Sex Question: Is Having Sex in a Pool Safe?

Dear Dr. Kate,

My boyfriend and I have been planning to have sex in a pool, but I have one problem-I'm worried that I can get an infection from the chlorine. What do you think?

Pool sex is not as sexy in real life as it is on TV or in the movies. There are three issues: lubrication, irritation and infection. The water in the pool will likely wash away your natural lubrication; ironically, being surrounded by water makes you drier inside, so intercourse may be more uncomfortable. And depending on the level of chemicals, the chlorine may be seriously irritating to your vulva or vagina, which you might not notice until later-but a red, swollen, itchy, burning vulva can really kill the post-sex glow. Finally, if you're in a pool (or worse, a hot tub) that hasn't been properly chlorinated, there is a risk of a bladder infection from the microbes in the water. Given all of this, why not try a little manual foreplay in the pool instead of intercourse? The water will increase the slickness of your fingers on each other and it's risk free (other than the risk of being caught…).

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Treat RA Early and Aggressively

Rheumatoid Arthritis should be treated early and aggressively if you expect the treatment to be effective and pay off, even in the long run, a researcher in Finland recommends.

Dr. Vappu Rantalaiho of Tampere University Hospital, Finland, and colleagues analyzed radiologic progression in 195 patients with rheumatoid arthritis -- 97 of whom had randomly initially received therapy combining methotrexate, sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine with prednisolone and 98 of whom received a single strategy -- initially sulfasalazine with or without prednisolone. After two years, the treatment was unrestricted for both groups.

Mail Order Hormones

Perfecting the right dosage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a critical matter for the health and well-being of many midlife women, and physicians have long known that saliva tests performed between days 20 and 23 of the menstrual cycle are the most reliable method for measuring hormone levels and assessing any imbalances. The advent of at-home saliva tests now allows women to work with their physicians to arrive at correct dosage levels more quickly and efficiently.

The at-home saliva tests makes pinpointing the correct hormone dosage a much easier matter, since it eliminates the need to coordinate the window of opportunity in a women's cycle with an appointment at the gynecologist’s office.

Hip Arthritis: Resurfacing vs. Replacement

QUESTION: Is there a benefit to hip resurfacing instead of hip replacement in surgery for painful hip arthritis?

ANSWER: Theoretically, resurfacing the worn out ball-and-socket joint of the arthritic hip with metal shells seems like a good "conservative" idea, avoiding throwing away the ball (femoral head) as done in a hip replacement, possibly withstanding running and jumping sports better over time. But early experience with resurfacing in the '80s was disastrous, and recent designs, despite newer materials, are as yet unproven over the long term. What is clear so far is that current resurfacing hip surgery has a higher incidence of complications including hip fracture, loosening of the cemented shell on the femur bone, and metal ion wear particles spread to the entire body via the bloodstream with unknown future consequences. The operation requires a larger incision, more muscle and tendon dissection, likely greater blood loss (increasing the chance of a need for blood transfusions), and a longer period of rehabilitation. Minimal incision, muscle sparing, uncemented total hip replacement with state-of-the-art bearing surface materials remains the gold-standard treatment for painful, disabling hip arthritis for the vast majority of patients.

Healthy Relationships: What Do You Fight With Your Guy About Over the Holidays?

So funny: I caught a clip of Oprah's White House Christmas special, where the Obamas appeared to be just a teensy bit tense with each other about this funny holiday topic (and I totally related!) ...

Gifts!

President Obama insisted that he gave better gifts than Michelle gave him, and I think it offended her just a teensy bit. She objected, then he pointed to her pearl necklace and said something like this, "now who gave you that strand around your neck? Huh?"

I love these kind of moments because it reminds us of how alike we all are, you know? I mean, if the President and his wife bicker about presents, it makes me feel a tad more normal. (Jason, if you're reading this post, I just have two words for you: scented candles.)

Health Controversy: Did You Know That It's Illegal to Enter the U.S. if You Have HIV?

Say you live in another country and want to visit the U.S. If you're HIV-positive, you'll be turned away at customs. Why? Did you know that U.S. law forbids HIV-positive people from visiting the states? However, this controversial restriction is finally getting repealed ...

President Obama's announced Friday that he would end the two-decade ban on people with HIV from entering the country. He called the restriction "archaic" and "discriminatory," and public health experts hailed his decision.

Shockingly, the United States is just one of a small group of countries including Yemen, Qatar and Sudan, that bar HIV-visitors from crossing into their borders.

Have You Ever Been in a Loooong Line at a Public Restroom, and Considered ... Using the Men's Room?

