Archive for May, 2010

how to prevent yeast infections

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Three out of four women will experience at least one yeast infection during her life, many experience recurrent infections.Yeast infections are a common female nuisance that can be embarrassing to deal with. Unfortunately, most women who get yeast infections tend to have them again. On the other hand, there are several things you can do to prevent yeast infections from recurring.Preventing yeast infections is obviously more desirable than treating them. Wearing loose clothing, cotton underwear (or at least underwear with a cotton crotch panel), removing damp clothing soon after swimming or working out, and carefully drying the vulvar area after bathing will all help prevent yeast infections. Some advocate using a blow dryer on warm to briefly blow dry the vulva after bathing to insure adequate drying. Others suggest using vaginal or oral yogurt, which is a controversial method of preventing yeast infections. However, there are articles in the medical literature that support eating 8 ounces a day of yogurt containing lactobacillus acidophilus, which may reduce the yeast infection recurrence rate by threefold. IF you choose to do this, however, please make sure the yogurt you buy specifically contains lactobacillus acidophilus, as many do not. Some also advocate taking anti-fungal medications intravaginally or orally at specific intervals to prevent overgrowth of yeast. In some diabetic patients this is very helpful. Yeast infections are common and sometimes difficult to treat, but with the appropriate evaluation and treatment they can be effectively treated. Any symptomatic vaginal discharge should be evaluated to ensure proper treatment.Always call a healthcare professional for diagnosis if you are not sure a subsequent infection is yeast.

How to Prevent HIV/AIDS

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

You can’t get AIDS by being near or touching someone who has AIDS. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is spread through the blood. HIV does not travel as tears, air, or sweat. If you find a used needle on the ground, don’t touch it. Especially if you have an open cut. The blood from the needle might have HIV in or on it. You can kiss a person infected with HIV on the cheek, but you shouldn’t do any big, deep kissing since small amounts of HIV have been found in saliva.
You can get AIDS by:blood transfusions ( not very common anymore).having unprotected sex with someone who has AIDS. finding a used needle on the ground, picking it up, and getting the infected blood into an open wound. getting blood from someone else’s cut who has AIDS, into yours. now the time to prevent the aids.Advocate sex education in schools. Studies have shown that such education does not encourage increased sexual activity and does in fact encourage abstinence.
Implement programs such as substance-abuse prevention and self-esteem discussions, as well as after-school programs for youth to alleviate the boredom or restlessness that may lead to a higher rate of sexual activity and lower rate of condom use.Encourage open discussion between parents and adolescent children about condoms – the sooner the better. Openness with adolescents prior to their first sexual experience has been shown to encourage lifelong condom use.Include youth in planning any HIV prevention programs for adolescents. They can be powerful resources for teaching empowerment and outreach.Provide easy access to condoms for adolescents – they need to be able to put into practice what they learn.Target the roots of the problem, such as drug abuse, sexual promiscuity and even the boredom and restlessness associated with dropping out of school that may lead to higher rates of sexual activity.