Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Women 'more likely to report ill health than men'

UK researchers looked at links between how healthy people thought they were, and their death rate.

They found women were more likely than men to say they were in poor health, but less likely to die over the following 5 years.

Doctors are concerned about men's apparent lack of awareness of health.

The analysis used data from three studies across England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

It looked at how those aged 35-74 at the time of the 2001 Census rated their health, and their mortality from 2001 to 2006.

It found there was generally a strong association between those reporting that their health was only poor or fair, and subsequent deaths.

Women were more likely to report poorer health than men, but this was not reflected in subsequent mortality rates.

Doctors and campaigners are concerned about men's apparent lack of awareness about health problems and reluctance to go to the doctor.

Commenting on the study, Steve Field, Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said women are better at disclosing how they feel about their health.

Steps should be taken to encourage men to report health problems earlier, he said.

"The message for the health system is that it should try harder to make it easier for men to access healthcare through suitable hours, venues and phone or computer consultations.

"If men have got concerns about their health, they should come and talk to their GP," he added.

'Extremely worrying'


Peter Baker, Chief Executive of the Men's Health Forum, said the findings were consistent with previous research which showed men are less likely than women to acknowledge health problems to themselves or others.

He pointed out that studies have shown that men who develop diseases like cancer and diabetes tend to be diagnosed later than women.

Mr Baker said: "Men are less aware of their symptoms than women, and are more reluctant to seek help.

"They delay going to the doctor which means their symptoms are more advanced and harder to treat.

"This is extremely worrying. Forty percent of men die before the age of 75."

Horney Goat Weed – A Marvelous Herb

Do you still think that the only real sex pill is called Viagra? Chinese believe they have something better - Yin Yang Huo or Horny Goat Weed, a marvelous herb.

Horny Goat Weed has been used as an aphrodisiac for hundreds of years, and research has also proven its effects on improving sexual desire and performance.

Its scientific name is Epimedium or Yin Yang Huo in chinese but it is also called as Barrenwort, Bishop's Hat, Fairy Wings, Inyokaku, or Horny Goat Weed.

Epimedium is a genus of about 60 or more species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Berberidaceae.

One of the primary physiological effects of Epimedium is the dilation of blood vessels, allowing hormone-boosted blood to reach sensitive tissues. By expanding the circulatory systems blood vessels, Horny Goat Weed also lowers the blood pressure.

According to Chinese this clears the body from weariness and increases energy level while nervous stimulation is enhanced as the brain is supplied with hormone-enriched blood.

Because of these properties Horney Goat Weed has also been used succesfully to treat coronary heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis.

Although epimedium has been successfully applied in treatments for disorders of the liver, kidneys, joints, knees and back, it was mainly used as an aphrodisiac in Asian medicine. According to legend, this property was discovered by a Chinese goat herdsman who noticed sexual activity in his flock after they consumed the weed. Apparently at this time the plant was crowned with a straightforward nickname: Horney Goat Weed.

Like Viagra, icariin, the active compound in Epimedium, inhibits the activity of PDE-5 allowing enhanced blood circulation in penis tissues. A study found 15 of 20 healthy men responding positively to Horney Goat Weed, and for 7 of the 15 men already on Viagra also had a positive effect from using Horney Goat Weed.

Like many natural herbal aphrodisiacs, Horney Goat Weed has been researched over a long period of time and its benefits have been in use for thousands of years.

While the western world’s magic blue pill offers immediate results for impotence symptoms, for Epimedium takes a bit longer to achieve the desired result, but provides longer-lasting benefits. Not to mention that you can leave behind the fear associated with generic drugs.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Facial Skin Care Tips for Men

As a man, young or old, you ought to be concerned with the state of your skin.  Many men seem like they could care less about the state their skin.  With the Hockey season just starting up, who has time to worry about skin care? 