Raise your hand if you've thought about it ... or done it! Recently, before I ran a 5-mile race, the line for the women's restroom was so long, I almost missed the beginning of it. I was tempted to use the guy's facilities, but the line started moving at the very last minute. If you've ever been frustrated that guys have it better than we do when it comes to bathrooms, you'll love this new proposed law ...

You could call it potty parity, because that's what a group behind a new proposed law is after. Guys can buzz in and pee in a long line of urinals--or urinal stations, whatever you call them (what do you call them?)--while gals have to wait in long lines for one, maybe two stalls. Fair? I say not!

Happiness Flashback: Did You Collect Anything as a Kid? My Little Ponies? Stickers? Rocks?

Did you collect anything as a kid? Stickers? Strawberry Shortcake dolls? My Little Ponies? Baseball cards? Rocks? Pennies? Didn't it make you insanely happy? Tell me about your collections ...

As a kid, I collected the following things, all of which--at one time or another--made me happy:

*Cabbage Patch Kids: Well, I guess I actually didn't collect them, but I had six and I loved them so much. There were five girls and a boy, named Leland. I think I still have his "birth certificate" in a box from childhood somewhere.

*Rocks: I used to love my rock collection, until my younger brother decided to bury it (he went through a pirate phase when he was into burying "treasure"--only problem was this: He buried my rock collection in the yard and then forgot where he buried it. To this day, it is still lost.)

Dieting and Exercising - Benefits every one of the time!

To be productive in maintaining to an physical exercise system, you gonna have to define outcomes. Outcomes for most suggest fat on the scale, a dress dimension, the number of pounds on a bench press, and your waist dimension. I challenge you to consider in abstracts. Final results, all the time? Yes! It just may perhaps not come from the form you happen to be in search of on the surface. You are able to break the kind of benefits into three groups: emotional, interior and exterior.

Psychological

I think a lot more important than waistline measurements, personalized bench press records or reading whatever the scale says, is what exercise does available for you emotionally. For me, it was self-confidence and self- esteem. I will do this for life simply because I do not want to go back on the human being I as soon as was. To suit your needs, it may well be a feeling of being productive. Or since you're carrying out something for you personally and no one else.

Choosing The Best Chicken Coop Plan

There are thousands of plans, designs, and ideas used in building chicken coops. They may range from fancier double-tiered structures to a humbler dwelling surrounded by a few feet of chicken wire. If you're thinking about how to properly initiate Chicken Coop Plans, and before indulging in too much time and a fortune setting up a costly coop, learn how to build chicken coops the easy way then you can enjoy the fruits of your labor sooner than you thought.

Chickens aren't demanding creatures. The needs of these lowly beings are quite basic- A nice and warm place to stay to shield themselves and their eggs against nature's harmful elements. Next in tow is a space for their nests where they can lay eggs. Another major factor considered is the sturdiness of this dwelling which determines their security from predator's attacks. To complete the list of your chickens' needs of course would be food and water then surely they'll be content campers.

Can Yoga Help Gum Canker Sores?

Gum canker sores are open lesions that arise on the gum area, particularly on the side of the gum area close to the teeth or occasionally deep into the tissues of the gum lining. Canker sores can arise in different area of the mouth, though. In certain situations, these sores are very unpleasant and they could be uncomfortable, particularly when they're bigger and they cause trouble when it comes to ingesting or talking. If you're coping with any of these possible risk elements, it's a wise decision to check for methods to decrease your worries. Yoga could be a good choice for this.

Decreasing Emotional stress Will help

Vegetarian Stand-Up Comedian

A stand-up sketch comedy routine for someone who is a Vegetarian, being pitched to a crowd of people who aren't -- troublesome, no?

By Punkerslut

Introduction

I absolutely admire the comedy of Bill Hicks. He manages to create something amusing and funny out of many issues. He does this in various ways, including being "raunchy" about the subject. He also talks a great deal about politics. But, he doesn't just talk about them -- he makes them amusing and hilarious. So, I had an interesting thought. Would it be possible to recreate the style of Bill Hicks, but do it defending something radical and opposed to by the majority of the public? So, I thought I'd write a stand-up comedy routine on behalf of Vegetarianism, but mostly for comedy value, while not losing intellectual worth. And, here is that routine. Enjoy!

Yoga for Runners

Not only am I an avid practicer of yoga, I am also a marathon runner. These two might sound completely opposite, but they have much more in common than you would think. Especially if you are the kind who likes to learn something deeper from what you do. Both activities provide many metaphors for life.

I have talked about the lessons of yoga, and how they apply to life. Well, the same is true for running. The insights I learn from yoga help my thinking and performance in running. Occasionally it is the other way around. Both benefit me tremendously in my daily life. The management of your mental chatter in these activities allows you to do the same in the rest of your day.

