tips sex health

All me want to be healthy, and in many cases, they try and take care of themselves by watching what they eat, getting exercise on a regular basis, and managing the stress in their lives. But many men are unaware that they can also take care of their sexual health and prevent problems before they occur

Here are 10 tips for men to keep in mind for maximum sexual health:

• Eat a healthy diet – Many men are surprised to learn that what they eat can affect their sexual performance, but it does. By eating healthy foods that are rich in nutrients and low in fats, you will keep your “sexual” system in good working order. Strive for plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean cuts of meat, whole grains and low-fat milk.
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• Get regular exercise – Men who live a “couch potato” lifestyle may soon find themselves with sexual problems. By “getting up and moving” you will be taking an active role in maintaining your sexual health. Check with your physician, and then start a program of regular exercise that includes walking, cycling, tennis or whatever you find enjoyable.

• Stop smoking – Many doctors agree that smoking can be a major cause of sexual dysfunction in men. Studies have found that a major of men who suffer from ED are smokers, and that smoking can also reduce sperm count and quality. Smoking damages the small arteries that feed blood to the penis, making it difficult at times to maintain an erection.

• Reduce your alcohol intake – While you may enjoy the buzz you feel when you drink alcoholic beverages, you are putting yourself at risk for ED. Alcohol may make you feel sexier by lowering inhibitions, but it also reduces libido, causes erection problems, and often times impairs the ability to have an orgasm.

• Learn to manage stress in your life – Stress can leave you feeling exhausted, worried, uptight and very nervous, and can also lead to sexual problems as well. If you allow stress to manage your life, instead of the other way around, your life will soon feel as if it is out of control. Learn stress management techniques, find ways to handle anger and sadness, and you will be doing your part to maintain your sexual health (and your sanity).

• Do Kegel exercises – Usually associated with women, Kegel exercises can increase sexual enjoyment in men as well. Kegels are a way to strengthen the muscles that connect the base of the penis with the tailbone. These muscles act to control the flow of fluids through the urethra, so by learning how to control them, you can delay ejaculation to heighten your orgasm. To learn how these muscles feel, try stopping the flow of urine the next time you urinate. These are the muscles you need to tighten, so to do Kegels, just squeeze the muscles, hold them for a few seconds, and then relax them. By contracting these muscles, you gradually build up their strength, and your pleasure.

• Use lubricants – As men grow older, they often experience a gradual loss of sensitivity in their penis. Lubricants can help men with this problem to gain a freer range of motion, and increase sexual enjoyment.

• Have a yearly check-up with your doctor – It is no secret that men do not like going to the doctor, but if you want to maintain your overall (and sexual) health, you should make sure that you have a physical at least once a year.

• Avoid illegal substances – Unfortunately, some men will take illegal drugs to get high, thinking that it will enhance their sexual experience. But it most cases, it has the opposite effect. If you want to avoid ED, then avoid illegal substances.

• Maintain a positive attitude – Medical studies prove that men who have a positive attitude towards life also enjoy a problem free sex life as well. So, adjust your attitude to a positive one, and enjoy the benefits!
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Reading: From A to <A> Keywords of Markup

On the way to Colombia I started to read this book in order to review it - more on that to follow. I've only read four chapters so far and it is a fascinating read. A collection of essays each deals with a particular HTML tag and each so far provides new insights for me and resources.

When I came across the invitation for reviewers I read through the index. HTML 5 was not there so I thought the book might suffer from the rate of change in the interval from original conception to publication. Well HTML 5 is not in the index (just HTML), but it is in the text. Drupal and Ruby on Rails also get a mention.

Of particular interest is chapter 4 'alt' by Colleen A. Reilly which combines accessibility and definitions of disability.

I'll start writing the review soon for the Journal of Community Informatics trying to be more concise than previous efforts (I volunteered to learn too). As for W2tQ I've already found several interesting quotes too, such as the example below. This struck me because it's possible to describe h2cm as a keyword collage ...

<A> evokes collagist writings, "interesting networks that open up a conceptual map" McLuhan (258).
Indeed, collage often is the focus of this type of educational/digital education or writing that asks students to merge texts and ideas. <A>, as a social space, though, is not a collage. As a network, <A> builds relationships while also becoming relationships. To enact a pedagogy of <A>, I have to imagine a social software logic as opposed to connection or merging among things. That logic is not bound to a specific platform, such as the Web, but instead informs institutional practices through the generation of large-scale spaces.p.61.

Importance of Health Insurance

In those countries where medicine is not socialized, good health insurance can be the key to getting good health care. Those without it often put off seeing the doctor because of the expense involved. Things often get more serious and more costly to take care of than if they had gotten medical care sooner. Having private health insurance opens up your choices and makes decisions about your health much easier to make.

Health Insurance Coverage
Health insurance is meant to cover a variety of medical expenses. The following are covered under many policies, but since every policy is different, be sure to check with your health insurance agent or financial planner to see precisely what yours does and does not cover.

