MANAGING STRESS...

Stress can hit you when you least expect it—before a test, after an accident, or during conflict in a relationship. While everyone experiences stress at times, a prolonged bout of it can affect your health and ability to cope with life. That’s why social support and self-care are important. They can help you see your problems in perspective…and the stressful feelings ease up. Sometimes stress can be good. For instance, it can help you develop skills needed to manage potentially threatening situations in life. However, stress can be harmful when it is severe enough to make you feel over¬whelmed and out of control. Strong emotions like fear, sadness, or other symptoms of depression are normal, as long as they are temporary and don’t interfere with daily activities. If these emotions last too long or cause other problems, it’s a different story. Symptoms of Stress Common reactions to a stressful event include: Physical or emotional tension are often signs of stress. They can be reactions to a situation that causes you to feel threatened or anxious. Stress can be positive (such as planning your wedding) or negative (such as dealing with the effects of a natural disaster).

1. Disbelief and shock
2. Tension and irritability 
3. Fear and anxiety about the future 
4. Difficulty making decisions 
5. Being numb to one’s feelings 
6. Loss of interest in normal activities 
7. Loss of appetite 
8. Nightmares and recurring thoughts about the event 
9. Anger 
10. Increased use of alcohol and drugs 
11. Sadness and other symptoms of depression 
12. Feeling powerless 
13. Crying 
14. Sleep problems 
15. Headaches, back pains, and stomach problems 
16. Trouble concentrating 

Tips for Self-Care The best ways to manage stress in hard times are through self-care: • Avoid drugs and alcohol. They may seem to be a temporary fix to feel better, but in the long run they can create more problems and add to your stress—instead of take it away. • Find support. Seek help from a partner, family member, friend, counselor, doctor, or clergyperson. Having a sympathetic, listening ear and sharing about your problems and stress really can lighten the burden. • Connect socially. After a stressful event, it is easy isolate yourself. Make sure that you are spending time with loved ones. Consider planning fun activities with your partner, children, or friends. • Take care of yourself. o Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet o Exercise regularly o Get plenty of sleep o Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out—for example, treat yourself to a therapeutic massage o Maintain a normal routine • Stay active. You can take your mind off your problems by giving— helping a neighbor, volunteering in the community, even taking the dog on a long walk. These can be positive ways to channel your feelings.


CREDIT: Holy Family Hospital- Techiman

Sex Burns More Calories Than A Walk

It has long been hailed as the cheat's way to exercise - while having fun.

And now Canadian researchers claim to have discovered exactly how many calories the average person burns during sex.

They say that in young people, sex burns an average of 4.2 calories a minute for men and 3.1 calories a minute for women.

With the average session lasting 24.7 minutes, this equates to 104 calories for men and 69 for women.

This makes it better exercise than a walk - but not as good as jogging.

The researchers, from the University of Quebec at Montreal, looked at 21 heterosexual couples aged between 18 to 35.

During four sex sessions at home, couples wore a SenseWear armband that tracked their energy expenditure.

They also answered questions on how tired they were afterwards, how much effort they put in and how much they enjoyed it.

Participants had previously undergone a half hour treadmill test so the researches could measure how many calories they burned during exertion - and then compared the readings from the armband worn during sex.

Men, for example, burned 9.2 calories per minute on the treadmill - but only 4.2 in the bedroom.For women, this fell to 7.1 calories while jogging.

And, to help settle another holy grail question, the average recorded session lasted for 24.7 minutes - the shortest being 10 and the longest 57 minutes.

While the figures aren't quite the marathon calorie burn some might hope for, they are better than those suggested in previous research.

David Allison, a biostatistician at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, found that the average person burns a mere 21 calories during the average session.

He discovered that sex lasted six minutes on average - 'disappointing, isn't it?' - and that the energy output equated to a paltry 20 or so calories - about the same as walking.

However, if done with enough gusto, sex can still count as 'significant exercise', the Quebec researchers said, reporting in the journal PLOS ONE.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Eating Oily Fish Twice A Week Could Help You Live Two Years Longer

FISH

Eating fish could help you live at least two years longer, claim researchers.

Older people who have higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish and seafood cut their risk of dying prematurely by a quarter.

