Archive for the ‘Condoms’ Category

Swathed in taboos and limited to closed door discussions, it is hardly surprising how many ridiculous myths about sex are considered bible by most people. This would have been amusing if it weren’t for the serious repercussions. Examples like ‘we needn’t use a condom every time. I’m sure he doesn’t have any STD’ are a bit too familiar to be true.  

Watch some of your assumptions fall to pieces as you read on.

• ‘I will not get pregnant if…

… he withdraws before ejaculation’. This is possibly the worst birth control method. Men cannot always say when ejaculatory fluid comes out. And even the pre-ejaculation fluid containing sperms is all it can take to get you knocked up. As per research, 1 in 5 couples who use this method ends up expecting.

• If I’m not pregnant immediately after intercourse…

… then I probably won’t! Actually, sperms are not as breakable as you imagine. They can remain active and living for 1 week after intercourse. They are probably biding their time to surprise (shock?) with the happy mishap. Some studies have proved that sperm can keep on sperming for as long as 8 days and yet be viable.

• Foods with aphrodisiac properties:

Aphrodite is the Greek Goddess of love. And there have been claims since time immemorial about certain foods that can put you in the mood. Oysters, chocolate, honey, broccoli, berries- the list is endless. There is no scientific evidence to these arguments. But in a way, one can argue for this in a purely psychological perspective.

• ‘I won’t get pregnant if…

… I have sex while having periods’. False! Though a long-standing belief, it is still a myth. While chances are pretty less for a woman to get pregnant during menstruation, it is not impossible. And as mentioned above, sperms can stay active inside you for many days, particularly if your mensus cycle is shorter.

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Let us beckon 2013 with a fresh pledge to living healthy. The following healthy resolutions, if you adopt, are sure to keep you happily fit and gorgeous, both inside and out.

Rein your portions

Wish to right size your shape? Mindless binge eating is often the villain. Start right sizing your food portions by using smaller dishes. Yes, the smaller your platters are, the more you lose that extra weight. And instead of serving directly from the main bowl, take some into a small dish and put away the main bowl.

Staying Active

Instead of sighing jealously at those naturally thin people, observe their lifestyle. They are most likely to share a great liking for being physically active. Aim for moderate intense activity like brisk walking for atleast 30 minutes per day. This, you can squeeze in your busy schedule easily- like 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes after lunch and and another 10 minutes after office.

Cutting down on salt

Now the recommended limit of salt consumption per day is 1 teaspoon. And you know that’s way less than your daily intake. Besides making your stomach feel all bloated, this habit can shoot up your BP. Processed foods are the most dangerous as they use salt as preservative. Remember to check labels carefully before you give it for billing.

Piling on the antioxidants

Do you know why we need antioxidants? When foods are digested, body releases harmful free radicals that can eventually lead to heart burn, cancer etc. Antioxidant-rich foods like orange, tea, pomegranates etc are important to defend your body from these free radicals.

Flossing Daily

Oral Hygiene is horribly underrated. But bacteria in mouth can cause serious health risks. Flossing daily can ward off bacteria; it is a simple enough practice to ingrain with long term benefits to your dental health.

But all these resolutions will go down the drain if your expectations from yourself are far from healthy. For example, don’t expect a drastic change in your figure soon after you started portion-controlling and exercising. Just as it took your body to build-up fats, it will take time to lose it too. So if your inner-spirit tends to be a bit mean to you, just bash it with healthy acceptance. Let that be your founding stone to all your healthy New Year Resolutions.

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You are drained physically, emotionally as well as mentally during your pregnancy and delivery. Now, your health front needs to be in the forefront. Along with your newborn, your health also needs your special attention. It is necessary for you to keep hale and hearty as your newborn care can quickly make you drained and exhausted. So, do not miss your share of self-care.

En Route to Fitness

With the newborn, it is obviously difficult to find time for exercise, but you have to make the effort. It is not about getting back to your original shape soon after childbirth, but it is about staying fit as your body needs it. There is absolutely no need for any organized fitness classes; just a few exercises done at home can do wonders.

• Dance a little! The foot taps can tap your fitness.
• Chalk out some time for a small walk. Take your baby on a pram tram ride too in a park while you move your legs a bit.
• Swim away a little from your baby for a swim. You can leave your baby  with his/ her dad for a while and you go for a swim.
• Postnatal exercises are taught in child health clinics. Certainly, attending a class or two will give you a fair idea as to how to go about it.

Eat Right

As you would be breast-feeding your baby, so it becomes even more important for you to eat right. Never skip on the sips of water. Increase dietary calcium with lots of milk and dairy products. Even the temptations of snacking should be met with some healthy options like sliced and salted raw vegetables, vegetable soup, breadsticks, baked beans or scrambled eggs every now and then.

Come Out of Your Shell and Socialize

The more you meet your loved ones, family members, relatives and friends, the more you will feel reassured. Socializing helps! Try to interact with other new mothers who can be some of your friends or relatives, meet them frequently by visiting their houses, plan for outings together if possible. Getting to see the same pediatrician or exercising at the same dance class will further motivate you to keep fit and to stay healthy without affecting your bond with your newborn.

How has the phase of new motherhood added fun and excitement to your life?

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In any emergency situation, you can be the first one to provide the necessary first aid to your dear one as it requires no real technical skills. A little courage and a bit of common sense can do the trick for you in saving your loved one’s life. You can also minimize the damage due to casualties caused by day-to-day road accidents with simple first aid skills.

Break-Free from All Misconceptions on World’s First-Aid Day

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Condom is sadly attached with traits like promiscuity, morality etc. In a country like India, where innocence is stupendously overrated and ignorance about sex (safe or otherwise) is glorified, lessons in condom usage are hard to place. So experience of first condom purchase becomes a nightmare. You have a right to safe sex and even peace of mind that comes with protecting yourself and your partner from STDs that includes the dreaded HIV.

Play it Safe...! Have you met him?

Awareness doesn’t cost much, but stigma does – your health and sanity. Condoms come in varieties –scented, lubricated, glow in the dark, even edible. There is one to suit every fancy, fantasy, need and pocket. Sexual health revolves around prevention and using condoms (male or female) is definitely responsible, mature and safe. Both the Government and private companies are ensuring that condoms are easily available through innovative channels like vending machines, postal orders and online purchases. Good way of skirting social stigma but overall awareness levels needs an overhaul.

Female condoms were launched in 2006. A female condom is a thin but strong latex/plastic sheath to trap the sperms during sexual intercourse; an effective method to prevent pregnancy & STDs.  It was conceptualized as an empowering tool for women by making fertility decisions her to make. The female condom is a pouch with a soft ring on each end. One end fits inside the vagina to keep the condom in place & the other end stays outside. They are now cheaper and more reliable but attitudes have changed very slowly. And usage and availability remains an issue.

Condoms the only effective dual protection method recommended by WHO. If used properly they offer more than 90% protection from unwanted pregnancy and almost 100% protection from sexually transmitted disease.

Sadly many young in our country do not know how to use condoms correctly nor are they educated about it. They are too shy to ask and too coy to read. Condoms come with a clear instruction label. Please give it a read. And ladies do make an effort; it gives huge returns when used scrupulously.

Contemplate a bit. When has shyness ever helped you? It has always been a barrier. So jump the hurdles to be responsible, safe, healthy and happy

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