WHY BE AFRAID OF MENOPAUSE?

Menopause is a fact of life that all women will eventually have to face. It, however, does not necessarily have to be something to be feared. A number of resources and options for combating the symptoms of this natural life transition are now available.

What is menopause?
Menopause is simply the permanent ending of a woman's menstrual period. This signals the end of a woman's ability to conceive children, thus marking the end of her reproductive years.

Menopause can be natural or induced. Natural menopause usually occurs in women between the ages of 42 to 58 years, with the average age being 51 years. However, it can occur to women as young as in their 30s and a few as old as in their 60s.

What causes induced menopause?
Several types of surgeries can induce menopause, including:
- Surgical removal of both ovaries, with or without hysterectomy

- Hysterectomy (or the surgical removal of the uterus or the female
reproductive organ)

- Destruction of the ovarian function by chemotherapy or pelvic radiation
therapy. Chemotherapy, a drug treatment to destroy cancer cells, can
alter a woman's hormone levels and therefore cause the onset of
menopause. Depending on the type of chemotherapy, this induced
menopause can either be temporary or permanent. In contrast, pelvic
radiation therapy, which uses high energy radiation waves to kill cancer
cells in the pelvic area, is more likely to bring on permanent menopause.

- Abdominoperineal resection (the removal of the anus, rectum, and parts
of the colon)

- Total pelvic extenteration (the removal of the uterus, cervix, ovaries,
vagina, fallopian tubes, bladder, and rectum), performed when a woman
has a recurring cervical cancer

Induced menopause may increase a woman's chances of experiencing more severe, frequent, and longer lasting symptoms of menopause.

What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is defined as the phase before and immediately after a woman's last period. Perimenopause can last for approximately 4 years, during which a woman can have prolonged or irregular periods. During this phase, the ovaries will reduce their production of female sex hormones.

What are the symptoms of menopause?
During menopause, a woman's hormone levels rise and fall irregularly, affecting a woman's metabolism, growth, and reproductive systems. These changes manifest themselves in the following symptoms of menopause:

Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are the result of changes in a woman's estrogen hormone levels. As the levels of estrogen drop in a woman's body, her glands secrete higher amounts of other hormones. These other hormones cause the woman's body temperature to fluctuate.

Vaginal Dryness and Other Changes in the Vagina
The walls of the vagina becomes thinner, drier, and more vulnerable to infections. For some, intercourse and sexual stimulations may become increasingly uncomfortable or even painful.

Changes in the Urinary Tract
Changes in a woman's urinary tract may lead to incontinence or leakage of urine. Some forms of incontinence can be treated with medications or may require wearing an undergarment (adult diaper). For some women, an exercise to strengthen the pelvic muscle may also help (see Kegel Exercise Article).

Psychological Changes
Because of their fluctuating hormone levels, some women experience depression, fear and anxiety, mood swings, irritability, nervousness, and insomnia or sleeplessness.

Decrease in Sex Drive or Libido
Some women experience lower sex drive or libido during menopause. This may be caused directly by the changes in the woman's hormone levels and the decreased blood flow to the vagina. Furthermore, changes in the vaginal tissue and the lowered levels of the natural lubrication can make sex uncomfortable for menopausal women.

Increase in Sex Drive or Libido
On the other hand, some women actually experience increased sex drive or libido. These women should be careful to make sure that they are indeed truly cannot get pregnant before giving up their birth control precautions. It is important to keep in mind that during the transition to menopause a woman's period can become irregular. Therefore, the stopping of menstruation for a short period of time may not be a good indicator of a woman's ability (or here, inabiliWhat is the medical treatment for menopause?
Women with severe symptoms of menopause can go on hormone replacement therapy, where female sex hormones of estrogen and progrestin are given in a pill form. A recent study, however, suggested that hormone replacement therapy may not reduce the risk of heart attack - a benefit previously thought to be brought on by the therapy. Instead, the study found a higher risk of heart disease and breast cancer in women taking the hormone pills.

What are some natural treatments for menopause?
The following are somethings you can do to help make this natural midlife transition a smoother one:

Diet and exercise
Certain lifestyle changes can be made to help relieve the symptoms of menopause. For example, it may be helpful to eat vegetables that are high in phytoestrogens, such as soy beans or other soy products. Phytoestrogens may help reduce the intensity of hot flashes. Women should also avoid foods and beverages that may increase the severity of hot flashes, such as alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and spicy foods.

Regular exercise is recommended to help a woman maintain her general health as well as to improve her circulation. Exercises that relieve stress, such as yoga, are believed to be very beneficial in reducing the severity of the symptoms of menopause.

Vitamins
The use of various vitamins can help relieve some of the symptoms of menopause. Vitamin E, for example, is believed to help with vaginal dryness and may offer minor relief from hot flashes.

Herbal supplements
There are a variety of different herbs that are believed to be beneficial in treating certain discomforts associated with menopause. These herbs include:

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
Also known as squaw root, black snake root, and rattle weed, Black cohosh is a plant found throughout North America. It has been used by Native American women to ease the pain of menstrual cramping and other gynecological ailments. Recent studies have shown that Black cohosh may have the ability to help improve various symptoms associated with menopause, such as hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, nervousness, depression, and vaginal dryness.

