Pharmacy News. Medical Articles, Medicine Information. Health related information and news from around the world.

How have the negative feelings towards contraception come about in these families? Often both the women and men have grown up feeling that the world is against them. Unloved and rejected by their own parents, lacking self-esteem, feeling powerless to influence their destiny, they live from day to day, unable to plan for the future because there is no belief in a tomorrow. Impulsive behaviour and the seeking of instant gratification are natural results. Feeling as they do, undervalued by society, there is a sense that at least they can have babies. Children can take on the role, as in the case of Mrs A., of a bastion against a hostile world. A baby represents a new beginning, new hope and excitement in an otherwise unfulfilling life. The baby can represent something good that can be produced from what may be thought of as bad sex, for such a woman often has a history of sexual abuse in her own childhood.

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Red -The Colour of Vitality, Passion and Strength

Red is very stimulating and therefore must be used carefully. It stimulates and vitalizes the entire body increasing power, confidence, courage and initiative. Red is the colour of passion and energy, enhancing sexual desire and is therefore great for frigidity and impotence. Red is often associated with sexiness and passion. This passionate colour may conjure up images of attractive red-lipped beauties, sexually active men wearing red socks and beautiful, sexy women in red lingerie – no wonder it is linked to sexuality.

Physically, red activates blood circulation, maintains red blood cells, promotes heat and increases body temperature. It is therefore great for anaemia, chronic chills and colds, bladder infections, low blood pressure, inertia, depression and tiredness. Red releases adrenaline and stimulates sensory and cerebro-spinal nerves. Green or blue should follow after red.

Red also increases heart rate, respiration and brain wave activity. It truly is a great colour for improving energy levels. If you feel tired or run down, try putting on a red top and watch the difference it makes.

Avoid Red

Avoid red if suffering from inflammatory conditions, severe emotional disturbances, poor concentration or high blood pressure. In fact, avoid red in any excess heat-related condition.

Natural Sources of Red

Watermelon, tomatoes, red meat, cherries, red roses, fire, red hair, advertising colours, red-lipped women, aggressive drivers in red cars, sexy red underwear and red apples.

Orange -The Colour of Spirituality, Energy and Abundance

Orange radiates feelings of warmth, intimacy, abundance and tolerance. Orange removes repressions and inhibitions, and opens one’s heart to understanding and acceptance. Wearing the colour orange can increase a person’s courage and raise both mental and physical energy. Orange broadens our outlook on life and opens one’s horizon to new possibilities.

Physically, orange assists with assimilation and circulation. It is one of the best colours for stimulating the appetite. Putting orange place mats or an orange tablecloth on the dinner table is a great way to encourage fussy eaters to indulge. Cancer treatment often diminishes a person’s appetite, yet it is extremely important to keep up nutritional levels during this period. Wearing orange or placing orange colours around food may encourage a person to dig in and enjoy. A great colour to uplift a person who is feeling ill.

Orange is also good for gallstones, disturbances of the pancreas, spleen and kidneys and strengthens the lungs. It is helpful with bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. It aids healthy calcium metabolism and is excellent for general weakness and fatigue.

Avoid Orange

Avoid if trying to lose weight. Also steer clear if suffering from high blood pressure and hyperactive conditions.

Natural Sources of Orange

Oranges, cantaloupe, carrots, papaya, mangoes, apricots, peaches, pumpkin, sweet potato, fire, spectacular orange sunsets and sunrises, Hare Krishna clothing colour, Thai and Asian monks’ robes are adorned with orange.

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Releasing the Past with Passion

Approach this exercise with an open heart, full of love and a blameless, non-judgmental attitude to yourself and others. Choose an event in your life that may have caused you pain or made you feel uneasy. This event may have triggered the development of your cancer without you fully being aware of it. It could have been an argument, a lie, a secret that was disclosed, or a hurt done to you by someone else.

Go back into your memory and recreate the experience. Recapture the sensory impressions of the event, the sounds, sights and smells. Re-live how you felt, and your thoughts and emotions, and strive for a re-run of the experience with a new and open compassion and understanding.

Now sing out loud to your memory. Sing your thoughts and feelings. Sing what you would have done and said at the time, knowing what you know now. Appreciate that life’s experiences are your teachers and that everyone else associated with this event was learning too. No one is perfect. Learn from your mistakes and release the past, sing it out.

Don’t remain in regret. Go through the event as you would have liked it to progress. Imagine it playing like a video tape in your mind. Sing out loud and dedicate your words and tunes to strength, wisdom, forgiveness and love with which you can overcome the situation. Singing through this event will allay your fears and clear your past. Conclude this exercise by bringing your awareness and love firmly back to the present.

Giggle-a-thon

Sit in a comfortable position. It is best to be in a place where you feel totally uninhibited, free from distractions and judgment. Breathing gently and slowly, try to imagine a prominent time in your life which caused you pain or hurt you. Imagine this clearly in your mind. Imagine vividly the people involved, the way you felt and what made you feel so upset. Now turning everything around, imagine yourself laughing at those people and the situation.

You are full of giggles, you can see yourself smiling and laughing, and your laugh makes those around you laugh. You are not laughing vindictively, you are laughing with passion and complete understanding at the stupidity and silliness of it all. Feel the laughter releasing from your heart and chest. Let it vibrate your body and flow from your mouth. Release that infectious giggle! Continue as long as possible.

If you practice this exercise, laughing at yourself and others, it will be impossible to hold onto past hurts with resentment and bitterness. Laughter is the best medicine to heal the body and soul and to clear old wounds! If you can laugh at yourself and life’s silly situations, you will be able to release any negative emotions that led to your cancer.

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Calendula (Calendula Officinalis)

Calendula is probably best known for its wonderful use in healing skin conditions and soothing cuts, burns, wounds and sores. After surgery, calendula is able to cleanse the body, stimulate circulation and improve the healing of wounds. Well known physicians and natural healers around the world believe that calendula is a successful natural remedy for malignant growths.

Freshly pressed calendula juice has been used for skin cancers and also for the removal of liver spots, strawberry spots, pigment spots and other cancer-like skin patches (apply the juice several times daily for a prolonged period). Cancer-like growths and ulcers and malignant non-healing wounds have been treated successfully with an infusion of equal parts of calendula and horsetail. The area is washed twice daily.

What is the best way to use calendula?

• Herbal tea – 1 heaped teaspoon of calendula to 1/4 liter of water. Pour boiling water over and

let sit for 10 minutes. Drink 3 cups per day.

• Washings – 1 heaped tablespoon of herbs to 1/2 liter of water

• Fresh Juice – leaves, stems and flowers are washed and while still wet, put through a juice

extractor.

Cat’s Claw

Cat’s claw is a mysterious herb that comes from the Amazon. It is actually a climbing vine that has been toted as a ‘cure-all’ by many natural healers the world over. It is believed to enhance immune system function and is also thought to possess anti-tumour properties. Usually the inner bark or roots of cat’s claw are used. The active ingredients within cat’s claw are plant steroles, polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, oxindole alkaloids, triterpenes and glycosides.

Cat’s claw is able to cleanse the intestinal tract and enhances the function of white blood cells, which are necessary in fighting disease and cancer. Cat’s claw is a powerful anti-oxidant, wiping out free radicals and acting as an anti-inflammatory. It is an excellent remedy for intestinal problems and viral infections.

Cat’s claw is believed to reduce the severity and side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

What is the best way to use cat’s claw?

• Take only as directed – consult with your health practitioner, naturopath or herbalist.

• Capsule Form – Take two to three l000 mg capsules (containing at least 7.5mg of oxindole alkaloids). Generally cat’s claw is safe for children; however it should only by taken in 500mg dosages.

Caution!

• Do not take during pregnancy.

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Magnesium

Magnesium is important for the health of every organ within the body. It activates enzymes, aids energy production and helps to regulate the balance of many cancer-fighting nutrients within the body. It is a cofactor in over 100 enzyme reactions occurring in the body. Recent research has shown that magnesium may prevent cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

A deficiency of magnesium interferes with the relaying of nerve and muscle impulses, causing irritability, muscular cramps and nervousness. It assists in the uptake of calcium and potassium and helps to maintain the body’s proper pH balance. This versatile mineral helps us to excrete arsenic and lead from the body, heavy metals which can lead to the development of cancer.

Magnesium promotes steady nerves, reduces irritability, helps to form strong bones and teeth, assists with the digestion of protein and carbohydrates, enhances memory and helps to prevent heart attacks. This essential mineral also helps to prevent abnormalities in the body’s lymph glands. The lymph glands are a key component of the body’s immune system.

