Abstinence, faithfulness better against AIDS than condoms
Susan Martinuk
For The Calgary Herald
Friday, July 11, 2008
The problem of Africa was a major theme of discussion at this week's G-8 summit in Japan. The solution -- as it inevitably is when political leaders decide to solve a problem -- was financial aid. They reaffirmed a previous commitment to spend $60 billion over the next five years to fight AIDS and other infectious diseases that are devastating the African continent.
According to the UN, G-8 AIDS funding reached a record-breaking $6.6 billion in 2007. The current projected figures will certainly surpass that sum to produce a new record for AIDS spending in Africa, yet it's still not enough for global AIDS leaders.
They say the commitment falls "short of expectations" and tossed out the figure of $173 billion as being more realistic (which it might be if AIDS was the world's only problem).
But even as the elites in the AIDS bureaucracy were demanding more, the potential aid recipients were likely cringing at the thought of billions more coming their way from the West -- because they know any aid will be tied to full acceptance of a western agenda to stem the tide of AIDS. They also know that agenda simply won't work in Africa (heck, it doesn't even work here).
A damning indictment of the West's attempts to save Africa from AIDS appeared in the June 30 issue of the Washington Post. The writer was Sam L. Ruteikara, co-chair of Uganda's National AIDS Prevention Committee, and he essentially told the American Senate (currently debating a $50-billion AIDS relief package for Africa) to butt out of Africa's AIDS problem and "let my people go."
He's not being ungrateful. He's being realistic in pointing out that the AIDS prevention strategies so eagerly supplied by the western experts (who also control the financial aid) have only served to increase HIV infections in his country.
Although Uganda sits in the heart of sub-Saharan Africa where tens of millions are infected and 76 per cent of the world's 2007 AIDS deaths occurred, it stands alone as a nation that has developed a successful home-grown strategy to combat AIDS.
From 1991 to 2002, the number of Ugandans infected with HIV dropped from 21 to six per cent. Between 1989 and 1995, the number of men having three or more sexual partners in a year dropped from 15 to three per cent.
By comparison, strategies in Canada have yet to demonstrate such success. It is estimated that there were anywhere from 1,800 to 3,200 new HIV infections in 1993; by 2005, those numbers had risen to 2,300 and 4,500.
So what's Uganda got that we don't have?
It's not complicated. Ugandan leaders simply recognized -- and acknowledged -- that the main reason for the spread of HIV was people having sex with more than one partner. So they urged people to be faithful. Their highly successful message was ABC (Abstain, Be faithful or use Condoms).
The condom message was preached -- but only as a last resort.
The dramatic drop in HIV infections in a high-risk country was heralded as the AIDS success story of the '90s, but it was virtually ignored by the West's AIDS power brokers, who were obviously confounded by the simplicity of the campaign (it cost just 29 cents per person per year) and, more importantly, offended by the notion that the message of sexual monogamy could trump condom use.
So they quickly took hold of the principle that "if everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something" and complained to the international community that Ugandans were "wrong to try to limit people's sexual freedom."
They then wielded the power of their AIDS support dollars to create a new, westernized strategy for prevention that ignored any mention of faithfulness/abstinence and focused instead on, you guessed it, the almighty condom.
The strategy also "altered" statistics to suggest that the HIV infection rate among married couples was 42 per cent instead of the 6.3 per cent determined by previous surveys.
When the statistic was questioned, the AIDS advisers who had assumed control of Uganda's AIDS prevention program refused to provide the source.
The result of this new strategy? Ugandan HIV rates went up.
Nicely done, international AIDS "experts." You managed to nip success in the bud by supplanting a successful and proven prevention strategy with one that exacerbates HIV infection rates.
For any who still question whether AIDS strategies for prevention and education are rooted more in ideology than science, the answer is clear.
Our western commitment to foster sexual freedom at any cost is clearly at odds with our stated goals of preventing HIV infection -- both here and in Africa.
Promoting monogamy reduces AIDS and costs pennies in comparison to the billions of dollars we invest in AIDS prevention strategies.
This money is needed for AIDS treatment and medicine, and we are tossing it to the wind by making our global battle against AIDS far more complicated and costly than it needs to be.
No wonder Ruteikara derides western aid. No wonder he writes: "We understand that casual sex is dear to you, but staying alive is dear to us. Listen to African wisdom, and we will show you how to prevent AIDS."
Susan Martinuk's column appears every Friday
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Solutions to Sexual Problems.
Porn channel an abomination
Fred Henry
For The Calgary Herald
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The CRTC approved a Canadian pay-television pornography channel called Northern Peaks last week on the basis that 50 per cent of its pornographic content would be produced in Canada, which in turn, will also lead to the creation of a pornography industry in Canada.
In justifying its decision, the CRTC argues that it never takes a moral perspective on the contents of the applications it reviews. This explanation is not only ludicrous in itself but simply not credible because the CRTC has been noticeably reluctant over the years to license religious broadcasting.
Without question, pornography has a devastating impact upon all of society, especially women and young children. Pornography teaches that women enjoy "forced" or perverse sexual activity; advocates prostitution, exhibitionism and voyeurism as normal behaviour; and regards women as sex objects to be used for one's self-gratification.
For some men, the regular use of pornography normalizes aggression toward women in sexual and other interpersonal encounters, and increases the tolerance for such aggression against women in the larger culture.
Sadly, the greatest impact may be on the young, especially males 12 through 17 years of age, because pornography portrays sexual activity outside of marriage as acceptable without the dire consequences of AIDS or other venereal diseases, and without the responsibility toward conceiving a human life.
These assertions are supported by criminal evidence. A proven direct correlation exists between crimes of rape, child abuse, and the physical abuse of a spouse, and the proliferation of pornographic materials and the presence of live porn and sexually oriented businesses in a community.
Pornography is not simply linked to a "one time, one action" phenomenon, but may become like a spiritual cancer that corrupts the person.
Dr. Victor Cline has posited four progressive effects of pornography: (1) addiction, where the need to view pornographic materials leads to a loss of free control over behaviour; (2) escalation, where the person delves into progressively harder pornography, usually to attain the same level of sensation and arousal; (3) desensitization, whereby the user is no longer morally sensitive to the shocking, illegal, repulsive, perverted or immoral quality of the material, but instead views it as acceptable and begins to look upon others as objects; and (4) acting out, where the fantasizing becomes overt behaviour.
Additionally from a moral point of view, there are three reasons why pornography is wrong and sinful behaviour for individuals.
First, pornography offends the dignity of the participants (actors, vendors, the public). Each one is exploited himself or exploits others in some way for personal pleasure or gain. In all cases, the dignity of the human being -- whether the person posing, the person producing, the person distributing, or the person enjoying -- is debased.
Second, those who engage in pornography immerse themselves in a fantasy world, withdrawing from reality. While genuine love always involves a self-giving of oneself for the good of others, pornography entices a person to withdraw into a selfish world of perverted fantasy which may later be acted out to the detriment of oneself and others. This problem has increased dramatically, since the Internet offers "virtual reality" sexual interaction.
Third, pornography offends against the virtue of chastity and constitutes an assault on marriage. Each of us must respect the sanctity of our own human sexuality, which involves the integration of his physical and spiritual being. Furthermore, conjugal love which reflects the union of husband and wife, and the enactment of their vows is sacred. The conjugal act ought to express that faithful, permanent, exclusive, self-giving and life-giving love between husband and wife.
Economic values that are important today must include the enhancement of people, not their exploitation and debasement.
In making its decision on Northern Peaks, the CRTC specified that the channel would only be given its formal licence if at least one cable or satellite provider agrees to add the channel to its service list. The channel has three years to obtain such a contract or else the licence will expire.
Consider writing to your own cable provider (name and address available on your monthly bill) and advise it that if it includes this pornographic channel on its service list, you will immediately switch providers. If the cable provider believes that doing so will harm business -- the company will refuse the pornography channel.
In addition, write to the CRTC, Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-994-0218, raising your objections to its approval of this channel -- Canadian content or not.
Fred Henry is the Catholic bishop of Calgary.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Fred Henry
For The Calgary Herald
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The CRTC approved a Canadian pay-television pornography channel called Northern Peaks last week on the basis that 50 per cent of its pornographic content would be produced in Canada, which in turn, will also lead to the creation of a pornography industry in Canada.
In justifying its decision, the CRTC argues that it never takes a moral perspective on the contents of the applications it reviews. This explanation is not only ludicrous in itself but simply not credible because the CRTC has been noticeably reluctant over the years to license religious broadcasting.
Without question, pornography has a devastating impact upon all of society, especially women and young children. Pornography teaches that women enjoy "forced" or perverse sexual activity; advocates prostitution, exhibitionism and voyeurism as normal behaviour; and regards women as sex objects to be used for one's self-gratification.
For some men, the regular use of pornography normalizes aggression toward women in sexual and other interpersonal encounters, and increases the tolerance for such aggression against women in the larger culture.
Sadly, the greatest impact may be on the young, especially males 12 through 17 years of age, because pornography portrays sexual activity outside of marriage as acceptable without the dire consequences of AIDS or other venereal diseases, and without the responsibility toward conceiving a human life.
These assertions are supported by criminal evidence. A proven direct correlation exists between crimes of rape, child abuse, and the physical abuse of a spouse, and the proliferation of pornographic materials and the presence of live porn and sexually oriented businesses in a community.
Pornography is not simply linked to a "one time, one action" phenomenon, but may become like a spiritual cancer that corrupts the person.
Dr. Victor Cline has posited four progressive effects of pornography: (1) addiction, where the need to view pornographic materials leads to a loss of free control over behaviour; (2) escalation, where the person delves into progressively harder pornography, usually to attain the same level of sensation and arousal; (3) desensitization, whereby the user is no longer morally sensitive to the shocking, illegal, repulsive, perverted or immoral quality of the material, but instead views it as acceptable and begins to look upon others as objects; and (4) acting out, where the fantasizing becomes overt behaviour.
Additionally from a moral point of view, there are three reasons why pornography is wrong and sinful behaviour for individuals.
First, pornography offends the dignity of the participants (actors, vendors, the public). Each one is exploited himself or exploits others in some way for personal pleasure or gain. In all cases, the dignity of the human being -- whether the person posing, the person producing, the person distributing, or the person enjoying -- is debased.
Second, those who engage in pornography immerse themselves in a fantasy world, withdrawing from reality. While genuine love always involves a self-giving of oneself for the good of others, pornography entices a person to withdraw into a selfish world of perverted fantasy which may later be acted out to the detriment of oneself and others. This problem has increased dramatically, since the Internet offers "virtual reality" sexual interaction.
Third, pornography offends against the virtue of chastity and constitutes an assault on marriage. Each of us must respect the sanctity of our own human sexuality, which involves the integration of his physical and spiritual being. Furthermore, conjugal love which reflects the union of husband and wife, and the enactment of their vows is sacred. The conjugal act ought to express that faithful, permanent, exclusive, self-giving and life-giving love between husband and wife.
Economic values that are important today must include the enhancement of people, not their exploitation and debasement.
In making its decision on Northern Peaks, the CRTC specified that the channel would only be given its formal licence if at least one cable or satellite provider agrees to add the channel to its service list. The channel has three years to obtain such a contract or else the licence will expire.
Consider writing to your own cable provider (name and address available on your monthly bill) and advise it that if it includes this pornographic channel on its service list, you will immediately switch providers. If the cable provider believes that doing so will harm business -- the company will refuse the pornography channel.
In addition, write to the CRTC, Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-994-0218, raising your objections to its approval of this channel -- Canadian content or not.
Fred Henry is the Catholic bishop of Calgary.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Don't just do it
Teaching abstinence in schools is starting to pay off
Calgary Herald
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
A StatsCan study showing fewer Alberta teens are having sex than they were a decade ago appears to show that including abstinence in school sex education courses works. The study revealed that among teens between the ages of 15 and 19, the percentage who report they've had intercourse at least once was 39 per cent in 2005, down from 44 per cent in 1996 to 1997. StatsCan says that girls are responsible for the lower figures -- from 51 per cent down to 43 per cent in the same time period -- which also suggests a quiet revolution is being fomented in the way girls' values and images of themselves are changing.
Abstinence has been part of the Alberta sex ed curriculum for a number of years, and is an essential component of any sex education program. Focusing exclusively on the clinical aspects of sex, threatening kids with gruesome diseases -- as was done 30 years ago -- or dwelling overlong on the mechanics of, for example, putting on a condom, do not give kids a context in which to place their sexual relationships. The message in the lesson of pure mechanics is that sex is an entity unto itself, divorced from the realm of feelings and self-
respect, and reduced to the level of purely a physical function. Kids need to be taught that sex is something intricately bound up with love, caring, commitment and mutual respect. Instead, for decades, school sex ed classes tended to focus on the clinical aspects of sex.
