Young Gay and Bisexual Men are 6 Times More Likely to Commit Suicide

A study published in the Journal of Public Health reveals that gay and bisexual men below the age of 26 are six times more likely to commit suicide or harm themselves than older men. The researchers explain that unlike younger men, men above 45 are more capable of coping with homophobia and could possibly be more privileged in other aspects of their lives.

Moreover, young gay and bisexual men are also two times more likely to be depressed or anxious. Meanwhile, black gay and bisexual men are also twice as likely to be depressed and five times more likely to commit suicide compared to white men.

Men with lower educational backgrounds are also two times more likely to suffer from the same problems due to lower income. On the other hand, men who received higher education are less likely to experience one of these issues.

Gay couple. Credit: Tumblr

The researchers point out that some of these men may also suffer from discrimination unrelated to their sexuality, which adds to the report. Nevertheless, their study shows that mental health problems are rampant among gay and bisexual youths as well as minorities.

“Poor mental health is not evenly distributed across race, income or education,” says lead author Ford Hickson from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. “We must ensure that access to life-changing support services are targeted to where they are needed most. Everyone has the right to good mental health.”

The research team suggests that cohabitation can improve these problems. They say that gay and bisexual men who live with a partner are 50 percent less likely to experience depression than those who live alone. Living in areas with high population of gay and bisexual men such as London could also result in positive mental health because these men are less isolated and less discriminated.

The study is the first one to investigate the differences in mental health among gay and bisexual men. It involved the data analysis of 5,799 gay and bisexual men, ages 16 and above, from the Stonewall Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health Survey conducted in the UK.

April Guasp, the Head of Research at Stonewall, adds that the study provides more data about the risks of poor mental health within the LGBT communities. Guasp hopes that this would lead to targeted treatments.

Young Gay and Bisexual Men are 6 Times More Likely to Commit Suicide

Less Medicine, More Health

The author of the highly acclaimed Overdiagnosed describes seven widespread assumptions that encourage excessive, often ineffective, and sometimes harmful medical care.
 
You might think the biggest problem in medical care is that it costs too much. Or that health insurance is too expensive, too uneven, too complicated—and gives you too many forms to fill out. But the central problem is that too much medical care has too little value.

Dr. H. Gilbert Welch is worried about too much medical care. It’s not to deny that some people get too little medical care, rather that the conventional concern about “too little” needs to be balanced with a concern about “too much”: too many people being made to worry about diseases they don’t have—and are at only average risk to get; too many people being tested and exposed to the harmful effects of the testing process; too many people being subjected to treatments they don’t need—or can’t benefit from.

The American public has been sold the idea that seeking medical care is one of the most important steps to maintain wellness. Surprisingly, medical care is not, in fact, well correlated with good health. So more medicine does not equal more health; in reality the opposite may be true.

The general public harbors assumptions about medical care that encourage overuse, assumptions like it’s always better to fix the problem, sooner (or newer) is always better, or it never hurts to get more information. Less Medicine, More Health pushes against established wisdom and suggests that medical care can be too aggressive. Drawing on his twenty-five years of medical practice and research, Dr. Welch notes that while economics and lawyers contribute to the excesses of American medicine, the problem is essentially created when the general public clings to these powerful assumptions about the value of tests and treatments—a number of which are just plain wrong.

By telling fascinating (and occasionally amusing) stories backed by reliable data, Dr. Welch challenges patients and the health-care establishment to rethink some very fundamental practices. His provocative prescriptions hold the potential to save money and, more important, improve health outcomes for us all.

Click Here For More Information

Less Medicine, More Health

The wealthier you are, the more you chase well-being, says survey

A recent survey on women’s health across five countries, including India, has confirmed what we’ve known all along: that wealth and well-being go hand in hand. It reports that 98% of those who are financially secure claim to actively pursue a sense of well-being compared to the 65% in lower income groups. The study titled ‘Women’s health and wellbeing: Evolving definitions and practices’ covered 453 women and 100 public officials across India, Brazil, Mexico, France and Germany.

The recently released survey was sponsored by the consumer health division of pharmaceutical company Merck and conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The project looked specifically at women’s responses to goals on health and wellbeing. The notion of wellbeing included factors other than physical health —work-life balance, education and skills, income, social connections, civil engagement, personal security, housing, environmental quality and subjective wellbeing. (By dint of its method of data-collection —via online questionnaires — the survey preselects a middleand-higher-class sample, at least in the Indian context.)

In an attempt to extend the horizons of personal health to holistic well-being (a Sustainable Development Goal), the survey tried to understand what ‘wellbeing’ meant to women across cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. To 64% of the respondents, wellbeing was associated with feeling healthy and physically fit, a correlation made by 74% of public officials who work on government programmes aimed at women’s health and well-being. They conflated lack of illness with wellness, discounting social or psychological pressures as inhibitors to holistic health.

Then again 23% said ‘feeling well’ was feeling optimistic about their own future as well as that of their family, an association made by only 3% of public officials. This mismatch between the perception of women and policy-makers around wellness suggests how health policies can be better calibrated.

The survey revealed a further incongruity between the kind of health programmes desired by women, and what was officially on offer: 48% said they’d like programmes related to hobbies and cultural activities, but 73% of health officials rooted for illness prevention programmes. “Women are often the caretakers of their families and educate them on health and wellbeing,” said Uta Kemmerich-Keil, CEO of Merck’s consumer health business. “They also represent the majority of professionals in health care occupations, so they have the broadest impact on improving health and well-being in our societies.”

The survey showed that women in India (95%) and Brazil (86%) claimed to be most active in trying to ensure asense of personal well-being. They defined well-being as the avoidance of unhealthy activities like smoking or drinking, rather than a proactive commitment to exercise or a healthy diet. The survey also found a gap between women’s stated practice of healthy living and the actual fact: Brazilian women spent more heavily on beauty products and treatments than on their health, showing that beauty overrode health. Wellbeing apparently includes building and maintaining good family relations, vital to emotional stability.