Hot Yoga

People always seem drawn to and curious about hot yoga. There is sort of a sensationalized image of hot yoga: steamy room, sweat dripping from contorted bodies, etc. The rooms I’ve been in lacked the dramatic steam, but certainly had the sweat you would expect from this yoga practice. While not as glamourous as you may think, this yoga does have its benefits.

Hot yoga was introduced through Bikram yoga, but not all hot yoga is bikram. You can do yoga of any sort in a room with the heat turned up. Temperatures are typically 95 – 105 degrees.

The major benefit of the heat is it allows the muscles to really relax. This increases flexibility at early points in the practice — rather than the typical need to ‘warm up’ before really finding some good lengthening. I find the heat so helpful with this that I will dress in layers if I am unable to practice in a warm room.

Stress Management — Relaxation with Yoga Breathing

As I’ve said before, yoga has many benefits that relate to life — stress management and relaxation are a couple of those benefits. I have learned to find a deep relaxation with yoga breathing, even when I am not doing yoga. Of course deep breathing relaxation exercises are common for managing stress, so this should come as no surprise.

The Inhalation

You should breathe in through your nose. Rather than belly breathing, you want to expand your chest to fill your lungs. In yoga you are trying to keep your core engaged, so this does not play well with belly breathing. Yoga breathing is coordinated with the movements (in vinyasa yoga). Often when a pose is particularly challenging, the instinct is to hold your breath. It is important to keep breathing well at all times, and you will find this true in life.

Exercise Walking Shoes for Women to Choose

The best exercise walking shoes for women are health essentials in your wardrobe.

In order to get the most comfortable walking shoes and the best walking shoes for women, follow this best walking shoes guide.

Because, just like Cinderella, if the shoe is a perfect fit, you can reap great rewards. And, wearing comfortable walking shoes that best support your individual needs will prevent blisters, calluses and more serious injuries.

Plus, wearing the best, most comfortable walking shoes that fit perfectly will also help you stick with your regular daily walking exercise routine.

How to Get the Best Walking Shoes for Women

4 Tips For Effective Afternoon Power Naps

If you are at all able to take a short nap during the day, by all means, you should and should not feel guilty about it. There is much truth behind the elusive “power nap.” Some of the greatest thinkers in history were given to brief naps during the day. Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, and Thomas Edison, among scores of others, recognized the value in re-charging during the day.

Still, there is something of a stigma about taking an afternoon nap, and therefore, a good reason that so-called “energy drinks,” those loaded with caffeine, have become so popular. The drawbacks to this sort of “revival” include the consumption of too much sugar, which, while perhaps giving you a short burst of energy, will make you feel even more tired later.

Eye Secrets – Instant Eye Lift And Youthful Look

Regaining youthful beauty does not have to be painful and expensive. When eyelids and eye bags start to turn droopy and eyelashes grow slower due to old age, many women think that surgery or expensive dermatological treatments are the only solution. If you are one of the millions of people who desperately want to regain their tight eyelids, wrinkle-free eye bags and youthful eyelashes, use Eye Secrets, the most trusted quick fix to the signs of aging.

Eye Secrets is a line of eye products that guarantee noticeable transformation of eyelids, eyelashes and skin texture. Now there is a practical solution to sagging eyelids, loose eye bags, and short eyelashes, especially for those who fear surgery, or rather its costs. Eye Secrets promises to give you fast results with its three breakthrough products:

16 tips for getting good sleep

There’s a lot of advice out there about getting good sleep -- it's VERY important. We quickly adjust to being sleep-deprived, and don't notice that we aren't functioning at a normal level, but lack of sleep really affects us. If you're feeling blue or listless, try going to sleep thirty minutes earlier for a week. It can really help.

Here are tips that have helped me get good sleep:

Good habits for good sleep:

1. Exercise most days, even if it’s just to take a walk.

2. No caffeine after 7:00 p.m.

3. An hour before bedtime, avoid doing any kind of work that takes alert thinking. Addressing envelopes—okay. Analyzing an article—nope.

Dealing With Doctor Anxiety

You’re not alone if you stand in awe of your physician and as a result, don’t get the quality of medical care you should. Studies tell us that the better the communication between doctor and patient, equal to equal, the better the health care the patient will get.

Sometimes patients hesitate to question their doctors for fear they will get angry or feel insulted. Surveys show, however, that most physicians respond positively to direct requests for information.

There are ways by which the patient can help improve the communication process. Here are the basics:

--Go to the doctor’s office prepared with detailed information on your personal and family medical history. List your symptoms in the order in which they appeared and describe them as precisely as possible – their location in our body, their frequency, their effect on our everyday activities.