The emphasis in those classes was on safe sex, but that really meant safe for physical health, in terms of sexually transmitted disease and preventing pregnancy. Teaching abstinence goes further, because it is about what is safe for the mind, the self-esteem and the heart.
The pendulum is swinging back in other ways, too, as Wendy Shalit documented in her book, Girls Gone Mild. She reported that teen girls who are sexually active are much more likely to bully and be bullied, suffer from depression and low self-esteem, and engage in self-injurious activities, including attempting suicide. Shalit noted that girls themselves are in the vanguard of change, whether it's insisting on dressing more modestly or abstaining from sex -- and much of this has happened, not just because of peer pressure, but in response to pressure from adults to be more sexualized at an earlier age.
Children themselves are saying "enough!" and the adults need to listen. Teens want and need the adults in their lives to set boundaries, to establish rules and guidelines for behaviour. Teaching abstinence in sex ed classes is one of the most important ways this need can be met -- and the efforts have begun to bear fruit.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Teaching abstinence in schools is starting to pay off
Calgary Herald
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
A StatsCan study showing fewer Alberta teens are having sex than they were a decade ago appears to show that including abstinence in school sex education courses works. The study revealed that among teens between the ages of 15 and 19, the percentage who report they've had intercourse at least once was 39 per cent in 2005, down from 44 per cent in 1996 to 1997. StatsCan says that girls are responsible for the lower figures -- from 51 per cent down to 43 per cent in the same time period -- which also suggests a quiet revolution is being fomented in the way girls' values and images of themselves are changing.
Abstinence has been part of the Alberta sex ed curriculum for a number of years, and is an essential component of any sex education program. Focusing exclusively on the clinical aspects of sex, threatening kids with gruesome diseases -- as was done 30 years ago -- or dwelling overlong on the mechanics of, for example, putting on a condom, do not give kids a context in which to place their sexual relationships. The message in the lesson of pure mechanics is that sex is an entity unto itself, divorced from the realm of feelings and self-
respect, and reduced to the level of purely a physical function. Kids need to be taught that sex is something intricately bound up with love, caring, commitment and mutual respect. Instead, for decades, school sex ed classes tended to focus on the clinical aspects of sex.
The emphasis in those classes was on safe sex, but that really meant safe for physical health, in terms of sexually transmitted disease and preventing pregnancy. Teaching abstinence goes further, because it is about what is safe for the mind, the self-esteem and the heart.
The pendulum is swinging back in other ways, too, as Wendy Shalit documented in her book, Girls Gone Mild. She reported that teen girls who are sexually active are much more likely to bully and be bullied, suffer from depression and low self-esteem, and engage in self-injurious activities, including attempting suicide. Shalit noted that girls themselves are in the vanguard of change, whether it's insisting on dressing more modestly or abstaining from sex -- and much of this has happened, not just because of peer pressure, but in response to pressure from adults to be more sexualized at an earlier age.
Children themselves are saying "enough!" and the adults need to listen. Teens want and need the adults in their lives to set boundaries, to establish rules and guidelines for behaviour. Teaching abstinence in sex ed classes is one of the most important ways this need can be met -- and the efforts have begun to bear fruit.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Honour before hot sex, men reveal in survey
Stereotypes debunked, say authors
Tom Spears
Canwest News Service
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The male ideal of a "man's man" is a guy who's responsible, honourable and a devoted partner, not one who's always on the prowl for sex or driven by his career, an international study says.
The finding cuts across age groups and cultures from Germany to Brazil, Italy to the United States, says the Canadian-led research team. And they conclude it's time to dump the stereotype of masculinity as shallow, me-first womanizers, say the authors.
To understand men, "we should pay attention and ask, rather than presume we know," said one of the research team, Julia Heiman of the Kinsey Institute in Bloomington, Ind.
The survey of 27,839 men in eight countries found that being seen as "honourable" was their highest ideal (picked by 33 per cent), followed closely by being in control of their lives (28 per cent). Most claimed to want love ahead of sex.
At the bottom of the scale, only one per cent rated a great sex life as the top male quality, while three per cent chose financial success.
Views of maleness bog down in stereotypes, said the team's leader, Canadian Michael Sand.
"Men routinely said that being in good health, having a good family life, having a harmonious relationship with my wife or my partner, is way more important than . . . a successful career, having a nice home, having a satisfying sex life."
"Being seen as honourable -- I think men are telling us that how my community views my integrity and my values system is important to me."
They're also saying "I want to be seen as a good father, a successful partner, far more than I want to be seen as a stud," he said. "All of these things point to the importance -- not in keeping with stereotypes -- of interpersonal relationships to men, as well as to women of course."
His team's work began several years ago when Bayer Schering Pharma wanted to design an erectile dysfunction drug. (Sand worked for Bayer, but now works for another drug company and for the New England Research Institutes.)
But to build a drug, the company wanted to understand men better: "their overall health, their well-being, their quality of life, their 'constructs' of masculinity, as well as their sexual function." That led to the broad survey, whose findings conflict with pop culture.
In beer commercials, sitcoms and Hollywood gossip sheets, men are eternally chasing babes, fleeing commitment, abandoning their kids and having trouble staying sober.
Even the health-care profession can get stuck with these ideas, Sand notes.
But can we trust the survey's claims?
"When you're talking about nearly 28,000 men, the chance that they all conspired to mislead us in the same direction is pretty low."
And he says people aren't really surprised by his results, once they think about people they know.
"Just as we know all women are not Playboy bunnies, we know all men are not ravening sex fiends interested in the next conquest. These stereotypes -- I think we all know they're not real.
"This is why it's so important to do research -- to challenge our assumptions."
Other team members came from the University of Western Ontario and the Kinsey Institute.
The study is published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Stereotypes debunked, say authors
Tom Spears
Canwest News Service
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The male ideal of a "man's man" is a guy who's responsible, honourable and a devoted partner, not one who's always on the prowl for sex or driven by his career, an international study says.
The finding cuts across age groups and cultures from Germany to Brazil, Italy to the United States, says the Canadian-led research team. And they conclude it's time to dump the stereotype of masculinity as shallow, me-first womanizers, say the authors.
To understand men, "we should pay attention and ask, rather than presume we know," said one of the research team, Julia Heiman of the Kinsey Institute in Bloomington, Ind.
The survey of 27,839 men in eight countries found that being seen as "honourable" was their highest ideal (picked by 33 per cent), followed closely by being in control of their lives (28 per cent). Most claimed to want love ahead of sex.
At the bottom of the scale, only one per cent rated a great sex life as the top male quality, while three per cent chose financial success.
Views of maleness bog down in stereotypes, said the team's leader, Canadian Michael Sand.
"Men routinely said that being in good health, having a good family life, having a harmonious relationship with my wife or my partner, is way more important than . . . a successful career, having a nice home, having a satisfying sex life."
"Being seen as honourable -- I think men are telling us that how my community views my integrity and my values system is important to me."
They're also saying "I want to be seen as a good father, a successful partner, far more than I want to be seen as a stud," he said. "All of these things point to the importance -- not in keeping with stereotypes -- of interpersonal relationships to men, as well as to women of course."
His team's work began several years ago when Bayer Schering Pharma wanted to design an erectile dysfunction drug. (Sand worked for Bayer, but now works for another drug company and for the New England Research Institutes.)
But to build a drug, the company wanted to understand men better: "their overall health, their well-being, their quality of life, their 'constructs' of masculinity, as well as their sexual function." That led to the broad survey, whose findings conflict with pop culture.
In beer commercials, sitcoms and Hollywood gossip sheets, men are eternally chasing babes, fleeing commitment, abandoning their kids and having trouble staying sober.
Even the health-care profession can get stuck with these ideas, Sand notes.
But can we trust the survey's claims?
"When you're talking about nearly 28,000 men, the chance that they all conspired to mislead us in the same direction is pretty low."
And he says people aren't really surprised by his results, once they think about people they know.
"Just as we know all women are not Playboy bunnies, we know all men are not ravening sex fiends interested in the next conquest. These stereotypes -- I think we all know they're not real.
"This is why it's so important to do research -- to challenge our assumptions."
Other team members came from the University of Western Ontario and the Kinsey Institute.
The study is published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
September 6, 2008
Op-Ed Columnist
Let’s Talk About Sex
By CHARLES M. BLOW
Sarah Palin has a pregnant teenager. And, she’s not alone. According to a report published in 2007, there are more than 400,000 other American girls in the same predicament.
In fact, a 2001 Unicef report said that the United States teenage birthrate was higher than any other member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The U.S. tied Hungary for the most abortions. This was in spite of the fact that girls in the U.S. were not the most sexually active. Denmark held that title. But, its teenage birthrate was one-sixth of ours, and its teenage abortion rate was half of ours.
If there is a shame here, it’s a national shame — a failure of our puritanical society to accept and deal with the facts. Teenagers have sex. How often and how safely depends on how much knowledge and support they have. Crossing our fingers that they won’t cross the line is not an intelligent strategy.
To wit, our ridiculous experiment in abstinence-only education seems to be winding down with a study finding that it didn’t work. States are opting out of it. Parents don’t like it either. According to a 2004 survey sponsored by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, 65 percent of parents of high school students said that federal money “should be used to fund more comprehensive sex education programs that include information on how to obtain and use condoms and other contraceptives.”
We need to take some bold steps beyond the borders of our moralizing and discomfort and create a sex education infrastructure that actually acknowledges reality and protects our children from unwanted pregnancies, or worse.
Britain is already taking these steps. London’s Daily Telegraph reported last month on a June study that found that “one in three secondary schools in England now has a sexual health clinic to give condoms, pregnancy tests and even morning-after pills to children as young as 11.”
Furthermore, a bipartisan group from the British Parliament is seeking to make sex education compulsory for “children as young as four years old.” In a letter to the paper, the group laid out its case: “International evidence suggests that high-quality sex and relationship education that puts sex in its proper context, that starts early enough to make a difference and that gives youngsters the confidence and ability to make well-informed decisions helps young people delay their first sexual experience and leads to lower teenage pregnancy levels.”
That may be extreme, but many Americans can’t even talk about sex without giggling, squirming or blushing. Let’s start there. Talk to your kids about sex tonight, with confidence and a straight face. “I’d prefer you waited to have sex. That said, whenever you choose to do it, make sure you use one of these condoms.” It works.
E-mail: [email protected].
****
Cancer vaccine ready for girls
Controversial medicine helps prevent cervical cancer
Michelle Lang
Calgary Herald; With files from Canwest News Service
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Alberta is forging ahead with a program to immunize schoolgirls against the virus that causes cervical cancer, despite controversy among religious leaders about the plan and a recent study linking the vaccine with allergic reactions.
The province's acting chief medical officer of health said this week that health regions are preparing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program for Grade 5 girls, which will begin later this month or in early October.
"It's a vaccine that can prevent cancer, and right now, we still see women dying of cervical cancer," said Dr. Gerry Predy in an interview.
"In the longer term, we hope that by rolling out the vaccine, we can essentially eliminate cancer of the cervix." Alberta is one of several provinces that have introduced inoculation programs with a vaccine that protects against four strains of HPV, which experts say cause about 70 per cent of cervical cancers.
Although the program is proceeding, Alberta Health officials are reviewing a study, released this month, that suggests the vaccine carries a higher-than-expected risk of a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
The Australian study of 114,000 girls and women found an estimated rate of anaphylaxis of 2.6 per 100,000 doses of the HPV vaccine. That is five to 20 times higher than rates reported for other vaccines, which typically carry some risk of allergic reaction.
But experts have said the risk of any serious side-effects from the vaccine is very low. The Public Health Agency of Canada released a statement in response to the study saying the shots are "safe and effective." "This report should not deter girls and women from receiving HPV immunization," said the agency's statement.
Predy said Alberta Health is examining results from the study.
The risk of allergic reaction is just the latest controversy surrounding the HPV vaccine.
Catholic schools in the province have debated whether to participate in the program, with some questioning if it would be appropriate, given the church's position on premarital sex. The virus is largely transmitted through sexual activity.
Most Catholic school districts are expected to make a decision on the matter in mid-September, according to the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association.
Officials in Calgary and Edmonton have already indicated they will allow the vaccination program to go ahead on school property.
Meanwhile, at least two school districts that had concerns about the vaccine -- the Red Deer Catholic Regional Division and Lethbridge-based Holy Spirit Catholic School Division -- have decided to participate.
Christine Moore, chairwoman of the Red Deer board, said the district wrestled with its decision because a school-based program "may incorrectly send a message that early sexual activity is acceptable." "It was a difficult one for the board, but we look at it as a health issue," she said. "We followed the advice of our bishops, that parents are the primary decision-makers." The Alberta HPV program is voluntary and requires parental consent.
In Calgary, health officials said they are still working out when they will begin the vaccination program.
The shots will be administered at the same time the students receive hepatitis B shots.
"Work has begun to start planning the process to deliver the vaccine to Grade 5 students," said Don Stewart, a spokesman for the Calgary Health Region, which will work with local school districts to deliver the vaccine.