There are no known side effects associated with the normal use of Black cohosh, although consuming overly large doses may cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, and stomach pain.

Dong Qui (Angelica sinensis)
Also known as Danggui, Chinese Angelica, and Umbellifrae. Dong Qui is a member of the celery family and is a plant native to China and Japan. It has been used for many decades in traditional Chinese medicine to treat female gynecological ailments such as uterine bleeding, abnormal menstrual cycles and bleeding, as well as cramping. It has also been used to help relieve hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause.

Dong Qui may have some rare side effects such as incresaed sensitivity to sunlight.

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TEN TIPS ON HOW TO ELIMINATE PREMATURE EJACULATION

What is premature ejaculation?
Premature ejaculation is, well, ejaculation that is premature - that is it occurs before a man wants it, or too quickly during intercourse to satisfy his partner. This, of course, is relative: what's considered too quick for someone might be completely normal for others.

What is normal, then?
Studies have shown that it is normal for men to have an orgasm and ejaculate within 2 to 3 minutes after penetrating the vagina. This is far quicker than what most men expect or wish (especially when comparing their performance against those adult film stars. That's one reason why they're in that business, folks).

There may also be an aspect of expectation on behalf of the man's partner. Studies have suggested that most women climax after 10 to 15 minutes of intercourse. Keep in mind, however, that the majority of women (some say between 65 to 75%) are unable to reach orgasm by intercourse alone. Moreover, it is estimated that about 10% of women can't reach orgasm at all!

Nevertheless, premature ejaculation exists and is actually a big problem for many men. Indeed, it is the number one sexual complaint among men under 50. Some will ejaculate immediately after erection, right before penetration, or just seconds after it.

What causes premature ejaculation?
Most severe premature ejaculations are caused by biological factors - including urinary tract infections, so if this is your complaint, see a doctor.

Other causes include psychological factors, especially anxiety, stress, or guilt. Many premature ejaculation problems go away by themselves, as these underlying psychological factors disappear.

Lastly, drugs such as over the counter cold pills and cigarette smoking have been implicated as causing or contributing to premature ejaculation. If you smoke, consider this as yet another reason to quit (as if the other health dangers are not enough ...)

Are there drugs for premature ejaculation?
Not officially, although serotonin uptake blockers or serotonin reuptake inhibitors used to treat depression have been used "off-label" to treat men with premature ejaculation. It is important to note that these drugs have not been indicated for this treatment, and therefore their use must only be prescribed by a knowledgeable physician.

So, what can I do to last longer?
Plenty. Both cheap (or free) and not
So, what can I do to last longer?
Ten tips on how to eliminate premature ejaculations are given below. The easiest (and cheapest) things first ..

1. The stop and start technique
2. The breathing technique
3. The squeeze technique
4. Wear a condom
5. Masturbate first
6. Different sexual positions
7. Desensitizing cream
8. Pelvic muscle exercise
9. Herbal treatments
10. Testicular restraint and penis ring

Let's discuss these tips in more details...

Stop and start technique
This technique simply means to bring yourself to (near) the point of no return, and stopping all stimulation before it's too late. For some men, this includes removal of the penis from the vagina, although for others this may not be necessary.

After the urgent feeling to ejaculate subsides, usually after 30 seconds, then thrusting and intercourse can be resumed. This stop and start technique can be repeated several times.

Communication is the key here, guys. Let your partner know that you are getting close to orgasm and to slow down or temporarily stop.

In addition to intercourse, the stop and start technique can also be practiced with your hand, with or without lubricant.

Remember to breathe...
Believe it or not, breathing deeply and relaxing your body during intercourse can help! This works best for premature ejaculation that is caused by anxiety or tension.

Because of its relaxing effect, some men report that drinking one (just one ,guys) glass of red wine before lovemaking can help.

For others, distracting oneself by thinking about other things like the office or football can also help to prevent premature ejaculation. Just remember not to think out loud!

The squeeze technique
This technique involves gently squeezing the base or end of the penile shaft and stopping sexual stimulation until the urge to ejaculate passes. The squeezing can be done by either the man or his partner, and can be repeated until ejaculation is desired.

Wear a condom
One of the most overlooked simple cures of premature ejaculation is to wear a condom. Besides being a good practice against sexually transmitted diseases and as a contraceptive, a condom can help reduce the sensation and thus prolong sex.

Masturbate first
Masturbating first a couple of hours before making love can result in the increased ability to last longer. Unfortunately, this often reduces the man's desire for sex.

Different sexual positions
Some men reach orgasm and ejaculate faster in the traditional missionary position (man on top). These men may last longer when their partner is on top. Remember, however, that sexual position preference varies very widely.

Changing positions every so often can also help, perhaps by giving the man brief pauses during lovemaking every now and then.

Desensitizing cream
Desensitizing cream works by lessening the sensation felt by men during intercourse. Although it lengthens staying power for many men, it comes with a price: most of these men said that the cream also makes sex less pleasurable.

Be sure to tell your partner that you are using desensitizing cream. Unfortunately, the dulling effect can also be transferred and felt by the woman, making it longer for her to reach orgasm (which may be one of the reasons a man feels he's not lasting long enough in the first place!).

Pelvic muscle exercise
Would you believe that an exercise usually reserved for incontinent women can help a man prevent premature ejaculation?