1- Hospitalizations
2- Surgeries
3- Physician Visits
4- Preventative Health Care
5- Laboratory Tests
6- Mental Health
7- Certain Medical Equipment
8- Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy
9- Prescription Drugs
10- Dental Care
11- Rehabilitation Costs
12- Vision Care

Individual & Family Health Insurance Plans:
If you are in the market for health insurance to guard you and your family, you should know that you can get health insurance in a number of several ways.

1. Individual Health Insurance is often used by people who do not have the choice of group coverage. It allows for a tailor-made policy that fits accurately what the person needs. This type of insurance is usually relatively cheap compared to a group plan. The cost of an individual health insurance plan will typically be about half the cost of a group health insurance plan for the same benefit total.

2. Group Health Insurance from an Employer is a much more affordable type of health insurance only when your employer will pay for most or the entire premium (which many employers will do). Because premiums are based on the group as entire, the risk is spread out over many people. These policies are often the most expensive and the most accepted type of private health coverage. One of the benefits to group health insurance coverage is that one cannot typically be denied coverage due to pre existing conditions or other health problems. There may sometimes be a waiting period if one has not maintained continuous coverage but everybody will accept.

3. Group Health Insurance From A Non Employer Group is another option to think for obtaining health coverage. For those who have no policy available through work or an inadequate one, group rates can be getting from church groups, professional and business associations such as a Chamber of Commerce. This can help you obtain health insurance if you are unable to obtain an individual health insurance policy due to your health.

4. Short Term Health Insurance is a plan that as it’s name implies only offers coverage for a short amount of time, usually anywhere from 1 month to 1 year (although some short term plans offer coverage up to 3 years). Although short term health insurance plans are typically very cheap; they are also typically very bare bones coverage and should never be relied upon as a long term solution to finding reasonable health insurance coverage.

5. Student Health Insurance is habitually either a temporary health insurance plan offered through the university or college and may sometimes be available through a private insurance company.

Children Diabetes Symptoms Signs

However, it’s not easy to diagnose signs of diabetes in children especially in young children, but it is a wrench discovery for any parent that his child is suffering from the signs of diabetes. However it is better to diagnose the problem at your earliest than to miss these signs of diabetes in children.
An approximation says that every year around 12 thousand people are being diagnosed with diabetes type 1. It is true that taking care of a child is a time consuming process. Even if the parents are vigilant, there are always chances of missing the signs of diabetes in children. It becomes easier to detect the signs of diabetes in children if the parents are well aware of the diabetic symptoms.

Diabetes Sign in Children.

The answer would be of great help for all those parents who have a family history of diabetes.

Dramatic Weight Loss: This is another signs of diabetes in children. Some other reasons of dramatic weight loss are cancer or side effects of drugs. If a child drastically loses weight in a short span of time then it is a dangerous sign no matter diabetes is involved or not.

Recurrent Urge to Urinate: If you ever feel that your child is feeling an urge to urinate or if all of a sudden he starts bed wetting then the parents must keep in mind that it could be the warning diabetic symptom.
However if this is the only symptom then it is better to look for other illnesses. There could be several reasons for excessive urination like urinary tract infection or inability to completely empty the bladder. However it is better to consult doctor if your child is having a recurrent urge to urinate.

Excessive Hunger: A person who is suffering from diabetes feels extremely hungry. It seems that he is eating continually but still he does not put on mass.
The underlying reason is that his body is unable to utilize the food he is eating. The food is only flowing through his whole body.

An Insatiable Urge To Drink Water: The children suffering from diabetes, the fluids are extracted from the tissues of the body.

When the sugar builds up in bloodstream it reaches a point where the body of the diabetics sufferer needs to get rid of surplus glucose. The only way to expel surplus glucose is via urine; however the urine cannot be created without water. If there is not enough water in the bloodstream then no other choice is left behind except for extracting water from nearby tissues. This then makes the body dehydrated. Dehydration then kicks in thirst mechanism.

It is not likely that child is able to detect the diabetic symptoms. It is therefore the duty of the parents to detect the signs of diabetes in children.

Person centred care, wormholes, pesterers and care domains (ii)

Person centred care, wormholes, pesterers and care domains (i)

Mentor: Sorry my friend where were we up to?

Student: I am still puzzled as to how we can define and represent person centered care? Where does person centered care fit in h2cm (Hodges' health career model)?

The INDIVIDUAL-GROUP vertical axis places the person, the individual - at the top of the model. That could be a positive if we are thinking hierarchically, but shouldn't a model that is situated AND person centred be explicit and put the person at the center?

Mentor: This is a good question and you are right to ask it. As our previous discussions have illustrated our models are idealised and yet they should reflect the real world and experiences they seek to model and re-present for us:

Student: but in this case....?

Mentor: Well, not so quick...