Magnesium cannot be stored in the body for long periods and therefore it must be obtained regularly from the diet. Excess consumption of milk, coffee, tobacco and alcohol can lead to a magnesium deficiency. Soy milk is a perfect substitute for milk.

Good food sources of magnesium include dark green leafy vegetables, kelp, wheat bran, wheat germ, soy beans, dulse, hazelnuts, lima beans, sesame seeds, walnuts millet, avocado, almonds, pecans, spinach, lentils, dates, brazil nuts, brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat, cashews, dried figs and apricots, bananas, fish and other seafood, apples, peaches, pumpkin seeds, sea vegetables and sprouts.

Herbal sources of magnesium include chickweed, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, lemongrass, licorice, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover and yellow dock.

Manganese

Manganese is essential for proper red blood cell formation and to maintain the health of the body’s glands. Manganese-rich foods nourish the nerves and brain and aid in the transport of oxygen from the lungs to all of the cells in the body. It assists with healthy sex-hormone production, making it an essential mineral in helping to prevent hormone-induced cancers.

A form of the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, contains manganese. Proper function of this enzyme helps protect against free radical damage, which can cause cancer. Manganese also plays a role in detoxifying alcohol from the body. This may make it a key element in preventing cancers related to excess alcohol intake.

Good sources of manganese include chestnuts, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, coconut, walnut, buck wheat, kidney beans, lima beans, pineapple, grapes, beetroot, parsley, lettuce, watercress, apricots, bananas, cherries, green beans, kale, avocado, blackberries, dates, celery, dandelion, figs, lemons, pears, apples.

Molybdenum

Molybdenum is termed an essential trace mineral. Molybdenum possesses strong antioxidant properties and is believed to prevent some forms of cancer. It is able to activate the xanthine oxidase enzyme responsible for the production of the powerful antioxidant, uric acid. Molybdenum enhances kidney function and protects the body from some chemical carcinogens.

Molybdenum has a major influence in protecting the body from the carcinogenic effects of dietary nitrosamines (by preventing the conversion of nitrites to nitrates to nitrosamines in the stomach). Nitrates are found in processed and cured meats and are known to be carcinogenic to the human body. It is believed oesophagus cancer is a symptom of Molybdenum deficiency and a low intake of molybdenum is also associated with mouth and gum disorders and cancer.

Population studies have shown that people living in areas where the soil is molybdenum deficient have been found to have an increased risk of stomach and oesophageal cancers. Molybdenum is currently being studied as a possible mineral in the prevention of breast cancer.

Molybdenum can be obtained from both plant and animal sources. Cauliflower, spinach, fish, liver, peas, beans, legumes, cereal grains, wheat-germ, green peas, brown rice, cottage cheese, lentils, split peas, brewer’s yeast, potato, molasses and chicken are all good sources of this trace mineral.

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Shark Cartilage

The tough, elastic material that makes up the skeleton of the shark is dried and pulverized (finely powdered) to make this food supplement. Shark cartilage contains a number of active components, the most important of which is a type of protein that acts as an angiogenesis inhibitor – that is, it acts to suppress the development of new blood vessels. This makes it valuable in fighting a number of disorders. Many cancerous tumours, for instance, are able to grow only because they induce the body to develop new networks of blood vessels to supply them with nutrients. Shark cartilage suppresses this process, so that tumours are deprived of their source of nourishment and often tumours begin to shrink.

Sharks are one of the only creatures in the world that are not susceptible to developing cancer. This interesting point has led to further research being performed on sharks to understand why they are not prone to tumour development. Research performed in Boston discovered that a tumour will stop growing when it reaches two millimeters in size, unless it has sufficient blood supply. From this stage, new blood vessels begin to form to feed the tumour and it enlarges. Shark cartilage contains no blood vessels and actually contains a protein that inhibits the development of blood vessels thereby starving the tumour of its supplies.

Shark cartilage also contains high amounts of calcium (16%) and phosphorous (8%) and mucopolysaccharides that act to stimulate the body’s immune system.

The recommended daily intake is anywhere from 2500mg/day to 6000mg/day. Shark cartilage is generally not recommended for children or used during pregnancy or lactation without professional advice.

Shark Liver Oil – Alkylglycerols

Originally discovered in 1922, shark liver oil extract contains compounds called alkylglycerols that are also found in breast milk, the liver and spleen, and in bone marrow. These are active substances that provide breast fed babies with protection against infections until their own immunity is developed. Alkyglycerols have been studied as a possible treatment for childhood leukemia and as a likely key to reversing cervical cancer in women. They are able to increase antibodies in the body through the building of certain types of white blood cells. This in turn has a boosting effect on the body’s immune system.

Shark liver oil facilitates the elimination of toxic minerals from the body. It has the ability to also remove toxic organic forms of mercury and may be beneficial in the treatment and prevention of cancer. It may also be useful for people undergoing radiation therapy, as it prevents leukopenia (lack of white blood cells). If taken before radiation therapy, shark liver oil may help to control abnormal cell reproduction. In the 1990s, John Hopkins University discovered another healing ingredient in shark liver oil known as squalamine. Squalamine is effective against many yeast, bacterial and fungal infections, and offers promise to immune compromised persons such as cancer patients. These ancient creatures of the ocean may hold the secret to improved health and longevity for mankind.

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Using unusual foods in your diet, especially in rotation, can help extend and vary your diet. You are less likely to react to a food if you have never or seldom eaten it. Use substitutes such as goat’s and sheep’s milk and cheese if you can, and unusual grains, such as buckwheat, sago or tapioca. Eat duck, venison, rabbit and turkey more frequently.

Fish, if you tolerate it, can be a very useful, and relatively cheap, way to extend your rotation. There are a large number of families of fish, and you can have a wide diet by using this variety on a rotation. Some people react to fish of any kind, however, so take care if you know you react consistently to all fish.

Pure nut butters can also be useful to extend your diet. You can buy almond, cashew and peanut butter without added oil.

Introduce herbs, spices and seeds into a rotation to give you variety and flavour. Treat each as a new food as you introduce it, and stick to the food families.

You can use fruit oils or nut oils, such as grapeseed oil or hazelnut and walnut oils, for salad dressings. Do not use for baking or cooking as they produce unpleasant-tasting chemicals when cooked.

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You have a choice of four ways in which to eliminate chemicals from your environment in order to test what you are sensitive to:

• totally avoid one or a small number of specific chemicals

• eliminate chemicals in one area of your life (e.g. clothing or cosmetics)

• create an oasis in one room

• have a radical clear-out

Selective strategies

The first two strategies are usually where people start, as they are much less disruptive and can, if you pick on the obvious candidates first time, bring quick results.

If you choose the second strategy, to pick off selected areas of your life, use the various relevant sections in this book to help you in your avoidance.

The drawbacks of the selective approaches is that you sometimes get confusing results. The first strategy can turn out to be very difficult, that it is almost impossible to eliminate a specific chemical. The second strategy often fails because you are only eliminating certain chemicals partially – you may not get benefits or clear results until you go much further. You may think that you are not sensitive to a particular chemical when in fact you are, and your symptoms would clear if you were more thorough about elimination.

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If you are exceptionally sensitive, you may not be able to wear even low-allergen products. You may have to avoid toiletries and cosmetics altogether. It can be very difficult to have to give up something that is a source of self-esteem or pleasure, and can be a hard decision. On the other hand, total abstinence may be your only route to being well.

If you know you react to skincare products, have done all you can to avoid things yourself, yet are still having problems, the source may well be other people’s products. You can react to these by inhaling them, or by contact with them. This can be a real problem at work, or in public places where people gather – such as pubs, shops, cinemas and clubs. If you feel ill after a sports activity, it may well be because of other people’s bodycare products.

Eczema or asthma in babies and children can often be caused by products that parents or siblings wear, or those worn by a childmin-der, babysitter or relative caring for them, classmates at school, or teachers. Teenagers’ problems could perhaps be caused by a boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s toiletries.

Dealing with other people’s products is a tricky area. Within the family, you may have to negotiate and agree that everyone wears products that the person with allergies or sensitivity can tolerate, at least within the home. With a childminder or relative carer, you may have to agree on products they can wear. At work or school, you may be able to negotiate so that people close to you or your child use less of the things that upset you, or use products that are tolerable.