In a woman, pregnancy and childbirth are the main cause of the weakening of the pelvic floor muscle. This usually leads to female incontinence. The good news is that a simple pelvic muscle exercise (also called Kegel exercise) can help.

The same pelvic muscle is also involved in the ejaculation process (if you must know, the contraction of the pelvic muscle forces the seminal or ejaculate fluid from the prostate gland). This means that for a man, the same pelvic muscle exercise can help gain control over his premature ejaculation.

The pelvic muscle exercise is simple: "flex" the pelvic muscle as if you are holding back from or stopping urination. Hold the muscle for about three to five seconds, relax for about three seconds, and repeat. With practice, you should be able to work your way up to hold your pelvic muscle for ten seconds and do as many as one hundred contractions per day.

Remember, you can do this discreet exercise at almost anytime and in any place.

Herbal treatment
There are many herbs for men's sexual health available in the market today. Some of these, such as yohimbe and maca extracts, are basically stimulants and may have unwanted side effects, especially for older men.

A very promising herb is purified Tribulus terrestris extract, available under the brand name Libilov. Taken regularly, Tribulus has been proven by many scientific medical studies to help men overcome premature ejaculation without side effects. Moreover, the herb helps boost sex drive, increases stamina and control, and even improves sensation. Visit Libilov for Men for more information.

Testicular restraint
Gently restraining the testicles from moving during intercourse can help some men from ejaculating prematurely. Although some found it uncomfortable or too much hassle, testicular restraint is generally safe. It can be purchased discreetly through erotic mail-order companies.

Taking cues from the squeeze technique and a vacuum device for impotence, an erotic device called a penis ring or band works to prevent premature ejaculation in some (adventurous) men. Here, a stretchy rubber ring on the base of the penis does the squeezing. Some men, however, feel slight discomfort during intercourse when wearing this ring.

Premature ejaculation can be treated
The tips above have been reported to help about 95% of men to prolong their lovemaking. Remember to be sure to contact your health provider if you feel that you have a severe premature ejaculation problem.

http://www.sexhealthinplainenglish.com

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Sex Education and Preteens

When should you talk to your preteen about sex? Most experts would agree, there's no time like the present.
Talking to our youngsters about the birds and the bees is one thing when they're preschoolers, it's quite another when they're preteens. Chances are that at this age you'll get a lot of squirming and looks of disgust when discussing sexual health. But those reactions of embarrassment are pretty normal with preteens, says sexual health educator Kim Marsden. "When they're in the pre-pubescent age, they go into the gross-me-outter stage. Painful for parents, but it's a really important time to persevere and keep talking to them about their bodies."

However kids aren't the only ones who squirm. Many parents find sexual health difficult to discuss and find themselves continually postponing a frank discussion with their child. If this is the case with you, the best bet is to pick up a book, do some reading and then stop procrastinating.

Now is the time to sit down and talk with your child because according to Meg Hickley, author of "Speaking of Sex", "children in grades 4 to 7 have the greatest needs for information and this is the most crucial time to talk. They've been exposed to television and school yard gossip about sexuality and this is your last chance to talk. They need to know about breast development, for boys as well as for girls, that some children gain weight during puberty and it's totally unfair to tease someone about being skinny or fat, and they need to know about body hair and daily washing."

Marsden acknowledges that when it comes to discussing sexual health with children "it's difficult to get the conversation going because they're so embarrassed. So lock them in the car, take a long drive, get talking and keep talking. Then ask them to return the information and see how much they've actually picked up."

And when you've finally had the big talk, pat yourself on the back. According to Hickley the open communication you've created around sexual health will pay off for many, many years. "If you've talked to your kids from preschool through to primary years, I can promise you are going to have a teenager who is filled with joy and optimism about their future adult sexual lives, and who is extremely easy to talk to."

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Making Parents Part of the Team

© Amy Horn

Jul 4, 2006
Parent-teacher communication is a must in middle school. Interdisciplinary teams of teachers can easily and effectively make parent-teacher communication a priority.

Good teams communicate. Interdisciplinary teams in middle schools - comprised of teachers from a variety of subject areas and a designated number of students - are no different. But is there room for other key players on that team-say, parents in particular? If teachers and students are looking forward to a successful school year, the answer is an obvious, "Yes!" Parent-teacher communication is a must. Making parents feel that they are part of the team will improve parent-teacher communication and most likely, student learning overall.

Parents of tweens not only have to deal with the changes in their relationships with their children, but they also have to confront the changes in their relationships with their children's teachers. Many parent volunteers served as PTO presidents or created costumes for school plays. They felt welcomed in their child's classroom; they were needed and wanted. Now, they don't feel welcome in their child's bedroom, let alone their classroom. Yet, parents are assets-to both teachers and students-when they become allies, and parent-teacher communication is a powerful tool. A few simple strategies can keep the lines of communication open throughout the school year.