However, Sanghita Bhattarcharya, senior public health specialist at the Public Health Foundation of India — a participant in EIU’s interview programme — pointed out that beyond a narrow elite, there’s little hope about Indian women actively managing their wellbeing. “Public health policy has paid little attention to the wellbeing of women beyond their reproductive years,” she said. “This in itself is a manifestation of gendered expectations, where even decision-makers have not looked at women beyond their roles as mothers and care-givers.”

(The author was in Germany at the invitation of Merck)

The wealthier you are, the more you chase well-being, says survey

Eat more fruits in adolescence to lower breast cancer risk

IANS Monday 1st February, 2016

New York, Feb 1 (IANS) Girls who eat more high-fibre foods during adolescence – especially lots of fruits and vegetables – may have significantly lower breast cancer risk than those who eat less dietary fibre when young, new research has found.

For each additional 10 grams of fibre intake daily – for example, about one apple and two slices of whole wheat bread, or about half a cup each of cooked kidney beans and cooked cauliflower or squash – during early adulthood, breast cancer risk drops by 13 percent, the findings of this large scale study showed.

“From many other studies we know that breast tissue is particularly influenced by carcinogens and anticarcinogens during childhood and adolescence,” said senior author of the study Walter Willett, professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“We now have evidence that what we feed our children during this period of life is also an important factor in future cancer risk,” Willett noted.

The researchers believe that eating more fibre-rich foods may lessen breast cancer risk partly by helping to reduce high estrogen levels in the blood, which are strongly linked with breast cancer development.

The study was be published online in the journal Pediatrics.

“This work on the role of nutrition in early life and breast cancer incidence suggests one of the very few potentially modifiable risk factors for premenopausal breast cancer,” lead author of the study Maryam Farvid from Harvard Chan School noted.

The researchers looked at a group of 90,534 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II, a large long-running investigation of factors that influence women’s health.

Breast cancer risk was 12-19 percent lower among women who ate more dietary fibre in early adulthood, depending on how much more they ate, the study said.

The greatest apparent benefit came from fruit and vegetable fibre.

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Eat more fruits in adolescence to lower breast cancer risk

Eat more POPCORN for better lung health

Fibre has many benefits – it helps us maintain a healthy weight by making us feel fuller for longer, it helps maintain healthy bowel movements, it lowers cholesterol and can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Now, scientists have discovered it may also have a positive affect on lung health.

Even when smoking, weight, socioeconomic status and other health factors were taken in to account, the research found lung health was better with those who consumed more fibrous foods.

Of the people studied, almost 70 per cent of the high fibre consumers had normal lung function compared to just 50 per cent of the people who had diets low in fibre.

Only 15 per cent of high fibre consumers had airway restriction compared with 30 per cent of those on a low-fibre diet. Leading researchers to believe sticking to a high-fibre diet helps promote good lung health.

The researchers – from the University of Nebraska – looked in to data from almost 2000 people aged 40-70.

They were asked to answer questions about diet, lifestyle and undertake a physical examination.

The groups were split into people who ate 17.5g of fibre a day or more, and the lower group who ate less than 10.75g.

In the UK, most people get around 18g a day – it is advised that people aim for 30g a day.

Foods rich in fibre include oats, lentils, beans, fruit, wheat bran, wholegrain cereals, dried fruits and corn.

You can get more fibre in your diet by having a high-fibre cereal for breakfast, snacking on fruit, swapping white carbohydrates for wholegrain options and adding nuts, seeds, beans or lentils to salads, soups or casseroles.

The findings lend themselves to other studies that suggest dietary fibre is linked to a higher capacity of lung function.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name given to a collection of lung diseases including bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease.

Typical symptoms of COPD include breathlessness when active, a persistent, phlegmy cough and frequent chest infections.

According to the NHS, there are more than three million people living with the disease, but only 900,000 have been diagnosed. 

Eat more POPCORN for better lung health

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Men over 60 who pay for sex use less protection and purchase more sex as they age

IMAGE: A new study published today in the American Journal of Men’s Health (a SAGE journal) surveyed American men between the ages of 60 and 84 who pay for sex and… view more

Credit: Christine Milrod, PhD and Martin Monto, PhD

Los Angeles, CA (January 6, 2015) A new study published today in the American Journal of Men’s Health (a SAGE journal) surveyed American men between the ages of 60 and 84 who pay for sex and found that the older they were, the more frequently they paid for sex and the more likely they were to have experienced unprotected sexual intercourse multiple times with their favorite commercial sex providers.

“There is a nearly universal perception that older men do not pay for, or even engage sexually with regular frequency,” said lead study author Dr. Christine Milrod. “This view may contribute to a false sense of security for both clients and sex workers during their encounters, and may lead to less protective strategies than with younger purchasers of sex. In addition, the exchange of emotional intimacy during the so-called ‘Girlfriend Experience’ as well as the possibility of being viewed as an elderly low-risk client who engages with only one or a very limited number of providers may contribute to a relaxation of boundaries and a false sense of security in avoiding STIs,” Milrod continued.

Using various sex provider review websites and discussion boards, Dr. Christine Milrod and University of Portland sociology professor Martin Monto surveyed 208 men between the ages of 60 and 84 who solicited sex workers in order to assess their condom use and sexual risk taking. The researchers found that:

• 59.2% reported not always using protection with sex workers. 95% reported avoiding protection for manual masturbation and 91% reported avoiding protection for oral sex.


• 31.1% reported having been diagnosed with a STI at some point during their lifetime. 10.2% were once diagnosed with gonorrhea, 10.1% with genital warts, 7.8% with genital herpes and 5.3% with chlamydia.


• Men who reported more unprotected sex acts perceived their HIV risk to be higher and were more likely to have been diagnosed with a STI.


• 77.4% reported that they perceived their likelihood of becoming infected with HIV as “low,” while only 62% reported having been tested for HIV.


• 29.2% reported having an “all-time favorite” sex provider with whom they engage repeatedly. Being more emotionally attached to sex workers was positively related to more unprotected sex.


