions, etc. According to the Bible, abstinence is God's only policy when it comes to premarital sex. Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, gives sexual relations the proper value, and most importantly abstinence honors God.
"Is it ok to have premarital sex?" That is a common question among teens and engaged couples. Perhaps you are in a relationship that is progressing in that direction, but you're not sure what to do. In your mind, you are probably weighing the pros and cons of premarital sex. On the positive side of the scale, there is acceptance from your peers, hope for pleasure, and the fulfillment of sexual desires. The negative side of the scale carries the weights of morals, fear of pregnancy or disease, and guilt. How do these scales balance? What is the right decision? Let's take a look at some of the facts.
Premarital Sex - Is it Moral?
Morality is a factor for many people when deciding whether or not to have premarital sex. Is it a factor for you? After all, the messages we receive from most TV shows and movies these days tells us "everyone is doing it." In light of today's permissive attitude, your peers may think you're weird to even question it.
But maybe there is something inside you, like a voice in your head, that is making you uncertain about whether or not sex before marriage is a right or wrong action. Many people refer to this voice as their conscience. How can you know if your "conscience" is right? People all around the world look to the Bible as a moral or religious book, so let's see what it says about premarital sex.
The Bible refers to premarital sex as fornication. That's a word we don't hear much these days, so what does it mean? Fornication is sexual intercourse between people who are not married to each other. The only distinction the Bible makes between premarital sex and adultery is that adultery involves married persons while fornication involves those who are unmarried. Premarital sex is just as much of a sin as adultery and all other forms of sexual immorality. They all involve having sexual relations with someone you are not married to.
The Bible explains, "…The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body" (1 Corinthians 6:13). Verse 18 of this chapter goes on to say, "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." Galatians 5:19 speaks the same, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity…" Ephesians 5:3 says it most plainly, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." From these verses, we see that the Bible promotes complete and total abstinence from premarital sex.
And so does many other holy books like Bhagvat geeta( Hindu) Quran (Muslim) etc..explains the abstinence from premarital sex..!!
Premarital Sex - Is it Safe Physically and Emotionally?
Another consideration when deciding about premarital sex is safety. Did you know that 50% of the people who currently have HIV are between the ages of 15 and 24?1 Using a condom only reduces the risk of contracting HIV by 85%. Condoms do not significantly reduce the risk of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases.2 Take these statistics into consideration when making your decision.
Most people don't consider the emotional effects of premarital sex. You see, sex is an emotional experience and it affects our lives in ways we don't understand. After engaging in premarital sex, many people express feelings of guilt, embarrassment, distrust, resentment, lack of respect, tension, and so much more. As you read the next section, consider God's love for you as a primary reason for sexual purity. God does not want you to experience unnecessary emotional pain!
Premarital Sex - Recreation or Re-creation?
In discussing premarital sex, we often focus on the "recreation" aspect of it. Yes, sex is pleasurable. God, our Creator, designed it that way. It may be hard to think of God creating sex, but He did! In God's plan, sex was designed for married couples to enjoy the pleasure and excitement of sexual relations. The Bible talks about this in Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." God created sex to be fun, exciting, and pleasurable. At the same time, though, it is clear in the Bible that God restricts sexual activity to married couples.
Why is this? Yes, sex is pleasurable, but in God's view, the primary purpose of sex is not recreation, but rather re-creation. In other words, sex is for reproduction. God does not limit sex to married couples to rob pleasure from those who are unmarried. Rather, God commands against premarital sex in order to protect unmarried people from unwanted pregnancies, from children born to parents who do not want them, and to protect children from parents who are not prepared for them. Imagine, for a moment, a world without premarital sex. There would be no sexually-transmitted diseases, there would be no un-wed mothers, there would be no unwanted pregnancies, there would be no abortions, etc. According to the Bible, abstinence is God's only policy when it comes to premarital sex. Abstinence saves lives, protects babies, gives sexual relations the proper value, and most importantly abstinence honors God.