If you plan on going down to the pub to catch the game with your buddies, you should heed my advice and do your best to look good.  Hey, you never know when you are going to meet Ms. Right!  You should all know by now that we want a man who takes care of himself and puts some effort into his appearance.

Cleansing is important part of everyday skin care.  Good old soap and water is better than using nothing at all, but hand soap is designed for use on hands.  Feel your hands.  I don’t think anyone wants a face that feels like that.  Why not try something new? 

Take a trip down to your local pharmacy and have a look around. Or if you are too embarrassed and you already have a Mrs. Right, I’m sure she would be happy to pick something up for you.  There are countless products available, and there is sure to be something right for you.  Try to find something with minimal fragrance, so you aren’t overpowering the ladies with your various scents.

Shaving is another thing that men don’t give much thought to.  Well, you ought to!   Why have rough, razor-burned skin when you could be smooth?  Trust me.  The ladies like a man that is smooth, and that doesn’t just apply to clichéd pick-up lines!

Always use a warm washcloth on your face before you shave.  This will soften the hairs, and allow your pores to open up.  And before you shave, make sure you have a decent razor.  Those disposable razors should be disposed of once and for all!  There are a number of new razors on the market that will provide you with a good, close shave.  Be sure to use a quality shaving cream or gel, and be sure to moisturize when you are done.

As a young lady looking for Mr. Right, I know how important it is to find a man who takes care of himself.  My mother always said you can tell a lot about a man by his appearance, and I couldn’t agree more.  Beyond that, your damned stubble hurts my face!  See you out on the town, boys!

The Importance of Penis Hygiene

Hygiene is a cornerstone of modern civilization. We all know that people living in the period of time between the end of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the modern age were not particularly concerned with washing. Some saw washing as an unnecessary luxury, others saw it as the first step toward sinning by indulging the pleasures of flesh. Some doctors even claimed that bathing was harmful to the body or the mind.

Time has passed and mankind entered a new age. Nowadays many people wash every day and don’t seem to suffer any of the side effects predicted by the doctors of less scientifically advanced times. Still, we can’t really say that everybody on earth is fully aware and practicing the strictest personal hygiene. Of course, social pressure takes care of most problems, since men and women would feel too embarrassed if they were found wanting on personal hygiene.

However, while many people pay little attention to it, intimate hygiene is just as important as overall hygiene. The sex organs are more sensitive than other parts of the body and frequently engaged in intimate contact, which is why they should be as clean as possible, if not cleaner. Think about it. The last thing you want when you take a lady to bed is to discover that she’s not a hygiene fan. It’s a major turnoff and it works the same way for both partners.

To clean the penis start at the tip. Pull the foreskin back as far as it would go in order to expose the entire glans. Wash both the glans and the inside of the foreskin thoroughly, but gently. This is not supposed to cause pain, so be gentle with one of the most sensitive parts of your body. At the same time make sure that the glans is perfectly clean. The space between the glans and the foreskin is where the white substance known as smegma is formed.

Smegma is a mixture of dead epithelial cells shed by tissues, skin oils, moisture and bacteria. Since bacteria tend to thrive in any small place that has plenty of moisture, be sure to wash away all smegma from under the foreskin. Letting bacteria and dead tissue cells accumulate is a sure way of getting every woman’s nightmare: a smelly penis.

This could easily destroy a relationship, since no woman would accept to live with a man who doesn’t know or care to keep himself clean. Going down on a man whose penis smells is simply out of the question. Intimate hygiene is also important for penis enlargement. Using an enlargement device such as a traction device or a pump on an unclean penis will simply spread bacteria all over the penis.

Accumulated dirt, sweat and bacteria will certainly cause infections at one point or another in the future. Men who engage in penis enlargement exercises are also exposed to infections if they fail to maintain a high standard of intimate hygiene. That why warming up and down using hot water in the shower is recommended as a good way of preparing for a penis enlargement session and as a chance to clean the penis.