* Daily Teachers can attempt to contact all parents in September. Teams of teachers can divide their students up evenly and contact the parents during planning periods. Teachers can simply extend a warm welcome to the parents and introduce themselves. It's a great way to start off the school year. And, the next contact will be that much easier to make.
* Weekly Friday Folders can be sent home at the end of each week to communicate important ideas and noteworthy events. Attaching a sign-off sheet inside the folder can help assure that students are delivering the news and parents are receiving it. Friday Folders also provide a quick and easy means for parents to get important forms, notes, and slips back to the teachers, as well.
* Monthly Sending a newsletter home once a month can serve a variety of purposes. It can outline upcoming events, ask for parent volunteers, describe current units of study and/or specific supplies needed, list teachers' contact information, etc. Parents will look forward to and appreciate the heads-up each month.

Parent-teacher communication is just as important in middle school as it is in elementary school - maybe even more so. Parents, teachers, and students are in this thing together. With parent-teacher communication taking place, a good team can become a great team, and everyone can experience success.

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KEGEL EXERCISE: A SIMPLE EXERCISE TO STOP INCONTINENCE

Many women suffer needlessly from incontinence as they get older. Aging in general, as well as pregnancy, childbirth, and even menopause took a toll on the pelvic muscle, leading to reduced a woman's ability to keep from accidentally urinating (especially when sneezing, laughing, exercising, or simply bending over).

If this is you, you are far from alone: nearly a quarter of women between the ages of 30 and 60 years have mild form of incontinence (also called stress urinary incontinence). But there is no need to suffer needlessly, a simple (and discreet) exercise, called the Kegel or pelvic muscle exercise, can help 9 out of 10 women control or eliminate this problem.

How do I perform the Kegel exercise?
First, find the right muscles - you should isolate and exercise the major muscles that stretch across the pelvic floor, appropriately called the pelvic floor muscles or PC muscles (PC stands for pubococcygeus, if you must know).

To do this, try to slow or stop the flow of urine when you're sitting on the toilet, or identify the muscles that you would use to stop passing gas. Repeat this action several times so you become familiar with the feeling of contracting the right muscle group. Remember not to contract your stomach, buttock, or thigh muscles.

There are two exercises you can do: first, tighten your pelvic floor muscle and hold for a count of five. If at first, you may not be able to hold it more than a second or two, don't worry. With practice, you should be able to tighten the muscles for 10 seconds or more. Remember to relax for 10 seconds or so before contracting your pelvic floor muscles again.

The second type of exercise is to quickly contract the pelvic muscles several times in succession.

Both of these exercise types can be done discreetly and practically at any time while sitting down and even standing up. Practice these exercises as often as you like, but remember not to over exert yourself!

Additional benefit
It seems that strong pelvic floor muscles, which circle the vagina, also help women achieve orgasm more easily!

http://www.sexhealthinplainenglish.com

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Is Sex Necessary?

Alan Farnham

Fans of abstinence had better be sitting down. "Saving yourself" before the big game, the big business deal, the big hoedown or the big bakeoff may indeed confer some moral benefit. But corporeally it does absolutely zip. There's no evidence it sharpens your competitive edge. The best that modern science can say for sexual abstinence is that it's harmless when practiced in moderation. Having regular and enthusiastic sex, by contrast, confers a host of measurable physiological advantages, be you male or female. (This assumes that you are engaging in sex without contracting a sexually transmitted disease.)
In one of the most credible studies correlating overall health with sexual frequency, Queens University in Belfast tracked the mortality of about 1,000 middle-aged men over the course of a decade. The study was designed to compare persons of comparable circumstances, age and health. Its findings, published in 1997 in the British Medical Journal, were that men who reported the highest frequency of orgasm enjoyed a death rate half that of the laggards. Other studies (some rigorous, some less so) purport to show that having sex even a few times a week has an associative or causal relationship with the following:

- Improved sense of smell: After sex, production of the hormone prolactin surges. This in turn causes stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain's olfactory bulb, its smell center.

- Reduced risk of heart disease: In a 2001 follow-on to the Queens University study mentioned above, researchers focused on cardiovascular health. Their finding? That by having sex three or more times a week, men reduced their risk of heart attack or stroke by half. In reporting these results, the co-author of the study, Shah Ebrahim, Ph.D., displayed the well-loved British gift for understatement: "The relationship found between frequency of sexual intercourse and mortality is of considerable public interest."

- Weight loss, overall fitness: Sex, if nothing else, is exercise. A vigorous bout burns some 200 calories--about the same as running 15 minutes on a treadmill or playing a spirited game of squash. The pulse rate, in a person aroused, rises from about 70 beats per minute to 150, the same as that of an athlete putting forth maximum effort. British researchers have determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year. Muscular contractions during intercourse work the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms, neck and thorax. Sex also boosts production of testosterone, which leads to stronger bones and muscles. Men's Health magazine has gone so far as to call the bed the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented.

- Reduced depression: Such was the implication of a 2002 study of 293 women. American psychologist Gordon Gallup reported that sexually active participants whose male partners did not use condoms were less subject to depression than those whose partners did. One theory of causality: Prostoglandin, a hormone found only in semen, may be absorbed in the female genital tract, thus modulating female hormones.

- Pain-relief: Immediately before orgasm, levels of the hormone oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This in turn releases endorphins, which alleviate the pain of everything from headache to arthritis to even migraine. In women, sex also prompts production of estrogen, which can reduce the pain of PMS.

- Less-frequent colds and flu: Wilkes University in Pennsylvania says individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, which is known to boost the immune system.