U.S. scientists also found the risk of dying from heart disease was reduced by one third compared with adults who had lower blood levels of fatty acids.

It is the first study to check for levels of fish consumption and link them with death rates.

Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Washington found adults aged 65 and with the highest blood levels of the fatty acids lived, on average, 2.2 years longer than those with the lowest levels.

Lead author Dariush Mozaffarian, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at HSPH, said: ‘Although eating fish has long been considered part of a healthy diet, few studies have assessed blood omega-3 levels and total deaths in older adults.

‘Our findings support the importance of adequate blood omega-3 levels for cardiovascular health, and suggest that later in life these benefits could actually extend the years of remaining life.’

Fish provides omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for brain development and which are also thought to reduce inflammation of the brain, cardiovascular system and other cells.

But surveys suggest nine out of ten children and two-thirds of adults in Britain never eat it.

Previous studies have found that fish reduces the risk of dying from heart disease, and fish oil supplements are sometimes taken for this reason.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

FDA uncovers massive fraud by 3 giant pharmaceutical companies, lives of millions at risk

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has uncovered widespread fraud by three giant Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies that has put the lives of millions at risk of real fatality.

The three companies - including Lymens Medical Supplies Limited and Sarkuff Pharmacy - are alleged to have fraudulently imported unregistered, fake and substandard medicines.

The FDA found that these “dangerous drugs” have already been supplied to hospitals and pharmacy shops across the country for use.

The authority has in a massive nationwide operation seized large quantities of the medicines.

The alarming part of the FDA report noted that the fake, substandard and contaminated imported Oxytocin and Ergometrine injections when given to women will fail to control bleeding after child delivery and could result in death.

The FDA said Lymens Medical Limited supplied unregistered, substandard and contaminated Oxytocin-Lytocin injections to regional medical stores and hospitals in Greater Accra, Volta, Eastern, Ashanti and Western Regions.

The substandard and contaminated Oxytocin injections according to the FDA were manufactured in China by companies with no addresses.

The owner of Lymens Medical Supplies Limited has failed to provide the addresses of these companies to the FDA while efforts by the FDA to get the addresses of these companies yielded no results raising the suspicion of the non-existence of the said companies.

A third company is said to have registered Ergometrine injection from Ciron Drugs in India with the FDA, however samples of the product purchased from hospitals countrywide were found to be substandard as they contained no active pharmaceutical ingredients.

The company has also supplied unregistered and substandard Oxytocin injection manufactured in China by Anhui Medihel Company Limited to hospitals and other health facilities throughout the country.

Sarkuff Pharmacy on the other hand, supplied fake Oxytocin, Ergometrine and quinine injections to the Saltpond Government Hospital and other pharmacies.

The medicines were manufactured in India, Pakistan and China for pharmacies in Nigeria with addresses like Onitsha and Agege Motor Road.

Sarkuff Pharmacy claimed that the drugs were bought from Nigerian drug peddlers at Okaishie in the Central business district of Accra.

The three companies are assisting the FDA and the police in further investigations, while hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and the general public are hereby being advised to be careful when purchasing medicines from these companies.

Issaka Collison Kofi of FDA’s Drug Inspectorate Unit told Joy News, these products are very dangerous “because we are talking of Uterotonics and Antibiotics. When you talk of Uterotonics, they are used to control bleeding after birth so you can imagine if what we have on the market are substandard,” then the country’s quest to fight and reduce maternal mortality is at risk.

The antibiotics, he noted, are used to control several ailments and “when we have counterfeits on the market, it exactly can lead to death.”

Issaka Collison Kofi indicated that his outfit has handed the matter over to the police and the three pharmaceutical companies will be prosecuted.

Credit:myjoyonline.com

Why Being Overweight Could Be a Lifesaver

Being overweight could add years to a person's life, scientists suggest.

People who pile on the pounds are less likely to die early than their slender peers, the study found.

Researchers said one reason could be that fatter people were more likely to visit the doctor than healthier looking individuals.

However, the study, which examined the cases of around three million adults, found the beneficial effect was cancelled for people who were seriously obese.

Dr Katherine Flegal, of the National Centre for Health Statistics in the United States, found that people who are overweight had a six per cent lower risk of death than normal weight people.