• Of the 60- to 84-year-old men surveyed, advancing age was also positively associated with unprotected sex acts.


• 57.2% reported talking with a doctor about sex since turning 60, though 82.2% of these conversations were initiated by the patients, not by their doctors.

To reduce the incidence of STIs among sexually active older men, Milrod and Monto suggest that health care providers ask their older male patients about their sexual partners and discuss protective strategies for avoiding STIs.

The researchers wrote, “Medical and mental health clinicians should not assume that old age is a barrier to paying for sex, particularly among the generations that began engaging in sexual activity prior to the epidemic emergence of the HIV virus.”

###

Contact: (US) Camille Gamboa Camille.gamboa@sagepub.com / Tel: 805-410-7441

(UK) Katie Baker katie.baker@sagepub.co.uk / Tel: +44 (0)20 7324 8719

Find out more by reading the full article “Condom use, sexual risk, and self-reported STI in a sample of older male clients of heterosexual prostitution in the United States” in American Journal of Men’s Health. For an embargoed copy of the full text, please email camille.gamboa@sagepub.com.

Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 900 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. A growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company’s continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC. http://www.sagepublishing.com

American Journal of Men’s Health (AJMH) is a peer-reviewed quarterly resource for cutting-edge information regarding men’s health and illness. AJMH publishes papers from all health, behavioral and social disciplines, including but not limited to medicine, nursing, allied health, public health, health psychology/behavioral medicine, and medical sociology and anthropology. This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). http://jmh.sagepub.com/

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Men over 60 who pay for sex use less protection and purchase more sex as they age

Middle schools: More birth control training, says CDC

The United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced that more young teens attending middle schools need to be trained how to use a slew of contraceptives, including condoms, abortifacients and other modes of artificial birth control.

The government agency also stressed that middle school teenagers need to be taught “necessary skills” so that they won’t contract a plethora of sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and herpes. In its report, the CDC also said in its report that the “preventative measures” American middle schoolers must learn are to avoid unplanned pregnancies.

The results of CDC’s latest survey of American middle schools and high schools — administered once every other year — were published Wednesday to divulge the evolving health behaviors of students. Its 2014 School Health Profiles Survey findings were presented last week at the National HIV Prevention Conference, prompting the CDC to press for more aggressive sex education programs.

According to a CDC press release, students’ sex ed training in schools is not up to par.

“[F]ewer than half of high schools and only a fifth of middle schools teach all 16 topics recommended by … [the CDC] as essential components of sexual health education,” the government agency reported.

Some of the topics covered include the importance of using “condoms consistently and correctly,” the “benefits of being sexually abstinent,” the “importance of limiting the number of sexual partners,” and using condoms “at the same time as another … [kind of] contraception.” The CDC also states that 6th graders through high school seniors must also receive training about how to get condoms, “how HIV and other STDs are transmitted,” the “efficacy of condoms,” “how to correctly use condoms,” and the health consequences of HIV, other STDs and pregnancy.”

Sex ed. the CDC’s way

Included in the CDC study is the examination of the percentage of schools that are taught each of the recommended areas of sexual education, LifeSiteNews.com reports. It also discloses the median of each state before providing its national assessment of teen behavior.

“A median of 75 percent of schools taught ‘[h]ow to create and sustain healthy and respectful relationships,’ while education on how HIV and other STDs are transmitted and ‘health consequences of HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy’ were taught 75 percent of the time,” LifeSiteNews’ Dustin Siggins points out. “Schools least often taught ‘how to obtain’ and ‘how to correctly use’ condoms, at 27 percent and 23 percent. Seventeen percent of middle schools taught all 16 recommended aspects of sexual education.”

Ranked number one on the list is STD prevention, with 95 percent of middle and high schools instructing their students on “how HIV and other STDs are transmitted,” as well as about the “health consequences of HIV and other STDs and pregnancy.” A close number two was abstinence, which registered at 94 percent. For high schools, the lowest two on the CDC’s recommended list of 16 were “how to obtain condoms,” (60 percent trained students on this) and “how to correctly use a condom” (54 percent of high schools). Nearly half (46 percent) of high schools in America teach each of the  CDC’s 16 recommended aspects of sex ed.

Honing in on public school education on seven specific contraceptives, the CDC obtained information on IUDs and several other forms of birth control that can also be used as abortifacients by teenage students.

“Sixty-six percent taught how to ‘the pill,’ 61 percent the ‘patch,’ 58 percent the ‘ring,’ 61 percent the ‘shot,’ 55 percent implants, 60 percent the IUD, and 49 percent emergency contraception,” the CDC divulged, according to LifeSiteNews.com. “Forty-three percent of schools taught all seven methods of birth control. Nineteen large urban communities were also sampled, though New York City was notably excluded. While the urban communities’ median numbers were often within five percent of the national median, both middle schools and high schools were far more likely to teach students about condoms.”

More exposure?

CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention Director Jonathan Mermin stated that public schools must be more aggressive in its training of American teenage students.

“We need to do a better job of giving our young people the skills and knowledge they need to protect their own health,” Mermin insisted in his CDC press release. “It’s important to teach students about healthy relationships and how to reduce sexual risk before they start to have sex.”

Also noted in the press release is how condoms and other artificial birth control methods, devices, and drugs such as abortifacients are “essential topics in HIV, STDs, pregnancy prevention, and other health subjects.” The CDC called these classroom discussions “age-appropriate topics for middle and high schools based on the scientific evidence for what helps young people avoid risk.”

Even though a CDC media spokesperson would not tell LifeSiteNews whether it suggests educating students about the side effects of contraception or how numerous contraceptives can act as abortifacients, confirmation was given that it supports the public schools’ greater role in training kids to make “educated” sexual choices.

“CDC does not recommend the selection of a specific curriculum, but recognizes the authority of local school districts to make sexual health education curriculum decisions,” the spokesperson told LifeSiteNews. “CDC emphasizes that all sexual health education should be medically accurate and consistent with scientific evidence.”