- Better bladder control: Heard of Kegel exercises? You do them, whether you know it or not, every time you stem your flow of urine. The same set of muscles is worked during sex.

- Better teeth: Seminal plasma contains zinc, calcium and other minerals shown to retard tooth decay. Since this is a family Web site, we will omit discussion of the mineral delivery system. Suffice it to say that it could be a far richer, more complex and more satisfying experience than squeezing a tube of Crest--even Tartar Control Crest. Researchers have noted, parenthetically, that sexual etiquette usually demands the brushing of one's teeth before and/or after intimacy, which, by itself, would help promote better oral hygiene.

- A happier prostate? Some urologists believe they see a relationship between infrequency of ejaculation and cancer of the prostate. The causal argument goes like this: To produce seminal fluid, the prostate and the seminal vesicles take such substances from the blood as zinc, citric acid and potassium, then concentrate them up to 600 times. Any carcinogens present in the blood likewise would be concentrated. Rather than have concentrated carcinogens hanging around causing trouble, it's better to evict them. Regular old sex could do the job. But if the flushing of the prostate were your only objective, masturbation might be a better way to go, especially for the non-monogamous male. Having sex with multiple partners can, all by itself, raise a man's risk of cancer by up to 40%. That's because he runs an increased risk of contracting sexual infections. So, if you want the all the purported benefits of flushing with none of the attendant risk, go digital. A study recently published by the British Journal of Urology International asserts that men in their 20s can reduce by a third their chance of getting prostate cancer by ejaculating more than five times a week.

While possession of a robust appetite for sex--and the physical ability to gratify it--may not always be the cynosure of perfect health, a reluctance to engage can be a sign that something is seriously on the fritz, especially where the culprit is an infirm erection.

Dr. J. Francois Eid, a urologist with Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital, observes that erectile dysfunction is extension of vascular system. A lethargic member may be telling you that you have diseased blood vessels elsewhere in your body. "It could be a first sign of hypertension or diabetes or increased cholesterol levels. It's a red flag that you should see your doctor." Treatment and exercise, says Dr. Eid, can have things looking up again: "Men who exercise and have a good heart and low heart rate, and who are cardio-fit, have firmer erections. There very definitely is a relationship."

But is there such a thing as too much sex?

The answer, in purely physiological terms, is this: If you're female, probably not. If you're male? You betcha.

Dr. Claire Bailey of the University of Bristol says there is little or no risk of a woman's overdosing on sex. In fact, she says, regular sessions can not only firm a woman's tummy and buttocks but also improve her posture.

Dr. George Winch Jr., an obstetrician/gynecologist in Elko, Nev., concurs. If a woman is pre-menopausal and otherwise healthy, says Dr. Winch, her having an extraordinary amount of intercourse ought not to pose a problem. "I don't think women can have too much intercourse," he says, "so long as no sexually transmitted disease is introduced and there's not an inadvertent pregnancy. Sometimes you can have a lubrication problem. If you have that, there can be vaginal excoriation--vaginal scrape."

Women who abstain from sex run some risks. In postmenopausal women, these include vaginal atrophy. Dr. Winch has a middle-aged patient of whom he says: "She hasn't had intercourse in three years. Just isn't interested. The opening of her vagina is narrowing from disuse. It's a condition that can lead to dysparenia, or pain associated with intercourse. I told her, 'Look, you'd better buy a vibrator or you're going to lose function there.'"

As for men, urologist Eid says it's definitely possible to get too much of a good thing, now that drugs such as Viagra and Levitra have given men far more staying power than may actually be good for them.

The penis, says Eid, is wonderfully resilient. But everything has its limits. Penile tissues, if given too roistering or prolonged a pummeling, can sustain damage. In cases you'd just as soon not hear about, permanent damage.

"Yes," says Dr. Eid, "It is possible for a young man who is very forceful and who likes rough sex, to damage his erectile tissue." The drugs increase rigidity; moreover, they make it possible for a man to have second and third orgasms without having to wait out intermission.

"I see it in pro football players," says Eid. "They use Viagra because they're so sexually active. What they demand of their body is unreasonable. It's part of playing football: you play through the pain." This type of guy doesn't listen to his body. He takes a shot of cortisone, and keeps on going. And they have sex in similar fashion."

There's a reason the penis, in its natural state, undergoes a period of flaccidity: That's when it takes a breather. The blood within it is replenished with oxygen. "During an erection," explains Eid, "very little blood flows to the penis. During thrusting, pressure can go as high as 200 mil of water. Zero blood flows into penis at that time." To absorb oxygen, the tissue must become relaxed. "If you do not allow the penis to rest, then the muscle tissue does not get enough oxygen. The individual gets prolonged erections, gets decreased oxygen to tissue, and could potentially suffer priapism." (We recommend you get a medical encyclopedia and look it up.) "The muscle becomes so engorged, it's painful. Pressure inside starts to increase. Cells start dying. More pressure and less blood flow. Eventually the muscle dies. Then there's scarring. That's why it's considered an emergency."
http://www.forbes.com

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IMPOTENCE: CAN IT BE CURED WITHOUT DRUGS?

mpotence or erectile dysfunction was once dreaded as man's worst nightmare. Given the advances in medicine and nutrition research, however, it no longer has to be a scary thing. Impotence can be treated - sometimes without drugs. Read on:

What is impotence?
Impotence is defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection to perform intercourse or ejaculation.

