Sex, Health, Diet Info

One of the advantages of reaching midlife is that we are finally finished with all those issues that make childhood and adolescence such a pain in the neck, such as needing set bedtimes as well as  regular dental and eye checkups; having to worry about using protection during sex and about cigarette smoking; getting all those shots to prevent diseases and wearing helmets to prevent sports injuries; needing to eat all our vegetables and avoid sugar as well as not missing gym class. What a relief to let these issues fade right along with our memories of tetherball on the school playground!

Not so fast. Would it surprise you to know that you still have to be aware of each and every one of the above so-called “child/adolescent” health issues?  

For instance, what about set bedtimes? The obvious reason that we needed enforced, regular  bedtimes each night was so that we would get enough sleep. Being tired and sleepy the next day in school caused everything from lousy concentration to crabby moods. Now that we’re in midlife, many of us believe that sleep is no longer an issue. This is not the case at all. It’s still essential to our health and wellbeing. Recent studies have shown that not only do sleep disturbances often indicate a serious health problem, but that lack of sleep can actually cause health problems, such as weight gain. Polls have shown that nearly two thirds of adults over the age of sixty-five have sleep complaints, but that less than 15 per cent of them have been formally diagnosed with a sleep problem. Why? Because we don’t mention sleep problems to our health care providers. Our mothers were right — we still need to be concerned about our bedtimes.

Once we’ve gotten the glasses we need and all our baby teeth are gone, we no longer need to get regular eye and dental checkups as we did in our younger years, right? Again — no. Although our vision does remain stable from young adulthood until we need bifocals, there are common eye diseases that begin to occur in midlife, and that can lead to blindness if not diagnosed.  And even though we no longer have our baby teeth,  other dental issues take the forefront upon reaching midlife, such as gum inflammation which has been shown to be associated with diabetes and heart disease. So, continued regular dental and eye checks are as important as in our younger years. 

And what about sex at midlife and beyond?  We’ve moved from groping and being groped in the backseat of the car to more sophisticated maneuvers in a comfortable bed, and finally, finally no longer have to worry about pregnancy. So we don’t need protection; or so many of us think. Although it’s true that once menopause arrives one can’t get pregnant (warning: make sure you have completed menopause before assuming this as diagnosing menopause can be tricky),  protection is still needed during sex because of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yes, we can still get those, and in some cases are even more prone to becoming infected after menopause, even after a hysterectomy. And even though we’re past the childbearing years and our reproductive organs seem to have no further use, we still need regular pelvic exams and Pap smears. It is also important at that exam to discuss with our healthcare providers the need for testing for STIs; if there is a new partner or the worry that the current partner is not monogamous, this testing is a must.

STIs are not the only threat held over from our adolescent years; so is cigarette smoking. Many women in midlife think that there is no reason to stop smoking cigarettes at this age, since they wrongly assume that the damage is already done from all the prior years of smoking. This is not the case. No matter how many years one has smoked, stopping can prevent further damage to the heart, blood vessels, and lungs, and in some cases can reverse some of that damage.  

Also relevant to the lungs is the fact that asthma can begin in midlife, where once it was thought to only begin in childhood.  The two major causes seem to be occupational exposure to substances that damage the lungs, and the recreational exposure to air pollution by adults who run predominantly outside. So, a new onset of shortness of breath at this age — even if it occurs only with exercise — does not necessarily mean heart disease; remember that we can develop asthma now.

Did you think you were finished with all those horrible shots you had to have in childhood and adolescence? Sorry, you’re not. There is a recommended immunization schedule for adults in midlife and beyond, just as there are for children. At certain ages over 50 and at certain intervals, you’ll need shots against the flu, certain types of pneumonia, tetanus, and in some instances, shingles and hepatitis.  Ask your primary care provider about these.

And did you pack away your helmet when you gave away your bike with training wheels? Probably ok to have done this since now you will need a bigger size helmet. But you do need a helmet. A recent report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that sports-related injuries in the Baby Boomer population was on the rise, with over 1 million injuries in this age group in 1998 alone, most of the injuries being due to bicycling and basketball.  The same report said that the many head injuries associated with bicycling were probably due to the fact that Baby Boomers use helmets less than younger people do.

The fact that exercise and proper nutrition are as important in midlife and beyond as in childhood may not come as a surprise. Regular exercise at this age has been shown to increase longevity and wellbeing, postpone and possibly prevent dementia, strokes, heart disease, and diabetes, and aid in the treatment of depression. Important to know as well is that several different types of regular exercise are recommended at this age, including aerobic (cardio) exercise, weight-bearing exercise or strength training, and exercises to improve balance and flexibility.

What we eat as we get older is every bit as important as it was in our younger years. One particular healthy way of eating, the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to stave off dementia, prevent heart disease and diabetes, maintain a healthy cholesterol level, and improve longevity. One study showed that this diet even improved sexual function in certain women! This diet is exactly as expected given its name: lots of natural whole foods, like vegetables, fruits, and nuts, lots of fish and olive oil, moderate amounts of wine, and limited amounts of foods containing refined sugar. Controlling the portions of the foods we eat is even more important at this age. Our metabolic rate decreases with age, making it easier to gain weight while eating the same amounts of food as in our younger years.  

So, as you are rummaging through your mother’s attic looking at your old dolls, baseball bat and Ouija Board, and breathing a sigh of relief that you no longer have to worry about being picked for a baseball team or that your best friend copied your paper doll’s dress, don’t get lulled into complacency about your health. Although you once may have thought that taking care of yourself  health-wise would get easier as you get older, you know now that that’s not true. Make your appointments for regular checkups, get more than 5 hours of sleep a night, use protection when having sex, particularly with a new partner, stop smoking no matter how old you are, get the recommended immunizations, be careful and wear your helmet and seatbelts, and exercise regularly and eat well. Your mother’s recommendations from your childhood continue to apply!