If your work involves considerable exposure to things that upset you, it may not be possible for you to continue with it. Most situations will be beyond your control and you will have to find ways of minimising your exposure.

If you go to the barber’s or hairdresser’s, go at a time when the place is relatively empty and free of substances first thing in the morning, or early in the week. Take your own products if necessary. Or get a hairdresser to come to your home.

At a cinema, theatre or concert, sit at the end of a row or at the back or front, so that you are not totally surrounded by other people. Arrive as late as you can.

Ask people coming to your home not to wear perfumes, aftershave, hair gels or sprays or other perfumed products.

Carry a handkerchief or scarf with you. Place over your nose and breathe through it if you have to go into places where perfume and cosmetic smells are intense.

In pubs, clubs or at parties try to move near a door, windows or fan ventilation so that you are breathing cleaner air.

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Various materials are used in cavity wall insulation, in which insulating material is placed between the outer and inner wall of a building. One such material is urea-formaldehyde foam (UFF) which is injected into the cavity and forms a foam which adheres to the wall surfaces. UFF is only ever used on existing buildings, not at time of construction. It releases formaldehyde vapours for some considerable time after, at low levels but sufficient to cause sensitivity reactions. This type of cavity wall insulation should be avoided. It is not practicable to try and remove it.

Use of UFF has been controlled more closely by Building Regulations since 1985, due to concerns about health risks and bad publicity, and is very unlikely to have been installed after 1985. It was most in use in the 1970s to the mid-1980s.

Polystyrene is also commonly used in cavity wall insulation, as is mineral wool. These do not give off fumes in everyday circumstances and are well tolerated. Polystyrene insulation can be installed in an existing building in bead form. Polystyrene in other forms, and mineral wool can be installed in cavity walls only at the time of construction.

For dry-lining walls with an insulating layer, you can use polystyrene block bonded to plasterboard, or mineral wool secured to plasterboard.

For insulating and lagging water and heating pipes, two types of material are commonly used. One type consists of foamed plastics, often polyurethane, which give off fumes when new, or when warm, and which are best avoided. Use fibreglass wool as an alternative that does not cause sensitivity. It can scratch and irritate skin and airways when handled, so use hand and face protection.

For roof insulation, glass and mineral fibre wools are commonly used. These do not cause sensitivity but again can irritate the skin and airways on handling. Formaldehyde is applied to virtually all roof insulating material but not in high concentrations. If the material is in a well-sealed, or totally sealed, roof space, the formaldehyde should not cause any problem. Untreated roof insulating material can be manufactured, but is not usually available at wholesalers and cannot be ordered in the small volumes needed for domestic use, so, for all practical purposes, is not available. Always use hand and face protection when handling irritant insulating materials.

Hot water tank jackets do not normally cause problems once aired off. Keep cupboard doors well sealed and shut.

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You can buy a range of devices which will remove particles and filter the air that you breathe. These can be of real benefit if you choose one that is effective for the things to which you are sensitive (some devices remove some allergens or substances and not others). They are cheap to run, costing little more than a light bulb to operate.

Air filters and other devices will not solve your problems on their own, however. Even the best do not totally remove allergens from your environment; they can help reduce or remove airborne particles or vapours, but they cannot remove them from surfaces or furniture, or in intense exposures. They are not a substitute for carrying out other avoidance measures – they are best used in combination with avoidance measures, where they often add an extra percentage of improvement which can make a real difference.

They are also helpful when you have to spend time in environments where you cannot remove allergens or substances that upset you -such as at work or when staying away from home. Again, they can add an extra percentage of improvement which can make things tolerable.

What To Look For

Air cleaning or filtering devices can do five basic things:

• mask smells, through air freshener inserts

• produce negative ions (ionise) which causes dust and other particles to be attracted to surfaces in the room

• filter out particles in a fabric filter or web

• attract particles to an electrically charged surface

• filter out gaseous vapours through activated carbon

The various devices available often have these functions in different combinations.

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Withdrawal-This is a simple method but it can be frustrated by, or frustrating for, either partner. The man withdraws his penis during the interval between his orgasm setting in and ejaculation starting. Since his instinct at this time is to thrust his penis deep into the vagina he may fail to withdraw in time. As the first few spurts of semen contain most of the sperms this is potentially dangerous. Some women so much hate the thought of withdrawal that they try to prevent it in the heat of the moment. This is a very unsafe method and can be emotionally unpleasant for the couple.

The rhythm method-This essentially consists of trying to predict when ovulation occurs from a study of the woman’s menstrual cycle. To do this properly she has to have an accurate record of her periods over the preceding year. Only then can she see a reliable time pattern. Going by what has happened over a few months is simply not accurate enough. The first day of the cycle is taken as being the day menstruation starts and the last day is the day menstruation next commences. The life of the egg is thought to be one to two days (although it may be as short as twelve hours) and that of the sperms in the tubes two to three days. Adding a day either side for safety means that intercourse has to be avoided for seven days around ovulation. This means that you cannot have intercourse between the eighteenth and eleventh days before your next period starts. To allow for variations in cycle length, the first unsafe day is calculated by deducting eleven from the number of days in the longest cycle. After every cycle the numbers should be worked out again so as to cover the last twelve cycles. This is important because very few women are regular as clockwork and many things, such as stress and illness, can alter cycle length. If you work on the assumption that your cycle is twenty-eight days long all the time you will definitely expose yourself to getting pregnant.

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Although an increasing number of sexual difficulties are known to be the result of physical illness, the majority are probably of psychological origin. It is always possible that discoveries such as the fact that high prolactin or oestrogen production in some men can produce impotence will explain some sexual difficulties but they are unlikely to be the explanation in most cases.

It is not only an absence of hard biological evidence that leads us to say that most sex problems originate in the mind; there are other reasons too. First, when investigated, most people’s sex problems show sufficient evidence of a psychosexual origin-to make it worth considering this as a serious possibility. Second, psychotherapeutic techniques (talk therapy) perhaps combined with other techniques that do not involve drugs or surgery, often relieve the problem. Clearly most sexual problems have little or nothing to do with the body’s basic plumbing. Evidence for this is seen in many cases. For example, the man who cannot erect for intercourse but wakes with an erection in the morning and, judged by the stains on his sheets, has night emissions too. Many people with problems are reluctant to consult a doctor, sometimes because they feel that he or she will think badly of them or does not have the time to treat them, whilst others put off seeking help because they do not believe help is available or effective.

At the heart of the psychological factors that prevent sexual success and produce sexual casualties is the anti-sexual nature of our culture. As we have mentioned elsewhere, conservatism on the subject of sex in child rearing leads to the unconscious transmission of sexual suppression from one generation to the next and sex education, at least as it is practised at present, does little to redress the balance.

Normal religious beliefs affect the situation very little except that children brought up in religiously extreme homes have more than their fair share of sexual problems as adults. As we have already explained, in the chapter on childhood sexuality, problems arising from the Oedipal complex can also disrupt sexuality in later life and result in sex difficulties. A false perception of the partner, as in the case of, for example, a man who unconsciously identifies his partner too much with his mother, may result in rare or unenjoyable intercourse.

Avoidance of intercourse, making it brief as in premature ejaculation or reducing the full pleasure by not reaching orgasm, since, unconsciously, he perceives the woman as his mother, also leads to anxiety. Along the same lines, a woman having a baby can change in her husband’s eyes from a lover to a mother and he may well then see her as relatively (or totally) undesirable. He may even become impotent if they do try to have intercourse.

A loss of sex drive, or even completely going off sex, after the birth of a baby is common in women too, for reasons which include pain from an episiotomy, a birth injury, hormonal disturbances, postnatal depression, fear of a further pregnancy, tiredness, over-preoccupation with the new baby, or an unconscious identification with the woman’s own mother, now that she has become a mother. Many, if not most, women perceive mothers in general as sexless.

Increasingly today, drugs, pharmaceutical preparations and chemicals also interfere with sexual performance. More subtly, unconsciously perceived chemical messengers called pheromones may also be involved. Psychological ‘messages’ can also be transmitted by one partner and picked up unconsciously and yet still influence sexual behaviour. Body language is one example. It is quite possible that such psychological and pheromonal messages, if negative and transmitted over a long period of time, might adversely affect the sexual capacity of one’s partner.

The emotional relationship between a couple can express itself as a sexual problem – indeed most so-called sexual problems are probably the result of emotional and relationship problems. A failure to erect or lubricate, premature ejaculation, or failure to have an orgasm can be expressions of resentment, anger and many other emotions, as can the rejection of advances.