There are two forms of impotence: primary and secondary. Men with primary impotence have never had sufficient erection for satisfactory intercourse. This form of impotence is rare and is often caused by extreme psychological conditions, such as intense fear of intimacy, extreme feelings of guilt, and severe anxiety.

Secondary impotence, defined as the loss of erectile function after a period of normal function, is more common. Men with secondary erection are typically able to engage in intercourse only 25% of the time. This form of erection typically comes on gradually and is usually more easily treated that primary impotence.

Who becomes impotent?
Although men who have reached middle age and older are more likely to be impotent than younger men, impotence can strike at any adult age. It is estimated to affect between 10 and 15 million men in the United States alone.

What causes impotence?
Diseases
The major cause of impotence is disease. It is estimated that over 70% of all serious impotence cases are the result of diabetes, kidney diseases, multiple sclerosis, endocrine disorders, vascular diseases and high blood pressure, as well as neurological diseases. It is estimated that between 50% and 60% of diabetic men are impotent.

Here, it's important to realize that impotence may be a symptom of a more serious problem with your health - so if you're impotent, don't be ashamed of seeking professional medical help.

Medication
Prescribed drugs used to treat high blood pressure, ulcer, depression, prostate cancer, as well as drugs to prevent baldness or to aid dieting, can have side effects that include impotence. In this case, the impotence lasts as long as you are taking the drugs.

Surgery
Surgery on the spinal cord, prostate, bladder, or pelvis can lead to impotence by damaging essential nerves, tissues, muscles, or arteries needed.

Cigarette smoking, alcohol and narcotics use
One of the most underestimated causes of impotence is actually cigarette smoking (as if you need yet another reason to quit ...) It is ironic that even though cigarette smoking long has the projected aura of coolness or sexiness, in reality it is anything but.

The same goes for alcohol and narcotics such as heroine and cocaine (almost 100% of men who use cocaine regularly are impotent). If you use these recreational drugs, however, you have bigger health problems than just impotence ...

Hormonal imbalance
As testosterone and other male sex hormone levels start to drop after reaching middle age, it is thought that low testosterone level is the culprit of most intermittent impotence problem, especially in older men. Furthermore, studies have shown that lack of testosterone leads to a range of other sexual performance problems, including premature ejaculation and low sex drive.

Psychological factors
It is estimated that about 10 to 20% of impotence cases are the direct result of some sort of psychological factors, such as low self-esteem, depression, and especially stress and anxiety (general and performance anxieties). Here, all the plumbings are A-OK, yet the otherwise healthy man is unable to achieve an erection.

The man's comfort level is also often a factor, especially in maintaining an erection. Boredom, marital problems, or negative feelings against his partner may contribute toward an impotence problem.

Impotence caused by psychological factors is often temporary: it lasts as long as the underlying factor is still there. If you suspect this may be the cause, you can perform a simple test to see if impotence is just in your mind ...

The stamp test: not just for the mail anymore ...
So, how do you distinguish between impotence caused by problems with your body and that caused by psychological factors? A lowly, regular stamp can help ...

Turns out that during sleep, a man often gets multiple erection throughout the night. This involuntary erection means that everything is fine with the nerves, muscles, and arteries involved in the erection process and signals that the cause of impotence lies elsewhere.

To determine this, a man can simply wet and "affix" a small stamp on his flaccid penis before going to bed. If the stamp is no longer in place by the morning, it means that a nocturnal erection occurred.

Medical treatment for impotence
Sildenafil citrate
The invention of Viagra (sildenafil citrate) spotlights the problem of impotence, and made it all right to talk about this once taboo subject. Once designed for heart medication, it was soon discovered that sildenafil can cause quite potent erection (actually, the scientists suspected something when the clinical test subjects were very reluctant to return their pills after the study was over ...)

Sildenafil works by causing the smooth penis muscle to relax, which lets blood to flow into the penis. This, in turn, causes the penis tissue to be engorged by blood and becomes erect (with the proper sexual stimulation) within 20 to 40 minutes after taking the drug orally.

While it works very well, it should be noted that sildenafil is a prescribed drug, and should only be taken on advise of your health care professional as it has serious side effects in some men. The side effects of sildenafil include minor vision problems, headaches, heart attacks, and even death.

Injection therapy
Here, drugs that cause the widenings of blood vessels are injected into the penis to cause erection. This therapy is falling out of favor, because of the obvious (imagine injecting your penis, guys), and because of the side effects, which include persistent erection, scarring, and sudden low blood pressure.

These injection drugs are not recommended for men who are taking prescribed medicine for high blood pressure or who are at risk for blood clots. Furthermore, since the drugs are toxic to fetuses, men are not recommeded to use this method if their partner is pregnant.

Insertable drugs
Instead of injection, there are also drugs in pellet form that can be inserted into the penis about an inch deep with an applicator. Erection will then occur about 8 to 10 minutes after application, and lasts between 30 minutes to an hour.

In addition to side effects that include those listed for injection drugs, insertable drugs can also cause a burning sensation, redness, spotting or bleeding, and aching of the penis and testicles. Furthermore, the man must remain in an up-right position when the erection is forming, so the blood flow is not inhibited. If he lies down too early, then the erection may be lost.