"It will roll out sometime this fall."
[email protected]
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Op-Ed Columnist
Let’s Talk About Sex
By CHARLES M. BLOW
Sarah Palin has a pregnant teenager. And, she’s not alone. According to a report published in 2007, there are more than 400,000 other American girls in the same predicament.
In fact, a 2001 Unicef report said that the United States teenage birthrate was higher than any other member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The U.S. tied Hungary for the most abortions. This was in spite of the fact that girls in the U.S. were not the most sexually active. Denmark held that title. But, its teenage birthrate was one-sixth of ours, and its teenage abortion rate was half of ours.
If there is a shame here, it’s a national shame — a failure of our puritanical society to accept and deal with the facts. Teenagers have sex. How often and how safely depends on how much knowledge and support they have. Crossing our fingers that they won’t cross the line is not an intelligent strategy.
To wit, our ridiculous experiment in abstinence-only education seems to be winding down with a study finding that it didn’t work. States are opting out of it. Parents don’t like it either. According to a 2004 survey sponsored by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, 65 percent of parents of high school students said that federal money “should be used to fund more comprehensive sex education programs that include information on how to obtain and use condoms and other contraceptives.”
We need to take some bold steps beyond the borders of our moralizing and discomfort and create a sex education infrastructure that actually acknowledges reality and protects our children from unwanted pregnancies, or worse.
Britain is already taking these steps. London’s Daily Telegraph reported last month on a June study that found that “one in three secondary schools in England now has a sexual health clinic to give condoms, pregnancy tests and even morning-after pills to children as young as 11.”
Furthermore, a bipartisan group from the British Parliament is seeking to make sex education compulsory for “children as young as four years old.” In a letter to the paper, the group laid out its case: “International evidence suggests that high-quality sex and relationship education that puts sex in its proper context, that starts early enough to make a difference and that gives youngsters the confidence and ability to make well-informed decisions helps young people delay their first sexual experience and leads to lower teenage pregnancy levels.”
That may be extreme, but many Americans can’t even talk about sex without giggling, squirming or blushing. Let’s start there. Talk to your kids about sex tonight, with confidence and a straight face. “I’d prefer you waited to have sex. That said, whenever you choose to do it, make sure you use one of these condoms.” It works.
E-mail: [email protected].
****
Cancer vaccine ready for girls
Controversial medicine helps prevent cervical cancer
Michelle Lang
Calgary Herald; With files from Canwest News Service
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Alberta is forging ahead with a program to immunize schoolgirls against the virus that causes cervical cancer, despite controversy among religious leaders about the plan and a recent study linking the vaccine with allergic reactions.
The province's acting chief medical officer of health said this week that health regions are preparing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program for Grade 5 girls, which will begin later this month or in early October.
"It's a vaccine that can prevent cancer, and right now, we still see women dying of cervical cancer," said Dr. Gerry Predy in an interview.
"In the longer term, we hope that by rolling out the vaccine, we can essentially eliminate cancer of the cervix." Alberta is one of several provinces that have introduced inoculation programs with a vaccine that protects against four strains of HPV, which experts say cause about 70 per cent of cervical cancers.
Although the program is proceeding, Alberta Health officials are reviewing a study, released this month, that suggests the vaccine carries a higher-than-expected risk of a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
The Australian study of 114,000 girls and women found an estimated rate of anaphylaxis of 2.6 per 100,000 doses of the HPV vaccine. That is five to 20 times higher than rates reported for other vaccines, which typically carry some risk of allergic reaction.
But experts have said the risk of any serious side-effects from the vaccine is very low. The Public Health Agency of Canada released a statement in response to the study saying the shots are "safe and effective." "This report should not deter girls and women from receiving HPV immunization," said the agency's statement.
Predy said Alberta Health is examining results from the study.
The risk of allergic reaction is just the latest controversy surrounding the HPV vaccine.
Catholic schools in the province have debated whether to participate in the program, with some questioning if it would be appropriate, given the church's position on premarital sex. The virus is largely transmitted through sexual activity.
Most Catholic school districts are expected to make a decision on the matter in mid-September, according to the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association.
Officials in Calgary and Edmonton have already indicated they will allow the vaccination program to go ahead on school property.
Meanwhile, at least two school districts that had concerns about the vaccine -- the Red Deer Catholic Regional Division and Lethbridge-based Holy Spirit Catholic School Division -- have decided to participate.
Christine Moore, chairwoman of the Red Deer board, said the district wrestled with its decision because a school-based program "may incorrectly send a message that early sexual activity is acceptable." "It was a difficult one for the board, but we look at it as a health issue," she said. "We followed the advice of our bishops, that parents are the primary decision-makers." The Alberta HPV program is voluntary and requires parental consent.
In Calgary, health officials said they are still working out when they will begin the vaccination program.
The shots will be administered at the same time the students receive hepatitis B shots.
"Work has begun to start planning the process to deliver the vaccine to Grade 5 students," said Don Stewart, a spokesman for the Calgary Health Region, which will work with local school districts to deliver the vaccine.
"It will roll out sometime this fall."
[email protected]
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Catholic students won't get cancer vaccine
Board will follow bishop's lead on 'moral issue'
Sarah McGinnis, with files from Sherri zickefoose, Calgary Herald and The Edmonton Journal
Calgary Herald
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Calgary Catholic trustees have decided on moral grounds not to offer a vaccine against the virus that causes cervical cancer.
Health regions are preparing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program for Grade 5 girls, which will begin later this month or early October.
The voluntary program has generated considerable debate in Alberta's Catholic school boards. Some have questioned whether it is appropriate to inoculate against a virus largely transmitted through sexual activity given the church's opposition to premarital sex.
On Wednesday night, Calgary's Catholic school trustees voted 6-1 to inform principals the district would not be making the vaccine available in schools.
Instead, trustees decided to provide an information package to parents on where the vaccine will be offered in the city so they can decide whether to get the shot for their child.
"This is a moral issue and a spiritual issue and not an educational one," trustee Mary Martin said in a brief statement.
She cited the need to comply with the wishes of Bishop Fred Henry as Calgary's Catholic spiritual leader.
"The bishop felt it was a moral issue and it might make
. . . Catholic schools appear to be condoning premarital sex," said trustee Marge Belcourt.
The school board continues to prioritize the rights of parents to be primary educators in such matters.
Schools will be sending parents an information package complete with a letter from the bishop on the issue and resources from Alberta Health and Wellness on the vaccine as well as where parents can get it for their child free if it's not provided at schools, said Belcourt.
That way if parents feel it is a health issue and not a moral issue they can make the decision which is best for their child, Belcourt said.
News of the board's stance on the issue is cause for worry for one Calgary gynecologist.
"I am very surprised. They are putting these girls at risk. They're no doubt, guaranteed, that if these girls are not immunized that some of them in the future are going to become infected with HPV. The statistics are there. It's going to happen to Catholic girls and non-Catholic girls," said Dr. Brian Hauck.
"They're putting their students at risk for disease and themselves at risk for blame for this. Other provinces are providing this and that is the standard of care. If they don't provide it, that's inadequate," he said.
"It defies reasonable common sense. They're the ostrich putting their head in the sand."
The vote on the controversial issue wasn't unanimous as trustee Michael Annuik was against the plan.
The Alberta government announced the voluntary program in June, saying the vaccine can prevent 70 per cent of cervical cancers by targeting four strains of HPV.
The Catholic board's decision does not sound alarm bells for the health minister, a spokesman says.
"Alberta Health and Wellness is going to be working with Alberta Health Services to develop options to provide the vaccine to eligible girls who may be unable to receive it through a school program," said Alberta Health spokesman Howard May.
Cervical cancer kills 40 Alberta women every year.
Most Catholic school districts are expected to make a decision on the matter in mid-September, according to the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association.
A Catholic school board in south-central Alberta has also opted not to offer the vaccine to Grade 5 girls.
"The board would like to emphasize that this decision was made following thorough research into both sides of this debate from a moral and a health perspective," states a press release posted Wednesday on the website of the St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Division, which represents more than 2,000 students in the Ponoka, Beaumont, Leduc and Drayton Valley areas.
On Friday, representatives from all 23 Catholic school boards in Alberta and Yellowknife met to discuss the issue that has fired up people in the Catholic community.
Some believe that giving the vaccine to girls tacitly condones premarital sex, said Ted Paszek, president of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association.
He said his association did not tell school districts how to proceed with the school-based vaccination program being rolled out by the Alberta government.
He said that, ultimately, parents must decide whether or not their daughters should be vaccinated, but added that the role of Catholic schools is to teach the tenets of the church, including that sex should be limited to marriage.
[email protected]
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Board will follow bishop's lead on 'moral issue'
Sarah McGinnis, with files from Sherri zickefoose, Calgary Herald and The Edmonton Journal
Calgary Herald
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Calgary Catholic trustees have decided on moral grounds not to offer a vaccine against the virus that causes cervical cancer.
Health regions are preparing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program for Grade 5 girls, which will begin later this month or early October.
The voluntary program has generated considerable debate in Alberta's Catholic school boards. Some have questioned whether it is appropriate to inoculate against a virus largely transmitted through sexual activity given the church's opposition to premarital sex.
On Wednesday night, Calgary's Catholic school trustees voted 6-1 to inform principals the district would not be making the vaccine available in schools.
Instead, trustees decided to provide an information package to parents on where the vaccine will be offered in the city so they can decide whether to get the shot for their child.
"This is a moral issue and a spiritual issue and not an educational one," trustee Mary Martin said in a brief statement.
She cited the need to comply with the wishes of Bishop Fred Henry as Calgary's Catholic spiritual leader.
"The bishop felt it was a moral issue and it might make
. . . Catholic schools appear to be condoning premarital sex," said trustee Marge Belcourt.
The school board continues to prioritize the rights of parents to be primary educators in such matters.
Schools will be sending parents an information package complete with a letter from the bishop on the issue and resources from Alberta Health and Wellness on the vaccine as well as where parents can get it for their child free if it's not provided at schools, said Belcourt.
That way if parents feel it is a health issue and not a moral issue they can make the decision which is best for their child, Belcourt said.
News of the board's stance on the issue is cause for worry for one Calgary gynecologist.
"I am very surprised. They are putting these girls at risk. They're no doubt, guaranteed, that if these girls are not immunized that some of them in the future are going to become infected with HPV. The statistics are there. It's going to happen to Catholic girls and non-Catholic girls," said Dr. Brian Hauck.
"They're putting their students at risk for disease and themselves at risk for blame for this. Other provinces are providing this and that is the standard of care. If they don't provide it, that's inadequate," he said.
"It defies reasonable common sense. They're the ostrich putting their head in the sand."
The vote on the controversial issue wasn't unanimous as trustee Michael Annuik was against the plan.
The Alberta government announced the voluntary program in June, saying the vaccine can prevent 70 per cent of cervical cancers by targeting four strains of HPV.
The Catholic board's decision does not sound alarm bells for the health minister, a spokesman says.
"Alberta Health and Wellness is going to be working with Alberta Health Services to develop options to provide the vaccine to eligible girls who may be unable to receive it through a school program," said Alberta Health spokesman Howard May.
Cervical cancer kills 40 Alberta women every year.
Most Catholic school districts are expected to make a decision on the matter in mid-September, according to the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association.
A Catholic school board in south-central Alberta has also opted not to offer the vaccine to Grade 5 girls.
"The board would like to emphasize that this decision was made following thorough research into both sides of this debate from a moral and a health perspective," states a press release posted Wednesday on the website of the St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School Division, which represents more than 2,000 students in the Ponoka, Beaumont, Leduc and Drayton Valley areas.
On Friday, representatives from all 23 Catholic school boards in Alberta and Yellowknife met to discuss the issue that has fired up people in the Catholic community.
Some believe that giving the vaccine to girls tacitly condones premarital sex, said Ted Paszek, president of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association.
He said his association did not tell school districts how to proceed with the school-based vaccination program being rolled out by the Alberta government.
He said that, ultimately, parents must decide whether or not their daughters should be vaccinated, but added that the role of Catholic schools is to teach the tenets of the church, including that sex should be limited to marriage.
[email protected]
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Vaccinations don't cause immorality
Calgary Herald
Monday, September 29, 2008
The human papilloma virus does not choose its victims based on their morals -- and the Calgary Catholic School Division was wrong to turn thumbs down on permitting Grade 5 girls to be vaccinated against it.
That said, the board is to be commended for mitigating its decision by agreeing to send information packets to parents, advising them where they can get their daughters inoculated for free.
Bishop Fred Henry believes permitting Catholic schoolgirls to receive the Gardasil vaccine is in effect condoning premarital sex. However, this is an issue of public health, not of morality.
A study done last year by Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil, showed that besides protecting against four types of HPV responsible for 90 per cent of cervical cancer and genital warts, Gardasil is 38 per cent effective against 10 other strains of HPV, which are responsible for 20 per cent of those cancers.