The risk for those with a BMI (body mass index) of between 30 and 35 fell by five per cent. But those grossly obese with a BMI above 35 were 29 per cent more likely to die than slim people of the same age.


Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Former vice president Aliu Mahama rushed to Korle Bu

Alhaji Aliu Mahama served as vice president under the erstwhile Kufuor-administration

Information reaching kasapahene.blogspot.com indicates that former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama is currently at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Very reliable sources say he was rushed there today for treatment of a condition that cannot be made public until doctors attending to him have the permission to allow disclosure.

He is, however, reported to be in a stable condition now.

This comes after President John Mahama took a lot of flak for asking Muslims at the Eid prayer ceremony, barely two weeks ago, to pray for the former veep who could not attend the event because of ill health.

We will bring you more details about his condition when they are available.

Credit: myjoyonline

Dandelion; A Modern Herbal

Dandelion

Dandelion is a valuable herb that can be used as a food and medicine.

Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavour to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines.

Dandelion can also be used in local diets. Here is a recipe of a Ghanaian delicacy, Palm-nut soup with dandelion as a major ingredient. The soup can be served with fufu, Banku, rice, yam etc.

Ingredients:
Palm nut fruits, dandelion leaves, Kwawu Nsusua. You may want to cut down on meat for health reasons so dry fish then becomes the best option (Amane, Adwene, nsesaawa etc), pepper, onions, fresh tomatoes, salt, garlic, and prekese.

Preparation
• Wash and boil palm fruits together with pepper and “kwawu nsusuaa” in a saucepan; add washed dandelion leaves when the palm fruits are half-cooked.
• Add grinded onions, garlic and a little salt to your washed dry fish in a sauce pan don’t forget your tomatoes.
• Pound your palm fruits together with the dandelion leaves, Kwawu nsusuaa and pepper.
• Mix the paste with the stalk of the boiled palm nut fruits.
• Stir with hand to remove the fiber residue by squeezing the juice out of it.
• Strain to separate the juice from the nuts and the rest of the fiber.
• Put the saucepan containing your dry fish on fire and boil for just about five minutes and add you palm nut juice
• Wash prekese and an extra onion bulb and add it to the soup
• Remove tomatoes and onion bulb and grind and return mixture back into the soup
• Let soup simmer on low heat for 40 to 45minutes
• Serve with cooked local rice, fufu, yam ,plantain, kenkey etc

Dandelion Juice for Dessert
For desert you may want do away with the common ice cream and explore delicious nutritious dandelion Juice.

Ingredients

Dandelion and Water.
Preparation

• Wash dandelion leaves with salt or vinegar
• Blend dandelion leaves
• Pour mixture in a glass and Voila! !! You have you desert
You don’t want to mess with the kind of food you eat; not when health experts have proven that what you eat can actually cure you of certain diseases. My advice? Don’t just eat.

If you have to eat, you may want to go for something that does not only satisfy your hunger but at the same time cures an ailment or prevents you from getting certain diseases.

Source: The Globe

"The Breast Is Not A Sex Organ"- Nutritionist

Mrs Esi Amoaful, Deputy Chief Nutrition Officer of the Ghana Health Service, has said the breast was not a sexual tool for men but a "feeding organ" for the newly born to aid in their growth and development.

She said it was wrong for some women not to breastfeed their children on the orders of their husbands saying "African babies survive largely because of the breast milk".

Ms Amoaful said this at a day's media workshop organized by the Ghana Health Service with support from the USAID, the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance and the Science of Improving Lives, for journalists of the southern belt of the country.

The media training workshop on Nutrition formed part of efforts by the GHS and its partners to generate the needed support to reverse current trends in malnutrition and improve child survival as well as contribute to improving key development outcomes.

Ms Amoaful said it had become imperative for Ghana to invest in nutrition to increase productivity, decrease or prevent stunted growth and also save the lives of over 30,000 children.

She said proper breastfeeding could prevent malnutrition and save over 2500 infants from dying and encouraged mothers to exclusively breastfeed their newborns for the first six months of their lives.

She said exclusive breastfeeding could also prevent diarrhoea other childhood infections and help the parents to save money.

The Nutritionist encouraged women not to be shy to breastfeed their children in public places and even in the trotros.