Hormone replacement therapy
Since one of the most common causes of impotence, especially intermittent impotence in older men is low testosterone level, it is obvious that testosterone replacement therapy can help.

Testosterone replacement therapy, however, should only be done under careful administration by doctors, since overdose of testosterone carries serious side effects, including enlargement of the prostate.

Surgery
There are a couple of surgeries available, including repairing blocked or damaged arteries and veins, as well as tying the veins to prevent blood to flow out of the penis during an erection.

Other types of surgeries include implanting erection devices. These devices include a bendable rod which allows a man to (manually) place the penis into the erection position, and an inflatable implant. The inflatable implant consists of cylinders, a fluid reservoir, and a pump that is placed under the skin in the scrotum. When the man presses the pump, fluid flows from the reservoir into the cylinders, which become inflated and cause the penis to be erect. This device causes the penis to become longer and wider while erect. It also has an advantage over the rod, since it allows the flaccid penis to appear more natural.

Besides expensive, remember that surgeries are invasive procedures that can cause potentially serious side effects.

Pump it up. Literally.
Vacuum tube and penis ring - oh, what men go through for a good erection, and natural
Pump it up. Literally!
A vacuum device, composed of a plastic cylinder, pump, and elastic ring or band, can be used to effect an erection.

The way it works is as follows: the cylinder is placed onto the penis and the pump is then used to draw air out of the cylinder. The vacuum causes blood to be forced into the penis, which in turn causes an erection. Once erection is achieved, the man places the elastic ring on the base of the penis, which keeps blood from draining from the penis back into the body. The ring remains on the penis until intercourse is finished.

This device works quite well, although some men complained about the discomfort of the elastic ring, in addition to the hassle of ... er, pumping up.

Herbs: the natural answer for impotence?
Although they are often dismissed as ineffective solutions to impotence, more and more clinical research studies have found that herbs can help impotent men.

Some of the most popular herbs available on the market today include tribulus, yohimbe, ginkgo biloba, and others. Although they are generally safe and without side effects (unlike chemical drugs), it is important to know that the quality of their extraction and preparation processes vary widely.

Tribulus terrestris
One of the most promising herbs is the purified extract of Tribulus terrestris. To date, its effects on treating impotence and other sexual dysfunction problems have been extensively studied.

Tribulus has been used as traditional medicine to treat sexual dysfunction and male infertility in Europe and Asia for many decades, before improvement in scientific extraction techniques allowed identification of its active ingredient called protodioscin.

Clinical studies performed on this purified extract have confirmed the herb's beneficial effect. These studies showed that Tribulus helps treat impotence caused by low testosterone level or an imbalance in the body's level of sex hormones. The active ingredient of Tribulus acts as a natural precursor to these hormones, and is converted into its final forms by the body's own natural enzymes.

Other studies have suggested that Tribulus also acts by increasing the level of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a naturally occuring substance in the body believed to be important for a healthy sex drive.

In all, these studies proved that Tribulus works very well in curing sexual dysfunctions and in maximizing sexual performance when taken regularly (it does not work immediately, however, Tribulus shows positive effects only after two to three months). There is no known side effect to this herb.

A note of caution: although there are many Tribulus extracts available over the counter today, almost all of these have been found not to contain any significant amount of the active ingredient. Be sure to select a Tribulus extract that contains at least 45% protodioscin (we recommend the Libilov for Men brand).

Yohimbe
Yohimbe is an extract of a bark of the evergreen yohimbe tree, and was traditionally used in Africa as an aphrodisiac. Yohimbine, a chemical substance derived from the Yohimbe extract, is actually a prescribed medicine for sexual dysfunctions. Studies on yohimbine have shown that it may help men achieve erection by increasing blood flow to the penis and acting as a stimulant.

A survey of yohimbe extracts available as dietary supplements, however, have suggested that most do not have significant amount of yohimbine and therefore are not effective. Moreover, there are some side effects of yohimbe that you should be aware of. These include increased anxiety, sleeplessness, and mood swings.

Ginkgo biloba
Best known as an herb to boost memory and mental acuity, recent studies have suggested that ginkgo extracts can help impotent men by increasing peripheral and microcirculation of blood. Clinical studies on impotence caused by antidepressant medications show marked improvement in erection.

L-arginine
L-arginine, while not an herb, is a naturally occurring amino acid present in food. Studies on L-arginine have shown mixed result, and since it can affect insulin and carbohydrate metabolism, men with diabetes (a leading cause of impotence, by the way) are not recommended to take it.

Ginseng
Used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine to treat "old man's disease" of impotence and sexual problems, Ginseng is one popular herb. Not surprisingly, studies have suggested the positive effects of this root on the biochemical mechanism of erection. A substance in the panax subspecies of ginseng, called ginsenosides, have been thought to work by causing the release of nitric oxide, a natural substance responsible for the increased blood flow into the penis.

Moreover, it seems that Ginseng has an overall beneficial effect on health. For some (especially older men), this may just be the boost they need for a healthier sexual life.

You no longer have to suffer from impotence
The fear of impotence, stemming from the belief that there is nothing you can do for it, is slowly diminishing. Admitting being impotent is the first step toward treating impotence.

Read more.....