There are men and women who see themselves as sexual enthusiasts but who, when the subject is examined more deeply in therapy, are found continuously to be putting sex last on their list of priorities in life. It is not, they say, that they don’t want to have intercourse but there is ‘just no time for it’ and in any case they are ‘always too tired’. Also, they often add, ‘sex isn’t everything’. Where both of the partners want to avoid sex such a situation is satisfactory. If a woman places a low priority on sex, or at least continuously finds other things she would rather do, her man sees this as rejection and loses interest or performs badly when she does agree. Many women too measure their attractiveness, and therefore their value, by the ardour shown by their partner. If he puts everything else first she may respond by getting angry, becoming sexually uninterested or performing badly. Believing herself to be unwanted she may even fall out of love with him. A sign that this is occurring is a sudden loss of her ability to have orgasms.

Stereotyped, habit-ridden copulation and insensitivity to the needs of the other partner both sow the seeds of sexual difficulties, as do relatively minor problems such as bad breath and, for many women, the man being unshaven. Sometimes just even loving the partner can produce problems. As mentioned already, some men perceive the woman they love as sexless and put her on a pedestal. They are impotent with her but not with others. Some women are inhibited with the man they love, having been reared in childhood to believe that sexual activity leads to a loss of love (in that case from their parents) but can perform with efficiency and abandon with a stranger. Other women may overcome this by fantasising about other men when having intercourse with their partner. In any case, for reasons which are largely unknown, everyone finds certain members of the opposite sex infinitely more desirable, arousing and exciting than others. Some men and women can perform perfectly well with certain members of the opposite sex but not with others.

Many people who talk continually about how much they want intercourse are unconsciously trying to avoid it. Such people may fix on a physical event such as having a baby, a sterilisation operation or the onset of some disability as an excuse to avoid intercourse, sometimes permanently. For women who see sex as being mainly for reproduction, sterilisation can disturb them anyway. Disturbances of body-image also affect sexual performance. Women who have not accepted their vagina as part of their body psychologically do not to all intents and purposes have a vagina. Attempts at intercourse are experienced as being like a knife being pushed through an intact body surface, and they suffer from a condition known as vaginismus. These are the virgin wives mentioned earlier. A man who has fear-inspiring images of the female body can, unconsciously, think of the vagina as a whirlpool or a mouth with biting teeth. Placing his penis inside it is like putting his head in a lion’s mouth, so it is avoided by failing to erect or by ejaculating before entry or soon afterwards.

So the background to sexual problems is very varied and is often time-consuming to sort out, if only because basic causes are often overlaid with conscious excuses and explanations that first have to be stripped away. Some problems are the direct result of upbringing and the potential problem existed long before that person met his or her partner. It was lying dormant but ready to bloom. In some cases an apparently normal sex life may be sustained for months or even years before a ‘sexual breakdown’ occurs. This happens because at the time the person’s sexual desires exceed his underlying fears and he can function fairly well. Once desire wanes even a little all the inhibitory forces take over and the person develops a frank sexual problem. An unhappy example is seen in those women who have been brought up with the ‘sex is naughty’ view of sexuality. They function well before marriage and enjoy sex but lose orgasmic capacity and interest in sex afterwards, when it is legitimate. In other cases the problem reflects a difficulty within the relationship. Sex itself may be the primary cause of the problem or it may, so to speak, simply be knocked down as an innocent bystander.

Psychological illness, personality factors and problems with religious beliefs may or may not contribute to sexual problems. For example, a person who is prone to excessive anxiety about life generally may or may not be anxious about intercourse: sex can provide a refuge for such people. Conversely, someone who displays low levels of anxiety in the rest of his life can show signs of alarm, muscle tension and sweating as sexual contact becomes imminent. Men and women with personality disorders run the risk of retaliation through a sex problem in their partner. For example, a critical, domineering or excessively maternal woman may come to be seen by her partner as an unpleasant mother figure.

*102\164\2*

Our knowledge of the detail of what really happens during sexual arousal was, until about twenty years ago, very patchy indeed. The pioneering work of Dr William Masters and Dr Virginia Johnson in the USA changed all that and now many other researchers have repeated and extended their work.

In a man-A man usually starts to become sexually aroused in his head. He is ‘turned on’ by something erotic (either in reality or fantasy) and this mental change sends nervous impulses down his spinal cord to his genitals. In response the spongy tissue of his penis becomes filled with blood, causing the organ to stiffen and change from the limp, downward-hanging organ it usually is to a protruding, rod-like one. This is called an erection. During these changes the man’s heartbeat quickens, his pupils enlarge, his blood pressure rises, his breathing quickens, his nostrils flare, his muscles tense, he sweats a little and he feels sexually excited. This is called the excitement phase of his sexual response. His scrotum becomes tenser and thicker and the testes themselves are drawn up tightly against the body.

It is possible for all these changes to occur and the man then to go back to his normal

pre-excitement phase. Apart perhaps from feeling somewhat let-down, he will return to normal within minutes. Most often though, having got this far, he will go further either by masturbating or by copulating.

The penis now swells even more and its tip (the glans) becomes purplish blue and the contents of the scrotum increase in size. This is the plateau phase and it is more difficult to return to normal from this than from the earlier excitement phase.

The next stage is the orgasm itself. The intensity of sexual arousal is now so high that the man has to ejaculate. Surges of nervous impulses now run back and forth from his nervous system to his genitals and the passages that run from the testes to the penis’ contract (along with local muscles) to squirt semen out of the end of his penis. Once an orgasm is near there is nothing a man can do to stop it — it takes him over. At ejaculation a small quantity of semen shoots out of the penis, often for some distance, and is associated with a wonderful sensation deep in the pelvis as the prostate gland (previously swollen with fluid) discharges its contents. A series of four or five contractions follows at a rate of about one every 0.8 of a second, each producing a smaller volume of semen than before until the tubes carrying the semen are empty. Eventually the contractions cease and the man relaxes. His erect penis returns to its normal size and he feels relaxed and even sleepy. The colour and consistency of semen varies a lot with how long he has been continent. There is no way of judging the quality of semen by its appearance or its volume. Each ejaculation (about a teaspoonful) contains millions of sperms, any one of which could make a woman pregnant.

Once the man has ejaculated, he may take several hours to become arousable again. Younger men have a shorter refractory period and are arousable again sooner than older men. Some boys can have repeated orgasms just like most women. There is absolutely no harm or danger in ejaculating several times a day but it can be tiring. There is no truth at all in the notion that men have only a certain fixed amount of semen which can be ejaculated — every healthy man can ejaculate semen many times a day for the whole of his life and still suffer no adverse

side-effects.

The whole male cycle can be achieved very quickly, especially in teenagers and young men who become aroused and ejaculate in a few minutes. Things are rather different in women.

*82\164\2*

Because there are now so many people around in the remarriage market a whole new industry has arisen to cope with them. Marriage bureaux are, of course, not new but they are increasing in numbers and some deal with specialised groups of the population. Computer-dating is popular and singles clubs and those for the divorced and separated are commonplace. The middle-aged, once single again, have particular problems because, although the media often portrays them as having all the advantages of being single, the reality is very different. Confidence may have been lost and, as they are older, adjusting to a new potential partner is harder. Divorced women are often seen as a threat by married women and so may have difficulty in meeting suitable men.

However, it appears that about half of divorced people find their second partner through informal sources (friends and relatives) and half through formal ones. The sex lives of the divorced vary greatly — some abstaining because they feel so wretched about it all (though their feelings change over the months and a normal sex drive returns in most people) and others for religious and moral reasons. Those who can have sex only in the context of romantic love often remarry very quickly to legitimise their need for sex.

About 60 per cent of remarriages are to other divorced and separateds. This is probably no bad thing since they recognise the problems and pitfalls and can understand each other’s situation better. They reassure each other that they are not unique in their problems, or unstable, and a bond is more likely to form as a result. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the real reasons for their marriage failure and so make exactly the same mistakes again. Nearly half of all remarriages fail, mainly because people choose those who are similar to their first spouse (although this may not necessarily be obvious to those involved). Those who have been married twice have a divorce rate five times the norm.

*62\164\2*

Many a woman says that her husband will not row with her and that as a result she cannot clear the air. This often happens because women tend to have superior verbal skills and, along with their female logic, defeat men, who then choose not to argue. There must have been a failure of communication somewhere along the line for things to have got this bad, and many a woman complains that her husband simply does not talk (or listen) to her enough. So great is her desire to clear things up that she provokes arguments. As a result she scares her husband off. Women are far better at assessing the underlying feelings in a relationship than are most men. Often a man does not see a problem as important and may not even see it at all. This does not mean that it does not exist. If one partner in a marriage has a problem, they both have it.