For working mothers, she said the GHS and Ministry were in consultation with stakeholders to increase the maternity leave to six mothers to ensure that exclusive breastfeeding was properly adhered to.


Source: GNA/Ghana

96 pregnant women tested HIV positive in Sunyani

Over ninety pregnant women are reported to have tested positive for HIV in 28 health facilities in the Brong Ahafo region, between the months of January and June this year.

This came to light following the screening of 3,928 women during ante-natal periods. The current figure is an increase from last year’s Seventy Four pregnant women who underwent the screening exercise.

The Regional Disease Control Officer, Samuel Addo, told Joy News though the number is alarming, it creates the opportunity for the unborn babies to be given the needed care in order to ensure they do not contract the virus.

Mr. Addo explained that the surge in the HIV cases could also mean that more women are now attending ante-natal care and have subjected themselves to HIV test.

According to him, the affected women will undergo the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV to save their unborn babies.

source:myjoyonline

Women And Smell...

I don’t know what I’ve been expecting all these years when it comes to my love below, but I think I had the perception that vaginas are supposed to smell like lillies. Or strawberries. Or pretty much anything that makes people smile or gives off a widely adored scent. However, mine doesn’t smell like that, and for years it made me self-conscious.

I think we’re all like that sometimes though. For instance, when we start our periods, we’re mortified at the possibility that we’re smelling like catfish instead of roses, and we worry that people who really aren’t paying us any kind of mind can pick up our less than fresh scent. Chances are, unless you’ve been working out all day while on your period and are dancing in front of folks, or passed on the opportunity to change your feminine products during the day, nobody but you can smell what you’re working with.

But for me, even when I wasn’t on my period, I was paranoid about what I smelled like. Before you try to play me, I know I didn’t smell like rancid cheese or something of that horrifying sort, but with all the Summer’s Eve ads and such telling us we’re supposed to smell like floral arrangements, I was wondering if I was as fresh as I could be. For instance, in college, as I experimented more sexually, I wasn’t as excited about my boyfriend’s choice to go down on me as most would be, because my mind wasn’t on him as much as it was on my lady parts. There came a point where I couldn’t wait for him to be done so I could stop feeling like I got caught with streaks in my underwear or something.

In an article for Women’s Health, sex educator Logan Levkoff stated that many women are self-conscious when they really don’t need to be: “We are overly sensitive and insecure about the smell of our vaginas. And we are far harder on it than any partner would be.” It was pointed out that women are so self-conscious about the smell their bodies make that many aren’t fully enjoying oral sex (“the prime gateway to orgasm”).

And that’s true about what men think of your scent. Unless you smell terrible, most men don’t find your scent to be anything but wonderful. Whenever I asked said boyfriends if I smelled any sort of way, they would say no, it just smelled like a vagina. Thanks, but that didn’t stop me from worrying. Going to the gynecologist was even a terribly uncomfortable thing, and not just because of the pap smear…

I bought Summer’s Eve and thought it was going to change things for the better, but in all honesty, aside from using it when finishing my cycle, these feminine washes messed with my natural odor and PH balance, only to make me smell a lot worse than I originally did. No matter what I tried or did, I was more and more uncomfortable about my lady bits than ever.

That was until I did some research and started having real conversations with other women, only to find that yes, vaginas do smell. They all have a smell, and in fact the smell is one that men are supposed to be biologically attracted to. I learned that I’m not the only one who gets paranoid about her vagina from time to time. Even today, when I asked a co-worker whether or not she ever worried about the way her lady parts smelled, she laughed a hearty, loud chuckle and eventually stopped to suprisingly say, “Yes.” It was nice to know that I wasn’t alone, and in fact, Eve Ensler, the woman behind the playwright behind The Vagina Monologues, cleared the air for me in a defiant, hilarious and honest bit about it all:

“My vagina doesn’t need to be cleaned up. It smells good already. Don’t try to decorate. Don’t believe him when he tells you it smells like rose petals when it’s supposed to smell like p***y. That’s what they’re doing — trying to clean it up, make it smell like bathroom spray or a garden. All those douche sprays — floral, berry, rain. I don’t want my p***y to smell like rain. All cleaned up like washing a fish after you cook it. I want to taste the fish. That’s why I ordered it.”