The CDC also suggested that its brand of sexual morality should be inculcated in students to bring about what it considers society’s good, giving what many consider to be lip service about trying to accommodate local mores.

“[Sex education] should allow students to develop and demonstrate developmentally appropriate sexual health-related knowledge, attitudes, skills, and practices,” CDC continued. “It should also be consistent with community values, and developed with the active involvement of parents. What is critical is that our students get age-appropriate instruction across key areas of sexual health in both middle and high school in order to develop the skills they need to be healthy in adulthood.”

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Middle schools: More birth control training, says CDC

Adele reveals her big weight loss secret, plus more news

Once Adele gave up her country’s favorite beverage, she found she lost tons of weight and felt a new surge of vitality. “I used to drink 10 cups a day with two sugars in each so I was on 20 sugars a day,” she recently revealed to the un, according to Celebitchy. “Now I don’t drink it and I have more energy than ever.” Speaking to iriu last month, Adele admitted that while she gets anxious about how she looks like anyone else, she can’t take it too seriously. “I do have body image problems for sure, but I don’t let them rule my life, at all,” she said. “There’s bigger issues going on in the world than how I might feel about myself. There’s only one of you, so why would you want to look like everyone else, why would you want to have the same hairstyle as everyone else and have the same opinion as everyone else?”

Adele reveals her big weight loss secret, plus more news

Infectious Diseases Are More Closely Linked to Sex and Gender Than We Think

By Liliana Losada Brown, PhD, Associate Director, Scientific Programs at SWHR

Did you know that more women get sick from salmonella than men [1]? Or that men are more likely to develop staph infections [2]? These are just two examples of the many infectious diseases that impact women and men differently [3]. Even though a new wave of research on these differences is paving the way to develop better prevention strategies, more work needs to be done to get this information into the hands of healthcare providers.

Differences in infectious diseases between women and men are commonly thought to develop from lifestyle choices ranging from food choices, day-to-day activities, type of occupation, choosing to smoke, or even whether you choose to see a medical professional when you get sick. For instance, more women get salmonella infections in the U.S. because more women than men choose to eat raw fruits and vegetables [1, 4] , which contain potentially harmful bacteria that have not been killed by cooking. A reason staph infections are higher in men could be that more men play contact sports, leaving them with scrapes and cuts that weaken the skin’s normal protection [2]. Some occupations that have a gender bias — like nursing or mining — also put people at risk unevenly. For example, up to 75 percent of Ebola deaths in some countries were women, because women made up the majority of nurses and caregivers for ailing family members [5]. In contrast, two-times more men than women have tuberculosis (TB) around the world [6], stemming from men’s more frequent exposure to lung-damaging toxins because of being employed in occupations like mining or construction, and smoking cigarettes more than women do [7]. However, smoking rates are on the rise in young women around the world [8], thereby increasing their risk of TB. Thus, surveillance and prevention of TB and other infectious diseases must account for sex and changing patterns in lifestyle choices in order to be effective.

New studies show that our biological sex also influences our risk of contracting an infectious disease. Research suggests that women fight off infection more effectively than men, giving women an ‘immunological privilege’ [3, 9]. This privilege might be due to the fact that women carry two X chromosomes, compared to men who have one X and a Y instead. The X chromosome carries genes that are essential to the immune system [10]. However, because a single X chromosome in every cell is randomly inactivated in a woman’s body, including in immune cells, it is possible that having two X chromosomes offers additional alternatives that result in better protection from invading pathogens.

Similarly, sex hormones — especially estrogen — help regulate the immune responses [10], so higher levels of estrogen in women may also result in more versatility in protection. Recently, researchers found that testosterone itself lowered the immune reaction against influenza [11], which can place men at higher risk. Interestingly, for many infectious diseases including staph, older women are actually at a higher risk than older men (in contrast to those young athletes mentioned earlier), suggesting that their immunological privilege might disappear after menopause [2, 3]. The effects of changing hormone levels across a woman’s life relating to their risk of contracting infectious diseases are not yet understood and are an ongoing area of research.

We need to better understand how our biological sex and our behaviors affect our risk of getting sick from infectious diseases. With better understanding comes better prevention and more targeted public health campaigns. More awareness will also encourage researchers to study sex differences in infectious diseases, which the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR®) has been advocating for years. Understanding sex differences in infectious diseases can help us learn more about what makes women’s and men’s immune systems work and how pathogens make us sick thereby leading to personalized treatments and prevention. SWHR® is dedicated to promoting research on sex and gender differences in diseases. Click here to learn more about our work on infectious diseases.

References

1. Reller, M E., et al., Excess salmonellosis in women in the United States: 1968-2000. Epidemiology and Infection, 2008. 136(8): p. 1109-1117.
2. Humphreys, H., F. Fitzpatick, and B.J. Harvey, Gender differences in rates of carriage and bloodstream infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Are they real, do they matter and why? Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2015.
3. Giefing-Kröll, C., et al., How sex and age affect immune responses, susceptibility to infections, and response to vaccination. Aging Cell, 2015. 14(3): p. 309-321.
4. Shiferaw, B., et al., Sex-Based Differences in Food Consumption: Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) Population Survey, 2006-2007. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2012. 54(suppl 5): p. S453-S457.
5. Mulvihill, K. Why More Women Than Men Are Dying in the Ebola Outbreak. Yahoo Health News 2014 10/30/2015]; Available from: https://www.yahoo.com/health/why-more-women-than-men-are-dying-in-the-ebola-outbreak-95476080612.html.
6. Neyrolles, O. and L. Quintana-Murci, Sexual Inequality in Tuberculosis. PLoS Med, 2009. 6(12): p. e1000199.
7. Nhamoyebonde, S. and A. Leslie, Biological differences between the sexes and susceptibility to tuberculosis. J Infect Dis, 2014. 209 Suppl 3: p. S100-6.
8. World Health Organization, WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2013 : enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.(in IRIS). 2013, Geneva: World Health Organization. 202 p.
9. Spolarics, Z., The X-files of inflammation: cellular mosaicism of X-linked polymorphic genes and the female advantage in the host response to injury and infection. Shock, 2007. 27(6): p. 597-604.
10. Klein, S.L., A. Jedlicka, and A. Pekosz, The Xs and Y of immune responses to viral vaccines. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2010. 10(5): p. 338-349.
11. Furman, D., et al., Systems analysis of sex differences reveals an immunosuppressive role for testosterone in the response to influenza vaccination. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014. 111(2): p. 869-874.