That morality has absolutely nothing to do with it is borne out by the fact that women who remain chaste until marriage can still be infected by HPV if their husbands picked it up from previous sex partners. Likewise, women who are the victims of a sexual assault can contract the virus.
According to Canadian Family Physician, the official journal of The College of Family Physicians of Canada, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Canadian women. CFP likens mass vaccination against HPV with other types of mass inoculation campaigns, such as those against polio and mumps. CFP also speculates on the possibility of vaccinating boys, given the fact HPV can cause a certain type of cancer in men.
Gardasil is not yet available for vaccination of males, but if it were, would it still be a morality issue for Henry and the trustees, or would they accept male vaccination for what it is -- a way of protecting both men and their sex partners?
Having a vaccination affects no one's morals. Human beings are far more complex than that. An injection of antibodies does not equate to an infusion of immorality. The values that are instilled in the home, the church and at Catholic school remain unaffected by a brief encounter with a hypodermic needle.
Henry should also be aware that many teens -- whether Catholic or not -- are going to be sexually active anyway. Withholding the vaccine, then, appears to suggest these girls deserve the "punishment" of cancer.
Diseases should never be politicized or slotted into moral pigeonholes; nor does cancer discriminate among its victims. Girls have as much right to be protected from HPV as they do from polio, mumps or any disease for which there is a vaccine. To deny that protection on moral grounds is short-sighted.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Calgary Herald
Monday, September 29, 2008
The human papilloma virus does not choose its victims based on their morals -- and the Calgary Catholic School Division was wrong to turn thumbs down on permitting Grade 5 girls to be vaccinated against it.
That said, the board is to be commended for mitigating its decision by agreeing to send information packets to parents, advising them where they can get their daughters inoculated for free.
Bishop Fred Henry believes permitting Catholic schoolgirls to receive the Gardasil vaccine is in effect condoning premarital sex. However, this is an issue of public health, not of morality.
A study done last year by Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil, showed that besides protecting against four types of HPV responsible for 90 per cent of cervical cancer and genital warts, Gardasil is 38 per cent effective against 10 other strains of HPV, which are responsible for 20 per cent of those cancers.
That morality has absolutely nothing to do with it is borne out by the fact that women who remain chaste until marriage can still be infected by HPV if their husbands picked it up from previous sex partners. Likewise, women who are the victims of a sexual assault can contract the virus.
According to Canadian Family Physician, the official journal of The College of Family Physicians of Canada, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Canadian women. CFP likens mass vaccination against HPV with other types of mass inoculation campaigns, such as those against polio and mumps. CFP also speculates on the possibility of vaccinating boys, given the fact HPV can cause a certain type of cancer in men.
Gardasil is not yet available for vaccination of males, but if it were, would it still be a morality issue for Henry and the trustees, or would they accept male vaccination for what it is -- a way of protecting both men and their sex partners?
Having a vaccination affects no one's morals. Human beings are far more complex than that. An injection of antibodies does not equate to an infusion of immorality. The values that are instilled in the home, the church and at Catholic school remain unaffected by a brief encounter with a hypodermic needle.
Henry should also be aware that many teens -- whether Catholic or not -- are going to be sexually active anyway. Withholding the vaccine, then, appears to suggest these girls deserve the "punishment" of cancer.
Diseases should never be politicized or slotted into moral pigeonholes; nor does cancer discriminate among its victims. Girls have as much right to be protected from HPV as they do from polio, mumps or any disease for which there is a vaccine. To deny that protection on moral grounds is short-sighted.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
-
Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
Kmaherali, maybe, as of right now, Ismailia and generally Islamic faith is not sanctioning same sex marriage but how can someone say that it will never do that as well in the future? I mean the world/universe is constantly changing and so is the practice of the faith (Tariqah). I mean so many amendments in the practice of the faith since the very beginning and in last 1400 years, and one of the foundations of Ismaili Tariqah is the “Changes” in the practice of the faith according to the time and environment. I can understand that the core faith can be never changed, like the principle of Unity of Almighty God and the basic principles of Ismaili Imamat and so forth, but is a person’s “marriage” to another human (regardless of sexual orientation) a religious and spiritual matter in the eyes of the ismailia faith? I think it is just a worldly and social issue of human society and I do agree that in Islam Din and Duniya are not separated and Islam is a “Way of Life” not just a religion or spirituality. But is there a possibility of amendments according to the time and situation in this regard in the faith of Islam? Also the Marriage can also have different legal and social definitions and settings (more than just someone’s genitalia entering another’s without social any social taboo but not less than that either) LOL…
What do you think about that possibility?
What do you think about that possibility?
Sex a lot of hassle,' says 105-year-old virgin
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE LONDON
A British woman who celebrated her 105th birthday this week said the secret to long life was celibacy, adding she imagined sex was a "lot of hassle."
Clara Meadmore, who marked her birthday with a drop of wine at the Perran Bay nursing home in Cornwall, southwest England, also received a card from Queen Elizabeth.
"People have asked me whether I am a homosexual and the answer is no," Meadmore said. "I have just never been interested in sex.
"I imagine there is a lot of hassle involved and I have always been busy doing other things."
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1903, Meadmore lived in Canada and New Zealand as a child before returning to Britain in her 20s to work as a secretary and housekeeper.
She served with the army in Egypt during the Second World War, and the lived in London and New Zealand before retiring 40 years ago in Cornwall
Calgary Herald
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE LONDON
A British woman who celebrated her 105th birthday this week said the secret to long life was celibacy, adding she imagined sex was a "lot of hassle."
Clara Meadmore, who marked her birthday with a drop of wine at the Perran Bay nursing home in Cornwall, southwest England, also received a card from Queen Elizabeth.
"People have asked me whether I am a homosexual and the answer is no," Meadmore said. "I have just never been interested in sex.
"I imagine there is a lot of hassle involved and I have always been busy doing other things."
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1903, Meadmore lived in Canada and New Zealand as a child before returning to Britain in her 20s to work as a secretary and housekeeper.
She served with the army in Egypt during the Second World War, and the lived in London and New Zealand before retiring 40 years ago in Cornwall
Calgary Herald
Chinese youths conflicted about sex, survey finds
Reuters
Friday, October 17, 2008
A new survey of China's first generation born under the one-child policy has found they are more open but still conflicted about sex, and don't approve of one-night stands, a state newspaper said on Wednesday.
With the world's biggest population straining scarce land, water and energy, China has enforced rules limiting family size since the 1970s, generally limiting couples to having just one child, though there are exceptions.
The survey, carried out by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on people born between 1976 and 1986, found their average age for first sexual experience was 22.8 years, the China Youth Daily said.
But more than 96 per cent of the surveyed first had sex with their partner, rather than just a one-night stand. Nearly 20 per cent first had sex before the age of 20.
"The survey found that on the one hand they had sex earlier, but on the other it was in a stable relationship," the newspaper said. "This shows the contradictions felt in the first generation of single children towards sex."
Most did not approve of one-night stands, and almost three-quarters said they would never try homosexuality, the report added.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Reuters
Friday, October 17, 2008
A new survey of China's first generation born under the one-child policy has found they are more open but still conflicted about sex, and don't approve of one-night stands, a state newspaper said on Wednesday.
With the world's biggest population straining scarce land, water and energy, China has enforced rules limiting family size since the 1970s, generally limiting couples to having just one child, though there are exceptions.
The survey, carried out by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on people born between 1976 and 1986, found their average age for first sexual experience was 22.8 years, the China Youth Daily said.
But more than 96 per cent of the surveyed first had sex with their partner, rather than just a one-night stand. Nearly 20 per cent first had sex before the age of 20.
"The survey found that on the one hand they had sex earlier, but on the other it was in a stable relationship," the newspaper said. "This shows the contradictions felt in the first generation of single children towards sex."
Most did not approve of one-night stands, and almost three-quarters said they would never try homosexuality, the report added.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
-
Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
Except Japan, no matter how much industrialized and economically advanced Asia becomes, culturally, for the masses of the world, it will still be considered marginalized against western cultural values and cannot stand a chance. unfortunately, they have to be succumbed in order to be even noticed on world stage. like in India, the American cultural and commercial Dragons have englufed the whole indian society to the point that it blows one's mind and sounds like an organized conspiracy from all fronts including media, showbiz, arts, commerce and consumerisim agaist Indian Identity itself...all out reflections and promotion of American lifestyle thru movies and TV media and consequently recent widespread threats of HIV/AIDS in India are few of the examples.
In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"
Resisting Sexual Desires
Sexual desire is something that has been created in man and it cannot be got rid of. Getting rid of it is not something that is required of the Muslim; rather what is required of him is to refrain from using it in haraam ways, and to use it in the ways that Allaah has permitted.
The problem of desire in a young people may be solved by taking two steps.
The first step is to reduce and weaken the things that may provoke desire in a person. This may be achieved in a number of ways, including the following:
1 – Lowering the gaze and refraining from looking at that which Allaah has forbidden. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts)”
[al-Noor 24:31]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not follow one glance with another, for the first is allowed but not the second.”
There are many sources of haraam looking, such as looking directly at young men and thinking about their attractive looks, or looking at pictures in magazines and movies.
2 – Avoiding reading stories and novels which focus on the sexual aspect, and avoiding reading internet websites which deal with such topics.
3 – Keeping away from bad company.
4 – Avoiding thinking about desire as much as possible. Thinking in and of itself is not haraam, but if one thinks about it for too long, that may lead a person to haraam actions.
5 – Spending one's time in useful pursuits, because spare time may lead one to fall into haraam things.
6 – Avoiding as much as possible going to public places where young men and women mix.
7 – If a girl/boy is tested with studying in a mixed environment, and cannot find any alternative, she has to remain modest, serious and dignified, and should avoid sitting with young men and speaking to them as much as possible. She should restrict her relationships to friendships with righteous female classmates.
The second step is:
To strengthen the factors that will prevent one acting in accordance with one’s desires. This is achieved in a number of ways, including the following:
1 – Strengthening the faith in one’s heart and strengthening one’s relationship with Allaah. This may be achieved by remembering Allaah a great deal, reading Quraan, thinking of the names and attributes of Allaah, and doing a lot of naafil prayers. Belief strengthens the heart and soul, and it helps one to resist temptation.
2 – Fasting, as taught by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “O young men, whoever among you can afford to, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and in guarding one’s chastity. Whoever cannot afford it, then let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.”
This is addressed to young men, but it also includes young women.
3 – Strengthening one’s resolve and willpower, for this will make a young woman able to resist and control her desires.
4 – Remembering what Allaah has prepared for righteous young women. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allaah in Islam) men and women, the believers men and women (who believe in Islamic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to Allaah), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allaah has ordered and in abstaining from all that Allaah has forbidden), the men and the women who are humble (before their Lord Allaah), the men and the women who give Sadaqaat (i.e. Zakaah and alms), the men and the women who observe Sawm (fast) (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadaan, and the optional Nawafil fasting), the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men and the women who remember Allaah much with their hearts and tongues. Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise)”
[al-Ahzaab 33:35]
5 – Thinking about the lives of righteous women who guarded their chastity, such as Maryam, whom Allaah praises in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
“And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of ‘Imraan who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Rooh [i.e. Jibreel (Gabriel)], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allaah: “Be!” and he was; that is ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) as a Messenger of Allaah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qaanitoon (i.e. obedient to Allaah)”
[al-Tahreem 66:12]
And thinking about the immoral, fallen women, and comparing between the two types, for there is a huge difference between them.
6 – Choosing righteous companions and spending time with them, so that they can help one another to obey and worship Allaah.
7 – Comparing the effects of immediate fulfillment of desire when a girl responds to haraam, which is followed by loss of pleasure and all that is left is regret and sorrow, with patience and striving against one’s whims and desires, and realizing that the pleasure of conquering one’s whim and desires is far greater than the pleasures of enjoying haraam things.
8 – Seeking help by calling upon Allaah and asking Him for help. The Qur’aan tells us the lesson to be learned from the story of Yoosuf (peace be upon him):
“He said: ‘O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me. Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant’
So his Lord answered his invocation and turned away from him their plot. Verily, He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Knower”
[Yoosuf 12:33 – interpretation of the meaning]
Courtesy: Shaykh Muhammad al-Duwaysh
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/20161/sorrow
Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications.
When Allah and His Messenger have decided something it is not for any man or woman of the believers to have a choice about it. Anyone who disobeys Allah and His Messenger is clearly misguided. (33:36)
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"
Resisting Sexual Desires
Sexual desire is something that has been created in man and it cannot be got rid of. Getting rid of it is not something that is required of the Muslim; rather what is required of him is to refrain from using it in haraam ways, and to use it in the ways that Allaah has permitted.
The problem of desire in a young people may be solved by taking two steps.