After finding that my partner paid absolutely no attention to any odors or scents (he stays down there by the way *winks*) and that, per the usual, I’m not the only person who ever wondered if my ish did or didn’t stank, I’ve become pretty comfortable with my vagina. I know how it smells on a daily basis, and the minute it doesn’t smell that way, I’ve decided that THAT’S when I need to worry. So no, it doesn’t smell like fruits and berries and poppies and roses, but as long as it smells healthy and smells like me, I’m good. Besides, I haven’t received any complaints yet…


Source: madamenoire

SHOCKING: University LADY Infects 322 MEN With HIV/AIDs

Tongues are wagging in Nairobi, Kenya from a text message a lady student in the University of Nairobi forwarded to a colleague.

It read: “I am a student and I am HIV-positive. I swore I would spread the thing because I got infected during my first experience. I have slept with 322 guys in my campus and two outside. I wanted to infect 2,500 people but the guilt is now killing me.”

This shocking report comes barely two months after another female student at Moi University released a list of 90 guys and pinned it on a campus notice board claiming she had infected (or at least deliberately tried to infect) all of them with the virus. In the list were two names of prominent politicians.

The female student is bitter because she was infected on her first attempt at sex. More than ever before, sexual immorality, substance abuse and criminal acts have become the new nightmare among students in local universities.

In fact, academic excellence has become secondary to the vices. Whatever it takes, students will go to any length to ensure that they enjoy a luxurious lifestyle and every good thing life brings their way.


Source: highstreetmail.com

Better sex from food

Do you know the most important factor in good sexual health? It's your mind.

Studies involving men and women have shown that it is the mind that determines sexual performance and drive more than anything else. Men and women were given a placebo and told that it would increase their libido and performance; the majority stated that they saw a significant increase in those areas, which shows us that it is the mind more than a pill that is responsible for the change.

So what does food have to do with sexual and emotional health and how the mind works to help us have better health?

For women, the addition of soy in the diet will help in vaginal lubrication because soy adheres to the estrogen receptors, which are responsible for determining how much lubrication the vagina needs. It also helps to reduce the occurrence of hot flashes that happen during menopause. For men, soy is beneficial to helping the prostate stay healthy. Adding chili peppers and ginger to your diet will help improve your circulation and stimulate nerve endings, which will improve your sexual pleasure.

Another added benefit to eating heart-healthy foods is that they also help a man's sexual health by keeping the blood flowing properly through the arteries. High blood pressure and coronary artery disease can affect the function of the male organs due to the inability of the blood flow to reach the genital area, which can cause erectile dysfunction.

There are also a number of foods that are said to directly affect sexual performance due to their aphrodisiac influence. These foods include ginseng, bananas, figs, asparagus, eels, oysters and rhino horn, which supposedly increases sexual appetite.

There are many myths that pertain to food and sexual health that date back thousands of years; for example, that eating certain roots that are phallic shaped will increase a man's performance, but there are some true benefits from certain foods and beverages.

The consumption of alcohol relaxes you and gives you a short-term artificial boost in self confidence. Caffeine and sugar are the solution for a quick energy fix. But it is the diet we follow daily for a long time that will promote better sexual health.

Eating lean foods like fish along with fruits and vegetables is not just good for your sexual health but for your heart as well.


source: livestrong.com

Society dislikes fat women – shocking study

"We need to rethink our approaches to, and views of, weight and obesity,” concludes study co-author Kerry O’Brien. 

Obesity is a chronic and serious medical condition and according to many physicians, obesity is not a choice – it is a disease. We don’t discriminate against people with cancer, arthritis or other health disorders, and we certainly don’t discriminate against people based on their sex, race or handicap and yet society continues to openly discriminate against the obese.

Obese people are prejudiced as being lazy, which makes it harder for them to find a job and get promoted, they are charged more for their clothing and some airlines even require the obese to purchase two airline tickets.

The obesity stigma

Women have a higher risk of obesity than men do, which is likely due to the fact that they have a naturally lower muscle mass and metabolic rate, which makes weight loss harder to obtain.

Despite this fact, the pressure to lose weight is greater for obese women than it is for men; they are subjected to more social stigma, and they are deprived of intimate relationships, friendships, social interactions, education, income and respect.

“Obese and female is as bad as it gets,” states nutritional and medical research advisor to the Danish government Berit Heitmann.