Infectious Diseases Are More Closely Linked to Sex and Gender Than We Think

8 Ways to Have More Oral Sex

Otherwise, consider these rules for fellatio etiquette. And for hundreds more tips and techniques to make sex more incredible for both of you, check out How to Pleasure a Woman, the complete guide to becoming a master lover!

DON’T . . .

Pressure her: Guilt-tripping your gal into giving head will only succeed in making her resentful. Instead, stick to telling her how much you love her blowjobs and letting her decide if she wants to take a trip downtown, Ghose says.

Manhandle her head: Pushing her head down onto your penis while she’s giving oral can strain her neck and make it hard to breath. “Let her lead and control the depth and rhythm,” says Jill McDevitt, Ph.D., a sexologist who teaches in-home Fellatio 101 classes. This will work in your favor: Some women are turned on by giving head because it puts them in control.

Bark orders: Commands like “deeper” or “slow down” can come off as criticism. And surely you’d never want to criticize a woman who’s giving you a freaking blowjob! Giving guidance can be a good thing, though, if you phrase your requests in a positive way, says Ghose. As in: “It’s so hot when you use your tongue on me, baby.”

Leave her hanging: You’re fully satisfied after your orgasm, but she’s probably not—so don’t just zip up your pants and get on with your day. Let her know that her turn is next, even if it’s not right this second, Ghose says. Say: “I’m so relaxed right now and I really want to focus on you next. Give me a few minutes or an hour.” Just make sure she knows this isn’t the end. (When her turn comes, follow the step-by-step instructions here to give her the best orgasm she’s ever had.)

DO . . .

Rave about it: Women love to know that they’re driving their guys wild, so don’t forget to speak up. “The more you moan and tell her, ‘That feels so great,’ ‘You look so sexy right now,’ or ‘You are so good at this,’ the more into it she’ll be,” Ghose says. On the other hand, if you lay there silently, she may feel insecure and wonder if she’s doing it right.

Make her comfortable: The more physically comfortable a woman is during the act, the longer she can stick with it. So be considerate of how she’s situated down there. “If she’s on her knees, give her a pillow to kneel on, or move to the bed,” says Ghose. “Hold her hair back if it’s getting in her mouth. Switch up positions so she doesn’t get a kink in her neck.”

Tidy up downstairs: Be aware of your personal hygiene before unzipping. If you’ve just worked out (or had a particularly sweaty day), a quick shower would be the polite thing to do. “Just remember, the more pleasant the aroma, the better,” says Ghose.

A little manscaping can go a long way, too. Men who go hairless actually get more head, research from Indiana University finds. You don’t have to be completely bare, but try trimming your pubes down to ¼ inch to give her more access and prevent her from catching any curlies in her teeth.

Negotiate the exit strategy: Despite what you see in porn, many women do not enjoy swallowing or taking cum shots to the face. To make sure your big finish is as fun for her as the rest of the experience, give her a heads up before ejaculating and ask her where you can come, says McDevitt.

8 Ways to Have More Oral Sex

Women More Flexible In Their Sexual Identities

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A study revealed that unlike men, women are more flexible about their sexual identities. Romantic opportunities seem to sway the sexual identities of women and not for men.

Women are three times more likely to change their sexual identities when they move into young adulthood

Dr. Elizabeth Aura McClintock, a professor of sociology in the University of Notre Dame conducted this study by looking at data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). She tracked 5018 women and 4191 men throughout their adolescent-to-adulthood phase. This traced a time period from 1994-1995 to 2007-2008, with their average ages being 16 and 28 at the start and end of the survey. Confirming a well-known finding, the survey revealed that women are more likely than men to report bisexuality; they are also more likely to change their sexual identities in adulthood. The widely popular male eroticization of same-sex attraction between females could have contributed to the flexibility in female sexual identity. On the other hand, men are more likely to report that they’re either 100% heterosexual or 100% homosexual.

Physically attractive women are more likely to call themselves “100% heterosexual”

Women with higher education and perceived to be attractive (according to the Add Health ratings) are more likely to stick to the hetero-conformist behavior because they have favorable options in the heterosexual partner market. On the other hand, women with same proclivities towards men and women, but faced with fewer favorable heterosexual partners may steer towards homosexuality more. This romantic opportunity-based labeling of sexual identity is found more in women. Men with higher education are surprisingly less likely to call themselves “100% heterosexual”. Physical attractiveness does not have any association with male sexual identity and romantic opportunity has no influence on it.

Sexual identity is a lot more complex than we think

Often social dictates control what we “call” ourselves in the society. This study was meant to tease out self-reported sexual identities of women and men from adolescence to adulthood. The study does not purport that sexual identities can be chosen at will, but merely that social ethos may influence how people perceive their own sexuality.

Did you know sex can also affect friendships?

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A graduate from the world of life sciences–Aparna loves to write all about science and a little about how it affects our lives.

Women More Flexible In Their Sexual Identities

Health-related events, classes, more around Asheville

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Health events

LONG TERM CARE PLANNING: Aug. 19, 2-4 p.m., Pardee Signature Care Center at Blue Ridge Mall, Four Seasons Boulevard, Hendersonville. Focuses on alternatives in long-term care planning. Explore medical care options, financial considerations, insurance and other issues. Free but visit www.pardeesignaturecare.org or call 828-692-4600 to register.