Women also tend to link problems to the whole relationship. For example, a woman may say that if her husband loved her he would not do or say a certain thing. It may be a simple misunderstanding of the ways in which he believes he should demonstrate his love, and once again this is usually conditioned by what he learned in childhood.

In such rows the woman, because she feels hurt or neglected may, because of her greater verbal skills, say more wounding things than she really feels simply to provoke a serious response from her husband. Such over-dramatising of the argument would not be necessary if men were more sensitive to their wives’ needs.

Many a man reverts to childhood when his wife becomes aggressive or seems to be provoking a row and responds as if she were a hostile mother. He sulks, mooches around the house, or goes out to escape. This does nothing to help because the woman still has not had her say and still feels scorned, overlooked, unloved, treated as worthless or whatever sparked off the row in the first place. She needs loving care and understanding but her husband, by behaving like a young boy, cannot hope to provide it. The underlying problem is thus not resolved. The next time a problem area is aired the couple, already on a plateau of tension, spark each other off more readily.

Often such hostility arises over ‘no-go’ areas within the marriage. Subjects as diverse as children’s schooling, the woman’s weight, his drinking friends, religion, oral sex and so on are out of bounds, skirted round and never actually discussed. One partner (or both) harbours strongly-held views, yet cannot get the other to discuss them or come to an agreement at all. Slowly these ‘no-go’ areas within the marriage grow in size and number until the couple are relating only in the most superficial way, skimming over the surface of life. As soon as any discussion gets valuable it hits a ‘no-go’ area and hostility or silence breaks out. Eventually such a couple end up saying little to each other.

Clearly no two people will agree on everything, but a loving friendship can withstand a fair amount of disagreement. There are usually no absolute answers to the problems being discussed and one person’s views are worth about as much as another’s. Many ‘no-go’ areas are not really serious anyway.

Once ‘no-go’ areas begin to intrude on a couple’s life, sex often is the first casualty. Professionals working with marital problems never accept sexual problems at face value because they are so rarely the cause of marital disharmony. Sex is usually the injured bystander as the marriage crashes but in a society so over-concerned with sex it is understandable that people who go for professional help often complain of a sexual problem first.

Rows and an extension of ‘no-go’ areas within the marriage reduce the tenderness each feels for the other, and usually a woman is the first to go off sex. As a consequence the man progressively withdraws from the relationship, ‘deloves’ his wife and escapes into gardening, ‘the boys’, a time-consuming hobby away from home, or a considerable increase in work. The woman’s fears that she is no longer loved, appreciated and wanted are confirmed for her too and the marriage spirals downwards.

By understanding how things can go wrong one can more easily find answers to prevent and cure the problems. At the first sign of emotional disease within a marriage the ‘unaffected’ partner should say, ‘Let’s sit down and you tell me about it. You’re obviously upset, I’ll try to help.’ The listener then allows the ‘complainer’ to get the problem off his or her chest without interruption and then negotiations start with real care and warmth. Such behaviour tackles troublesome situations early and major ‘no-go’ areas never get a chance to take root. Each person sees the other behaving in a way that is compatible with the way they think someone who ‘really loves me’ ought to behave, and such tolerance breeds tolerance in return. Quite quickly in a marriage run along the lines just described a fund of goodwill builds up and the couple can make concessions to each other on certain matters (that could easily have become ‘no-go’ areas), can overlook peccadilloes and can even delight in each other’s shortcomings. In general, women are better able (or perhaps more prepared) to adapt to men in this way than vice versa but obviously there are exceptions.

If this course of action is not followed another category of rows may then emerge which is not primarily brought about by the apparent cause, which in turn becomes concealed and unresolved. It is at this stage that many couples seek professional help or see a solicitor about divorce. It takes a really skilled professional to find where the problems lie in such cases and all too often couples have the wrong (more superficial) problem treated only to return home to continue their unhappy lives. Often such professionals attach blame to one of the partners involved, but this can be very unfair because the answers are rarely clear-cut and the obvious ‘offender’ in the marriage is often the weaker and needs help more than (even implicit) condemnation.

Men and women have very different ideas as to which faults are killers of marriages. One survey found that women thought that selfishness and inconsiderate behaviour were the most important faults in their husbands and that men rated nagging and moaning top of the list. The old fears of sexual incompatibility, too many or no children, drunkenness and lack of trust, so commonly found to be problems in the past, have now virtually disappeared in favour of selfishness, money problems, conflicting personalities and jealousy among wives of husbands paying attention to things other than them.

But rather than simply rowing about these areas couples can use the technique known as ‘shaping-up’. The idea behind this concept is that rather than falling out over minor areas of disagreement one makes a conscious effort deliberately to ignore them or to treat them neutrally. When the ‘offending’ partner behaves in a way which the other wants to encourage he or she is rewarded by signs of pleasure, affection, flattering comments and even sexual favours. This

technique can also be used to modify sexual behaviour which a partner does not like.

*41\164\2*

According to a recent study, the most effective way for many older women to ward off osteoporosis may be with hormone replacement therapy.

Scientists at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Nedlands, Australia, investigated the effectiveness of three different approaches to retarding bone loss in 120 postmenopausal women whose average age was 56. The methods investigated were exercise, exercise combined with a calcium supplement and exercise plus an estrogen-progesterone replacement.

The results of the study revealed that exercise alone had little effect in reducing bone loss, while exercise plus calcium did reduce the loss of bone. But, exercise and hormone replacement therapy produced the best results—an actual increase in bone density.

While hormone replacement therapy is still somewhat controversial—it can cause side effects, such as tender breasts and vaginal bleeding, and may increase, slightly, a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer—the new research suggests that the therapy may be the most effective treatment for postmenopausal women with low bone mass and no history of breast cancer.

*201\27\8*

According to a recent scientific study, shaving with an electric razor may double a man’s chance of contracting leukemia. The study, conducted at Battelle Memorial Institute’s Pacific Northwest Laboratory in Richland, Washington found that men who used electric razors for 2 1/2 minutes a day were more than twice as likely to contract leukemia than men who did not use electric razors at all. The researchers were quick to point out that while the study suggested a possible link between electric shavers and leukemia, it does not prove that such razors cause cancer.

Much of the speculation centers around electromagnetic fields. Such a field is created when electricity passes through a wire. The field becomes more powerful with an increase in current. Some scientists think that electromagnetic fields can trigger cellular changes that lead to cancer. However, there is currently no scientific proof that an electric field can cause cancer.

Researchers at Battelle based their study on the supposition that the closer to his face a man used an electric motor to his face, the greater the risk of cancer.

Small appliances such as television sets, hair dryers and electric blankets are currently being studied because the magnetic fields they generate are relatively potent within several inches. Most such small appliances are used in close proximity with humans. The researchers involved in the Battelle study said that electric razors put out a stronger magnetic field than appliances such as hair dryers and personal massagers.

Another study—this one at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities—indicates that there is «no convincing evidence» to support any link between cancer and the use of small appliances. According to the findings from this study, exposure to the extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields emitted by sources including household appliances, video display terminals (VDTs) and local power lines, has not been proven to constitute an increased health hazard.

A third study—conducted in Sweden—indicates that children who are exposed to relatively weak electromagnetic fields from local power lines may develop leukemia at almost four times the «normal» rate.

The Swedish study took place at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and looked at 500,000 children and adults in Sweden who lived near power lines. Researchers discovered that children who were exposed to electromagnetic fields from neighborhood power transmission lines were developed leukemia at the rate of 3.8-in -20,000 instead of the typical rate of 1- in- 20,000.

*162\27\8*

While the most effective long-term way to deal with stress is to uncover and treat its cause(s), experts say it is also helpful to simply treat the symptoms. Being able to alleviate the symptoms of stress can allow you to improve your chances of relaxing long enough to understand and deal with its cause(s). One effective way of soothing stress-produced symptoms is taking an «antistress bath».

The most common antistress bath is the evening bath. Soaking in a tub of warm water helps to relax the muscles. It may also work by heating the brain slightly, which can have a calming effect. Experts say that only water that is comfortably warm to the touch (100 degrees to 102 degrees F.) is effective in easing symptoms of stress-water that is too hot or too cold can shock the system. It is recommended that you soak for no longer than 15 minutes.