Unfortunately, there appears to be no way for obese women to transcend the anti-fat prejudice because a new study has found that society continues to discriminate against formerly obese women even after they achieve substantial weight loss.

Females and the weight loss battle

The study was conducted by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, The University of Manchester, and Monash University and it was published in the May 29th edition of the journal Obesity. The researchers of the study asked men and women to read descriptions of women who had either maintained a stable weight or had obtained 70 pounds of weight loss, and who were either presently obese or presently thin.

After reading the vignettes, the participants were asked questions about the women’s perceived attractiveness as well as other perceived attributes and they were also questioned on their overall dislike for fat people.

“We were surprised to find that currently thin women were viewed differently depending on their weight history,” said study leader Janet Latner, in a news release from the University of Manchester, England. “Those who had been obese in the past were perceived as less attractive than those who had always been thin, despite having identical height and weight.”

Obesity Stigma – Making weight loss more difficult

Another disturbing finding of the study was that the participants demonstrated an even greater prejudice towards obese people after they were falsely told that weight loss is easily attainable.

“Descriptions of weight loss, such as those often promoted on television, may significantly worsen obesity stigma. Believing that obese people can easily lose weight may make individuals blame and dislike obese people more,” said Dr.Latner.

According to Doctor Scott Kahan, of John Hopkins University, science has revealed that a person’s risk of obesity is largely based upon genetics, physiology, environmental factors and upbringing, yet “…people continue to dismiss obesity as a willful misconduct, and label people who have obesity as lazy and weak.”

“Weight status actually appears rather uncontrollable, regardless of one’s willpower, knowledge and dedication. Yet many people who are perceived as ‘fat’ are struggling in vain to lose weight in order to escape this painful social stigma. We need to rethink our approaches to, and views of, weight and obesity,” concludes study co-author Kerry O’Brien.



source: belmarrahealth.com

Buttocks Lightening Creams, The New ‘Craze In Town!

I am not sure if any of you have tried the new craze in town ‘Vag**a & Anal Lightening Creams’. If you have not tried it YET, have you heard about it?

Summer is at the corner (for those in Europe, America and other parts of the world) which means this is the time when many people pay special attention to their bodies and complexion.

During this season, getting browner becomes a goal for several dark skin women. It also becomes a must achieve aim for many white women who will go every extent to get their bodies tanned.

As a result of longstanding reasons such as our history and mentality, light skin has succeeded in being prized over dark skin. The high prize accorded to light skin-be it status, class, beauty, favor, etc has pushed many dark skin Africans into skin bleaching…

Despite how serious the repercussions of skin bleaching are, it is progressively gaining acceptance in our societies. However, the boundaries and what we are bleaching seem to be rapidly expanding.

Now, it is all about bleaching the ‘Vag*na and Anal’ areas. Have you asked yourself the very question baffling my mind? What is happening to us?

Why must we even think of bleaching these far hidden and sensitive areas of our bodies?

Who must bear the blame; those bleaching these areas of their bodies, or the many western companies manufacturing and strongly marketing these bleaching creams to us?


Source: ghanacelebrities.com

Health Benefits of Watermelon

Watermelon

Watermelons are in season this time of the year, so don’t hesitate to pick up some as often as possible before they’re all gone. They are not only delicious but packed with vitamins C, great for boosting our immune systems. The benefits of watermelon don’t end there; here are some more benefits of watermelon.

Watermelon is not only delicious, but extremely healthy, as well. In fact, most melons are rich in potassium, a nutrient that may help control blood pressure, regulate heart beat, and possibly prevent strokes. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines state that a potassium-rich diet helps keep salt from raising blood pressure and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and possibly age-related bone loss

Melons are also abundant in vitamin C, one arm of the now-famous disease-fighting antioxidant trio. Another arm that’s well represented is beta-carotene.

Researchers believe that beta-carotene and vitamin C are capable of preventing heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions. No matter which way you cut them, when it comes to nutrition, melons are number one.

Watermelon is a valuable source of lycopene, one of the carotenoids that have actually been studied in humans. Research indicates that lycopene is helpful in reducing the risk of prostate, breast, and endometrial cancers, as well as lung and colon cancer.