Circumcised men have to be even more careful about their intimate hygiene because they lack the foreskin that protects the sensitive glans from sweat, dust and all manner of substances that should not come into contact with the penis. Some men choose circumcision precisely because they think that losing the foreskin helps keep the penis clean.

However, there is an ongoing debate among experts about the hazards and benefits of circumcision. Many doctors say that removing the protective foreskin is less hygienic and exposes the glans to various bacteria that cause infections of the urinary tract. At the same time, other doctors maintain that the foreskin traps smegma and dirt and so, uncircumcised men are not spared the danger of infections.

Regardless of how you feel about circumcision, one thing is perfectly clear: hygiene, and especially intimate hygiene, is of the utmost importance to you. It keeps infections away from this sensitive area and makes sure that your sexual relationships will not suffer.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Is men's skin care problematic today?

So, what do you say, do you think men face problems in skin care products? I would say "yes". As with any market that proves itself profitable, most companies have recognized this trend, and are quick to throw out their new product to quickly cash-in on this new trend. Are they throwing out their products too fast? I think allot of them are. Over the past several years there has definitely been a sizeable increase in the sales of men's skin care products. Now, men have about the same opportunity to waste their money on unnecessary and problematic skin care products as women do.

 Think about this, As a man, while shaving, so you experience razor burn? Do you think its the way that you shave that's giving you razor burn? Honestly, you do what you con to save your face from wounds.

Take it from me, as a man, I shave a lot. I use the same products that my dad used. I experienced razor burn. I thought it was the way I did it. To figure out  what was really going on, I had to find out what razor burn really is. Razor burn is a series of ingrown hairs. Most shaving creams contain irritating ingredients such as alcohol, menthol mint, and camphor, as well as high levels of potassium or sodium hydroxide. These skin irritants make the hair follicle and skin swell, forcing the hair up and away from the skin, supposedly allowing for a closer shave. Unfortunately, the irritation and resulting swelling cause some of the hair to be hidden by the swollen follicle and skin. Note that sodium hydroxide is used in many skin care products at very low levels(the lesser amount in the ingredient list on the label) to adjust the ph value. In these low quantities it is not irritating to skin. Additionally the swollen skin makes it harder for the stubble to find its way back out. If hair begins to grow ( and it almost immediately does) before the swelling is reduced, the likelihood of ingrown hairs are increased.


When it comes to shaving, what can men do to take care of the skin on their face? Well, to start with, all men need a gentle, water soluble cleanser, a gentle shave product, either foam, cream, or gel, followed by a gentle, non-irritating aftershave or shaving lotion( which is a masculine name for a gentle toner) an ideal aftershave product for men would be an aspirin based topical product that uses an additional potent inti-irritants. Aspirin is a very effective anti-inflammatory agent for irritated skin and is able to alleviate the redness and razor burn/bumps.

when it comes to skin care, us guys aren't any different from women. our skin is the same. So just use your girlfriend's, or your mom's, or your sister's. it will work the same way it works for her.

So that's it. And as always, I hope you found this article both informative and entertaining. And may GOD bless you always, and in always.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Generic Drugs vs Branded Drugs- the tussle is on

Generic and cost efficient

The question is not much about money when it comes to prioritizing life and death; but when the more relevant and more useful drug comes at half the cost of curing than with a branded drug, people opt for the generic version. Why, that appears to be the best choice for many in future too. What Generic drugs have done is to open up a new vista in the field of treating the sick at a lower cost. Now for those wondering what exactly a generic drug is, here is the answer. Any drug that is manufactured and sold by the company other than the actual patent holder comes under the category of generic drug. What is there to look forward when buying a generic drug? Nothing but the rating that is given by the highest authority qualifying drug manufacture in the country. For instance, an FDA rating of ‘A’ for a generic drug in the US makes it a bio equivalent of the branded version.

