Should Married Couples Get an Yearly Test for HIV/AIDS and Other STDs?
Article by Devinder Madnani
All-around this time very last year, I took a poll on a newspaper’s Internet web page asking viewers how a lot of of them had been examined for HIV and AIDS. I was hoping I wouldn’t get numerous no’s, and however all-around seventy five % of the men and women who voted explained they’d never been tried. I had a conversation with a married gentleman about how discouraged I was by the benefits, and his response was that a lot of the readers are older and are possibly married. I asked, “What does that have to do with nearly anything? HIV and AIDS are not a youthful people’s condition or a simple people’s ailment.”
He responded by declaring that he was married, had never been examined and was not cheating on his wife. I realized he wasn’t likely to like my issue, but I asked anyway. “How do you know she’s not cheating on you?” He scowled and stated, “She greater not be.”
I’ve operate into this state of denial whilst talking to married men and women just before. While doing a book signing at a Chicago South Side church, I began conversing about the benefits of staying examined immediately after talking about my second novel, “Round Trip” that focused on a Black male character who was spreading HIV on an university campus. People today have been smiling and listening intently just before I started in on this subject, but as quickly as I did, you could hear a pin drop. The interviewer changed the topic swiftly. I wasn’t ready to alter the subject and went appropriate back to it. She transformed it yet again. I nodded and went with the plan, but I took notice of it. (Side notice: To this day, my first novel “Adjust for a Twenty” outsells “Round Trip” in triple amounts, and a buddy of mine told me flat out, “I liked the very first guide superior simply because I do not want to examine about HIV. It is depressing” even however both publications concerned the identical characters.
Men and women usually get divorces for two reasons, dollars disputes or infidelity. And with so considerably cheating going on, why are men and women so swift to deny that they need to be safe and sound? Is it blind adore for a mate? Is it just due to the fact marriage vows really should be sacred so neither husband or wife feels comfortable asking the other to be tested?
Whilst volunteering with BEHIV, I observed out about a woman who ended up with HIV because her husband received a faulty blood transfusion (intercourse isn’t the only way to get HIV and AIDS-consider into consideration dirty needles from drug use and tattoos as very well). In a January 2009 study, Medical Information These days noted that 85,000 Ugandan persons (13 percent) would agreement the HIV virus since of unknowingly living with contaminated sexual partners. There are sexual partners who are contaminated not just in Africa but The us far too, so why not get an HIV/AIDS check?
And if you want to get tried but your companion does not, that ought to not prevent you from practicing protected sex right up until he or she has an adjust of heart. It also does not cease you from finding tried anyway. But to get tried together and have the self-confidence to know neither companion has nearly anything to be troubled about should be the motive. If President Barack Obama and Very first Woman Michelle Obama can proudly say on the radio that they’ve been tried for HIV/AIDS, why will not other married partners do the very same?
Sign of Diabetes: The 12 Symptoms You Should Know
“Is frequent urination a sign of diabetes?” I asked Julie.
“Yes it is,” She replied.
But frequent urination is not the only sign. There are many other signs of diabetes that you should watch out for.
It was 3pm when Julie finished the 12 symptoms of diabetes. Immediately I summarized them.
So here they are. The 12 sign of diabetes:
1) Recurring infection plus scratch/dry skin. This sign of diabetes is the outcome of the poor blood circulation and high blood glucose level.
2) Gum (periodontal) disease. Experiencing pain whenever chewing food is a sign of diabetes. For those with more serious gum problems, this may even lead to teeth loss.
To treat gum disease, diabetics must work on controlling the diabetic condition.
Gum disease is the result of too much glucose in the blood, which damages oral health.
3) Hair thinning or loss of hair. Because of the diabetic condition, lost hair are not replaced as readily as someone without the disease.
4) Tingling and numbness in hands and feet. This condition is known as neuropathy. Usually this condition surfaces only when the increasing sugar in blood has damaged the nervous system. This sign of diabetes usually surface at a later time.
5) Itches and sores around the genital area. Often, this can be misdiagnosed as Vaginal thrush, candidacies or yeast infection. However, this sign of diabetes is due to too much sugar content in the urine.
To be on the safer side, for those previously diagnosed to have vaginal thrush, candidacies or yeast infection, my advice is to seek another medical opinion just to confirm.”
6) Frequent urination. As the kidney cannot absorb the sugar (glucose), the only way to remove the high sugar content in blood is to purge them into the urine. Since the urine is carrier for these glucose, more is produced in order to cater for the increasing sugar content. And therefore diabetes find themselves visiting the toilet as high as once every 60 minutes. This is usually the 1st sign of diabetes.
7) Always thirsty. Even during cool season, and diabetics involving only in light activities, they tend to get thirsty easily despite drinking plenty of water. This is because of the large amount of fluid loss through urine so as to flush out the glucose.
Dehydration as a result of frequent urination causes diabetics to get thirsty often.
Dry mouth. This is one of the more obvious sign of diabetes. Again, this is closely linked to the loss of fluid – the direct result of frequent urination. Dehydration leading to insufficient saliva to moist the mouth.
9) Feel tired and weak all the time. No matter how much diabetics rest, they are also lethargic. They are always low in energy, because diabetics lose some of the glucose (energy) during urination.
10) Gain or lose weight unexpectedly. Unexpected weight loss could be due to dehydration – a direct consequence of frequent urination. Also it can be due to breakdown of muscle as a result of high glucose content. Either way, these are sign of diabetes.