The first step is to reduce and weaken the things that may provoke desire in a person. This may be achieved in a number of ways, including the following:
1 – Lowering the gaze and refraining from looking at that which Allaah has forbidden. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts)”
[al-Noor 24:31]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not follow one glance with another, for the first is allowed but not the second.”
There are many sources of haraam looking, such as looking directly at young men and thinking about their attractive looks, or looking at pictures in magazines and movies.
2 – Avoiding reading stories and novels which focus on the sexual aspect, and avoiding reading internet websites which deal with such topics.
3 – Keeping away from bad company.
4 – Avoiding thinking about desire as much as possible. Thinking in and of itself is not haraam, but if one thinks about it for too long, that may lead a person to haraam actions.
5 – Spending one's time in useful pursuits, because spare time may lead one to fall into haraam things.
6 – Avoiding as much as possible going to public places where young men and women mix.
7 – If a girl/boy is tested with studying in a mixed environment, and cannot find any alternative, she has to remain modest, serious and dignified, and should avoid sitting with young men and speaking to them as much as possible. She should restrict her relationships to friendships with righteous female classmates.
The second step is:
To strengthen the factors that will prevent one acting in accordance with one’s desires. This is achieved in a number of ways, including the following:
1 – Strengthening the faith in one’s heart and strengthening one’s relationship with Allaah. This may be achieved by remembering Allaah a great deal, reading Quraan, thinking of the names and attributes of Allaah, and doing a lot of naafil prayers. Belief strengthens the heart and soul, and it helps one to resist temptation.
2 – Fasting, as taught by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “O young men, whoever among you can afford to, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and in guarding one’s chastity. Whoever cannot afford it, then let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.”
This is addressed to young men, but it also includes young women.
3 – Strengthening one’s resolve and willpower, for this will make a young woman able to resist and control her desires.
4 – Remembering what Allaah has prepared for righteous young women. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allaah in Islam) men and women, the believers men and women (who believe in Islamic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to Allaah), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allaah has ordered and in abstaining from all that Allaah has forbidden), the men and the women who are humble (before their Lord Allaah), the men and the women who give Sadaqaat (i.e. Zakaah and alms), the men and the women who observe Sawm (fast) (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadaan, and the optional Nawafil fasting), the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men and the women who remember Allaah much with their hearts and tongues. Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise)”
[al-Ahzaab 33:35]
5 – Thinking about the lives of righteous women who guarded their chastity, such as Maryam, whom Allaah praises in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
“And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of ‘Imraan who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Rooh [i.e. Jibreel (Gabriel)], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allaah: “Be!” and he was; that is ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) as a Messenger of Allaah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qaanitoon (i.e. obedient to Allaah)”
[al-Tahreem 66:12]
And thinking about the immoral, fallen women, and comparing between the two types, for there is a huge difference between them.
6 – Choosing righteous companions and spending time with them, so that they can help one another to obey and worship Allaah.
7 – Comparing the effects of immediate fulfillment of desire when a girl responds to haraam, which is followed by loss of pleasure and all that is left is regret and sorrow, with patience and striving against one’s whims and desires, and realizing that the pleasure of conquering one’s whim and desires is far greater than the pleasures of enjoying haraam things.
8 – Seeking help by calling upon Allaah and asking Him for help. The Qur’aan tells us the lesson to be learned from the story of Yoosuf (peace be upon him):
“He said: ‘O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they invite me. Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant’
So his Lord answered his invocation and turned away from him their plot. Verily, He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Knower”
[Yoosuf 12:33 – interpretation of the meaning]
Courtesy: Shaykh Muhammad al-Duwaysh
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/20161/sorrow
Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications.
When Allah and His Messenger have decided something it is not for any man or woman of the believers to have a choice about it. Anyone who disobeys Allah and His Messenger is clearly misguided. (33:36)
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Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
haram this, haram that...can't remmember all that. just as long as larki & larka raazi, tou kiya karey ga qazi...just have sex as much as you want and who or what you want with. it's all cool as long as it is mutually consensual...or else it might be hurtful & criminal and might take you to the prison. Period.
beside that, the above posted novel is from a site which is a disguise and just a personal interpretation of the holy scriptures of Islam by some mullah, gotta lynch him....anyone can make up things like that...and will someone give a rat's ass?
beside that, the above posted novel is from a site which is a disguise and just a personal interpretation of the holy scriptures of Islam by some mullah, gotta lynch him....anyone can make up things like that...and will someone give a rat's ass?
how about animals and dead people? your reasoning allows for them as well doesn't it?Mehreen1221 wrote:haram this, haram that...can't remmember all that. just as long as larki & larka raazi, tou kiya karey ga qazi...just have sex as much as you want and who or what you want with. it's all cool as long as it is mutually consensual...or else it might be hurtful & criminal and might take you to the prison. Period.
beside that, the above posted novel is from a site which is a disguise and just a personal interpretation of the holy scriptures of Islam by some mullah, gotta lynch him....anyone can make up things like that...and will someone give a rat's ass?
Shams
-
Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
Shams, you know, you've just revived the Halloween spirit to the max. anyways, first of all, make sure to get the consent from the owner of that poor animal or survivor of the dead person that you're gonna hump on... also check the legal jurisdictions in your area regarding that and if you cannot get that and if you really wanna get laid with a bear, horse, dog, donkey, lion or giraffe, go to African safari. Plus be aware of wild rabies that you might get thru those beasts and/or may get killed by the relatives of the dead person(s). By 'what' I was just suggesting a velvet or satin sofa or pillow, cushion or something, but oh well, I underestimated you...
Does vaccine turn girls into guinea pigs?
Bishop Fred Henry
For The Calgary Herald
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
First of all, I want to make it clear that, in the case of minors, parents must decide whether or not their child is to be vaccinated against the human papilloma virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts.
A Catholic institution has a different responsibility -- to live faithfully its mission and teaching. To witness to the teaching and values of Jesus Christ requires sound moral reflection and judgment.
In some instances, given the complexity of an issue, after due consideration and prayer, parents may opt for a plan of action that is not endorsed by the Catholic school board.
Judgments of what is right or wrong are ethical or moral decisions. The Catholic moral tradition develops through prayer, study, reflection and the recognition of the Holy Spirit at work through various sources. Such sources include health and social service providers, the experience of the Christian community, moral theologians, bishops, church teaching and sacred Scripture. No source of knowledge pertinent to the issue at hand should be neglected.
Some of the values and principles that direct ethical decision-making and that enable us to respond to the call to respect dignity, promote justice and foster trust are: the dignity of every human person, stewardship and creativity, respect for life and the common good.
Reactions to the government's plan are very mixed and involve moral issues.
First of all, are we confident that this vaccine is safe to administer to young girls? Many, including Dr. Diane M. Harper, a lead researcher, scientist, physician, professor and former director of Gynecological Cancer Prevention Research Group at Dartmouth Medical School have stated: "This vaccine should not be mandated for 11-year-old girls. . . . It's not been tested in little girls for efficacy. At 11, these girls don't get cervical cancer -- they won't know for 25 years if they will get cervical cancer. Giving it to 11-year-olds is a great big public health experiment."
In 2007 Maclean's magazine published a five-page cover story suggesting adoption of the Gardasil vaccine would make "guinea pigs" of Canadian girls.
Why is Alberta opting for a mass vaccination of girls in grades 5 and 9? Other provinces have picked different grades. Is there a secret or unannounced government plan to administer this vaccine each year, so that we will eventually catch up to those currently in Grade 9? What about those currently in grades 10, 11, and 12? Is it simply a matter of convenience and economics to administer several vaccines at the same time?
Contrary to those who state that the vaccine is safe with very few side-effects and merely cite temporary soreness at the site of the injection, the U.S. Judicial Watch organization and the Vaccination Risk Awareness Network report a wide spectrum of reported adverse reactions.
Secondly, this vaccine is different than other commonly accepted vaccines in that HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. The vaccine may only be potentially effective to address the risk of physical health, and would not address a young person's spiritual, emotional or moral health
Furthermore, if a disease is preventable by other means, especially natural means, then surely it makes sense to employ those means. Catholic moral teaching affirms that the gift of sexual intercourse belongs to the covenanted relationship of marriage.
Consequently, parents, physicians, educators and governing bodies should adopt a health-oriented approach that addresses sexual attitudes and behaviours recommending delayed genital sexual activity. We should teach critical thinking skills; provide factual information and guidelines as needed; teach right from wrong; and equip our youth for proper decision-making. A school-based approach to vaccination runs the risk of sending at least an implicit message that early sexual intercourse is allowed, as long as one uses "protection."
The popular wisdom these days insists that because we can't stop our children from engaging in premarital sex, and because such sex can be dangerous and have bad effects, we should do everything we can to protect our youngsters by vaccinating them against the HPV virus. The vaccine, we are assured, will decrease cervical cancer in a simple, straightforward way. If parents love their children, they will surely see to it that they have "protection."
This argument, widely accepted in all strata of our society, relies on a seriously flawed understanding of what love really means. We need only consider a related example to see this flaw clearly. If our children decide that they are going to play hopscotch on a busy street, in the midst of high-speed traffic, would we be manifesting our love for them by giving them helmets to place over their heads for "protection", or would real love involve pulling them off the street and insisting they learn abstinence from hopscotch in high-speed traffic areas?
Respecting the God-given designs for our sexuality and struggling toward sexual self-mastery is one of the great challenges of our age, and probably of every age. Arguments in favour of widespread availability of the HPV vaccine are emblematic of a collective loss of nerve in the face of powerful libertine pressures within our culture.
Thirdly, why is the Alberta government willing to spend millions ($380 per person or more) on this vaccine with the distinct possibility that booster shots, at additional costs to the taxpayers, may be needed in the future? Given all the above, would it make more sense to allocate those resources to palliative care or mental health, which remain grossly underfunded in Alberta?
From a moral point of view, the answer is quite clear. If the vaccines are to be offered, they should be given in health centres or clinics, recreational or community centres but not in Catholic schools. The province for its part should pay for such vaccinations.
Fred Henry is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Calgary.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Bishop Fred Henry
For The Calgary Herald
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
First of all, I want to make it clear that, in the case of minors, parents must decide whether or not their child is to be vaccinated against the human papilloma virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts.
A Catholic institution has a different responsibility -- to live faithfully its mission and teaching. To witness to the teaching and values of Jesus Christ requires sound moral reflection and judgment.
In some instances, given the complexity of an issue, after due consideration and prayer, parents may opt for a plan of action that is not endorsed by the Catholic school board.
Judgments of what is right or wrong are ethical or moral decisions. The Catholic moral tradition develops through prayer, study, reflection and the recognition of the Holy Spirit at work through various sources. Such sources include health and social service providers, the experience of the Christian community, moral theologians, bishops, church teaching and sacred Scripture. No source of knowledge pertinent to the issue at hand should be neglected.
Some of the values and principles that direct ethical decision-making and that enable us to respond to the call to respect dignity, promote justice and foster trust are: the dignity of every human person, stewardship and creativity, respect for life and the common good.
Reactions to the government's plan are very mixed and involve moral issues.
First of all, are we confident that this vaccine is safe to administer to young girls? Many, including Dr. Diane M. Harper, a lead researcher, scientist, physician, professor and former director of Gynecological Cancer Prevention Research Group at Dartmouth Medical School have stated: "This vaccine should not be mandated for 11-year-old girls. . . . It's not been tested in little girls for efficacy. At 11, these girls don't get cervical cancer -- they won't know for 25 years if they will get cervical cancer. Giving it to 11-year-olds is a great big public health experiment."
In 2007 Maclean's magazine published a five-page cover story suggesting adoption of the Gardasil vaccine would make "guinea pigs" of Canadian girls.
Why is Alberta opting for a mass vaccination of girls in grades 5 and 9? Other provinces have picked different grades. Is there a secret or unannounced government plan to administer this vaccine each year, so that we will eventually catch up to those currently in Grade 9? What about those currently in grades 10, 11, and 12? Is it simply a matter of convenience and economics to administer several vaccines at the same time?
Contrary to those who state that the vaccine is safe with very few side-effects and merely cite temporary soreness at the site of the injection, the U.S. Judicial Watch organization and the Vaccination Risk Awareness Network report a wide spectrum of reported adverse reactions.
Secondly, this vaccine is different than other commonly accepted vaccines in that HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. The vaccine may only be potentially effective to address the risk of physical health, and would not address a young person's spiritual, emotional or moral health
Furthermore, if a disease is preventable by other means, especially natural means, then surely it makes sense to employ those means. Catholic moral teaching affirms that the gift of sexual intercourse belongs to the covenanted relationship of marriage.
Consequently, parents, physicians, educators and governing bodies should adopt a health-oriented approach that addresses sexual attitudes and behaviours recommending delayed genital sexual activity. We should teach critical thinking skills; provide factual information and guidelines as needed; teach right from wrong; and equip our youth for proper decision-making. A school-based approach to vaccination runs the risk of sending at least an implicit message that early sexual intercourse is allowed, as long as one uses "protection."
