|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
| |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Health Promotion
Providing information on sexual, mental and physical health, Running information nights / lectures / seminars. Obtaining and distributing literature and csondoms among the LGBT community. Developing relations with LGBT friendly medical staff with the view to providing STI screening in Wexford.
Providing information on sexual, mental and physical health, Running information nights / lectures / seminars. Obtaining and distributing literature and condoms among the LGBT community. Developing relations with LGBT friendly medical staff with the view to providing STI screening in Wexford.
Ask the doctor: let’s talk about sex
from GayHealthBlog.com
Q: I'm not sure if I can talk to my doctor about my sex life, because I don't want to be judged or embarrassed. How can I know if it's safe to talk about my sex life?
A: Summary: I'm often asked this question. This is about talking about sexual practices, which is very different that sexual orientation. Believe it or not, some men that identify as heterosexual only have sex with other men! But your doctor should be asking what you do sexually
When you do talk about this, you can easily judge that provider's reaction: do they stiffen up, or look away or seem uncomfortable? Or do they say that's no big deal and let's talk about it. I would hope in this day and age one could be open about sex, but I'm not that naive, I know this doesn't happen all over the country. If you feel you can't be honest, then it may be worth it for you to travel somewhere so you can discuss sexually related issues.
Many larger cities have sexual health and STD clinics where you should feel very comfortable discussing what you do sexually.
--Dr. Stephen Goldstone, M.D., F.A.C.S
The Secret to Vibrant Health and Fitness
from GayHealthBlog.com by Editor
What's the real key to more vibrant health and a fitter body?
Though there's no 'once size fits all' approach, creating optimum health comes down to what you eat, how you breathe and—ahhhhhhh—taking time to properly stretch, says Brigitte Malaaya Britton, H.N., a holistic nutritionist, organic gourmet chef and author of The Mega Way.
There is no getting around it—what you eat is the cornerstone to more vibrant health, says Britton. "It's human nature to look for the quick fix, and unfortunately there's more emphasis in society on weight loss than health."
We asked Britton to elaborate on her unique approach to health and well-being. Here are some excerpts from that interview:
How do you really know if what you're eating is helping or hurting your health?
Food is supposed to energize you, not sedate you. If a meal sedates you, you're eating the wrong foods. If you're eating right you should feel great after a meal. Think of it this way: you put fuel in your car to keep it running, not to shut it down. Your body is the same.
What are five foods that we must include in our diets to stay fit, lean and feeling good?
First, let me mention two things that are essential for better health—fiber and water. Fiber helps your body achieve overall balance; it eliminates toxins and wastes in your body, helps eliminate cravings for bad foods and gives you more energy. It even helps your body burn fat! And without enough water, your body can't flush away toxins. Water is essential.
That said, the must-have foods include Ground Omega Golden Flax Seeds, which are a fantastic source of fiber. One shot of Wheat Grass each day is the equivalent of eating about two pounds of greens, which alkalize the body. Be sure to eat least five (6 ounce) servings of protein to support lean muscle mass. Ginger root and garlic are essential to support immune system health. Goji berries (pictured above) are amazing anti-oxidants, and Fuji apples are the best for heart and cholesterol health.
What are five foods we should avoid at all costs?
Avoid refined sugar, as well as Aspartame (sugar subsitute) and a common food additive known as MSG. They're all poison for your body. Also avoid enriched foods like white bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice. Packaged deli meats are full of chemicals and gluten adversely affects digestion and causes bloating.
You said that proper breathing and stretching can actually improve your metabolism. How does this work?
Oxygen is key to rejuvenating the cells, therefore slow and deep breathing will speed up the metabolism because your body's cells are constantly being replenished. If you take even five minutes every day and just practice breathing, you will see an amazing difference in the quality of your daily life
Remembering to stretch while breathing deeply gets us in touch with our magnificent bodies. Do you have any idea how many people have trouble just breathing and hardly ever bother to stretch? We can live without food for awhile, water for a shorter while but if we stop breathing for just a few minutes, we die. The now is where all healing takes place, where life is actually lived, not in the past or present. So take some time to breathe and reconnect with yourself.
Understanding food
from GW Newsletter
by Marie Yorke, Health Professional.
Understanding why you use food as a comfort is the first step to weight loss. A gradual shift in meal habits without drastic measures will be your recipe for success. For years you have had a love affair with food. You used it as a tool to lure a loved one. You used it as a passion. You unleashed cravings and had the bloated stomach. Now the summer is here, it’s hard to avoid the smells, the colours, the tastes and textures. The summer BBQ’s, the weddings, the holidays and all the parties. It all adds up to a few more pounds and a few more inches on the waist. Whether it’s the Muffin Top or the Bingo wings that you are self conscious of, reality has just started to dawn on you, that if nothing changes, nothing changes. That’s the facts.
You must ask yourself, Why am I overweight or obese right now? These factors, for example, Emotional
instability, Loneliness, lack of self worth and self esteem and many more emotional conflicts.
In your childhood, you may have been rewarded with chocolate or a box of sweets to cheer you up. This immediately was gratification and a sense of comfort and relief. This today is the same; they give us
relief from emotional distress. It makes us
feel so good.
We have become accustomed today using food as an oral pacifier and comforter. Unfortunately, as we get older the same foods we ingested as children, turn into
more fat cells as adults. Being fat, creates its own emotional upset. If you see yourself as unattractive to other people, you may withdraw from the outside
world.
We binge, we starve, we crave, we long, it's a viscous circle. Willpower is the key to a good balanced diet. Cutting out the food that produces fat cells and replacing it with the foods that give us energy and vitality.
A good place to start a diet is a food diary. Record everything you eat and your eating patterns. Increase your intake of water to 2 litres per day. A very good way to cleans and moisturise the body from the inside out.
Never skip breakfast as it is the kick starter for the brain every morning.
If you have ever slumped in energy in the morning at 11am, it's because you skipped breakfast. The bread roll at lunch time makes you bloated and windy and feeling that you can't wait for work to finish at 5pm.
The dinner you have at 7pm in the evening without the exercise afterwards to burn off the fat.
By changing your ideas about food, changes our life.
Eating a bowl of porridge in the morning with a piece of fruit mid morning snack keeps us going till lunch time. 1pm should be salad. Dinner in the evening should be
Chicken or fish with loads of vegetables. Bread and potatoes are the killers when it comes to piling on the weight.
Exercise is a huge part of loosing weight. 30 minutes of exercise daily in the evening one hour after food helps burn off calories. It takes 6 weeks for the body and mind to change. That's when you see results.
So go on. Give it a try. Get fit and stay fit. Join a gym, walk 2 miles, swim 400 metres, or just exercise in the comfort of your front room. You will be happy with the results. All it takes is willpower. Happy eating.