While unexpected weight loss is not a good sign, so is weight gain. Resistance to insulin promotes fat storage, and this means that glucose cannot be absorbed by the body for use as energy.
11) Blur vision. Pre-diabetics tend to overlook this. Seldom do they suspect this as a sign of diabetes. This can be a serious problem as unclear vision untreated eyes problem (due to diabetes) can lead to blindness.
12) Slow healing cuts and bruises. Diabetics take longer to heal compare to non-diabetics. This is more obvious for wounds and cuts on the feet due to poorer circulation.
While these 12 sign of diabetes are what diabetics’ experience, they are not exhaustive list of diabetes symptoms. Every individual is unique and may not experience these symptoms at all. My suggestion, as always, is to seek professional medical advice early if unwell. Doing so can avoid medical complication at the later stage.
Your Diabetes Meters Should Be Accurate
Article by Diabetic Supplies
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes you probably know that not every glucose monitor is going to be right for you. There are some that will make your fingers very sore, as they need lots of blood to create a number reading for you. There are some monitors out there where the active test strips, which are inserted into the machine, are so sensitive that they must be handled very carefully or the results will not show up on the machine or the results will not be a true reading of your glucose levels. Some glucose test monitors and glucose testing kits do not do the greatest job at obtaining an accurate number.
There are some diabetes type two monitors that are accurate, but the cheap models are not as fast as the better units. This is important as you don’t want to have to wait too long to get an accurate reading. You want to get on with your day and not be tethered to a machine. You want the best for your lifestyle, as this will be the deciding factor in your daily tests. You want to have glucose numbers, which will help you understand how much to exercise. You want to be sure that if you miss an exercise session that it was in your best interest to do so.
You also want your physician to have the proper numbers as this is what determines how much and what types of medication is best for you. You want the absolute best glucose test unit, and it should have a very high level of accuracy. Your health is at stake here. It is the most important thing in your life. If you don’t have good health, everything else comes second. To find out how to get the best glucose monitor you should be looking up details, specifics, and reviews online. Read all you can on the subject so you can become an expert on the subject and be able to help the doctor maintain a healthy lifestyle that will benefit you and your loved ones. One of the most important items that you need to help you keep track of your blood sugar levels is an accurate glucose monitor.
You also must have the right kind of testing strips that are compatible with the glucose-testing monitor. You may have to try a few different types of monitors and see for yourself which one you are most comfortable using as you will have to utilize this monitor several times each day and you must be sure to keep an accurate diary of your blood sugar levels so your physician can look them over and decide what medication and lifestyle changes would most benefit you in your health situation. You and your physician should become teammates in working to see what is the correct line of action to control your diabetes. Your physician can offer great support in helping you decide what type of glucose monitor would be best for you.
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Heart Attack: Ten Things Everyone Should Know
Article by Lynn Woods
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in North America. Heart attacks happen when a blockage in the heart’s arteries reduces or cuts off the blood and oxygen supply to the heart, damaging the heart muscle within minutes. Because heart attacks are so common and the damage is often fatal or irreversible, it’s vital that everyone know the symptoms and how to react quickly.
1) Chest pain is commonly associated with a heart attack, and it is the most frequently reported symptom. But it may not be severe or “stabbing”. Chest pain often feels more like pressure, tightness or discomfort, which may start slowly and build. The pain is often accompanied by shortness of breath.
2) It’s not unusual for a heart attack to cause pain in other areas of the upper body instead of the chest. The pain may radiate down one or both arms, and be accompanied by a tingling sensation in the wrist or hand. Or it may be felt in the back, shoulders, neck, jaw or even the stomach.
3) Other symptoms of heart attack include unexplained indigestion, nausea, vomiting, weakness, light-headedness, breathlessness, palpitations and breaking out into a cold sweat. These may or may not be accompanied by chest pain or discomfort.
4) Many heart attack victims report feeling anxiety and/or a sense of impending doom.
5) Denial is common in people having a heart attack, especially if they are unfamiliar with the symptoms or the symptoms are mild. Many people having a heart attack minimize the situation and don’t want to go to the hospital or to call 911. Take charge and seek medical help if symptoms persist for more than five minutes – don’t wait for the possible victim to agree.
6) It’s not uncommon to have a heart attack and not know it. The Framington Heart Study followed 4000 men for 40 years, and found that one-quarter of their subjects had a heart attack that went unnoticed until they underwent an annual EKG.
7) Getting treatment within the first hour is crucial. Death and permanent heart damage can often be avoided if heart attack victims are treated within the first hour after the start of symptoms.
Nearly half of all heart attacks occur in people under the age of 65. Five percent occur in people under 40.
9) Women are less likely to survive a heart attack than men. And African American women’s death rates are one-third higher than those of white women. African American women suffer more high blood pressure and diabetes, both risk factors for heart disease.
10) Taking an Aspirin at the first sign of symptoms is a good idea if you’re having a heart attack, but might make things worse if you’re having a stroke, which attacks the brain instead of the heart. That’s because some strokes are due to bleeding in the brain, which may be worsened by taking Aspirin.
People who have suffered, or are at risk of suffering, a heart attack will usually be prescribed medication or a combination of medications such as blood thinners (or anti-platelet medication), cholesterol-lowering medications, and beta-blockers. It’s important to take these medications just as your doctor prescribes them, and for as long as you doctor prescribes.
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