DIABETES Support Group Meet & Greet with Pardee Hospital’s new endocrinologist Jonathan Rappaport: Aug. 19, 10-11:30 a.m., Pardee Signature Care Center in the Blue Ridge Mall, Four Seasons Boulevard, Hendersonville. Rappaport will present program on diabetes care and management, attendees may ask questions. Free. www.pardeehospital.org.

QIGONG for Health & Heart: 10 a.m. Wednesdays, Unity Center, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. Slow, meditative movements to improve balance, restore health and connect you with your heart energy for harmony and relaxation. Can be done standing or sitting. $5 suggested donation. 201-452-8244 or www.starhorsejourneys.com.

ALZHEIMER’S-Effective Communication Strategies: Aug. 20, 1-2:30 p.m., Haywood County Public Library, 678 S. Haywood St., Waynesville. Explores how communication takes place when someone has Alzheimer’s disease. For caregivers, learning to decode messages through attitude, tone of voice, facial expressions and body language can help both parties to connect and communicate in meaningful ways. RSVP to Kathy Olsen at 828-452-5169.

GYNECOLOGICAL HEALTH & WELLNESS: Aug. 20, 6-7 p.m., Pardee Signature Care Center at Blue Ridge Mall, Four Seasons Boulevard, Hendersonville. Dr. Shannon Huff, of Pardee OB/GYN Associates, discusses risk factors for gynecological cancers, offer recommendations on minimizing risks, early detection and the necessity of pap smears after a hysterectomy. Symptoms of gynecological cancers are often silent. Free but visit www.pardeesignaturecare.org or call 828-692-4600 to register.

TAI CHI FOR ARTHRITIS: 12-week class begins Aug. 26. 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays (beginner) at Homewood, 19 Zillicoa St., Asheville, or 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St., downtown. Level 2 classes at noon and advanced level 2 at 4 p.m. at Homewood and 7:30 p.m. at First Baptist. $140 with discounts to $126 with doctor prescription or for members of First Baptist Church, Asheville. Can be done sitting or standing. Not just for arthritis. www.wnctaichiarthritis.com or 828-253-8649 or 828-230-9208.

“MEDICARE CHOICES MADE EASY” CLASS: Aug. 27, 5-7 p.m., Twisted Laurel, 10-A S. Main St., Weaverville. Hosted by The Council on Aging and Merrill Lynch. . The classes help individuals 60 and older make informed decisions on the Medicare benefits that are right for them. Free but register at www.coabc.org. For more information about the classes, contact John Wingerter at JohnW@coabc.org or 828-277-8288 ext. 310.

MOVIE “FED UP”: Aug. 27, 6 p.m., Carolina Cinemas, 1640 Hendersonville Road, Asheville. Join Blue Sky MD for a free screening. The documentary, from Katie Couric and “An Inconvenient Truth” producer Laurie David, takes a close look at the food industry and the foods Americans consume every day. Healthy refreshments provided. Email kinsay.sand@blueskymd.com to RSVP. 828-274-9500.

MELANOMA Lunch and Learn workshop: Aug. 28, noon-1 p.m., Pardee Hospital, 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville. This workshop will discuss melanoma including the different types of moles, the role of sunscreen, and why tanning beds should be avoided. Free admission and light lunch. Call 828-696-1341 by 4:30 p.m. Aug. 25 to register.

RESTORING DIGESTIVE HEALTH: Nourishing Herbs, Foods & Ferments for Vitality: Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Warren Wilson College, Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa. Workshop with herbalist, foodie, naturalist, and traditional food ways maven, Lindsay Wilson. Explore ways to heal the gut and take charge of your digestion. $75. http://organicgrowersschool.org/events/harvest-conference/pre-conference-workshops/.

NEED HEALTH INSURANCE?: Pisgah Legal Services, 62 Charlotte St., Asheville, offers free year-round appointments with Health Care Navigators so you can explore your options for getting affordable health insurance. Call 828-210-3437 to make an appointment. Open enrollment begins Nov. 1 and lasts until Jan. 31, 2016. However, special enrollments are available for qualifying life events. Did you also know that 9 out of 10 people in North Carolina qualified for financial help in paying their monthly premiums?

Health screenings

BLOOD PROFILE TESTING: 8:30-10 a.m. every Wednesday, Opportunity House, 1411 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville. No appointment needed. Comprehensive metabolic, complete blood count, lipid panel, thyroid, PSA and urinalysis to name a few. For a complete list of tests and pricing, visit www.opportunityhouse.org and click on newsletter. Results are usually back in a few days. Cash, checks and credit cards accepted. 828-692-0575.

SCREENING BREAST THERMOGRAMS: Aug. 25, Asheville Integrative Medicine, 832 Hendersonville Road. Thermography is a noninvasive test that does not cause radiation exposure or compression of the breasts. Initial thermogram is $149. Process takes about 15 minutes. Results will be interpreted by an M.D. and originals mailed to patient within 10 days. A copy of the interpretation can go to the physician of choice. Call 828-252-5592 to make an appointment.

Meditation

ASHEVILLE MOVEMENT COLLECTIVE DANCES: 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Sundays, Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway St., downtown. Non-instructional, free-form dances to inspire authenticity and healthy community. No prior experience required. Two dances, your second dance is free. $7-$15. http://ashevillemovementcollective.org. ALSO 7 p.m. Fridays at Asheville Academy of Ballet at 4 Weaverville Road.

CHANGE YOUR WORLD: New Approaches to Life, Love & Happiness: 7 p.m. Sundays to Oct. 18 (no class on Aug. 30), Anjali Hot Yatra Yoga, 780 Hendersonville Road, Asheville. By learning to be more peaceful, loving and positive, we can learn to be happy whether or not our life changes externally. With Buddhist teacher Sharon Lovich. Drop-in classes. $10, $5 students/seniors. 803-200-2115 or www.MeditationInAsheville.org.