Steam baths and saunas can also work as «antistress tools» for some people. However, you should check with your doctor before trying either a steam bath or sauna because they can both create a significant strain on the cardiovascular system.

Some people find flotation tanks to be an effective method of combatting stress. Such tanks are filled with water and a large quantity of Epsom salts to ensure buoyancy They are made secure in a sealed, soundproof container. According to researchers the warm water, plus complete silence and the eliminate of virtually all outside distractions make flotation tanks a popular choice for many people who want to alleviate symptoms of stress.

*122\27\8*

The US Department of Agriculture has recently revised its recommended daily food intake. These new recommendations include more fruits and vegetables. Here are these new recommendations.

1. Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta— 6-11 servings

2. Fruit Group — 2-4 servings

3. Vegetable Group — 3-5 servings

4. Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese — 2-3 servings

5. Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group — 2-3 servings

6. Fats, Oils, and Sweets — Use sparingly

New Breakthrough: Little Known Mineral May Help Weight Loss

Mention chromium and many people think of chrome plating on automobiles. But to researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio, chromium is an essential trace mineral which may help people lose weight without requiring a significant reduction in caloric intake. Recently the researchers found that increasing the intake of chromium can help an individual lose up to 2 pounds a month without the necessity of following a strict low-calorie diet.

The mineral is found naturally in some fruits, vegetables, meats, whole grains, and shellfish. However, most Americans fail to consume the RDA of chromium which is 50 to 200 micrograms. According to researchers, 200 meg per day is enough to aid in weight control.

In order to increase chromium intake, weight conscious individuals may consider taking chromium picolinate. This supplement combines the mineral with picolinic acid which is a natural substance produced from an amino acid. The picolinic acid transports minerals such as chromium rapidly and efficiently to areas in the body where they will be of most benefit.

The researchers say that the chromium picolinate supplement may help keep your insulin levels within a normal range, thereby playing a key role in weight control. High insulin levels can lead to overeating. The supplement also seems to help burn stored fat by reducing the body’s metabolic rate.

*82\27\8*

Here are eight tips on how you can enjoy many of your favorite fast foods, while cutting back on fat and sodium:

1) Avoid sauce. Have your hamburger, fish, or chicken sandwich without mayonnaise, tartar or other «special» sauces.

2) Eliminate cheese. The varieties of cheese commonly used by fast-food restaurants on burgers and chicken sandwiches, and breakfast muffins and biscuits are high in fat, cholesterol and calories.

3) Smaller is better. If a sandwich is your preference, avoid entrees called «big», «double», «jumbo», or «whopper» because they usually contain a «super load» of fat. By ordering the plain, small hamburgers you can cut the fat by as much as 70%.

4) Look for chicken, fish, or lean-meat entrees that are grilled, broiled or roasted.

5) Have your toast, English muffin, or pancakes be prepared and served without butter or margarine. Use jelly or jam instead.

6) To reduce the amount of sodium in a regular-size hamburger, eliminate condiments such as pickles and ketchup.

7) If you order breakfast, avoid the ham, bacon, or sausage, and trim the sodium content by more than 30%.

If you eat your fries plain, without adding salt and ketchup, the sodium content can be reduced by more than 60%.

*42\27\8*

Women confront new sexual issues at menopause. The most obvious is that you have physical evidence that you can no longer get pregnant. The relief from having to deal with contraception or worry about periods can mean a new found freedom of sexual expression. Jane recalls, T never realized how much contraception interfered with our sex life. I hated being on the Pill, I couldn’t use an IUD because my periods got so heavy, Bob just refused to use condoms, so it was up to me to use a diaphragm. I found that a real bore too after a few years, so it got to the stage where I’d figure out exactly where ‘I was in my cycle before I’d decide whether I could be bothered messing around with spermicides and things. Once I knew I was past all that, we went through a real sort of renaissance in our sex life. It was like starting again except we were much more experienced. The kids had all left home and we started doing things we hadn’t dared do before. We were both much more spontaneous.’

Just as aging brings about physical changes in men that alter their sexual function, so women also undergo a natural process of change after menopause. Your vaginal tissue becomes thinner and drier but being dry doesn’t mean you are not as sexually aroused. The dryness can cause some pain with intercourse if you don’t find an alternative way of lubricating (like lubricating gel or saliva). As the labia (lips around the vulva) shrink in size, the clitoris becomes more exposed and it loses some of its sensitivity. Many of these difficulties can be solved by hormone replacement therapy. We are used to hearing about the value of pelvic floor exercises to tone up the muscles around the vagina and urinary outlet (urethra) for women having babies. These exercises are worth learning in your teens and continuing right through life. In older age groups they have been shown to increase the blood flow around the vagina (improving lubrication), increase the vaginal muscle tone (which can enhance orgasm) and help to prevent the common problem of incontinence.

After menopause, a woman’s orgasm is different too. As well as the slower clitoral response, the muscle contractions of orgasm are not as strong. In spite of these changes, a woman’s need for affection and physical closeness continues.

*150\17\9*

While we’re on that subject, it’s interesting to hear the attitudes of both men and women about penis size and how it relates to sexual performance. There has always been a popular mythology that a huge penis is the symbol of masculinity, potency and sexual magnificence. The comparisons start in the school toilets and are continued in porn magazines and movies with leading men like Long Dong Silver or John Holmes. Obviously their penises are going to be huge. After all, that’s how they got the job, but it doesn’t mean that every other man has to measure up to be a good lover. The average erect penis is about thirteen and a half centimetres long, and that’s more than enough for intercourse. The traditional emphasis on penis size ignores the erotic value of the rest of a man’s body. How you make love is more to the point.

A frequent complaint from women is that their partner ‘goes straight for the crotch’. In an effort to get her to a state of arousal quickly it is tempting to try to bypass the build-up but to be frank there is no way to rush a woman’s sexual arousal phase. It is designed to build up gradually. The clitoris is the only part of the human anatomy that exists exclusively to focus sexual pleasure. But it is not a sexual ‘magic lantern’ … rub it, say the magic words and you get your wish. In fact, touching the clitoris before a woman is aroused can be a really unpleasant, even painful, sensation. A woman’s sexual response is a total body response and also depends heavily on her state of mind.

*130\17\9*

The nature of the birth process, with the physical and emotional exposure that it involves, means that many of a woman’s previous inhibitions are swept aside. Complete strangers are privy to one of your life’s most intimate and vulnerable moments and some women find they can ‘let loose’ more readily with their partner. For others the loss of privacy means it takes a while to think of genitals in terms of sexual pleasure again rather than as a ‘birth canal’.

Privacy certainly becomes an issue as the children become older and more mobile. Francis describes a rare moment alone with her husband, their child tucked safely in bed. Because they had both been so tired, there hadn’t been much time for those treasured romantic interludes. As the action heated up, their breathing got heavier and Francis threw her head back over the foot of the bed. As the first wave of that long-awaited orgasm washed over her, her neck still arched back, she slowly opened her eyes to be greeted by the inverted image of her three year old about half a metre from her face. ‘I wet my bed Mum.’

*109\17\9*

A number of different techniques to help fertilization are now fairly commonplace. IVF (invitro fertilization) simply means ‘fertilization in glass’. Apart from being the best-known technique, it is probably also the most emotionally draining.

We have become quite familiar with the media images of delighted couples nursing their IVF twins or triplets following years of heartbreaking infertility. The woman’s eggs are collected from her ovaries, mixed in a special glass container with the man’s sperm (collected by masturbation) and, if fertilization occurs, the cells multiply over the next few days and are then inserted into the woman’s uterus. It is literally a bypass of the Fallopian tubes.

If there is at least one healthy Fallopian tube, the GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) technique can help the egg and sperm get together. The man masturbates into a jar to provide the sperm. These are examined and washed by a technician. The washing process ‘energizes’ the sperm which are then transported to the operating theatre. With the woman under a general anesthetic, a laparoscope (a fine tube with a camera attachment) is inserted into her abdomen through the navel and it is used to locate the ovaries. Mature eggs are collected through a suction tube, combined with the sperm and the mixture injected directly back into the Fallopian tube where fertilization hopefully takes place. After that, it’s up to Nature to take its course.