Dealing with side effects

Time of the treatment also varies less with the branded version of drugs; with the active ingredients in the generic version being similar to the branded version, time frame for curing the disease is similar in both the cases. Now if the fear is more on the side effects, there again the generic version wins. So with the same effect for both and a lower cost to the generic drugs, senses should drag you to the corner and advice you to buy generic drugs. And the best possible way to access would be through getting the generic drugs online. The only thing that should be of concern to a person desperately looking forward for the generic drug is that not all of the branded versions have a generic equivalent; and more is the trouble when patents protect the branded drugs from the generic variety.

You shan’t be the pawn

So this is the opportunity to grab to save your soul; if on the other hand you feel that the insurance cover that you have could protect you from the cost of the drug whether it be a branded or the generic, you are yourself being made a pawn in the process of price rise of the drug. It would be better if you stayed out of the pandemonium. The best option is to access generic drugs online and buying them as in the long run the very act of yours could make the availability of the drug to you at a cheaper rate. So start depending on generic versions than the branded ones; buy generic drugs and clear the troubles in stock for the future.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Erectile Dysfunction – A Review

Despite years of progress and accumulated changes in the world view of each generation, it is safe to say that sexual dysfunctions are still a sensitive issue for men. Shame and embarrassment made sexual dysfunction a taboo subject in polite company for a long time, which gave it a prominent position in the urban legends and endorsed dozens of folk remedies of doubtful effectiveness. Modern times have brought a certain change of attitude, but the issue is still a touchy one and best left alone. The launching of Viagra in the ‘90s and the huge marketing campaign has shed some light on erectile dysfunction, since men who found a solution in these pills are no longer ashamed to admit their past problems.

Erectile dysfunctions have both physiological and psychological causes. Many such causes are medically reversible, others are not. Any condition that interferes with the flow of blood through the body is bound to have a negative impact on a man’s sex life. Diabetes is a good example of a disease hampering blood flow, as are kidney diseases, chronic alcoholism and multiple sclerosis. Men suffering from heart conditions or high blood pressure know that the drugs they take to avoid strokes are detrimental to what is known as a healthy sex life. Physical injury to the penis, spinal cord, prostate, bladder, pelvis or the nerves and arteries ear the penis and which are responsible for erections can be a factor causing erectile dysfunction.

On the psychological side, depression and the drugs associated with it interfere with erections. The same goes for feelings of anxiety, insecurity, low self-esteem and shame. Stress is another major cause of temporary erectile dysfunction, especially in today’s world. A history of erectile dysfunction also triggers patterns of depression and inadequacy that lead to further sexual failures. All these physiological and psychological problems are compounded by vices. Heavy consumption of alcohol, tobacco or drugs is extremely bad for the cardiovascular system. Tobacco clogs the arteries and disrupts the flow of blood, while alcohol consumption makes it harder for a man to achieve both erection and orgasm.

Since the issue is very sensitive, it is impossible to know how many men suffer from this dysfunction. It has been estimated that about 5 percent of 40-year-old men and 25 percent of 65-year-old men suffer from erectile dysfunction. The first major step to treating erectile dysfunction is to acknowledge the problem and to seek help. The second major step is to identify which approach suits the patient best. If the problem stems from feelings of depression and stress, then the patient should turn for a while to a life of relaxation, physical activity and socializing. Going to the gym or running in the park is a wonderful way to drive depression away because of both the physical exertion and socializing components involved. Working out is also a good way to strengthen the cardiovascular system and improve blood flow.

If the cause is a disease that hinders the flow of blood, doctors are likely to consider the use of vacuum devices or surgically implanted prostheses in order to achieve erection. People suffering from diabetes have few other options and have to turn to devices. But most people can get by with drugs that promote the flow of blood to the penis. Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are already famous for their effects, although men suffering from heart conditions should see a physician before touching the stuff. Other pills, like ProSolution Pills, are less radical in approach, but nearly as effective as the three brands mentioned above. Those who like a natural solution that has the advantage of originality, can also try penis exercises, like those made popular by the Penis Health program, to stimulate the flow of blood without any drugs or devices.