Herb Sex Boosters

Woody Allen's late 1970s film Love and Death was eerily prophetic, if in name alone, about the Viagra dilemma. The drug enables many men to achieve an erection and regain lost sexual function, but it can also exact a stiff penalty from users. The Food and Drug Administration has reported dozens of deaths among Viagra users. This seems an unnecessarily severe side effect. Concerns about the drug have spurred interest in effective, natural aphrodisiacs without deleterious side effects.

Responding to this interest, I set off for the Amazon rain forest in search of sex-enhancing plants. I traveled in the company of a Brazilian shaman named Bernie Peixoto, a man skilled in tribal wisdom and the use of plant medicines. There in the world's greatest jungle, we encountered two potent sex-boosting plants with a long history of safe use.

Our flight into Brazil put us into the Amazon city of Manaus, where we met with Antonio Matas, the most highly respected herbalist in that area. Antonio shared stories with us about his decades of healing work using rain-forest plants.

Catuaba and Muirapuama: Sex Enhancers?
"What about catuaba and muirapuama?" I inquired. "Are they really effective sex enhancers, or is that just a myth?" He laughed at the question and spread his hands wide open. "There is nothing that compares with catuaba and muirapuama together. I can tell you, I have used these plants with hundreds of people. The old become sexually young again. I have seen impotent men who can have sex for the first time in years. Even healthy couples find that these plants put extra fire in their sex life. These plants are good for men and women."

I asked Antonio if he used these plants himself. He smiled again. "Sometimes. After all, I've been married to the same woman for 43 years."
Before heading off to the Amazon, I had read everything I could find on reputed sex-enhancing plants from that region. Virtually every reference I found described the use of both catuaba (Erythroxylum catuaba) and muirapuama (Ptychopetalum olacoides) to increase libido and improve sexual function.

When Bernie and I arrived in Manaus, we discovered that the use of these two botanicals was more popular than we ever suspected. Throughout Manaus, a city in the heart of the jungle, which flourished during the great rubber boom of the mid-1800s, we found dozens of guarana stands which served mixed fruit smoothies with herbs.

"Super Sex Drink"
Guarana, the most popular caffeine-bearing plant in Brazil, was added to these drinks, along with other herbs. Every guarana stand offered an aphrodisiac drink, usually named "Super Sex Drink," containing about a heaping teaspoon of powdered catuaba and muirapuama combined.

When we asked the people who work at the guarana bars if their sex drinks were effective, they were quick to affirm their potency. As we sat at various guarana bars, we watched women and men order super sex drinks for themselves and second ones for their partners. Couples showed up together, ordered, winked at each other, and drank. It was clear that catuaba and muirapuama held distinguished positions in popular Brazilian culture.

In fact, few beneficial plants are as popular or as widely consumed among the natives of the northern Amazon river basin as the barks of catuaba and muirapuama. These two common trees grow widely from Peru to Brazil. Both have been used extensively by natives and non-natives for centuries, to increase libido and improve sexual potency. Due to the popularity of these two sex boosters, their harvesting and sale has become big business throughout Brazil.

Improved Erectile Function Reported
Science on these plants is still modest, but reports in scientific journals and at conferences have supported their use for sexual enhancement. In catuaba, a group of three alkaloids dubbed catuabine A, B and C are believed to enhance sexual function by stimulating the nervous system. In muirapuama, chemists have identified a group of sterols including beta-sitosterol, thought to be responsible for the herb's aphrodisiac effects. In one study using muirapuama, 51 percent of men with erectile problems reported improvement, and 62 percent experienced an increase in libido.
After our time in Manaus, Bernie and I boated down the Amazon river where we stayed with Ipixuna and Crinicoru indians in floating shacks on the water. While there we ventured into the rain forest with native guides who showed us catuaba and muirapuama trees growing in different places. We also witnessed the harvesting of catuaba bark and its subsequent sale to a local buyer. We learned that most natives use these plants by placing a small handful of their combined barks in a glass of room-temperature water, let the herbs sit overnight, and drink the resulting amber infusion in the morning.

The Shamans
To confirm what we had read about catuaba and muirapuama, and what Antonio Matas had imparted, Bernie and I set off to interview a couple of elderly women shamans, both of whom were experts in the preparation and use of Amazon medicinal plants. Each woman told us that the sexual restorative virtues of catuaba and muirapuama were significant. One 89-year-old shaman named Therese echoed Antonio's words when she told us, "Catuaba and muirapuama together can make people sexually young again."

Throughout history, people have sought to increase libido and improve sexual function through the use of reputed aphrodisiac plants. Catuaba and muirapuama, two common trees growing widely across the Amazon river basin, enjoy centuries of safe, effective use as bona fide aphrodisiacs.

If you're going to try these herbs, there are a couple of ways you can go about doing so. If you can obtain them as bulk herbs in a natural food store, then two to four grams of the powdered bark combination is a good dosage range. I throw about that much into a blender drink, with good results. But not everybody likes messing around with loose herbs.

A number of supplement companies produce finished products containing these herbs in powdered or liquid form, and offer dosage guidelines. As research into the sex-enhancing value of these rain-forest plants increases and more becomes known about their modes of action, they are destined to become popular and widely used in cultures such as ours, beyond the rain forest.

Next, a trip to China for Horny Goat Weed...

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