As we noted the World's governments get the citizenry they deserve and vice-versa. If peace, political engagement, legitimate government and contentment are not a given but have to be earned then is person centred care any different?

Student: So, you are saying that peace, being a citizen, and mm... well-being I suppose are in a sense similar to person centered care?

Mentor: Perhaps?

Student: That seems quite a leap.

Mentor: Well your question prompts exercise - a certain gymnastics even - and with that a daily requirement we'll save this point for another time.

For now though... I know we don't necessarily need a precise definition of person centered care at the moment, but humour me and see what you can come up with in terms of this model of care. As you have mentioned it includes the INDIVIDUAL, the GROUP. And with the interpersonal and science domains the person's mind and body are literally in the frame.

Student: Well unless we are talking medical emergency then person centered care is about ensuring the individual is taken into account across all the domains of care.

That is - intra-interpersonal, physically - through the sciences, socially and politically. 

Oh - and spiritually too of course.

Mentor: So person centered or being person centered concerns domains of care?

Student: No. It's the content that matters. Take the interpersonal and myself as an example - what are my beliefs, previous experiences, writing skills and interests, my mood, disposition and attitude towards others. That only scratches the surface.

Mentor: I see. Can you go on from there...?

Student: Well I suppose each domain is visited according to various cues - and this is where context and situation come in. These supply the cues. They determine what is significant, what counts as information. For experienced nurses and health care practitioners this travel within and across the care domains comes as second nature.

Mm... I suspect that even if someone was not using h2cm explicitly their cognitive - conceptual movement could still be traced through the model, like passes on a football pitch.

Mentor: Very poetic! So if these care domains are being reflected upon does that mean person centered care is a consequence?

Student: Well I suppose it could if you take your mention of 'reflection' literally. Yes, picture the patient - the person - in the center of the h2cm matrix. We might even argue that our reflections place them there? Within the model what is the position of the person? If our deliberations could be measured - and practically that would be quite a task given patient engagement and dialogue - then is there an average across the domains? And is that the center - hence person centered?

Mentor: An interesting idea. And yet as you questioned initially the INDIVIDUAL in the model is at the top, at the top of an irregular continuum, so...?

Most typical face in the world revealed (amid deep irony)

National Geographic Magazine has revealed what the most typical human on the planet looks like.…

There is a deep irony here (since we are talking about 'skin') in that as the global demographics flow across the decades to alter this typical face, there is a growing proportion of the population who hope that health and social care delivery is not typical and a 'composite'.

They hope that health, nursing and social care is truly personal and individual - taking in their preferences, needs and priorities.

Having said that though - would it be progress if everyone could expect at least to receive what is deemed a 'standard' level of basic nursing care that is in a way 'typical'?

more to follow - more will follow - are we ready?

Notes (ii) from Paipa Conference: Q & A

Q. What is the appeal and relevance of Michel Serres to the Health Care Domains Model [h2cm]?
c/o Fred Manrique / UPTC 

(As per the paper - Exploring Serres’ Atlas, Hodges’ Knowledge Domains and the Fusion of Informatics and Cultural Horizons. 2008)

A. I cannot remember how I came across this French philosopher (Bruno Latour?), but in 2004 I started to read some of his translated texts. Serres' work is not easy to read, but rewards perseverance. Thus enthused I wrote (in my spare time) and eventually submitted a paper to a prestigious nursing journal. This was rejected - twice. Using the feedback I was able to produce the paper that found publication in the informatics field. This is listed in the W2tQ bibliography. Serres' ideas were remarkable in how they spoke to me and reflected in many ways the conceptual framework of h2cm. I need to revisit Serres, but ideas of particular appeal include his use of several tropes:

• Harlequin: the uninvited guest (disease, illness?), mischief (health taken-for-grantedness), chaos (the unpredictable);
• blanc: in my presentation I included a blank slide. There it represents every new person, new page - no judgements, positive regard. A page for lifelong learners and being able to self-reflect.
• Hermes: the Greek God, the messenger - information and Serres' early study of information science. The 'underworld' - nursing and medicine - are not for everyone. The importance of ports as a means of information and cultural exchange - today economies see themselves as information ports and the rise of information portals.
• Serres states (as do other commentators) that the Internet will provide opportunities for new scholars, outside of established academic institutions.
• borders, boundaries - the middle: in life we often have to ask do we continue and cross the middle?
• The Planet: Serres is concerned for how we treat the planet. The health care domains can also be utilised to explore the physical and psychological impacts of climate change and the need to attend to human ecology. We are rocking the boat - Earth is our boat.
• ... plus many others - fluid, dynamics, life - rivers - choices, narratives, Home, Angels, statues.

Finally, within "... S E R R E S ..." you will also find H2CM!  

Please see the bibliography for the paper and contact me for a copy if you wish.

Additional links:
Serres on this blog.
http://michelserres.blogspot.com/

More Q and A to follow plus photos and slides. Photo source (PJ, Copenhagen shop window, 2010)