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Understanding Healthy Sex
What is Healthy Sex?
Sexual energy is a powerful, very natural force in our lives. But like any natural force we encounter -- be it wind, sun, rain, or our own laughter -- our sexual energy has the potential to be channeled and experienced in either destructive or life-affirming ways.Healthy sex involves the conscious, positive expression of our sexual energy in ways that enhance self-esteem, physical health, and emotional relationship. It is mutually beneficial and harms no one.
Negative influences and problems
Unfortunately, we live in a society that constantly bombards us with images of sex that have very little to do with healthy sexuality. In movies, on television, in books, over the Internet, and in magazines, we are exposed to countless examples of impulsive, irresponsible, uncaring sex. People are treated as sex objects and sex is often portrayed as a form of power and control over another person. It’s no wonder that many of us have experienced some tragic consequences of poorly channeled sexual energy, such as sexual abuse, sexual addiction, porn problems, sexual exploitation, sexually transmitted disease, unwanted pregnancy, and/or chronic sexual unhappiness.The number of people harmed by sexual experiences is staggering. Studies in the United States reveal that:
- 1 in 3 females are sexually abused in childhood.
- 1 in 5-7 males are sexually abused in childhood.
- 1 in 4 women are raped sometime in their lifetime.
- 1 in 2 sexually active people will contract a sexually transmitted disease by twenty-five years of age.
- 1 in 4 people suffer from a sexually transmitted disease sometime in their lives.
- 1 in 3 women have at least one abortion by the time they are forty-five years of age.
- 1 in 7-10 people develop a sexual addiction.
- 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men report that sex gives them no pleasure.
What’s been missing
Most of the sex education available in the world today, focuses on reproduction, birth control and disease prevention. While this is important information, it stops short of helping us learn what we need to know to prevent sexual abuse, addiction, and dissatisfaction. In addition, many of us need new information to overcome problems caused by past sexual hurts so that we can go on to experience healthy and deeply satisfying sexual intimacy with a partner.As sex and relationship therapists, we speak with many people who have trouble conceptualizing healthy sexuality. They want to know: “How does healthy sex differ from sexual abuse?”, “How does healthy sex differ from sexual addiction?”, and “What are the conditions necessary to ensure that the sex I’m experiencing is good for me and for my sexual partner?”
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Health Problems We Face Today..!!
Today, the nations of the world are more closely tied than ever before. But most of the people living in the cities suffer from heavy pollution, fast paced life and stress. Due to this overload, there are many side effects involved in this process. In the world we live in today, many influences strive to pull us away from the healthy life we could lead, to a life full of stress, disease, and general poor health.
There is no doubt that advances in modern medicine and in other technologies have increased our average life expectancy and decreased child mortality rates. But strangely there are new health risks and diseases that are coming to notice. Here are some of them.
Earbuds Related Hearing loss
Studies suggest that earbud headphones that are so popular for iPods and other portable music devices may lead to hearing loss. Earbuds are placed directly in the ear and can boost the sound signal by as much as six to nine decibels (equivalent to difference in intensity between the sound made by a vacuum cleaner and the sound of a motorcycle engine). Researchers also found that teens usually listen to such devices at 110 to 120 decibels (equivalent to the sound levels at rock concerts) - loud enough to cause hearing loss after only an hour and 15 minutes.
Tips
- Use the MP3 devices, including iPods, no more than about an hour a day and at levels below 60 percent of maximum volume. Reduce the volume further and use different headphones (that fit outside the ear canal) to listen for longer durations.
- Use noise-canceling headphones that eliminate background noise so you don't fell the need to increase volume.
- Remove yourself from loud background noise places, or do not listen to music when you are in those places.
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is a serious problem for the millions of people who spend hours in front of a computer every day. Computer vision syndrome is a condition involving headaches; eye strain; dry, irritated, or burning eyes; neck pain; blurred or double vision; difficulty refocusing the eyes; and sensitivity to light. These symptoms can be further aggravated by improper workstation setup, poor lighting (for example, bright overhead lighting or glare). and air moving past the eyes (for example, direct air from a fan).