*89\17\9*

Commitment doesn’t have to have a timeframe. Kay has been married to the same man for sixteen years. ‘We met when we were at school and we became good friends. We would sit together in class and have lunch together most days. Then one weekend when we were about seventeen I was invited to a friend’s birthday party and she said to bring a partner. So I asked James if he would like to go with me. That night we kissed each other for the first time and it just felt so wonderful. We talked for ages after the party and we agreed that we were officially «going steady» (that’s what they called it back then). I know this sounds weird but we decided then and there that one day we would marry. Of course nobody believed either of us at the time … but that’s exactly what we did as soon as we graduated from university and one of us got a job. We’ve had our ups and downs but we’re still here!’

Two people can make a mutual commitment after only a few weeks and keep to it but a relationship can go on for years without any real commitment beyond next Saturday night.

Colin talks about the other side of the coin. ‘Michelle and I started our relationship when we were fifteen. We would go to all the parties together, we went to the beach, we would go on holidays with each other’s families and all that. As we got older our relationship became sexual but in a way we were like brother and sister. We never talked about marriage or children. In fact, we never even talked about living together. Anyway, by the time we were about twenty-three our parents started dropping little hints about us «tying the knot» and about how they would like to be grandparents one day and how well suited we were. At first we just ignored it but by the time we were twenty-five the thumbscrews were really on. I suppose they managed to convince us that because we had been together for ten years we were duty-bound to get married. Well it lasted about eighteen months.’

Now at first glance the concept of agreeing to a set of restrictions doesn’t seem all that appealing, but making a commitment can mean a lot of plusses — a degree of security, mutual support, companionship, trust, and being able to make longterm plans together.

*69\17\9*

We have to build up our immunity if we are to resist respiratory diseases, for we cannot always avoid coming in contact with infection. Research specialists are probably correct in their assertion that it is unusual to find a person in Europe who, at one time or another, has not had a mild tubercular infection that could have triggered the full-blown disease if he had not had sufficient resistance or immunity. That is why our first great task is to acquire this immunity.

These observations emphasise that the best way to prevent disease is to assure good health. How can this be achieved? By putting the following suggestions into practice. First, a natural health-food diet is essential; then we need plenty of light, fresh air, sunshine, exercise and deep-breathing. The more natural your way of life and your diet, the less time spent cooped up in small rooms, and the more you use your free time to breathe and move around in the fresh air and natural light, the less you will be susceptible to disease. Whatever else you do, these rules are basic for your health and well-being.

*165/28/1*

In the first place, what you eat is of the utmost importance. This has been proved by experience gained in every part of the world. It is astonishing that people living in the healthiest mountain regions, for example the Swiss Alps, where outsiders go to be cured, may actually contract ТВ themselves. Some time ago I met the warden of a ski chalet who had contracted pulmonary tuberculosis in spite of the fact that he had spent whole winters at a height of over 1,800 m (6,000 feet). However, the cause was obvious: his diet consisted of too much protein, too much canned food and too many unhealthy items containing refined white flour and white sugar. The bad air in the chalet also contributed to his illness. In those days skis still had to be waxed and the fumes from melted wax naturally increased the poisons already in the stale air. Moreover, in a misguided effort to save fuel, the windows were hardly ever opened. Yet fresh air is an absolute necessity for good health.

*164/28/1*

To my astonishment, when travelling abroad, I have encountered a great deal of tuberculosis even in lands which have the best climatic conditions for good health. I was amazed that even Greece, a country with an abundance of sunshine, has had to fight this disease. In Holland too, particularly in the small offshore islands, many people are affected. Doctors are probably right in blaming the damp climate of the low-lying countries, although living in such a climate does not necessarily mean that weak lungs cannot be avoided. Other factors must share the blame for such disorders, for instance a one-sided diet, especially one consisting almost exclusively of fish. Anyone who is sufficiently informed about the cause of a disease can take care to prevent it and this is clearly a wiser course to take than waiting for a disease to strike and then trying to cure it. The following observations and hints are therefore primarily intended for those who are healthy, but they will also benefit the less fortunate to improve and possibly cure their condition.

*163/28/1*

Many of those people who once mocked the idea of eating ‘rabbit food’, raw food, are now beginning to realise that there may be something in it after all. The antibiotic properties of food are destroyed by cooking, because many substances in our food are sensitive to heat; these include not merely its vitamin and mineral content but also many other substances needed for our well-being, some of which are yet to be discovered. For the body to receive all the vital substances it needs, everyone should take a certain amount of fresh raw vegetables and fruit. As we are especially interested in the substances that help us to resist infectious diseases, if you have a garden or allotment, whatever its size, make sure to plant gardencress, watercress, nasturtiums and horseradish. Serve these plants raw in salads, chop them finely and add them to soups and stews, or mix them with cottage cheese or quark; they are also good in sandwiches. I have already mentioned that finely grated horseradish adds a refreshing flavour to carrot salad, but it can also be added to other salads. Those of you who have so far rejected carrot salad as too sweet will enjoy it with the pleasant flavour of horseradish. At the same time you will be administering natural antibiotics.

For the benefit of all who advocate health from herbs and natural foods, especially raw foods, and in defence of their convictions, let me quote the long-standing German proverb, ‘You might go further and not fare so well.’

*162/28/1*

Predictions that more than one out of five Australians will be over the age of 60 by the year 2001 have been worrying health and social service planners. A federal Government report on the needs of older people was released in the mid-1980s.

The report brought some contradictions to the stereotype of older people as being frail, ill, dependent and living in poverty.

• Two-thirds of people over the age of 60 reported that they were in good health.

• In 1981 almost two-thirds of retired people owned their own home without any debt, and another 18 per cent had almost finished mortgage repayments.

• The widely held belief that old people are abandoned by their children doesn’t seem to be generally true. The majority of older people who live alone do so from choice, preferring self-sufficiency to dependency. Living with children is more common among older people whose choices are limited by low income, poor health or limited ability to speak English.

During labour a close watch is kept on both mother and foetus so that any problems that arise can be attended to promptly. The mother’s pulse, temperature and blood pressure are measured hourly and any urine passed is tested.

Vaginal examinations are performed about every few hours to assess the progress of cervical dilatation.

Foetal monitoring

The foetus is monitored by listening to and measuring its heart rate. This is generally done by placing a foetal stethoscope or an amplifier on the mother’s abdomen, in the same way as the foetal heartbeat is checked during antenatal visits. Any amniotic fluid that escapes from the uterus is checked to make sure that it doesn’t contain meconium, the normal content of the foetal bowel. During labour the foetus only passes meconium if it becomes distressed.

In prolonged, or complicated, high-risk or trial labours, and when the foetus shows any signs of distress (too rapid or too slow heart rate and passage of meconium), the foetus’s condition may need to be monitored very carefully using electronic equipment.

External foetal monitoring is done by strapping two ultrasound discs to the mother’s abdomen – one to record the foetal heart rate and one to record uterine contractions. The discs are attached by leads to a monitoring screen so that the response of the foetal heart rate to each contraction can be observed.

Internal monitoring uses a small tube inserted into the mother’s uterus to record pressure changes, and an electrode attached to the foetal scalp to record its heart rate. If foetal heart rate becomes too rapid or slow, a sample of foetal blood may be taken from its scalp to measure oxygen content and acidity. If these measurements are not within normal range, it may necessary to deliver the baby quickly.

Many women are upset by foetal monitoring, mainly because it means that there’s doubt about how well the foetus is coping with labour. Also, for both internal and external monitoring you need to remain in bed, and the attachment of the leads to your abdomen external monitoring means that you move your position much. Many alarmed by the signals flashing on monitoring screen.

If your foetus needs monitoring, the reason and what the measurements mean should be explained to you. If you know that it’s done in the interests of safe delivery, you’ll find the procedure less upsetting.

If you need help

During your pregnancy you’ll hear a lot in favour of ‘natural’ birth and many negatives about medical intervention. Most women and obstetric staff would agree that vaginal delivery without the use of strong painkillers, episiotomy, forceps or electronic monitoring is desirable, but not always possible. As already mentioned, nature doesn’t always do the right thing. Some enthusiastic natural childbirth educators don’t prepare their pupils well enough for how they may feel if they need help during labour. Don’t feel too disappointed, guilty, or that you’ve let the side down if you need pain relief or any intervention to ensure safe delivery (and remember that this is the most important outcome). If you’ve done your best, you’re not a failure.

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Abortion today

Worldwide, around 150 000 abortions are performed each day. Three-quarters of the world’s women now live in countries where abortion is lawful and where competent, safe services are available. However, where illegal rackets persist (such as in Latin America), abortion still takes a terrible toll on women’s lives and health, accounting for 25-30 per cent of all maternal deaths. It is estimated that 10-20 million illegal abortions are performed each year, with a death rate of one per hundred (compared with a death rate of less than one in a hundred thousand for legal abortion).