TONING THE CHAKRAS INSIDE SALT CAVE: Aug. 30, 6-7 p.m., Asheville Therapeutic Salt Cave, 12 Eagle St. Vocal toning is a form of sound meditation. It usually consists of singing extended syllables, especially vowels. These sounds are believed to have their own energetic properties. We will be group toning the bijas of the chakras, simple Sanskrit syllables, originating in Hinduism, believed to balance the energy centers of the subtle body. Combining sound and stones can produce deep meditative experiences. $36. 828-236-5999 or www.ashevillesaltcave.com.

Self-help groups

GAMBLING: 12 Step Gamblers Anonymous Meeting: 6:45-7:45 p.m. Thursdays, lower level conference room at Basilica of Saint Lawrence, 97 Haywood St., Asheville. A closed meeting reserved for people that have or think they may have a gambling problem. Anonymity is first and foremost. We welcome you with open arms. Park behind the church and ring the bell at the back door. Contact Casey at 828-318-4800 or kc1st@mac.com. Visit www.gamblersanonymous.org.

Support groups

ADDICTION COUNSELING: Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call 800-431-1754 for free screenings or referrals.

BETTER TOGETHER: Life Limiting Illness Support Group: 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Secrets of A Duchess, 1439 Merrimon Ave., Asheville. Weekly support group for adults managing the challenges of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases. Free but call 386-801-2606 to reserve your spot. Visit www.WildPrecious.Life.

GRIEF CLASSES: CarePartners, 68 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, offers grief classes at its bereavement center. 828-251-0126.

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT-Marshall: Aug. 18, 2-3 p.m., Center Community Center, 1300 Grapevine Road, Marshall. For anyone in the Madison County area who has lost a loved one. Every third Tuesday. www.hotspringshealth-nc.org.

DIABETES: Aug. 19, 3:30-5 p.m., Mission Health Diabetes and Health Education Center, 1 Hospital Drive, third level, room 3308, Asheville. Every third Wednesday. Contact Laura Tolle at 828-213-4788 or Laura.Tolle@msj.org.

IN GOOD COMPANY Breast Cancer Support: Aug. 20, 5:30-6:30 p.m., SECU Cancer Center, 21 Hospital Drive, room R-120, Asheville. Every third Thursday for breast cancer survivors. Husbands, children and friends encouraged to participate. For more information, call Denise Steuber at 828-213-2508 or Janet Magruder at 828-213-2507.

BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT FOR TEENS & YOUNG ADULTS: Aug. 25, 6-8 p.m., Foster Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 375 Hendersonville Road, Asheville. Every fourth Tuesday. Contact Karen Harrington at 828-277-4868.

BEREAVEMENT-Mars Hill: Aug. 27, 2-3 p.m., Mars Hill Retirement Center, 170 S. Main St., Mars Hill. Every fourth Thursday. www.hotspringshealth-nc.org.

INCONTINENCE: Sept. 10, 1 p.m., West Asheville. For those suffering from or affected by any level or form of incontinence. Every second Thursday. For more information e-mail WNCIncontSG@bellsouth.net.

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Health-related events, classes, more around Asheville

The Evolution Of Hairy Men: Why More Hair Attracts The Opposite Sex, Indicates Greater Health

The guys of AsapSCIENCE get to the bottom of why some men are so hairy. torbakhopper, CC BY-ND 2.0

Everyone has hair, but why do men tend to have so much more of it? The guys of AsapSCIENCE recently looked to evolution for the answer.

“All humans have the same number of hair follicles as our primate ancestors, except our hair now is much more thin and unable to be seen by the human eye,”  the YouTube hosts explained on their second channel AsapTHOUGHT. “Throughout evolution it became an advantage to have thinner hair, and it’s thought to be this way because our ancestors were traveling far distances to find food and, in the heat, thick hair was a disadvantage.”

While men and women, too, have the same number of hair follicles, men have more of what’s called terminal hair: visible, thick hair that’s usually associated with the hair on a person’s head or pubic hair. Men have this hair “on their chest, back, and other places.” Women can also have hair in these places, but they have more vellus hair, which is hair that’s even thinner and harder to notice. Apparently, these differences have to do with sexual selection.

Male peacocks, for example, flash their tail feathers to display their fitness in order to attract potential mates. One theory even suggests hairy men are better able to detect parasites on their body, so females perceive more hair as a marker for greater, parasite-free health. It makes sense then biology professor Pavol Prokop has said hairless men are preferred more in areas closer to the equator, where there’s an increased number of parasites.So it may be men became hairier so it would be easier to attract potential partners.

Watch the video in full below.

The Evolution Of Hairy Men: Why More Hair Attracts The Opposite Sex, Indicates Greater Health

Men"s Health - July/August 2015 - Chris Platt"s Plan: Lose Your Belly + 10 Smokin" Pages of Charlotte McKinney + Build Beach Muscle Fast + alot more!

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Men"s Health - July/August 2015 - Chris Platt"s Plan: Lose Your Belly + 10 Smokin" Pages of Charlotte McKinney + Build Beach Muscle Fast + alot more!

Men more likely to get skin cancer urged to use suncreen

Discussions about sun damage and skin cancer often draw up images of young women and tanning beds, but it turns out men are actually more likely to get skin cancer, and less likely to slap on the sunscreen.

The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 57 Canadian men is expected to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. In comparison, it says 1 in 74 women is expected to develop the disease.

According to Toronto dermatologist Dr. Sam Hanna, men put on sunscreen half as often as women. Their excuses vary, he said.

“The things I hear from my male patients are they don’t like to put it on, it’s inconvenient, it’s messy,” Hanna told Daybreak Kamloops.

“They may do other things in terms of sun avoidance or sun protection, like wearing long sleeves or hats, which certainly are part of it. But unfortunately, sunscreen is still something we need to figure out how to get men to use because we’re not doing very well in terms of skin cancer rates, and deaths from skin cancer rates specifically.”

Hanna says roughly two-thirds of deaths from melanoma are men. To get men to put on sunscreen, here are some of Hanna’s tricks.