While working long hours focusing on computer screens can decrease your blink rate to as low as 6-8 blinks per minutes as compared to normal blink rate of 16-20 per minute. This leads to dry eyes. Also, the near focusing effort required for such long hours puts strain on ciliary muscles of the eye leading to a feeling of tiredness in the eyes.
Tips
- Place your monitor directly in front of you, not off to one side to minimize eye movement.
- It should be about 20 to 26 inches away from you with top of the screen at eye level. This is because the ideal gaze angle is 10 to 20 degrees below the eye.
- Adjust lighting to remove any glare or reflections.
- Concentrate on blinking whenever you begin to sense symptoms of dry or irritated eyes.
- Every 20 to 30 minutes, look away from your monitor and focus on a distant object for 20 seconds. Or, close your eyes for 20 seconds every half hour.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry. People with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about health, money, family, or work. This excessive worry often interferes with day-to-day activities and relationships and makes it hard to enjoy life.
Although the disorder often manifests without any specific cause, large issues of modern life (such as the economy, terrorism, and crime) can bring it about, as can individual circumstances like stress and dealing with an illness. Symptoms include fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, difficulty concentrating, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, restlessness, and insomnia.
Tips
- Deal with your worry and anxiety in more productive ways like positive thinking when you feel stressed.
- Make any necessary anxiety-reducing lifestyle changes like a healthy diet, exercise and ample of sleep
- Learn and practice relaxation techniques like breathing, meditation etc.
E-thrombosis
E-thrombosis is related to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), associated with long-haul air travel, where blood clots (thrombus) form in deep veins, such as those in the legs. Clots can form when blood supply slows or stops, such as in a period of prolonged immobility. People who work or play for long amounts of time in front of a computer without moving are at increased risk of it. These clots can be fatal if they migrate to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.
Tips
- Make sure your chair does not compress the uppers and sides of your legs, and that there are no sharp edges to the front of the chair.
- Sit on a fitness ball instead of the chair or stool.
- Stand up and walk around for five to ten minutes every hour.
- Avoid sitting at your desk with legs crossed.
- Frequent foot and leg exercises, even whilst sitting at the desk will help a great deal.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, involves intense fear of certain social situations. Underlying social anxiety disorder is the fear of being scrutinized, judged, or criticized by others. These social situations may be so frightening that some people can get anxious just thinking about them or go to great lengths to avoid them.
Physical symptoms often accompanying social anxiety disorder include sweating (hyperhidrosis), excessive blushing, trembling, palpitations, nausea, and stammering often accompanied with rapid speech. Panic attacks may also occur under intense fear and discomfort. Although the exact cause is not known, but social anxiety disorder is probably due to a combination of environmental and hereditary factors.
Tips
- When the anxiety starts coming up, take a few deep and slow breathes.
- Volunteer doing something you enjoy.
- Social skills training may help people learn appropriate behaviors.
- Psychodynamic therapy may help address the potential influences of the patient's early life experiences.
Orthorexia Nervosa
Good nutrition is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. However, for some people, healthy eating can turn into an unhealthy obsession leading to an eating disorder known as orthorexia nervosa. People with orthorexia nervosa spend large amounts of time thinking about healthy food, frequently planning menus a day in advance. They may take a healthy diet to extremes often leading to restricting their diets to the point that they become underweight. However, unlike patients suffering from anorexia nervosa (an eating disorder driven by a desire to be thin), individuals with orthorexia nervosa seek to attain optimum nutrition and purity through their diets.
Tips
- Eat more healthily with positive effect on health and without reducing the enjoyment of life
- Counseling and social support are key components of orthorexia nervosa treatment.
We have briefly touched on some of the problems and challenges of the modern world which keep us from enjoying optimum health. Having a holistic understanding of ourselves and what we can do to make ourselves healthier on a myriad of levels will prevent illness, even in the increasingly stressful modern world.
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