©2008 Janet Horn, M.D.

Author Bio
Dr. Janet Horn is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with training in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She spent many years on the fulltime faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she published articles in medical journals on her research interests, including sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and women’s health. She was also the primary author of several chapters in medical textbooks.  She started her solo private practice in 1990 while continuing to teach as an Associate Professor of Medicine on the part time faculty at Hopkins. She has been selected by Baltimore Magazine as one of the “Top Doctors in Baltimore” and by the Maryland Daily Record as one of the “Top 100 Women in Maryland.”   She is included in the books Consumer’s Guide to Top Doctors (in the US) and Best Doctors in America, Southeast Region.  She is the co-author of The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife and Beyond, which will be available this September from New Harbinger Publications.

In contrast to studies of intervention for male erection dysfunction, benefit of treatment in women with sexual dysfunction cannot be measured simply by the frequency of sexual events, as women regularly continue to be sexually active despite a high level of sexual displeasure. Thus the frequency of self-reported acceptable sexual events has been used as the primary outcome in recent studies.

Sexual problems can interfere with intimacy in a relationship. A lack of sexual desire, indifference or inability to orgasm can leave both partners emotion distant or unloved or at fault. A relationship where sex feels like a compulsion to the woman and like a favor to the man is headed for trouble, as is the relationship where sex is only mildly attractive or satisfying to one or both partners.

Have you been having problems about your sex life and could not even begin to know why your partner is no longer happy with you? If you are having troubles with your sex life and are very unhappy about it, then do not just mop around think that your complete life is going down the drain. Do something about it.

Food that is good for your heart will also be great for your penis. Good blood flow is needed for an erection. If the heart is not in service properly and there is a good chance the penis will not be standing as straight as you want it to either. Foods that are high in saturated fat will clog the arteries, which in turn will limit the amount of blood flow that will reach your genital region. Fat is needed to create your hormones, but your body needs the right type of fats. Olive oils, seafood, and nuts are a great source of the good fat that will help in produce the hormones that are essential for your sexual health to operating at peak presentation.

Shilajit Promote Your Sexual Health Naturally: – Shilajit  is considered as the strongest herbal supplement that can not be compared with any other supplement that has the capacity to give your increasing age a U turn. Ancient Indian sages regard Shilajit as the godly blessing so that we humans can preserve our powers and youth for attaining longitivity.

It is also well known for its success in the treatment of reproductive system related complaints for both, men and women. It also minimizes the debility or weakness in the sexual organs and helps in improving elongated sensual experience. It is also used to get ready various herbal oil preparations, which are used to massage the sexual organs and which increases sexual power. Its benefits below

•    Shilajit helps to increases the energy and stamina of sexual intercourse. It is very common and effective herb to remain young.
•    Shilajit is also helpful in regularizing the menses in women.
•    It also increases the core energy responsible for your sexual and spiritual power.
•    Shilajit is helpful in enhancing the metabolism in the body especially that of protein and nucleic acid that is helpful in providing energy in the body.

Lip augmentation is a cosmetic procedure that has increased in popularity over the last few years since options with regard to techniques and dermal filler products have expanded. This cosmetic surgery procedure is very effective with enhancing the size of a patients lips who desires more voluptuous, fuller lips. Typically, it is required to treat the upper and lower lip, but this can change depending on the individual. Also, the length of effective time of treatment will vary between different filler products.

There are three primary options that plastic and cosmetic surgeons offer today for facial fillers. These are collagen, restylane, and fat injections. All three of them are effective, but they are also different in some ways.

Collagen is a facial filler material that is either used to disguise wrinkles and lines on the face or better the size of things such as the lips. The material is now taken from human protein which means that skin tests are not needed anymore. Collagen is mixed with a local anesthetic. The injection is not altered by this, in that it still stings, but the area of injection is immediately numbed by the local anesthesia. Collagen is a fantastic material to use when enhancing one’s lips, and it enjoys the longest track record. For years it has been safely used for the camouflaging of facial lines and wrinkles and to enhance one’s lips.

Eventually, the material is absorbed into the body, depending on the amount of material that was injected and the rate at which each patient absorbs. The average amount of time that the material will last is about two to four months. The procedure itself actually only takes a few minutes to perform. It is usually performed in an office and the patient can generally return to work or other normal activities directly afterward. Satisfaction levels for collagen injections is quite high for such a minor procedure. The only downside to the injections is that they must be repeated every two to four months to maintain your improved look.

Restylane is another facial filler that is made of non-animal based hyaluronic acid. The natural substance already exists in the human body and it is used to provide the skin with fullness and volume. It is a crystal clear gel that is biodegradable and fully bio-compatible with the hyaluronic acid found in humans. Allergy tests are not needed beforehand because it is fully bio-degradable. Plastic surgeons and dermatologists worldwide have been using restylane since 1996. One upside to restylane is that is is longer lasting than collagen. It typically lasts from four to six months when injected into the lips. The manufacturer of restylane claims that the technology of stabilization found in restylane helps maintain a cosmetic effect up until the filler is nearly depleted.

After the treatment, you may have some swelling or redness. Those problems will typically last less than a week. Cold outdoor activities or sunbathing should be avoided until the redness or swelling has subsided. If you are under 18 years old, pregnant, or breast-feeding you should not be treated by restylane.

Dave Stringham, the President of LookingYourBest.com writes about plastic surgery in New York City and cosmetic surgery procedures such as new york lip augmentation, brachioplasty, tummy tuck, liposuction, fat transfer, and breast augmentation.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/collagen-restylane-or-fat-injections-are-the-three-primary-lip-enhancement-options-1423349.html