Take baby steps

“I don’t expect somebody who’s not used sunscreen for 65 years to suddenly get up every morning and start putting it on,” Hanna said.

“I’d love that, but I’ll tell them, ‘Fine. Let’s take the next time you go golfing, or the next time you go to the beach.’ Let’s use something like that and just make sure you’re applying appropriately and we can build from there.”

The health argument

“[I tell] somebody who’s health-conscious and eats right and exercises, this is a component of health, and that sometimes has some traction,” Hanna said.

Gather allies

“I’ll often be sneaky and involve their partners in that, and get them to be my people on the inside to bug them a little bit about keeping their sunscreen on,” Hanna said.

Listen to the interview: Men urged to use sunscreen

Men more likely to get skin cancer urged to use suncreen

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St. Thomas More Hospital offering men's event

Jillian Maes

St. Thomas More Hospital is offering a free health event called Men’s Sports Readiness from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at the St. Thomas More Outpatient Rehabilitation Center on the hospital’s campus at 1338 Phay Ave.

The event aims to provide men in the community with a sports medicine program that can help them reduce injuries and improve performance for those who are active in summer sports, according to a press release.

“We offer several women’s events for the community throughout the year, so we wanted to present a men’s health event as well,” said Jillian Maes, director of marketing and communications at STMH. “We hope they take advantage of this great opportunity to spend one-on-one time with our rehabilitation and orthopaedic services team that will help them with the upcoming summer sports season.”

Whether they plan to golf, hike, cycle, kayak or participate in many other sports and activities this summer, the hospital encourages men to get a healthy start by attending this event. Participants will receive a free personal sports readiness assessment with a team of STMH physical therapists and orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Keith Minihane of St. Thomas More Orthopaedics. They will then receive a customized exercise instructions program to get men ready for their sport.

“The benefits of attending this event are many,” said Rick Kamerzell, director of orthopaedic services. “You can improve your core strength, prepare your body for your individual sport, reduce your risk of injury and improve your overall athletic performance.”

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Light refreshments will be served, the press release stated.

For more information or to register, call 719-285-2179 or visit stmhospital.org/calendar.

St. Thomas More Hospital offering men"s event

Baby Boomers had more sex than Millennials: study

US Baby Boomers had more sex than their Gen Y counterparts, but does the same hold true in Australia? Photo: Getty

A United States study has found that, despite hookup apps like Tinder making sex easier to locate than ever, today’s young people are actually having less sex than their parents.

The study led by Jean M. Twenge from San Diego State University, found that between 1972 and 2012, the average number of sexual partners had by one person decreased.

Using data from the US General Social Survey, the researchers found an adult Millennial has 8.26 sexual partners on average, compared to 11.68 for the Baby Boomer generation.

But, if you’re a member of Gen Y upset that your parents had a more exciting sex life than you will, fear not. There is substantial evidence that this trend has not been seen in Australia.

Data from the Australian Study of Health and Relationships, conducted first in 2001/2 and again in 2011/2 suggests that the average Australian’s number of sexual partners is on the rise.

Professor in Sexual Health at the University of New South Wales Juliet Richters, who was one of the investigators for the study, says that younger Australians are more likely to have more sexual partners because of changes in lifestyle conditions.

“Baby boomers had fewer lifetime partners, especially the women, than people aged under 50 in the last survey,” Professor Richters says.

“Since the 1970s, reliable contraception has made it possible for people to put off childbearing, now on average until around 30, so people often settle down with their long-term partner later in life than baby boomers did.”

That said, Professor Richters said researchers did observe an increase in disapproval for sex outside of a committed relationship in the decade between each round of the study.

“[Millennials] care more about consent and the terms of the relationship, rather than seeing sex as wrong in itself,” she says.

“Young people are more likely to have discussed with their regular partner whether it’s OK for them to have sex with anyone else, whereas older generations are more likely to assume that a relationship is monogamous without discussing it.”

The average Australian man reports to have had sex with 18 women throughout his lifetime, while the average Australian woman reports to have had sex with eight men.

Among gay and bisexual men, this figure jumps to 96 partners, while the figure for gay and bisexual women is slightly lower than the female average, at six.

The US study, which was published in the Archives of Sexual Health today, found that while Generations Y and Z are having less sex than their parents, their attitudes towards having sex are substantially more progressive.

The study found in 2012 58 per centof respondents said there was nothing wrong with sex before marriage, up from 49 per cent in the 2000s and 29 per cent in the 1970s.

Baby Boomers had more sex than Millennials: study

More wives, more problems - New study links polygamy with higher rate of heart disease

A new study by cardiologists in the Persian Gulf region indicates that polygamy increases the risk of heart disease for men.

The results of the study, which were announced at a health conference held over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, said that men who have at least four wives were more vulnerable to cardiovascular defects.

 “There is evidence that married people have better overall health and longevity but until now no study has assessed the effect of polygamy on cardiovascular health,” said Dr. Amin Daoulah, a cardiologist at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. “Men who practice polygamy have up to four concurrent wives who can reside in the same or different regions but do not normally reside in the same house. Polygamy is practiced mainly in North and West Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.”

The study was conducted by monitoring the healths of 687 married men who were treated for health ailments at five hospitals in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Of those men studied, 56 percent had diabetes, 57% suffered from high blood pressure, and 45% had a history of coronary artery disease.

“There were significant baseline differences according to the number of wives,” the study said. “Men with more than one wife were more likely to be older, live in a rural area, have a higher income and have a history of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).”
   
“We found an association between an increasing number of wives and the severity and number of coronary blockages,” said Daoulah. “This could be because the need to provide and maintain separate households multiplies the financial burden and emotional expense. Each household must be treated fairly and equally, and it seems likely that the stress of doing that for several spouses and possibly several families of children is considerable.”

Nonetheless, the authors of the study caution that it is premature to state with certainty that polygamy was a root cause of heart disease, since other factors like nutritional habits, levels of intimacy, and the amount of physical exercise done were not taken into account.

More wives, more problems - New study links polygamy with higher rate of heart disease