In Australia, since the early 1970s, day clinics have been set up to provide abortion services for outpatients. Many of these clinics have been established as non-profit foundations with humane goals, and pride themselves on the standards of excellence of their counselling, nursing and medical services.

Abortions carried out in special day clinics have an advantage over hospital-performed abortions in that clinic staff are dedicated and sympathetic whereas hospital staff must work where they are rostered, regardless of their beliefs. Studies have also shown that complication rates are generally lower in clinics because of the special training and expertise of the staff.

Most Australian clinics are in capital cities, which means that country women have to travel if they need abortion services. Many rural doctors are unwilling to perform abortions locally because of uncertainty about the attitudes of other health workers and the difficulties of ensuring confidentiality in small centres.

The anti-abortion movement

Ever since lawful abortion became more widely available, this movement has been internationally active. In Australia it is represented mainly by the Right to Life organisation, which aims to prevent abortion in every circumstance. The anti-abortion lobby attacks on the grounds t law is abused by doctors who interpret it too liberally.

Right-to-Life advocates in federal parliament and most State parliaments have attempted to introduce Bills that will make laws more restrictive and punitive, organisation also conducts public campaigns to persuade others to its giving untrue statistics about the dangers of abortion and using highly emotive speeches and literature. Anti-abort protestors harass staff and patients abortion clinics and clinic doctors in their homes. Security guards are needed to escort patients through a barrage of verbal and sometimes physical abuse, and to prevent demonstrators storming into buildings and operation rooms.

In the USA anti-abortion campaigners have turned to violence in their attempts to stop abortion. Since 1977 hundreds of clinics have been bombed, burned and vandalized. Clinic staff and their families have been threatened, their homes paint-bombed or smeared with abusive slogans and their car tyres slashed.

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Pregnancy

If pregnancy occurs with an IUD in place, there is a high risk of miscarriage, which may be further complicated by infection (septic abortion). If you become pregnant you will be advised to have the device removed (which reduces the risk of miscarriage) or, if this isn’t possible, to have the pregnancy terminated. However, many pregnancies have continued successfully to term with an IUD in the uterus, though any woman who decided on this course would be advised to watch carefully for symptoms of miscarriage or infection. The device can’t harm the foetus, which develops in a different compartment (the IUD lies outside the foetal membranes). Stories about babies born clutching an IUD are untrue!

IUDs have also been associated with ectopic pregnancy. The device does not cause ectopic gestation; but IUDs are better at preventing pregnancy in the uterus than in the tube, so that pregnancy, if it occurs, is more likely to be ectopic with an IUD than without. Even so, for every 1000 women using IUDs there will be fewer ectopics than among 1000 women using no contraception.

Pelvic infection

Pelvic infection (also called PID, or pelvic inflammatory disease) is the most publicised complication of using an IUD. But IUDs don’t cause infection: germs do. However, if you get an infection while using an IUD, it’s more likely to spread quickly and widely and cause damage.

The latest studies indicate that the risk of infection is greatest during the 20 days after insertion of an IUD. After that the chance of infection depends on the woman’s risk of sexually transmitted infection. Women at no risk of STD have no increased risk of PID.

When I asked a group of medical students this question a number of years ago, there was such a variety of answers that we decided to look the word up in the dictionary. It wasn’t there (The Concise Oxford Dictionary, published mid-1960s)! Yes, sexuality is a term that has slipped into common use only during the past 30 or so years. Many people still seem uncertain of its exact meaning. This isn’t surprising: newer dictionaries include the word but still define it vaguely.

My newest Macquarie Dictionary gives the meanings ’1. sexual character; possession of sex. 2.
the recognition or emphasising of sexual matters’. The Shorter Oxford Dictionary adds ‘possession of sexual powers, or capability of sexual feelings’. Still unsure? So am I. Let’s assume that, in this book, sexuality means sexual character: everything about a person’s body, thoughts and actions that expresses the fact that she or he is a sexual person.

Sex and society

During the past 40 years we have seen dramatic changes in how society views sexuality. Research into sexual function in the 1950s; the advent of the Pill, the women’s movement and gay liberation in the 1960s; the demise of sexual censorship; acceptance of single parents and the rise of casual sex in the 1970s; the AIDS scare in the 1980s; changes in sex-role stereotypes: these are just some of the things that have led to the great shake-up.

Openness about sex

If you were born after about 1955, it may be hard for you to grasp just how different things were when your parents were young. Open discussion of anything to do with sex was totally taboo. Private conversations were mainly embarrassed pleas for information or the sharing of smutty jokes. It was very difficult to find information about contraception or sex and those who looked for it were generally considered prurient. Any information available was usually inadequate, inaccurate, biased and presented in confusingly veiled language. Little wonder there are so many enduring myths about sex.

How things have changed! The first issue of CLEO magazine, published in November 1972, contained (as well as the usual stuff on dieting and fashion) articles about how to keep a sexy household, how to give your man a massage, contraception, the pros and cons of living together (rather than marrying), life insurance for women, ‘Men are Proper Bastards’ and a centrefold of Jack Thompson nude (genitals coyly concealed). These things are in a women’s magazine? Outrage and uproar! Needless to say, the issue was a sellout. Twice as many copies were printed the next month, and also sold out.

Today most general magazines for women, men and adolescents feature sex. Even the traditional women’s magazines contain articles (decorous of course) on sexual matters, and Mills & Boon have opened the bedroom door, though just a chink. My local newsagent has a whole rack of ‘girly’ magazines that would surely bring blushes to the cheeks of readers of the mild (though audacious in its time) MAN magazine of the 40s, which at most printed drawings (no photographs!) of women showing a bit of leg and cleavage.

In radio, television and film there are just about no holds barred when it comes to sexual matters. There have been radio and TV sex programmes. Most ‘soapies’ include a sexual crisis in every episode. However, broadcasting of language or images of an ‘explicitly sexual nature’ is usually preceded by a warning, so you have a choice.

No doubt the greater openness is generally for the better, but not all the changes are welcome. Many people are disturbed or affronted by open discussion of sexual matters in the media. Less censorship has given us ‘blue’ films and videos and a mass of pornographic literature that portray sex as violent, degrading or mechanical, which are hardly beneficial.

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All acne can be improved by treatment, and often completely cleared. Mild to moderate acne can usually be remedied by simple, over-the-counter treatments, but beware! – because it is so common: and distressing, big industries have developed their business around its treatment and many measures advertised for contra’ or cure are misleading. If you try something for long enough and it doesn’t work, see your doctor. All severe acne should be assessed by a dermatologist.

The golden rule is that all treatment takes time. We all want a magic potion that will clear our skins overnight, but there’s no such thing. If you don’t see rapid improvement you may abandon many treatments before they’ve had chance to work. You must be patient. Most treatments take at least a couple oil months to produce the maximum benefit and often maintenance treatment must be kept up for a year or more. Here are the medically recommended treatments.

Local hygiene

• Wash the affected area with mild un-j medicated soap once or twice per day! Dry gently. Don’t rough towel, steam or scrub.

• Don’t try to squeeze out blackheads and whiteheads. There are medications (see below) that will get rid of them morel effectively without causing pressure damage to your skin.

Resist the temptation to squeeze pimples. Damaging inflamed skin by pressing on it only makes matters worse; fingers may introduce extra infection.

• If a pimple is painful and has a definite head, prick the skin over the head with a flamed needle. Wipe the pus away gently: don’t squeeze.

Correcting and preventing whiteheads and blackheads

The aim is to unblock the ducts and restore normal sebum drainage.

Applications of sulphur, salicylic acid and resorcinol During my adolescence my friends and I made up someone’s grandmother’s recipe of cold oatmeal gruel mixed to a thick paste with ‘flowers
of sulphur’ (yellow sulphur powder) as a facepack to clear our spotty faces. Today you can buy much less messy creams and lotions containing these treatments, alone or in combination. They work by softening thickened skin and sebum that block ducts. Your doctor or pharmacist will advise about suitable products.

Benzoyl peroxide and retinoic acid These have two important effects in the treatment of acne. They remove the plugs blocking the ducts and also kill some of the bacteria in the sebaceous glands, thus reducing pimples. Both can cause redness and drying of the skin at first, and may lead to peeling. They can be bought without prescription: your doctor or pharmacist will advise about suitable preparations and strengths. Follow the pack instructions carefully.