The popular wisdom these days insists that because we can't stop our children from engaging in premarital sex, and because such sex can be dangerous and have bad effects, we should do everything we can to protect our youngsters by vaccinating them against the HPV virus. The vaccine, we are assured, will decrease cervical cancer in a simple, straightforward way. If parents love their children, they will surely see to it that they have "protection."
This argument, widely accepted in all strata of our society, relies on a seriously flawed understanding of what love really means. We need only consider a related example to see this flaw clearly. If our children decide that they are going to play hopscotch on a busy street, in the midst of high-speed traffic, would we be manifesting our love for them by giving them helmets to place over their heads for "protection", or would real love involve pulling them off the street and insisting they learn abstinence from hopscotch in high-speed traffic areas?
Respecting the God-given designs for our sexuality and struggling toward sexual self-mastery is one of the great challenges of our age, and probably of every age. Arguments in favour of widespread availability of the HPV vaccine are emblematic of a collective loss of nerve in the face of powerful libertine pressures within our culture.
Thirdly, why is the Alberta government willing to spend millions ($380 per person or more) on this vaccine with the distinct possibility that booster shots, at additional costs to the taxpayers, may be needed in the future? Given all the above, would it make more sense to allocate those resources to palliative care or mental health, which remain grossly underfunded in Alberta?
From a moral point of view, the answer is quite clear. If the vaccines are to be offered, they should be given in health centres or clinics, recreational or community centres but not in Catholic schools. The province for its part should pay for such vaccinations.
Fred Henry is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Calgary.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Here's my response - The Imam said it best in 1976Mehreen1221 wrote:Shams, you know, you've just revived the Halloween spirit to the max. anyways, first of all, make sure to get the consent from the owner of that poor animal or survivor of the dead person that you're gonna hump on... also check the legal jurisdictions in your area regarding that and if you cannot get that and if you really wanna get laid with a bear, horse, dog, donkey, lion or giraffe, go to African safari. Plus be aware of wild rabies that you might get thru those beasts and/or may get killed by the relatives of the dead person(s). By 'what' I was just suggesting a velvet or satin sofa or pillow, cushion or something, but oh well, I underestimated you...
"I have observed in the Western world a deeply changing pattern of human relations. The anchors of moral behaviour appear to have dragged to such depths that they no longer hold firm the ship of life. What was once wrong is now simply unconventional, and for the sake of individual freedom must be tolerated. What is tolerated soon becomes accepted. Contrarily, what was once right is now viewed as outdated, old-fashioned and is often the target of ridicule. "
Seerat Conference, Karachi, Pakistan
Friday, 12th March 1976.
Shams
-
Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
of course, His Highness' words are like the words of God and therefore the correct interpretation of those words is as important and vital.
In my opinion, the sexual matters and manners are pretty much universal and not bound with borders or other limitations. just use the common sense in ay given society yo live in and it's all good. you don't have to dig into the religion and look for fatwas from some wanna be Amir-ul- Momineen. unfortunately, there are too many of those out there. more than half of the crap from kmaherali's post is impractical in today's world and contrary to Islamic teachings. this can be debated further but I m not in mood and BTW, my last post was just a little sarcastic...not serious. Peace!
In my opinion, the sexual matters and manners are pretty much universal and not bound with borders or other limitations. just use the common sense in ay given society yo live in and it's all good. you don't have to dig into the religion and look for fatwas from some wanna be Amir-ul- Momineen. unfortunately, there are too many of those out there. more than half of the crap from kmaherali's post is impractical in today's world and contrary to Islamic teachings. this can be debated further but I m not in mood and BTW, my last post was just a little sarcastic...not serious. Peace!
There is a difference between mood and ability.Mehreen1221 wrote:of course, His Highness' words are like the words of God and therefore the correct interpretation of those words is as important and vital.
In my opinion, the sexual matters and manners are pretty much universal and not bound with borders or other limitations. just use the common sense in ay given society yo live in and it's all good. you don't have to dig into the religion and look for fatwas from some wanna be Amir-ul- Momineen. unfortunately, there are too many of those out there. more than half of the crap from kmaherali's post is impractical in today's world and contrary to Islamic teachings. this can be debated further but I m not in mood and BTW, my last post was just a little sarcastic...not serious. Peace!
And in regards to "His Highness'" words as well as a wannabe Amir-ul-Momineen - in case you have not noticed - this is ismaili.net
Not Left Wing Sunni.net or repressed Sunni.net.
Shams
-
Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
November 3, 2008, 3:58 pm
Behind the Statistics on TV and Teen Pregnancy
By Tara Parker-Pope
A scene from The CW Network’s “Gossip Girl.” (Giovanni Rufino/The CW)
A new study making headlines today suggests teenage girls and boys who watch a lot of steamy television are more likely to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy.
But a closer look at the data shows the relationship between television, sexual content and teen pregnancies is complex. The same study, published today in Pediatrics, also found that teens who watch a lot of television in general are less likely to become pregnant.
How can that be? The answer may be that kids who watch a lot of television obviously aren’t out dating and socializing with friends. So as unhealthy as it may be to spend hours in front of a screen, the behavior appears to be oddly protective against teen pregnancy.
The link between television and teen pregnancy only shows up when a high proportion of the television shows watched by a teen are filled with sexual content. When most of the television a teen watches is sexual in nature, risk for teen pregnancy doubles compared to kids who watch little or no sexually-themed television.
The study only shows an association between steamy TV and teen pregnancy, which means some other factor may be influencing the data. It could be that shows like “Gossip Girl” and “Degrassi High,” with their depictions of casual, consequence-free sex, prompt sexually active teens to have more partners or to be less careful about birth control. Or it may be that kids prone to risky or problem behavior also are more attracted to shows with high sexual content.
While the answer isn’t clear, the study findings do suggest that parents should be aware of what kids are watching on television and be ready to offer an alternate viewpoint.
“If the type of sexual portrayals that teens see on TV are the only messages they’re getting about sex, then they’re likely to approach sexual relationships in a way that might not be the healthiest way,” said Steven Martino, study co-author and a behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation, the nonprofit health care research firm that conducted the study. “It’s important to talk to them about that and see how they’re reacting, and offer other perspectives to them about sex that they might not be getting on television.”
****
Sexy TV linked to pregnancy in teens
Media diet of kids 12 to 17 influences sexual behaviour
Andrew Stern
Reuters
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Exposure to some forms of entertainment is a corrupting influence on children, leading teens who watch sexy programs into early pregnancies and children who play violent video games to adopt aggressive behaviour, researchers said Monday.
Researchers at the RAND research organization said their three-year study was the first to link viewing of racy television programming with risky sexual behaviour by teens.
"Our findings suggest that television may play a significant role in the high rates of teenage pregnancy in the United States," said Anita Chandra, a behavioral scientist who led the research at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.
"We're not saying we're establishing causation, but we are saying this is one factor that we were able to prospectively link to the teen pregnancy outcome," Chandra said.
The researchers recruited adolescents aged 12 to 17 and surveyed them three times between 2001 and 2004, asking about television viewing habits, sexual behavior and pregnancy.
In findings that covered 718 teenagers, there were 91 pregnancies. The top 10th of adolescents who watched the most sexy programming were at double the risk of becoming pregnant or causing a pregnancy compared to the 10th who watched the fewest such programs, according to the study published in the journal Pediatrics.
The study focused on 23 free and cable television programs popular among teenagers including situation comedies, dramas, reality programs and animated shows. Comedies had the most sexual content and reality programs the least.
"The television content we see very rarely highlights the negative aspects of sex or the risks and responsibilities," Chandra said. "So if teens are getting any information about sex they're rarely getting information about pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases."
Teen pregnancy rates in the United States have declined sharply since 1991 but remain high compared to other industrialized nations. Nearly one million girls aged 15 to 19 years old become pregnant yearly, or about 20 per cent of sexually active females in that age group. Most of the pregnancies were unplanned, the report said.
Young mothers are more likely to quit school, require public assistance and live in poverty, it said.
"Television is just one part of a teenager's media diet that helps to influence their behaviour. We should also look at the roles that magazines, the Internet and music play in teens' reproductive health," Chandra said, acknowledging still other factors can influence teen sex habits.
Living in a two-parent family reduced the chances of a teen getting pregnant or causing a pregnancy.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Behind the Statistics on TV and Teen Pregnancy
By Tara Parker-Pope
A scene from The CW Network’s “Gossip Girl.” (Giovanni Rufino/The CW)
A new study making headlines today suggests teenage girls and boys who watch a lot of steamy television are more likely to become pregnant or cause a pregnancy.
But a closer look at the data shows the relationship between television, sexual content and teen pregnancies is complex. The same study, published today in Pediatrics, also found that teens who watch a lot of television in general are less likely to become pregnant.
How can that be? The answer may be that kids who watch a lot of television obviously aren’t out dating and socializing with friends. So as unhealthy as it may be to spend hours in front of a screen, the behavior appears to be oddly protective against teen pregnancy.
The link between television and teen pregnancy only shows up when a high proportion of the television shows watched by a teen are filled with sexual content. When most of the television a teen watches is sexual in nature, risk for teen pregnancy doubles compared to kids who watch little or no sexually-themed television.
The study only shows an association between steamy TV and teen pregnancy, which means some other factor may be influencing the data. It could be that shows like “Gossip Girl” and “Degrassi High,” with their depictions of casual, consequence-free sex, prompt sexually active teens to have more partners or to be less careful about birth control. Or it may be that kids prone to risky or problem behavior also are more attracted to shows with high sexual content.
While the answer isn’t clear, the study findings do suggest that parents should be aware of what kids are watching on television and be ready to offer an alternate viewpoint.
“If the type of sexual portrayals that teens see on TV are the only messages they’re getting about sex, then they’re likely to approach sexual relationships in a way that might not be the healthiest way,” said Steven Martino, study co-author and a behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation, the nonprofit health care research firm that conducted the study. “It’s important to talk to them about that and see how they’re reacting, and offer other perspectives to them about sex that they might not be getting on television.”
****
Sexy TV linked to pregnancy in teens
Media diet of kids 12 to 17 influences sexual behaviour
Andrew Stern
Reuters
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Exposure to some forms of entertainment is a corrupting influence on children, leading teens who watch sexy programs into early pregnancies and children who play violent video games to adopt aggressive behaviour, researchers said Monday.
Researchers at the RAND research organization said their three-year study was the first to link viewing of racy television programming with risky sexual behaviour by teens.
"Our findings suggest that television may play a significant role in the high rates of teenage pregnancy in the United States," said Anita Chandra, a behavioral scientist who led the research at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.
"We're not saying we're establishing causation, but we are saying this is one factor that we were able to prospectively link to the teen pregnancy outcome," Chandra said.
The researchers recruited adolescents aged 12 to 17 and surveyed them three times between 2001 and 2004, asking about television viewing habits, sexual behavior and pregnancy.
In findings that covered 718 teenagers, there were 91 pregnancies. The top 10th of adolescents who watched the most sexy programming were at double the risk of becoming pregnant or causing a pregnancy compared to the 10th who watched the fewest such programs, according to the study published in the journal Pediatrics.
The study focused on 23 free and cable television programs popular among teenagers including situation comedies, dramas, reality programs and animated shows. Comedies had the most sexual content and reality programs the least.
"The television content we see very rarely highlights the negative aspects of sex or the risks and responsibilities," Chandra said. "So if teens are getting any information about sex they're rarely getting information about pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases."
Teen pregnancy rates in the United States have declined sharply since 1991 but remain high compared to other industrialized nations. Nearly one million girls aged 15 to 19 years old become pregnant yearly, or about 20 per cent of sexually active females in that age group. Most of the pregnancies were unplanned, the report said.
Young mothers are more likely to quit school, require public assistance and live in poverty, it said.
"Television is just one part of a teenager's media diet that helps to influence their behaviour. We should also look at the roles that magazines, the Internet and music play in teens' reproductive health," Chandra said, acknowledging still other factors can influence teen sex habits.
Living in a two-parent family reduced the chances of a teen getting pregnant or causing a pregnancy.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
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From_Alamut
- Posts: 666
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:22 am
Solutions to Sexual Problems For Mehreen1221
A Woman interview with "The Body's Community Center", who got a HIV disease by having sex with various men.
Shelley Singer
Age: 49
Home: Los Angeles, Calif.
Diagnosed: 1997
Reference:
http://www.thebody.com/content/art47174.html
More Info and interview on other women who has got too dangerous HIV disease, AID and Virus,etc through SEX....
http://www.thebody.com/content/art45914.html
Shelley Singer
Age: 49
Home: Los Angeles, Calif.
Diagnosed: 1997
Reference:
http://www.thebody.com/content/art47174.html
More Info and interview on other women who has got too dangerous HIV disease, AID and Virus,etc through SEX....
http://www.thebody.com/content/art45914.html
No sex for a third of Japan's couples
Reuters
Thursday, November 13, 2008
More than a third of married couples in Japan have stopped having sex, many of them because they are too tired or just can't be bothered, a government-backed medical researcher said on Wednesday.