Whether you choose watermelons for their health benefits or simply for their good flavor, they can be an excellent snack, summer dish — or gardening project.

They are rich in Vitamin A, B and C. What’s more, they are low in calories and very nutritious.

It is an ideal health drink because it is 92 per cent water, and does not contain any fat or cholesterol. It also fills you up fast because of its water content. So have it along with your barbeque or grills as watermelons will prevent you from overeating.

credit; peace health team

SACK THEM...Minister Endorses Dismissal Of Nursing Students

Mr Alban Bagbin

The Minister of Health, Mr Alban Bagbin, has ordered heads of health training institutions to dismiss any nursing student who refuses to write mock examinations.

The mock exams are organised by schools to prepare the students for their final licensure examinationconducted by the Nurses and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Speaking at the annual selection and performance review meeting of health training institutions in Kumasi, Mr Bagbin said the health sector needed disciplined and dedicated staff, and would not countenance any form of indiscipline from the students.

“If any student resists taking mock examination, dismiss them. We will not tolerate any indiscipline,” Mr Bagbin said. “We will not pamper anybody.”

The Health Minister was reacting to a submission by Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions (COHHETI), Mr James Yambor, about the refusal of some students to take the mock examinations. According to Mr Yambor, the mock examination was a way of reducing failures recorded by nursing students in their final examinations.

Last year, for instance, less than 40 per cent of the 3,223 nursing students who wrote the licensure examination passed to practise as nurses.

Out of the total figure, 1,254 candidates– representing 38.9 per cent – passed the exams. The remaining 1,969– representing 61.1 per cent– were referred to rewrite the August 2011 examination.

The students, who came from about 100 health training institutions in the country, undertook four programmes in Registered General Nursing, Registered Midwifery, Registered Community Nursing and Registered Mental Nursing.

Mr Yambor told The Finder in an interview that the students were part of the reason for the mass failure and steps, such as the mock examination, were some measures put in place to stem the tide of failure.

But some students refused to write the exams.

At the Koforidua Nursing and Midwifery Training School, only two out of the 135 regular final year students wrote the mock examination last year, according to Mrs Doreen Osae-Ayensu, the principal of the school.

Mr Alban Bagbin told the principals that government was doing its part to enhance quality training in the health training institutions, but urged the students and the training institutions to do their part of the bargain.

He catalogued a number of projects that were initiated since 2009 to address infrastructural deficits in schools. He also named 13 health training institutions that would benefit from the construction of new classroom facilities in order to enhance learning.

The projects, which he said would cost GH₵20.5million, would take off this year.

Mr Bagbin announced that the Ministry had initiated a National Research Programme for Health Training Institutions (NRPHTI), under which creative tutors would be awarded grants to enable them to conduct research, starting May, 2013.

The President of COHHETI, Mr James Yambor, was full of gratitude to government for prioritising the needs of health training institutions and the health sector in general.

He said the 250 vehicles, including bigger capacity buses, which were recently distributed to the training institutions, were not only helpful for administrative purposes, but they also made it possible and easier to transport students to various locations for clinicals and other learning purposes.



Source: Manasseh Azure Awuni, The Finder/Ghana

Pornography splits men's consciousness

Pornography affects us because sex is as much “in the head” as it is in the body. Pornography gives pleasure only because arousal can be triggered by imagination.

But pornography not only arouses, it tutors our imagination. What we repeatedly imagine shapes how we perceive ourselves and others. Philosopher Harry Brod gives good reason for concluding that pornography is a lousy tutor—especially for men.

Harry Brod is concerned with how pornography shapes male expectations. He observes that in pornography men are routinely depicted as “sexual acrobats endowed with oversized and overused organs” (see Pornography and the Alienation of Male Sexuality.”

Women in pornography are depicted as perpetually available and eager for sex. Pornography tutors men to have expectations that real women do not meet. Because real women are far more complicated than the eager women depicted in pornography, women fall short of the expectations created by pornography. Real sex can disappoint. One “solution” to disappointment is resort to fantasying about pornographic images during sex rather than focusing on their real-life partner.

But Brod is at least as concerned about pornography’s contribution to male performance anxiety. This performance anxiety creates “bifurcated consciousness.” Sex should be engrossing, but pornography encourages men to rate their performance during sex. And “How am I doing?” is a distancing and distracting question.