About 37 per cent of couples surveyed this year by Kunio Kitamura, head of the Japan Family Planning Association, said they had not had sex for at least a month, compared with 32 per cent in 2004.
The most common reason, given by a quarter of the males surveyed, was being too tired after work, while 19 per cent of women said sex was too much of a hassle, he told Reuters.
"It's a question of work-life balance," Kitamura said. "This is not something that the individual can tackle alone. The people who run companies need to do something about it."
His written survey involved 647 men and 821 women aged up to 49, who are married. The trend could have serious consequences for Japan, whose falling birth rate and aging population are continuing headaches for the government.
The average number of children born to a Japanese woman in her lifetime was 1.34 in 2007, compared with 2.1 in the United States in 2006.
Kitamura said doctors may also be partly to blame for Japan's negative attitudes toward sex during pregnancy or after giving birth.
He is set to report to the Ministry of Health next year on his findings.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
Reuters
Thursday, November 13, 2008
More than a third of married couples in Japan have stopped having sex, many of them because they are too tired or just can't be bothered, a government-backed medical researcher said on Wednesday.
About 37 per cent of couples surveyed this year by Kunio Kitamura, head of the Japan Family Planning Association, said they had not had sex for at least a month, compared with 32 per cent in 2004.
The most common reason, given by a quarter of the males surveyed, was being too tired after work, while 19 per cent of women said sex was too much of a hassle, he told Reuters.
"It's a question of work-life balance," Kitamura said. "This is not something that the individual can tackle alone. The people who run companies need to do something about it."
His written survey involved 647 men and 821 women aged up to 49, who are married. The trend could have serious consequences for Japan, whose falling birth rate and aging population are continuing headaches for the government.
The average number of children born to a Japanese woman in her lifetime was 1.34 in 2007, compared with 2.1 in the United States in 2006.
Kitamura said doctors may also be partly to blame for Japan's negative attitudes toward sex during pregnancy or after giving birth.
He is set to report to the Ministry of Health next year on his findings.
© The Calgary Herald 2008
-
Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
I think, you can get infected of HIV/AIDS by having unprotected sex even with only one person if that person is infected by the HIV virus...but you can not get infected of HIV/AIDS even if you have unprotected sex with multiple partners but they are not infected...sex is not that causes it...it is just the vehicle through that HIV/AIDS virus spreads...HIV virus can also spread by sharing infected syringes and even the smallest amount of blood and other bodily fluids transfusion.
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kjiwani786
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:34 pm
-
Mehreen1221
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:02 pm
- Location: London, England
- Contact:
Abstinent from what? Sex?? OHMYGOD! That is like abstinent from breathing …at least for me…LOL…I am not sure if you mean what I think you mean about sex?
I think, injecting drugs is not the cause of the virus to spread but using the HIV/AIDS infected syringes for whatever purpose will most likely cause HIV/AIDS to spread… the syringe or any other tool has to be infected by the virus/bacteria to spread it…
I think, injecting drugs is not the cause of the virus to spread but using the HIV/AIDS infected syringes for whatever purpose will most likely cause HIV/AIDS to spread… the syringe or any other tool has to be infected by the virus/bacteria to spread it…
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kjiwani786
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:34 pm
I refer to permiscuous sex involving multiple partners. For argument's sake, let's remove the element of the actual deed. if one person is infected, being with multiple partners is spreading that virus. In fact, in Canada people have been charged because they intentionally had unprotected sex when they knew they were infected with the AIDS virus. As for syringe use, I don't know whether you have an idealistic view of society or really bad hospitals. But besides injecting heroin or other drugs, when are people going to be sharing needles. If they didn't do drugs in the first place, or sleep around with partners without knowing their history, HIV would have died out. There's a reason why we are supposed to wait until we're married and be monogamous, and its starting to become very obvious.
INJECTIONS TARGET TEEN PREGNANCY RATES
Contraceptive drug promotes unsafe sex: critics
JULIE HENRY
THE TELEGRAPH LONDON
Girls as young as 13 will be pressed to have contraceptive injections under British government plans "urgently" to reduce teenage pregnancy rates.
Government ministers have ordered council and health authority chief executives to increase the uptake of "long-acting" contraception in teenage pregnancy "hot spots."
The government also wants more school-based clinics to administer the jabs, which can make girls infertile for up to three months.
Teenagers will be able to receive the injections or implants without their parents' knowledge.
Critics gave warning that the controversial move would promote promiscuity and that injections and implants would not protect against the rampant spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Some health experts also say that the drugs are unsuitable for girls who are
still growing.
In letters demanding "urgent action to accelerate progress to the 2010 (teenage pregnancy) target", health and education ministers tell the heads of councils and primary care trusts to establish more "school-based contraception clinics" and bring about "an overall increase in the uptake of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)."
The documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that 21 local authorities where teenage pregnancy rates have stagnated or risen have been singled out and have been told to push the injections and implants.
The letter received by Stoke-on-Trent city council says: "A key priority over the next six months is the roll-out of school based services and further development of young people's sexual health services. This needs to include, as a priority, the provision of long-acting contraception to ensure all young people have the choice of effective contraception."
But some health specialists oppose the move. Dr. Hans Christian Raabe, a general practitioner and medical co-or-dinator of the Council for Health and Wholeness, a Christian organization, said: "Using them over long periods might have an impact on bone growth.
"The other issue is it gives an impression of safety that is not there. Girls will think 'Nothing can happen to me because I can't get pregnant.' But the rates of sexually transmuted diseases are frightening. There has been an explosion and yet young people are given a false sense of security."
@calgary Herald
Contraceptive drug promotes unsafe sex: critics
JULIE HENRY
THE TELEGRAPH LONDON
Girls as young as 13 will be pressed to have contraceptive injections under British government plans "urgently" to reduce teenage pregnancy rates.
Government ministers have ordered council and health authority chief executives to increase the uptake of "long-acting" contraception in teenage pregnancy "hot spots."
The government also wants more school-based clinics to administer the jabs, which can make girls infertile for up to three months.
Teenagers will be able to receive the injections or implants without their parents' knowledge.
Critics gave warning that the controversial move would promote promiscuity and that injections and implants would not protect against the rampant spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Some health experts also say that the drugs are unsuitable for girls who are
still growing.
In letters demanding "urgent action to accelerate progress to the 2010 (teenage pregnancy) target", health and education ministers tell the heads of councils and primary care trusts to establish more "school-based contraception clinics" and bring about "an overall increase in the uptake of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)."
The documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that 21 local authorities where teenage pregnancy rates have stagnated or risen have been singled out and have been told to push the injections and implants.
The letter received by Stoke-on-Trent city council says: "A key priority over the next six months is the roll-out of school based services and further development of young people's sexual health services. This needs to include, as a priority, the provision of long-acting contraception to ensure all young people have the choice of effective contraception."
But some health specialists oppose the move. Dr. Hans Christian Raabe, a general practitioner and medical co-or-dinator of the Council for Health and Wholeness, a Christian organization, said: "Using them over long periods might have an impact on bone growth.
"The other issue is it gives an impression of safety that is not there. Girls will think 'Nothing can happen to me because I can't get pregnant.' But the rates of sexually transmuted diseases are frightening. There has been an explosion and yet young people are given a false sense of security."
@calgary Herald
One in five U.S. teens has had 'tech sex': study
December 11, 2008 12:01 PM
Miley "Hannah Montana" Cyrus found herself in hot water recently for some revealing photos the teen idol sent to a friend.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/five+teens ... story.html
Photograph by : Bryan BedderWASHINGTON - One in five U.S. teens has sent nude or partially clothed images of themselves to someone by email or mobile phone and twice as many have sent sexually suggestive electronic messages, a poll showed Wednesday.
And American youngsters aged 13-19 are having tech-sex despite a majority of them saying it could have "serious negative consequences" on them, the survey commissioned by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (NCTUP) showed.
More than half of the 1,280 teens and young adults up to age 26 who took part in the online poll, conducted in September and October, said they had received a sexually suggestive message from someone else -- and one in five said they had shared the racy message with a third person.
Eight in 10 teens said they would be concerned about sending a sexy image of themselves or racy message because they "might regret it later," while nearly 70 per cent said they were worried it could "disappoint family."
Where teen tech-sex gives real rise to concern among adults, said NCTUP, is that more than one-third of teens (38 per cent) say exchanging sexy content makes dating or physical sex with others more likely, and three in 10 say those who exchange sexually suggestive content are "expected to hook up."
"That so many young people say technology is encouraging an even more casual, hook-up culture is reason for concern, given the high rates of teen and unplanned pregnancy in the United States," said Marisa Nightingale, senior advisor to NCTUP.
Although teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States have dropped by one-third since the 1990s, they remain high compared to other developed countries and carry high costs to the teens involved, their children and society, NCPTUP said in a report published last year.
"The U.S. birth rate of 41 per 1,000 in 2004 was much higher than Canada's 14 (in 2003), England and Wales' 27 (the highest rate in Western Europe), Japan's six and the Netherlands' five (the lowest rate in Western Europe)," said NCTUP's "Emerging Answers" report, published in November 2007.
More than 30 per cent of girls in the United States become pregnant before they reach age 20, and many become pregnant a second time before their 20th birthday, according to NCTUP.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of all 15- to 19-year-olds in the United States have had sex at least once.
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
December 11, 2008 12:01 PM
Miley "Hannah Montana" Cyrus found herself in hot water recently for some revealing photos the teen idol sent to a friend.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/five+teens ... story.html
Photograph by : Bryan BedderWASHINGTON - One in five U.S. teens has sent nude or partially clothed images of themselves to someone by email or mobile phone and twice as many have sent sexually suggestive electronic messages, a poll showed Wednesday.
And American youngsters aged 13-19 are having tech-sex despite a majority of them saying it could have "serious negative consequences" on them, the survey commissioned by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (NCTUP) showed.
More than half of the 1,280 teens and young adults up to age 26 who took part in the online poll, conducted in September and October, said they had received a sexually suggestive message from someone else -- and one in five said they had shared the racy message with a third person.
Eight in 10 teens said they would be concerned about sending a sexy image of themselves or racy message because they "might regret it later," while nearly 70 per cent said they were worried it could "disappoint family."
Where teen tech-sex gives real rise to concern among adults, said NCTUP, is that more than one-third of teens (38 per cent) say exchanging sexy content makes dating or physical sex with others more likely, and three in 10 say those who exchange sexually suggestive content are "expected to hook up."
"That so many young people say technology is encouraging an even more casual, hook-up culture is reason for concern, given the high rates of teen and unplanned pregnancy in the United States," said Marisa Nightingale, senior advisor to NCTUP.
Although teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States have dropped by one-third since the 1990s, they remain high compared to other developed countries and carry high costs to the teens involved, their children and society, NCPTUP said in a report published last year.
"The U.S. birth rate of 41 per 1,000 in 2004 was much higher than Canada's 14 (in 2003), England and Wales' 27 (the highest rate in Western Europe), Japan's six and the Netherlands' five (the lowest rate in Western Europe)," said NCTUP's "Emerging Answers" report, published in November 2007.
More than 30 per cent of girls in the United States become pregnant before they reach age 20, and many become pregnant a second time before their 20th birthday, according to NCTUP.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of all 15- to 19-year-olds in the United States have had sex at least once.
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
-
From_Alamut
- Posts: 666
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:22 am
Treatment of The Kissing Disease
Mono or Infectious Mononucleosis: Treatment of The Kissing Disease
Mono or mononucleosis, also called the kissing disease, is named after its transmission via infected saliva. However, this disease is not as funny as the name implies. The virus that causes it is Epstein-Barr, or EBV virus. It is possible to transmit the virus by less exciting routes, such as sneezing and coughing. Moreover, the consequences can be less than amusing. Besides the standard swollen glands and sore throat, which can be severe, the long-lasting weakness and fatigue that follow can be a trying experience. What is even neater is that there is no cure for mononucleosis by the hallowed halls of modern medicine. Doctors just tell patients to go home, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquid, and wait as the only treatment, but could this be true?
What is mono?
Infectious mononucleosis, mono, kissing disease, and glandular fever are all popular terms for the very common illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus or EBV. This is a member of the herpes-virus family. By the time most people reach adulthood, an antibody against EBV is commonly present in their blood. In the U.S., up to 95% of adults aged 35-40 have antibodies directed against EBV in their blood. This means that most people have, at some point in their lives, had infection with EBV.
The designation mononucleosis refers to an increase in a special type of white blood cells called lymphocytes in the bloodstream, relative to the other blood components, because of the EBV infection. Mono is common in adolescents and young adults, with a peak incidence at ages 15-17. However, it is a common infection in children as well. Generally, the illness is less severe in young children and may mimic the symptoms of other common childhood illnesses. This may explain why it is not so easy to diagnose or recognize it in the younger age group. While there are other illnesses falling under the broad classification of “mononucleosis” that cause similar symptoms and an increase in blood lymphocytes, the form caused by the EBV is by far the most common in the world.