As Brod observes, “Relating to one’s body as a performance machine produces a split consciousness wherein part of one’s attention is watching the machine, looking for flaws in its performance, even while one is supposedly immersed in the midst of sensual pleasure. This produces a self-distancing self-consciousness which mechanizes sex and reduces pleasure.”

Ian Cook echo’s this concern in an article in the Journal of Men’s Studies. [“Western Heterosexual Masculinity, Anxiety, and Web Porn.”Proquest search.] Cook gives evidence that not a few internet porn sites “appear to intensify [male anxiety about sexual performance] by making it harder for men to prove that they are truly ‘man enough.’” Some men would rather avoid anxiety by replacing real sex with fantasy sex (See "Not Tonight Honey, I'm Logging In").

Brod’s points about the effect of pornography on what is “in the head” of male consumers raise both self-interested and ethical concerns. A man who allows his sexual consciousness to be shaped by pornography may be shortchanging himself and his sexual partner.

Being fully present within one’s sexuality during sex is an important aspect of being human. To undermine this capacity in one’s self fails to respect one’s own humanity. One also owes it to one’s sexual partner to be fully present to him or her during sexual intercourse. To have undermined one’s capacity to be fully present is disrespectful to one’s partner.


credit: psychologytoday.com

The Five Steps Of A Breast Self Examination

Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

Here's what you should look for:
• Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
• Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling

If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:
• Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
• A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
• Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes

Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.

Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your rib cage.

Step 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in Step 4.


Source: Breastcancer.org

Breast Surgeons Back Withdrawal Of 'Lunchtime Boob Job' Jab

Plastic surgeons in the UK have welcomed the decision to discontinue a treatment used in breast enhancements.

Macrolane, an injectable filler used for "lunchtime boob jobs", is to be withdrawn for such purposes this week.

A survey by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) found that 25% of its members noticed patient complications from the filler.

Experts warn it could effect breast cancer screenings but manufacturer Q-Med said there was a lack of consensus.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said Macrolane could effect mammogram readings and make diagnosis more difficult.

A spokesman said there were no safety concerns with the product itself, and it could still be used for other purposes such as "augmenting body contour" and correcting soft tissue defects.


Source: BBC

How Much Sex Is Enough In A Relationship: Our Sexpert Weighs In

Q: My husband wants to have sex with the lights on. I prefer it pitch-black, but I’d like to give his way a try. How can I feel less self-conscious?

A: First, take your husband's request as a compliment: He clearly finds it a big turn-on to look at you. Men are visual creatures, meaning what they see gets them hot—or not. Given his lights-on preference, your husband isn’t interested in relying on cliched fantasies to be aroused. He wants you, and that’s a great thing, right?

All that said, you have to feel comfortable—with your partner, your body, and the sexual situation—in order to fully enjoy the experience. And, sure, overhead lighting worthy of an operating room may not scream “sexy” to you (or to most of us, for that matter). The key is compromise: Try low-wattage bulbs in bedside lamps or several candles. If you’re very self-conscious about your body and feel too exposed, wear a sexy camisole top that you can take off after the action heats up. It also helps to focus your attention on your guy in the beginning to get the pressure off yourself; then begin to acknowledge your own desires and responses as you relax. Finally, remember that practice makes perfect: The more often you try it, the more natural it will feel for both of you.

Q: It’s been a long time since my husband and I have had sex. But we’re OK with it. Is that normal?

A: There’s no magic number of times per month or week that a couple “should” have sex. But let’s face it: Making love is an integral part of a healthy relationship. For a relationship to stay healthy for the long haul, both partners need to know each other’s sexual needs and put in the effort to meet those needs; a lack of sexual intimacy could very well lead to trouble down the line.

So, have a frank talk about how much sex each of you really wants in order to remain happy—not just “OK”—in your marriage. Be honest and open. And commit to making sex a priority at least a few times a month, even if that means you both have to schedule it like you do a trip to the gym.

Maintaining a sexual relationship is a two-way street: If one of you fails to initiate sex or appears to be simply going through the motions, it can lead to anger, resentment, and emotional and physical detachment. If this sounds familiar, consider seeing a sex therapist together so you can resolve any issues before they hurt your marriage.


Source: Health.com