How is mononucleosis spread?
Mono is easy to spread by person-to-person contact, where saliva is the primary method of transmission. Infectious mononucleosis developed its common name of “kissing disease” from this prevalent form of transmission among teenagers. A person with mononucleosis can also pass the disease by coughing or sneezing, suspending small droplets of infected saliva and mucus in the air to be inhaled by others. Sharing food or beverages from the same container or utensil can also transfer the virus from one person to another, since contact with infected saliva may result. Most people are exposed to the virus as children, and developed immunity. In fact, those who expose themselves to the EBV usually do not ever develop mononucleosis.
The incubation period for mononucleosis refers to the time from the initial viral infection until the appearance of symptoms. This period is between four and six weeks. During an infection, a person is likely able to transmit the virus to others for a few weeks. Researches have shown that anywhere from 20 to 80 percent of people who have had mononucleosis and have recovered continue to secrete the EBV in their saliva. This goes on for years due to periodic reactivations of the viral infection. Since healthy people without symptoms also secrete the virus during reactivation episodes throughout their lifetime, isolation of infected mono patients is not necessary. Moreover, some doctors believe that some healthy people who nevertheless secrete EBV particles are the primary reservoirs for transmission of EBV among humans.
What are the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis?
The initial symptoms of mono are general lack of energy (malaise), loss of appetite, and chills. These initial symptoms can last from one to three days before more intense symptoms of the illness begin. The more common intense symptoms include severe sore throat, fever, and swollen glands or lymph nodes in the neck area. Generally, the severe sore throat prompts people to contact their doctor. In addition, a fever from 102 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit is the most common sign of mono.
The tonsils have a whitish coating in at least one third of the cases of mononucleosis. The spleen, which is the body’s biggest lymph node, is an organ found in the left upper abdomen underneath the ribcage. It swells and enlarges in about 50% of patients with infectious mononucleosis. An enlarged liver may also occur, and about 5% of patients have a splotchy red rash over the body, similar in appearance to the measles rash.
How to diagnose mononucleosis
The diagnosis of mono is based on these symptoms and signs. It is possible to confirm mono by blood tests while testing to exclude other possible causes of the symptoms. Early in the course of the illness, blood tests show an increase in a type of white blood cells. Some of these increased lymphocytes are unusual lymphocytes, which suggest infectious mononucleosis. More specific testing, such as the monospot and heterophile antibody tests, can confirm the diagnosis. These tests rely on the body’s immune system to make measurable antibodies against the EBV that provoke this infection. Unfortunately, the antibodies may not become detectable until the second or third week of this illness. A blood chemistry test can reveal abnormalities in liver function. Your doctor should also consider testing to exclude the possibility of a strep throat.
Treatment of the kissing disease
In most cases of infectious mononucleosis, no specific treatment is necessary. The illness is usually self-limited and passes much the way other common viral illnesses resolve; available antiviral drugs have no significant effect on the overall outcome and may actually prolong the course of the illness. Occasionally a strep throat occurs in conjunction with mono, and is best treated with penicillin or erythromycin. Ampicillin and amoxicillin should be avoided, since up to 90% of patients with kissing disease develop a rash when taking these medications. Acetaminophen could also help with fever and any aching of the body or head.
A sufficient amount of sleep and rest is also an important aspect of treatment for the kissing disease. The throat soreness is worst during the first five to seven days of the illness, and then subsides over the next seven to ten days; the swollen tender glands generally subside by the third week. A feeling of fatigue or tiredness may persist for months following the acute phase of the kissing disease.
It would be good to avoid participation in any contact sports during the first six to eight weeks following the onset to prevent trauma to the enlarged spleen. The spleen is susceptible to rupture, which can be life-threatening condition. Cortisone medication helps treat severely swollen tonsils or throat tissues which threaten to obstruct breathing. Patients can continue to show virus particles present in their saliva for as long as 18 months after the initial infection with Epstein-Barr virus. When symptoms persist for more than six months, the condition is designated a chronic EBV infection. However, laboratory tests generally cannot confirm continued active EBV infection in people with a chronic mono infection. You could try injections of vitamin B-12, which showed improvement in infectious mononucleosis therapy. You could also ask your doctor to use B-12 supplements under the tongue, which are SL, or sub-lingual form.
During infectious mononucleosis, the appetite can be down, and absorption may worsen, so highly nutrient dense food is important. The easiest way to get that done is using the green foods such as spirulina, chlorella, barley green, or other similar products. Vitamin C is something you must take during mono infection. To strengthen the body as fast as possible, a complete B-complex supplement makes sense. These nutrients are intimately involved in energy production in the body and work together in their biochemical reactions. If you want to cover all the bases alpha lipoic acid (ALA), can be very helpful. It is the only antioxidant that is both water- and fat-soluble. It is also considered an anti-aging nutrient. That is why many doctors would recommend you not just lie in bed if mono strikes. You must know that you are not helpless in this situation, so get proactive and head this pest off as soon as possible.
Complications of the kissing disease
A common, but usually not serious, complication of mononucleosis is a mild inflammation of the liver, called hepatitis. This form of hepatitis is rarely serious or requires any treatment. Also, enlargement of the spleen that occurs with mono makes traumatic rupture of the spleen a possible complication and a serious consequence.
Fortunately, the more severe complications of infectious mononucleosis are quite rare. These include inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis), the heart muscle (myocarditis), and the brain (encephalitis). It could also lead to the destruction of red blood cells, a condition famous as hemolytic anemia. However, mono tends to be more aggressive in patients with abnormal immune systems, such as AIDS patients or patients who have had organ transplants.
Reference
http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/Mo ... 5_f34.html
Mono or mononucleosis, also called the kissing disease, is named after its transmission via infected saliva. However, this disease is not as funny as the name implies. The virus that causes it is Epstein-Barr, or EBV virus. It is possible to transmit the virus by less exciting routes, such as sneezing and coughing. Moreover, the consequences can be less than amusing. Besides the standard swollen glands and sore throat, which can be severe, the long-lasting weakness and fatigue that follow can be a trying experience. What is even neater is that there is no cure for mononucleosis by the hallowed halls of modern medicine. Doctors just tell patients to go home, get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquid, and wait as the only treatment, but could this be true?
What is mono?
Infectious mononucleosis, mono, kissing disease, and glandular fever are all popular terms for the very common illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus or EBV. This is a member of the herpes-virus family. By the time most people reach adulthood, an antibody against EBV is commonly present in their blood. In the U.S., up to 95% of adults aged 35-40 have antibodies directed against EBV in their blood. This means that most people have, at some point in their lives, had infection with EBV.
The designation mononucleosis refers to an increase in a special type of white blood cells called lymphocytes in the bloodstream, relative to the other blood components, because of the EBV infection. Mono is common in adolescents and young adults, with a peak incidence at ages 15-17. However, it is a common infection in children as well. Generally, the illness is less severe in young children and may mimic the symptoms of other common childhood illnesses. This may explain why it is not so easy to diagnose or recognize it in the younger age group. While there are other illnesses falling under the broad classification of “mononucleosis” that cause similar symptoms and an increase in blood lymphocytes, the form caused by the EBV is by far the most common in the world.
How is mononucleosis spread?
Mono is easy to spread by person-to-person contact, where saliva is the primary method of transmission. Infectious mononucleosis developed its common name of “kissing disease” from this prevalent form of transmission among teenagers. A person with mononucleosis can also pass the disease by coughing or sneezing, suspending small droplets of infected saliva and mucus in the air to be inhaled by others. Sharing food or beverages from the same container or utensil can also transfer the virus from one person to another, since contact with infected saliva may result. Most people are exposed to the virus as children, and developed immunity. In fact, those who expose themselves to the EBV usually do not ever develop mononucleosis.
The incubation period for mononucleosis refers to the time from the initial viral infection until the appearance of symptoms. This period is between four and six weeks. During an infection, a person is likely able to transmit the virus to others for a few weeks. Researches have shown that anywhere from 20 to 80 percent of people who have had mononucleosis and have recovered continue to secrete the EBV in their saliva. This goes on for years due to periodic reactivations of the viral infection. Since healthy people without symptoms also secrete the virus during reactivation episodes throughout their lifetime, isolation of infected mono patients is not necessary. Moreover, some doctors believe that some healthy people who nevertheless secrete EBV particles are the primary reservoirs for transmission of EBV among humans.
What are the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis?
The initial symptoms of mono are general lack of energy (malaise), loss of appetite, and chills. These initial symptoms can last from one to three days before more intense symptoms of the illness begin. The more common intense symptoms include severe sore throat, fever, and swollen glands or lymph nodes in the neck area. Generally, the severe sore throat prompts people to contact their doctor. In addition, a fever from 102 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit is the most common sign of mono.
The tonsils have a whitish coating in at least one third of the cases of mononucleosis. The spleen, which is the body’s biggest lymph node, is an organ found in the left upper abdomen underneath the ribcage. It swells and enlarges in about 50% of patients with infectious mononucleosis. An enlarged liver may also occur, and about 5% of patients have a splotchy red rash over the body, similar in appearance to the measles rash.
How to diagnose mononucleosis
The diagnosis of mono is based on these symptoms and signs. It is possible to confirm mono by blood tests while testing to exclude other possible causes of the symptoms. Early in the course of the illness, blood tests show an increase in a type of white blood cells. Some of these increased lymphocytes are unusual lymphocytes, which suggest infectious mononucleosis. More specific testing, such as the monospot and heterophile antibody tests, can confirm the diagnosis. These tests rely on the body’s immune system to make measurable antibodies against the EBV that provoke this infection. Unfortunately, the antibodies may not become detectable until the second or third week of this illness. A blood chemistry test can reveal abnormalities in liver function. Your doctor should also consider testing to exclude the possibility of a strep throat.
Treatment of the kissing disease
In most cases of infectious mononucleosis, no specific treatment is necessary. The illness is usually self-limited and passes much the way other common viral illnesses resolve; available antiviral drugs have no significant effect on the overall outcome and may actually prolong the course of the illness. Occasionally a strep throat occurs in conjunction with mono, and is best treated with penicillin or erythromycin. Ampicillin and amoxicillin should be avoided, since up to 90% of patients with kissing disease develop a rash when taking these medications. Acetaminophen could also help with fever and any aching of the body or head.
A sufficient amount of sleep and rest is also an important aspect of treatment for the kissing disease. The throat soreness is worst during the first five to seven days of the illness, and then subsides over the next seven to ten days; the swollen tender glands generally subside by the third week. A feeling of fatigue or tiredness may persist for months following the acute phase of the kissing disease.
It would be good to avoid participation in any contact sports during the first six to eight weeks following the onset to prevent trauma to the enlarged spleen. The spleen is susceptible to rupture, which can be life-threatening condition. Cortisone medication helps treat severely swollen tonsils or throat tissues which threaten to obstruct breathing. Patients can continue to show virus particles present in their saliva for as long as 18 months after the initial infection with Epstein-Barr virus. When symptoms persist for more than six months, the condition is designated a chronic EBV infection. However, laboratory tests generally cannot confirm continued active EBV infection in people with a chronic mono infection. You could try injections of vitamin B-12, which showed improvement in infectious mononucleosis therapy. You could also ask your doctor to use B-12 supplements under the tongue, which are SL, or sub-lingual form.
During infectious mononucleosis, the appetite can be down, and absorption may worsen, so highly nutrient dense food is important. The easiest way to get that done is using the green foods such as spirulina, chlorella, barley green, or other similar products. Vitamin C is something you must take during mono infection. To strengthen the body as fast as possible, a complete B-complex supplement makes sense. These nutrients are intimately involved in energy production in the body and work together in their biochemical reactions. If you want to cover all the bases alpha lipoic acid (ALA), can be very helpful. It is the only antioxidant that is both water- and fat-soluble. It is also considered an anti-aging nutrient. That is why many doctors would recommend you not just lie in bed if mono strikes. You must know that you are not helpless in this situation, so get proactive and head this pest off as soon as possible.
Complications of the kissing disease
A common, but usually not serious, complication of mononucleosis is a mild inflammation of the liver, called hepatitis. This form of hepatitis is rarely serious or requires any treatment. Also, enlargement of the spleen that occurs with mono makes traumatic rupture of the spleen a possible complication and a serious consequence.
Fortunately, the more severe complications of infectious mononucleosis are quite rare. These include inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis), the heart muscle (myocarditis), and the brain (encephalitis). It could also lead to the destruction of red blood cells, a condition famous as hemolytic anemia. However, mono tends to be more aggressive in patients with abnormal immune systems, such as AIDS patients or patients who have had organ transplants.
Reference
http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/Mo ... 5_f34.html